WEEK 14 - I have been — and always shall be — your friend.

[al2955]

the pygmalion. . . ONLINE CAPTAIN'S LOG: WEEK (14)

monday (41) survivors You stand with your friends, your family, and your enemies, shoulder to shoulder. The deceased and the living are the same, now, and you've been reunited with the person trapped on the opposite ship. You have four choices. Four options laid before you - five, if you're smart about it. You have the option of staying on the Nuwa, a ship pre-programmed to land somewhere safe, soon, and then it's your's for the taking. You have the option of entering the Nuwa's virtual reality and crafting your own perfect world, but knowing it was a perfect world created by your own hand. Your third option is one of the Cradles, a machine created to bring you bliss, and permit you the dream you've always wanted, without the knowledge it's a virtual reality. Your fourth option lays in front of you, on the bridge of the Nuwa, and it's a tear in the fabric of reality, but you can see your home waiting for you. It looks idyllic, perfect, just the way you'd want it to be. Your fifth option lies in another tear - the tear of a friend. Perhaps their heart is kind enough to take in a stray. The choice is your's to make, and whatever you choose, know that, for the first time in fourteen weeks, it's your choice. taken list profiles private conversations setting rulebook ENTER COMMAND_

Comments

[refactor]

[ There's a noncommittal shrug to the comfort, since he guesses Rhys did, what with apparently Jack trying to kill him and make him into a meatpuppet and all, but. Still a little of an overreaction. In his opinion. Though luckily he doesn't go into explaining this.

Instead, Jack crosses his arms as he listens, but his smile warms as she continues. He seems fond, almost proud as she works things through, and once she's finished, he just bows his head as he breathes out a laugh. ]

Yeah, after all this? Safe isn't sounding that bad, even to me.

[ and jack is like the opposite of safe... ]

But... Yeah. Yeah, that sounds good, kiddo. Would say if you ever need anything, give me a call, buuut don't think phones carry that far. Especially not if it's like some other friggin' dimension or something instead of, just, y'know, super far away.

[ Jack pauses, and his arms are still crossed as he glances away. It seems he wants to say something, but it takes him a few moments' pause to get there. Though when he does, he looks back to Elizabeth with a slightly more serious expression, though the warmth isn't completely gone. ]

Though, for the sake of asking, since I gotta admit, I'm curious. You and me? We've kinda been through a lot here. Like- [ He laughs, then shrugs ] Like you did threaten to kill me for a while there, so. That's why I'm curious. If you could, would you even wanna hear from me again?

[baptizer]

[ It was weird.

Whatever they had between them? Elizabeth's changed. She realizes that there was sin in everyone, but also the chance to do good. She clings to that - clings to that part of Jack. The one who wanted to "save the ship" and took his role to heart. Elizabeth didn't know what she feels for Jack. It's a complicated mess in her mind. He repents, she thinks, but in the grand scheme of things... she wonders if she'll make a difference in his life. Would he try and be a hero onward? His own version, sure, but -

There's a sad smile on her face, one with her eyes beginning to wet and a soft breathless laugh soon following. ]

I did. I think you'd be proud of me for standing my ground, if we're being blunt about it.

[ There's a nervousness in the way she stands, shifting her weight back and forth - holding her hands together in front of her tightly. ]

If I said yes, will I regret it? There's some parts of you, Jack, that I can't... be fond of. I can't approve of a lot of things you've done and - ... it's selfish of me to still hold you so dearly to me. Despite everything, I only wanted the best for you.

[refactor]

[ His smile turns wry at first, and that acts as an unspoken answer to at least the first part. He absolutely is proud of her for that threat, and that hadn't changed since he gave it, but it wasn't as simple as that either. Everyone that threatened to kill him (because it was many, many people at this point) tended to take one of two spots. They were either bandits that had to die sooner rather than later, or they were people he had to keep an eye on, because now he knew there was a dagger waiting just within their reach. That latter category was always the more dangerous one, and in truth, it was the one he actually feared. It wasn't for fear of death, since Jack simply didn't fear death, but it was the far deeper fear of how he would feel when that dagger came for him.

So there's some relief that Elizabeth had decided against that plan, but that fear would always be lingering there. Once Jack had such a thing in mind, it never truly left. It's probably a good thing that they're parting ways before his paranoia could swell that feeling up into something dangerous.

But for now? That's a concern that's drifting away to the back of his mind quickly. He had a soft spot for Elizabeth that existed at a complicated crossroads, but every time he sees her eyes start to fill with tears, he always has a desire to make things better. He takes a half step closer, and it's clear that he's starting to raise his hand towards her face, but it stops when she speaks. That motion shifts into his hands settling on his hips as he listens, and he nods, though it's not to her question. It's more to himself, since that's about the answer he was expecting. It's both a relief and not all at once. ]

Yeah, kinda figured it wouldn't be cut and dry like that.

[ Though that off-hand comment implies he wants it to be. He wants that neat little box, the black and white, that he can put this relationship into. ]

I hope you wouldn't regret it, kiddo. 'Cause, I mean, it's the same for me. Uh, well, the last part, not the "you're kinda a shit person" part. [ He can translate that part well enough, though whether he agrees is a far different matter. ] So... Dunno. You've got something I don't, and that's being able to not make this "goodbye," like, forever.

[ He pauses, then shrugs in a way that's partially dismissive, but that's because he's trying to deflect what he's feeling here. ]

So if you ever came to our corner of the universe? Which, granted, why would you? Like, I really don't actually want to prove to people what a cheeto fart of a planet Pandora is, but. If you were feel like hating yourself by coming to visit the worst planet in the universe? Invitation's open. But I won't be holding my breath either, so... I'm leaving that up to you, Liz.