Log:Despair: Confusion Sets In

Hope Must Die 2015/05/22 Despair Paragon 10

834 Bayside Drive has been more quiet than usual, for which the neighbors are grateful. With Paragon spending most of her time out on patrol or at Porter's place, there's been less reasons for villains to stop by and blow her house up, or punch a hole through it, or heroes in distress falling from planes and landing on her roof. Y'know, the usual for Paragon.

Tonight, Paragon lands with a light thud on the grass lawn out at the front of her house. It's quieter than the concrete at least. It's been a long patrol and she needs to pick up a change of clothes and some other things. As she walks up to the door, the security system automatically recognizes her and unlocks and opens the door as she steps up to it, the lights in the foyer and living room coming on as she enters.

It is a couple of minutes when Porter arrives as well. "Hello Sweetie." he says, "What's cooking tonight?" the protocols all recognize him as Porter..but the permenant frown across hsi face says it all.

"Oh! Hey Sweetie! I didn't think about cooking here tonight. But I suppose I could make your fav--" Paragon's cheerfully echoing voice stops as she turns around to greet Porter and sees the frown. Her expression behind the faceplate falls from one of joy into one of uncertainty. She forgets that Porter, her Porter, begged her to run if she thought she saw Despair. "You..." she starts off accusingly, but she doesn't know where to even start. Accusing that he's behind the attack on her at Yutaka's probably? That he's taken things too far? That she doesn't want to hurt him? But she's going to have to?

PorterII puts a hand up. "I'm not here to kill you, I need you. I want to show you something..if you will allow. You don't even need your armor." he pauses and smiles an evil dangerous smile, "You know I could kill you even with your armor...so please...indulge me."

"W...what do you mean you need me?" Paragon is extremely surprised and confused. And despite being naive, she's not completely dumb. She maintains some suspicion. "I'll keep my armor on, since it's all the same to you." Her stance remains defensive, with fists clenched and half-raised.

PorterII nods, "Up to you, but please..have a seat. I'll get us something to drink." he says not even seemingly worried about her, he heads confidently into the kitchen and pours a glass of wine for himself, and her, before walking over and handing her a glass. "Comfortable?"

Paragon watches him carefully as he pours a drink, making sure he doesn't spike her glass with anything. She accepts the glass, but doesn't even retract her helm. "You don't drink," she notes the changes between this Porter and her one. But...there is a bit of an age difference. This Porter is of legal drinking age, or should be. The confidence is new, too. "I'm comfortable standing, thanks." Her tone is polite, cool, and cautious.

PorterII shrugs, "I'm sure you'll find a seat soon enough.." he pulls a data chip out and says, "Computer, allow access for data chip holo retreival." The computer acknowledges, and Porter puts the chip in the computer port. instantly the holo comes on and its video from the house.

"What do you mean by that?" Paragon asks suspiciously. As the holo vid coms up, Paragon's attention turns to the projected screen. Her eyes expand slightly as she realizes where the video is shot from.

The holo plays, it shows a flustered Third, taking care of a crying Kysmette. Kysmette is still an infant. "Oh what is wrong honey?" says third, as she tries to sooth the unsoothable child. "Why are you crying?" Third seems on the verge of tears of frustration herself..

Paragon watches the video silently, surprised to be watching a frustrated version of herself. She's usually a very patient individual. Maybe not infinite, but more patient than most people. She feels knot in her stomach as she wonders why Despair is showing her this.

The holo continues, "Oh sweetie, you've been crying for 2 hours.." she puts Kyssie in her crib, "I haven't been able to patrol for 2 days, and there was a murder in Harrisburg last night.." she says to herself..or perhaps to Kyssie. "Whats wrong with you?!" she says frustrated again, she slams her fist down on the baby drawers, and it breaks under her massive strength..

Paragon flinches behind her helm, and the glowing eyes turn into lines in correspondence. "Why...why would I get angry like that?" She doesn't, she can't, understand.

In the Holo, Paragon clinches her fist..."I'm failing...crime is rising and I can't be there because I'm here. I can't help the people because I'm here watching you." she says to Kyssie. "Where is Porter!? I'm tired of watching his child.." she starts to cry..."Life was so much better before you came along. I thought it would be sweet..bring us together to be your mommy, but I don't want this any more.." she says

"No!" Paragon shouts at the video. "I would never say that...I would never be tired of taking care of our daughter," she insists in spite of the evidence.

The holo continues. "I love you, but I hate this life you made for us. You were a mistake..you're not even Porter's daughter." says the Paragon in the holovid...

Kyssie in the video cries even harder, which causes Third to cry harder, "I wish you had never come into our lives!" she drops to her knees weeping.

Paragon shakes her helm in vehement disbelief. "I would never say that!" she insists with some frustration of her own. "That can't be me. I love Kyssie...she IS our daughter. It doesn't matter if she's not biologically ours. And I would never say these things."

PorterII shrugs, "But you will. Eventually. People will die on your watch. People you promised to protect. Normal people who did not stand a chance because you were at home playing mommy."

