DATE: December 25 - 26, 2001 CAST: Basil, Holly and Willow Center of Ant Island You come to the center of the island. This is a large clearing with the ant hill mound nearby. There is also a banquet to one side, the tree to another, and the offering stone. On a sunny day in the summer you can usually see a line of ant coming through here with all kinds of food. With a great deal of wonder and awe, Basil looks to the various grass blades, clovers and other images of the place that he has now returned to. Home. Perhaps it was the first sight from Quatre's grasp, the view of this place that set his heart to pounding, then that lump in his throat, but as he absorbs every sight sound and scent, he still cannot make himself comprehend that he's finally home. Having given his deep appreciation for Quatre returning him to where he rightfully belongs, then watching Sienna go off to explore, he slowly wanders up the path, then eyes the colony itself. His vision begins to blur as all of this becomes one of the most beautiful things he's ever seen. The island's beauty is somewhat lost on everyone else, it seems -- or maybe it's just easy to take that sort of thing for granted when you've been there a while. One does not love breathing. One of the ants present here is Willow, striding from the direction of the pond, and heading towards the anthill. The leaves that comprise her notebook are starting to show signs of age -- brittle, and brown at the edges. It's about time to replace it. This is proven further still when the fraying vine attached to it snaps in two and drops away from Willow's shoulder. With an annoyed sigh, she stoops over to retrieve the fallen book and inspect the damage with a critical eye. Basil does not cross her sight just yet. Basil hears a few footsteps ahead of him. He wipes his eyes in time to see that someone has come into his view. It takes a few moments, but he soon recognizes who his vision eyes before him. A sudden, soft gasp is inhaled as he stops and silently watches Willow's actions. At first he has an almost overpowering desire to run up to her and give her that embrace he mentioned earlier that day to the liberating hopper' but he instead simply stands there, and with about the broadest smile he could emulate, calls out to her simply. "Hi Willow." After assessing the vine's condition, Willow resorts to the quick fix. Namely, she ties the ends back together in a few abrupt motions, and appears marginally satisfied with the result. Yeah. That'll teach that silly vine to stop breaking. It's just as she's about to slide it back on her shoulder that Basil's greeting reaches her antennae. There are two audible reactions: a sharp inhalation, followed by a clunk as the notebook hits the ground *again*, though this time through no fault of its own. And then a shocked, "Basil!?" Okay. So we lied. Better make that three. Basil takes a few steps forward, but the pain in his right ankle flares up again, which happens when you ignore that kind of injury, tossed aside by the overpowering joy of the whole experience. He can hardly manage the words in his mind, as he glances to, at that moment, one of the most beautiful sights he could imagine. It takes a great deal of effort to speak his thoughts. "I understand I have you to thank for my returning home." He winces as he stops, frustrated by the aforementioned injury. "Ow! Stupid ankle." He looks down momentarily to see if it's as bad as it feels. He shakes his head out of frustration. "And just when I was about to thank you for saving my life too." He rolls his eyes out of frustration. It's pure astonishment that dominates Willow's expression, right down to the widened eyes, which blink incredulously. For a second, all she can really offer is stunned silence as this all sinks in. At length: "How did I do that...? How did you make it back? We'd all just about given up on ever seeing you again! Even the grasshoppers, they..." It suddenly occurs to her that a barrage of insistent questions and the like may not be too helpful right now. After all, answers usually come one at a time. In any case, her gaze likewise drops to behold Basil's injury with concern. She winces slightly, both in sympathy, and also in remembrance of the time she twisted _her_ ankle some months ago. "Sorry... you should probably get that checked out first, anyway." The barrage of questions is not an unfamiliar feeling. Like the myriad he has for her as well. "This? Oh, I'm sure it can handle a little bit before I do. I really want to thank you for getting me out of there..." He then shakes his head. "You'll have to excuse me. Everything that happened today went so quickly." He then pauses to catch his breath. "I too figured I'd never return, but that hopper' you sent out to find me bumped into me just this morning. I was heading to work, and Enzo, this stupid mosquito I work with tripped me as I was trying to escape... what was his name Quatre? Whom