School House Rumbles 3: Act 3. Warriors and Liberators.

[Sub-Zero MKA]

He nodded, and with a nod to the others led her to a vacant area of the house. He kicked around for a minute before looking at her.

"We haven't talked much since we got back to earth... is there something wrong?"

She looks at him with a curious expression. In truth, she had not noticed anything different, other than they had been arguing more lately. She just chalks that up to them being stressed, from both the overarching situation, and their own personal problems.

But, she supposes they have not had the chance to just talk, if that is what he really wants.

"Other than out own personal problems, no."

[Cthulhu_of_R'yleh]

She looks at him with a curious expression. In truth, she had not noticed anything different, other than they had been arguing more lately. She just chalks that up to them being stressed, from both the overarching situation, and their own personal problems.

But, she supposes they have not had the chance to just talk, if that is what he really wants.

"Other than out own personal problems, no."

Own personal problems.

Personal problems or not, it shouldn't cause them to argue as much as they had in recent days. At least, it shouldn't have made him become the kind of person who wanted to... not with Max.

"You're not... unhappy with me?"

[Yun Lao]

With a swipe of her hand, Rivia broke the circle and released the Barrier, "Are you ok Rose?"

"Thanks." Sloane nodded once to Cas despite the pain.

He turned back to Rose, resting his left hand on her shoulder.

"Feelin' better?"

The broken remains of the sword she still held had turned white at this point.

"Yeah...although it feels like someone decided to crash a gravity barge on me." She replied with a smile. "Thank you all for your help. Although I don't really know what went on out here, hopefully none of you weren't hurt."

[Eternal Torment]

The broken remains of the sword she still held had turned white at this point.

"Yeah...although it feels like someone decided to crash a gravity barge on me." She replied with a smile. "Thank you all for your help. Although I don't really know what went on out here, hopefully none of you weren't hurt."

Sloane looked down at his bleeding body, then back at Rose.

"... can't say no to you."

That white blade of hers was kinda calming, actually. Purified of its darkness, it was now something much more suitable for her to use.

"Lunarius gone for good?"

[Yun Lao]

Sloane looked down at his bleeding body, then back at Rose.

"... can't say no to you."

That white blade of hers was kinda calming, actually. Purified of its darkness, it was now something much more suitable for her to use.

"Lunarius gone for good?"

"Yeah...for me at least."

[Eternal Torment]

"Yeah...for me at least."

Sloane sighed, trying not to put any weight on his injured right arm as he leaned back.

"Guess that's as good as we'll get. Unless you got an idea."

[WickedElphaba]

Skye goes back to Cammy and says "There was some weird stuff going on. I think Rose was possessed or something." She shrugs.

[Sub-Zero MKA]

Own personal problems.

Personal problems or not, it shouldn't cause them to argue as much as they had in recent days. At least, it shouldn't have made him become the kind of person who wanted to... not with Max.

"You're not... unhappy with me?"

She doesn't answer right away.

Not because she doesn't know the answer. Oh yes, she knows the answer.

It is the fact that she does, and how quickly and easily she came to it that makes her not want to say anything.

She doesn't like being upset with the people she loves. She doesn't like arguing with her loved ones.

But he was being so bloody stubborn! How could he stop her from helping him deal with these Old Gods? And why would he want to? He claims that he doesn't want her to get hurt, and she believes him. But time and again, she has proven herself more than capable of handling herself. And yet, when it comes to him, he all of a sudden can't see that.

Bollocks. Bloody bollocks is all this is.

But, that is not what makes her unhappy.

It's that he isn't the same Casimir that she said yes to marrying. He's changed, for the better, and for the worst.

She doesn't like this change. She doesn't like that he can turn into a monster. She doesn't like calling him that, but that is basically what he is when he...changes.

Maybe she is being selfish. Okay, she is being selfish, and a little hypocritical. He likes her change. And he probably would, no matter how badly she changes. He still sees her as the same Maxana she was when he fell in love with her.

She hates herself for this.

She sighs through her nose. It's been an excruciatingly silent minute since he asked her the question. "I am unhappy with myself," she finally says.

[Cthulhu_of_R'yleh]

She doesn't answer right away.

Not because she doesn't know the answer. Oh yes, she knows the answer.

It is the fact that she does, and how quickly and easily she came to it that makes her not want to say anything.

She doesn't like being upset with the people she loves. She doesn't like arguing with her loved ones.

But he was being so bloody stubborn! How could he stop her from helping him deal with these Old Gods? And why would he want to? He claims that he doesn't want her to get hurt, and she believes him. But time and again, she has proven herself more than capable of handling herself. And yet, when it comes to him, he all of a sudden can't see that.

Bollocks. Bloody bollocks is all this is.

But, that is not what makes her unhappy.

It's that he isn't the same Casimir that she said yes to marrying. He's changed, for the better, and for the worst.

She doesn't like this change. She doesn't like that he can turn into a monster. She doesn't like calling him that, but that is basically what he is when he...changes.

Maybe she is being selfish. Okay, she is being selfish, and a little hypocritical. He likes her change. And he probably would, no matter how badly she changes. He still sees her as the same Maxana she was when he fell in love with her.

