imatreenow | nine [action/voice] | throughout the day Thursday

[The morning finds Mithos on a trip to...the flower shop, of all places. It's for Martel (ever the lover of plants), so just shut up. Probably an odd decision to go in all this rain, but he has an umbrella handy. The rain is hardly a bother compared to an endless list of other items he can think of, mostly people.

When he returns, it is time to address some things that have gone unaddressed for too long.]

I know that you are well aware of my sister’s recent arrival. You are to go nowhere near Martel. If I see you, I will not hesitate to run you through on my blade.

[A pause, because he really can’t believe he’s about to willingly address them. With Yuan he could at least gloat, but the others... It is a necessary precaution, however.]

I am sure that many of you, with your annoying habit of finding out everything eventually, also know that Martel is presently in this world. You will all stay away from her. ...I’ve already said that I would choose the same path again if given the chance, and so I will continue to fight for and protect my sister. Consider this a generous warning.

[A while later in the day, after taking care of the above business with various enemies, he decides it is time for something more...pleasant. When he cracks open the journal again, he can’t quite keep the note of excitement out of his voice.]

Kaori, she’s here. Martel is here! I...thought you’d want to meet her.

[And afterwards, he wanders through the house to seek out his dearest sister.]

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I'm not the one who betrayed her.

Your attempts to convince yourself of your innocence are pathetic.

That's the pot calling the kettle black, Mithos. ... And no one ever said I was innocent.

I don't feel an ounce of guilt for anything I've done - it was all justified. You have no excuses. You're actually right, for once, admitting your own guilt.

[Oh Mithos, so deluded. Yuan was the one who was justified in his actions. That being said, what he did does warrant guilt- plenty of it. He's had to kill to rectify Mithos' mistakes. And if he'd just opposed Cruxis from the start, none of it would've happened.]

You should do the same and accept you were mistaken. That you created thousands of innocent victims for nothing. For Martel's sake as well.

It was for Martel's sake that I did everything. If it was for her, it wasn't a mistake. Stop deluding yourself into thinking you understand my sister better than I do.

You used to understand her better. Four thousand years of convincing yourself genocide is alright if it's for her sake made short work of that.

What did the lives of those people matter? They wouldn't have amounted to anything more than the filthy world they lived in.

They mattered to Martel. They'd always mattered to Martel. That's why she went out of her way to help humans, even when they wanted nothing to do with her. No matter how cruel they were, she cared about every single one of them. That's what you've forgotten.

That all changed the instant Martel was killed, and you know it. You've forgotten that day - you and Kratos both. You stopped caring, and you forgot. [He, on the other hand, would never and could never forget That Day. It's seared into his heart permanently.]

[He bangs a fist on the table. Forgotten?! If only! If only he could forget that day. Or any other day after that when Martel was hurt.]

Nothing changed, Mithos! I wish it had! Martel still associates herself with murderers, seeing goodness that isn't there, and there's not a damn thing anyone can do about it!

If her wishes are what's most important to you, you should listen to what she has to say instead of twisting her words!

I'm twisting nothing. She knows that everything I've done has always been for her, and she would never reject me. [No, of course she wouldn't...she would never. Those things she had said her first day here, it had been nothing more than the usual treachery of this world. Because there was no way she would ever...]

I'm all she has - I'm the only one who didn't turn his back. Why do you think she chose to stay with me here? She knows I'll protect her and watch over her.

[Mithos, you idiot. It's because everything you did was always for her that she's upset in the first place. How can you not see this?]

She's staying with you because despite all the atrocities you committed, you're her brother and she loves you. What you used to be, in any case. She's hoping to find the Mithos she remembers from our journeys and to keep you from doing anything else stupid.

[And that's what makes the Yggdrasill siblings so similar. They're both trying to revive a person who's long dead.]

[That again. Why doesn't he understand that it isn't possible?]

I'm still the same person I was back then, who loved his sister and wanted to make the world better for her. That hasn't changed. I just stopped being so naive and foolish, and figured out how the world and its people really are. It's for the better.

Yes, I'm sure it's easier for you to pretend everyone else is the bad guy.

I don't have to pretend. It has always been me and Martel against everyone else, from the very beginning.

[A heavy sigh.] This is pointless. Listen, you can try to keep other people away from Martel, but you can't keep Martel away from other people. Get used to that.

Martel has no need for any of the people here. Why should she trust anyone? How can she? She has me, and I'm all she needs.

You're not listening! Martel will approach other people and you can't stop her.

I see no need to listen to you telling me about my own sister.

I'm through with talking to you. Just stay away from Martel, and there will be no problems.

[And with that, he'll shut the journal. This went a lot better than their previous "conversation" - it's always in one's favor to be the one to end it. On to the next item of business.]

[Dammit, Mithos. Just... dammit.]

nine [action/voice] | throughout the day Thursday

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