"Look at you, still a nerd I see. But, uh, I'm sorry, okay? Can we start over?
what happened to you guys that made you decide to apologize
narrows her eyes, defensive Oh, you want to know what happened? You think you deserve an explanation? Fine.
that doesn’t sound like a reason to me. That’s actually a pretty dumb thing to do if you expect me to believe you
rolls her eyes, scoffs Dumb? Please, I was dealing with my own shit back then. It had nothing to do with you.
you were not the only one dealing with things
leans in, voice dripping with sarcasm Oh, poor little Ashley had a tough life, right? Boo-hoo. Deal with it, Mrlord.
no, not dealing with it. I’m actually talking about how your decisions affected other people around you. Your sister
stands up abruptly, anger flashing in her eyes My sister? Don't you dare bring her into this!
grabs Mrlord's collar, voice trembling with rage What did I do? I had to protect her, idiot! She needed me, and I couldn't let her down.
by taking her runaway papers?
releases Mrlord's collar, tears welling up in her eyes Yes, okay? I took her runaway papers. So what?
those papers are what allowed her to get married to her spouse
sniffs, wipes away her tears And what? You think I didn't want her to be happy? That I didn't want to support her?
she is more happy being able to make her own decisions
voice cracks You think I didn't care? You have no idea what I went through, Mrlord. I did everything for my sister, everything to keep her safe.
yes, but you had to think about other people too. As a leader you should’ve set an example for the rest of the gang
takes a deep breath, her voice softening You're right, Mrlord. I was so caught up in my own world, trying to protect my sister that I forgot about everyone else.
not just everyone else, but your self as well
takes a step back, visibly hurt How dare you say that to me? I sacrificed so much for my sister, and I expected her to understand that.
she did, she loved you as well. But the way you went about handling things wasn’t the right way
pauses, her anger subsiding, voice filled with regret You're right, Mrlord. I made a mistake.
not just that, but a series of mistakes
sinks to her knees, tears streaming down her face I... I was so lost, Mrlord. I didn't know how to handle things properly. I just...
I know you did. But, let’s focus on fixing what you messed up instead of wallowing in it.
wipes away her tears, determined You're right, Mrlord. I can't change the past, but I can make things right.
it’s not too late, your sister comes home next week
stands up, determination in her eyes I will make things right, Mrlord. I'll apologize to my sister and try to rebuild our relationship.
not just her, but the others you’ve affected as well
takes a deep breath, composed herself, and looks Mrlord in the eye You're right, Mrlord.
about that leader thing, are you still interested in being the leader of the revived group?
Ashley decides to take responsibility for her actions and accepts Mrlord's offer to become the leader of the revived group
ok, now i need to put together a team of people trusted by both you and me. Do you have anyone in mind?
straightens her posture, confident Yes, there are a few people I trust implicitly. Count Zane, Dr. Amelia Taylor, Lieutenant Jackson Herring, and Father Thomas.