[Narrative and Private; backdated Saturday night]
...Was this really it?
Giovanni gazed at the clear vial beside him, as if it was the most precious object -no, not 'as if'. It was the most precious object he owned-, as the papers on the table lay there, ready to have last words written upon them. He had already gotten his will in order, signed and all...now was the harder part. As he started, even the scratching of pen against paper seemed to reverberate in the dark, silent room, no matter how large it was.
It figured he was to pass on before atoning in this life. That's just how his luck worked. Whether something from above, or a backhand from Karma herself, it made sense in his mind. He'd created a hell on Earth for so many trainers...now it was his turn to experience it. As he wrote, struggling to put his feelings into words, he wondered absently if it would be like what Volgin had said...
Perhaps not...perhaps the teachings he had grown up on were true...perhaps he would go to purgatory for awhile, and atone there. Perhaps he'd come back as something else, a lower form because of his sins. Perhaps hell was his final destination. Or perhaps it was all nothingness.
But it hardly mattered now. No thinking on that would make anything clearer than the idea of staring death in the face and shaking his hand in however long it would be.
And of course he couldn't do anything beyond write a few letters, save his son's life, and go die alone. How the mighty had fallen.
No funeral, no mourners. He'd make one last call to his father, go up to the mountains he loved, spend what little time he had left reveling in the beauty of the earth one last time before he returned to that very same dust. He'd say good bye to his son, of course...but he couldn't let him see his father die. How traumatic that'd be. It didn't occur to him that leaving like this might be worse...
He finished the last letter, signing his name on the bottom with a flourish, reading over it as the black ink dried... Yes, this seemed fitting. Placing each in a pristine white envelope addressed to their recipients, he affixed them with a seal each, stood, taking last one look over pictures, memories...memories he had abandoned with his family, before exiting to deliver the final pieces he could leave.
And what a terrible legacy he left to the ones he loved.
~~~~~
Voile,
Beautiful, sweet, brilliant Voile. I really had no idea what to expect when I met you, up on the roof of the greenhouse as you helped me. I never thought I would meet a vivacious young lady that day that cared so much for everyone, a young woman with such a large heart that welcomed everyone in. Even one such as I, who you tried to teach how to feel others' hearts as keenly as yourself. With every moment by your side, I felt myself grow ever fonder of you...in a way, perhaps I saw you as a daughter of sorts. I just wish I could spend more time in the presence of such beauty and grace. I know you will grow up to be even more wonderful, my little fiore.
Thank you for your wonderful friendship. Don't let anyone ever hold you back.
'Professor' Giovanni
~~~~~
Mac,
I do not even know what to say. What can I even speak of, when I know you deserve higher praise than I am able to write. You are [there's hesitation in the ink here] one of the warmest individuals I've ever known. You were one of the first to welcome me to this school, you shared your heart with me when I was first rejected by my son...and yet I did not treat that as it should have been. Instead of trusting and letting you in, I pushed you away. I suppose it was to protect you from who I was, [who I am?] but even then I should have done better by you. You deserve better than what I did. But even after learning of my past, even as much as I hurt you, you were steadfast in the belief that I could make things right, make a new life for myself. You never stopped believing that, did you? You gave me hope, hope that even I could atone for the past. Maybe it made a difference... I suppose we'll find out one day.
It's sad, really. Even though you were the first friend I made here, I never treated you quite right. I should have, and I apologize for that. If I had lived longer, made things better...perhaps we could even have been brothers.
Thank you for everything, Mac. You truly have no idea how much I appreciate it.
Giovanni
~~~~~
[...This one was the hardest to write...]
To my dearest friend, Ivan,
[How the hell do I even write this]
Ivan. I simply cannot thank you enough for everything you have done for me. I never imagined we would become so close...you are my friend, my confidante, my fratello. I [hesitation marks lay here] know you wished for more, but even when I told you that could not be, you stuck by me, going so far to help me you crossed time and space to help me get Silver back, risked your life with me when we went to get him back.
It's strange. I call you 'brother', but it is so much more than that, and I know no word in English, nor either of our languages to describe it. You speak sense into me when I am set in my thoughts, you calm me when I am beyond furious, when I am stressed to my breaking point. So few in this world can do these things. I can trust you with anything, just being with you is a boon. I'm glad that Volgin is here, for he can take care of you now that I will not be able to.
I know you are well taken care of, and it sets me at ease,
and I wish you every happiness in the world.
Thank you so much.
For everything.
Love,
Giovanni
[OOC: He's going to give the antidote to Silver now, after he delivers the notes. Feel free to grab him at any point if you wish, especially those with letters addressed to them, but even those without.]
