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[ A beat. ]

Hooded Justice said something similar.

[ Nelson goes a little red. ]

D-don't twist my words around, Gilbert. Hooded Justice goes much farther than I-- I'm not saying he's always right.

[ Gil lets out an exasperated sigh. ]

I guess it doesn't matter anymore. I haven't seen him since and that man he attacked was taken into custody.

I hope he's all right.

[ Which "he" could he mean!! He steps back slightly, glancing away. ]

Thank you for letting me know, I-- [ Swallowing. ] Should probably try to find him myself. Before he hurts anyone else too badly.

You shouldn't. [ It may be cruel to say, but he says it. Nelson is going to get hurt eventually -- he can feel it in his bones. ] He's lashing out and might even hurt you.

Edited 2013-07-18 11:30 (UTC)

[ Nelson wrinkles his nose. ]

I can take it. It isn't as if I've never been punched before. You don't understand, Gilbert -- if I give up on him he's got no one else.

He's causing enough trouble on his own. You shouldn't let him drag you down into that. I know he's... important to you, but... he's acting even stranger than usual.

If something's wrong-- wouldn't you want to know, if it were your friend? The last time something like this happened I didn't step up when I... [ He hesitates. ] I can't let him down, don't you understand?

[ He mulls over it.

Of course if it were him he wouldn't think twice about it. He doesn't think about himself, he just does whatever he needs to for his friends and allies. Him and Nelson are alike in that manner and it's eerie. ]

... What will you do?

[ His lip reddens as he bites it harder, mulling himself. ]

I don't know. Talk to him before he does something drastic. I think he only ever hurts ev-- anyone because he doesn't know what else to do.

I think he knew exactly what he was doing. [ He says more to himself than Nelson. ]

He thinks it's up to him to fix the entire world because he's been fighting his entire life.

[ Nelson doesn't know for sure. But he has plenty of reason to at least assume. ]

He's got no concept of proper boundaries.

He can't carry on like that in this world.

That's why I can't abandon him now. [ Even though Hooded Justice abandoned him first. ] ...If I can find him, and if he'll even listen. If I can't, then... w-well, at least I tried.

[ He realizes something else. ]

The Deputy Mayor doesn't know, does he?

About... which part? [ It's a little embarrassing. ] I haven't spoken to him much this week, if I could avoid it. If he knew what you just told me I'd be surprised.

It's better to keep it that way. Doesn't he have it out for vigilante types now? [ He sighs. ]

Yes. I haven't told him anything, he'd only make me feel worse. O-only Lil knows, besides you.

[ As far as he knows. ]

Lil...

[ He blinks, surprised all of a sudden. ]

The woman with that strange accent?

Oh. Yes, that's her. [ He blinks as well, matching Gil's surprise. ] Do you two know each other?

We spoke recently, that's all. I hadn't realized... so that's who she was talking about.

What do you mean? [ He frowns. ] She was talking about Hooded Justice? Or--

[ Him?? ]

She seemed frustrated with men in general...

Oh. Right. She gets like that, she's a little hot-tempered. [ Sighing. ] I hope she doesn't do anything rash, I hardly want anyone else getting hurt trying to confront him.

[ He gently rubs at his nose at the thought. ]

He's difficult to predict at the moment, I'd say.

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