Chapter 2
"Earth to Joy? Are you awake yet or do I need to keep going on like a deranged parrot?"
"Oh my gosh, I am so sorry!" Joy ran to her TV phone and sat, in her dressing gown, her wet hair in towel and tooth paste still around her mouth. "I hope I didn't keep you waiting very long."
"Joy, I called you remember? Sweet kid…listen. I wanted to see that you were alright."
"Oh, I am fine really." She smiled at Grubs. He was a sweat man.
"I mean with the whole Tournament in ten days I thought that you would have gone ballistic." He chuckled…until he saw her raised brow. "Please tell me you know what I am talking about. Please, say it. Say to me, 'Mr Grubs, I know what you are talking about'. Please Joy I need to hear those words."
"I am really sorry sir, but I don't."
"Oh boy…" he dabbed his brow with a hanky, and looked at her sternly. "Haven't you watched the news at all in the last 12 hours?"
"No, I have just gotten up, fed the neighbours cat, gotten the post for Mr Cratcher, he is a nice man. Shame about his hip. Then I got my breakfast and well, jumped in the shower. Why? Should I have?"
"Firstly, you know about the whole Cell catastrophe, right?"
"Oh yes. He is that horrid murderer who is responsible for all those distraught people who have tried to…well…they haven't so everything is fine." She beamed, not liking to think about what could have been,
"Well…he might…well he is…that is to say that…heisholdingatournamenttodecidethefateoftheworldintendays." He said so quickly, that Jay took a few seconds to register what he had just said.
But when she did.
"HE WHAT!" she jumped up, her large emerald eyes wide in shock, and she almost snapped her hairbrush in two.
"Now listen Joy. I knew you would get upset so just calm down before."
"Before what! Before he kills someone or hurts thousands, millions, billions of people! No Mr Grubs I will not clam down."
"Listen Joy, I already know what you are thinking before you think it. And no."
"But."
"No Joy. I have already told my boy Kahnic to come and make sure you don't get up and leave." Joy looked like she had gone into a trance. Then she said.
"No. I won't let it."
"Joy? Joy don't you even think about it." she nodded to herself, determined and drank a glass of orange juice, ignoring the protests of her boss. "There is nothing you can do. If the police can't stop him then what makes you think you can mmm?"
"I have to try." She disappeared for a moment, and returned wearing a long white dress. It looked like a long, white dress with long Esmeralda gypsy sleeves, hugged the under side of her shoulders, a long white gypsy skirt like bottom and a rather nice black corset to hold herself, and the dress, together. She started to dry her hair into a smooth, waist length veil at either side of her face and held it off her face with a simple black head band. She then slipped on her black, plain pumps and let her dress billow out everywhere. This, was her actual uniform for the Carers Union. Only the girls of course. This old-fashioned dress seemed to make them seem more humble and cuddly for the kids and adults alike.
"Joy Stop this! It isn't your job to stop him! What can you do?"
"Try. What can anybody do by try?" she smiled at him. The one thing she never did was wear makeup. She didn't know how. "I will be fine." She got her long strapy handbag and filled it with useful capsules. She then waved good-bye. "Have to go. Bye!" and she left. She first took a cab to the outskirts of the town and the start of the desert. She then told someone nearby what she planned to do and go, and they gave her a plane and wished her all the best.
That, was before they ran off. She thanked their running figures and flew all the way out…to the middle of nowhere. At first she thought she would get there before noon. She could see a large white thing in the distance. But just as she got in sight of it…
"Alright you, land right now or be boarded!" a voice sniggered over the intercom, and Joy replied instantly.
"Is something wrong? I haven't done anything wrong have I?"
"Yeah, sure you have. Now land." Thinking she had done something wrong, she landed immediately and lowered the ramp for them. The larger CC plane landed in front of her, and three men stepped out into the open.
The larger was the one who had hailed her. He wore green baggy PSU clothing and held a large automatic firearm and a small 9MM on his belt. The second wore the same, but held a large Tommy gun at arms length and the other swung a large chain around like a pro. All looked like common thugs with their favourites toys, and on their birthday. The first spoke first. His moustache was black, great big and dirty. Like the rest of him. "Now step away from the vehicle and you will not be harmed."
"Much." The second chuckled, and glared at her. Suddenly, Joy realised that this was not an innocent mistake on her half. Her heart started to race as she looked at their weapons. This, was either a robbery or she was scrooge. "That's right girlie. Come out of the plane slowly. Are you alone?"
"Yes." Oh darn. "I mean no." damn my honesty.
"Krunk, get her while we check the plane for, anything we don't like." The third and smallest member of the trio grabbed her by her upper right arm and dragged her out. She wrapped her fingers of her left hand around his wrists, and tried to pull away. But he was far stronger than she was and her efforts were in vain. She was dragged over to their plane ramp as the other two pulled the plane apart, looking for anyone else. She started to panic and pull at her captor for dear life.
"Why, you're a pretty little thing now aren't you?" he cooed and yanked her into a much unwanted embrace. "What's you name?"
"J J Joy."
"Joy huh?" he chuckled and licked his lips at her. She whimpered and pulled away even more. "Let's see just how much joy you can bring." The glazed over look in his eyes made her yelp and look around desperately for anyone to help her.
But there was no one.
He started to reach out with his tongue to taste her, but she pulled back and did something she thought she would never do. She brought her leg back and brought it forward with such a force, that for a moment she thought her foot had become one with his groin. He yowled and released her, grabbing his aching balls, giving her the taken opportunity to turn away from them all and run with all her might. She was in the middle of the desert, dressed in bright white and running in no particular direction. Just one that took her away from those men.
As soon as they heard their comrade yell, the two men jumped from the plane and roared with rage.
"Get that bitch!" and strapy hand bag billowing out behind her, tears in her eyes and wishing ever so much that she had just stayed in bed that little big longer. Gun shots erupted from somewhere behind her, but she didn't care. They could have shot her and she wouldn't have stopped. A whimper of a cry left her lips as she heard them coming closer on hover bikes.
She ran faster and faster.
Her breath caught in her throat.
Her body ached from exhaustion.
Her feet screamed at her almost as loud as she did…
…When she fell.
Something had smacked into her ankles and she tumbled forward, until she landed on her front. Not caring why the desert sand was now smooth and cool, she clawed at the 'floor' and didn't dare to open her eyes. She crawled and tried to get to her feet, but her ankle screamed at her. It was protesting so much, that she couldn't stand and used her hands one her left foot to scamper across the floor.
