Okay, wow... at least I got this chapter up on a Thursday, and, better yet, good thing this is one of my favorite chapters to have written, so far...
So, for the disclaimer:
Disclaimer: I don't own Power Rangers, or any songs in this story, all I own is Cadinia and her family.
Cadinia
I was in the room after I'd talked to Brent, trying to play a melody of a song.
Every time I tried, I kept stopping and thinking about what Animus did.
He stole the WildZords to for a test that nearly got us killed… and everyone's just gonna let that blow over?!
I mean, I didn't realize it until he was finally gone… but… still…
"Hey."
I looked up as Merrick stepped into the room.
"Hey." I grumbled softly as I went back to my failed attempts at strumming.
"Everything okay?" He sat on his bed, facing me.
Deciding that ignoring him was gonna be the only to keep from exploding, I continued trying, and failing, to play some chords.
"You know, they won't play right when you're angry."
I know he was trying to lighten my mood, but I wasn't feeling the want for comfort.
I glared up at him, "What do you want?"
He blinked and I could understand why. I've never had a clear cut reason to sound this harsh.
"Uh… well, I was just wandering if you were okay?" He frowned, "Are you?"
I took a deep breath before I put my guitar down, "No, Merrick, I'm not. But I can't tell you why."
"Why not?" He raised a brow, "You said friends tell each other everything… we're friends right?"
"Yes, but you have a friend from 3,000 years ago. A lot longer than me." I retorted a bit too sharply.
"So this is about Animus?" He figured, "What is it?"
"Nothing." I shook my head, "It's… it's nothing."
"Cadi, it's not nothing if it's distracting you from playing." He reasoned gently.
"I just don't wanna talk about it okay!" Was my immediate response.
I winced after it came out and decided writing some lyrics in my journal was my best bet out of this conversation without bloodshed.
Course, I should've figured Merrick would've become a lot more of a jerk than before.
He got up and took my journal before I could write another line in it.
"Give that back!" I stood up.
"Then talk to me."
"I'm sorry but, here in the 21st century, no one has to talk to anyone if they don't want to." I snarled, "Now give it back!"
"That's not how I see it." He reasoned.
"Merrick, if you wanna keep that blood of yours remaining inside you, give me back my journal right now!" I snapped.
Right as I did, my pillow ignited with flames.
I quickly brushed my hand at my side and it instantly subsided, which Merrick didn't notice, thankfully.
"Fine." He put it down, "But we're not done."
"No, I think we are." I retorted, "Cause I am done going to others for help. I am done having to fight a battle when I don't even know what I'm fighting for anymore."
"To stop the Orgs and Humans from polluting the Earth."
"You say that like… you're not human." I replied, "Like humanity is just another monster to destroy. What did Animus do to you and the others? It's like… like you don't care anymore."
"About what?"
"About everything a human should enjoy." I replied, "Yeah, humans cause a lot of Earth's problems, I can't deny that. But there's a lot humans do that Earth couldn't have done. Alright, maybe I've hung out with a lot of non-rangers a little too long. Cause there's seemingly nothing but chaos… not all bad comes from it. Art… Dreams… maybe Love…. But a lot of Hope…."
"And you think I don't know that?"
"No. Not anymore." I replied shortly, "So I am done just listening to orders. I'm done going through with a plan blindly. I am just… I'm done." I slapped my crystal into his hand. "Permanently."
With that, I snatched my journal up, grabbed my guitar, and walked to the back to clear my head.
The next day…
I hadn't said a word to Merrick since that. Not that I wanted to, I said all I needed to.
Right now, I was wiping down a table while he was wiping the bar.
Willie looked between us, "Did… something happen?"
"No." We chorused easily.
He blinked, "Okay…. Either of you hungry."
"I'm good." We chorused again.
"Okay…" He let out and was about to walk into the kitchen when he stopped and turned to Merrick, "Oh… Merrick… that… Shayla girl was asking to meet you by some statue in a few hours."
"Really?" Merrick blinked, "Okay… thanks."
"And Nia?" Willie got my attention, "Could you please cut some logs for me in a bit?"
"Yeah. Sure." I agreed before I could stop myself.
"Thanks… both of you." He nodded before he went into the back.
I sighed as I went back to wiping each of the tables.
"I can help if you want." Merrick informed me.
"No… I can do it on my own." I denied.
"Cadinia…" He frowned.
"I mean it, Baliton." I growled, glaring at him.
