tampered | Log; Ongoing

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Current Music: MAKOTO - FREEZE MOON

Log; Ongoing

When; Monday, after the fighting with Millenium has died down and whatnot.
Rating; PG/PG-13 at the most, though I doubt it'll get that far.
Characters; Alessa

alessalearnt and Henry

wisdom_rcvr
Summary; Alessa and Henry go to ze beach to relax.
Log;

No matter how many times Alessa tried convincing her, Lisa refused to leave. She had used every excuse in the book, from saying that she was not a very skilled nurse to the fact that she didn't know any of the doctors in the City and had barely ventured out at all. When it came down to it, Alessa finally accepted the fact that Lisa Garland wasn't going to be leaving her anytime soon, and that she would just have to deal with Lisa's companionship till she felt she was ready to leave Alessa. Alessa knew Lisa cared for her greatly, but the two women did not say anything regarding their relationship to the other. It was an unspoken affection between them. Lisa was similar to the older sister figure, Alessa the younger. Lisa was proving to be more like a big sister to Alessa every day. As soon as Alessa had mentioned that she was going out to the beach to spend some time with Henry, Lisa had practically torn their closet apart looking for something. Alessa had been startled, but accepted Lisa's assistance silently and without complaint. Alessa honestly did not care what kind of clothing she wore so long as it covered the scars that others frowned at in public, but Lisa had insisted.

Alessa fidgeted near the entrance to the cathedral, awaiting her companion's arrival. Her mind drifted briefly to Rosiel for a moment, and caught a small sense of confusion in the air, immediately ignoring it. She was going to the beach to relax, and to forget about life's complications for a little while. As Alessa straightened the dress she was wearing, she willed unconscious walls to form around her powers, closing off the cries of any and all innocents and evil-doers. She barely did this; her power was such a large part of her, but she wanted to be normal for once. After she got back, she would take care of business like a good Daughter of Xulchibara.

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Fighting the Millenium people had turned out rather messy, so Henry made sure to clean up afterwards. He also did his best to push the headaches away. They'd been plaguing him for the past few days, getting successively worse. He didn't understand it. He'd been staying away from the room, hadn't he? That's what he was supposed to do! But apparently they'd come and go as they pleased.

It didn't take him long to get ready, and so he was downstairs and at the entrance within a few minutes of Alessa's arrival. He smiled at her the instant he saw her. She looked radiant, and black always suited her so well. Henry, in the meantime, was dressed like he normally was. He tried, but he had little fashion sense of his own. Every once in awhile, his eyes would go 'soft' and shiny, looking like they're seeing something else.

"Hi..." he said, almost sounding shy. He stood next to her and held his hand out, in case she wanted to take it. "You look very nice, Alessa." He had to remember to call her the right thing. It had almost come out as something different, so he had to belatedly put some emphasis on the right thing.

A peculiar feeling rose in the pit of Alessa's stomach when she saw him smile. He smiled, Alessa. He smiled when he saw you...he smiled, she thought. She had never seen Henry give a smile - a real smile - but there it was. She felt very aware of herself all of a sudden, and wrapped her arms around herself, reminding herself again for the umpteenth time that she was twenty years old now, Colin was dead, and that Henry would never hurt her. Not like that. Her feelings scared and confused her, but they were her feelings regardless.

She knew he was about to call her 'mother'. 'Mother'...it was a strange word, one that seemed to be fond on everyone's lips. Her pets, the bubble-head nurses and the other mindless servants, called her mother. When she would walk amongst her creatures, they would whisper 'It's Mother, Mother is here!' twitching, wanting to touch her, stroke her scarred skin, look at her healed face. Pyramid Head was the only one of her servants who did not call her 'mother'. She wasn't his creator, when it came down to it. How he viewed her was still a mystery to her. But Henry called her Alessa, and not 'mother', which was good. She didn't want to be Henry's mother, she wanted to be something else - she just wasn't entirely sure what that was.

'Thank you,' she replied, inclining her head towards him. 'I normally couldn't give a shit, but Lisa...she's awfully stubborn. You always look nice,' she added shyly before grasping his hand in her own. She smiled back at him, glad for this opportunity to forget.

"So do you," he replied simply, squeezing her hand and walking out into the city. Let's see- the beach is in building eight, right? That means.... He took a moment to get his bearings, then started walking in the correct direction.

He'd never been good with small talk, and didn't feel it necessary with her, anyway. So he just walked and smiled at the good weather. It was so very rarely normal. He didn't have long to enjoy it, however, as another headache passed through him, like a wave. He kept the outward signs down to a slight cringe.

Alessa looked away to keep Henry from noticing the blush of her cheeks. They passed through the crowds and others roaming the City without incident, and it felt all so normal, as if this was something they did everyday. No one was giving them strange looks or the gasps of fear and terror Alessa was so used hearing. Instead, others smiled at them politely as they passed, and Alessa could feel herself relaxing bit by bit.

