I'll tell you all how the story ends

[cleartranquil]

Who: Ghost Quest kids and all those who want to see them.
What: So as it turns out, going against the label might've been a bad move. Who knew, right? 
When: Feb 3rd and after 
Where: Pride HQ
Warnings: Talk of torture, aftermath of violence, aftermath of brainwashing, dudes there's some dark stuff.

For the past three days, the troublemakers and ghost helpers of Pride Records were kept locked away from their friends and their bands. 

As far as everyone else knew, they were just gone. And then they were back. 

They are all worse for wear, some far more than others and some much more mentally than physically, but they are all returned to their penthouses, finally, at the end of their ordeals. 

But, at least they're back. Somewhat in one piece. For the most part. 

Comments

[worthlesspride]

It's not your fault.

[Tooru has his right leg up on the chair across from him and he's sipping tea unenthusiastically.

He cuts his eyes to her as he lefts the mug to his lips. They're both worse for wear.]

Those aliens kinda sucked. We helped them, and they didn't help us.

[cleartranquil]

Still kinda feels like it, ya know?

[She shrugs.]

Feels like I should'a done more. But, I don't know if that's them talkin' or just me.

[Yuffie's the sort to be ridiculously candid with everyone, even if no one wants her to be. Aren't you glad you're stuck with that right now? She does smile a little bit at his assessment.]

I don't know if they could. Baryl was so tired and who the hell knows what they were doing to Octave.

[She shrugs again.]

[worthlesspride]

[He lets out a sigh] I know. It's just frustrating. I'm... [He makes a vague gesture to his leg] I'm a cripple now.

[He takes another drink of tea]

It's them talking. Make no mistake.

[He might be docile now, his right knee had always been his weakness, the part of himself he felt vulnerable. It was fragile and breaking it broke his spirit. But spirits, like bones, can mend. His dreams of professional volleyball is over, and that hurts him so much.

It is, however, the only psychological torture they did to him. Unlike the others they didn't try to convince him he could have stopped anything. They just shattered his dreams

That was their mistake.]

[cleartranquil]

[Yuffie looks uncomfortable when he mentions it. And she frowns. As she speaks her voice shifts in pitch, becoming higher as she talks, like she's placing it differently.]

That was stupid. How do they expect you to do anything. They're going to want you to perform, right? But they've put you out of commission for who knows how long. On top of that, they could've killed you from shock or sepsis from the way you were treated, not to mention the soft tissue damage that was inevitable I mean...I...

[Oh. Yuffie stops, and she blinks. First, she's sure he doesn't want to hear that. Second, she's not at all sure where any of that came from, and third, considering everything...she's now starting to wonder exactly what the other her did. Because there are way too many bits of random knowledge about how to put people back together, and how to take them apart in the first place, that she's been collecting.

For once, Yuffie actually looks sheepish.]

Sorry. Again. Uh.

[worthlesspride]

[Tooru doesn't even blink at all the information. He already knows it. At least about knees. He's remembering that his knee has always been his worry.]

Weeks, months even. But I doubt Santiago's smart enough to have thought of that.

[He pauses, then sets down his tea with a sigh] It's my punishment for being the one to bring down the barrier.

[He lowers his voice, figuring he can talk to her about this since she knows so much] They went as for to just put the cast on me and meds so I don't get an infection. . It's not going to heal right like this.

[cleartranquil]

Which was pretty cool. Who'd think to use a ball as a weapon?

[She smiles at him, and she's surprisingly sincere. Though, it will be hilarious later to her when she remembers exactly why she thought it was so cool.

She crosses her legs, turning in her seat and putting her entire focus on him as she talks.]

Part of the problem was the leaving it. And how they broke it. I mean I don't know where the fracture is, but depending on where is gonna massively change how much ya'can use it later.

[She's babbling, not even a hundred percent sure of what she's saying beyond the fact that she knows it. The more she talks, the more sure she is.]

I'm more worried about if your band knows what to do if other stuff sets in. Meds are great and all but there were three days before that. Who knows what already got messed up in your system. [Yuffie sounds serious as she talks, her voice still pitched high, and looking intent. ] If you get really cold all of a sudden or super anxious or anything, call somebody, okay?

[worthlesspride]

[He smiles back] Thanks, I don't know how I knee it'd be a good idea. It just... came to me.

[He nods. He's very familiar with this. Too familiar]

I will. I have... experience with bad knees. I injured it pretty badly before.

Sports injury. Overworked myself perfecting my serve.

What they did is shattered my knee cap. And let it set wrong before putting me in a cast. I'm... I'm not going to be able to walk right ever again.

[cleartranquil]

It was awesome.

[She grows quieter as she talks, trying to keep it down.]

Knee cap's better than it could'a been honestly I mean. It's not good, but likelihood of life-threatening complications are a lot lower.

[She her face quirks as she thinks.]

You're gonna need to do a lot of Physical Therapy. [She doesn't know why, but she knows. People can manage things you never think they could.] But you wont know until things start to heal up some how bad. It might heal better, it might heal worse. You never know.

[worthlesspride]

Been there done that.

[He unconsciously reaches down and rubs at his knee, stilling when he feels the cast]

Well, let's hope it'll be okay.

[cleartranquil]

I think it can be.

[Yuffie smiles at him, leaning over into his vision. She's occasionally just a ridiculous pile of optimism. Right now is one of those times.]

You're pretty tough. I think you can totally get lots better.

[worthlesspride]

[He smiles softly before sighing. He's really not much for optimism at the moment, but he appreciates the effort.]

Thank you, Yuffie-chan.