50 [Text] Hours after Usagi's post.

[flameandpassion]

[Filtered to Gabriel // Private // Unhackable]

Thank you.

[Filtered to Hitsugaya // Private // Unhackable]

I'm cleaned up.

[Filtered to Cloud // Private // Unhackable]

Thank you.

Comments

[Text//Private//Unhackable]

[mirroredecho.livejournal.com]

[Text//Private//Unhackable]

[flameandpassion]

Helping us.

[Text//Private//Unhackable]

[mirroredecho.livejournal.com]

[There's a long pause before the answer comes.]

[Text//Private//Unhackable]

[flameandpassion]

I let him get the best of me.

[Text//Private//Unhackable]

[mirroredecho.livejournal.com]

[Text//Private//Unhackable]

[flameandpassion]

He told me that one day, I would face him, and when I did, I needed to bring Usagi, so she could watch me fail.

[Text//Private//Unhackable]

[mirroredecho.livejournal.com]

[Text//Private//Unhackable]

[flameandpassion]

Did I what?

[text//same filter]

[iceandivory.livejournal.com]

Good. Get some sleep.

[text//same filter]

[flameandpassion]

Yeah, right.

[Come on, Hitsu, sleep is not happening. 8|]

[text//same filter]

[iceandivory.livejournal.com]

Then do whatever you want.

[It's pretty much impossible to tell through text, but he types it with great frustration.]

[Voice // Private // Unhackable]

[flameandpassion]

[It's at least twenty minutes before she responds, but with voice, this time. At first, she doesn't really know what to say -- except the first thing that pops into her head, which is:]

I'm sorry.

[Then, a soft thump as she rests against her headboard.]

-- it was a stupid thing to do.

[It's said with some reluctance -- Rei does have her pride, after all, but even she can't see a single good thing that came out of her standing her ground. She grits her teeth to herself before closing her eyes.]

But he can be hurt.

[Voice // Private // Unhackable]

[iceandivory.livejournal.com]

[Sigh and bother. She always has to do that. Get involved, ask all the wrong questions, make the black list of everyone capable of slitting her throat, and then when he's the most irritated by it, by her, by everyone, she drops something like that.]

Of course he can be.

[Voice // Private // Unhackable]

[flameandpassion]

He controls bodies. He creates illusions or copies of himself. His -- brother, Gabriel, sent us away when he found us... so I guess he's a good guy.

[She's quiet for a minute.]

He told me that I would have to face him one day and when I did, I needed to bring Usagi so she could watch me fail.

[Voice // Private // Unhackable]

[iceandivory.livejournal.com]

In other words, you did exactly what he told you you would do. A self-fulfilling prophesy.

[...Dammit, he hates you all.]

It means nothing. Only that he knows the nature of your relationship with Tsukino.

[Voice // Private // Unhackable]

[flameandpassion]

I didn't bring Usagi, she found me.

[How, Rei has absolutely no idea, but she's trying not to think about it. She's also not thinking of how she played right into the Devil's hands and how incredibly easy she is to manipulate.]

-- it was just a reflex. [Muttered.] I thought he was going to attack me, that's the only reason I took out my talisman.

[PRIVATE]

[checkoutpandora.livejournal.com]

Don't mention it. [He's resigned himself to playing babysitter for Lucifer. Godfuckingdammit.]

[PRIVATE]

[flameandpassion]

Usagi would be dead without you. I'll mention it whenever I want.

[PRIVATE]

[checkoutpandora.livejournal.com]

You know that piss and vinegar's just gonna get you in more trouble with him, right? He likes it when he pisses you off. Gets off on it, practically.

[PRIVATE]

[flameandpassion]

I can feel darkness. Whenever he gets close to me, it feels like I'm being suffocated. He got too close to me and I took out a talisman. It was a reflex.

[PRIVATE]

[checkoutpandora.livejournal.com]

I'd say "don't stand so close to 'em," but, uh, we're not a big personal space-respecting family. Next time? Just walk away. Don't give him anything unless you know you can beat him. And at this point? No one here has any shot at defeating him without me and I don't wanna kill him. Really. I don't. I also don't wanna have to keep rescuing every damsel that tries to light him on fire, but I'm pretty much resigned to doing just that.

[Stupid... Liking humans thing.]

[PRIVATE]

[flameandpassion]

I am not a damsel. And I didn't try to light him on fire, I did light him on fire.

[But there's a pause, as Rei closes her eyes.]

If he won't leave me alone and if he keeps hurting my friends, I can't stand by and do nothing.

[PRIVATE]

[checkoutpandora.livejournal.com]

'Course not. You're a superpowered babe in a mini-skirt. How could I possibly miss that?

[Siiiiigh. And on some level... He understands. Sorta.]

Then you'll die. All of you. That's just how it's gonna be. [Isn't he so bright and cheerful?] I can't hold him back forever, eventually, he's gonna get fed up with me interfering and shiv my ass too.

[PRIVATE] 1/2

[flameandpassion]

[... did you seriously just -- ]

My name is Hino Rei. Call me that again and the arrow goes for your face, not his.

[PRIVATE]

[flameandpassion]

-- and I refuse to believe that he can't be stopped. There's a way. There always is.