The Remembered Soldiers Rewrite

by Foxmur

It's been three long months since the penguins disappeared without a trace of their whereabouts. The zoo has changed without their feathered friends to keep them afloat. Eventually, they have to move on, and with a new year, it doesn't seem like they're ever coming back.

2. Part Two

The Remembered Soldiers: Rewrite

A/N: Hello everyone, surprisingly, I was able to accomplish the next installment of my rewrite! This took a little longer to write, which should be obvious because it's a little over a thousand words longer than the previous part. Forgive me for being a quantity writer! Anyhow, there will be two or three more parts that should, relatively, be significantly be shorter in length than these two parts I've so far submitted. You can thank snow days for my focus on these. Please, I beg to know your thoughts and to learn how I can improve in any way possible. Thank you for reading, and stay tuned!

-Foxmur-

The Remembered Soldiers: Rewrite

PART TWO

-Julien-

Her fur is warm and gentle with feeling. If only her heart was the same. It's no lie that it seems as if the world has turned over on everyone after the penguins disappeared. I have failed as a king to keep order in my kingdom. Even if there haven't been any sorts of breakouts around, the entirety of my land is covered in gloomy darkness. To my misfortune, the actions I've taken to improve the mood, including parties and royal gift ceremonies, as well as celebrating Julianuary, have only made things worse, from what it seems like. I would take the effort to express my concern with the disrespect towards me as their faithful leader, but I, too, am in shambles as everyone else is to make it important.

We all were friends to them. I cannot say for certain who may have been willing to admit our neighborly admirations, however I am sure that at least half of the flightless birds would acknowledge the favorable friendships between us all. It truly has been three months, but it has felt so very much longer. I am fully welcoming to share that I miss them and wish they would return, but I would prefer not to wreck myself to pieces like Marlene has. In earlier weeks, some others as well were vocal about their opinions, while a handful of others were too mute to make a voice for themselves. However, we all agree that it's not done us any good, their disappearance.

The first month for me, guiltily, went unaware of their absence. Well, I knew, but I took no focus to it; if anything, I made a benefit from the freedom I had finally obtained. I made parties much funner with louder and hipper music. I would watch their TV every so often and sleep on their couch as if it were mine. I had plans to expand my castle and conquer their home to create my own personal pool. I will admit that I may have gone a little far with claiming things my own, but it's not like I caused any harm. If anything, I was taking that opportunity to royally introduce myself to my loyal subjects for the first time and inform them of their place. Or, more appropriately, as they would have called it, try to make friends with them.

Although the wondrous pondering about the birds' whereabouts was in the back of everyone's minds, I managed to thrust a revolution of fun back to the boring, gray and litter clustered plaza it'd once been. I wasn't too convincing as a king, but I made a start being host to one of the best parties I've had since last being home in Madagascar. I'd consider it a fraction of my regulars, but with the multicultural dines and props that I convinced Maurice to borrow from the souvenir building, I found ways to make me wish I could've been able to take them back home and share them with my native lemur subjects.

Two weeks went by surprisingly fast. As time went on, however, the sun would drop over the horizon much slower and the moon would shine above the night in the dark sky longer than it'd once before. I was too preoccupied preparing for the wild, Halloween party that would be approaching soon. Said holiday was probably the last of my parties where my guests could take a moment away from focusing on our feathered friends. The goal was to dress in a scary outfit and, while it seemed more familiar to masquerade parties back home, it was definitely a time I tried my best to be scary and sexy at the same time. My guests dressed as ghosts and quite attractive monsters. I still can't get over Marlene and Kitka's twin devily outfits.

Further on, Marlene tried to gather us all for what was called a Thanksgiving dinner. We all simply ate what we usually would, since it'd just have been cannibalism if we'd ate a turkey, whatever that was, like she said was the tradition. As this time was all going by, everyone became quiet and secluded to themselves. No matter how much begging and ordering that I would give, no one would obey, and my parties died out faster than the drop of humans coming to the zoo. Sure, a lot less people have come, but what's more important is that my booty hasn't danced to a beat in such a long time! At least, routinely.

Soon came Christmas and what they call the New Year, and that was my failed, last attempt to bring the smiles back for a longer time than those nights. It was beautiful, to be honest. The white flakes falling from the sky, the bright shiny lights and the happy faces, all directed at me! I was sure that the dozens of mistletoes, cartons of egg nog and chocolate chip cookies would strengthen the holiday spirits for everyone and make it a long-lasting miracle! Even if I didn't get many gifts, or any that I wanted even, I was still happy that we could all be together as king and his silly freaks.