He stepped back after a moment, "Sorry…"
"Whatever." I grumbled and walked to the back to start cutting the logs.
1 hour later…
I'd cut every log Willie had out, and I 'volunteered' to go find a few more.
As I was walking in the woods, I heard that God awful song Princess Shayla sings to the DeerZord.
I hid behind a tree and checked to see her walking close by.
Keeping my breath as soft and steady as possible, I moved closer to see what she was doing.
"I can't wait to sing for you…" The Princess was singing, and I had a heck of a time trying not to groan.
When she got out of my sight I slowly got out from my cover and looked around before I continued to look for some wood.
Half an hour later…
I got a few large pieces of wood and walked back to the Roadhouse to start cutting them.
Right as I got to the back, I saw Merrick with his ax at the ready.
"I said I'd do it." I growled.
"You also said you hated being the cuter half the time." He reasoned simply.
"I can't care about that right now." I denied, "So can you move aside so I can do what I need to?"
"No." Merrick stood in front of me, "Cadi… we at least-"
"Don't call me that." I snarled before I stepped around him and readied a block.
"Please…" He took my hand, "Let me help. It's the least I could do."
"The least you can do is buzz off." I countered, "I don't need your help for anything."
"Cadi-"
"Stop calling me that!" I growled softly.
"No. Cadi, I want to talk to you."
"Alright, talk. Doesn't mean I'll listen." I scuffed.
"I won't talk unless you're willing to… Cadi, please… you're being irrational."
The ax slipped from my hands and nearly landed on my foot had I not stepped out of the way.
"I'm being… what?!" I demanded, glaring at Merrick.
He gulped as I stepped up to him, "Irrational."
"I am ten seconds away from burning you to a crisp, you really want your last words to be about my personal thinking?" I hissed.
"If it makes you feel any better… I know your hand's itching to do that right now." He sighed, "And I don't care… but what I do care about… is that you try seeing it from my prospective."
"I have." I growled softly, "That's why I'm giving up. Alright? End of discussion."
With that, I picked the ax back up went back to swinging it on some logs.
"No." Merrick grabbed the handle, "It's not… we need to talk, Cadi… please…"
"I'll talk, but not to you." I bit, "We don't understand each other like you keep saying we do, and it's not working out like I thought it would… being a ranger was great… at the time. Then all this Animus stuff started happening…. And it's like… everything's changed."
"No, Cadi… you don't understand."
"What don't I understand, Merrick?" I stared at him.
"Animus knows what's right… and this test… if he says it's the right thing, then it's the right thing."
"For who?!" I stared at him before I looked away, shaking my head, "You know what? Forget it." I let the ax go and walked away.
"Where are you going?"
"Somewhere I should've gone when this whole problem started." I answered.
I started for the entrance to the Animarium.
Third Person
1 hour later…
Cadinia gulped softly before she stepped through the entrance.
When she did, the scene shifted to the outer door of the Animarium.
She touched it softly before it opened.
The rangers weren't around, but Princess Shayla was.
"Princess Shayla." Cadinia walked forward, her legs shaking as she did.
"Cadinia? What are you doing up here?" She blinked.
"I came to talk to… well… Animus… and since this is the closest place to the guy, I figured to heck with fear and came up." Cadinia answered.
"You heard what he said." Shayla reasoned.
"Well… then I need to talk to you." Cadinia decided, "I need to speak to one of you, at least."
"What is it?" Princess Shayla asked.
"Brent… and the PenguinZord." Cadinia started, "What did you do to them?"
"We did what needed to be done." She replied.
"And that means?" Cadinia frowned.
"We put the flames to rest…. simple as that." Princess Shayla let out slowly, "I'm sorry."
"So, you killed them, even if they were just temporary?" Cadinia figured, "On intent?"
"Well, they were a danger… the PenguinZord almost tore up Animaria, while Brent was a turned Org. And…. We had orders from Animus."
"You had a choice." Cadinia countered.
"Did we? Destroying Orgs is what we do. Or maybe palling around with Ninjas and civilians, you've forgotten." The Princess retorted.
Cadinia growled and clinched her fist to keep from pushing the Princess into a wall.
"Don't tell me how to live my life."
"Well, then do it right."
"You think it's that simple, huh?"
"I really do."
"Yeah?" Cadinia scuffed, "I used to think the same thing. Well, here's a little tip. Things aren't just black and white! All you have is an image in front of you… A few months back, an Org you guys were trying to stop was that brother of mine. He was turned and being controlled and now I have to act like he's dead because of Animus saying he could never be pure again."
