November 10, 2022

"Luna do you wanna go talk to Lock? I think something might be wrong." Cole says

"Huh? Uhhhh sure? Why do you think somethings wrong?" Luna asks.

"Cause Lock has been isolating herself for several days? And that's concerning?" Cole replies

"I mean fair. Also her hatchet and hoodie’s on the ground." Luna gets up and stretches, then heads over to the funny door.

Cole follows. They walk over to the hallway and knock on the funny door. "Go away" Lock grumbles.

"Can we help you with something though? We're getting worried Lock." Luna calls to her.

Cole is standing behind Luna with a slight smile. Luna is focusing on the whole area. Something doesn't feel right to her. Lock doesnt answer.

Luna turns around, "Cole, shall we head in there?"

Cole thinks for a second "...fuck it, why not?" He shrugs.

Luna opens the door and enters Lock's funny room. They walk into what looks like a poster child’s bedroom with a closet. A white curtained window lights the room and plastic glow in the dark stars line the ceiling and walls with a fanta can craft plane hanging on a string overhead. Theres a bed with a star covered blanket. Lock is sitting by the bed with her arms folded and a grumpy face.

"Oh hey Lock. What's going on?" There is a look of concern on Luna’s face.

Lock grumbles "I don't have to explain anything"

Cole folds his arms and stays behind luna

"You're right Lock, you really don't. But I'd like to try and help with your problems ya know? It's part of being risen. But ultimately, it's up to you. Can't force it." Luna has a soft and sweet voice and she releases the concerned look, as if trying to reduce her guard.

"Part of being a risen..." Lock mumbles before looking over at her "Do you know how many times I've heard that?"

"At least 400 times, if not more?" Luna sighs and looks to the ground. "Honestly, I have no idea what our mission is as risen. I'm just always wanting to help people in my own way. It's less being part of the risen, or marked, or those behind the screen, or whatever other role name. It's just... who I am."

"You got that from a movie monologue?"

Luna grumbles. "No Lock." She turns to Cole standing behind her. "I don't know what to say." And back to Lock. "I just want to help. That's it. That's why I came here from my home world to fight in this war."

Cole folds his hands and stares at Lock, he is seconds away from saying something stupid.

"But I can only help those who seek it. It's fully up to you Lock."

"As complelling the argument 'I want to help' is that's gonna be a no."

"..."

Cole adjusts his jacket with a wide smile. "So, Lock I have a coping technique that might help."

Luna takes a deep breath and just watches in silence.

"Let me guess...breathin- yeah… That" Lock gestures at Luna

"It helps me a lot. Keeps me calm." She retorts.

"No, no," Cole starts to say the word murder.

"Just spit it out Cole." Luna facepalms.

"Murder, have you tried murder?" Cole suggests

Lock's ear flicks and she looks mad "Oh yeah? Try murder? You suggest that to someone who killed their own boyfriend and is now STUCK HERE with a bunch of freaks. Things are always happening and I have no way to process anything happening cuz its all so different. I'm on the fucking edge and you cunt have the damn nerve to suggest the very thing that locked me away in this hell hole!" Lock snarls.

"......I don't who you’re calling a freak but I sincerely hope it's not me, and murder can be hunting wild animals, it doesn't have to be humans or whatever." Cole's eyes flicker pink then back to hazel as he glares at Lock.

"At least she's getting it out?" Luna tilts her head.

"YEAH I'm calling you the cunt- I don't care if it's animals, its still a reminder of what happened and how I can never go back-" Locks eyes water as she grits her teeth. The hatchet appears above her has it drops on her head. She then grabs it and in a fit of rage thrusts the hatchet into the wall as she stands. "STOP REAPPERING YOU FUCKING- ARRGGH" Lock makes angry grabby hands.

Cole's eyes glow pink as he closes his eyes, "well this had the intended output."

"Indeed. At least you got it all out finally Lock." She says.

"What? What's not intended? Me having any fucking feelings???" Lock snaps at Cole

Cole's eyes snap open as he glares at lock "WELL FOR ONE IT WASN'T INTENDED THAT YOU WOULD SAY THAT I'M A FREAK CONSIDERING YOU’RE JUST LIKE ME"

"I think she was calling all of us freaks." Luna corrects.

