on sinking ground [active/closed]

[freudenstachel]

Characters: Freudia Neuwahl, Professor Layton
Content: Freudia might not care what everyone else thinks, but there's one person who might be able to get her off the warpath.
Location: West 17th, near Union Square
Time of day: Afternoon
Warnings: Stubbornness and shame.

Comments

[simplypuzzled]

Layton had managed to find a house- well, no, not a house, more of a room. It was just big enough to house a makeshift desk and bed, but he wasn't bothered. Everyone was forced to make do until they could come across something better during the relief effort, and he would have to do the same. There would be time for furnishing later.

Hearing a whisper at the door made him pause in front of his newer laptop. Was that who he thought it was? She had given little warning on the journals as to her arrival.

Layton sat for a few seconds, listening for something more behind the door before getting up and moving towards it briskly. With hope he'd be able to talk her out of this quickly, but it was hard to convince a killer not to kill. She had said it herself: she was raised to think this way. It was going to be a bit of a long afternoon.

He opened the door and stood on the threshold, looking Freudia over. She didn't look well, but then again, neither did he; he had lost all his spare clothes in the attack and was still wearing the same shirt, coat, and pants from that day. Layton quickly stood aside to let her in, not saying a word.

[freudenstachel]

Well, fantastic. The only way to make her any less comfortable. But from the way Layton had reacted on the journals, Freudia couldn't say she was surprised. She couldn't really say much of anything. Words, for once, were difficult. Though at least he let her inside, and she took every opportunity she could to get out of sight, quickly making her way further into where Layton was living.

Oh, she wasn't about to break the silence. That she even showed up at all should have been enough. It took a lot of courage, and she doubted she would even be able to convince Layton of what she knew was right. Face an army, no problem. Face a friend and it's the most harrowing experience in the world.

[simplypuzzled]

He was the first to speak.

"I do apologize for the lack of seats," Layton said, closing the door. His voice was devoid of feeling, however helpful and polite he was trying to be. Having Freudia in the room under a situation like this made him nervous of what would happen.

It was best to just jump in and get it over with. Layton crossed the room and passed Freudia to gaze out the only window in the house. "I hardly believe I need to remind you of the situation, but I suppose I'll start with a simple question."

He turned to stare straight at her. "Why did you hide this from me?"

[freudenstachel]

She wouldn't attack him. Couldn't, really. But he was still entitled to be wary. Feeling his stare, Freudia returned it, showing the confidence in her actions that her words would lack.

"I did not want you to find out." Ah, the obvious answer. "I... respect you, Professor. You remind me of a friend." The enigmatic Spiritia, of course. The entire situation was something she would be completely opposed to, and Freudia assumed Layton would think the same way. "And I do not wish to lose your respect."

[simplypuzzled]

Her comment avoit not wanting to lose his respect made him hesitate. Had she really hid her plans from him for his sake? Freudia had read him well: he was opposed to what she wanted to do, every bit of it. The man who had first attacked the monster truly didn't deserve to die, Layton was sure. He had had similar ideas when he had first arrived, after all; at the very least, he understood what Axel and the others were trying to accomplish.

Still staring directly at Freudia, Layton said calmly, "I understand what you mean. However, it is my firm belief that friends should not lie to or conceal information from one another. Furthermore, you knew very well that I would discover your plan, either right away or later on." He was going to tear apart this topic before he touched on the mob plan itself; in truth, the hiding of the whole deal bothered Layton more than he wished to mention. For now, Freudia was calm, and he wanted to savor the moment before an argument broke out.

[freudenstachel]

Trying to keep her attention focused on Layton, Freudia told him, resignation strong in her voice, "I did know." It was useless to hide things from anyone in a community this large. But it seemed like a good idea at the time. (Most things did.) And really, what would she have done if she had pulled it off? That would have alerted him immediately and she would have had to answer for worse than just a little lie. She really had not thought this through very well.

Freudia's stare, as it gradually lost its intensity, became expectant.

