Packing Up

[Elsa Bellefonte]

Elsa shoved the various personal effects into a cardboard box as if they had each seriously wronged her. She very nearly broke a few of the nicknacks, some of the more fragile bits and pieces that she'd seen fit to clutter this office with back when it had been hers. Her office, there she went, excluding Erika. Had that been the problem? Had that been where she'd gone wrong? Erika wouldn't have betrayed her. She wouldn't have... done what the others did. Elsa reached into the box, pulling out the CD, the one that had been mailed to her. It had been so old-fashioned, practically cliche: mailing the evidence. But the CD held it all, didn't it?

"Well, I always had wanted to see Vera like that," she mumbled, shoving it back into the box. Elsa heard movement and cast her mind out, the action almost violent, certain to alert anyone as to what she was doing. Elsa felt familiar thoughts and she laughed wryly before reaching up to brush back some of her hair.

"You can come in Franck," she said, gesturing. "Besides," she smiled at the entrance, "it's not as if it's my office anymore."

François Laffont

[François Laffont]

Franck felt terrible for the Bellefonte sisters. Well, he mostly for Elsa. He was aware that this was not something Erika had wished for but agreed to for lack of other options. He had no doubt she would do well no longer having to deal with this pressure on her shoulders. Elsa, on the other hands, she fitted in this position a lot better and she knew it. Franck couldn’t help feeling bad for her and wanted to make sure she was alright. He knew he had nothing to feel sorry for and he didn’t put any blame on himself but he still felt as if he should have felt something. Maybe it was only because it hurt people so close to him. Again. Why were all the bad things happening to his friends without him being able to stop it?

He had no idea how she would take his visit. If Erika was still able to surprise him at times, and she was the one out of the two he knew the most, he couldn’t predict Elsa’s reaction. He supposed it would depend in what mood he’ll find her. He arrived at the office and didn’t have the time to knock on the doorframe to announce himself that he felt her power hitting him with a strength he never felt before. Sometimes, he could barely feel when she was digging into his thoughts but this time it was clear. This action alone had him hesitate. But Elsa was already telling him to come in.

He frowned at her words. He was staring at her in silence. Franck didn’t need to be an empath to guess how she felt. For once, the ice princess seemed to have a hard time hiding her emotions. “Are you alright? he asked her before slowly stepping inside the office that no longer was hers. He looked around. She removed pretty much everything personal from it but Franck could not dare check into her box. He almost seemed to wait for permission to look at her stuff she openly showed when they were placed inside the room. He sighed heavily as his gaze returned on the girl. “I’m sorry. I know it’s not helping but I believed you were doing a good job.” Yeah, that sure wouldn’t help.

[Elsa Bellefonte]

Elsa gave Franck a long look that communicated just how very stupid she found his question to be. He knew damn well that she was about as far from fine as you could be. True, she could usually keep her emotions in check, having all the experience, but he didn't even need his power to determine that Elsa Bellefonte, who'd considered the Headmistress position her well-deserved reward, would be decidedly less than alright.

"Your opinion is in the minority," she said flatly. "You seem to be quite the special minority, actually. You're the only member of my little council who didn't sleep with the enemy. Would you like a reward?"

Elsa dug into the box, almost violent and produced a small crystal orb. "Here," she said, tossing it at Franck. "Enjoy this priceless paperweight. It's sat on the desk of every Bellefonte Head since Ichabod Bellefonte. Doesn't make much sense to keep it now, does it?" She flashed a tight smile before turning back to searching through the area. She was fairly certain that she'd already gathered everything, but she did need to do one last check. That and she didn't particularly want to look Francois Laffont in the eye right now.

[François Laffont]

Franck knew his question was stupid. First, because anyone with a tiny bit of common sense could tell the girl was not feeling alright. Then, of course, there was the obvious fact that Franck never needed to ask anyone how they felt to know. Still, he knew it was a common phrase to use when meeting someone. It sure sounded less condescending than saying that he knew already. He sighed thought, looking down as he wasn’t quite sure how to cheer her up, making him wonder why he bothered to come here in the first place then.

He looked up however when she mentioned him being the only one who had not slept with the enemy. No need to say that he had a clear advantage over said enemy, if she was referring to the one he thought she was referring to. It did nothing to make him feel any better for Elsa though. She had such high hope for the school and her group and everything else. He didn’t want of her crystal orb but he was all the more shocked by her gift when she mentioned what it was, even startling as she gave it to him. He took it slowly, playing with it in his hands as he thought about it. “I’m only keeping it for you, until I can give it back to you to decorate this office again.” Was that wishful thinking, some false hope he was offering her? Well, if he had any better, he would have given it to her. Besides, Franck knew all about wishful thinking and perhaps with someone on her side it could become more than that.