She hates herself for this.

She sighs through her nose. It's been an excruciatingly silent minute since he asked her the question. "I am unhappy with myself," she finally says.

Too long. That's all he can think.

Her hesitating to answer the question meant she didn't know. Or worse; she knew and was trying to avoid answering it directly. But when she finally replied, she did so with the latter... causing his heart to drop into his stomach.

She wasn't happy anymore. Not with him.

But could he blame her?

He avoided eye contact for the longest time, opting to stare at his feet as he attempted to get control over the way he was feeling. He didn't do as well as he'd hoped.

"I.. uhm..." he began shakily, "what do... do you.. want to do?"

[Sub-Zero MKA]

Too long. That's all he can think.

Her hesitating to answer the question meant she didn't know. Or worse; she knew and was trying to avoid answering it directly. But when she finally replied, she did so with the latter... causing his heart to drop into his stomach.

She wasn't happy anymore. Not with him.

But could he blame her?

He avoided eye contact for the longest time, opting to stare at his feet as he attempted to get control over the way he was feeling. He didn't do as well as he'd hoped.

"I.. uhm..." he began shakily, "what do... do you.. want to do?"

He feels that it is him making her unhappy. She know it, and her heart sinks.

Her eyebrows furrow into a deep, disappointed frown. Not at him, but herself. "I want to stop being so selfish," she states simply.

[Cthulhu_of_R'yleh]

He feels that it is him making her unhappy. She know it, and her heart sinks.

Her eyebrows furrow into a deep, disappointed frown. Not at him, but herself. "I want to stop being so selfish," she states simply.

She looked disappointed... Which did nothing to help his feelings. It didn't matter who she was disappointed with, the fact that she was, with him, with herself... with the relationship was enough.

"... I'm not sure how you are..." Was all he could think to say.

[Eternal Torment]

Sloane wiped his mouth again.

"Rosemary... Lunarius told me about your feelings."

From happiness to sadness in a single sentence. Rose was his most vulnerable point.

[Sub-Zero MKA]

She looked disappointed... Which did nothing to help his feelings. It didn't matter who she was disappointed with, the fact that she was, with him, with herself... with the relationship was enough.

"... I'm not sure how you are..." Was all he could think to say.

"I cannot accept...do not want to accept the fact that you have changed. I keep wanting you to change back to the way you were, that I've been loving you for who you were, and refusing to love you for who you are, like a proper soon-to-be wife should.

"I am not disappointed, nor am I unhappy with you. I don't think I ever could be the latter, no matter what you do. I love you too much to ever be upset with you. But me, I am utterly and completely disgusted with what I feel, and I need to stop."

Stopping, as resolute as she is, will be easier said than done. But she is determined to do it, for his sake. The last thing he needs to think that she doesn't love him anymore. The thought turns her stomach inside out and upside-down.

She shakes her head. "Stop thinking I am upset with you, because I am not."

[Cthulhu_of_R'yleh]

"I cannot accept...do not want to accept the fact that you have changed. I keep wanting you to change back to the way you were, that I've been loving you for who you were, and refusing to love you for who you are, like a proper soon-to-be wife should.

"I am not disappointed, nor am I unhappy with you. I don't think I ever could be the latter, no matter what you do. I love you too much to ever be upset with you. But me, I am utterly and completely disgusted with what I feel, and I need to stop."

Stopping, as resolute as she is, will be easier said than done. But she is determined to do it, for his sake. The last thing he needs to think that she doesn't love him anymore. The thought turns her stomach inside out and upside-down.

She shakes her head. "Stop thinking I am upset with you, because I am not."

He struggled with what she was saying.

She was feeling like she shouldn't be upset at his change.. What was she supposed to be? Glad and accepting? But she also said something that eased his feelings slightly;

She still loved him.

But not as he was now, and that was a problem, wasn't it. He knew that she'd always struggled with being selfish. The thought wasn't a mean on, merely a fact... It was how she'd been raised.

He didn't expect her to change that for him. How would that be fair?

"What you're feeling isn't... wrong.." He muttered. "I can't ask you to change yourself for me."

[Sub-Zero MKA]

He struggled with what she was saying.

She was feeling like she shouldn't be upset at his change.. What was she supposed to be? Glad and accepting? But she also said something that eased his feelings slightly;

She still loved him.

But not as he was now, and that was a problem, wasn't it. He knew that she'd always struggled with being selfish. The thought wasn't a mean on, merely a fact... It was how she'd been raised.

He didn't expect her to change that for him. How would that be fair?

"What you're feeling isn't... wrong.." He muttered. "I can't ask you to change yourself for me."

"It is wrong to be selfish...about things like this. I know you don't want me to change, but I want to change. I can't spend the rest of my life living in the past anymore. If you and I are to have a meaningful future together, I have to learn to live in the present, and that means fully coming to terms with who...and what you are."

He isn't going to stop her, no matter what he thinks.

She walks over to him and looks up at him, and small smile on her face. "And don't you dare try and argue, either."