~forty~ (and to hell with everything)

[glowing_science]

[Klavier's droned. For good.

Needless to say, Ema's taken the discovery pretty hard. The two of them had been together for over a year after arriving within a few months of each other. Yes, lately things had been strained, but they had been working through it. Klavier was her rock, the man who gave her comfort when the town hit her too hard,

Comments

C.

[puzzlerprince]

[Edward had heard the news over the phone. And... he wasn't entirely sure how he should respond.

Once enough time has passed, though, he decides to set out to try and find her. And find her he does, amidst discarded bottles of assorted drinks in the middle of the park. Given his own family history with the drink, it doesn't give him much comfort to see her like this.]

...Ema.

[glowing_science]

[Ema looks up at the source of his voice. All things considered, she's not that surprised to find him here. Edward Nigma has a way of always turning up.

For once, it doesn't bother her.]

Edward.

I... you probably don't want to see me like this.

[puzzlerprince]

[She's right. He doesn't at all.]

I heard you this morning. On the phone. [An awkward pause.] ...I'm sorry.

[glowing_science]

... you mean that?

[She would have guessed that he'd be happy to see the competition go. Ema's not naive; she's pretty sure he still holds some kind of flame for her.]

A:

[ooeeooahah]

[ A knock on the kitchen door announces a neighbor who recognized the voice and the stress, but not the name announced. ]

[glowing_science]

It's open.

[Ema stirs the spoon in her coffee a few times.]

[ooeeooahah]

[ Ilsa lets herself in and sits at the table. ]

That was quite a message on the phone, earlier.

[glowing_science]

[Ema looks up at her, then gives a heavy sigh.]

Yeah, it hasn't been a good day.

Have I told you about Klavier?

C

[uranophobe]

[Just walking home from work, still in his doctor's uniform, when he passes by her. Noticing the bottles, he feels the absolutely overwhelming urge to point something out.]

You do realize that's illegal, don't you?

[glowing_science]

[Ema gives him a drunken stink-eye.]

I don't care. It's not like the cops care about these kinds of laws, anyway.

[uranophobe]

Really? I've heard tell that there's one particular officer who would, especially if you insist on doing it so publicly.

Alcoholism is no way to deal with your problems, you know.

[glowing_science]

Do you mean Grady? He's shot people for less and ignored worse. [She takes a long pull from the bottle.]

Don't lecture me. I know.

[glowing_science]

[Ema finishes up another bottle, adding it to the pile as Nina approaches.]

Hey, Nina.

[She makes room on the bench for Nina to sit.]

I... kind of a reversal, isn't it?

[glowing_science]

A few more. [There are three more bottles of beer on her other side. Ema grabs one and offers it to Nina.]

I'm sorry, if I worry you.

C

[natural_set]

[N likes the park, even if getting to and from said park on a crutch makes him feel a special sort of helpless. It's Purrloin that finds Ema, though, creeping under the bench she's on and sniffing at the emptied bottles, batting at one with his paw and sending it spinning. N is only a little bit behind, but cat Pokémon have no sympathy for the physically disabled.]

Purrloin?

[glowing_science]

[Ema blinks at the cat sniffing around. It doesn't look like any breed that she knows of, but that fails to surprise her much. After everything else she's learned about other worlds, a purple cat is pretty low on the shock list.

Half-heartedly, she waves her hand at the creature to try and shoo it a little.]

You don't want that.

[She picks the bottle up.]

[natural_set]

[The bottle? Oh, no. Instead, Purrloin picks up the shiny cap, toying with it. N smiles a little when he catches up, finally.]

Don't let him get your guard down; he has an eye for expensive jewelry.

[Of course, as he gets closer he can tell that something is very wrong. The bottles all around tip him off first, and his Pokémon's body language isn't at all conniving, as Purrloin tend to be. Closer, and he can read her own posture and face.]

Something happened.

[It's not a question, and he doesn't ask if she's okay.

This isn't the sort of thing he's great at.]

You don't look like you should be left alone right now.

[glowing_science]

[Ema looks up at the unknown teenager.] I'll keep that in mind. Is this cat yours?

If you want to stay, I won't stop you. It's just been... a really bad day.