I thought was a slaver scout trying to take me back to the plantation." That last statement causes a physical shudder. "As far as saving my life," he sighs deeply. "Well, you know what the city is like." Ya see? Rattling on questions as well. The response to this is a dubious frown, as if Willow is inclined to disagree that the infirmary can wait. But she says nothing more on the matter. For now... "No, I -- well yes, but meeting those grasshoppers was how we were able to get away from that place, they flew us over here. Even if I hadn't have told Quatre about what happened, he and any of the others would still have done it for you willingly." Excitement and bewilderment has caused Willow's words to come flying out; fortunately, every word is still comprehensible and distinct from each other. She pauses to catch her breath. "H-how did you end up in the city in the first place, though?" Basil has to disagree with Willow on one point. "Maybe so, but for one thing there was no guarantee I would have come back specifically *here*. Besides, if Quatre hadn't known who I was, I might have never have gone with him, and escaped the city, not knowing he was what he said he was." Basil is still feeling such a great debt of gratitude, he wants to make sure she gets every bit of credit he feels she deserves. "Well, after spending, what was it, six to eight weeks on that horrible plantation, Walter and I managed to escape inside strawberries headed for the city. Willow nods slightly, as if in silent understanding, even though she for one pounced on any way to leave the city -- but then she wasn't the one who was betrayed by a fellow ant, at least not to the extent Basil was. Her eyes flicker with what could be described as recognition as Basil mentions Walter, but it's later brushed aside. "Walter?" she echoes, in a tone that asks for elaboration. "Of course, that odd colored grasshopper was rather suspicious, for all we knew, he could have led us to slavers or something," adds Basil to the previous subject. Upon mentioning Walter's name, it's finally occurred to him the connection between she and Walter. In fact, he remembers what Walter said about Willow, and so the tiniest moment of excitement is replaced by concern for how the news might affect her. "Uh, Willow?" He pauses to get her full attention. "I've been spending the last five or so months with your step brother. Walter Forager." He then feels a deep well of regret within, still unable to forgive himself for letting Walter escape. Even though there was little he could do, since he would sooner or later have left anyway. But then that's the way Basil is. Always feeling responsible. Willow absorbs all this information with a blank expression that borders on disbelief. Her head barely shakes in flat denial to what she's just been told. "That... that's impossible. Walter, he -- and the others, they..." No matter how much she tries to keep her voice steady, it quavers like a bird struggling to take off with a broken wing. "... how?" "Walter didn't give me too many details, especially after what happened when he told me, when we first met, but apparently the only ants who were executed was the queen and anyone who wouldn't denounce her. The rest were given their freedom. Including your family." Basil passes a sympathetic look to Willow, at first considering that she could have still been with them if she only knew, but then realizes what would have happened if she *would* have stayed. Slavery, for her too. Basil then looks down to the ground forlornly but says nothing. Guilt and regret have overtaken his form. As this sinks in, Willow's breath slowly comes in shallow, shaky bursts as she struggles to maintain her composure. But even now, her eyes reflect disbelief, a struggle to accept all this information. "You mean we... didn't have to escape? All this time, and we only thought that they were..." She trails off until her voice ends in an inaudible question. Basil now feels even more despair and remorse. Should have kept him in the city. Should have stopped him from leaving, some how. "Willow, I'm so sorry about you and your family, but if you would have stayed, you would have wound up a slave like the rest of the colony. They were all captured and sold as slaves..." Basil winces. 