10th Partridge [(anonymous?) Voice/Action]

[my_yoke_broke]

[One thing that's always a bad idea to do: give a tree man something that is typically fine for humans.Case in point, just about anything they stuck him with during his stay with the Malnosso. Yeah, it's one thing to have to deal with cells-hello, unpleasant memories-but dealing with drug poisoning, too? This day couldn't get any more hideous for

Comments

[written]

[tehoniongirl]

[after promising Jack she'd lay low she's not speaking into the journal...but she can write]

I don't know that it's about believing good comes out of everything. But [there's a pause as she thinks out her response before writing] it's believing that there's more potential for good than there is for the rest.

[he sounds terrible, though, so now is not the time for "believe in the good of humanity"] It doesn't make the bad okay, though.

Are you alright?

Re: [written]

[my_yoke_broke]

... i dont know

[not sure which thing he's addressing there, really, but he continues in a shaky handwriting]

do you relly think theres mor good than the rest?

the bad?

[150 years... He's not sure which side is winning yet, the good or the bad. They're pretty damn tied up, as far as he knows.]

[written]

[tehoniongirl]

Yes.

[she has to be sure. The people who do these things to them... they can't win]

It's just really hard to see when the rest are the ones right in front of you.

Do you need help?

Re: [written]

[my_yoke_broke]

[At that question, he feels himself curl more into himself, but he keeps his hand and pen on the paper, regardless. Ian's not the type to bother others about his well-being, and he makes no exception here.]

im okay

just a little tired. its been a bad week

[voice]

[honorthecode]

You don't linger on the bad things, and focus on the good. You keep going, hoping that some day those that do wrong see the error of their ways.

Re: [voice]

[my_yoke_broke]

[Oh so hesitantly, in a low voice:]

... Should you keep going, if one of the error of their ways is you...?

[voice]

[honorthecode]

Yes. By doing so, you show them that you're better then what they made you out to be.

Re: [voice]

[my_yoke_broke]

[A suppressed sound of effort, as he shifts on his elbow.]

But it hurts too much to keep fighting it...

[Hazily, he finds himself back in those days. Over one-hundred years of a decent life, overshadowed by a measily six years. Seems so unfair, to those years before it... he feels guilty about it, even.

But it lingers so strong.]

[Written]

[wise_maiden]

Everything is a process. Life... experiences. Everyone takes a different approach to it... and sometimes it might seem easier to give in to that hopelessness. Even if you can't turn the bad experiences into good ones, there's still... learning from them, and moving on.

Re: [Written]

[my_yoke_broke]

it

[A pause.]

doesnt feel like anyone else is learning but me

[Written]

[wise_maiden]

Not everyone learns or accepts things at the same pace, or even is willing to. You can't change the past, but you can change yourself... and try to change the world around you, little by little.

Re: [Written]

[my_yoke_broke]

little by little...

its taken a long time so far

[... and it was good progress, right, Ian? There's so many people at home who accept you. People here accept you. It's just this whole other race of people here who want to experiment and hurt people.]

do you think you can forgive the people whove experimented on everyone here?

[Voice]

[mikangirl]

[...this resonates. A lot. So her voice is very soft when she responds.]

Good things don't always happen as a result of the bad stuff. It's just the way life is.

What matters is not letting the bad stuff define who you are.

Re: [Voice]

[my_yoke_broke]

[... That voice is very relaxing. It reminds him of Henrietta.

Give him a moment, he's a little weepy at the thought. HE'S A BIG BABY OKAY.]

Not letting it define who you are...

But can't--can't some of the bad stuff make you who you are?

[Voice]

[mikangirl]

[It's okay, Ian. She's been down enough herself about this kind of thing lately that weepiness just makes her feel sorry for him.]

...you can learn from it. And it teaches you caution, so you don't make the same mistakes twice. But if you're strong, it can't make you anything you don't want to be.

[The Malnosso can do that, of course. Make you into anything they want you to be. She... doesn't say that part. >>]

Re: [Voice]

[my_yoke_broke]

[He stiffens at 'it teaches you caution'. What'd Carolina tell him before?

"You can be their clumsy cute little savior all you want, but when they turn around and bite you again and leave you with nothing then you have no one to blame but your-"

He slaps his hands over his ears, eyes shut. Strength... does strength have anything to do with it? Carolina is so powerful in mind and body, but they took everything from her...

Were people wrong? Should he be so open about himself, really? Or should he be like Carolina and her father, and hide away for as long as he can?]

I don't know. Maybe you're right...

[Maybe.]

[savethelastchip]

[ One of the harder things for explaining, Ian. but optimism is one of his stronger suits, still, so he couldn't go without trying as much. ]

Everything that happens, it isn't the only thing that'll ever happen. Some of the worst things I've gone through are things I wouldn't be the same without; even though it's really hard, I have to be able to remember that. And... I believe that no matter how many people can be cruel, there are always really good people out there, too. [ He has confidence in such things. All of his friends qualify to that rule. ]

[my_yoke_broke]

[He listens very, very carefully. After a shaking little breath, he replies] I've always considered the bad things important to me, even if I woulda' changed them if I could.

[He shifts in the grass silently.]

The good people. How... do y'know if they're, y'know. Good?

How do y'know if you should trust them with everything?

[He's always believed in people's word. There are people back home he truly believes in. But... there are also people he never should have put his faith into.]

[savethelastchip]

I don't really know until I try. It doesn't always work out, but everyone should at least get one good chance. [ And if they mess it up but don't reach unforgivable levels, they're welcome to have second/third/fourth/infinite chances until things go one way or the other.

He just knows that he's always grateful to get his chances. ]

[my_yoke_broke]

That's true... I have friends I wouldn't've had otherwise, if I didn't give them the second chance...

[He smiles at himself, looking up in exasperation.]

Or the third one.