text; un: ems

[unhappy]

I'm sick of trying to feel better about everything and being kind and showing everyone oh look moonblessed are harmless teehee let's just

be angry

anon is fine

come tell me who or what makes you angry, get it out there

[ Emerald is not anon, but she doesn't mind if any characters are. Unless otherwise stated, please assume she is not responding anonymously. She doesn't know how to cope with feelings of loss, so this is the best and most productive thing she could think of to try to get it out without wanting to punch everyone she speaks to in the face like she has for the past couple of weeks. So please, vent with her and be angry. ]

Comments

[burningfree]

[Lio shrugged in response to her teasing about the fire.]

I wouldn't care so much, but these fires don't listen to me. They'll hurt others whether I want them to or not... and I'd rather not upset my firefighter boyfriend if I can help it.

[He scoffed a bit at her comment about being a hero, a little sarcastic smirk on his own face, but his features softened as she continued.

He... hadn't expected an offer like that. Maybe he should have, given the two were way more similar than they were different. Emerald certainly understood his perspective on a level that Lio couldn't say many others ever would. And the natural leader in him wants to rope her into his cause, even if he didn't have a formal following any longer.]

... I appreciate it, honestly. Even when I was back home, I knew I couldn't make a difference on my own, no matter how strong I was. It's why I sought out Mad Burnish, and offered them a tangible goal to follow: build our own society, away from the world that had turned its back on us, and bring down anyone who would stand in our way.

I never actually meant to become their leader, but their two strongest members saw what I had to offer and put their faith in me. I still don't know if they were right to do it... I made a lot of mistakes that cost a lot of lives, that nearly cost them theirs... but I don't regret at least trying to make a difference.

[And he sighed as he looked away from the building, to the actual surrounding streets. Some graffiti littered the walls here, though not nearly to the extent that it did closer to the Lightless itself.]

Give me a month and a half. If I'm not any closer to gaining access by the end of June, I'll contact you. And Emerald, from one villain to another... thanks, sincerely, for all of this.

[unhappy]

[ She listens, nodding in understanding. They really are similar in a lot of ways, but in Emerald's eyes, she thinks he's braver than she is. More resourceful. He may not have meant to become their leader and he may have made mistakes, but people still had faith in him. In Emerald's case, she doesn't think she could ever do something like that. Even with Akashi pushing her to make her own decisions more, not to simply follow orders but to consider that her place is more than just a tool and preserved by more than how useful she can make herself...t he reason it was so easy for Cinder to impress in her that her role was to obey, not think, is because her entire life before T was spent barely surviving. Lio thrived in similar circumstance, and was able to not only carry himself, but bring others along with him. To set a goal and a dream and think beyond what's right in front of him... Emerald can't help but be impressed with that. Even if she's gained a lot more self-confidence off of her world, she still thinks she's better off following. Lio seems like a leader, though. ]

I can't promise I'm going to go charging into a war with you or anything, but even I can help with that much.

[ She follows his gaze, then thinks of something else, looking like she just remembered something. ]

There's a moon knight named Iruma who's open to being bought off. He dropped my charges after Detective Dick [ she doesn't remember his actual name.. well, Dick is his actual first name but whatever ] arrested me for very loose evidence of corrupting youth because I was teaching them some sleight of hand, so he may be more willing to help you out for the right price. Which is sketchy, but not as illegal as breaking and entering.

[burningfree]

[Lio narrowed his eyes. He didn't have solid evidence yet of the Moon Knights' corruption, aside from what they were doing to those they sent to the Lightless and the few rumors he'd heard here and there, but that was altogether pretty damning.]

You were arrested just for that? What kind of bullshit charge is that to stick to someone?

[Honestly maybe Lio didn't even have to try to get arrested if they were willing to charge someone over something so asinine. He might just end up arrested for something innocuous anyway.]

I'd rather not work with any of the Moon Knights at all if I can help it. Even if they can be bought off, I wouldn't trust them not to turn around and report me after the fact anyway.

[unhappy]

One of the kids tried to lift the cop's wallet when I was trying to cover for what we were doing. I made sure the kids got away, but unless I wanted to get in trouble for something a lot more serious, that meant letting him arrest me.

[ She knows she could've gotten out of it if she'd fought him, but it would've been a lot harder to get out of assault against a moon knight. She nods. ]

Can't say I blame you. If they're willing to betray the people they work for, there's no reason they wouldn't betray a stranger.

[ But she isn't going to complain that she got out, and she'll figure it out if that IOU becomes too dangerous later. ]

[burningfree]

Whether or not you were 'influencing' them, that's still bullshit. You weren't the one that tried to grab his wallet.

[And Lio really had no ounce of sympathy for cops - stolen wallets or not. He'd steal a cop's wallet if he thought he could get away with it, not even for the Demichroma but just as a means to undermine the asshole that thought becoming a cop was a great career choice.]

No kidding... In the future, if you need someone to bail you out, you have my number. Don't waste your time or money bribing them, alright?

[unhappy]

You don't have to tell me that. I've been trying to keep my nose clean for over a year now. I promised the guy who disappeared. I was helping them because the moon knights would rather spend their time making arrests than asking why those kids needed someone to teach them in the first place. Prismals can't make chroma.

[ She looks a little surprised at his offer for a brief second. She just offered him help too, but she didn't expect it in return. She never really expects it even after all this time, except for from the people she's close to. Not real help, anyway. 'Save your ass when there's immediate danger and/or glory to be had' help, sure. ]

Thanks. [ She didn't call that person she promised even if she could have because she didn't want to disappoint him. Not that it matters now. ] I'll call. I don't plan on getting caught again, though.

[burningfree]

Yeah, I know... And we tend to get some preferential treatment from the government as Moonblessed - free housing, employment and business owning opportunities, rewards for Chroma production...

It's not a wonder a growing sect of the Prismal population here hates us, or thinks their government has turned its back on them.

[Lio smiled at her, placing one hand on his hip in a determined stance.]

Like I said, us villains have to stick together.

[And, taking a page out of Galo's book, he held his fist out for her to fist bump.]

[unhappy]

I kind of hate us for it out of sheer knowledge that any world isn't capable of being this easy without a price to pay.

[ She quirks an eyebrow up at him when he holds out his fist to bump it. She doesn't think she's fist bumped anyone in her life. Just when it seems like she's about to blow him off though, she reaches over and bumps it. ]

Yeah, we do.