She chanced a glance over at her companion just in time to see him cringe slightly. It was a subtle movement, but Alessa had a keen eye, and it was easy for her to see if something was bothering Henry. '...Are you all right?' She asked, drawing her hand out of his, the fear that she had done something wrong, that her monstrous nature of her beginnings and the scars she had repelled him from her.

He shakes his head and says, "I'm fine...really. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to...uh..." He stoppeed and looked at her questioningly, then tentatively put his hand on one of her shoulders. "C'mon...the beach'll be nice. I bet it's really sunny there..." He felt really bad- he really didn't mean to worry her.

She merely nodded and let him lead the way to Building 8. They passed through the apartment's entrance, walking through the main corridor to the back doors that led to the ocean and beach of the City. As they pushed through the doors leading to it, Alessa stopped in her tracks. This was unlike anything she had ever seen before. Lake Toluca was awfully big, but this....this was the biggest body of water she had ever seen. It seemed to stretch on forever. Seagulls soared on the wind currents, crying out to one another, and the sound of the tide was foreign to her ears.

Alessa looked down at the sand, and reached over to take off her shoes, letting the sand bury her toes. '...This...this is...' She couldn't finish the sentence. Her smile was genuine and wide, and she was happy. 'Thank you, Henry,' she said in a rush, the look of utmost delight and wonder on her face.

He grinned wide, an odd expression for one so used to looking merely dazed. But it was so good to see her happy, and he was glad he didn't wreck her good mood. She deserved to have a day off every once in awhile- hell, she deserved all of them off.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" he guesses, trying to finish her sentence for her. "I know...it's been a long time since you've been in the light." He encompassed her hand in both of his and squeezed. "You belong out here too, you know."

Alessa swallowed the lump in her throat that threatened to bring tears. Henry was such a good person, he made her so happy! And yet the sadness of his life dwelled with him; it was the same with everyone. She squeezed one of his hands in her own briefly before touching his cheek tentatively.

'...thank you. You truly are heavensent,' she murmured gratefully. Xulchibara had indeed chosen her reward well. Henry made her feel like she belonged, but did she really?

'...do I?' She asked, tilting her head curiously. 'I don't know...there are some who would want to see me buried in the Underground alone for all eternity with my burns back, but...you're teaching me...how to be a better person.' In a surge of emotion, she took one of his hands and kissed his knuckles briefly in a gesture of gratitude.

He was silent, watching her kiss his hands. He didn't want to say it, but perhaps he really should. "You belong there, too..." he said tentatively. Even he was entirely sure what that meant, although he tried to clarify. "Just like I belong in that room. But...oh, we aren't trapped there. It's only...only a part of us."

He hoped that didn't hurt to hear. Regardless, he pulled her into an impulsive hug, stiff and awkward but definitely there, whether she wanted comfort or to be close.

His words did not hurt her. They made perfect sense. Those in Silent Hill seemed to belong to both parts of the spectrum; they belonged in the light just as much as they belonged to the darkness. The town was the same way; it was a good, quiet place, but at the same time, Silent Hill was a place where the damned were punished and then recieved salvation, where innocents could get their revenge. It was the Shadow of all its citizens' egos, feeding off of their darker emotions and yet the sun would still shine, and tourists still came and went. Alessa nodded. 'Yes...I understand what you mean perfectly. Silent Hill...it will always be a part of us, even here.'

Alessa stiffened in his arms, Colin's face flashing in her mind for just a moment, and she was about to draw away, but then her dead tormentor's face was replaced by the memory of her mother. Dahlia holding her daughter close, telling her she loved her and that she would never leave her, never. She relaxed then, closing her eyes and relishing in the hug. How long had it been since she had been hugged? Eight years? Maybe more? Due to her burns, human touch was out of the question, and the form Xulchibara had given her had instilled fear rather than affection. Her mother had never hugged that form; she knew it was her daughter, but at the same time, it wasn't.

Wrapping her arms around him, she hugged him back, wondering when was the last time he had gotten a hug? She didn't know much about him, or what had happened in regards to Walter, but from what he told her, he was a solitary person. This must be as new to him as it is for me, she thought, not wanting to let go, but knowing she should anyways. Reluctantly, she drew away only slightly, and smiled up at him. 'Can we go in the water?'

It had been longer than eight years for him, as he'd barely talked to his parents and had little to do with anyone after he graduated from high school. He had merely moved to a town where he was a total stranger and, for the most part, kept it that way. He was always very polite to people, but for some reason, no one ever got to know him very well.

He was glad for the hug, for the fact that Alessa didn't pull away from it, and he leaned into it gratefully. She was much smaller than him, but he still felt like she was encompassing him with her arms- like he was the one being comforted.

When she finally pulled away to ask the question, he smiled down at her, a little surprised by the question. "Yeah, I think so...I- uh, we're not dressed for it, but I don't think that's a big deal? I can take off my shoes...." He didn't let go of her- he'd wait for her to break the contact. He was content to just stand there like that.

