Pierce -
I watched as Jake sped off to find a cave, sighing. I didn't quite know why, but Jake's acting was truly getting to me. It annoyed me that he had to act in order to find our eclectic group likable.
It annoyed me more that when I had first arrived, I had been the exact same. Everything had been for the one goal: Find and stay with Maki. No exceptions. The rest of the group...what had they been to me?
I looked down at my feet. Nothing. They had been nothing to me. Perhaps obstacles, even. I hadn't cared about any of them at all...and all that changed that was Maki.
Maki--the one who is always so sweet. Maki, the one's who's smile and caring nature is infectious. Maki, was my motive. Maki, was the one who made me care about the group, even if it's just the one's I'm getting to know.
But...where does that leave Jake? His motives were unknown to me. He wasn't in it for Harmony. He was in it for something else...so would he ever get anything other than what he wants the most? Would he ever start to care? Nothing really ties him to us, not really...
I shook my head, sighing. I'd have to talk to him. I would connect to him...but, only because, if Maki hadn't been there, connecting me to the others...
Suddenly, the back of my shirt was grabbed, and I was being tugged away to a quieter, more secluded place. I turned around to see Ice looking around quietly, then relaxing a bit and settling into a sitting position, looking at me for a long moment, his eyes worrying me.
"Ice, What's this about?" I asked, confused and a little worried.
"Pierce...I have a confession, I'm not sure I believe in Harmony. I mean, it sounds great, but, can there really be a place like that for us...?" Ice looked out at the rest of the group, his eyes surprisingly clouded for their usually clear, amazingly light blue.
My eyebrows raised, but my expression was soft, "There's nothing wrong with that." I blurted out, "Hey, don't worry. I don't really believe in it, either. I mean...I've seen too much darkness, ya know? I've just...I've lived in it, I've dwelled on it...I just cant believe that, somehow, there's a place where we'll all be accepted...where there's a place for all of us." I looked down.
"Yeah..." Ice looked back over at me, "It's like that everywhere, I guess...It feels like there's no place for you, at all, and there's no hope..." Ice sighed, "But..I wish it were possible. I want everyone to just be safe. I want to be able to protect everyone I care about...and if Harmony means they'll be happy, then I wish it existed." Ice closed his eyes.
I sighed, looking over at Ice, "Yeah...I know. If it would make Maki happy...and if it would leave her at peace...then, I'd do anything to make that fairytale real." I looked down, "But, I can't. So, I just have to hope it's real..." I looked back up at Ice, then sighed again, "But, it's never going to be so simple, is it?" I asked wearily.
Ice began to shrug, but then shook his head. "No, I get the feeling it wont. But, we can't do much else."
And once again Ice and I came to a mutually morbid understanding of the world, and, for a moment, I wished with everything I was that maybe, just maybe, there was a Harmony out there...
I sighed and got up, stretching and yawning.
Ice looked up at me, "Going to find Jake?" he guessed quietly.
I nodded, "Yeah, I have to." I answered solemnly.
Ice assessed me with his large, intelligent eyes, "Why?" he insisted.
I sighed and looked down, "I don't want him to end up all alone here, especially since I don't know how long he'll be with out group...I don't want that kind of...darkness to get into his soul..." I looked at Ice, "I've lived like that, with the resentment of the world on my shoulders, and resenting everything around me...Not knowing if Maki was dead, or alive, or if she ever existed to begin with. It's a terrible type of insanity, to be alone without purpose, and I don't want that to get into anyone. Not now, or ever. I doubt he's that vulnerable, but...I can at least try to get him to lighten up." I sighed, "You can come along, if you like. You don't have to, but you always can." I smiled a bit, then walked off