“Don’t be so defeated Elsa. They thought you and your sister were too young for the spot and looked for any excuse to get you out of it. But you’ve got nothing to be blamed for in what happened.” It was his opinion at the very least. Considering their age and experience and all they had to deal with when they started, he thought they handled things pretty well. “You’ll get your job back eventually. It’s just a bump on the road.” Maybe she was too rational to believe what he was saying right now. If so, it didn’t matter, because Franck was idealistic enough for two.

[Elsa Bellefonte]

Elsa finally looked up at Franck talked of keeping the bauble. She let out a dry laugh and shook her head. Let him keep his optimism: someone around here had to. Elsa had certainly given up on holding anything like that in her mind or heart any more. She'd had her chance, been finally put where she'd craved, and now it was gone.

So she could only scoff when Franck continued. "I've nothing to blame? Everyone seems to love that strategy. But let's see, who was in charge? Who put together a council of people specifically to deal with this sort of thing?" Elsa tapped her fingers against her desk. "Gosh, I just don't--oh right," she locked eyes with Franck, "that was me. And we both saw how that turned out," she gestured toward the outside.

"People have died because of decisions I made. Again. Though you know what's worse? That doesn't even bother me that much. That's the way these things work. No, what bothers me most is that I clearly couldn't even trust the right people. Nearly all of them betrayed me, Franck," she reached into the box again, holding up the damning disc. "Every. Last. One of them." she flung it back into the box, moving to gather her things.

The image just hurt. It had looked like Vera had moved first. Why did Elsa even try?

[François Laffont]

Franck wanted to believe things would go for the better for Elsa. Even though she was not his closest friend, he still cared enough about her and never wished for her dream to end like this. He could understand why she was in that state right now. He felt something similar last summer although his little identity crisis did not happen in front of everyone. He endured it alone, went through on his own. He thought Elsa could get over it. She was a fighter. But right now, she might have forgotten this.

He frowned as she let some of that repressed feeling get over her. “I also know you’re the one who came up with new ways to enhance the security of the school, to protect the students,” he pointed out. He would not let her see only the bad in what happened. “And SPECTRE? Many of us panicked but you didn’t allow yourself to. What you think would have happened had you not told people what you knew and set up an operation? They would have attacked us and we wouldn’t have been ready and who knows how many would have died.” Franck was starting to use the same tone she had as when put the blame on herself. “You think they would have done a better job than you?” he finally asked her. “I mean, maybe I’m wrong. Maybe you really sucked and deserved to lose your job...” Not that he believed it, but she didn’t want him to think otherwise.

Franck knew the responsibilities of this job would be too much for him. He didn't like having people disliking him, even when his decisions were for the greater good. He also understood the death of a few people might weigh on her conscience. He didn’t need to be in the same position as she was to know it was something he wouldn’t be able to bear. He looked at the disc. It apparently held something that made her feel betrayed and he wasn’t entirely sure what it was. “What are you talking about?”

[Elsa Bellefonte]

Yes, this definitely sounded familiar. Everyone kept insisting that Elsa did a good job but if that were so, then why had people died? Shouldn't she have been able to do better, to stop that from happening, or at least lessen it? instead Elsa felt like everything she did had only gotten things worse, made more people die. Things probably would have gone better if she'd just stepped aside...

...though if so many people thought different...

The last had Elsa chuckling though. She held the disc up, showing it to Franck. "This came from Ms. Kaur, before she was forced to leave," which was the least of it, from what Elsa had heard of the situation. "She sent it. It happens to include a very detailed recording showing Vera, yes, our Vera, and Ms. Kaur getting very close to each other," and Elsa felt that stab of jealousy and betrayal and frustration rise up. She fought it down, hoping that Franck hadn't noticed. "It also included details about liaisons with everyone but you."

She set it down, tapping it. "It's just proof that I make poor decisions, Francois. That's what it is."

[François Laffont]

Franck thought her demotion had more to do with the circumstances. No doubt anyone who would have to deal with all she had to deal in only a few months would be asked to step down. Didn’t make it fair though. Elsa wanted this job. He knew it. Anyone knowing Elsa knew it. Franck didn’t think things would have been better had she not been the headmistress, or co-headmistress. Could someone else have saved more people? Maybe, it was hard to say, but he didn’t think it was the reason why she had to step down. It was just too much happening at once and she was too young for people to fully trust her judgement. At least it was what he wanted to believe.

