027 - video

[cauchemal]

[Filtered to anyone Mal encountered during the flood. She's clearly been crying and is distraught beyond words. If you look carefully, you can see that she's clutching her totem in one hand.]

That was not me. I didn't-I'm not like that, I'm not. She was a monster. I don't understand-

[She breaks off and wipes her eyes with the back of her hand.I'

Comments

Private

[paradoxlol]

You're right. That wasn't you. She's not any reflection of you.

Private

[cauchemal]

I'm so sorry, Arthur.

That's what he dreams when he dreams of me, isn't it?

Private

[paradoxlol]

[He wants to offer a light comment right now-- one of his wry, sarcastic remarks-- to try to make her feel better, but he can't right now. It's too serious a topic.]

Yeah.

It's not how he remembers you, Mal.

Private

[cauchemal]

No, but-it's still his subconscious. It's still coming from somewhere.

And that frightens me, Arthur.

Private

[paradoxlol]

It's coming from him, not anything you did. You don't think he really thinks you're capable of any of that, do you?

Private

[cauchemal]

No, of course not ... he used to tease me, Arthur, about how I couldn't even kill a spider if I found one in the house.

[There's a pause, and when she speaks again, it's the sound of someone who's finally had a very big idea fall on her head out of the clear blue sky.] Mine is the face he wears to torture himself. Because nothing else could be so effective, could it?

Private

[paradoxlol]

[AND OTHERS-- is what he wants to add, since the whole knee-capping incident-- BUT HE WON'T.]

Yeah...

Cobb-- He was never the same after what happened. It started out small-- your face in the crowd-- but as time passed, it got worse.

Private

[cauchemal]

...To where he sabotaged himself, hurt his friends. The guilt ... oh, Arthur, he's been driving himself mad, hasn't he?