[handwritten] [backdated to april 14th]

[pianistofraielin]

[so Russel kind of threw his phone off a 38th story balcony yesterday because he's an idiot.]

Something happened to my phone and I'm pretty sure my parents are going to kill me if I ask them for money to replace it.

Does anyone have a spare lying around from their last upgrade or anything...?


[also Precure villa roommates definitely could've seen him tossing the phone; open to action tags for that.]

Comments

[action]

[lackinginfaith]

And why did you "lose" your phone out our window?

[pianistofraielin]

[now he has to answer to Kari too?! no why this!!]

Because I panicked, okay?!

[lackinginfaith]

Love problems?

[pianistofraielin]

[the disgusted face he makes at that suggestion is totally priceless]

More like crazy Echo problems that I didn't want to talk about!

[lackinginfaith]

Good. With you kids, it's always love problems. Nice to see some variety.

So?

[pianistofraielin]

['nice to see some variety.' MEMORIES OF YOUR PARENTS' BRUTAL MURDER IS NOT THE KIND OF VARIETY HE APPRECIATES KARII.]

...S...o....what?

[lackinginfaith]

*sigh* The clear thing is that you have something to deal with. That and your apparent idea that not wanting to talk means tossing the thing you're talking on. Thirty-eight floors down.

At least throw a watermelon.

[pianistofraielin]

I TOLD YOU, I PANICKED! It seemed like a good idea at the time!

[lackinginfaith]

Calm down.

This might be worse than the romance drama.

[pianistofraielin]

Sorry... [deep breaths, Russel.]

I just...I freaked out because he was getting really intense. I kind of lied to him about an Echo he triggered for me a few weeks ago and I...I really, really don't want to tell him the truth.

I couldn't do that to someone.

[lackinginfaith]

It's a hard one, huh?

[pianistofraielin]

Yeah...

[he sits down on the nearest couch, runs a hand through his hair]

Don't tell anyone, okay?

But he...his past self, he hurt a lot of people. And some of them were really important to me. To Raiel, I mean.

[even when he does opt to talk about it, he tones it down to make it sound a lot less serious than it really is because he doesn't want to worry anyone.]

And I'm a little worried, honestly. What if he echoes back something that makes him do it again?

[lackinginfaith]

*Kari nods and sits down.*

So a friend of yours was dangerous in the other life. Not like you'd be the first. Look at Jasmine. That said...

*She looks over.*

It's valid. What you're concerned about, I mean. If you need to keep an eye on him, do that. But... heh, if you kids kept getting on me to not try and do everything myself, you shouldn't have to, either.

Same with believing in your friends, at least a little. That's what you hero kids say, isn't it?

[pianistofraielin]

[right, Jasmine. he doesn't think to ask Kari whether she believes Jasmine might go evil on them like her past self, because he doesn't even consider that a possibility. he does believe in his friends.]

[the problem is: Emil's not a friend. He's a douchebag who happens to have shared experiences. Russel doesn't trust him because he hardly even knows him.]

[but it clicks when he realizes that. he straightens, smacking a fist down into his palm]

You're right, Kari! Love is the most powerful force in the world--believing in your friends is a part of that.

So obviously I need to become his friend so I can believe in him!

[lackinginfaith]

...I'm becoming a bad influence, aren't I?

[pianistofraielin]

No way! That's the best advice I've ever gotten, you're a great influence!

[lackinginfaith]

*Pats him on the shoulder.* Good luck, kid.

[pianistofraielin]

Thanks! [thumbs up]

[you are a bro, Kari. now he just needs to figure out how to actually befriend Emil...]