|
|
Post by glitters on Mar 21, 2009 12:34:41 GMT -5
Jasmine had been slightly startled by her father's appearance, but she was glad he was around, anyway. She smiled, but sighed deeply as she said, "Papa...you look ridiculous. Why don't you come inside?"
She leaned back some and her eyes were quite heavy. She probably should make this as brief as she could as she was going to be needing some sleep soon. She hadn't had much of it in the past night or so for obvious reasons.
|
|
|
|
Post by vincent on Mar 21, 2009 12:38:11 GMT -5
"But you know what? I can't. Your mother, she'll..." Vincent trailed off. He didn't really want to think about it.
|
|
|
|
Post by glitters on Mar 21, 2009 12:40:13 GMT -5
"She'll what? Be happy to see you?" Jasmine raised an eyebrow at him, "Papa, she's been thinking you've been dead for so many years. I would think that this would be good news to her, knowing her loving husband was really still alive."
|
|
|
|
Post by vincent on Mar 21, 2009 12:46:30 GMT -5
"Noooooo...." Vincent shook his head violently, pulling the shirt off of his head, "no, no she won't, she'll kill me! That's what she'll do!"
He looked at Jasmine, and figured that knowing her, she'd be just like Hala and eventually force it out of him. Sadly, his family had that effect on him. He sighed sadly and then leaned on the window sill.
"Jasmine, she thinks I'm dead because everyone saw me die."
|
|
|
|
Post by glitters on Mar 21, 2009 12:50:13 GMT -5
Jasmine's eyes widened. "What do you mean 'everyone saw you die'...? You're not dead, you're right here. Would they have seen someone else and mistaken you instead?"
She narrowed her eyes at Vincent - daddy had a lot of explaining to do, now.
"Papa, what's going on? And don't you lie to me," Jasmine demanded. This was a new twist for her, she'd never known any time in her life when she had to be the "tough girl" for anything.
It seemed to be happening a lot more, recently. Quite an adjustment.
|
|
|
|
Post by vincent on Mar 21, 2009 13:00:26 GMT -5
Vincent almost cringed when Jasmine talked to him like that. The girl seemed to know how to take charge when she had to, and that made him feel sorry for the poor sap she'd marry someday.
Jokes aside, though, he rubbed his eyes and said, "Okay, here's the story. You were only a bitty little girl when this all happened - and I mean little enough that you were still calling that stray cat we found a 'kee kee' rather than 'kitty'..."
He saw the look she gave him for getting off-topic and he flailed his hands a little, almost like he was trying to give her a sign that said 'Don't get mad'.
"Anyway! The General - Yeligar Maelstrom - had given me a special mission to complete. I kinda...exaggerated the details of this mission to your mother. We were going to blow this docked ship apart, but something had to be removed from it...and I stole it and pretended like it was still onboard, right? So when everyone saw me run back in...well, the ship kinda...exploded..."
He was losing it. He didn't make any sense and he knew it. Vincent rested his elbows on the sill, and covered his head with his hands.
"It was fake!! I lied to your mother and went out and faked my death!" he finally spat out, "i-it's not like I wanted to, I hated myself for doing it. I still hate myself because I missed you both so much, I just...everything was just so hard...and...feelings are the worst thing that ever happened to me!"
|
|
|
|
Post by glitters on Mar 21, 2009 13:04:44 GMT -5
Jasmine was silent for a good, long moment as she tried to take all of this in. So, he essentially lied to them for the past decade or so?
She stretched her hands out in front of her slowly, and then looked over at him. She breathed deeply, and then looked to make sure the bedroom door was closed yet before she glared at Vincent.
"You lied!! What's the matter with you?! Do you not know how upset she's been since you've been gone? Papa, you're terrible!"
|
|
|
|
Post by vincent on Mar 21, 2009 13:13:45 GMT -5
The words "Papa, you're terrible!" stabbed Vincent hard in the heart. He looked around at everyone in the room, a pitiful look on his face.
"Yeah...I really hit the bottom of the barrel, didn't I?" he said quietly, and didn't bother to look Jasmine in the eye.