"Well…" The Princess gulped as Cadinia's hands burned a little, "That's your problem. We have a code."
"Well, now thanks to you and your code, you're officially down a ranger." Cadinia commented dryly, "Nice work."
She turned and was about to head for the exit when she stopped and glanced over her shoulder at the HorseZord up by the WolfZord.
"I'm sorry things didn't work out, buddy." She grumbled before she continued on out.
1 hour later…
Cadinia was in the Roadhouse, strumming her guitar as she finally looked at the song she'd been trying to write the melody to.
"You're giving me a million reasons to let you go. You're giving me a million reasons to quit the show. You're givin' me a million reasons… give me a million reasons. Givin' me a million reasons…. About a million reasons." Cadinia hummed, "If I had a highway, I would run for the hills. If you could find a dry way, I'd forever be still. But you're giving me a million reasons. Give me a million reasons. Givin' me a million reasons. About a million reasons. I bow down to pray… I try to make the worst seem better. Lord, show me the way. To cut through all his worn out leather. I've got a hundred million reasons to walk away. But baby, I just need one good one to stay…"
She tried not to cry as she looked over the lyrics and melody for the next part.
Merrick was walking into the hallway for the rooms and heard her playing.
"Head stuck in a cycle, I look off and I stare. It's like that I've stopped breathing, but completely aware." She went on, "Cause you're giving me a million reasons. Give me a million reasons. Givin' me a million reasons. About a million reasons."
Merrick walked up to the door and leaned against it as he listened and watched.
"And if you say something that you might even mean. It's hard to even fathom which parts I should believe. Cause you're giving me a million reasons. Give me a million reasons. Givin' me a million reasons. About a million reasons." She didn't notice, "I bow down to pray. I try to make the worst seem better! Lord, show me the way. To cut through all his worn out leather. I've got a hundred million reasons to walk away! But baby, I just need one good one to stay…!"
Merrick walked closer, sitting beside her as she continued on, causing her to bite her lip… which caused him to brush the strings of her guitar the way she'd been doing and for her to smile a bit.
"Baby I'm bleedin', bleedin'." She hummed.
Merrick nodded to the rhythm as Cadinia continued.
"Can't you give me what I'm needin', needin'?" She went on, "Every heartbreak makes it hard to keep the faith…. But baby, I just need one good one, good one, good one… When I bow down to pray… I try to make the worst seem better…. Lord, show me the way! To cut through all this worn out leather! I've got a hundred million reasons to walk away…. But baby, I just need one good one, good one….. Tell me that you'll be the good one, good one… Baby, I just need one good one to stay…"
Merrick nodded softly as she finished strumming, then hugged her a bit, "I'm sorry I got mad."
"It… it wasn't your fault…" She let out weakly.
"It was." He breathed out, letting her go slowly, "Animus was my friend from the past you're my friend now… if I'd realized that sooner…."
"I still would've given up my crystal. Cause Merrick, I still don't know what we're fighting. But what I do know… it's tearing us apart. Sure, it's making you and the team closer… but me? The one that's vouching for humanity…. True, life's supposed to suck, humanity?" Cadinia shook her head, "It's shoving me to the sidelines… and won't let me back onto the field."
Merrick nodded, "I should've realized that to start with… and I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault."
"Of course it is…"
"No, Merrick, I wanted to turn in my crystal since I got it." Cadinia reasoned, "I don't like being tied down… I don't like being ordered to do something that, I really would rather not do… I don't like it… but I rolled with the punches cause… I don't have a choice."
"You always have a choice." Merrick reasoned, "Everyone does… you told me that."
"Yeah, but Princess Shayla said you also have a code." Cadinia noted, "A code, and a choice… they're not the same. Never have been. So either you chose to give up on a code that could get more people hurt emotionally, or you keep the code, and live the rest of your life knowing you lost someone who cares too much to let something get in the way to help a friend in trouble."
She stood up and walked out of the room.
Merrick stared at where Cadinia just was.
She was right, of course, but he didn't know how to change her mind even a bit to listen…
Come to think of it, Animus had taken the Zords… and Merrick only got his back after he stayed to help with his friends.
But Cadinia… when he tried to do the Steed-Predazord… her crystal was still frozen…
Merrick pulled out the crystal now in his possession and saw it dark… still no use to it.
