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[The mention of Gladion's name is all it takes for Lusamine's features to abruptly sharpen. She stiffens, her smile fades, and her grip on the cards and plate in her hands tightens. Her eyes are narrowed and wary, searching Emmet for his intentions—and then, quite suddenly, even before he's gotten to his point, she understands.
She's seen the look he has on his face and heard that same heaviness he has in his voice before. Many times before, in those months after Mohn was stolen from her.
The moment that the realization dawns on her is obvious. The sharpness leaves her then, all her suspicion replaced with quiet shock. There is a long, rigid silence before she speaks.]
[Lusamine stares at him in silence for another moment longer. Then her mouth twists itself into a grin and she laughs, derisive and hateful.]
Gracious, Mr. Emmet, but that is a terribly dour face you're wearing! It really is quite unnecessary when all you've told me is that I am at last rid of a blight...
[His pity makes her blood boil. What use would it be to talk to him? What is there to talk about? She had reached out to him the last time, senselessly, only in a moment of weakness. All Gladion had done, after all, was steal from her, bring her pain, and plant doubts in her heart with his insidious lies. At times, the love returned to her like a thief in the night, and what had it brought her? Only more agony, more regrets. And now... all her anguish can be gone with him. Those nights she worried for him, agonized over his words and memories (made hers by the Pale Fog), and imagined what she might say to him, were they ever able to speak again as mother and son, can finally, at long last, be over.
Yet she can still feel it, crawling pathetically in the back of her mind—left now, truly, with nowhere to go. Despair slices through the venom, lancing its way slowly through her heart.
(Terrible, terrible, terrible.)
Her expression remains eerily serene.]
What about you, Mr. Emmet? Why, you ought to be thankful as well! [She sighs.] He really was a sullen, untidy child, through and through. And this "journey" business you speak of... It seems to me that wretch left you just as he did me, even before this world saw fit to remove him.
He may have torn up perfectly good clothes, and would get lost in his head sometimes, but he had strong convictions, yup. And he wanted the best for people.
When Maya had that sacrifice, he fought her over the people to try and help them. When the Sacrifice happened, he lined up to help. 16 years old is still a child, yup. He was a child who had his life shaken up many times, he lost his father suddenly, he lost his mother to her grief, and you got to find control where you can, yup. Sometimes, to see a situation better, you have to pull yourself away from it.
Take longer with your turn in battle, figure out if you want to heal your back team, figure out if you need to let someone faint for a clean switch in, and figure out if a recoil move is worth it. You may not always make the right choice, but it is better than giving up, yup.
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2023-12-24 09:33 pm (UTC)She's seen the look he has on his face and heard that same heaviness he has in his voice before. Many times before, in those months after Mohn was stolen from her.
The moment that the realization dawns on her is obvious. The sharpness leaves her then, all her suspicion replaced with quiet shock. There is a long, rigid silence before she speaks.]
... You're certain?
no subject
Date: 2023-12-24 09:38 pm (UTC)[After all, what else could he say?]
no subject
Date: 2023-12-24 09:56 pm (UTC)Gracious, Mr. Emmet, but that is a terribly dour face you're wearing! It really is quite unnecessary when all you've told me is that I am at last rid of a blight...
no subject
Date: 2023-12-24 10:01 pm (UTC)If...you need someone to talk to later, my inbox is always open. Take care of yourself, please?
[Emmet knew that despite the complexities of Lusamine and Gladion, Gladion still cared for his mother.]
no subject
Date: 2023-12-25 07:56 am (UTC)Yet she can still feel it, crawling pathetically in the back of her mind—left now, truly, with nowhere to go. Despair slices through the venom, lancing its way slowly through her heart.
(Terrible, terrible, terrible.)
Her expression remains eerily serene.]
What about you, Mr. Emmet? Why, you ought to be thankful as well! [She sighs.] He really was a sullen, untidy child, through and through. And this "journey" business you speak of... It seems to me that wretch left you just as he did me, even before this world saw fit to remove him.
no subject
Date: 2023-12-25 11:44 am (UTC)When Maya had that sacrifice, he fought her over the people to try and help them. When the Sacrifice happened, he lined up to help. 16 years old is still a child, yup. He was a child who had his life shaken up many times, he lost his father suddenly, he lost his mother to her grief, and you got to find control where you can, yup. Sometimes, to see a situation better, you have to pull yourself away from it.
Take longer with your turn in battle, figure out if you want to heal your back team, figure out if you need to let someone faint for a clean switch in, and figure out if a recoil move is worth it. You may not always make the right choice, but it is better than giving up, yup.