The issue with that all was that I believe everyone was expecting the four penguins to return as a final surprise. No one made that the apparent assumption, but it's probably obvious at least someone would think that would happen; Heck, I did! I will admit that I have cried because of it. But, they were simply tears of manliness, I promise! It's completely normal to cry over missing someone besides your loved ones. As simple friends, I've known them for about five years, so they're much more important than what they once were when I'd first been introduced to them. I am still young and beautiful, but I am wiser than I was those many years back.

Now, however, we're a few days into Julianuary and, having been over three months, it's well beyond the time to move on and accept that they're gone. Or, we need to stop being sad about their absence and hope for the best. I mean, if it were me, then I'd have been found no more than four days in, and everyone would mourn and praise me for eternity, being royalty and all. But, since it's lowly commoner birds, I don't think we should stress ourselves any longer. However, they do deserve the time they've gotten. Perhaps they deserve a little more, especially from me.

I head out to my throne and sit upon its cold, snowy wooden surface. I love Marlene with all my heart, even if she plays hard to get and will not eagerly return what I know she truly feels, but she stresses me with the constant reminder about them. When will she start wondering if I'm okay? I've tried to give her all my attention and love, but her repetitive sadness only leaps into my fur and makes me vomit from how sad I get from it.

My problem, as Maurice had once told me, is that I am a happy person that will try to make the best out of everything and smile too much. Any anger or sadness that I have, I will usually toss it into the back of my head and let it all pile up to one day burst, should I not be careful and let it out in even flows. I'm still not sure if he was expressing worry for me, or if he was trying to upset and annoy me. Regardless, I agree that I try to avoid the sad times. Why wouldn't you? Why would you want to be sad? I don't understand these people who say that it's good to get the tears out, because it isn't! It makes everyone want to cry just like you are.

I definitely believe that, because I'm terrified to cry around Marlene. Not just because it would make me look weak and like a crybaby, but because it would make her feel even worse. Keeping my smile through the days is what gives her hope and the chance to move on, I think. A couple times, she would tell me that it would be okay to cry. But, I shrugged it off and said that there was nothing to cry about. It was a wrong choice of words, but what I meant was that we shouldn't cry over the obvious and spend months expecting their return. If they wanted to be found, I'm almost certain they'd have sent the pudgy one for us to come get them.

The flakes continue to gather into piles around the habitats and shield the visible world in white. Before arriving to New York City, the sky spirits never delivered snow upon my island. While I find it very nice to have a constantly warm feeling that makes you want to lay out in the nude, I still think it'd be pretty cool to have some snow on my island. I remember that the penguins had to explain to me what it was, and that it wasn't some possible apocalypse. The tall one went on and on about the science behind it, but I got too bored and went to play in the snow. If I had the opportunity, now I might decide to actually listen in on his rants and babbles, just so he may feel that his knowledge actually is important. Because, it is, but not all of it, most of the time. I think.

I'm too sad to dance around in this like before, terribly. My rump just will not shake in joy when all I can think about is the deathly setting that plagues our home. I look over to their habitat and see that, yet again, the water is frozen over. It's very depressing to think that they're not going to come back. It's the reality of it. Sure, they were very secret with the strange things they did, but I didn't expect them to run out on their own without a final goodbye, especially to none other than their royal king! I would have probably hugged and kissed them goodbye. Well, hugged them, at least.

If anything, I am Skipper's best friend, and it has upset me that he would leave without telling me goodbye. Even as a final farewell, he could have continued his smart talking ways and not been upfront about his friendship with me. Does he not remember the many adventures we all had together? Does that not account as something? The hardest part is that, for some reason, I feel like I'm the cause of their leave. I don't understand why; I've been nice and friendly ever since I was introduced to them. I welcomed them to my lemur home with the Giants, I shared my lovely fruits and smoothies to them, and I even let them get close to my heart! I still wonder, did they leave because I played my music too loud? Did I wake them up in the middle of the night too many times for a kingly snack? Was I too giving and should I have been less open to them?