"Animus…!" He growled softly before he ran out.
15 minutes later…
Merrick ran as fast as he could the shrine for the WildZords and looked at each of them.
Biting his lip, he put Cadinia's crystal in front of the WolfZord part and closed his eyes, hopping something would happen… for the good at that.
When he didn't hear anything, he opened his eyes and saw the crystal still frozen.
"Dang it…" Merrick hissed before he grabbed for it.
He frowned when it wouldn't budge and he tried to pull it a little harder…
Still no difference.
"Howler!" Cadinia's voice shouted behind him.
Merrick glanced over my shoulder and saw her walking up to me… her feet steaming with rage.
"Yeah, I know I said I wasn't coming back here unless it was an emergency… and it is." Merrick let out simply.
"My being a ranger doesn't mean you leave me high and dry to lie to the one man I consider a father." She snarled, feeling pissed as is.
Merrick stopped trying to pull the crystal out and turned to her in shock. "Cadi-"
"Don't you 'Cadi' me!" She snapped, "Merrick, I trusted you-"
"You can chew me out later… right now… I've got a problem." Merrick motioned to the crystal.
Cadinia rolled her eyes and grabbed it off the statue with ease. "You were saying? Now… if you're done here, I told Willie you went out for an hour jog and I came to get you, so let's go back home."
"Not until I fix this." He shook his head.
"There's nothing to fix. I'm happy being a normal teen, Merrick. Heck, I'm ecstatic cause for the first time in my life, I don't have the weight of the world resting on my shoulders." Cadinia insisted.
"I know you don't mean that…" Merrick wanted to deny.
"It's true." She countered, feeling more anger rise inside her, "Merrick… I've been forced to live a secret all my life… and I'm tired of all the pressure… I've about snapped so many times… so, now… I'm done."
She threw the crystal over the edge of the cliff.
"No!" Merrick shouted in horror as he watched it fall.
"I'll see you back at the Roadhouse." She commented before she ran off.
1 hour later…
Cadinia kept her distance as she came out of the bathroom with a mop and bucket.
"Bathroom's clean!" She informed Willie as Merrick cleaned a table in the Roadhouse, "Also, if I were a cat, I'd be out of three lives now."
Merrick glanced up as she crossed the room and walked into the storage room.
"Wasn't it… Merrick's turn to do the bathroom?"
"I needed the space." She reasoned with a simple shrug, "Besides, he was busy on that jog."
Merrick blinked… she was still covering for him?
"Right." Willie nodded as Merrick finished cleaning the tables and Cadinia walked back out to the front.
The wolf ranger got in her path as he headed for the storage room before he stepped aside and let her pass.
She sighed and went around him before she continued on her way.
She was still angry, and she herself didn't know when that would change, if at all.
Merrick watched as she went into their room, and closed the door softly behind her.
Shaking his head out of his thoughts, Merrick put the supplies away and walked up to the room door.
As he did, Cadinia's strummed her guitar, and Merrick ended up slumping against the door, feeling upset.
There has to be something… at least have her talk to him again…
But what would work?!
Merrick
Half an hour later…
I walked through downtown Turtle Cove, just looking around at the sights.
The Flora and Fauna of Animaria was incredible, but it didn't have much on Turtle Cove and its agriculture.
Especially when I walked by a street vendor selling Yakitori.
My stomach growled at the familiar aroma and I walked over, paid for a stick with the meat, and walked away, biting into it.
I smiled lightly as I looked it over… and my mind flashed back to the first time I had a taste of it…
Flashback…
"Arigatōgozaimashita." She smiled.
"Repeat?" I whispered as we walked away.
"It means thank you, genius." Cadinia rolled her eyes before she took a bite of the chicken, "Dude, you gotta try this… it's so good!"
I shrugged and took a bite. "Mmm…" I nodded then looked at it. "Mmmm…"
Cadinia laughed softly, "I know… they're so good… no matter where you are… there just good."
"What's your favorite?" I questioned, "Culture, I mean."
She shrugged, "Probably Spanish. Don't ask me why."
Flashback end…
She was so funny… so free-spirited…
It was clear she didn't like to be tied down… but I didn't think it was this bad…
She was my best friend… and I didn't wanna hurt her like this… it hurt me just to see how much pain she was in all because of me…
But… I had no other choice… I still don't have a choice.
I sighed before I noticed where I'd been walking.
I walked straight into a church pavilion.