And then her luck went rotten once more.
She heard the bikes come to a stop behind her, so close. She screamed and sobbed, forcing herself to her feet and still didn't open her eyes. Perhaps if she kept them closed, she wouldn't have to stare into the cruel eyes of fate. She may have been innocent, but she wasn't naïve. She knew what those men now wanted from her from the constant sex chants they were screaming at her in their pursuit. She stood, hearing the bikes whirl around her. She bit her bottom lip and forced her eyes open. At first, there was a glare of white marble. She was stood in the very centre of a large, square ring with four large pillars with a spike on each panicle. The floor was tiled and smooth, perfect. It was such a contrast to the harsh, imperfect intensity of the desert. Not even the heat or the humidity seemed to have any precedence on the almost eerie ring. Then she returned to reality and saw the three bikes, riders and all zooming around the ring.
She was trapped.
"Here girlie. I promise we will forgive you if you place nice."
"Fuck that! The bitch kicked my nads! I want to hear her scream!"
"I am the oldest so I get my turn first."
Her heart stopped. They had parked the bikes and slowly closing in on her.
"No…no I won't…"
"You don't have a say in the matter, girlie."
"You don't have a say about anything." She closed her eyes and was hyperventilating.
And then everything went silent.
Their sniggering and snickering, their foot steps and possibly their breathing. But she didn't dare to see why. "NO! NOOOOO!"
"But I think you will find that I have a say in everything." That voice. That voice was smooth, clear, and yet foreboding with malice. The owner of such a voice must have either been a politician or an aristocrat. She turned on her good foot and saw they had left one side of the ring open.
And she ran.
That was until…she fell.
Through her fear and adrenaline rush, she had forgotten her broken ankle.
"AAAAAAAAA RRRRUUUUUUUUUNNNNNN!" she turned to see why they screamed. And all she saw was their running away. She couldn't see the third man, or any means of transportation.
Then, a blur of green and navy shot past the eldest member of the gang, who halted dead.
Literally dead.
He fell to the floor and moved no more.
Then she heard a blood curdling scream to her left, and looked to it from her half sat up position on the floor. The middle one yelled in pain and held his knee…where the rest of his leg had been torn off. But she couldn't see the missing limp and only cringed when she caught the scent of smouldering flesh. She held her nose and there was no doubt that his leg had been burned off. Then to her right she saw the one who had tried to molest her first. He was pulling at his own hair, his head thrown back and his eyes looking like they were going to pop out of his skull. Then, she saw why.
Joy gasped loudly as she saw the large, dripping hole in his chest and could see right through to the other side. But the odd thing was, she could see white through the hole. Then, he slowly fell to his knees, his eyes rolled to the back of his head and now, he fell into death with his two comrades.
But in his place stood something that made her hand clasp around her mouth with one hand, and her other clawed behind her to get as far back as possible.
He was 7 feet tall, had soft, ivory white skin on his hands and face and neck, dark navy chest and shoulder plates, shin and forearm guards and wings. The rest of his body was covered in what looked like light green armour and darker green camouflage sots on them. She looked to his yellow feet, and then up his body again. His hands were now by his sides and his eyes bore into her. They were a deep lilac with cold, coal pupils that seemed to be analysing her from head to foot. As she was still crumpled up on the floor, half sitting on her knees and her dress acting as a veil over her curled legs, so that didn't take him very long. His eyes seemed to focus on her swollen and protruding ankle, and then return to her big green, teary eyes. "What are you doing in my ring?" she just stared at him. That voice was almost as hypnotising as his eyes were entrancing. "Have you been rendered incapable of speech?" he seemed annoyed at her and folded his arms.
When she didn't answer, be took a step forward. He didn't like not being able to read the thoughts and emotions of these creatures, and her face was so blank it was unnerving. But as he took just one step, he stopped. Why wasn't she covering away? The other humans did. He shrugged it off and stepped right up to her, so his shadow engulfed her. "Answer me." He remained calm and had a stern look in his eyes.
"Thank you." He opened his mouth, but didn't speak. He hadn't been expecting that.
"I beg your pardon?" he raised a brow.
"Thank you…" she sniffled and tears fell down her cheeks. She then pushed forward on her hands, and tried to stand. She wobbled and fell again. He just watched her. His keen eyes had deducted that she had sprained the muscle in her ankle. Why was she not screaming in pain?
"You have sprained your ankle."
"Oh, I will be alright. Is this your ring?" she asked. He rolled his eyes.
"Yes, I have stated that when I asked you why you were in my ring."
"Oh, I am sorry." She smiled sweetly and tried to stand again. "I was being chased by some rather rough men. I am very sorry if I have trespassed over your, erm, home?" she tumbled again and bit her lips. The pain was searing, but she held it in. "Oh my, I seem to be beside myself." She didn't look into his eyes simply to avoid him seeing her pain. She took a deep breath, pushed herself to her feet and hopped on her good foot to the nearest spire. "I will leave immediately. I didn't mean to intrude; I was just looking for someone." She threw him a smile, her golden hair shining in the sun and her green eyes stunned him. Though he did not show it. He hadn't stopped watching her since she first ran into his ring. He had been flying above training, when the scene played out beneath him. There was no way he was letting that happen in his ring! That was the only reason, he told himself. And he forced himself to remember that as he looked at this creature before him. He could sense the acute pain she was suffering, and couldn't figure her out. She was ignoring the pain, just to be polite and not stay where she wasn't wanted. Then he thought back to what she just said.
"Who are you looking for?" she couldn't have been looking for anyone out here. He had selected this location for his tournament purposely because there were no humans in the proximity to his ring. So why was she all the way out here?
"Oh, Cell." She smiled again, and this time he could see deep into her eyes. The pain there was clear, but he flared his eyes at her. She was looking for him?
"Then your journey is over, as I am the one whom you seek." He saw her eyes open wider, and then she smiled again. This unnerved him again, as she didn't seem to be afraid. "I am Cell." Still, he saw now fear.
"Oh, then allow me to introduce myself." She used the spire for support, and closed one eye in pain. She stood on one foot, the other in too much pain to support her. "My name is Joyce. But you can call me Joy. My friends call me Joy." She then whimpered and fell to her knees.
"Your ankle is sprained. You should leave and attend to it. Be grateful that I wish to meditate now, and will not destroy you on sight like I did those other humans."