'Oh, a lot of good that's going to do.' He now feels worse than ever. If he only would have done something to keep Walter there. At least one member of her family would be with her now. "How could I have been so selfish? I guess I haven't learned anything from my old colony, have I?" He asks himself condescendingly. Willow recoils slightly upon hearing that her family -- no, the entire colony -- was enslaved in one fell swoop. Her eyes begin to feel the sting of tears, which she tries to blink away. It's then that she notices her notebook for the first time since she dropped it. Perhaps in an effort to distract herself from the situation, she reaches down to pick it up with shaking hands, and holds it close. She then stares at Basil incredulously, at his last statement. "What are you talking about? It's... not like you brought anything on them. Nothing. It was my fault, at least, that they were imprisoned with me... my fault. Entirely." Her gaze drops for a moment. Instead of going into /why/ she was responsible, she asks the next question: "Where's Walter now...?" Basil uhs within himself. This was not going at all as he had predicted. Instead of giving her the appreciation for her assistance of liberating him out of that other horrible place, Bug City. He was causing the person who may have done the greatest service a greater disservice. He mutters softly to himself about wishing he'd taken her advice to go to the infirmary, or perhaps even to have stayed in the city, rather than cause more pain. To answer her first question he remarks, "I caused pain and anguish to my family, to Amber, just as I'm doing to you now." He barely notices her remorse and declaration of her involvement in her colony's strife. But manages a reply to her inquiry of Walter. "I.... I don't know." Willow's grasp on her notebook becomes tight, to the point of leaving slight indentions on the surface. She fixes an uncertain gaze on Basil as he replies, and then, emphatically shakes her head to the contrary. "I don't know what happened at your colony, so I can't judge there... but. Right now you're just the messenger, not the cause of anything." (They always tell you not to shoot the messenger, after all). "If you never told me about this and I somehow found out about it, even if it IS unlikely that I ever would, /then/ I'd... well, I'd probably be angry. I don't know." She pauses, and considers the somewhat unsatisfactory answer regarding Walter's whereabouts. "You don't have any idea what happened to him?" Basil has decided that it's best not to bring up his personal problems while Willow is suffering from hers. "And I don't know what happened to you either, and how you were involved, but then it's not *my* place to judge either." He then takes a step back, forgetting his injured foot again, but this time pays little heed to it. "He panicked, your step brother did, when he saw Quatre, he... we thought he was the slaver scout.. I don't know, I just feel responsible if anything happens to him." Basil then hangs his head down. He's feels just about ready to turn and limp away the infirmary, and takes a few step in the process to do so. He feels he caused enough pain "So he ran," Willow concludes. She swallows hard as the significance of that sinks in. If Walter left the city without any idea of where he was going, there is only the wilderness. Although Shine, Tilly and herself were on the verge of doing just that anyway, before Mazin made it clear that he wasn't going to budge, the dangers are not something she's totally ignorant of. Finally she becomes aware of Basil's movement. Without a word, she drapes the vine of her notebook over one shoulder and moves to follow him, positioning herself on the side where his injured ankle is -- probably in case any assistance is needed. Basil notices Willow begin to follow. He'd just assume not run the risk of telling her any more bad news, but then all things considered, the worse for her is probably over, and offers a warm smile at her kind apparent assistance. "Willow, I haven't told you a tenth of what's happened. About life on that plantation, course you know about the starvation and looking for food. But that job as a scrounger, that humongous cat, not to mention the antlion," the word antlion causes his voice to tremble and the sound to drop to a whisper. "An antlion that had no qualms about eating both Walter and I." A shiver of fear fills him, and in the process, steps on a rock the wrong way, with his right foot, and begins to loose his balance. Willow is to some degree familiar with what a struggle living in the city can be, but there were many other details that went unobserved -- such as what Basil is telling her right now. She listens with an expression that is part curiosity, and part dismay -- especially at the mention of the antlion. "It's a good thing it didn't, then," she observes. "But... what's a cat?" Her eyes widen slightly as Basil trips up, but doesn't seem totally unprepared for this; she reflexively reaches out with one arm in an attempt to keep him from falling over. Basil feels Willow grab him to keep him from falling. "Thanks," he offers sincerely. He winces again at that persistent pain in his foot. "Uh, it's a good thing I didn't have to work with this ankle." He offers to himself for comfort. "A cat... well, it's hard to describe if you haven't seen one, but this one was quite a bit larger than a bird, but much smaller than a human. Oh, of which we had to be wary of too. But we rarely saw it." Basil then stops and turns to look at the other ant before him, shifting his