[ athena. athena can be selfish and childish, but deep down, she's absolutely selfless. she'd honestly put her life on the line for somebody else's, if it's to make sure somebody else doesn't get hurt. that's just how she is. nevermind the fact that reibot didn't even do anything to athena but keep her secluded and not allow her to contact anybody for two days. she was still suffering then, worrying over rei and her friends. what if their robots turn against them, too? what then? it wasn't the worst two days of her life, but she definitely could have had better.

her crying subsides a little, but the tears continue to fall. she can't stop even if she wants to. she just can't help but cry because she can't even make the person whom she loves happy. he's supposed to be happy now that she's back. that's the expected reaction, and yet, she can't hear a clear sound coming from his chest. it's just not right. and it's all her fault. ]

Stupid!

[ him, not her, obviously. she bangs her fist on his chest once as she cries it out.

"you can't do everything, merlin". she wants to say it so badly - it was what she wanted to say earlier, too, but it's too hurtful to say out loud. even just thinking it hurts her already. and she's already crying. she doesn't need more pain right now. ]

Then that's not your fault, but mine. Or the robots', or CERES'!

[ she lets go of him this time and looks at him, eyes still filled with tears, though the look on her face is more angry than sad. ]

Everybody fails, you know. I couldn't protect someone I cared about the first time, but that's why you have to keep trying. Just because something happened once doesn't mean you can't do anything about it anymore!