"I'm sorry. I don't expect you to be happy with me, but I did it to protect you and Hala. You know, the greatest thing that could happen to a man is love. And the worst thing to happen to a warrior is...love, as well.
I was a stupid man who fell in love with the most gorgeous lady in the world, got married, had a daughter...and I didn't think. I was so active with the army, fighting the Sumata and whatever other criminal activity was going on, it never crossed my mind that because of all of the enemies I was making they'd turn to my family in order to hurt me."
He brought his head up now, but he stared ahead at a blank spot on the wall. "And if anyone did anything like that, it would hurt me. It'd kill me. I decided I'd rather live my life never being able to see or be with my wife and daughter, having them think I died and them being safe instead of being dead and blaming it on myself.
Take it how you will, but that's the decision I made. And I don't want to face your mother after putting her through that kind of hell."
|
|
|
|
Post by glitters on Mar 21, 2009 13:19:08 GMT -5
Jasmine listened, and listened carefully. She felt sorry for what she said now, and even more so for her father and what actions he felt he had to take for she and her mother.
It was a difficult situation, really. She looked over at him and she gave him a sympathetic look.
"...You know," she started, "it's a touching thing you've done...but I think she still needs to know. You wouldn't know this because you were out in Ketulunanox with Andy and Kara, but the whole time you three were away she'd pray so much. And in her prayers, she always said 'save my daughter, she's all I have left in this world'."
She gave him a hard stare, tears starting to fill her eyes. "I want you to think about that, and then tell me whether she's still living her hell or not."
|
|
|
|
Post by Andy Jammer on Mar 21, 2009 13:48:06 GMT -5
Andy flinched, the honest truth was the Sumata probably attacked Jasmine because of him. Judging by what Xisa said, it was Andy to blame for Jasmine being an open target. But how... how did he even know aout him?
He said he knew my Getsuga Tenshou... but who told him?
Andy frowned, another thing was troubling him...that bone mask... what was that?
|
|
|
|
Post by vincent on Mar 21, 2009 15:26:45 GMT -5
Vincent frowned and stared at his daughter. He hated seeing her upset, and sadly, that seemed to be the only condition she was in whenever he 'met' her again. It made him feel even more terrible than he already did.
Andy didn't look so great at the moment, either. "You got something on your mind there, too, bud?" he asked him.
He then figured he would get scolded by Jasmine for not answering her, so he quickly turned back to her and added, "You know...give me a little bit of time, yet. I'll...I'll talk to her. I promise you I will, but it's gotta be just me and her, you know? Let me go clear my head first a bit, alright?"
|
|
|
|
Post by glitters on Mar 21, 2009 15:44:47 GMT -5
After a long, quiet moment, Jasmine finally smiled and nodded at Vincent. "That's all I'll ask of you," she replied, "but you remember that you promised me this." She then put forth the great effort of crawling on the bed towards the window, reaching out of it and giving her father the first hug either of them had had with each other in years.
|
|
|
|
Post by Andy Jammer on Mar 21, 2009 15:52:06 GMT -5
"Um..."
"Greiver? Griever!? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!" Andy laughed sadistically, "That's RICH! Griever! Hahahahah! You wanna know who I am? I am....NO NAME!"
"...No name..." he muttered to himself. "I'm...I dunno."
|
|
|
|
Post by glitters on Mar 21, 2009 16:02:11 GMT -5
Jasmine still held onto her father, but she glanced over at Andy and she frowned. Something was bugging him, and that bugged her. When she let go of Vincent, she curled back onto the bed, laying on her stomach and facing Andy.
She knew that if she said anything to him, it could only be so little. Some of her conversation with Kevin was something that couldn't be repeated to him or Kara...not now, anyway.
"Andy...what's wrong?"
|
|
|
|
Post by vincent on Mar 21, 2009 16:07:19 GMT -5
Vincent gave Jasmine a kiss on the cheek, saying, "Thank you. You're the best daughter I've ever had, you know," he gave Andy another look over before he turned back to Jasmine, "I'm um...I'll be around the foot of the mountain yet for a bit, if I'm not welcome back in the house before then, anyway. Whenever you're feeling better, you should um...we really need to talk a bit more, I think."
He gave everyone a nod and then headed off.
|
|
