Mission Report #4
[video]
[The video begins with Squall setting the Network device down and walking a few yards away from it, moving stiffly and with a pronounced hitch in his step. He is still outside amidst all the ice and snow from the freak weather of the past two days, visibly battered and a little bit bloodied from his run-in with Hamel, and there are white tracings of frost on the black leather and fur ruff of his jacket.]
[When he turns back, his focus fixes on a point a bit off to the side of the device and not quite within the scape of the video.]
Could you just - stop talking for a minute? There's something I wanna say.
[But he doesn't say anything, not right away. Instead he hesitates, not looking as though he's listening to someone else so much as he seems to be stuck for words - eyes downcast and not quite focused on anything, lip curling back from his teeth in slowly mounting frustration.]
[Eventually he lets out a short chuff of breath and turns away, leaving the video to capture his profile.]
This is stupid. It's just an illusion anyway. And even if it wasn't, what's talking supposed to help? There's no point.
Besides, a lot of people have had it worse than me. Today pretty much proves that. So...
[There's a brief pause, and Squall turns his head to look towards that empty spot beside the device.]
What am I supposed to say? Do you want me to say it's your fault? That you could have come and found me when I was a kid? That if you had, I could have grown up normal, instead of being - instead of--
[Scowling, Squall turns away from the device again.]
...You didn't know. I get it.
I was the one who started the whole time loop anyway. If I'm going to say it's anybody's fault, it's my own.
It had to happen the way it happened.
But...
I can't forgive you, either. For not knowing.
[Something the illusion says brings his head snapping towards it, face hard and angry.]
I know that!
[Hands clenched into fists at his sides, Squall looks down at the ground in front of his feet.]
But that's how it is.
It's too late to try to be some kind of happy family. I've already come this far on my own. I don't need a father now.
You're going to be gone again soon anyway. So it doesn't matter.
[He glances toward the empty spot and then sighs again, looking pained.]
Don't look at me like that.
...I'll play a hand of triple triad with you if you want. It's almost midnight.
[Looking a little resigned and a lot tired now, Squall walks toward the network device to pick it up and end the recording.]
[The video begins with Squall setting the Network device down and walking a few yards away from it, moving stiffly and with a pronounced hitch in his step. He is still outside amidst all the ice and snow from the freak weather of the past two days, visibly battered and a little bit bloodied from his run-in with Hamel, and there are white tracings of frost on the black leather and fur ruff of his jacket.]
[When he turns back, his focus fixes on a point a bit off to the side of the device and not quite within the scape of the video.]
Could you just - stop talking for a minute? There's something I wanna say.
[But he doesn't say anything, not right away. Instead he hesitates, not looking as though he's listening to someone else so much as he seems to be stuck for words - eyes downcast and not quite focused on anything, lip curling back from his teeth in slowly mounting frustration.]
[Eventually he lets out a short chuff of breath and turns away, leaving the video to capture his profile.]
This is stupid. It's just an illusion anyway. And even if it wasn't, what's talking supposed to help? There's no point.
Besides, a lot of people have had it worse than me. Today pretty much proves that. So...
[There's a brief pause, and Squall turns his head to look towards that empty spot beside the device.]
What am I supposed to say? Do you want me to say it's your fault? That you could have come and found me when I was a kid? That if you had, I could have grown up normal, instead of being - instead of--
[Scowling, Squall turns away from the device again.]
...You didn't know. I get it.
I was the one who started the whole time loop anyway. If I'm going to say it's anybody's fault, it's my own.
It had to happen the way it happened.
But...
I can't forgive you, either. For not knowing.
[Something the illusion says brings his head snapping towards it, face hard and angry.]
I know that!
[Hands clenched into fists at his sides, Squall looks down at the ground in front of his feet.]
But that's how it is.
It's too late to try to be some kind of happy family. I've already come this far on my own. I don't need a father now.
You're going to be gone again soon anyway. So it doesn't matter.
[He glances toward the empty spot and then sighs again, looking pained.]
Don't look at me like that.
...I'll play a hand of triple triad with you if you want. It's almost midnight.
[Looking a little resigned and a lot tired now, Squall walks toward the network device to pick it up and end the recording.]