As I was about to walk out, I noticed a man with sandy blonde hair and light blue eyes motion me over to him.
I quickly threw the skewer for the chicken I've been eating absentmindedly away before I walked up to him.
"Yes?" I asked calmly.
"You seem troubled." He noted, "Would you like to talk? The only one would hear is me and… of course…" He glanced up at the sky.
"Thanks, but no thanks." I shook my head.
"It may help soothe your troubles." He reasoned, "I'm Father William."
"Merrick-"
"Baliton… yes…" He nodded softly, "Your friend… Cadinia… she comes by some times when she's off work… you're mostly what she talks about… next to her blood family and all."
"Really?" I frowned, "She… never told me."
"A girl like that tends to keep to herself." Father William agreed simply, "But, I believe your troubles lay someplace else."
I sighed, "My other friends and I… we lost the trust of someone very dear… and when we found out it was only a test… Cadinia… she seemed fine… but this morning… she… she just… got so mad…"
"It seems… Cadinia doesn't like to be played with." Father William noted, "It may take time for her to realize it… but when she does… she will push and shove till she's free of being played."
"I get that." I assured, "And I try to understand her because of that… but it seems nearly impossible."
"Sometimes… the most impossible thing… turns out to be the easiest thing." He noted, "Tell me… would you be questioning her like this if it were… say… two months ago?"
"No." I denied instantly, "No… definitely not."
"What changed?"
"Her, I guess." I shrugged, "I don't know."
"Now… I'm not so sure you think that's true." He reasoned, "Please… try to think… was there anything to show she changed before?"
"Well… no." I relented, "But… ever since this friend came about… she's been really distant."
"Why would you say that?"
"Well… she doesn't talk much… anymore… except when she has to… and even then, it's short."
"Do you think you know why?"
"No, and that's the problem!" I groaned, "She was just playing a song… and I think the meaning was, give her one reason why she should remain here… with me and my friends…. And it… it hurts to think that she wants to just… give up on what my friends and I have done…"
"Any particular reason for her new behavior?" Father William asked, "Like… you mentioned another friend earlier… how much did that change you?"
"The other friend was from a long time ago." I relented, "I… haven't seen them in so long…"
"And Cadinia has never shown any… anger or resentment towards this friend?"
"Well… once… when he stole her journal." I replied, "Then… just recently when he took something from me and my other friends… we were all upset… but Cadi… she wasn't upset… if anything, she was angry… but I still don't know why she'd care so much about some things like that?"
"Could it be… he stole something more than what he took from you and your friends?" He inquired, "Like… something that meant more to her than anything?"
"Well… he took these crystals… and she'd gotten really attached to them… especially the one always on her wrist…" I blinked as I finally got it, "He stole the only thing left from her family…"
"That would explain her recent resentment of him… but… has she told you of any previous friends before you?" Father William asked next.
"No… no friends before…." Now I got that part too, "An old friend from my past comes back and I spend so much time with him…."
"Cadinia doesn't seem the type to understand that kind of relationship… so… it… could be very possible she lashed out at you and your friends in the only way she knew how."
"But… turning her back on us?" I frowned.
"Her blood family doesn't seem the type to keep their arms open." He let out, "Now… was there anything else that could've happened to make her even madder?"
"My friend… Kite…" I let the name slip, "He… he took the stuff for a test… to see if we could handle it…"
"I see… Cadinia thought it was wrong for him to take your stuff as he did… but you think it was right?"
"He did it for the right reasons." I reasoned, "I mean… yeah… they were a little…" I frowned in thought. "Okay… a lot out of reason… but he did what he had to so we could prove ourselves."
"What is there to prove when you don't have all your friends to help?" Father William responded before he looked over at some workers, "Take them for example…" I followed his line of sight and saw several workers pushing up a beam. "Do you know how heavy one of those beams are? And how few men? But they can lift it… not because they're strong. But because they work together… as one team. All seven."
I noticed, however, one seemed a bit distracted and they ended up dropping them beam.
"When one fails… they all fail." Father William finished, "So what do they do?"
"Get rid of the weak-link." I assumed.
He shook his head, "Keep watching."
I frowned and did as told to see the other six going over to check on the one that'd been distracted before they slowly picked up the beam again, this time being slower and the once distracted worker focused.
"Make sure all are working well before they continue." Father William informed me, "Don't let one small thing keep you from helping your friends. It'd mean a lot to them, and maybe to you, to help them."
