missmaladroite | [Week 8]

[Week 8]

[So Marinette's sort of been observing Liz on and off and trying to think of what to say to her and how to approach her, but she finally steels herself enough to knock on her door]

[The entire time she's waiting, she fidgets like an idiot and clears her throat, practicing her lines out loud. So if Elizabeth takes a bit to open the door or pays attention, she can hear Marinette really awkwardly sounding out her hellos.]

Oh, hi, Elizabeth! I was just, um, in the neighborhood... Urgh, no that doesn't work, there aren't any neighborhoods on a spaceship!

[Aaaand again]

Hello, Elizabeth, I saw your painting and I thought I'd come to say.. h... [Drops her head into her hands, evidently that sounds lame to her] Who says that!

Hi, Elizabeth..... I'm Marinette..... Ugh! Stupid! She knows who I am already!

[Please open the door and save what little dignity she has left. Or don't.]

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[ Oh, she can hear the girl through the door. She tries to catch her quickly, succumbing to the fact that people are going to keep checking on her. The door opens mid after - "I'm Marinette". She doesn't have anything judgmental to say, it's... God, Marinette is something else. She hopes Adrien gave her the mural that she removed, honestly. Maybe he's waiting to surprise her - ]

Bonjour, Marinette! [ She ushers the girl inside, not quite as friendly but she is pretty welcoming. She doesn't want the girl to wade too deep in her own concerns about talking to her. ] What do I owe the pleasure?

Oh! [Interrupted in her display of being embarrassing, Marinette clears her throat, and waves.... for a little too long.]

[But when cued, she'll be stepping inside]

H-Hello, Elizabeth.... [Looks like all of that practice hasn't helped at all] I, er, just wanted to check on you and see how you're doing.

As fine as I can be. [ She offers a reassuring smile. It's not much, but Elizabeth does try and put the girl at ease. She notions to the ladder. It does look as if the woman was in the middle of something. ] I've just been preparing some tea. Would you care to join me?

[ SHE PROMISES IT'S NOT POISONED... ]

Edited 2016-07-29 12:51 (UTC)

Oh-- Er, yes, of course, you can't be doing that great after what.. I mean, it's good that you're dong better? [Please poison her and put her out of her misery]

[But, well, she doesn't want to intrude, but if she's being invited]

Er, sure! I'd love to.

I'm fine, Marinette. [ Better? That's objective. She climbs up the ladder and tries to keep the conversation light. Jason's been telling her to be more of an asshole - to really go for what she wants - so she allows the company. Her wing has gotten awfully lonely, after all. ]

Frankenstein taught me how. I'm still learning the kinks of it all - too much sugar or too much almond - but this batch was alright. [ Elizabeth sure was making tea by herself. Practicing in the name of someone who went down for her benefit. When they're up to her room, she can see the two teacups set out. ] I hope your day hasn't been any more hectic than usual.

[Marinette's just really awkward.... she's trying hard.]

[In any case, she'll sit down, but her eyes soften when Elizabeth mentions Frankenstein, and her head droops a little.]

Yes... Monsieur Frankenstein always had very refined tastes. He was making tea, the first time I met him here...

[She twines her fingers together] Oh, no... It'd been fine. Has it been hectic for you?

It's not really hectic. We're nearly going to go stir-crazy after a while. [ Elizabeth reaches up to grab some sugar and pour a tiny bit more in Marinette's cup. A tap tap with her spoon and she nudges it for the girl. ] I'm fine, Marinette.

[ On her bed, she can actually see the gift the girl had made her! She had just worn it earlier. ]

I appreciate the concern, but you really don't need to... Unless there's a reason?

[ LIKE HAD SHE DONE SOMETHING WRONG??? ]

That's probably why Alice keeps adding ar-- [She immediately takes a sip, while it's still hot, like a genius, and recoils and nearly spills it everywhere]

Ah! Hot, hot!