weight a little, now feeling fatigue in the other foot that he's had to put most of his weight upon. "But one thing has been nagging at me. How did you know to find me? I was sure you were back at the colony when I was given to that slaver stink bug." Interesting how he hasn't named the individual whom put him in such a predicament. Bigger than a bird, smaller than a human... to any insect, that's more than big enough. Willow's expression, however, leans toward skepticism, since she has never once in her life seen or heard anything about cats. But she leaves the subject alone in favor of answering Basil's question: "I wasn't. You remember I said I was going to find someone from health and ant services, right?" Without waiting for an answer, she continues: "Well... something didn't feel right." She frowns thoughtfully as she tries to recall the situation -- the seemingly small things that added up and aroused her suspicion. "I can't really explain it. But... in any event, I followed instead." "Well, as far as I knew. No one knew I was captured, or had any idea what even happened to me. I forgot about the 'hoppers who were protecting us as far as from slavers were concerned. Actually hadn't seen them for a while." Basil pauses for additional thought. "Even Quatre had given up on finding me, until this morning." Basil becomes quite soft spoken again, now remembering his feelings of finally getting home. "I never planned or actually figured on getting home." Basil shakes his head as everything mounts in his mind. "It might not seem like you've done much for me, but I still feel you very well may have saved my life." With this Basil is filled with gratitude, and deep appreciation for what Willow's done for him. Even to the point of beginning to hold out is arms in an attempt to give her a warm embrace when he hears something rustling in the foliage. And recognizes the individual instantly. Holly. Although not necessarily displeased with the gratitude directed towards her, Willow still shakes her head, almost dismissively. "It was still a grasshopper who got you out of there." She pauses, as if considering adding more, when her attention is likewise snagged by the sound emerging from the nearby foliage. Her face falls instantly as she sees the newly arrived ant. Great. While Holly was quietly sitting by herself, off toward the clover forest where she hears voices emanating from the center of the island. She stands up to find out where they are coming from, and upon reaching the end of the foliage, she quickly recognizes *both* ants. "Well, it looks like you've returned, Basil," she calls out while leaning up against a single clover stem. "I have to admit, you surprise me. I was sure you were going to get yourself killed out there." She then walks toward the other two at a slightly haughty gait. "Too bad I didn't know Willow was out there at the time. Or I would have pointed her out for Percy to take her too." She soon arrives just a few paces from the ants she's speaking to. Expression as angered as ever. Basil stops coldly and drops his arms to his sides. "This was something I was hoping *wouldn't* happen," mutters Basil as he sees Holly approach. Not that he ever seriously expected to see her again, the possibility remained. He gives a sideways glace to Willow, upon hearing the sharp rejoinder made as to her desire to enslave Willow as well. "Holly, I really have no desire to discuss this with you right now." A less than happy look is tossed back to the older female ant before him. "Or ever for that matter. Nor do I wish to be reminded of *how* I came into this situation, so why don't you just leave us alone." The word 'alone' being emphasized rather deeply. Willow's reaction to Holly's presence is no more warm than Basil's. Her posture becomes rigid and defiant, complete with arms akimbo. There is an almost tangible ferocity in her gaze, which almost seems to say what words do not: Melt before me, you witch, melt! Fortunately or unfortunately, depending on the viewpoint, this is only conveyed in a look, not in spoken insult -- which, she has to admit, is tempting. Holly catches the looks of both Basil and Willow and is slightly taken back, well inwardly. There is no way she's going to give either of them the satisfaction of getting to her. "Oh, I don't plan on spending any more time around the two of you as possible." She pauses momentarily. "Not a word, eh Willow? I thought not." She then looks toward the area across from the island where she sold Basil out to begin with. "Well, we'll always have that small clearing to remember each other by. Or have you *finally* learned what I told you about not getting close to other people." She then turns slightly and sets her jaw firm, and fists clenched. "All they ever do is stab you in the back. They aren't worth it." She becomes lost in thought. Basil gives a roll of the eyes. Haven't changed a bit. "I'm glad to hear that." He