tushanshu | oo2 ; [ video ]

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oo2 ; [ video ]

[It has almost been a month, and already Eponine looks far better than she had when she made her first appearance on the Network. Gone are her bloody rags, replaced by clothing that, while perhaps not her preferred style, actually fit her small frame and kept her covered. There's a light in her eyes that hasn't been there before.]

I had been wandering about the other night, keeping to myself- an old habit that I cannot drop, I do love to venture out at night, to see what there is, to experience a world that no one else sees because they are asleep- and I had a thought.

I have been here near a month. A month since I could feel my life leave my body. Such a long time! But already- already here I have been happier than I can recall in nine years! Only one other time can eclipse this!

Here, I have a home, clothing, a bed. There is food and I am warm. I have my beautiful brother- and mark me, I shall not leave him again, I have promised him and I will not go back on this promise. Not again- and I have friends.

I do not suppose I have ever had a true friend until I came here.

Death is by far one of the more grand things that has ever happened to me! To think-- no. I shall tell you, if you are listening, that I am happy here. Happier than I have ever deserved!

[She pauses for a moment, looking off to the side of the screen, and frowning.] Perhaps Enjolras is right. It is stupid to do these things so late at night. Forgive me. I have made a fool of myself yet again.

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It is...unusual perhaps to feel that way, but not so unheard of as all of that.

[Enjolras,as always, is around for late night video postings to the network, and is usually watching it, as he has...not much else to do at times and cannot bother Combeferre for every moment, so he's seen his share of them, and honestly? This is less of something that would make a fool of anyone than what he posted not long ago, he thinks, a small half smile crossing his face.]

Death has given me a few things I needed as well. I cannot say this is the best thing that has happened to me, and there is much about it that I dislike greatly but... I will not deny there have been benefits.

You were there, Enjolras. From what I've told you, you could easily imagine the sort of life I lived in Paris. Is it no wonder that death is better? I had wanted it for so long, but always stopped. I could not do something so drastic. And how ironic it would be! If my last act in this world had been to commit a crime!

I had always wanted something else to be the cause. But on my terms.

And now, here? [She beams.] I am happy. Free of my family save Gavroche, of poverty and hunger.

What would you say then, is the best thing to happen to you? Would it be your Etienne? Or perhaps your friends at the cafe?

The best thing to happen to me...There have been many good ones, I suppose, that I was too preoccupied to realize at the time. But after the Trois Glorieuses, I think, when we knew that our bid for revolution had been lost.

We were in the cafe, gathered, and we vowed that we would see France rise again. Knowing that we were bound together, bound to continue even in the face of such a blow, that they were going to stay for it.

Perhaps that I think. Not so much the vow but the confirmation of our bond to one another. It was significant at least. I can say as much.

Trois Glorieuses?

I must have been dead by then. How...I should not ask, but I must. How did it end? I should know if I am to be friends with you. I do not know if you saw me... But I am morbidly curious as to what happened. I am sure you understand.

Did you really all vow to stay? All of you?

Ah, but I speak of 1830, in July. When at least the people sent one king running, even if his replacement, our great pear, I've heard them call Louis-Phillipe, and the art of him suggests such...

[Enjolras smirks a little at that mention. It may be useless and pointless as a joke, and he is hardly Bahorel or Bossuet, with their senses of timing for such things, but even do, it still amuses him.]\

So I speak of after that one failed and we banded together, but in the two years after..

Well, our barricade fell. It came about that Grantaire, the drunk, who kept company with us proved that he was something more. When it seemed I was to be the last to fall, he came from out of nowhere, asking to be shot with me. He found his love for the cause late, but I did not fall alone, and am grateful for that, though I know my comfort in the face of the republic did not matter.

So, we fell, though Marius did not, he says, and our fight was left to be continued by those who would come later. Which I am told they did. Republic at last. It makea the dying worth it, to have learned that it did come. But yes, we all stayed then as well.

Edited 2013-09-22 02:06 (UTC)

Forgive my ignorance.

[But, hey, the great pear, she can get that, smirking at him.] You do not need to temper your words in front of me, Enjolras. I am used to the bawdy.

[She leans forward at his words, listening and nodding.] I am... I am glad you were not alone. It would be a terrible thing. If Marius had not found me- [She laughs bitterly, a certain gleam in her eyes.] -if he had not found me in the dirt, I would have been just another body for you to pile up.

Perhaps I was.

Oh there is none needed. You must have been a good deal younger then too, and really. From what you have said...it does not sound as though you would have had much to gain from paying closer attention to the outcomes.

As far as bawdy though? I do not have much to temper, truly. I suppose I rarely pay attention to that sort of thing.

[Can one hide in their hair? he suddenly wants to, at the discussion of that.]

It would indeed, I think. And you were among our honored dead, though we did not know your name then. You would hardly be just a body.

I was fifteen then, yes. No, I did not care for such things. It meant nothing to me. Even more so, my father was a proud Bonapartist. [Sorry, Enjolras.]

Very well. Just keep it in mind. I may be a lady, but I do not act as one.

[Technically, yeah.]

I was? [She smiles faintly.] Thank you, Enjolras. I... [his words catch up with her, and her smile falters, her eyes losing some of their shine.] Did Marius not tell you my name?

Bonapartist?

[That does get a little laugh out of Enjolras actually.]

Marius came to us a Bonapartist of all things and still an ardent admirer of Napoleon. I cannot say I share those views of his, but they are not your own, so I will spare you the rant, I think.