[simplypuzzled]

Right, so now her argument here was falling apart. Normally, Layton wouldn't have settled for such an explanation, but they were still friends. It wouldn't be right to make her feel bad for not having thought things through or hiding the plan from him. Deciding he had already pressed her enough on this, he sighed deeply.

"Freudia, this plan of yours...it's insanity, to say the very least. You can't possibly want to go through with this." Layton's voice had the slightest hint of pleading within it. The last thing the city needed was more destruction, especially when they were attempting to rise up once more. He stood his ground, awaiting a response...hopefully one he could reply to easily.

[freudenstachel]

"But I must!" she insisted, her voice finally finding strength again. But she couldn't get angry. She'd known it was coming, after all. "This... this is what is right. This is justice." And she'd keep saying that until people believed her. "He could have easily done the same thing to us. Nobody would be protesting if he had killed one of us."

[simplypuzzled]

"Absolutely not."

His voice had suddenly become as firm as he could make it. "Murder is never an option. The man was attempting to save us all." Layton was going to stand by this opinion until he died or he left Manhattan, whichever came first. One who had entertained the same notion could not simply give it up at the drop of a hat. "It was a mistake, Freudia, what he triggered. That is not a suitable reason to hang him."

[freudenstachel]

To be fair, Freudia had also thought about it, but she'd managed to convince herself that if she did it, she would do it right and make sure no one else got hurt.

"When the Count watched as his people -- my people -- were killed, he did not consider it a mistake. He gathered my friends. He gathered an army. And he struck." Freudia's tone had grown to match his upon the last word. She was certain to overcome herself, open her eyes, and practically glare at Layton as she prepared her next words. "If he had simply... been idle, then I would not be speaking to you right now."

[simplypuzzled]

This was purely an exercise in self-restraint at this point; Layton could handle that. He returned Freudia's glare with an empty stare, becoming icier by the minute. "Yes, but as far as everyone can tell, no one has died because of the attack. There have only been injuries which can be tended to; no one has been hurt to the point of death."

He crossed his arms tightly, and continued, "If Axel had truly wanted to kill us, I would think otherwise."

[freudenstachel]

"How many homes were lost? How many lives were ruined?" Deterring though Layton's iciness was, Freudia still mustered enough strength to put power behind her voice again. "That is worse than death in our situation. That is leaving us to the crabs." And yes, she was well aware that homes were still available, but she and Layton were privileged. In her eyes, at least. Think of the poor normal people! (Not really.)

[simplypuzzled]

Layton's reply came after a long pause. "We are all alive and working hard to restore our lives. There are healers among us who can easily take care of the crab bites." He hesitated, then added, "We have dealt with them before, and we are capable of dealing with them now." Sure, this was an unfortunate situation, but Freudia seemed to be painting it as an impossible one; that was simply not true. They were working their way out of this piece by piece. "Do you very much believe that killing people off will be able to make everything better? That's foolish. The only way we can right this mess is by working together."

[freudenstachel]

She knew full well that the situation was not impossible. Truth be told, she'd been inconvenienced and wanted revenge, but that was of course not what she believed. "One of the healers was working with him," she said as though it would change Layton's mind. Her next question, though, followed a lengthy pause of her own. "How can I expect to work with others when there is nothing else I can do?"

[simplypuzzled]

"Freudia..."

Back to square one. Layton exhaled deeply, uncrossing his arms. Massaging his temple with his free hand, he closed his eyes and said, "We're all forced to start from scratch. Attempt to rebuild your own life and help others do the same. It matters not what's happened to get us here, only that we must move forward. Justice can come at a later date."

Hopefully this was a response good enough to satisfy Freudia for the time being. Layton leaned against the wall in a tired fashion, tilting his head up to the ceiling.

[freudenstachel]

"No, Professor."

She sounded sure of herself, which was taking more than she was letting on. Her arms fell to her sides. She knew she had to rebuild. That she should try to help others rebuild. But. "You do not understand. I cannot... rebuild, or clear debris, or heal people." Her voice had only the slightest twinge of regret. Still, this was no choice of hers. "This is my only option." That didn't make things better, of course. But it was still doing something, even if that something was morally reprehensible.