My paws go over my eyes and I sigh in sadness. I, a devilishly handsome king, am about to cry, over four birds who decided to leave us many months ago. Truthfully, I may now recognize that they were my chums, but I was not as vocal of it beforehand. Perhaps they wanted me to suck up to them a little bit and be less kingly, but more regular. Maybe I missed one of their birthdays and they got mad at me because I didn't keep it on a calendar. It's becoming harder and harder to hold back that I miss them, and I don't want people to cry anymore about it. I want to move on.

I wipe my eyes and run my paws through my fur to get the falling snow off of it the best I can. Even if I like the snow, I get sick and chilly from it easily. I need this minute though, because I can't risk breaking down in front of her. I hope she fell asleep and doesn't hear me cry. I don't want her to laugh at me, but I care more that I don't want her to hurt herself over this whole situation. I get plagued by nightmares that I find Marlene in her home half dead because of self-inflicted cuts along her arms. It makes me want to throw up and sob like a coward at the same time. Is it true love? Or that I just can't take blood and guts and the nastiness?

I sigh and the cold air blows up in front of my muzzle. We've had so many fun moments here, in Madagascar, traveling the world, wherever it may be. I hadn't lived my life to its fullest extent until I met you guys. I was oblivious to whatever interesting events could've taken place over the years. They're certainly memories that I wish I could relive. Aside from Maurice, they were the greatest friends I could ever have. Even if I work my advisor hard sometimes, he's been my best friend since about ten, and I go far enough to call him my older brother.

My head turns to the cemetery we'd visited before, and I nod to the statue while wiping more of the tears falling from my eyes. I don't understand why you decided to leave us all behind. Why didn't you at least take me with you? Even if I'd have rather stayed here or only have gone back to Madagascar, since I still want to be king, it would've been a thought that counted in my heart. Especially, it makes me wonder where you are. Are you in some frozen land trapped in ice and starving to death? Even if you are penguins, I'm sure you could still get cold. Or, are you lost and expecting me to come save the day? Is that what I'm supposed to do?

Or, have you all passed away? I continue to cry as I clutch the armrests of my throne. You could have told us where you were going, sent us a letter or even said goodbye before you left. But, you never came home for us. Is it even your fault that you're gone? Is Marlene's theory that Blowjoe and the Muffin Puffin are behind this and keeping you secret somewhere? What do I have to do to bring you back? I'll stop having parties for a whole month, I'll have Maurice deliver you smoothies for three more, and I will personally kick Mort away from your habitat from now on! It is a pledging promise from I, your king! Work with me on this! Help me Sky Spirits!

A few minutes pass and I regain my cool, but still let small tears down that freeze on my chin. Skipper, although you were my rival, you still were my friend, and I wish we could have watched the funny movies on your TV together. Kowalski, you were a little too smart, and you were my friend. I wish I could assist you with one of your invention thingies. Rico, you were coocoo, but I would love to have another dynamite run with you. Lastly and not any less, Private, you were like a cuter less annoying Mort, and I wish we could get ice cream and you we share your cone. I beg the question once again, why did you leave us?

It still gives me chills from when Marlene told about being sad to lose Maurice and I as well. My heart pounds fast and the tears get stronger again. If I lost Maurice, my brother from another father, I would be down in the dumps close to how Marlene is. I would be somewhat as sad, but I would last a few months, probably, before I could move on. I would be sure to make him a remembered loyal subject and family friend that meant a lot to me.

Marlene, however, that would be devastating. She's the love of my life, and even if I may go forever without getting her to accept her hidden returning affection for me, I never want to lose her. It already annoys me when I can't see her every day, when I wish to share the same bed as her and make her my queen, but her disappearance would set me off. My emotions would range. I'm sure I'd unfortunately take it out on others should she go missing without a trace like the penguins. I would depend on them to find her but, since they're not here, I would have to cross the lands and oceans myself to come across her.

Losing her, the love of my life, I would consider suicide. I don't think I'd act through it, but I would think about it. I can't say that she'd be the first love of my life that'd disappear, anyways. I've experienced cheating, death and breakups before. Being a king, it was quite often, sadly. Madagascar wasn't always mangoes and rainbows. If I lost both of them, however, part of me thinks I'd actually starve myself to be with them. I don't want to abandon my subjects, but when they already won't submit to me, I might as well take the exit and be with the Sky Spirits when I lose my only two reasons for life now.