Giovanni gazed at the clear vial beside him, as if it was the most precious object -no, not 'as if'. It was the most precious object he owned-, as the papers on the table lay there, ready to have last words written upon them. He had already gotten his will in order, signed and all...now was the harder part. As he started, even the scratching of pen against paper seemed to reverberate in the dark, silent room, no matter how large it was.
It figured he was to pass on before atoning in this life. That's just how his luck worked. Whether something from above, or a backhand from Karma herself, it made sense in his mind. He'd created a hell on Earth for so many trainers...now it was his turn to experience it. As he wrote, struggling to put his feelings into words, he wondered absently if it would be like what Volgin had said...
Perhaps not...perhaps the teachings he had grown up on were true...perhaps he would go to purgatory for awhile, and atone there. Perhaps he'd come back as something else, a lower form because of his sins. Perhaps hell was his final destination. Or perhaps it was all nothingness.
But it hardly mattered now. No thinking on that would make anything clearer than the idea of staring death in the face and shaking his hand in however long it would be.
And of course he couldn't do anything beyond write a few letters, save his son's life, and go die alone. How the mighty had fallen.
No funeral, no mourners. He'd make one last call to his father, go up to the mountains he loved, spend what little time he had left reveling in the beauty of the earth one last time before he returned to that very same dust. He'd say good bye to his son, of course...but he couldn't let him see his father die. How traumatic that'd be. It didn't occur to him that leaving like this might be worse...
He finished the last letter, signing his name on the bottom with a flourish, reading over it as the black ink dried... Yes, this seemed fitting. Placing each in a pristine white envelope addressed to their recipients, he affixed them with a seal each, stood, taking last one look over pictures, memories...memories he had abandoned with his family, before exiting to deliver the final pieces he could leave.
And what a terrible legacy he left to the ones he loved.
~~~~~
Voile,
Beautiful, sweet, brilliant Voile. I really had no idea what to expect when I met you, up on the roof of the greenhouse as you helped me. I never thought I would meet a vivacious young lady that day that cared so much for everyone, a young woman with such a large heart that welcomed everyone in. Even one such as I, who you tried to teach how to feel others' hearts as keenly as yourself. With every moment by your side, I felt myself grow ever fonder of you...in a way, perhaps I saw you as a daughter of sorts. I just wish I could spend more time in the presence of such beauty and grace. I know you will grow up to be even more wonderful, my little fiore.
Thank you for your wonderful friendship. Don't let anyone ever hold you back.
'Professor' Giovanni
~~~~~
Mac,
I do not even know what to say. What can I even speak of, when I know you deserve higher praise than I am able to write. You are [there's hesitation in the ink here] one of the warmest individuals I've ever known. You were one of the first to welcome me to this school, you shared your heart with me when I was first rejected by my son...and yet I did not treat that as it should have been. Instead of trusting and letting you in, I pushed you away. I suppose it was to protect you from who I was, [who I am?] but even then I should have done better by you. You deserve better than what I did. But even after learning of my past, even as much as I hurt you, you were steadfast in the belief that I could make things right, make a new life for myself. You never stopped believing that, did you? You gave me hope, hope that even I could atone for the past. Maybe it made a difference... I suppose we'll find out one day.
It's sad, really. Even though you were the first friend I made here, I never treated you quite right. I should have, and I apologize for that. If I had lived longer, made things better...perhaps we could even have been brothers.
Thank you for everything, Mac. You truly have no idea how much I appreciate it.
Giovanni
~~~~~
[...This one was the hardest to write...]
To my dearest friend, Ivan,
[How the hell do I even write this]
Ivan. I simply cannot thank you enough for everything you have done for me. I never imagined we would become so close...you are my friend, my confidante, my fratello. I [hesitation marks lay here] know you wished for more, but even when I told you that could not be, you stuck by me, going so far to help me you crossed time and space to help me get Silver back, risked your life with me when we went to get him back.
It's strange. I call you 'brother', but it is so much more than that, and I know no word in English, nor either of our languages to describe it. You speak sense into me when I am set in my thoughts, you calm me when I am beyond furious, when I am stressed to my breaking point. So few in this world can do these things. I can trust you with anything, just being with you is a boon. I'm glad that Volgin is here, for he can take care of you now that I will not be able to.
I know you are well taken care of, and it sets me at ease,
and I wish you every happiness in the world.
Thank you so much.
For everything.
Love,
Giovanni
[OOC: He's going to give the antidote to Silver now, after he delivers the notes. Feel free to grab him at any point if you wish, especially those with letters addressed to them, but even those without.]