silentscales | Act 4 / Video / Action for Rocket Headquarters / Goldenrod

[As he guides Snake back to the inn he's taken up residence in for his stay in Goldenrod, Joker wonders just how he's going to explain this. It sounds pretty unbelievable, considering he's still right here... But then is it anymore so than a flaming horse?]

[Ah, this is going to hurt to talk about... Snake actually spent time looking for him, too. What a way to kick him in the heart...]

[When they're finally in his room- most of his team now in their Pokeballs besides his Mime Jr. and Luxray- does Joker finally clear his throat. Well, there's no nice way to put this.]

'Fraid ya won't find me back in England, Snake... or anywhere, frankly.

[Snake shakes his head. He believes in Ciel!] Ciel promised we would find you, says John!

[His Seviper wraps protectively around him, listening carefully while his ekans hisses softly but not threateningly.]

Edited 2014-02-06 07:29 (UTC)

Ciel-

[Almost right as he says it, the vase on the bedside table suddenly gets flung across the room, shattering on the far wall. Joker gives a jolt and promptly looks at his Mime Jr. whose eyes are glowing faintly while the small thing looks nearly murderous. Oh, he thought they had that under control.]

Bugger- Lightnin', try and get her under control. [He doesn't even have to say it before the Luxray is practically laying right down on top of her companion. There might be some Pokebickering going on in the background, but Joker has bigger things to deal with as he looks back to Snake.]

As in Ciel Phantomhive? The Earl?

[Snake jumps as the vase smashes. He did not expect that reaction. Even his snakes curl back, ready to strike but restraining themselves for Snake. When Joker asks his next question Snake nods,] He said you and the others got into trouble, but he would help find you and clear things up, says John.

Did he now...

[Joker's tone is a bit dry at that. Just what was that kid playing at..? He goes to pick up Angel the Mime Jr., who's saying some very unladylike things in Pokespeak.]

Him and I are gonna have some conflicting stories then, I'll be honest with ya.

[This conversation got considerably more difficult than he had figured it would be.]

[Snake looks a little confused and torn. Ciel had been so good to him, and he can feel in the pit of his stomach a knot forming. Ciel had lifted him up and given him a sense of pride. He gave him another place to be at home.

But this is Joker. How could he not believe Joker.

But Joker had left him out of the loop. Left him behind....] Why didn't you say what all of you were doing, asks John.

[He needed to know that before he could make any other decisions on how he felt about anything that might be said. He didn't want to immediately accuse Joker, but he needed to know. He needed to know why he was left alone with nothing but a scarf from his friends.]

[So he's going to have to be on the defensive for this conversation. Not... exactly how he'd been hoping things would go, but Joker knows that at least he still has a chance to explain himself. Snake would be a lot colder or just leave if that was the case, right? He settles down at the edge of his bed, feeling a bit tired.]

[He doesn't exactly want to tell any of this, let alone all of it, but it's obvious he's actually going to have to be honest until he knows more about what the Earl's been telling Snake.]

It's not exactly the kind of thing ya go around tellin' people, even when ya care for 'em... Some of the others weren't comfortable with it just yet even 'tho ya did watch our backs better than anythin'. Ya were still a bit new, after all. [He heaves out a sigh.] Besides, don't know what Phantomhive told ya, but rest of us first tier had our reasons for doin' what we did. Didn't need ta involve ya with our personal dirty business.

[Snake listens carefully. He was always good for that, even if he did spend more time on his own than any of the others. He was still getting used to them too, even if they were the best people to walk into his life.

He isn't going to say anything yet, but he's also not judging Joker. He just needs to understand what happened. Mostly because now Ciel has also become an important person to him.]

...Snake, y'know how sometimes me or one a the others would mention the 'real' ringleader? How I was just actin' in his place, but he was the one who really ran the show?

[Snake nods. Of course he had heard about him.]

Just makin' sure.

[He wants to make sure they're both on the same page, especially with one Earl Phantomhive messing with the entire book.]

Well... He was also the one who ran the orphanage us first tier members are all from, the one who picked us off the streets personally like a father, and... the one who asked us ta do what we'd been doin'. He was lookin' for someone in particular. So long as we were searchin', then he'd keep the circus funded and, bit more importantly, the home as well.

I'll cut the suspense and just tell ya he was lookin' for the Earl.

[He pets Angel, who's shaking rather violently in his lap.]

[Snake takes in a breath to speak but holds it a moment,] Ciel said you were kidnappers. He said he wanted to clear things up and to save all of us, says John!