If the penguins have passed away, they're very likely with the Sky Spirits by now. I don't think that they have any punishments to make time for, but, I could be wrong. Usually, the Sky Spirits would speak to me, but they haven't granted me the conversation this time. They've grown less vocal since leaving my homeland. Perhaps they're telling me that I shouldn't be here, or that they're having trouble speaking when the belief in them is very little in this land scattered in dozens of separate religions. I just wish they would break a clearer message through, especially about those flightless birds. I've worshiped them my entire life and I've done everything they've asked of me, but they still remain difficult to consult with.

I don't understand what the issue is with giving me the answers I seek. Perhaps, because the penguins don't believe in them, they instead are unguided or not watched over? Or maybe the Sky Spirits want nothing to do with them until they convert. I don't believe that's so, because they're typically very loving and open, regardless of who they're to watch over. I don't mind, though, if the truth they would break is that the penguins have passed away. I already believe that's the case myself, so it wouldn't be a surprise. If anything, it'd relieve a lot of weight on my shoulders, and we could finally move on, even if the others wouldn't believe my word from them.

My feet are already getting buried in the snow as the air becomes hard to breathe in. How long have I been out here, anyways? It's probably only been a couple minutes, but I've had monologues that went on much longer. These moments would stop if I could just figure out what happened to them. I'm sick and tired of sitting here upon my throne, looking forward and every day repeatedly seeing emptiness in their habitat. It's boring, depressing and gives me anxiety. I just wish the Sky Spirits would tell me so I wouldn't have to worry about them anymore.

I sneeze. The weather's been this cold for the last month, and I still haven't adapted to it. I should probably head back inside since I'll just be killing myself if I sit out here any longer. If it wasn't for the pretty snow, I would never want to experience winter again. There's no point in going outside when it's this freezing.

I get up from my throne and head back into the plastic volcano to see Maurice sipping upon a cup of the tea he made. I sit beside him on the couch and lay back into the cushion. It's strange. I don't usually wonder, but where has Mort been? I turn my head to Maurice, about to ask him, but I see several teardrops falling from his eyes into the tea between his paws. I wipe my eyes with a frown. Maybe he doesn't know I've been crying, too. He's caught me doing it, but I'll try not to make a big deal of it or deny of doing so, just because I feel like he'd tell Marlene.

"Is everything being okay, Maurice?" He sighs while shaking his head, and takes another sip from his drink. Then, he lets out a sad chuckle.

"Oh, everything's fine, your majesty." I look to him frowning. I know he's lying; it's more than obvious. He sighs as a response, takes another sip, then speaks.

"No. I was thinking about 'em again, King Julien. I was wondering what's gonna happen to this place if they don't come back." I sigh and put my arm around his head.

"I have thought about that as well, Maurice. But, it has been three months, and we have already discovered the aftermath. It is being time to moving on." He sighs again and nods.

"It's just hard to do. It ain't like my mother, when we knew what happened and we could lay her to rest." I frown and look to see Marlene passed out on the bed. He nods and settles his voice.

"She passed out shortly after you went out, your majesty. She was having a rough time falling asleep, but she eventually went and she should be out for a little while." I nod back and lean forward, closing my paws together and returning the same silent pitch.

"That is being good. I went to thinking so she could sleeping. I did not wanting to getting upset when she was being here. I am knowing that being sad around her will not making anything better. But, I am thinking that she is beginning to seeing through my cover up, and she could accusing me as a liar for not showing how I truly feel. A parting of me still thinking that, maybe, just a little bit, they could returning. But, I know that it is being impossible. I just needed to letting it all out." He nods again as a response, and after a few moments I continue.

"I was to be thinking about what Marlene said."

"Oh? What was on your mind, your majesty?" He said after taking the last sip and setting it to the side. I pause for another moment to think of the right way to let it out.

"If Marlene was to be disappearing such as the flightless birds have been of doing, then I do not thinking I would wanting to continuing my life." He looks up to me and shakes his head with a little smile, then pats my back.

"It's just like we told Marlene, King Julien: 'We'll make sure that never happens.' And, hey, Marlene will move on some time soon. It's hardest on her. She needs a little longer."

"I know, but what if someone getting sick, or something happening where we can not preventing their leave? You or she would not being with me anymore. It would not being my fault, but you would still being gone, and I do not wanting that to happening." I move my paws up to my eyes again and breathe softly as he continues to pat my back.

