Priorities
By: Yamiko #7
Hello again, all! Yes, I am alive, believe it or not...though I'm still in the hole $400 to that necromancer...But you people don't need to know that. n.n
This fic was inspired by a short story written by Terry Bisson entitled "They're Made Out of Meat." (Yes, Yamiko has been reading Sci-Fi. I believe in expanding the horizons of one's reading, which is probably the only reason I actually finished Marmalade Boy.) That was the first dialogue-only story I've ever read and I enjoyed it greatly, so I decided to write one in that format.
Disclaimer Number One: It was actually pretty difficult to write this. Conveying absolutely everything in this story - action, emotion, passage of time - through nothing but dialogue was definitely not an easy thing to do. Being a theater person, I wanted to give some sort of stage directions. Nope. None of that here. I am completely new at this format of story, so please be fluffy with the reviews and don't kill me. I'll try to improve before (read: if) I ever write another piece like this.
Disclaimer Number Two: I wrote this all in one sitting at nine o'clock on a school night instead of writing that stupid Hamlet essay, simply because I couldn't concentrate on said essay. This was originally not for public consumption, but for my amusement. That would also be why it's written in Comic Sans. (Or at least it was on my computer...)
Disclaimer Number Three: I own nothing.
Some helpful hints:
1. This takes place after the end of the Chrno Crusade MANGA. I am a firm believer in happy endings, so as far as I'm concerned, all turned out well. Go from there.
2. I don't give any names here. These people are familiar enough with one another that they don't need to say each other's names every two minutes, or at all once they know to whom they're talking. The characters are pretty easy to figure out, though. (At least I think they are. I am, after all, the one who wrote this: I may be wrong.)
3. Whenever you see "..." it indicates a passage of time in which nobody is speaking. This could encompass several seconds, several minutes, or several hours. Take it within the context of the story and interpret it as you will - odds are you're probably right.
That's more than enough of my chatter. You're all smart people: I'm sure you'll figure it out. Enjoy!
"Oh, my God..."
"Exactly."
"..."
"I know it looks bad, but look here. He's already started to heal. If all goes well, he should be okay."
"..."
"You're awfully quiet. Should I be worrying about you instead?"
"I..."
"...well?"
"I...I don't know. I mean, part of me is just grateful that he's still alive..."
"..."
"..."
"...and?"
"The other part of me is invoking the wrathful deities upon the heads of the bastards that hurt him like this."
"I hate to break it to you, but you're supposed to be catholic. I don't think you can invoke any wrathful deities if you're wearing a cross."
"The wrathful deities will listen to anybody if you're pissed off enough. And I'm not wearing a cross. Never have."
"You really should."
"A cross would hang right next to the pocket watch. I'm not sure how or even if the pocket watch would've worked if it was touching a cross. So, no cross."
"You certainly have your priorities in order."
"Damn straight."
"..."
"..."
"So do you think you're 'pissed off' enough to invoke the wrathful deities?"
"Definitely."
"Will it still work if they don't know the identities of the people they're supposed to hurt?"
"Yep. They're a lot smarter about these things than us."
"And they're wrathful."
"Are you making fun of me?"
"...maybe."
"Well, cut it out. I don't need that right now, and I sure as hell don't need it from you."
"...right."
"..."
"..."
"I wish I knew if he was going to be okay."
"He's strong. He's probably even been through worse than this. Have some faith."
"His back looks like raw hamburger."
"I know."
"He's missing an eye."
"I can see that."
"And you think he's going to be okay?"
"I do."
"..."
"..."
"I still wish I knew. Y'know, a guarantee or something..."
"You don't get any guarantees in this business. That's why it's called 'faith.'"
"Y'know, sometimes you really piss me off."
"It's a record. I have now officially angered everybody in the Order."
"Even Sister Kate?"
"Especially Sister Kate."
"..."
"..."
"What did you do? To get Sister Kate mad at you, I mean."
"Name something."
"That bad, huh?"
"Yep. That bad."
"..."
"..."
"How did this happen?"
"Nobody knows."
"What do you mean, nobody knows!"
"Just what I said."
"..."
"He left this morning. Didn't bother telling anybody where he was going, just let us know he was leaving. Sister Claire found him near Seventh Bell about two hours ago."
"Good Lord..."
"..."
"What was Claire doing at Seventh Bell anyway?"
"Taking over Sister Anna's shift. She's sick, remember?"
"Oh, yeah."
"The kids are fine, in case you were wondering. So is Ms. Jean."
"Mm."
"..."
"What was he doing at Seventh Bell?"
"Again, nobody knows."
"..."
"..."
"Why didn't he at least tell me?"
"...I don't know."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"It's getting late."
"..."
"You should probably go get some dinner. The kitchen may still have something."
"..."
"Did you hear me?"
"Yeah."
"...and?"
"I'm not leaving."
"You've been here all day."
"I'll stay all night if I have to."
"Until when?"
"Until he wakes up."
"Really."
"Yeah. Really."
"..."
"I need to stay. I need to."
"..."
"I...I...I l-"
"Stop."
"?"
"I won't tell anybody you're staying here."
"!"
"There's a catch, though."
"..."
"..."
"...well?"
"Whatever you were about to tell me when I stopped you, you have to tell him when he wakes up."
"Father -"
"No cheating, now. You have to tell him. It's part of the deal. Get it?"
"...got it."
"Good."
"..."
"Goodnight."
"Goodnight."