Alessa smiled and nodded, slipping out of his embrace to run through the sand to the edge of the water. Even from this vantage point, she couldn't see it end anywhere. Something that looked like a couple of islands were mere specks on the horizon, but for the most part, it was just water. She looked to her right to see a pirate ship or two in harbor that was some distance down the coastline; the others were probably in the water.

She dipped a foot in the water and drew back suddenly. 'It's cold,' she told Henry, before stepping into the water and slowly making her way into the ocean. Goosebumps raised on her arms and legs, but she didn't care. The last time she had gone swimming was when her mother had taken her to Lake Toluca when she was eleven during summer vacation. They had built sand castles and played in the water till the sun had gone down completely. It was a very good day; one of the few happy memories that Alessa could remember fondly. When she was a child, water was fun, loving, cool.

But now, as the water was up to the level of her waist, running her fingers across the surface of the water, it was something else. It was still loving, and most definitely cool, but...it meant something. She had been transformed and nearly killed by fire. Now, she was healed, and the water seemed to offer something else completely: redemption, rebirth. Cleansing...the opportunity to be washed of all her sins. Water washed things away, and as Alessa bent her knees, taking a deep breath before she plunged under, she remembered Ophelia from Shakespeare's Hamlet. Water had washed away her madness, her sorrow. Water had killed her, yes, but it had given her relief, peace. Water had carried her soul away so that she would not have to bear her grief of being alone without Hamlet. Water was loving, water was cold, water healed where fire destroyed.

She came up to the surface again, shaking the black hair out of her eyes, turning back to Henry. 'It's cold, but...it's wonderful.' She smiled. A burden had been taken off her shoulders because of that simple act, and for the first time in a long while, she felt happy and playful. 'Come on!'

He stood there and watched as she walked into this thing that pretended to be an ocean. She disappeared into it, and for a fleeting moment, he wondered if she'd ever come back up. He'd been tempted more than once to do just that in Toluca Lake during his ordeal. It would've given him some measure of control about the end of his life.

But he forgot all about that when she rose out of the water again, sheets draining off her shining hair. He couldn't think about anything bad at all, then. And she wanted him to join her- that seemed to snap him out of his daze. He quickly kicked his shoes and socks off and waded in to meet her.

"It is cold," he said rather uselessly as he sloshed his way through. "...it feels good in the sun. The sand...it was pretty hot." When he reached her, he put his hands on her shoulders and stared at her. She was sparkling, radiant. He didn't know how he deserved someone so wonderful to take care of him. Without saying another word, he leaned down (slowly, so she could pull away if she wanted), intent on kissing her gently.

This was it. The precipice. The edge of the cliff. The part of the story where you could follow destiny and go where it took you, accepting your fate and leaving the cliff alone. Or, you could let go. You could fall, gliding down towards the ground, letting the wind take over, pulling you into a million other stories and scenarios. She could pull away. She could keep going as she had always gone, alone, lonely, with only her rage, anger, and monsters to keep her company. If she did, wouldn't that please Xulchibara? Isn't that what He wanted? She could do all of those things, but she didn't. Instead, she closed her eyes and let two tears mix in with the salt water from the ocean.

This was something she had only dreamed about and never hoped to have. Why would anyone want or love her? She was a monster, burnt and ugly. She could never fall in love and have those affections returned. She could never be married or have children. And yet, here was Henry. He was frightened of her, yes, but drawn to her all the same. And here he was....giving her another taste of heaven. Something she thought she would never have again.

She reached up, trembling, to lay a wet hand on his cheek and timidly kissed him back. There were so many emotions tumbling through her, but she was touched, and happiness, pure blissful happiness had pushed all pain and fear away from her. It was their moment, their right to be happy, to savor it.

...This is happiness. This is hope. This is the light in my mother's eyes, the love behind Valerie's smile. This is paradise.

Paradise. Yes, that was it.

His mind chides him, telling him it couldn't really be like that. He couldn't really be happy in this place, after everything he'd been through. It wouldn't last.

It was wonderful, all the same. He pushed his worries aside and leaned into her, deepening the kiss. His fingers curled around her shoulders. He thought that maybe they could hold onto this one shining moment. Maybe it could keep them going for awhile.

It seemed to last forever, but inexperience to human contact - especially this kind - made it hard for Alessa to breathe, so she pulled away slightly, but not too far away; she didn't want him to think that he had done anything wrong. If anything, he had given her the greatest gift she could have been given.

'....thank you,' she whispered, meaning it. She wondered where they would go from here; if it would all turn out to mean nothing. Xulchibara knew this City was hell in its own right, and happiness was a fleeting thing, even for those that found it. She didn't know - couldn't possibly imagine - that this feeling might come back again. How would this affect them? Could there possibly be any hope or was it all just some cruel farce, and they would both become victims in the end?

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Log; Ongoing

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