IT'S A BABY-BONANZA!

[paradisamods]

Good morning, residents! Did you sleep well? You're going to need all the energy you can muster because congratulations: You're parents! Again! The Paradisa Stork has paid some very lucky residents a visit last night, and even moved them to a more kid-friendly environment.

Some of you may already recognize your little bundle of joy and--my, how they've grown! Others will have to get acquainted with their little rugrats. You may not know them, but they certainly know you. By they way? They're bored. And hungry! And they want all the attention you could possibly give them.

It's going to be a long week.

(ooc: Use this as a catch-all post! This will be the only mass post for the Sunny Skies Retreat, so you may use it for any day that you'd like. Feel free to make your own posts and/or sections whenever you'd like!

SECTIONS: BEDROOMS | PLAY ROOM | PETTING ZOO | POOL | GARDENS | THE CASTLE)

Comments

[youfallback]

Laura and Jack. [Carolina speaks calmly with a slight nod of her head.] She's seven, he's three.

[And they were the only real potential proof of life after the Project that isn't miserable.]

[i_got_this]

You, uh. [She didn't see them here,] They with York?

[She can't help the slight tone of accusation slip in. Once again, South was alone. Even when North was here he wasn't here. The castle once again left her without a partner. She envied Carolina and York, not knowing things were as bad as they were.]

[youfallback]

[Carolina's gaze sharpens at the mention of York, unable to hold in the heat.]

They're with York. [Because of course the Castle had shoved them together once again when things had gone to hell in a handbasket.] I'm not.

[Both in the physical and metaphorical sense.]

[i_got_this]

[South's eyebrows raise at that. Uh oh, trouble in paradise?]

[It almost makes her smile, but she's too bitter to seem at all happy, even about that.]

So ... does that mean he's available?

[Not that she would go after him, but there's a part of her that just wants to hurt the people she perceived hurt her, and while she hadn't had the biggest beef with Carolina when she went home, she still felt betrayed to believe she could actually change anything.]

[youfallback]

[It does hurt to hear. It hurts more to imagine, though; York sharing intimate mornings in bed with South. Telling her how much he loved her. Date nights in nice dresses.

It's enough to make her see only red for a blinding second.]

Is riding coat-tails all you know how to do. [She sends a blazing glare South's direction.] North, me to get my AI and York, Wash to get Delta.

[Carolina snorts with a firm hate.] No wonder you only have the twins.

[i_got_this]

[Oh, right, because South is totally the type to stick around the morning after. Except not. The effect is desired, but the backlash unexpected, and she frowns. She struggles for a moment with her emotions, because she doesn't want to lash out in front of her twins, doesn't want them to feed off of her anger, but Carolina's words sting her like hot pokers.]

I'll take them over every other agent in the project. They won't abandon or ignore me.

--and what the hell do you mean, get your AI?

[She was farther along, but not by that much.]

Hope htis is alright! Please let me know if otherwise and I'll edit! c:

[youfallback]

[Carolina mentally slaps herself for saying that, but she doesn't regret getting angry. It was deserved, right? Her expression goes rigid and cold as she recalls finding the petition for her AI.]

You're a vulture. You pick any scraps you can from anyone who goes down. I was out for less than 24 hours and you were going for my AI.

Looks fine to me!

[i_got_this]

[South pulls one of her twins into her lap, getting cold instead of getting angry. Everyone had made her out to be the bad guy, but she'd seen now how they'd helped tip her on that path. She focuses on the tower and mutters to herself.]

Yeah, well. Maybe that was the only way.

[youfallback]

[Carolina just stares at her, unable to comprehend what just came out of her mouth. It takes less than a moment, though, to permanently cross South of the list of potential allies.]

You did change South, but not for the better.

[i_got_this]

I did what I had to.

[She didn't owe Carolina any explanations, and was now too numb for anger. She just held Piper closer, who squirmed around to hug her back before slipping out and going back to the tower. After a moment, South turned her gaze to Carolina.] Besides, you yourself just confirmed it doesn't matter what we do here, it all goes to shit anyway.