"But I don't know how." I groaned.
"You will." He assured.
I sighed before I got up, "Thank you, Father William."
He smiled, "My pleasure, Merrick."
I stood up and walked away, hearing something shimmer behind me and I glanced over to see Father William missing.
"Huh…" I blinked before I shook my head and continued on.
Half an hour later…
Animus couldn't be wrong… he was never wrong!
Right? That's why he was the ruler of Animaria.
Which was destroyed 3,000 years ago…
I groaned, trying to think as I walked onto the beach and sat down, looking out at the sea.
I sighed and pulled off my jacket from the heat the sun was beating down, putting it neatly on the ground beside me instead.
I looked at the writing on the back of it, biting my lip.
Howling Wolf.
Cadinia called me Howler so often before… it makes me wander why she stopped…
I mean… her calling me that made me feel special to her… like I meant something…
But… ever since Animus came about again and Cadi started challenging his words… saying he was wrong and that the team was great as is…
It's like she went from kind and playful to mean and hard… not just at me… but the whole team.
Especially when Kite was around.
And her heart wasn't in defeating the Orgs anymore… but, rather, protecting the people they sought to hurt…
Her whole dynamic changed… and with it, her part of the team.
And I didn't know if that was good or bad.
I scuffed and looked down, "Maybe she was right all along… no surprise really… but… Animus was always right before… and he was the leader of Animaria… surely that makes him right most of the time?"
Since I was so focused on my thoughts I didn't hear a loud dog barking or running up to me.
When I did, it ran into my shoulder and forced me into the sand, its claws digging into my shoulder blade.
I groaned in pain and shoved it back, followed by its owner running and grabbing it.
"I'm so sorry!" She apologized, "I didn't mean-"
"It's fine…" I assured through gritted teeth as I grabbed my jacket and zipped it back on.
There was clearly gonna be blood staining my shirt later… so I needed to see the one person who would help… even if she was still angry.
1 hour later…
I heard Cadi in her room, strumming her guitar.
The pain in my shoulder was becoming worse… but I ignored it in favor of walking up to the door and knocking on it softly. "Cadi?"
She looked up from her strumming in clear annoyance when she saw me, "Yes oh powerful one?"
I walked in and unzipped my jacket to show her the mark on my shoulder.
"Oh my god…" She got up and put her hand to it, "What did you do to get this?"
"Acted like you… spoke to a priest who I now swear is a ghost… got into a fight with a dog…" I replied.
She looked up at me with a raised brow before she giggled softly.
"Well… lucky for you, I've still got some gauze left over from your last dumb idea."
I nodded as I sat on the chair and she started wrapping it around my shoulder.
"Thanks…" I let out. "Though… I'm not really sure I actually deserve it…"
"Of course you do." She assured, "I might be mad at you… but you don't deserve to be hurt like this."
"Kinda figured you were ma… ad!" I hissed as she tied it a little too tight.
"Oh… sorry… it still helps me if the pains more evident to get used to it, remember?" She informed me.
I nodded in understanding, "Right… almost forgot that."
"Now… why exactly did you get into a fight with a dog?" She blinked then started laughing at the thought.
"Yeah, yeah… yuck it up." I rolled my eyes.
"I'm sorry… I'm sorry…" She tried to stop, and failed miserably, "But it is funny!"
I rolled my eyes before I smiled a bit and touched my now wrapped shoulder, "Thanks…"
She nodded, sobering up, "Pleasure."
"And… I'm sorry about our argument… I was just… reluctant, I guess… to believe that Animus was wrong."
"And I get it… he was your friend…" She nodded, then looked away grumbling, "3,000-year friend, who's now a spirit…" She looked back at me, "But your friend."
I laughed softly and hugged her lightly with my good side, "Still."
She nodded, "It's hard to believe a friend you consider more a brother than anything to be wrong….. I would know after all…"
"I'm sorry about Brent… and being mad…" I apologized quickly, "I didn't mean for him to-"
"It's not your fault." She cut me off quickly, "I'm not even mad about that anymore… I mean, he is back… and that is good..."
"What'll it take for you to forgive me?" I frowned.
She sighed and stood up, "Why don't you think to forgive yourself first?"
She walked out of the room, leaving me alone.
-I personally love the new inner conflict Merrick's having within himself, cause it's usually Cadinia with that trouble...
Looks like their roles are reversed... but can they fix it?
We'll just have to see.
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See ya next week!