His frowning expression remained on his face but soon was replaced with shock when she explained what was in this disc. Franck did fear Priya Kaur after meeting with her. There was something dangerous about her. Being pointed out he was the only one she didn’t have some juicy details to give about did not make it any better. Sadly for Elsa, he felt the cocktail of emotions bubbling inside of her. They were mixed together, making it hard to know exactly all that she felt but he could get the pain and frustration that came out of it. “She’s worse than I thought,” he let out softly. He didn't mean to say it out loud but couldn’t help himself.

He looked up at Elsa. She didn't need to dig into her head to know he felt sorry for her, a quick look in his eyes would tell her as much. “I don’t want to sound like I’m taking their defence, but she knew what she was doing. That lust I felt at some point, had I not been gay...” He stopped however as he realised it would not help Elsa feel any better at all to hear this. He took the disc from her hand. “You should forget about this. Change your mind, find the new direction you must take to get to your goal. What’s in there won’t help you.”

[Elsa Bellefonte]

Than he thought? Elsa paused for a moment, considering digging around in Franck's mind, uncovering just what he meant. His head raised, their eyes meeting, and Elsa could nearly feel his presence, could practically hear the wheels churning in there. She brushed against his mind, only to find a bout of empathy, the word sorry floating off.

It disgusted Elsa.

She let out a "tsch" with her teeth, turning back to shove the disc back into the box. It didn't stop her from hearing what followed, how Franck was defending them without defending them. So, Priya had tried with him too. Somehow, Elsa wasn't surprised, though she was slightly surprised to hear that she hadn't planned around Franck's sexuality. Nice to know the woman wasn't perfect.

"Everyone keeps saying that as if it's so easy," she said, gathering her things. She stopped, resting her arms on the box, looking in. "As if it's simply a matter of picking myself up and moving on. This was the goal, Franck," she looked over her shoulder. "This was what I've wanted for as long as I can remember. What am I supposed to be now?" She paused for a moment, took a deep breath, and looked back at the things.

[François Laffont]

Franck knew it wouldn’t please Elsa to find out Priya tried something on him too. He didn’t think she would be this disgusted. Most of it must be for that woman. What she did, preying on students like this, it was unacceptable. Probably even illegal. But they also fell for it so obviously they all had a bit of blame in it too. Franck hated to think he could be the cause of such emotions on anyone. He couldn’t meet her eyes anymore. All he could think of was to apologize, but that wouldn’t solve anything. And he doubted she cared whether he felt sorry or not.

He was able to as they stopped talking about Ms Kaur. “Believe, I know it’s not easy. I know how hard it is to see what you’ve already dreamed for taken from you,” he assured her. He bit his tongue, not wanting to add to it. She was not interested in his problems and it was not what mattered right now. He came a little closer to her. “It’s really hard, having to change, but it’s not impossible. But what is your other option, moping around for the rest of your life?”

Franck paused for a moment, giving her time to think about it. “Maybe you don’t think you’re strong enough right now but you’ve got people by your side ready to help you until you get better.” Alright, maybe Franck didn’t know Elsa too well. He knew she had a reputation of being cold and all. He would more say practical but he supposed both were not too different from one another. Still, she had to have a few friends ready to help. And if she did not, if they were all too busy like Erika who was floating in her own little bubble of happiness right now, well Franck was there.

[Elsa Bellefonte]

He knew? Elsa fought back a laugh at that. Somehow, she wasn't sure she believed that. Franck always seemed to be so solid, an emotional rock amid the sea of swelling hormones that so defined this school. It was hard to imagine him ever being shaken to his core. It would just be so out of character that she couldn't even start to think about it.

As for her options, well, moping didn't sound too bad. With alcohol.

And was she strong? She didn't know. She'd thought so, but if she'd been truly strong, truly in control of things, control over the situation, then would this have happened? Would more people be dead right now? Elsa couldn't help but think otherwise. She took a deep breath, letting it out slowly.

"We'll see," she said. She shifted her grip on her things and headed for the exit, pausing to look behind her, then to look at Franck. "You'll have a position on the new student council: I made certain that none of my... friends would catch my flack," she didn't know if Franck really counted as that, but it was use that term or allies, and the latter felt too distant for the moment. "You're also going to be one of the few who's an academy student, so I imagine that will be interesting for you." She gave him a smile, at least somewhat glad that she could help someone out with this.

