Template:Featured Articles/11-2021

Moment of Awesome - Topaz: Finding out your alter-ego from another dimension is responsible for the deaths of everyone in the mansion isn't easy to handle. Topaz let herself take comfort from it for a few minutes before taking a deep breath and saying, "So I'm feeling a little bit better about my life choices," in a dry tone that did nothing to cover up the exhaustion and confusion. Amanda choked a laugh and sat back a little, loosening her hug but leaving one hand on Topaz' shoulder. "Way to find out about the path not taken," she agreed. "And it's a hell of a mindfuck, that's for sure." "Yeah." Topaz shifted, thoughts chasing themselves around her head. "I... I've never even thought I'd be able to do... everything they were talking about." The levels of magic, the many, many murders, sacrificing the people who had saved her from herself multiple times... "Good for you. And for us. But unfortunately..." Amanda sighed, thinking of her own history and how close she had come to taking a similar path. "Sometimes it takes only a tiny thing to have huge repercussions. 'S why I'm always at you lot about thinking about why you're using magic instead of just going ahead and poofing all of your problems away." She gave Topaz' shoulder a squeeze. "Sorry, that sounded way too like a 'I told you so'." "You tend to be right about these things, so I think an 'I told you so' is warranted." Topaz sighed, leaning into Amanda. She wasn't in the mood to pretend she didn't need the comfort right now. "I know she's terrible and killing her is probably the only way to stop all of this, but I got in her head for a minute, and she just seems... sad. Angry. I get that and I kind of hate that I can relate to it." "Well, in a fucked up way, she is you. So it makes sense you'd understand. And yeah, it is sad. She had all these opportunities, but for some reason she decided to look out only for herself. And I really understand it myself. When you're hurting, and can't see a way out, sometimes all you want is for everyone to hurt as bad." Amanda paused, considering her next words. "If it needs doing, I can take her down for you. You shouldn't have to take that on." Topaz raised an eyebrow. "Neither should you," she pointed out. "It's not your job to take every single bad thing for everyone else." "Someone has to. And it's not anything I haven't done before." Amanda was firm. "And killing off evil dopplegangers is a bit much for your first year with the Trenchcoats." Her tone was wry at the last words. "Really? I feel like it'd be basic compared to some of the other crap that happens around here," Topaz returned in a similarly dry tone. She wasn't optimistic enough to think maybe this wouldn't have to end with the other her dying. She really was too far gone. "Whatever happens, we'll take care of it." Amanda squeezed her shoulder again. "I won't tell you not to worry, just... we'll take care of it, you and I. You're family, after all."