"They were not humans…" she said under her breath. "They were monsters…" Cell raised an eyebrow at her, but stayed silent. He expected her to hobble off somehow, probably die somewhere in the desert. But she didn't. "I know I have it in here somewhere…" Joy ran her fingers over the contents of her hand bag, glad she hadn't taken it off, and found a small box. She pulled it out and flipped it open. She then clicked the top of a capsule, and a large first aid box the size of a small white and red luggage bag, appeared in a poof of smoke. "I knew I had it with me." she looked up to Cell, who hadn't realised he had been watching her until she addressed him again. "Do you mind if I just 'attend' to myself a moment? I will try not to keep you waiting." She waited, and he closed his eyes.
"It does not concern me what you do, as long as you leave my ring."
"Oh…right…" she sat straight up against a tall spire and opened the first aid kit. She ran her fingertips over each inner capsule, until she pulled out a red one. "Bandages and antiseptics." She clicked the new capsule, and appeared exactly what she predicted. Cell waited a few moments, before opening his eyes and seeing her pull up her skirt. She pulled it over her knees, and looked over her injured ankle.
"You are going to need a splint for that." she looked up to him, and he turned his back to her. "Since you insist upon dealing with yourself. In my ring no less…" he grumbled. Why has she yet to show her fear? He had announced who he was, and yet she wasn't afraid. Why? He looked over his shoulder, and watched.
First she slipped her shoe off, and then she pulled a medical split out of her bag. Strange. Why would she have such advanced medical equipment with her, as if by chance? She did say she knew she had it with her, as if it was normal for her to carry around an advanced piece of on the field Aid equipment in her hand bag. Next she straightened her leg out.
"Oh great, its bent." Her ankle was bulging at a funny angle, and would have to be straightened first before she could splint it. So not only was her ankle sprained, but it was out of socket. "Here goes." She leaned out over her legs, and shoved a thick piece of bandage in her mouth. She then cupped her ankle, and snapped it back into place. She muffled slightly with the bandage in her mouth, but didn't cry or shake with pain. Her eyes remained focused on her task as she reached into the luggage. She opened another capsule, and pressed a bag of ice to her swollen ankle. "Wonderful." She chuckled happily. Cell could not understand this human. She was in great pain, and yet she found her situation amusing. He turned and watched her some more.
Joy then placed the splint next to her ankle on the inside of her leg, and raised her ankle in the air by putting a small cushion underneath the back of her shin. She then used one hand to keep the splint in place, and fiddled around in her bag for another capsule. She popped out a foot sleeve, and cut it to measure big enough to fit her splint. She then started to bite her lip in pain as she tried to pull the lid of the antiseptic tube off. She almost jumped out of her skin when a pair of cool, ivory white hands took the tube from her, and squeezed the contents into one palm. She watched as Cell silently smoothed the cream over her ankle, only drawing a few stifled yelps from her pursed lips. When he finished, he didn't even ask if he could when he grabbed the splint and started to put it into place. He then slipped the ankle sleeve over the splint, to hold it and the cream in place, and tugged at the bandage in her mouth. She let him take it, and place a hand over his. "Thank you so much. That was really kind of you, but I can do the rest myself, thank you."
"I am not doing this for you." He stated firmly. He started to wrap up her ankle like he was a living textbook doctor. "The sooner your ankle is tended to, the sooner you will just leave. I can not meditate correctly with you muttering under your breath." He was so cold, she shivered. And she didn't just mean his hands. "There, done." He quickly stood and moved to the centre of his ring, his eyes closed and head high. His face was blank and she thought he had gone into some sort of trance. That was until he scowled, opened his eyes and looked to her. "I am fast losing what little patients I have, now leave."
"But I came to talk to you…" She used the spire to pull herself up. She used a special splint that curved under her foot and gave a solid foot base, an active shoe in a way. So she walked uneasily over to him and stood before him. His murderous eyes narrowed on her, and then widened with shock. She smiled at him madly as he looked down and saw that she had somehow gotten one of his hands into hers. She shuck it. "Once." She shuck it again. "Twice." And again. "And thrice for good luck. Now that you have helped me, which I am very grateful for sir, let's start again. My name is Joyce Ilarius and I am pleased to meet you."
"If you don't let go of my hand this instant, I am going to kill you." Joy blinked, looked down at their hands, chuckled behind her hand.
"Oh I'm sorry. I forgot to let go." She giggled and beamed up at him. "Well I already know who you are."
"You don't seem to really know who I am or you would have shown me more respect!" he was staring to get very frustrated now. I think I know what Goku would have been like if he was female!
"I am sorry? What have I don't to disrespect you? Please tell me and I will apologise right away." her smile had faded and she looked concerned now. Who is this woman?
"You intrude upon my property, you linger where I have told you I do not wish for you to stay, you take my good will in letting you live this far for granted and then when I help you on your way, you still do not leave and make this ridiculous motion with my hand, against my will."
"…well I was only shaking your hand…I came here to look for you. I didn't mean to come uninvited, but you don't exactly have a phone number now do you?" she chucked innocently, but stopped at the 'I am not amused' look on his face. She then cleared her face and smoothed out her dress with her hands. "As for your good will in letting me live, that does not class as good will, sir." She said quite politely. "And I did thank you for helping me with my ankle, and I didn't ask for the assistance, meaning you willingly gave it me as you wanted to help me. For what ever reason you wish, you wanted to help me. As such, I can not be held responsible for your actions in the matter." Cell was actually impressed. She wasn't as stupid as he thought she was. She seemed…very intelligent actually. Pleasantly so. "I then wished to give you a more formal and proper introduction of myself and not be rude in just picking up and leaving, as that is not who I am, and as for the 'ridiculous motion with you hand'. That was called a friendly hand shake. I was being friendly."
"You said you wanted me to call you Joy before, as your friends do. Do you want me to be your…(dare I say it) friend?"
"I would love for you to be my friend. That is all I can offer you, my friendship." She frowned as he laughed evilly.
"You friendship? You want to give me your friendship? Do not make me laugh. What possible use could I have for something so fickle as a humans 'friendship'?"
"I think you could use a friend." She said, quite seriously now. "I think if you had someone, no one special, because I am anything but special, sir, then I believe that maybe, you could have someone to talk to."
"And what, pray tell, would I talk to you about?" he was starting to find this amusing, and stalked around her.