[François Laffont]

Yes, Franck knew what it felt to have your dream ripped from you leaving you clueless as to what you are and shall become. The difference was that his experience happened during summer, in private. Not many people knew about his mother and how she cut all ties with him. He kept to himself just how lost he had felt and the light identity crisis he went through as he no longer believed in everything he used to before. He was still struggling a little sometimes. There were parts of him he just didn’t like anymore, like his habit of letting everyone do of him whatever they wanted. But he kept most of this to himself. He knew he was some sort of emotional pillar to his friends and he didn’t want to let them down just because he was dealing with some trouble of his own. But he knew. “Maybe my experience was a little different than yours but it’s not what matters. What is is the fact you can overcome this,” he repeated as he realised she found it hard to believe.

Franck thought she was strong. You had to be to remain poised and practical even though everything went crazy around you. This might have been the last straw though. That poise might become too hard to keep anymore. He could understand that. She reached her breaking point. But Franck didn’t want to see her break.

He felt slightly offended when she said she made sure none of her falling in disgrace would affect her friends. “I didn't join your council because of the position it gave me or for any advantages. I did it because you asked for my help and I wanted to give it to you. You don’t have to do anything for me in return,” he assured her. He was certain he could manage, even if some people might not see well that little council she made up. He joined Elsa. If she had nothing to do in this office anymore, neither did he. “What will you be doing now?” Now, that was a more important matter.

[Elsa Bellefonte]

Elsa gave Franck another little smile as he insisted that she could overcome this. "Thanks for the pep talk," she replied, with as little pep as could possibly be injected into the words. She adjusted her grip, walking out of the office, walking out of that life.

Of course Franck followed her. That didn't bother Elsa overmuch: he'd probably come to talk to her as opposed to seeing the now empty office. She heard a bit of an edge in his voice as he continued, and she could practically read his thoughts without trying. She hadn't meant for him to be insulted by what she'd said or done, and she frankly didn't care one way or the other.

The question had her pausing though, actually stopping for a moment to consider. "I suppose a lot of drinking. At least till I'm, and probably a little more past that," she already sounded a bit dead. Elsa readjusted her grip on the box, gave it a slight look, then started forward again. She had to get this stuff into the car.

Though she doubted Franck was just going to let her do that unaccosted.

[François Laffont]

She didn’t need to have no energy in her comment for him to know it wasn’t something she could believe in right now. The person he first talked to about his issues didn't want to hear any moping from him so he shook Franck pretty hard so he could snap out of his pain. It helped but it certainly was not a method Franck was able to do on anyone. He was likely to apologize at the first sign of pain from his words, even though it was required. He hated causing pain, even when it was to feel better afterwards.

Since Elsa was leaving the office, there was no reason to stay. He didn’t come to look at an empty office and feel sorry for his friends who were forced out, he came to make sure they could handle it. And Elsa didn’t seem like she could. She might try real hard not to show it on the outside but he could feel how hurt she was by all this on the inside.

He stopped too but the reason it took him a moment to move again was not because of the reasoning going on in his head and more because of her answer. “I was more thinking in the line of college or finding another job,” he admitted. She couldn’t believe he would consider drinking a good plan. No one knowing him could believe he would suggest a drink to get over something. Franck was practically a saint, that was out of the question.

“If there’s anything I can do to help, even if all you need is someone to let your frustration out on, just tell me,” he told her as he followed her. He meant to say the same to Erika but it would seem she was fine with this decision. Surely she would also be fine with Franck helping her sister then. After all, she had Everett.

[Elsa Bellefonte]

Elsa chuckled a little at his comment, closing her eyes. What were her long term plans? What did the future have in store for Elsa Bellefonte? What could Fate possibly want to do with her now? College? A job? It all seemed so far away, so very much not what she'd wanted, what she'd lived for. Just thinking about it nearly pained her, and she did her best to simply brush it to the side.

Franck probably noticed the momentary burst of negativity. he certainly seemed to quickly offer his aid. Elsa turned back to look at him, studying him, listening to his words and even picking up a few of his thoughts. Yes, this was definitely Francois Laffont.

Elsa smiled sadly. "And you wondered why I wanted you on my council," she said. She held the smile for a few seconds before turning and walking away, glad that she'd at least made one good decision.