Of course. You are much more...perhaps the soldier...than the lady. Well, no harm in that. If I should think of anything like that, I promise I shall not hold back with you, can that suffice?

You were. [His nod is grave again.] you died for the republic too, whatever your initial reasons coming might have been. That did deserve the honor we did the others.

He may have, at the time. I am quite sure he must have somewhere along the way.

[He HOPES Marius did at least. If he did not and she had died there, well, that would be fairly awful.]

There was so much chaos arising there. It is hard to keep track of everything, you see.

Thank you, m'sieur. My opinions hardly matter, even now that we are dead. My father praised him, as it was through Waterloo that he made his money. Claimed he was a soldier there... When I was a child I believed him! Now I know the truth, he only looted the bodies. He saved the life of a Sergent there, giving us the name of our inn. [She missed the inn.]

Me? A soldier? Perhaps I will take it. I know not what I am, other than myself. I appreciate it. I do not wish people to be dainty around me. I am unaccustomed to it.

[Marius is clearly the greatest person. Oh look Eponine is dead, but hey, letter, so I'm going to go read it while covered in Eponine's blood, nbd.] I understand. He would have. He is a kind man like that. He gave me such hope.

That WOULD make a Bonapartist, I presume. As good a means as any for the Corscian, I suppose.

[Enjolras's tiny eyedart there should indicate the joke he's making in the moment.]

As much as any of us were in the end, I should think. And no, I will not be dainty. You bled and died with us, which is certainly good enough to make you an equal. Class makes no difference, so why should your gender?

[Not that he's prone to off color jokes or anything, but you know, if he was? He'd totally take note of this and make sure to tell them all to her. He's made a promise just now, after all.

Go Marius. Seriously. And preferably away for the moment. Not forever, but the moment. Thinking of you too much gives one a headache.]

Did he then? I am glad of that.

[She gives a small chuckle. Even if it wasn't a joke, she wouldn't mind.]

If only all men were like you. Though I fear the world would be a strange place if that were the case.

[Marius Pontmercy: greatest friend ever. Greatest person ever. Just purely great. The best. What a dork.]

He did. He paid my family's rent, once. Lived next door to us. He was a saint.

I think there may be far less of anyone in the world then.

[ his tone is a little wry there, as he thinks on that consequence.]

As to Marius? Did he really? I've been learning here there is more to him than I thought. Perhaps I have been wrong to dismiss him so easily as I do.

Perhaps.

[She looks at him incredulously.] He did! Do you think I lie to you, m'sieur? No, he did that out of the kindness of his heart. He did not even know us as anything other than the Jondrettes, his neighbors. [He knew she was a Thenardier now, she was sure. And given that she'd been arrested? He had to know.]

No, do not dismiss him. His head may be lost, but his heart is right where it should be.

I do not think you lie at all. Merely...it is something I never knew of him.

[And it makes Enjolras feel almost worse that he's actually gone ahead and basically encouraged Marius to do risky, possibly very harmful things, and simply thought he was an idiot who would do them. He nods as Eponine tells the story, his expression becoming thoughtful.]

So it is. Marius is...confused I think, sometimes, but that is not so bad a thing in the face of all else. And after his actions at our barricade...were you there yet, when he threatened to blow us all sky high so the guard would back off?

Those are not the actions of someone who is entirely foolish or careless, no.

He is a brave man. Brave and foolish, but so many are.

[She tries to think back to that moment, and nods.] I... I was. I saw it all. From... From down below. [Her voice is quiet, her gaze averted. He'd done that after saving Courfeyrac and Gavroche, from what she could see. Only able to do it because of her actions.

Her selfish actions because she did not wish to live without him, even for a second.]

I think that can be applied to many men that I have known quite well, yes.

It was good to have him at the barricade with us, in the end. He was certainly our salvation at some of the most important moments. I fear that I may not have shown him that appreciation for that here. I need to speak to him again.

I believe you should. I would like my friends to become closer. [And Enjolras could put in a good word for her.]

He held me as I died, and listened to me. I care for him greatly, but you have surmised as such.

Then I shall try, at any rate. I cannot think that he would mind.

[This may have worked better when Marius thought they all died, actually.]

A true sign, right there. Grantaire of all people held MY hand, so I do understand that now.

I am sure he does not!

Grantaire, Enjolras? I do not know him.

Grantaire was one of les amis, but not exactly so. He did not quite share all of our ideala, but kept our secrets, and heard our ideas, and then, he chose to die as one of us, when the squad came to shoot me.

It would be wrong to think he did that for me, and not for the republic, but we were together, so...I do know what that is like.

Oh. I understand. [Something like her. Except... She had known none of them except Marius and briefly Courfeyrac before she had come to the barricades.]

It is a noble thing he did.

It was...surprising, I suppose is the best way to put it. I was comforted though. And yes, noble. Certainly that. I owe him a good deal.

Perhaps he, too, will arrive here, and you can tell him that. Just as I should tell Marius how much his actions mean to me.

I do not even know if he realizes.

He was here, for a time. I only recall arriving shortly before he left, though there is EVIDENCE that I was there before. Grantaire disappeared though, and well, better for him if he is dead there. Being here was awful for him as I understand it. I think he would prefer it too, not suffering.

And yes, if I learned anything at the barricades, and from waking here and Grantaire's leaving us...do not leave those things aside for a moment. You will have cause to regret that, most likely.

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