"Anything you wanted. Yourself, your past, your family, where you came from, what you like, hobbies, your favourite colour, what makes you smile, what makes you sad. Then as a friend, I would listen to you, and exchange the same information with you. And when you are upset and need someone to talk to, I would he there for you."
"A shoulder to cry on?"
"Yes."
"Joyce, do I really look like someone who would need a shoulder to cry on?"
"Everyone needs someone once in a while." She turned around and faced him. My Kami she is legit. She actually believes that everyone needs someone. How wrong she is.
"I hate to be the one to burst your little bubble of fantasy and make believe of a world were everyone loves each other, everyone cares for each other and the world is fine place to live. But…it isn't. I have never needed anyone but myself, and I will never need anyone." He chuckled as she frowned. "Do you think that everyone is friendly to each other, Joyce? Maybe I should give you a little wake up call. Love makes the world go round, do you believe that Joyce?"
"Yes I do."
"Ha!" he cackled. "There is no such thing as love. If there was, this would be 'happy place'."
"You don't think love exists sir?" she raised a brow.
"No, it doesn't. I have seen into the eyes of you mortal creatures, and have seen what you call love. All it is, is a fabrication of lust, desire and the need for someone near you to reassure you at all times."
"I don't believe you."
"Really?"
"No, I don't. Love is a wonderful thing. It is like the Nile. It starts as one great big river. Then, it ranches off into many different forms and into many different homes, helping to grow the fruits of the future." Cell was actually listening, as she wasn't being some rambling fool like he thought she would be. She was constantly surprising him. "There are many different forms of love. Like the love a child holds for a favourite doll. She will hold it tight to her under the bed covers at night, talk to it and nurture it like a sister." He rolled his eyes and grunted. But she hadn't finished. Tears welled in her eyes for the first time he had ever seen her, and he watched as she grew emotional for the first time. "When the little girl is alone in her home, she loves the doll like she wants to be loved. When her father beats her mother in front of her, she is happy because she knows that her doll is in her room, and away from all that. She treats the doll like she would want to be treated, and loves it like she wants to be loved. Then there is a love that the child will hold for the mother, as she defies the father to run to the bleeding mess that brought her into this world." Her fists were by her side and she was quivering. Cell couldn't believe what he was witnessing. "And she shows her love by ripping up her favourite dress, to wipe the blood and tears from her mother's face. She then smiles and stays strong for her mother, as her father throws her against the wall again. All the time, she tells her mother she loves her and to run. That, little, 6 year old girl…falls down the stairs and brakes both her legs. She has to stay in a wheel chair for years, and is told she will never walk again. The little girl is 12, 6 years later, still in the same wheel chair. She sees a gang of boys hitting a little cat with sticks in the park. She shows another form of love, by pushing herself in that chair to that gang and saying no, stop. She gets sticks at her, but the cat runs off home to the litter of little kittens at home. Sure, the girl can't see anymore, and she is bleeding on the floor, her chair on its side. But she smiles because she knows that she has done the right thing. She is 13, it's her birthday and she is pushing her wheel chair to the park a year later. Her parents said they would see her there and have a big surprise for her." her eyes became shadowed by her golden fringe and Cell still watched. But his smirk and cocky ambiance had slipped away. Right about the same time her smile did. "She gets there, and finds her parents. They have just decided to be good, loving parents for the sake of that little girl…and he came. A man in brown and black clothes. He had a gun…he demanded for all the gifts they had and all the money of everyone there, at the park, at her surprise birthday party. The little girl tells her parents that she doesn't need the gifts, and they should give them up. But…her father refuses. The father and the thug start to fight, and the little girl is still across the road. She is watching and can't get across for the cars and her stupid wheelchair." He saw a tear fall down her cheek. "She has to watch as that thug pulled out his gun. Her mother ran to her, to protect her…and…and…" she was trembling. But with rage. "And he pulled the gun and shot her! She had to watch as he shot her, just because she was running to her!" she sobbed. "…and the little girl watched as her mother fell to the ground. The sacrifice the mother made for the little girl to live, was another form of love. The love of a mother for a child. And another gunshot later…and the father was holding his leg. The thug ran off at the sound of the police, but it was too late. The little girl watched as her mother called out to her, bleeding from the chest. And it was through the strength of love alone, did that little girl get up from the wheelchair and walk to her dying mother."
"Stop." His arms dropped to his sides. But she didn't stop.
"The little girl promised her mother one last thing before she died. Then, she was taken away to an orphanage. For the next three years of her life, that little girl searched and searched for the thug, desperate to find him." she rubbed her eyes on the back of her hand. "And when she finally did, she walked right up to him, and hugged him. She smiled to him and forgave him, she gave him forgiveness. The thug, did what he did back then because he wanted to. Because he had the power to…" Cell lingered on her every word. "And he said, the greatest gift he had ever been given, was her forgiveness. He died the same night, at peace and in heaven, repented for all his sins. Forgiveness…another form of love."
"Stop it."
"The little girl had fulfilled half her promise to her dying mother, and swore to use the rest of her life to complete the vow she made to her mother on her death bed. She would stop people having to go through what she did alone, to feel the wrath of a parent alone, to feel alienated alone and bleeding, hurt, crying, alone. That little girl had been through all of that, alone, and had the scars to prove it." she pulled up her sleeves, and let him see her wrists. There were lots of small silver scars all over wrists. "She had seen and experienced it all. Throughout all her life she was deprived of love in all its forms, and because of it, she grew as a person." She finally looked up, right into his unready eyes and with such determination, revelation and truth, it made him speechless. "And that little girl grew into the woman before you. That little girl is me. I have scars on my wrists, on my body, and in my mind as a constant reminder of what I live for. I live, for others. I live for others as I never lived for myself. I live, through others joy. I live through others love. I give what I do and don't have, because I know, if I had someone like me when I was on my bed, with my father's pen knife to why skin, that I wouldn't have done what I did. I wouldn't be the person who can't sleep at night unless I have saved someone. Because I shouldn't be here. I should be dead. I did die, for 3 whole minutes. But in those 3 minutes, it was an eternity. I died, and I never lived. I was never loved. Why was I even born? I asked myself so many times, over and over in my head as I laid there. I could stand up, to anyone, and say stop this, stop hurting people, don't hurt yourself, but I couldn't stop myself from doing the things I did, to myself. And that is when I realised. People need friends, they need other people. Everyone needs someone or they will never live, or love. I had no one, even my mother drank with my father, who beat her and took her away from me. The time they ever decided to be good parents, they were shot the next day. And my father committed suicide, hung himself in the bathroom. I know, I found him." all was silent. And Joy didn't cry anymore. "And now you know me Cell. What you see, is exactly what you get, and what I have to offer you. I am strong person, I have to be to come back to life, and not just die in my pool of blood. I am an honest person, I have noting to hide, I am a loyal person, I will never let you down or feel down for any reason. I am me, Cell. I am one of those few people who doesn't want money, or fame, or sex, or possessions, or power. I don't care about those things."