"I would never..." Paragon holds on to that belief. "Because people have already died on my watch. And it hasn't affected my love for our family. It only makes me want to stay and protect you more." Rather than drink from the wine that wouldn't really affect her anyway, she delicately sets it down on the coffee table. Her heavy armored form handling a delicate wine glass without any damage is a stark contrast to the frustrated Third in the video who just punched through a baby drawer in frustration and a loss of control over her strength.

PorterII chuckles, a bitter angry chuckle, "I would never, I will never, I will always..so many absolutes that you use, and all lies Third...all Lies."

The holovid continues, and Third remains on the floor weeping, paralyzed..."Porter..." she says between tears and breaths she doesn't need to take.

PorterII turns to Paragon and takes a sip of the wine, "I used to wonder why you would have taken the chances you did with Kyssie that night, but this video told me everything I needed to know.."

Paragon's head turns to Despair in shock. Well, the shock is hidden behind the faceplate. And then her eyes narrow. "It's not a lie. This," she motions to the holovid. "This has to be a lie. That can't be me. I wouldn't risk a child's life because I was frustrated that others were dying, let alone my own daughter." But she doesn't have the words to explain this video's existence.

PorterII looks directly at Paragon, "You wanted Kyssie dead, you thought with her gone, we could have our lives back.."

"No!" Paragon's hands clench into fists, but she doesn't lash out like 'she' did in the video. She's more prepared for Despair to attack her. "I don't want our daughter dead. I would protect her with my life," she states firmly. "I'm happy with the three of us together. I don't think anything could ever change that."

PorterII shrugs again as he sips his wine, finishing his glass. "Are you sure you don't want yours? I'm happy to take it." he says, "I fell into the bottle after Kyssie died..another gift from you." he says with bitter tones. "Want to know what you told me..that you did not consider yourself a good mother. I thought it was just your normal need for perfection from yourself, but as I watched the videos, it was apparent that you were not a good mother...and that all of my kind words to you were just wasted."

Now those words hurt. Paragon feels a tickling sensation along her cheeks and realizes they're tears. "You...need help. No more alcohol for you," her voice is strained from the constricting of her throat. "I have never treated Kyssie like that. And I know from whatever alternate future you're from, you don't believe me, but I never would. I want to be the best mother to her. The best Partner to you. And you obviously need help." It's just like Paragon to not be able to give up on someone who's tried to kill her on more than a few occasions.

PorterII points at the Holovid, "Continue to watch..its coming up...and yes Third...I remember all of your compassion. The light in the Darkness..a Paragon of hope." and as the holo plays, Third stands..pillow in hand and she walks to the crib her arms shaking, as she starts to lower the pillow towards Kyssie's still crying form..

Paragon's eyes dim and she looks to the video. Innocent minded Paragon just watches in confusion, not understanding her counterpart's actions. "What...what am I, she...what is she doing...?"

Third puts the pillow over Kyssies head, and says almost fervently, "Stop crying...please just stop crying.." the crying gets muffled, but after only a few seconds, Third raises it and screams into it falling again to the floor sobbing into the pillow..

PorterII throws the glass against the wall, picking up the other glass. "You make me sick with all the lies..all the deceit..."

The sound of shattering glass snaps her attention to Despair. "Porter...I'm not that person in the video." She points off to the side towards the video. "I would never even -try- something like that. Especially not after only two days of being left with Kysmette while you were elsewhere. This is crazy." Which is what she feels like watching thsi bizarre alternate her acting nothing like her. "This -has- to be some alternate version of me. Or you came back to the wrong past. Because the Third in that video is nothing like me."

PorterII snarls, "They are all you! You kill her in every timeline! You are evil. You are malfeasance, You are Despair!"

And in a single moment, Porter's form melts away, and Thirds form is left.

Paragon blinks and stares in confusion and shock. "I...wait...what? -How-!?" She can't grasp this quite yet. "That can't be...why would I pretend to be Porter? And how? I don't know magic! I don't have his doohickey! Why would I do any of this?"

ThirdII pulls a gun out, "Don't you see why I'm here? I'm here so you never do that again." she says to you, "Do you know..that this is the only timeline that Kyssie has not died yet? Its the only one where I might fulfill my destiny..to stop me..from you."

Despair made a miscalculation. Or rather, the other Third did. Because Paragon has no compulsions against hitting herself. "That can't be. I can't fathom ANY future where I would do anything to Kyssie. Or where I'd do what you're doing. Or where Porter wouldn't stop you from any of that!" She knows Porter told her to run from Despair. So seeing the gun, she tries to leap over the coffee table at Third to knock it out of her hand.

Paragon's hand swipes at the gun to try and slap it away on her way to the door, but Third's reaction is to fast and she jerks it out of the way of Paragon's swipe.

ThirdII watches as Paragon's clumsy swipe strikes out at the gun..and misses. "I can't fathom any reality where you do not kill Kyssie. Who do you think sent me here..." and she levels the gun at herself. Fires, and in a scream of agony, disappears in a cloud of darkness..

Paragon stares as her other self appears to kill herself for no reason after implying that Porter sent her to the past to destroy herself. But then...why would she shoot herself? Paragon's left with way more questions than answers as she rubs the back of her helm.