offers with sarcastic sincerity. He then jabs an index finger when she makes that comment to Willow. "You leave her out of this! It's bad enough you callously betrayed me, but wishing to have done the same to her, after what she's been through..." He can hardly contain his anger. "Oh and as far as *reminders* go, you can have back that painting of West River Colony. Not only is that not my home anymore, I'd just assume not have anything that reminds me of you in my home." He feels very little pity for whatever pain she's going through. Except to add, "I will say that I am sorry for whatever happened to your family, well of what you told me was the truth, anyway." Of which he has doubts any of it was real anymore. Instead of reacting vehemently when Holly addresses her, Willow's anger seems to abate. In actuality, it is just channeled into something more cold than anything, which is concentrated in every word of her response: "I'm simply tired of wasting my breath on people like you. Those who keep showing me that they have no heart to feel with can't be hurt or reasoned with any more than a stone wall can." Holly first addresses Basil's comments, without turning to look at him, or Willow. "My family *was* sold into slavery. No, they weren't beaten, I was betrayed by the slavers too. Promised to spare my family, should have known better." She folds her arms defiantly. Holly then hears that statement about the painting. "Fine, I'll get it later." She then adds. "If you can find your stuff. I understand that your chamber belongs to some other ant now." She pays little attention to Willow. Except for a brush off wave of her hand. "Yeah, I'm a stone wall, what ever." She then turns to leave for the anthill. A shake of the head is made. "Holly, you astound me." Basil finds her cold hearted attitude quite amazing. "You acted so kind hearted, like one of my closest friends. Then I find out that you could care less." He makes no other comment to her, but gives an astonished look. "Willow, you are absolutely right. There *is* no point in wasting your breath with people like her. But I'd like to say one thing. I may not have had the best time while I was out there, but I did learn a number of things. Like true compassion. Acts of selflessness that go beyond species." He looks directly at Willow, knowing she will be receptive to what he has to say. "We were taken in and given a temporary place to stay by a *grasshopper*." Willow raises a brow as Holly brushes off her comment and leaves unceremoniously, but otherwise doesn't look surprised. In fact, it just seems to confirm what she said. But only the most grim satisfaction can be derived from this. She then glances at Basil as he speaks. Curiosity overtakes her expression as he mentions being taken in by a grasshopper. "Then I wish we'd known that grasshopper," she replies, speaking in reference to herself and the other refugees she came with. "Just about everyone else turned us away. In different ways it sounds like you were better /and/ worse off than we were... probably more the latter. We never had to deal with antlions or cats, nor did we stay as long." Holly has by this time begun to walk toward the anthill. She's had enough of this. Whether or not her comments about Basil not becoming close as to pertaining to concern or just self pity, isn't stated. But all things considered, concern is probably the last on her list, considering her stance on keeping her feelings to herself. She then calls over her shoulder. "On second thought, I don't want that painting either, so why don't you toss it into the puddle or over the cliff into Riverbed Canyon for all I care. I have no reason to have anything more to do with you. Either of you!" She then indignantly stomps off in a huff. Basil says, "I wish you guys had too. I never would have guessed I'd develop such feelings to a member of a species that we so commonly experience as an enemy. But when I left this morning, the pain she felt after she asked me to take Sienna with me, and when he wouldn't even say a single word of acknowledgment before we left. It just about tore me up inside to see how much that hurt her. I hope she chooses to pay a visit some day." He then makes like he's about to head off on an important mission, but remembers his ankle once more. "I need to tell the Queen about Terry, so in case she decides to visit, she won't be chased off by the members of the colony." "Sienna? Who's that?" Willow wonders -- as far as the name 'Terry' goes, she begins to assume that's the grasshopper Basil speaks of. Noticing Basil's movement (or at least the intention of it), followed by the explanation, she suppresses a smile. "That can wait, unless you're expecting Terry any minute. In which case, I'll want to meet her. But they had /me/ go to the infirmary for a sprained ankle after I finally got back, when you were, well, taken by the slaver." She seems to want to gloss over this