"But all humans want those things."
"Why should I? Fame makes you crooked, and makes most people lose sight of what is important in life, and who they are. Money? What is more valuable to me, a pile of money, or a smile from someone I talked out of drowning themselves? Sex? I was almost raped at the age of 9. I would have been too if my father hadn't have thrown my uncle out of my room and the house when he did. Possessions? My father was rich. I always had everything I could ever need, except what was important. Love. And money can't by love. And power? What would I do with power? I like being near people, I like the trust I get, the closeness to those who aren't always open or caring. I like being a servant to others needs, to take care of other people. What good would power do me? It would be wasted on me. Because I wouldn't use it."
"You say you like being the servant to others. Don't you see yourself on the same level to them?"
"No, I'm not on the same level to anyone. When I gave in, I forfeit the right to be equal to people who never give up, who strive for their goals, to help other people without having to be touched by pain first, by people who just love other people, without being deprived first. People who are good people. I will never be on the same level as them." Joy started to limp towards him slightly. "So to answer you, to say why I believe in love, or why it makes the world go round, I will tell you. Every day I see what no one should ever have to see. I see broken people, I see despair, I see hate, I see selfishness, I see blood lusts and true evils. I believe in love because I have to give it every day until I am tired, and sick and hurting inside. Sometimes I go home and can't stop crying for hours. I have a full cabinet of sleeping pills to help me forget my past, forget the screams I have had to echo in my mind or endure myself. I have seen things that even you Cell, would turn away from in disgust. I am not anything special or to be proud of, but I am a good person, I think. I try really hard to do the right thing, and I will never stop trying. I will never stop trying…"
"You are not human." Cell turned his back and folded his arms.
"I am Cell, I am only human. I am not special or to be shouted about. I am just, me. I am here, I don't know why, but I am."
"Why are you here?"
"I just said-"
"No, why are you here?"
"For you." There was another silence and even the wind had more life in it than that ring did.
"You said you have seen things, true evils. What did you mean by that?" Joy walked around to his front, and looked him in the face. But he turned away and kept his back to her. So Joy stood behind him, but close enough for him to feel her presence.
"Evil. It also has many forms. The anti love. Every time my father beat me, that was evil. Every time my parents drank over staying healthy, that was evil. Every bully who chooses to drive their peers into insanity or tears, that is evil. But the greatest evil of all, is the unwilling. When someone reaches out with the best intentions, gives that person a chance to change their ways, to give them forgiveness…if they shun it away, and choose to be evil, that is what I call a true evil. Because nothing is more sinister, than someone who kills or rapes, or steals, or beats, or bullies or anything evil like that, for the fun of it. Because they don't want to stop…they are truly evil people. If they make that choice, after seeing the other side of things, of seeing the beauty of love and goodness, or care…and still choose to hate, and hurt people…to feed and live off the torment of others…that…is true evil."
"And you see this every day?"
"Yes."
"Tell me."
"I will. I will tell you to your face." he didn't move. "Come on Cell, I know you can do it." He slowly turned and looked her in the eyes, his emotional shield up and protecting him. She slowly smiled softly, and placed a hand on his arm. "I had to enter a building once. Last year. The police had surrounded a building with a man inside, who had two pounds of plastic explosions and a bomb strapped to his chest. Because he was a risk to his own life as well as others, I was in formed. I had already been there helping evacuate the area, before I went inside. I don't know what I expected when I went inside, perhaps a vicious, ugly criminal with a murderous look in his eyes. But what I saw when I stood in that bank lobby, was a young teen, with unruly messy black hair, tanned skin, soft brown eyes and the same clothes he would wear on the street. Jeans and a shirt, trainers and a chain. He was just a boy, 14 at the most. He was crying and his hands were shaking." She sobbed, her hand over her mouth. She had to use the hand on his arm to steady herself. "He was crying out for his father. I asked him his name but he wouldn't tell me. Said something about it getting his father in trouble. He told me to tell his mother that he loved her. I said, why don't you come with me and tell her yourself. I promised him he wouldn't get in any sort of trouble, I swore I would fight if I had to, to make sure he was safe.
But he wouldn't listen. Then, his father came up from the vault, money in hand and ordered his son to set the same bomb that was strapped to his chest, for 5 minutes. The boy complied and pulled the trigger before I could stop him. I tried to get it off him, but he just, he just wouldn't let me." she whimpered. "He wouldn't let me take it off him, I tried so hard…I did…I did…" she whimpered and Cell flinched. "After 4 minutes, he grabbed me and threw me at the door and before I could turn back, the bomb triggered and there was the explosion." A tear fell to the ring floor. "That poor boy, there was nothing left of him." she squeaked slightly. "I stayed as long as I could before he threw me out, telling me to tell his mother he loved her. I never got to know his name but, I still see him every day in the mirror. Do you want to see?" Joy slowly turned around and started to undo the tie of her black corset at the front.
"What are you…doing…"
Slowly, she slid the Corset down around her waist, and she turned o him.
"Pull down the shoulders of my shirt." he just watched like a spectator, as his body stepped forward, and his slender pale fingers gently brushed the gypsy shoulder-less sleeves down her arms and to the elbows. She held her arms over her front, as he revealed a scar. It was a large burn mark that would stay with her forever. It was silver compared to her peach skin. Cell found his hands smoothing over it. "When ever I see this scar, or feel it, I will see the face of that young boy I couldn't help."
"You were powerless to stop him taking his own life."
"But he was so young. But don't think I hold him responsible for what he did. And I don't judge him."
"But you said he took his own life. He did what you have told me you class as a true evil."
"No, because he killed himself out of love. Can you see why Cell?"
"The father. You said his father ordered him to kill himself, so he is the true evil."
