Board Thread:Role Plays/@comment-25924729-20161211031628/@comment-5999656-20170526052102

(Yo, I'm back. Sorry about the delay. Things are getting good!)

Platinum was agape with disbelief when she heard Tigris take Fen's side, though she regained her composure quickly after. Her internal emotions, however, were practically boiling over. Fen looked surprised that Tigris had taken her side as well.

"Oh, that's true, isn't it... I hadn't though about that. I'm sorry," Fen said to Tigris. She shook her head as if to clear her thoughts. She raised her hands as if making an offering.

"I'd still like to make it up to you and your partner for involving you in this mess. In the future, if you seek assistance with a private investigation, I'll vouch for you personally. But you're right. It'd probably be best to pretend we didn't meet tonight." After Tigris voiced her support for Fen, the heiress was behaving much more warmly towards the teen mercenary.

"Maybe it would be a good idea to suggest more communication between our superiors to avoid these kinds of mishaps from happening again...," Fen pondered out loud.

Meanwhile, Platinum was seething. Even though they'd been allies with the ANGELs for only a short period of time, their teamwork together was efficient and effective. So when Tigris reversed sides and implied killing her, as Platinum perceived, the switch sent a burning shame running into her cheeks.

''It's because they're allies. They're both criminals, that's the only reason she's saying this.''

Platinum opened her mouth, about to verbally goad Tigris into trying to assassinate her, before realizing that was a bad idea and switching topics. Instead, as she took several deep breaths, the uncompromising nature of her dedication became apparent. Sure, maybe most people could ignore the mafia and go on living normal, happy lives. But as a future detective or police officer, she had no such option of compromise. She was destined to come into conflict with Fen and Tigris. If not today, then one day in the future. It was inevitable, if Vale was to become a safer place for people all over the kingdom. Just because they were well-educated teenage girls didn't excuse the fact that both of them were likely at least partially responsible for the suffering of numerous innocents. Once they returned to their separate paths, the emotional destruction they would cause would multiply, tenfold, if they remained unstopped.

"I can't quit now," Platinum said firmly, cutting off Fen. "I'll be joining law enforcement in a few years. Even if I walk away now, I'm gonna end up circling right back."

Fen looked at Platinum sadly. The crack between them was pried into a great black chasm following her former best friend's words. It hurt because she knew it was true. If things continued as they were now, they would become enemies. They could only avoid it if one of them decided to quit, and they both knew that wasn't going to happen.

"To arrest me?" Fen asked melancholically. "You think you could fight me?"

"If you could, then I would as well," Platinum said coolly. Fen's brows knitted together at these unbudging words.

"I see. I'm sorry. I think we're done here," Fen said quietly. It was unclear whether the apology was directed towards Platinum or Tigris. Fen stayed where she was, though, waiting for someone else to make the first move. After a long pause, Platinum turned and began striding back up the sandy bank. She couldn't resist one last backwards glance, though, and her orange eyes glinted against the moonlight for just those few seconds before she faced back forwards, and marched resolutely away.

__________________________

Automne was taken aback, both by the revelation of Fen's true feelings and by Zhu-Li revealing her similar experience. She clenched her fists around her trademark knife, fighting between her anger and her compassion. Finally, with a sharp exhale, Automne flung the switchblade onto the ground, where it embedded up to the hilt in wet sand. She took several heavy breaths, trying to silence her roaring instinct. The memories from those months of imprisonment were coming back up.

''I have to stay safe. Even if it means having no mercy. I'll do whatever it takes to keep myself and my friends safe. Whatever it takes.''

Automne, no, Arden, was a fighter through and through. For the last seven years she'd been trying to suppress the ruthlessness she'd developed from growing up on the streets, suppressing the paranoia that came with being a victim of cold-blooded torture. She'd tried to act like things didn't bother her, all while playing the secret protector to her friends, even though she knew she was a cold-blooded murderer at heart. But...

''But we are responsible. ''

Her motto. We Are Responsible, engraved on the backside of the dog tag that hung around her neck. Was she not responsible for Fen's safety, still? Could it be that things weren't so simple as black and white? Arden remembered reaching out to another teenage victim of torture. A traumatized girl who eviscerated anyone and everyone she deemed even slightly dangerous. She'd tried so hard to dissuade the girl from losing control then. Was she really going to turn around and become become a hypocritical sadist as well?

Automne rubbed her eyes furiously with an exasperated huff.

"Why was she crying if she betrayed us? I don't get it," Automne said finally.

"But what if we didn't get the full story? I have to know what Fen gave away about us. But I know she won't tell us. I just..." she stopped short, realizing the words tumbling from her mouth contradicted her prior intention of assassination. She blinked and looked at Zhu-Li as if for the first time, taken off guard by the girl's fear. It made a chill run down her spine.

Am I someone to be feared?

Yes, of course! part of her said. Scare away the enemies before they get too close. But another part of her said no, that she wanted to love and be loved. So her deepest desire was -

"Please don't cry," Automne said softly, taking one knee as she reached out, hesitantly, to touch Zhu-Li's arm. The matter of whether she was Arden or Automne was a long time coming, but it was going to have to wait a little longer. That she would cause distress to someone so innocent was completely unforgivable.

"I'm sorry. You shouldn't have to be involved in this," Automne continued gently. "I'm like this b-because it's j-just..." her voice wavered and she stopped short, before swallowing and continuing, "Just part of a bigger problem inside of me. I don't know which part of me I want to listen to."

Arden was silent for a while. And then:

"I won't go after Fen, not yet. Not until I decide who I want to be."

Another pause.

"I appreciate you getting involved," she said quietly. "But I have to figure things out by myself from here."

Without warning, Automne rose and embraced Zhu-Li. She didn't know how else to say it, but she knew the girl's words had probably just saved her life. And for that, she had to control herself.