[After that disgraceful display, she straightens up and smiles sheepishly, oops, she just burned her tongue like an idiot]

[(it makes her happy to know Elizabeth likes the present, though)]

No, I just.... I want you to know that.... back in my home, in Paris. There's a supervillain. He, er, has these little creatures.... they're called akuma, and he uses them to turn people evil. He plays on what they want, and manipulates them, and uses the akuma to make them wreck havoc on Paris. But-- it's not their fault, you know? Papillon is the one who did that to them.

So, with you, and the... alien, it's like that. It's not your fault.

Here! [ Elizabeth nearly drops her cup before tossing a damn towel at the girl. She doesn't tower over her and treat her like a child, she trusts that she can take care of herself. ] Be more careful...

[ But, Elizabeth does sit down across from her, running at her bare throat with her index finger. It had been a while since she wore a brooch, honestly... But, when Marinette begins speaking, she looks away, knowing it goes back to that creature. ]

It doesn't bring people back, Marinette. I've come to accept how people view me and my own hand was not the one to ... to do such heinous things but... I feel I still have some part. Happenstance? Poor fate? Something.

Thank you.... [Thanks for that, Elizabeth. She does wipe up what she spilled, and lets the tea cool for a second, folding her hands on her lap] S-Sorry, it just smelled good, so I wanted to try it right away....

[But here she sounds firm!] No, it wasn't you. And no one should think that. You were being used. I know it doesn't change what happened, but... I don't think you should blame yourself. If anything... we should have found a way to get the alien out, before....

[And by we she means "I", because she's a superhero so she has to to do the stupid Self-Blaming (tm)]

Just be careful. [ Elizabeth says with a firm, but seriously caring tone. It seems Marinette was returning that tone. The explanation makes her shoulders slump a bit. Honestly, she's gotten a bit better after the weeks have trickled by... ] I'm done submitting to this victimhood, don't worry. I just can't avoid blaming it partially on myself.

[ But her hand lifts. ]

No, don't you dare. We didn't even know of their existence before the verdict -

[ She trails off and she sighs heavily. ]

Don't blame yourself.

I've always been clumsy. [She says by way of explanation, drooping more and wincing] But I'll try to be careful.

I understand. [About the self-blaming. Honestly, she doesn't want her to blame herself at all, but she knows that's probably impossible.] But you're a good person, Elizabeth. Please don't forget that.

[And she's caught in the Heroic Self-Blaming (tm) and immediately starts flailing again]

Oh, no! I don't mean.... Er, I just mean.... it's our responsibility, too! You were trusting us to find the truth when you were on trial, so, it's... I mean....

[ She studies the girl's movements and ... actually, kind of just watches her. Adrien mentioned Paris so much and - isn't it kind of odd that she never stopped to talk to them about it? Elizabeth is hit by she's actually talking to people who truly have been to Paris. She snaps herself out of her gaze, smiling only a bit before taking a drink from her own tea. ]

And you did find out the truth. [ She feels horrible, it was a messy one. ] Marinette... before I was brought here, I need you to understand something. . I couldn't control it... but when I could - I could see everything. The past, the future, other universes... how one small thing can cause a tragedy.

[ Elizabeth shrugs a bit, forcing a smile on her face. ]

I would rather this alternative to the one I could predict. Where you don't catch me and everyone was at risk for much longer.

[She's fidgety and awkward, that much is obvious, especially under observation, but her sentiments towards Elizabeth's innocence are sincere.]

We should have found out sooner. [She says, slowly, but she at least recognizes that Blaming Herself (tm) is useless] I'm glad, at least, we were able to save you. [In a manner of speaking.]

But, what do you mean? You could see.. everything?

[Even why kids love cinnamon toast crunch?]

[ NO ONE'S BLAMING THEMSELVES!! ]

I could open tears - rips in the fabric of time and space. Quantum physics and theories of other universes - that such topic. I was born with it and... it's a power I haven't fully harnessed.. but that's what I could do is... ugh. It's nothing now. It's just not a farfetched idea that things could have been much worse if you didn't find out the truth when you did.

Tears in time and space....? That's amazing, Elizabeth..!

[but how would you control something like that anyway]

So, you could see how things turned out?

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[Week 8]

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