"Yes, he truly is. And I did tell his mother what a wonderful boy he was, how he was polite to the end, and how he loved her so much." She whimpered. "I told her that if I ever had a son myself, I would have liked them to play together. She said thank you." Joy sniffled. Her back was still bare and Cell had yet to take his hands away from her scar. "I bet you didn't expect this when you woke up this morning, did you?" she chuckled weakly. "I am sorry if I have upset you in any way, or gone on about myself. My aim was to get to know you."
"But you have yet to finish. You said, we could talk about our past, our family, where we came from, what we like, our hobbies, our favourite colour, what makes us smile, what makes us sad, and then this would be exchanged. You have started, so you should do the right thing and finish. It would be rude for you to do otherwise. I know of your family, where you came from in way, and your past, but you haven't finished." He traced the outside of her scar, all around her shoulder blades. It looked like the inside of a shell.
"Alright." She chuckled weakly. A smile grew on her lips. A soft smile. "I like helping people, smiling at strangers to brighten up their day, volunteering for charities and baby sitting and singing in church."
"You sing?"
"Yes, my mother used to sing to me when I was very, very little. So in a way, I still have her with me when I sing."
"What else?" he didn't know why, but he decided that he would keep this woman around for a while. Yes, get to know her. She fascinated him. No human he knew of could survive the things this woman had told him she had, and still have a sane mind. She defied all logic and his observations, and studies, and data, of humans and he had to understand her more. He did slightly, but not enough for his informational appetite.
"I like smiling, laughing, making people laugh and smile, like when I dressed up as a huge grasshopper or when I wore a huge bunny suit for Easter. Or a clown at kids birthdays." She chuckled. "I have done some wacky things. I even dressed up as Santa Claus at Christmas when the man who usually does it couldn't. I had to stuff at least 5 pillows down my shirt that day." She giggled softly. "And imagine me with a white beard."
"Very feminine." Joy chuckled.
"See, I knew you would have a sense of humour. I just had to poke around a little."
"…what you told me. How many other humans actually know about you?"
"No one. I…haven't told anyone about my past before…I have never wanted anyone to know."
"Ashamed?"
"No, but I don't like people to worry about me or pity me. Besides, most the people I meet have enough to deal with, without me giving them something else to worry about. It wouldn't be fair of me to tell them."
"What are you really? While you are telling me about yourself."
"I am human. You can check if you like. I do bleed and I am human. I do bleed…I know I do."
"But your humanity is so…inhuman. No human is so humane."
"And that is what is wrong with the world. People don't care for each other, like they should. But we are only human. Some of us are good, loving people, some of us are not. I guess, in a way, that is what makes us human, because we are not perfect."
"I on the other hand, am perfect."
"And does that give you the right to look down on us?"
"Yes."
"Then you are not perfect."
"What?" he stopped smoothing his hands over her scar.
"If you look down on us, you feel we are beneath you and weaker than you, and you feel you are superior. And so, you are not perfect. Because to be perfect, is to be neutral and balanced. And killing anyone is not balanced or neutral."
"I am perfect, in a way you will never be able to comprehend."
"And I don't think I want to." she looked over her shoulder and smiled at him. He raised a brow at her.
"Why would you say that?"
"Because it is the truth. If to be perfect like you, means I have to give up everything that makes me human, makes me, me, then I don't want to be perfect."
"You don't…want…to be perfect? All humans strive for perfection. That is why they have bigger and better machines, more advanced medicines to make the perfect genes and disease free genetic system. That is why humans build bigger weapons to become the super race in the universe if ever they were to be contacted by other races. Humans are imperfect, and so they try to evolve. That is what has made the theory of evolution and natural selection, the need to perfect yourselves."
"I am not perfect, but I am happy the way I am."
"After all the pain you have just opened up to me, all that has happened to you, and you are happy?"
"Yes. And I would go through it all again without a second thought if taken back in time. Because it has helped me understand so much, about so many people, and has been my tool to reach those who others have given up on. Like a doctor uses his syringe, a teacher his books, the King his power, I use my experiences and knowledge to aid other people. It makes me who I am."
"I have a question."
"Yes?"
"You are so vulnerable right now, and you don't seem to care. Not only are you exposed at the front, your back is bare to me, as is an old wound, you are all alone, in a ring, with the great killing machine Cell…and you do not care. Why don't you fear me?"
"I have already died Cell. Death doesn't scare me anymore. And so, neither do you. But that isn't why I feel comfortable stood here, with my bare back to you, and holding by beasts in the company of a feared, possible dangerous man. The reason for this, is because I trust you."
"Why?"
"You are my friend Cell. Even if I am not yours, you are dear to me now. I have opened up to you an old wound that still stings, that is still weeping inside, and you listened to me. That is the connection that makes you dear to me now. You were there for me. I will always be grateful for that. And I want to be your friend. One of the basic things needed to have a friendship, is trust. So I gave you the opportunity to…" she paused. "…make me feel vulnerable. And you didn't. So yes, I trust you."
"I am a murder. I could kill you right now and wouldn't feel anything from it. No remorse, no regret. I don't feel those things."
"You don't feel them?"
"No, I don't."
"Are they the only things you don't feel? Or is there more?"
"I don't feel pity, I don't feel love, I don't feel anything. I am an android. Emotions are useless to me."
"Then I pity you. And once again, wouldn't want to be like you. Feeling emotions is what defines who we are. I am Joy, I smile and feel good just about things like holding your hand, or making you laugh. I feel good about just laughing for no reason. That makes me who I am. Some people are always upset over something, or moody. But that is ok because that makes them who they are. We remember people by their actions and how they made us feel. So feeling is very important in a way." She turned and looked over her shoulder. Her smile was wide and full of love. "If you like, I could teach you how to feel."
"Why would I want to?"
"Because you are curious, I can see that. I have been talking about feeling, and you have no idea why it affects me so much. But I bet you would like to know, wouldn't you?" Cell laid his hands flat over her scar.
"I will help you, if you promise to let me understand you."
"Understand me?" she still smiled, but one eyebrow was raised.
"You are not." he thought for a moment. "Logical. You make no sense, and yet I understand every word. You are unnaturally humane, even after all the things you have had to go through. And after all I have done, you bravely come into my ring with the simply aim of getting to know me. I don't understand you. I have ten days in which I could easily pick you apart mentally and examine every detail of your mind. Let me do this, and I will help you."
"By doing what?" he looked to his hands, and closed his eyes.
"By doing this." Joy gasped and threw her head back as his hands pulsed electricity through her. His touches were cool, and now electrifying as she tingled in her back. "And this." He reached forward and slid his hands down her shoulders, and her arms.
