Atlas
Eterna Forest
(The enraged snarl returns, albeit somewhat more subdued.)
Rembrandt: <And lemme guess - you idolise him, right? You think that toxic pseudo-religious bigotry he vomits up is the meaning of fucking life, don't you?>
Tastes better on the way back down.
Eterna Forest
-Cassie bristles, somewhat defensively-
Cassie: <Well, it's my religion. And he's my father.>
Another green world.
Atlas
Eterna Forest
Rembrandt: <...lemme ask you something. Did "Father" ever tell you about me?>
Tastes better on the way back down.
Eterna Forest
-Cassie thinks for a moment-
<I believe so, yes. He...>
-long pause-
<Preferred not to talk about you. I'm sure he wouldn't be as civil as I am now.>
Another green world.
Atlas
Eterna Forest
Rembrandt: <I'll bet he didn't. You'd have been the nice, servile child he always wanted to have - after all, his biological kids all betrayed him... even if they never meant to.>
(There's a sadness behind the cold glare by now.)
Tastes better on the way back down.
Eterna Forest
-Cassie's ears twitch indignantly-
<Are you saying I have no agency? If I didn't love Father, I would have left. In fact, I have left.>
-her eyes go melancholic as well-
<He's...unwell.>
Another green world.
Atlas
Eterna Forest
(Rembrandt snorts.)
Rembrandt: <Good.>
Tastes better on the way back down.
Eterna Forest
Cassie: <I thought you'd say that. But it's still true. I don't even know where he is right now.>
-she sighs-
Another green world.
Atlas
Eterna Forest
Rembrandt: <Even better.>
Tastes better on the way back down.
Eterna Forest
-Cassie, for a brief moment, looks somewhat hurt, before recovering and shooting back-
<And what have you been doing? You certainly didn't look happy when I first saw you.>
Another green world.
Atlas
Eterna Forest
Rembrandt: <Having a trainer who genuinely cares for me, meeting new peoplemons who appreciate me for what I am... you know. The things Dad never gave me.>
Tastes better on the way back down.
Eterna Forest
Cassie: <I see. And where's that trainer?>
Another green world.
Atlas
Eterna Forest
Rembrandt: <None of your business. You'd probably just start preaching at him.>
Tastes better on the way back down.
Eterna Forest
-Cassie shakes her head-
<No. Humans can't understand us, remember?>
-she mutters something under her breath, before speaking up again-
<I've always wanted to get around that, but it seems I can't.>
Another green world.
Atlas
Eterna Forest
Rembrandt: <I'd assumed you would be crazy enough to try.>
(He's looking a lot less angry by now. What he does look, to some degree, is confused.)
<...y'know, come to think of it, you're being a lot more reasonable than I'd expect from someone who idolises my dad.>
Tastes better on the way back down.
Eterna Forest
-Cassie thinks this prospect over-
Cassie: <I was taught everything I know by my father. I stand proudly by those teachings, and I wouldn't revoke them for the world.>
-she frowns-
<But he's not well. I know, you don't think that's anything new, but he was different before. He was virtuous and steady. Now, he's...>
-she thinks for the right word, and decides that a word wouldn't suffice-
<It's as though he wants to live forever and die immediately. It's feral.>
Another green world.
Atlas
Eterna Forest
Rembrandt: <So he went even more insane than he already was. Big deal.>
(Every mention of his father is still tinged with a note of pure hatred, even as he gets slightly less terse with Cassie.)
Tastes better on the way back down.
Eterna Forest
Cassie: <I'm explaining why I'm not screaming at you right now. I'm like my father in a lot of ways, but I know that staying alive to spread Yveltal's word is a lot better than getting mange and picking the flesh off of frozen Sentret corpses.>
Another green world.
Atlas
Eterna Forest
(Rembrandt growls.)
Rembrandt: <Don't you dare imply he deserves anything better! Whatever torture that fucker's going through right now, he earned every moment of it!>
Tastes better on the way back down.
Eterna Forest
-Cassie looks confused-
<I don't think I implied anything. I'm just explaining why I'm here speaking calmly to you and why he is not.>
Another green world.
Atlas
Eterna Forest
Rembrandt: <...>
(He seems quite lost for words by now, though his expression is still angry enough to look downright wrong when combined with his fey Sylveon facial features.)
Tastes better on the way back down.
Eterna Forest
-Cassie stares back at Rembrandt, then sighs-
<Is there anything else you'd like to say? Or should I go on my way?>
Another green world.
Atlas
Eterna Forest
Rembrandt: <You should just go.>
Tastes better on the way back down.
Eterna Forest
Cassie: <Very well. Goodbye, brother.>
-she walks off into the forest, and is gone-
Another green world.
Eterna Forest
Cassie: <I mean that, some time after you last saw Father, he took me in as his own.>
Another green world.