point, since it's not exactly the ideal memory. "So you might as well go too." Basil first calls out to Holly in response to her statement about the painting. "Oh, that's fine, Holly. Besides, I think I'd rather keep it. It's more important for me to keep for important reasons anyway." Basil's attention is then drawn to Willow. "Oh Sienna? He's this 12 year old fire ant Terry's been the guardian of since he was an infant, I think. You'll be seeing him around the colony, since he's come to live here. Maybe I should find a family for him, since I'm not good with kids." Basil finally listens to Willow's concern and decides to follow it. "Okay, I'll go." He then feels the need to ask. "How did you injure /your/ ankle. It wasn't Holly was it?" Holly by this time has no more interest in any of what Willow or Basil have to say, and as quickly descended and gone into the anthill. Willow nods slowly now that she knows who Sienna is, but doesn't trust herself to comment on any of Basil's remarks on this matter. At least not until she's seen the kid for herself. She answers his question instead: "No, Holly didn't do anything to me, per se. It was just a misstep." Her expression is almost a grimace of displeasure. "Just too bad it ever happened, because that meant Holly got back to the island before I did. By the time I made it back, it was too late. The slave wagon was already gone." Basil gives an expression that might deliver the mixed emotions he's feeling. Sympathy that Willow hurt herself while trying to save him, and that she *made* the effort to save him. "Willow, I know this might sound like a bit of a stretch. But beyond my family, you have done the kindest thing to me I can remember. I have a confession to make, I haven't always been the nicest person. But then I deserved the treatment I received before." Basil is on the verge of telling *her* the real truth of why he was separated from his old home, but can't decide if it would make things better or worse. Willow's gaze becomes a mask of confusion, even as she looks away for a moment. She fingers the brittle edges of her notebook momentarily, before finally glancing back at Basil. "I'm not so sure I understand," she finally ventures. "If you're referring to what Holly did, I'd think you were kidding -- I still can't believe what she did. But it's not, is it." The last part falls just short of being a question, as if she has an idea of the answer. Basil sighs. It looks like he's divulged too much information as it is. In all reality, it seems quite unlikely she would turn against him if she knew the truth, but then one can never fully know what a person's reaction will be. "Willow," he begins with a slightly anxious voice. "When we first met, what I told you about how I got to the island wasn't completely accurate. I didn't simply fall asleep at my old colony and wake outside the colony here." Basil bites his lower lip as he can only imagine her response to what he is about to tell her. "I was /exiled/ from my last home. I treated a subordinate very unkindly, and the Queen had me exiled from my home and family." No other words are expressed. At first Willow shows no visible reaction to what Basil says. Nothing negative, but nothing positive either. When it all finally snaps into place, she scowls. "'Unkindly'?" she says, with a smoldering demeanor that would befit an indignant child who has only now discovered how unjust the world is. "That's _it_? Basil, 'unkind' can mean a great many things, anything as mild as a glare or severe as a whack upside the head. As it is I'm having a hard time picturing you doing anything close to something that would merit /exile/, unless this queen were grossly misinformed or just plain nuts." The response from Willow takes Basil aback so severely, that he takes a step onto his injured foot, but manages to keep from showing more than a moderate amount of discomfort. Needless to say, this was not the response he expected. He begins slowly. "I had a hard time getting along with the others assigned to work with me. *Any* innovative idea I came up with, was rejected outwardly. So, a good sized rift grew between us. I would yell at them, call them derogatory names, and belittle them." He pauses to try to remember details more clearly. "I found out that most of them were taking herbs and other medicines to deal with how I had treated them. I felt horrible, and from that point on I decided to change. But it was too little too late." Willow seems to get a better hold of herself as Basil elaborates, at least to the extent that she doesn't try to break in with more vehement commentary. In fact, that sentiment visibly drains away the more she hears, to be replaced with disbelief, then perplexity -- and finally a trace of disappointment. She is momentarily at a loss for words, apart from: "I see..." Basil continues. "It was about a month later, that the accident occurred. Amber was busy talking to one of