"Stop." She whimpered, but he pulled her hands away from her breasts. He still stood behind her so he couldn't see, but she still felt naked without holding herself.
"I thought you trusted me Joyce."
"I…do."
"Then let me continue." She chuckled. Like she could stop him.
His hands jumped form her arms to her hips, and she felt the tingling follow his fingers as they moved further down. She covered herself again, and he moved both hands over her aching ankle. She felt pain there at first, but then it vanished like she had never hurt it. "There. I have helped you." He stood up and smoothed his hands over her back once more. "No more scars." She looked down to her ankle. "No more injuries." He folded his arms as she pulled herself together, pulling her corset back up and fastening herself in place. She then pulled her sleeves over her wrists, glad he had forgotten about them, and smiled.
"Oh thank you!" she then jumped at him and wrapped her arms around his neck. Cell was stunned at how she could be comfortable in being this close to him, and didn't move to hold her back. "Thank you so much. First you helped with my ankle, then you listen to me, then you heal me! Thank you so much Cell!" she then cupped his face and kissed him on the cheek. Cell's eyes grew wide but Joy didn't seem to even notice. "Just you wait a minute!" she smiled brightly and ran to her hang bag. She returned her huge first aid kit to its capsule and then to her hand bag. "I have a mobile home that I have in here, just encase I have to leave town for any reason. Like when I went to the charity convention the summer before last. Are you hungry?"
"I don't eat."
"Oh, well I could get you a drink if you like."
"I don't drink either." He had his back to her, still recovering from his sudden peck on the cheek. It infuriated him that such a pathetic action had put him on edge. He would have to ensure she didn't do that again…
"Well are you tired."
"I don't sleep."
"Have you tried sleeping?" she giggled.
"No. I haven't."
"Well, give it a try! Don't knock anything until you try it first." She said enthusiastically and stood in front of him. "I wish you wouldn't keep you back to me all the time…" she said to herself. "Now, would you mind if I put my mobile home in the ring, or would you prefer it outside the ring?" he seriously considered telling her to keep it off his ring, but…
"You may place it in the far corner."
"Which one? You have four silly." She chuckled. He didn't find this amusing.
"I didn't state which one as I don't really care."
"Oh, cheer up." She smiled and looked to the same spire she had nursed herself near. "Is there ok?"
"Yes, fine, just do it." he was starting to regret this already.
"Ok!" she threw a thumbs up at the selected corner and threw a pink capsule at the corner. With a great poof, a large dome shaped house took up half the gigantic ring and the wall of one side stopped just before Cell's feet. Remember your aim Cell, to understand the little wench. Then of course he turned around. His eyes grew wide and he couldn't believe it. Joy stood in the door way and waved him inside. "Come on in! Don't be a stranger!" She shouted and pressed her hand on the door. It opened and welcomed her inside.
"Welcome Ms Ilarius."
"Hello door." She chuckled and saw Cell looking like he was about to have a heart attack. "I'm not crazy I swear, I was just talking to the door…I mean…it spoke to me…it's automated!" she kept getting funny looks from Cell, until he retuned to the huge pink monstrosity that was on his ring.
"What…is…that?"
"My mobile home. I call it the cheer centre." She giggled at his almost comic book anime expression.
"More like the PINK centre. Oh I see that has two meanings, Cheer centre." He walked up to her, arms folded and looking aloof once more. "Cheer because you live here, and cheer because this is your home. Ilarius. It means Cheer does it not?"
"That and cheery."
"I wonder why I don't find that you having the title Ms Cheer, doesn't surprise me." he rolled his eyes and looked at the door. It looked as if he was deciding if he dared to enter the home of pink.
"I promise it is only pink on the outside." She smirked playfully.
"Just let me in." he droned. The sooner I understand her, the sooner I can get rid of her. By any means necessary.
"Excellent!" Joy led him in, and it looked a lot better inside, in his view. Well…better was the right word. As inside it was bright yellow with sunflowers in vases, and in picture frames. Some pressed, some painted, some batik, some sown in a large table cloth in the kitchen, as he looked around.
First was the door, it looked old fashioned from the outside, but metallic and very high-tech on the inside. The walls were yellow, the floors a light rough wood laminate, the ceiling also yellow, but with large sunflowers painted like a true artist every here and there. He saw a large kitchen to the left, a lounge to the right. In the lounge, was a hug plasma screen, a large blue futon couch, a window to outside with yellow drapes, and a blue poofer seat. But opposite him and the door, was a set of stairs. "Upstairs is the bathroom and the bedroom."
"I thought you didn't go for material possessions?"
"I don't, but I was given this by a richer of people when I helped his son tell him that he didn't want to follow his exact foot steps, and brought them closer together. At least, that is when he told me. All I really did was listen to his son and show him a path that would lead him to his own destination."
"Like showing him the way, without actually taking it for him."
"Yeah, exactly." She praised, and walked up the stairs. As she went, she hopped and pulled the splint and bandages off her foot. He stood in her living room, his hip leaning against the futon. I will put up with this, I will. I can do this, you are perfect Cell. He took a deep breath. You can survive anything, so a woman with a lot of 'cheer' to go around, will not conquer you. The only way to take her apart, is to monitor her. Like in a lab, yes, in a lab. He heard her giggling about something upstairs, and sighed. A science experiment, that is what she is, an experiment. Just, don't, kill her… he smirked. Yet…
"Cell?" she bounded down, her head poked around the corner, and caught him smirking. "Oh, good to see you smiling. Do you mind if I change? This is my uniform so I thought I would be smart, but, I don't need it now, right?" she smiled, and he raised a brow.
"Is it any importance to me what you wear?" he droned. "I care not whether you are presentable or not, human, just hurry up."
"Impatient to take me apart, are we?" she chuckled at him, and vanished.
"Damn woman."
"I heard that!" she shouted down the stairs with a laugh, and he sighed loudly.
"Forgive me, damn Joyce."
"Much better." She giggled and jumped down the stairs. "So, now for you." She reached around the corner, and looked to be struggling with something. She was now wearing a pair of plain blue jeans, and a baggy off one shoulder green t shirt. She was bare footed, and threw her head back with a groan with frustration. "I just…a little more…" she then yelped as she pulled whatever she was pulling free from the stairs, and tumbled down with it. She landed in a heap at his feet, and Cell looked down at her with a brow raised. "Oh…hello up there." She chuckled and crawled up.
"A blanket?"
