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Yes, yes, so I’ve been told.

[ Perhaps she’s grown too cynical, but she’s hearing that from everyone. She knows they’re saying the right thing, but it’s started to feel tiring.

She looks around, trying to change the topic. ]

Do you...uh, want something to eat? I think I’ve gotten Rex to buy more than oatmeal at this point.

[ There is now one thing that piques Haru's curiosity. ]

Something light and sweet, if you have.

[ She drums her fingers along the surface, her expression pensive, not meeting Cass's eyes yet. ]

... hey, Cassandra? Does this mean Woden is the same?

Edited 2019-07-28 05:02 (UTC)

[ She gets up to get Haru something, maybe some of the fruit they have for the oatmeal, until the question catches her totally off-guard.

She stops halfway through reaching up to the cupboard for a bowl, blinking in surprise. ]

Shit- no. He never was. And Woden’s dead, Haru. From what I can tell? Very, very dead.

[ And under her breath: ] Fuck. You don’t even know about Jon.

... what?

[ Jon is a familiar name now, only thanks to Woden mentioning him to her, but the former is a shock to her. ]

He's... he's dead in your world?

[ It's hard to swallow this information, if only because Woden seems inescapable. Like a cockroach that won't go away. ]

Yeah.

[ So much had been going on that Cassandra could practically take it in stride. But here, Woden has somehow affected even more people dear to her. ]

I wasn't there for it, but- I got the impression it was pretty fucking brutal. Minerva had him killed once he was told who she was, I think. We only knew because a....failsafe he had in place in case he died went off.

[ She pauses, then speaks softly to herself. ] Fuck. How are we going to deal with that?

What was the failsafe?

[ She feels... bad for coming here, honestly. It seems as if Cassandra is only more stressed out having to think of these things. ]

It’s...

[ God. ]

I’m telling you this because I trust you, and it doesn’t fucking matter here. It’s security footage of a murder. Persephone- Laura, she killed Ananke’s...elderly body, before we knew she and Minerva were one person split up. We told the public it was self-defense, but it really wasn’t. Ananke murdered Laura’s entire family, along with who knows how many other people. Laura...don’t hold this against her too much. She’d lost everything.

[ She rubs her forehead. ]

None of us wanted to put Laura in jail, so we went with the self-defense story. Obviously the video proves it wrong. Woden was just being a bitter asshole.

[ Without knowing much about Persephone, just what she's heard from word of mouth, Haru can't exactly pass judgment about her. Although her heart, as it often does, pangs with sympathy for someone who lost her entire family through senseless violence. Haru knows the terrible, aching loneliness that accompanied that loss. ]

Woden really does continue his cruel streak without sparing a second thought...

[ Ugh, that creep. ]

The public doesn't knows of Ananke's crimes?

He wanted to rub it in our faces posthumously. And that's not even getting into the shit about his son-

[ Which Haru should know, but Cassandra answers her other question first. ]

They don't know the full extent of it, but they knew she was out of her mind. There's security footage of her murdering- [ She pauses. ] The people we thought were Minerva's parents, but they couldn't have been, so I guess they were just hired or brainwashed or whatever. We had to release it when we made the bullshit self-defense story, to make it believable. And Ananke was an actual murderer, so it was.

Oh, dear...

[ Haru is at a loss for words again. Everything Cassandra tells her doesn't end on a positive note. ]

... it does not seem as if going home was a pleasant experience for you. That's unfortunate.

[ And almost... unfair. Cassandra already paid a price for her godhood, why was she going through more of this chaos? ]

I'm really sorry, Cassandra. I don't think I ever truly considered just how complicated your life was back there.

[ Cassandra pauses for a moment, not saying anything- but after running a hand over her forehead, pushing her hair back a bit, she sighs and waves her hand. ]

You know...I wouldn't remember back in my world, obviously, but this place is frankly just as bad. Maybe worse, in some ways? I should be used to it by now.

And it's not as if it's not the same thing for you, from what I've heard.

[ After all, she can still barely make sense of some of what Haru's told her. ]

No, my world is nothing like this or yours.

[ It isn't meant to be an abrasive comment or anything like that; Cassandra's world sounds almost as chaotic as this one. Haru's was chaotic, but they were able to stop the worst from unfolding. ]

I'm... [ And she had come here somewhat upset with Cassandra for not telling Haru she was back, but it's hard to feel angry after the entire conversation they have just had. ] I'm sorry. Martin told me you had returned and I was surprised to hear it. I didn't understand why you wouldn't have told everyone you were back as we were worried, but...

I understand a lot better now.

I- [ She looks away again. She has an easier time acknowledging things like this than she used to, but it’s still shameful. ]

I should have let you know, anyway. You must have been thinking I was still gone, and...you’re a good friend, Haru. You didn’t deserve to have to find out like that, no matter what fucked-up shit I did before I died. I’m sorry.

[ It was easier, not to tell anyone. She told herself that keeping her distance was what was deserved. And yet people keep coming to tell her they missed her, that they wanted her back, again and again. She still barely knows what to say to it. ]

I have to admit when I was coming over I was quite annoyed, but...

[ She's since then calmed down considerably. ]

I'm just really glad you're back, Cassandra.

[ It hurts to hear Haru, who Cassandra hasn't seen bear a real grudge toward anyone but Woden, admit that. She bites back any biased comments; sure, Haru doesn't know how she felt, but Haru's anger was the kind of anger she'd have. What is she to say about it? ]

...I would have been annoyed too. Hell.

[ She awkwardly taps a spoon in her half-drunk coffee, letting it twirl around against the edge. ]

I really am a fucking hypocrite about everything. Why'd it take me this long to figure that out?

That isn't your fault, Cassandra.

[ It's not as if this was all a meticulously calculated plan of hers. If anything, it sounds as if Cassandra had been trapped in someone else's web of lies and corruption without knowing.

Haru has seen this kind of treacherous behavior and even experienced it herself. ]

Don't blame yourself for this.

I know. I know, yeah.

[ And she does, but there's a reason her response comes as a bit of a mumble. She gets up, half-tossing her mug in the sink.

Haru is right- nothing that's happened to her was, in the end, her fault. She was a pawn in all of this. And yet...she should have known better. Should have done better. ]

Sorry. You don't need me venting all this bullshit to you. You just came for an explanation.

I'm glad you told me. I appreciate it, Cassandra.

[ She offers her a delicate smile, but it's a genuine one. ]

[ After a moment, Cassandra, though briefly, gives her a small smile back. It's fleeting, but...she thinks Haru is being genuine.

And, in a way, she's happy Haru can be honest with her. Even if the truth hurts. ]

Come on, let's...let's go sit down somewhere else. Go outside or something. [ She ought to make some part of this visit pleasant. ]

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