"I'm sure we can get through this. We've just got to be as positive as you've been."

I shrug and nod as he sits back into the cushion. "I know we will one day moving on, Maurice, but I do not thinking I will stopping missing them."

"You're not supposed to stop missing them. It's okay to look days, weeks, months and years back still wishing they were with you. There's nothing we can do to bring them back, but there's nothing wrong with honoring them over the years. That's why we would honor your ancestors, right your majesty?" I shrug and nod again as I speak into my paws.

"I just am not understanding why they would leaving, Maurice. I am figuring that they knowing why they had to, but why could they not telling us?" He sighs and shakes his head and doesn't return my question. I don't expect him to have the answers, but he's the only one that I vent to since he's so close to me. I look over to the other side of the room to see Marlene snoozing away with cute little snores. I hope that she doesn't hate me. Despite my expanding love for her, I've tried to settle with being her friend. I would be devastated if she refused to let me ever speak to her again. Alongside that, if I had never befriended Maurice, I would not have been as happy as king as I'd once been. If anything alongside that, I would never have come to New York if he were not around. I would have never been as a great a king as I'd once been if he were never around.

Maurice stands after a few minutes and speaks a little louder. "King Julien, would you mind if I went to go walk my thoughts off? I'll come back and help you in any way I can, but this is just a moment that I need to get away and think to myself."

I simply nod to him and stand myself. "You are free to doing as you wish, Maurice. Your king is needing a few more minutes to thinking, too."

He nods back to me, grabs his drink and takes his leave back outside. I sigh and pace around the room for a little while. I don't understand why I'm still going on about them. They just won't get out of my head. I don't have any happy thoughts regarding them, either. I'm haunted by nightmares, my days are dreadful with turning the other eye to look and see if, for some reason, they may be standing once again upon their podium in their home. I lay my head into the pillow and sigh.

It is complicated now, though. Right here is the point where I can't decide how I really think and feel, and start believing whatever everyone else might assume or say. Maybe everyone else in the zoo will be sad forever. It might be true that humans eventually will stop coming, assuming that they only cared about the penguins, which probably isn't true since, well, I'm here! I get the feeling that Marlene won't return my love because she instead felt it for Skipper. Perhaps she's heartbroken? It's been three months, but that's nowhere near enough time for a broken heart; especially one as delicate as hers.

It's sad to think that, if they would have been here, we could have gone absolutely crazy for the Christmas party. Chances are we'd all be wild, loud and drunk on eggnog. Which, thinking in general, the penguins finally got me to stop partying by abandoning us. I don't think that would be their plan. I'm sure they wanted me to stop, or at least Skipper did, but I don't think they'd have made things as drastic as they are now just so that I would stop. They're better than that.

Now, however, I primarily just don't party because I don't want to do anything that'd potentially risk making anyone else hate me like it sometimes felt that the penguins felt towards me. Back then, it was kind of funny when Skipper would yell at me, because I would play it full blast at two in the morning. The thing, though, is that I never shook my booty to annoy everyone. If anything, I wanted to unite everyone so we could have a fun activity to do every so often. If everyone joined me, I'd have probably not done it as much. It wasn't that I struggled to learn that I should've stopped, but that I didn't want to stop because I wanted people to give in and take the opportunity to lower their shoulders and have some fun. Not anymore, though.

It makes me wonder when the last time we went in there was. Maurice and I claimed a couple of the things left in there including the couch I'm sitting on and a lot of their blenders, microwaves and such, but that was around the beginning of November. I know Marlene goes in there every now and then to make some kind of inspection. But, it's obviously her just trying to relive past memories. Other than that, no one wants to go in there because it's too depressing and, along with the weather, cold! I haven't been in there since.

After some time, I see Marlene sit up from the bed and stretch. Strange, it's only been maybe half an hour or so. Maybe she just needed a little energy boost. A moment passes and she turns to see me laying on the couch, and comes over with a tired and sad smile on her lips. I sit up so she can sit, and she sits besides me. "Did you sleeping well, Marlene?"

She sighs and shakes her head. "Not really. It was very comfy, but I had another nightmare about Skipper and them. So, no, I didn't."

I nod with a sad look on my face. "I thinking I heard you muttering in your sleep, so I am not surprised that you were to be having a nightmare. I have been having a few of those just as you have. Not as extreme as you have been describing, but, you knowing."

