The Girls of Virtue

[07] Expressing the Wounds Within

The plan progresses. Beginning doesn't hear much of it-- she must simply be too low on the pecking order-- but she catches whispers and the tail ends of conversations here and there. Judgement's plan to invade the world of humans hasn't slowed a bit. Apparently, the only thing still stopping them is the need for Judgement to accumulate enough power to open a gate between the worlds that will last, not fade away after a few minutes.

It's a worrying prospect. Beginning still remembers very clearly what the world of humans looked like, all glittering lights and a spectrum of color. Those beings, humans, aren't they alive too? For all she shouldn't become invested, Beginning can't stomach the thought of slaughtering them.

But there are problems within the fog-covered world too. The other girls are getting antsy. The anticipation of reaching into the world of humans only grows, leaving behind a tense atmosphere settled thicker than the fog.

One of them, in particular, is a problem.

Avoidance. The one who, according to the hushed conversations Beginning has picked up from Jealousy, has been acting out in ways so stupid that it's making Hysteria look intelligent. Beginning catches one interaction in particular between Jealousy and Avoidance herself... in which Jealousy makes it very clear that Judgement is deeply considering cutting out Avoidance's tongue just to teach her to quit mouthing off.

Beginning is not a fan of that concept. As much as she dislikes the girls, that's just cruel. The sensible part of her insists that she should stay out of it, that she should worry about herself first and people like Avoidance later. The part of her that has a conscience thinks that she should at least try to do something before the group is down one annoying loudmouth.

In the end, it's the better part of her that wins. Feeling already like she's going to regret ever getting herself involved, Beginning convinces herself to keep an eye out for Avoidance just in case.

It doesn't take long to find her. Everyone is wandering more, restlessly patrolling the town. Avoidance is no different, it seems.

"Um, excuse me," Beginning starts when she catches Avoidance perched on a rooftop, swinging her legs like a child. "Could I talk to you, please? I can come up there so you don't have to jump down or anything."

"What should I talk to you for? You're probably just here to annoy me! You want to make me do things, don't you? You just want to make me miserable?" Avoidance spits a series of rapid-fire questions, fast enough that Beginning's head spins. "You can come up here all you want, but I have no interest in entertaining the whims of some stupid, silly little girl."

Beginning sighs. As much as she wants to leave this alone, she's here for a reason. Against her better judgment, she hops up onto the roof, delight shining through that the motion is continually getting easier for her.

Again against her better thinking, she moves herself to sit down next to Avoidance, ignoring how the other girl must be eyelessly glaring.

"So," Beginning starts, "I'm here to talk to you. You like talking, right? You seemed happy to rant to me the last time we met, I thought."

"Of course I did! But then you went and ran away from me, so now I hate you! You're a horrid, stupid girl who just wants to make me miserable. So I don't want to talk to you anymore. You can go stuff whatever words you want to say to me down your throat and keep them there."

"Alright, then how about this. You listen to the one thing I have to say, then I'll listen to you for as long as you want. I won't leave again, I promise. I..." Beginning considers if she really can make herself say it. She feels stupid without even getting the words out. "I know better now, so I won't do something like that again. You don't have to worry about that."