"And a pillow." She nodded, and lifted both items up and threw them on the futon. Cell looked from the make shift bed, to Joyce.
"I am not sleeping there." He stated calmly.
"Oh, don't be silly." She chuckled. "I wasn't going to make you sleep here."
"Good."
"This is where I'm sleeping." She made it up, and then looked out the window. "Getting dark. I'll lock the door." She smiled at him as she walked to the door, and locked it with her hand print. He just watched her, and looked back at her face as she sat on the back of the futon, looking at him. "So, how do you want to do this?"
"Do…what?"
"Well…" she smiled. "You wanted to 'pick me apart mentally and examine every detail of my mind'. How do you want to do that?" she looked as if they were simply conversing on how he was going to walk somewhere, or get to work the next day. Not how he was going to work out how she ticked.
"I will observe you and ask you questions."
"And?"
"And…is there more?"
"Well, this is the part where you tell me the rules. You seem like a 'there are rules' sort of person." She put her hands on her knees, and waited patiently. "Do you have any rules for me?"
"You are never to do anything I tell you not to, so obey me at all times." She nodded.
"Do as you say, I think I can handle that." She chuckled.
"Stay here, do not leave this house."
"Ok…"
"If I ask you a question, you must answer it honestly. I will know if you are lying."
"I wouldn't lie to your anyway." She titled her head to one side, and smiled once more.
"They are the rules. Unless I decide upon anymore."
"Ok." She heard a 'ping' from the kitchen, and looked over to it. "I think my dinner is ready. This place is programmed to make me food at certain times of the day. I struggle to remember all the functions of this place, I really do." She rubbed her neck, and slid t her feet. "So…can I go eat it?"
"Do you have any relatives? Alive I mean."
"No. There was only ever my parents and me. But obviously, they aren't here anymore." She blinked, waiting.
"So you do not have a brother who goes by the name of Goku?"
"No, why?"
"Never mind." He closed his eyes, and ignored her for the time being. So she tip toed into the kitchen, and smiled.
"MMmmm, I love vegetable stir fry and noodles!" she said enthusiastically again, and walked to her table with the bowl. "Are you sure I can't get you anything?"
"How about silence?"
"I can do that." He opened his eyes and looked to her. He was actually being sarcastic, but she was taking him seriously. She sat down on her chair, and didn't push herself in as it would make a sound. She wrapped her noodles around her chop sticks, and made sure to put it in her mouth, not slurp any of it in. Joy ate in absolute silence, and then lifted the bowl up quietly. He watched as she tip toed over to the sink, and put the bowl in it carefully. He didn't even hear any noise as she waved her hand over a motion sensor, and little robots crawled out of the tap. She Shhhed them without a sound, and they took the plate off to be washed where they couldn't hear them doing it. Her chops sticks followed, and she waved good bye to them. She then began to tip toe out of the kitchen, when she came face to chest with Cell. "Did you just eat your meal in complete silence, because I requested for it?"
"Yes." He looked down into he eyes, an eyebrow raised and his face blank otherwise. He then walked away from her, and looked to the door.
"Open it."
"Where are you going?"
"I am returning to my ring. I came inside, that was enough." He waited, and she trotted up to him.
"It will be cold outside, you should-"
"Ignore that you are questioning my actions. And that is now another rule, you are not to contradict me on any level." She frowned and waved her hand over the sensor on the door, and it swished open. He walked out, and she sighed.
"Good night." He didn't answer her, and walked over to the other side of the ring. He folded his arms, and closed his eyes. He was perfectly still, as he meditated, his mind clear.
Joy sighed again, and closed her door. But she didn't lock it this time.
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What is she?
Human technically.
Who is she?
I have yet to discover that fact. She acts so jolly, when her past should have made her cold. Why has she become numb to hatred and pain, desire and fear? Nothing I did today, seemed to intimidate her...
Tomorrow, I shall observe her further. Then, I will test her limitations. I will find out why she doesn't fear me, or why she is so…un-human in nature. She defies logic, and that is unacceptable.
It had been a few hours since he had walked out, he needed to think upon his new science experiment. She was just…difficult to explain.
Even Vegeta was easier to explain than this. Than, her.
What makes her act in such a way? Yes I grant that her experiences have made her strong, but why so…chronically chipper? Should it not be sorrow she shows permanently, not joy?
He laughed to himself.
Her name means Joy Cheer. It would be just ironic of her nature was the opposite. But I suppose it is also predictable that it is. But that thug that shot her parents…killed her mother…why did she forgive him? Her parents were so vial to her, and yet they were her most precious possessions. If someone took something to dear to me, I would make them pay for it with a merciless vengeance. And yet, Joyce searched for two years, only to forgive him. What would drive her to do this?
He frowned, confused and not liking it. The actions done to her, made her give back completely different actions. And logic states that an actions, causes a reaction. If you give out something, you get it back. And yet the actions was negative mostly, and mostly Joyce simply gave back positive, joyful reactions. Regardless to her actual feelings.
A ha! That is what I must do. I must make her forget the shield of a smile she hides behind, and express her actual feelings. If I can get her riled up, or distressed, then I may see the more human tones to her personality. Once I achieve this, I will have broken her and shown her to be nothing more than another human. Then
He smirked.
Then, I will kill her.
But just as the smirk played across his lips at this thought, something thick and warm covered his shoulders. He opened his eyes, and looked to his shoulders. Around him, was the very same blanket that he saw Joy drag down the stairs with her. Cell heard the door swish shut, and he looked over his shoulder at the closed door. The lights went out, and there was no sound. She gave me her blanket, and asked for nothing in return. Not even a thank you, she wanted nothing in return. She didn't even wait to see if I would give her anything in return. Why?
Alas, another piece of the puzzle to decipher.
He closed his eyes, and his lips quirked into a soft smile as he felt the warmth of the blanket around him. She even warmed it before she brought it to me. He then shuck his head, ashamed that he had even smiled in the first place by her action.
Then he remembered what she said. She said she liked to make people smile. He scowled and pushed the blanket off his shoulders, and defiantly stepped away from it. Well Joyce, you will not favour yourself to me that easily, or at all. I shall not give you any 'joy' by submitting to your odd need to be favourable to everyone you meet. For I am one person you shall never endear yourself to. Let's see how you take my rejection of this meagre display from a lonely pragmatic mortal.
What he didn't see, was Joy looking out of the window. She had seen how he just shrugged the blanket off, and walked away…