"I'M NOTHING LIKE YOU AND I NEVER WILL BE" Lock's fur raises

"Whoa whoa whoa hang on, let's calm the fuck down please???" Luna asks trying to mediate.

"THAT'S FUCKING RICH FROM SOMEONE WITH A FULL METAL ARM! I STILL HAVE BONE AND FLESH IN BOTH OF MY ARMS!" Cole's fists clench.

Lock squints at him "You're not my dad and you never will be. Not like you'd ever be sane enough to understand me anyways."

"That's fucking cold as hell Lock. Gods damn." Luna glares at Lock.

"You know what's crazy! You think I want your hyperactive ass hovering around me all the time?! NO AND I NEVER DID!" There's a faint static crackle from Cole's finger tips as small arcs dance across his fingers.

"I'm not like that anymore! I've changed unlike you" Lock smirks

Cole's body is covered with arcs in seconds as he glares at Lock, "OH YOU THINK THIS IS FUNNY?"

"PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF THE GODS CAN YOU BOTH FUCKING STOP!!!!!!!!!" Luna's voice booms. "Cole, we need to leave."

Lock folds her arms with a glare.

"We're out of here before someone gets murdered tonight." Luna opens the door and holds it open for Cole. "please, after you."

"i hope you short circuit in your sleep." Cole grumbles as he leaves. Luna gasps.

"...I am so sorry Lock." Luna leaves.

Lock slams the door behind them.

Luna walks out with a grumble. "What the fuck was that about???"

Cole steps out as he looks over at Luna, "what the yelling or me getting upset over being called a freak?"

"Everything. Not just those two. I'm not blaming you nor Lock, but it's clear that you two have some shit to work out." Luna is just stating the obvious once more. "You have the right to be upset, and Lock has the right to be upset about feeling fish out of water from living here and dealing with our chaos." Luna takes a deep breath.

"....I have nothing to work out." Cole turns and starts walking to the living room as the arcs fade away.

"You just said 'I hope you short circuit in your sleep' to your adopted daughter. If that's nothing to work out, then I'm fucking stupid. Whatever, I need a breather." Luna disappears and goes to the roof.

Isaac is snoring in the living room. The hoodie is still on the floor. Cole walks in and glances over at it, groaning "fucking idiot forgot her jacket, her loss." Cole huffs as he plops down next to Isaac.

Isaac snorts as he looks around "hushghgsjk?"

"Morning Isaac." Cole's eyes flicker several times before swapping back to hazel.

Isaac looks over at Cole and tilts his head some "You good?"

"Lock called me a freak, and I may have gotten upset and told her that I hope she short circuits." Cole grumbles as he crosses his arms.

"You what?"

"I said what I said." Cole breathes slightly heavily as he stares at the floor.

"Yeah well you may never be able to take that back. You know that right?" Isaac warns.

"And she can never take back what she said, so I said something I can never take back" Cole grumbles.

"And how are you going to fix this?"

Cole shrugs.

"How did she react to what you said?"

"She slammed the door after Luna and I left the room."

"I'm making a bet right now that she regrets everything she said and is crying alone right now."

"....why would she? She didn't fuckin care when she called me a freak" Cole grumbles as he looks at the floor

"Becuase she's somewhere she's never been before and is scared. I'm sure you've been there before"

"......” Cole goes quiet.

Isaac nods "Yup...and did anyone come back and say they were sorry for anything they said? Let alone to see if you were ok?"

Cole stays quiet

"Would you have wanted that?"

Cole nods slightly

Isaac folds his arms "I'd suggest you go when you're ready. Before you regret that too"

Cole nods again as he sniffles. Isaac pats Cole’s back and stays quiet. Dren has been watching while eating.

Cole sniffles again as a single tear drips from his face "I should have kept my mouth shuuuuut!"

"I agree but there's no changing that now" Isaac nods.

"I'm an idiot" Cole sniffles and curls into a ball.

"Yeah but you’re also an idiot who's still learning."

Cole starts crying

"Fuck." Isaac shakes his shoulder "Hey look at me man"

Cole sniffles as he looks at Isaac while crying.

