fandomhigh | Detention, Depths of the Castle, Tuesday

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Detention, Depths of the Castle, Tuesday

Another bright, shining, and pink day had begun for the ~~prisoners~~ guests being held in detention, and while the morning started off the same as the day before, there was a strange sort of feeling in the air once people began waking up. A kind of... musical feeling, in fact.

Umbridge might have taken over the island, but the island still had a mind of her own, thank you very much.

[No, the barriers of detention cannot save you from Once More With Fandom Day! The OCD is up, so have at it!]

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There hadn't been an Emma -- other than the one in Bobby's head, and she didn't count -- yesterday. Jack was grateful for small mercies, though he did not expect them to last.

He kept an eye out for anyone who might want to speak with him, mumbling half-formed lyrics under his breath.

And here Emma was feeling bad about not visiting yesterday!

After making her usual offer to the crowd, she found her way over to Jack, and sat down next to him, a concerned frown creasing her forehead. "Talking to yourself, darling?"

Close enough to start a war, Jack sang at her, and blanched even as he kept singing. All that I have is on the floor. God only knows what we're fighting for. All that I say, you always say more.

He stopped there, half defiant and half embarrassed by the burst of lyrics. "I'm taking after Robert. Hello."

He hoped he could keep her from seeing how close he was to breaking.

Edited 2012-07-24 16:08 (UTC)

"You have a little more than what's on the floor," she answered, giving him a small smile. "I don't understand why they've got you down here, Jack, I don't. You're only contagious during the full moon, and I'm not going to quit annoying people until they let you out. Just hold on a little longer, I promise."

Even if Umbridge refused to see reason, and Emma had to bring all the power of Hellfire to bear on the witch. The summer was almost over, and she wasn't going to leave him there.

This girl is taking bets, this girl's a silhouette, can't you see?

She made a face. "Oh, hell, musical day again, isn't it?"

Sing it for the boys, sing it for the girls, every time that you lose it sing it for the world, Jack sang, then added, "That would be yes. And you know my problem with your offer, Emma. It's not just about me; they need to let all of us out -- almost all, anyhow. Are you seriously telling me Sookie Stackhouse is a more serious risk than I am to the outside world?"

Sookie barely knew what day it was, half of the time.

Edited 2012-07-24 16:41 (UTC)

And, oh, here it comes, here it comes, here it comes now darling Oh, here it comes, here it comes, here it comes free falling Oh, you and me, you and me and that old glass ceiling And the radio, the saviours and all

Right. Emma was just going to ignore that bit.

"If it were up to me, Sookie wouldn't be in here either. She lost her temper, told off the wrong person, and all because she couldn't filter out the noise," Emma replied. "It was stupid, and wasteful, but I've told you before; I can't fight the battles for everyone. They have to do some work too, instead of acting like those of us up top are all evil incarnate and out to get them."

Evil angel with your cleft tongue, when you kissed me on this town square all the lights came on at sunset. Thought you'd stay, Jack sang dryly.

He couldn't, quite, hide his feeling of betrayal.

"Can't you wipe her mind and get her to release all of us?" Jack asked. "You're the one who's always talking about making people think they're iguanas. What's one witch?"

No, of course what really matters is the blame, somebody to blame. Fine, if that's the thing you enjoy, placing the blame, if that's the aim, give me the blame, Emma sang bitterly. "Oh, I could. Easily."

"Then what happens to the dozens of people under her spell? Does it break? Do they remember all the horrible things they did? Does it wipe their minds too, or cause a feedback that kills one or two of them? Or maybe they'd stay twisted. Magic isn't a science, Jack. I have no idea what would happen to them if I were to break her spell."

Jack crossed his arms across his chest. Is there a time for keeping your distance? A time to turn your eyes away. Is there a time for keeping your head down, for getting on with your day.

He shook his head. "I hardly think you could make things worse if you tried. You're just ... justifying what you want to do. I was the same, before they put me in here."

He'd been a double agent. He still could have done more.

Oh god, the singing really needed to stop, but it popped out anyway, hurt, slightly bitter. Follow the leader, stay in the lines
What will people think of what you've done this time?

Go with the crowd, surely somebody knows
Why we're all wearing the emperor's clothes
Play it safe, play by the rules
Or don't play at all - what if you lose?
That's not the secret, but I know what is:
Everybody dies but not everyone lives.

At the same time, her mental touch reached out to, for lack of a better term, hold his hand, which was Not Allowed in detention. <<Jack, I need to be very very clear on this with you,>> Emma said silently. <<Her mind is too warped for me to take control; it would most likely kill me, do you understand that?>>

<<If you want me to stop her, I can't just put her to sleep or make her a puppet. I will have to tear everything out by the roots or kill her. There would be no reversing her spells. Are you willing to have the blood of the broken children who would be left on your hands? If the answer is yes, then I'll do what I can.>>

Jack flinched at that hard. "Emma Grace," he said softly, leaning forward, "of course I don't want that, and if you're telling the truth I am sorry. But if you are lying to make me shut up and feel sorry for the poor little telepath, I will rip your hairs out one by one."

