44 [Accidental Video]

[showchoirstar]

[She's died. She's terrified of wandering Adstringendum alone and can't work up the nerve to go to her theatre after what happened there. She has yet to figure out what her death price is. Anna is gone from Adstringendum. And Rachel, who spends every waking moment of her time singing whenever things gets too much, isn't allowed to singLuckily, she

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video/private

[saintedsinner]

...Rachel?

video/private

[showchoirstar]

[When the video turns back on, Rachel is sitting on the floor, with her back against the wall, staring at the dummy on the floor. She's breathing a little heavily and then --

Her foot kicks the dummy again, in a quick motion.]

I am not helpless.

[It's faint, whispery -- and Rachel kicks it again.]

I am not. I will not let them take anything else or anyone else from me.

video/private

[saintedsinner]

-=He's quiet for a minute there.=-

...

You're not suited for raw power. More leverage and locks and holds.

video/private

[showchoirstar]

[That startles her out of her anger, and she stops, her foot resting against the stomach of the dummy.]

-- what?

[Video]

[notamageiswear]

... Miss Rachel...

[Video]

[showchoirstar]

[She's sitting on the floor now, kicking the dummy -- but each kick is getting a little weaker. She hasn't danced or sung in close to two weeks. Rebuilding her strength isn't going to come overnight.]

[Video]

[notamageiswear]

[... oh, Rachel. Negi bites his lip.]

... Miss Rachel, I'd like to offer you something.

[Video]

[showchoirstar]

[She's quiet, for a moment, before glancing towards her PCD, her legs flopping uselessly against the ground.]

What is it?

[video]

[soothing_flame]

Ah! A-are you alright?

[video]

[showchoirstar]

No, I am not alright!

[She's on the floor now, kicking the dummy -- over, and over, and over -- but each kick is getting weaker -- and her voice is shrill and it hurts to use her voice that way, but she doesn't care.]

[video]

[soothing_flame]

Do you...need help?

[video]

[showchoirstar]

I need Anna to return to Adstringendum.

[Another vicious kick.]

Can you give me that?

[Video]

[capuletnomore]

Rachel....

[Video]

[showchoirstar]

What?

[Her voice is getting hoarser and she's kicking the dummy -- thunk thunk thunk -- from her seated position on the floor, with tears in her eyes.]

[Video]

[capuletnomore]

Do not despair. Do not be sad, please.

Your dancing was very good, although I will admit the steps are unlike any I have seen before. I did not know you were a dancer as well as a minstrel.

[Video]

[showchoirstar]

Anna is gone.

[It's choked -- and it's the last straw. Dying Rachel can handle. A damaged voice -- well, that will heal. But Anna is gone. And she isn't coming back. And Rachel can't quite deal with that.

-- but then Juliet keeps talking and Rachel's hands slide into her hair. She's trembling, but she manages to keep talking.]

... it's Michael Jackson. I -- screwed up the performance.

[video, always video forever]

[godofcologne]

[Thomas merely raises an eyebrow at the 'performance' and when it shuts off, he hits reply with nothing more than the sound of slow applause.

What, for all he knows it's performance art.]

[showchoirstar]

[ -- the applause stops her from kicking the dummy from her position on the floor, startled --

And she looks at the camera, eyes narrowed ever so slightly, with tear-stained cheeks and her chest heaving, almost... suspicious.

Is this person mocking her?]

[godofcologne]

[Maybe. Probably. But he's hot, so that helps? Thomas shrugs off her suspicious look and grins.]

Nice work on that reinterpretation, sweetheart. I think you really nailed the emotion on that last punch.

[showchoirstar]

My name is Rachel, not sweetheart.

[She's staring at the dummy now -- and she kicks it again, for good measure.]

And it was not a part of the performance.