[He keeps remembering how much Ciel reminded him of everyone.] I thought he caused you to disappear, but he said he knows you were not bad people and that it wasn't really your fault, says John!

[Snake isn't really sure whose words he's voicing right now, but John is hissing as adamantly as he is speaking. The seviper still seems to be trying to figure out just what is going on.

[There's a kind of tension in the air, thick and choking, and Joker can't really say if it's because of what they're talking about or because Angel's eyes are starting to glow again as she looks caught between bawling her eyes out and breaking another bit of hotel property. Joker hushes her, keeping his hand on her head.]

[It's actually a little helpful- by focusing on her emotions (or rather what she's feeling from him), then he can try and stay calm himself.]

Well... I won't deny that we mighta come ta some understandin', although it wasn't the pleasant sort. But... As I said before: his story and mine sound like they're gonna be pretty different.

Ya like him that much?

[Snake has to consider for a moment. It isn't as obvious as his last outburst, but the expression of pain is there. He feels like he's being torn slowly between two families.] He has been so kind. He took me in. He never judged me, says John...

[And that is probably Snake's greatest weakness. If someone could treat him well, see past his appearance and his speech it made it that much easier for Snake to like them.]

[He was probably just usin' you.]

[Joker bites down on his own tongue; saying that won't do any good for this conversation. He knows how important that sort of thing is for Snake- it was important for a lot of members of the circus to have a place where they felt they belong.]

Ya can accept a person but still not tell 'em anythin', Snake.

[There's a pause. This... is hard.]

I don't know exactly why he told ya what he did, but... I know he knew you'd never find me. I'm... [A grimace.] I dunno how I'm here, but back home, I'm pretty sure I ain't in the land a the livin'.

[No. No, that couldn't be right. It's Joker. How could he be dead? That just couldn't be right. He didn't want to accept this. He couldn't accept this.

He finds a place to sit, leaning over his knees. His seviper sticks his head under Snake's hand, and Snake absently pets him. His expression is still mostly blank, but he's shaking ever so slightly.]

A mistake...? says Gaskell.

[Thaaat is not a good reaction. Leaving Angel under Lightning's care, Joker gets up to tentatively approach his friend.]

...Do ya mean what he told ya, or what happened ta me?

[Snake won't stop Joker. Even after hearing that he is a kidnapper, he still wanted to find him after all.] You can't be dead, says John.

Snake..

[It's difficult, but he leans in for a sort of hug, his one hand coming up from behind to pat the back of Snake's head.]

Sorry. I was losin' an awful lotta blood. Everythin' was on fire, too... I got tricks up my sleeve most a the time, but nothin' that could help me in that sorta situation.

[Snake looks up to Joker. He doesn't really respond to the touch, but it doesn't mean he didn't appreciate it at a time like this. His two pokèmon are at a loss, though they hiss softly and move as they can to try to comfort their trainer.] What about everyone else, asks John?

[He's grasping at straws for some kind of hope. Some light to the situation.]

[It's something he figured would come up sooner or later, but it still doesn't soften the blow of having to hear it. Joker gives a grimace, and he has to pull his hand back just a little to curl it into a fist before forcing himself to relax.]

...They were supposed ta go to the Phantomhive place.

[Snake tries to calm his breathing,] Something must have happened on the way, says John!

[A pained smile passes over his face.]

I'd like ta believe that more than anythin'. But ya know Jumbo and Beast and all the rest. Anythin' that could stop that lot...

[He shakes his head. He has to focus. He shifts his hand, gripping Snake's shoulder tightly.]

Try not ta focus on that, alright? Because we'll get ta see them again, won't we? No matter what's gone on back home... This place is different, right?

[Snake's head drops. If this was the only place he could see everyone again... It hurt to think about. He's already disappeared from this place once, and for months. How could he know if he was going to leave again?

Joker is right though. Anything that could stop them....

A moment of realization crosses his expression, and then he looks up to Joker again. If they went to the Phantomhive Estate, then the butler....] Black....

[He balls up his fists and clenches his teeth. How could he? But it made the most sense! Black hadn't been bothered by any of his snake's venom, he didn't have any problem fooling everyone into thinking he was dead and still managing the estate. He didn't sleep as far as his snakes knew.] No! I can't believe it! He killed them! says John.

[Joker rocks back onto his heels, a look of disgust passing over his face.]

Black, yeah, he's a dangerous one... Not half sure he's human with all he can do. But- don't think he coulda done it, Snake.

[He hisses in a breath between his teeth.]

He was a bit occupied with myself.

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