[youfallback]

[South's words are the exact ones Carolina had been thinking when she had taken South's possibility at an AI and it sparks some new guilt on her shoulders. But no, she can't have been responsible, right? ]

I never confirmed it. You're just telling yourself that to let yourself off easy.

[i_got_this]

You can't guilt-trip me, Carolina. I went back too. You didn't change either - you got worse.

[Payton takes a block and toddles over to offer it to Carolina. South stiffens, but she doesn't otherwise react. She glances up at the other woman.] Besides, why would I want Sigma anyway? He was creepy as fu--as all get out.

[youfallback]

[Carolina will never harm a child and she accepts the block with a small nod and half a smile.]

I'm not guilt-tripping you, you're the one letting yourself off the hook of any responsibility.

[As for Eta and Iota, she just. Won't talk about them. Ever.]

[i_got_this]

Don't think you know me at all.

[Her tone is soft, and she turns slightly, closing off from Carolina. Once the AIs started coming out and getting assigned, once CT defected, South felt herself pushed away and falling from the rest of them. They didn't know anything - none of them had even attempted. North was too busy with Theta, Carolina had her whole beef with Texas. She'd felt very much alone, back home, and it's made her doubt the others' motivations, here.]

[youfallback]

I tried and you gave up.

[Carolina can see, though, that she's not likely going to get anything productive out of this conversation, not that she had come looking for this conversation in the first place. Still, she came here to get some quiet, not to get attacked, so she'll go back to being quiet, turning her gaze away from South.]

[i_got_this]

[South tried to ignore her, but her Carolina's last words stuck in her and detonated like a grenade. Tried? When had she ever tried? They may have come to a civil understanding at one point but she never got the impression Carolina had tried. Certainly not for her sake.]

Just keep telling yourself lies, Carolina, I'm sure you'll start believing them soon enough.

[Piper's about given up on the tower, and crawls into South's lap. Payton's intent on building the next great skyscraper. South situates Piper, and encourage Payton.]

[youfallback]

I could say the same to you. [And is sort of saying it anyway in a roundabout way. She keeps her gaze settled on the wall, just as still as ever.]

[i_got_this]

I've stopped caring about your opinion.

[She'd put so much stock into it earlier, it was hard when Carolina had some back, and the trip home had further devastated her. Add to that her death and she's finding very little reason to trust anyone.]

[youfallback]

You've stopped caring about anyone but yourself. [Carolina snorts back with a roll of her eyes. That much had been clear since their first conversation after her own return.]

[i_got_this]

Gee, I wonder why that is.

[Carolina's return had been the breaking of the trip of the iceberg for South. Her own trip home had shattered it. She felt she had to look out for herself since no one else would.]

[youfallback]

I already said it's because you're phoning it in. If you don't have to try then you can't be at fault. [Another roll of her eyes.]

[i_got_this]

[South goes quiet. She'd been trying. No one had noticed, no one cared.]

You know, I'm surprised you noticed anything outside of your rivalry with Texas. How's that going, by the way?

[youfallback]

[Carolina remains completely still where she's staring at the wall.]

Better than your entire life.

[i_got_this]

[South's retreated to a dark, cold place at this point. The argument had dissolved into venemous viper-bites, and South felt it fuel the hate she'd brought back from Freelancer. She went over and stooped by the twins, quietly prying blocks from fingers and promising they'd come back tomorrow - sometime when the Evil Witch wasn't there. Piper, who was falling asleep, she gathered in her arm and propped against her hip, and Payton she took by the hand.]

You know, someone once told me I could change it, and I really wanted that to be true, but they lied; it's not possible. So say what you want to about my life, I don't care. Nothing will change it, nothing will ever change it, and I'll just have to wait until I go back for good in order to try and pick up the pieces.

[youfallback]

[Carolina has zero sympathy for South right now. The confrontation had been started by the other woman and she'd not pulled any punches either. She fought hard, Carolina fought back. She doesn't watch as South gathers her tots and doesn't let that last jab to unanswered either. South and York had both continually insisted she was lying about everything until she gave them the answer they wanted to hear and she's sick of it.]

I never lied to you. You're still exuding yourself from having to try or even care. You want the easy road like you always have. You and York both.

The only one responsible for messing up your life is you.