"Mhm." She nods and makes a small yawn. It's very cute. She looks around the room and, after a minute, asks silently.

"Where'd Maurice go?"

"He was wanting to be going for a walk because the sadness was getting to his head, and I letting him go getting it off his chest." It got quiet. I don't think I said anything wrong, but I can already tell that Marlene wants to cry and talk about it again. I'm sick and tired of it living on, but I understand that she needs my help, and I'm willing to give her my love and affection should she continue to need it. I'm afraid to keep speaking of it, though, is the issue with continuing.

"Do you mind if I asking how your dream was to be going, Marlene?" I ask, breaking the ice. She sighs and, after a few minutes of remaining silent, she begins to whisper with tears slowly falling from her precious eyes.

"Like I said, it had a couple more incidents of awful ideas on what might've happened to them. Maybe even what could be happening right now. They're so vivid and scary." I nod.

"Going on."

"To keep it without the depressing stuff, I had ideas that they maybe went back to Antarctica, went after that dolphin, Blowhole, or maybe to deal with Skipper's past in Denmark."

She looks down to her legs and breathes softly. I wish I could cry, but I just want this all to stop, and I don't want her sad anymore. It's tearing me apart. "They could be. That would being a good idea and they would maybe returning one day. Hopefully."

But, we already know that those aren't very valid, because Blowjoe has already been here twice, and said that they were without a trace. He could be lying, but he seemed very upset, himself. Every one of us, including the people here and those who didn't necessarily get along with the penguins, pretty much have tried to help us find them. But, with some short of fifty people, it doesn't surprise me that the entire Earth has probably been searched, and they're gone.

"And, if they are gone, maybe they're with the other penguins in the sky."

"Yes, being with the Sky Spirits." She shrugs and nods as she lays her head onto my shoulder, and I lay back into the couch and close my eyes. Even if she may not admit the same love that I feel for her, at least she lets me hold her close and protect her. It makes me wonder, like Maurice was, with what may happen when we finally move on. I don't think it could go back to how it once was before, because they, strangely, were the life of the zoo, even if they wanted everyone to remain in order and quiet, for the most part. Maybe I'll finally convince Marlene to go on a date with me. It's probably not the best thing to assume, but it's a start to answering possible guesses. Obviously, now isn't the best time, but maybe February?

But, whenever they enter my mind, at least, within the last two weeks, all I want to do is cry my eyes out. I again know I won't get any response, but I really want the Sky Spirits to tell me the penguins location or fate. Would it be possible they're in the sky already? Not with the Sky Spirits but, instead, being in space? There's a million questions you could ask and you'll get a whopping zero number of answers. It's better to just work it all out and move on.

My ears peak as I turn and see Marlene crying again. Oh come on, not again Marlene. I love you but I can't take this anymore! I just want you to smile again. I want to wake you up every morning and know that this isn't killing you anymore. If it's true that you don't love one of them, then why is it destroying your precious soul? Please stop it, I don't want you to cry!

"J-Julien?!" She looks up to me and by this point I realize I'm sobbing with her. I hug her tight to me and whisper.

"I-I'm sorry, Marlene. I am being so sorry." We both remain silent for a while as we just accept that this is happening and we redden our eyes deeper from the tears. I'm not necessarily sorry about what's happened, but I'm terribly guilty that I can't hold myself anymore and I have to break down. I thought I could keep it in a little longer and do it when she's not in this state, but I've had to experience her sobbing her heart out at least twice a day for about a month. Sure, I miss the flightless birds, but the reason I'm getting so sick and depressed is because of her; because of you. I lied. The nightmares I said I share are not true. While yours are of the penguins, mine are of you, and the likelihood that, maybe, you'll disappear just like them.

The main reason I want the penguins to come back is because, then, it'd make you happy. You would stop crying, you'd have your gorgeous smile and you'd return to your life without these nightmares you tell me of. I want to be your hero like I have been, maybe, but I would much rather you happy with your life than getting comforted to me and constantly suffering terrifying thoughts about our lost friends. Sure, they were my friends too, but I've grown to a point where I only care about your feelings, and I'm only sad because you are. Mostly, at least. I just want to make you happy because I love you and I already know that what you desire won't happen. I'm so sorry Marlene. Please find it in your heart to forgive me. I don't want you like this anymore. Please don't let them continue to hurt you. I can't take this anymore.

-FIN PART TWO-