her friends and she accidently knocked down the center support and caused a cave in. No one was hurt, but earlier that day, I received a note saying that no other 'incidents' would be tolerated." He then muses momentarily, hand held to chin. "Interesting that it was the *only* notice I was given. After the accident, I was so concerned about losing my position, that I yelled at Amber, told her that she deliberately caused the cave in to get rid of me. With tears in her eyes, she stormed and headed for home." Basil looks toward the ground shamefully. "That afternoon, I was given sentence, and was exiled..." a long pause followed by a statement given in remorse. "...never to return again." Willow's expression flinches barely perceptibly at the mention of a cave in, as though that evokes some memory in itself, but it passes quickly. One hand fidgets slightly with the edges of her notebook as she continues to listen to Basil's account. Towards the end, her composure looks as though it's approaching its breaking point -- though from what emotion, exactly, is hard to say. She opens her mouth to speak, but then seems to think better of it. Basil looks at the expressions of Willow, while his heart sinks. He begins to walk away, heading toward the anthill, then the infirmary. He then stops without turning around, unable to face her. "If you decide to tell Queen Atta or her councilors, they already know." A slight shrug is issued. "However, if you want to tell the other members of the colony..." a barely audible exhale is expelled." ... you do have that right, and I won't stop you." A few hobbling steps are then made, but in his slow progression, along with a downward cast head mutters. "I'm sorry I lied to you Willow, and I'm sorry to have disappointed you." Willow doesn't seem to notice Basil's movement, at first. Probably because at some point her eyes had closed, a partial effort to help maintain self-possession. "No," she calls out suddenly, eyes flying open in alarm. "That's... no, that's not it at all. I understand why you did. And... it would be hypocritical of me to hold everything else against you." Her gaze drops to regard the ground wretchedly. "It's not like I was any better," she adds, almost inaudibly. Basil slowly turns around and gives Willow at first an unreadable expression. Mostly from hearing much better news than was expected. After listening shortly, then watching her expression, he walks over toward her, ignoring the pain in his foot. "I can't imagine anything /you/ could have done that was so terrible either." Basil is tempted to pat her on the shoulder, and even partially raises a hand to comfort her, but quickly changes his mind. "You've never said an unkind word to me, something I can't say even for most of the colonist here on the island. But I want to you to know that after what I've done, I could not hold anything against you, either." Willow, at first, doesn't even venture to look Basil in the eye anymore. Probably because she's preoccupied in blinking away the tears that stand in her own. But at length she finally gives him a pained look, as if she were somehow being tortured rather than offered words of comfort. "What? It's not so terrible to treat your own family similarly?" She looks away. "It was somewhat less severe recently, but we were never on very good terms, and now... now..." The words die, unable to climb their way past the lump in her throat. If Willow only knew how much sympathy Basil has for her right now. This young individual, who has given him his freedom, who has brought him back to this place he calls home, who has done that which for him has been more than just about anyone else in his life, he wishes he could, more than anything, take away the pain she must be feeling right now. Knowing full well that this might only drive her farther away, or make her feel more guilty, he does the only think he can think of to try to help her feel better. He walks over to her, and attempts to place his arms around her to give her that warm embrace he so deeply wanted to give her earlier this morning. "I'm so sorry about what's happened to you in the past, but I... I guess since we can't change what has happened to either of us, all we can do is make the best of what we have now." There is at first no reaction; Willow doesn't attempt to stop Basil or even withdraw after the fact, nor is the embrace reciprocated. The act itself, in fact, takes her entirely off guard, and severely taxes her effort to rebuild at least some semblance of a rapidly deteriorating fortitude even more. She debates on pulling away, but the intention is drowned out by a different impulse: arms are lifted to hug back tightly. In the meantime her eyes likewise rebel by overflowing. Basil stands for a number of seconds, then feels the tight embrace that Willow gives him. Tears begin to flood his eyes as well, and a few tumble down his cheeks. As much as he'd like to say