"Go fix it while you still can and I'll be right here ready for you to come back"

"Really?" Cole sniffles as he wipes the tears from his face

"Yeah"

Cole smiles slightly as he stands up and walks to the hallway. He cracks the door open and sees a tuft of Lock's tail sticking out from under the bed and hears sniffling sounds. "Hey Lock? I know I can't take back what I said, but I just wanna say that I'm sorry, and I know that doesn't fix anything. I know I can't just make what i said disappear." He sighs and walks over to Lock’s bed.

The hatchet is still hanging in the wall as Lock's sniffles get quiet.

"All I'm asking is that you apologize too, and we can move on from this." Cole tears up slightly but quickly wipes them away as he kneels in front of the bed.

There's a long pause before Lock crawls out and sits huging her knees. Her eyes look a bit sore "You didn't mean it?"

Cole shakes his head as his eyes fill with tears and he chokes on his words slightly “no, i never meant it if you died, then I don't know what I would do."

Lock gets up and hugs Cole "I'm sorry." She has the softest small bear hug in the world because of her fur.

Cole tears up more as he barely gets out, "I wish I never said what I said." Cole hugs her back.

Lock pulls away from the hug and quickly looks down. She goes to put her hands in her pockets out of nervousness. On realizing she isnt wearing her hoodie, she fumbles some unsure what to do with her hands before folding her arms. "I uh- I was just yelling things in the moment."

Cole nods as he stays kneeling and glances at the floor as he folds his hands. "As was I, I...I snapped on you and I shouldn't have."

"Thank you"

Cole nods. "Not a problem, Lock." He stands up and sniffles. “Do you mind if uhm I go out to the living room?”

"Go ahead"

Cole nods and briskly walks out of the room.

Luna returns to the couch as Cole walks back into the living room. Without missing a beat, he starts sobbing as he plops down next to Isaac and curls into a ball. Isaac puts an arm around him.

Luna looks over, "what's wrong Cole?"

Cole sniffles as he sobs "Lock hugged meeeee"

"Aww, I'm guessing you two made up then?" She smiles warmly.

Cole nods and sniffles, "mhmmmm."

Luna nods and relaxes. "Thank goodness. I'm sorry for yelling at you earlier by the way."

"It's fine. I snapped and deserved it a little." Cole's sobbing slows to a cry.

"I still don't like yelling though. At least things are calming down finally." Luna says.

Isaac is keeping an arm around Cole still

"God...it's so different crying without Andrew making it worse." Cole mumbles as he uncurls and sniffles

"Is it easier?" Isaac asks.

"....good question" Cole mumbles as he stops crying and wipes the tears from his face.

"At least Max and Jermy are chill. Current Max I mean obviously." Luna adds.

Cole nods as he sits up, "yeah, they are really supportive....sometimes too supportive." He chuckles lightly. Isaac smiles some. Luna is just silently typing away various notes.

Cole motions for Isaac to lean in to him, "come here, come here I have something to whisper to you."

"hm? What?" Isaac leans in

Luna doesn't even try to listen in. Let lying secrets stay secret or whatever. "Should I give you guys some privacy?" She asks feeling a little uncomfortable.

Cole whispers to Isaac "Luna is a fuckin nerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrd."

Isaac snickers. Luna didn't hear that, but if she did, she'd probably grumble and call Cole a bitch.

Cole whispers again but slightly louder, “and Luna's really supportive and amazing but gets no recognition for her work."

Isaac nods

Luna just rolls her eyes and sighs. "Thanks. I appreciate it." Even though she didn't hear the first part, something tells her it's backhandy. Just perhaps too specific of a compliment.

Cole shrugs and leans away from Isaac as he speaks at a normal volume "just trying to be nicer, I guess."

"I appreciate it, genuinely. Often feels like I'm not liked ya know?" Luna sighs, "I just want to help. Wasn't really allowed that privilege at home."

Cole nods and smiles "well just know that someone likes you and appreciates your help."

"Same here" Isaac nods

Luna feels a couple tears drop, but she quickly dries them. She does not allow others to see her cry.
"Thanks. Anyway, I'm gonna get some rest. Today was tough. See ya." Luna disappears.

Cole leans on Isaac, "I'm so sleepppyy....." He falls asleep instantly.

Isaac half hugs him and listens to music on his mp4.