countermeasures | chroma | catchall for hot pants

...

[Her mind is racing. First, reminded of her grave sin. And then, seeing all of that...]

[Su used, betrayed, killed, all for...what? She's the one, though her hand is shaking, to reach out to grab the other's shoulder, firm.]

They should have never... [Her voice is wavering. She's throwing herself on Su's memories instead of her own.] They should have never laid a finger on you.

...

[she doesn't shrug off hot pants's hand. it's warm, comforting, a reminder that she's here, not back in that time, that place--]

They shouldn't have.

[...]

They're not in a position to be able to hurt me or my mother ever again.

[......Ah.]

[She closes her eyes, satisfied.]

Good.

[Good.]

[me belatedly realizing that makes it sound like they're dead]

More importantly, Miss Hot Pants...

[she looks up at her, her expression full of concern.]

...what I saw... I swear to you, I won't tell anyone I saw it.

[wow lame, hella murder them, su]

...

[She...lowers her head, her fingers squeezing the other's shoulder, briefly.]

Thank you. That was...a different life, after all.

[no she's going to make them suffer in perpetual misery instead :) ]

...that's understandable.

[jiuqing can definitely wrap her mind around having a different life.]

[good :)]

Mm. Besides...you can't let the past weigh you down. [A nod.] I'll help others. I can't dwell on things like that.

[hot pants really is so strong.

jiuqing finds herself nodding.]

...there's no changing the past. All any of us can do is work toward a better future... right?