52 [Accidental Video]

[flameandpassion]

[There's a series of slammed doors, when the PCD turns on -- anyone who has been inside of it will recognize the Temple of Heaven -- and anyone who pays attention will see that the reason for the slammed doors is quickly approaching the device.

Rei is opening doors, looking inside rooms, and slamming them shut.

Over. And over. And over. And over. And over.

It's a large temple, after all. There are a lot of rooms to look through.

But once Rei has reached the final door, the one closest to the PCD, she is breathless, her fingers are trembling, and she yanks it open with much more force than absolutely necessary. The door slams into the adjacent wall and the PCD manages to look inside it, quickly -- an empty, unused room -- before Rei slams the door shut so hard that the wall shakes.]

Damn it --

[It's choked through a sob as she turns away from the PCD, her shoulders trembling, as she struggles to get ahold of herself. The trembling soon turns into full out shaking and Rei turns, her back hitting the wall, so she can sink to the floor, her hands burying themselves in her hair as she cries.

Sometimes, it's just one last straw to finally break the camel's back.]

Comments

[flameandpassion]

[Her eyes fixate on Vincent's. All true. Rei won't dispute them.]

[haruspicate.livejournal.com]

I see. It is a pleasure to meet you, then, Miss Rei.

[flameandpassion]

I'm glad.

[haruspicate.livejournal.com]

In that case... will you be all right?

[flameandpassion]

[No.]

I have people in this city to protect.

If I weren't all right, they would suffer because of it.

1/2

[haruspicate.livejournal.com]

[haruspicate.livejournal.com]

Now, that isn't very fair!

[flameandpassion]

[... is he laughing at her -- ]

What's so funny?

[haruspicate.livejournal.com]

Just now--that was a bit of a cheat, wasn't it?

[flameandpassion]

... it's not a cheat.

[With something a huff.]

It's the truth.

[haruspicate.livejournal.com]

That may be... but duty isn't a real answer.

[flameandpassion]

Sometimes duty is all you have.

[Bluntly and to the point.

Because, quite honestly, the knowledge that Rei has to keep moving in order to help those she loves is the only reason she has not given up yet.

That and Hino Rei would die before she gave up a damn thing, but that's another matter entirely.]

[haruspicate.livejournal.com]

And if you fall short?

[flameandpassion]

[There's a silence, in response.

She's fallen short far too many times.]

[haruspicate.livejournal.com]

... ah. I've struck a chord, haven't I?



I suppose that really does put an apology in order this time.

[flameandpassion]

[She is silent, for a moment more, before Rei finally finds her voice.]

... failure isn't acceptable. So I'll keep fighting, even if I do fall short.

[haruspicate.livejournal.com]

But it wasn't your determination I questioned.

[flameandpassion]

It's my determination you're receiving.

[haruspicate.livejournal.com]

Then it doesn't matter whether you're all right... so long as you survive to protect?

[flameandpassion]

I'm a soldier. It's what I do.

[Some voice in the back of Rei's head is telling her that she shouldn't share this with a perfect stranger -- but she's so exhausted and Vincent is just... talking to her and she's responding with no effort or thought at all that it hardly seems to matter.]

[haruspicate.livejournal.com]

But is it all you're satisfied to be?

[flameandpassion]

[No.]

It's what I am.

1/2

[haruspicate.livejournal.com]

[haruspicate.livejournal.com]

It seems I was wrong after all...

[flameandpassion]

-- about what?