something, anything at all, he simply stands, embracing the ant named Willow. He then slowly lets go, and attempts to take a few steps back, wiping his eyes in the progress. "Well, I *sniff, cough, sniff, sniff. * I guess I'd better get to the infirmary." Willow draws away just as she feels Basil letting go, and finally wipes the unbidden tears away with the back of her hand, unconsciously mirroring the other ant's gesture; the telltale redness of the eyes, of course, will just have to go away on its own. She barely dips her head in an assenting nod to Basil's intention, barely managing a rueful smile. "Yeah... you'd better," she states, in a voice rendered slightly cloggy from the previous outlet of emotion. Basil also nods a little. "Thanks, Willow. I really do appreciate what you've done for me." He then passes her a really big smile, and turns to head toward the anthill once more. "Oh, maybe you'd better come with me, as sore as my foot is, I might need your help." He then awaits to see if she will come along. "Then let's see... " he goes over in his mind. "I'll need to check to see where my stuff is, find a new chamber if the other occupant isn't willing to give it up... so much to do." Each subject mentioned along with an extended finger to keep track of each. Heaven knows why, since it's never really worked for him before. Willow immediately responds by following Basil without a word on the matter, consciously keeping to the side where his injured ankle is. She readjusts the vine of her notebook so that it's positioned better on her shoulder; it seems to want to slide off now that there's a knot holding the thing together. Basil's enumeration of all the things on his 'to do' list reminds her to replace the whole thing at the first opportunity. In the meantime, she says, "Well, I sure don't envy you for all that. Let me know if you need any help there." Basil watches Willow step to his side for assistance, then looks up toward the anthill. He then listens to her offer for help, to which he replies. "Hey, yeah, that would be great, I'll be sure to let you know if I do." A slow glance around the colony passes before Basil's vision, taking in once more the breathtaking scenery. "I'm in such awe at how beautiful the island is. You *really* do miss all the foliage and greenery here that's lacking in the city." He then turns to traverse the incline of the anthill, and descend into his home, that he for so long has missed. Willow follows Basil up the anthill, making sure that her progress matches his, and glancing over every so often to make sure he doesn't stumble forward as he did earlier. Her gaze, however, likewise turns to the island's foliage when it is pointed out. "Yeah," she murmurs in agreement. "I'm not sure how anyone stands living there. Can't even see the sky in the city, hardly." "Oh, I understand. I mean, we met this one ant, I think his name was Mac, and he's been by himself for so long, he's about as eccentric as you can get, and still be able to function as well as he did." A roll of the eyes is given, as he remembers the really odd conversation had with the same said ant. "Well, I told Quatre about him, and he'll let him know about the colony, and that we'd love to have him stay or at least visit." Basil then muses a little bit. "The poor guy. He didn't even know you could borrow books from the city library, until we told him we were sure it would be okay." A pretty hearty, but respectful chuckle is expelled. "I didn't even know there *was* a library. But then we were always looking for food, not books. I wonder..." Willow seems to mull over this new piece of information, but then -- what, go back to the city? For a bunch of books? Bah. She shakes her head dismissively. Her expression then becomes distant as she also focuses on the fact that Basil said 'we'; himself and Walter, naturally. She stifles a sigh. Basil listens to Willow's interest peaking when he mentioned the books. A slight gasp is emitted, but after she shakes her head, he's determined she won't be going back to the city again. He then contemplates his last statement, the 'we' comment. He too feels a sigh coming on. "As soon as he dropped he off, Quatre said he was going to search tirelessly for Walter." Basil then looks off to the horizon, and in his mind states. "Walter, please be alright, okay pal?" The rest of the climb to the top of the hill without another word. Willow nods slowly, despite the fact that she doesn't look too reassured of this. The wilderness is not a specific location, it's just this huge, vast, sprawling... well... wilderness. Who's to say Quatre would ever find him out there. Such pessimistic thoughts go unvoiced, however. "I hope he finds him..." Alive. Er... yeah. Another item better left unmentioned. Heaving a sigh, Willow follows Basil into the anthill. [END LOG] Next Log: Irony Return to: Muted Identity logs.

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