Re: Chapter 3: The Summoning
It had seemed like everything had been coming in to place as they all talked about how they were going to approach the situation and she felt something in the air after Nanami had spoken. It was tension. A tension that she was all too familiar with. She had looked from her friend and back to Sigmund when he let go of her hand. She noticed the way his eyes narrowed at her and she had that gut feeling that something was about to happen. Words were about to be said and it caused her to take a step forward. "Sigmund, please. Let's not-" she began to say but was left unsaid when she heard him ask if she had anything to say because she seemed frustrated, she stopped in place and looked over at Nanami. This was just great. She thought that they were through with this. That they were moving forward. She didn't understand. This was a critical point in their mission and yet here they were at at the beginning where all of this started. "You guys. This isn't the time for this. We have to get out of here or else we'll-" But again, her words seemed to be proven worthless as Nanami began to speak. She knew Nanami had the best of intentions when it came to wanting to help Sigmund and to protect him, but when she really thought about it, maybe her and Nanami had been holding him back. Not intentionally, of cour-...well, maybe intentionally, too. They both had wanted to protect him yet in his own way, he always made it clear that he didn't need them to protect him. They had pushed themselves on him even when they didn't know it and for her...she had been doing it since she was a kid. Sigmund had always been strong on his own. He didn't need protection, but she felt that overwhelming sense to do it because she wanted to be strong for him. Not just physically, but emotionally, too. Nori knew sometimes it was hard for him to take all the bullying back when they were kids and sometimes, it made him so frustrated so she tried to be there for him by sharing a lunch with him that she helped her mom make or if she dragged him along to go help her and her parents at their street market. Anything to get his mind off of things. All she had ever wanted to do was see him smile, but now...
...now she looked at Sigmund and things weren't like they used to be. They were grown up now. They weren't children. He was a human being with feelings and there were times when he did keep things to himself, but there were other times when he felt the need to say what was on his mind because if he didn't, he would explode. Now seemed to be one of those times and it couldn't have come at a worse time. However, sometimes...when Nanami felt justified in her actions, she did things that weren't always the best for everyone. To make hasty decisions even when she had the best of intentions. Her heart was in the right place, but did she ever foresee the consequences of what those actions may cause her in the future? Nori folded her arms loosely across her stomach and looked off to the side as she heard Sigmund start to vent his frustrations on Nanami. So many of those old issues were brought up again. Issues that she had thought they had all come to an understanding about. Sigmund wasn't completely unjustified. He had a right to be angry. Nanami did have the tendency to take it upon herself to try and take care of other people even when it's not needed or wanted. Especially when it came to Sigmund. The deal she made with his mother. The states that he got into whenever Kotatsu had come around and she tried to fix to help him. It wasn't just her that had held him back. Nori knew she did, too. They had each made certain choices, but not once had she ever wanted to control his life. To control his destiny or hold him back from doing what he had to do. She knew he would do it anyway regardless, but that was his right. This was his life. Not theirs. Unconsciously, whether she knew it or not, Nanami had stripped him of certain choices and rights that he should have been given but weren't.
After Sigmund got out what he needed to say and walked away, Nori lightly sighed and closed her eyes briefly. "I know, Nanami. I know none of this was your intent," she said before she turned her head and opened her eyes to look at her friend. "But he's not wrong, either. You have to understand where he is coming from, too. He's angry with you because you have made choices for him. Rights that should have been his and you took those things away from him." She turned herself towards her friend. "I know you want what's best for him, but it's not your place or mine to decide that. He needs to do that on his own. This is his life. Not ours. We have to respect that and we have to respect what he wants because we are his friends. I'm sure it angers him that all of these things that he wishes to bury and move on from are brought up again and again and he's just tired of it. Do you understand? All of this has to be let go." Nori lowered her eyes softly at her friend. "At this point, he's not going to trust you because of those choices you took upon yourself to make for him. You knew of that woman being his mother and you kept that from him when it was his right to know. You hold him back sometimes even when you aren't aware of it and it needs to stop, okay? Or else that friendship you two have is going to be gone forever. It's never too late to forgive and forget things. Trust me. Since the beginning he has been in a team with a person that killed his brother who wasn't even aware of it. Yet he chose to forgive me over time even though it was hard on him. He is...he is a lot stronger than you and I put together physically, emotionally, and mentally," she added before she walked over to Nanami and stopped in front of her, bringing a hand up and placing it on her shoulder. "He needs time, Nanami, and you need to give that to him or else you're risking something precious that I know you hold close to you. You are a good person and he knows that. I see how you two bonded. You bonded with him in a way that I haven't in a very long time and I know he cherishes that. But he needs you to give him space. Let's finish this mission and get home. Talk it out with him then, okay? It's not too late."
After giving Nanami one last smile, she let her hand fall away from her shoulder and turned around to walk away in the direction that she saw him leave in. Once she found him through the harshness of the blizzard, Nori crept up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist in an affectionate manner. "I know you are angry right now and you have every right to be," she began to say near his ear. "You both said what you needed to say and it's over with, Sigmund. You weren't wrong and I think she understands that. This is your life. You are in control. But...she does care for you and she wanted to help you, but in doing so, she did take away your rights to make decisions for yourself. I know it's going to take time for you to forgive her, but please...I'm asking you to not walk away from this friendship you have with her. I know she means something to you or else you wouldn't feel the way you are feeling right now." Nori let her chin drop to rest on top of Sigmund's shoulder. "I know it is in you to forgive her just like you have forgiven me. It doesn't have to be today. It doesn't have to be tomorrow, but don't give up on her. Don't let her mistakes ruin what you two have together."
This message was last edited by the player at 05:16, Sun 29 Oct 2017.