"You know I can't lie using telepathy," Emma chided quietly, leaning in as much as she dared before one of the sadists would take notice and try to punish him for it.

Most of them weren't quite stupid enough to try and go toe-to-toe with her, after all.

Each breath breathed means we're alive
And life means that we can find
The reasons to keep on getting by
And if reasons we can't find
We'll make up some to get by
'Til breath by breath we'll leave this behind

"And if you call me 'Emma Grace' again, I'll kick you."

"I know you say that," Jack corrected softly. "I also know you well enough to know you could find a way around that rule if you wanted. And what's wrong with the name Emma Grace?"

He wanted to touch her, was the problem; his fingers twitched inches from her waist before he flushed and stuck them under his legs.

Entrust in me, you're not alone. Even though my throne's slightly smaller than yours -- beautiful queen, together we'll wreak havoc you and me, he sang at her.

"It makes me sound like a saint or a nun," she complain, wrinkling up her nose. "And I'm not."

He knew - everyone on the island knew - that she wasn't. When it came down to things, Emma was a Frost more than a Grace, and Frosts were survivors.

People like us
Know how to survive
There's no point in living
If you can't feel the life
We know when to kiss
And we know when to kill
If we can't have it all
Then nobody will

The world is not enough
But it is such a perfect place to start...my love
And if you're strong enough
Together we can take the world apart...my love

Jack sighed at the lyrics. "And this is why I can't stay angry at you," he told her. "Even when I know I'm more than justified in doing it. Stay safe, all right?"

"You can't stay angry at me because I'm pretty and clever, just like you," she teased, and although Emma wanted more than anything to kiss him right in-front of everyone, she didn't. The last thing she wanted was to give anyone any more excuses to keep him down here.

She did, however, run a quick hand over his curls, an action they could only blame her for, and not him. "Now promise you won't threaten to bite anyone," she mock-scolded. "I understand the desire, trust me, I do, but you don't know where they've been."

"Oh, I'll wait for the full moon for that, have no fear."

He would not. He had no intention of cursing anyone, even if they weren't chaining him up right after noon every day when the full moon was in the sky.

He hesitated, not sure he wanted to ask his next question, but he did anyhow. "Tell me what the weather's like outside, darling. It's been too long since I felt it."

Edited 2012-07-24 21:21 (UTC)

"Hot," she said, making a face. "Hot and humid everywhere, I think. You can sometimes get a cool breeze off the beach, but the sun is ruthless."

Hot town, summer in the city
Back of my neck getting burnt and gritty
Been down, isn't it a pity
Doesn't seem to be a shadow in the city

All around, people looking half dead
Walking on the sidewalk, hotter than a match head...

"UGH!"

Jack made a face for a different reason as he longed for the feel of that burning sun on his skin.

I wish it would rain down, down on me, he sang wistfully. Yes I wish it would rain down, rain down over me.

"Thanks," he added tiredly. "For the weather report."

I never meant to cause you any sorrow, I never meant to cause you any pain. I only want to see you laughing, I only want to see you laughing in the purple rain. Emma managed, inwardly cringing and rolling her eyes at herself.

Because that's totally what Jack wanted to hear.

Jack leaned forward while still staying clear of Emma, set his face into stone. "Pity," he said, "that there won't be rain in here. Perhaps you could have them turn on the sprinklers."

He was getting overwhelmed by loving her and hating her and singing at her and wanting her to go and wanting her to stay forever and now there was Prince and -- it was a situation that demanded sarcasm.

Well wasn't that warm between sweethearts? And Emma decided she'd had enough for today. Enough of trying to help him, help the rest of them that were unwilling to help themselves. At least Rinoa had the sense, still, to listen to Emma and stop raging against the night.

She didn't flinch or move away at his words, or at his thoughts. She just waited until he was done until she let the song tumble from her lips.

You toss in a word
I'm your villain
I see the passion emerge
I'm your villain
But serious
You're so serious
she sneered.

Well, I'm a bitch, I'm a lover
I'm a child, I'm a mother
I'm a sinner, I'm a saint
I do not feel ashamed
I'm your hell, I'm your dream
I'm nothing in between
You know you wouldn't want it any other way

I'm a bitch, I'm a tease
I'm a goddess on my knees
When you hurt, when you suffer
I'm your angel undercover
I've been numb, I'm revived
Can't say I'm not alive
You know I wouldn't want it any other way.

Jack looked guilty, but otherwise unimpressed.

Also like he was about to sing.

Did I disappoint you? he asked. Or leave a bad taste in your mouth? You act like you never had love, and you want me to go without.
Well, it's too late tonight to drag the past out into the light. We're one, but we're not the same. We get to carry each other, carry each other. One...

Have you come here for forgiveness? Have you come to raise the dead? Have you come here to play Jesus to the lepers in your head? Did I ask too much? More than a lot? You gave me nothing, now it's all I got. We're one, but we're not the same. Well, we hurt each other, then we do it again.

He flushed when he was done. "What is this doing to us?" he asked, in his own, nonmelodic voice. "Will there be an us, when I get out?"

He wasn't even sure he wanted there to be one.

Edited 2012-07-25 13:00 (UTC)

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Detention, Depths of the Castle, Tuesday

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