🗣+ (Father and The Professor?)
✦ ☾ 🧪🔥 ☽ ✦ → " ... I... I just... feel I should apologize to you for the misunderstanding... and for how I-- that reaction to the fusion of my daughter was plainly ridiculous and, I never... "
" Professor, I have nothing but respect for your intellect. "
" Oh. Uh... thank you? I-- "
" --Which is precisely why I can't understand your thick headed choices. "
Right. That sounds more like Father. Eyes lidded, begrudgingly Utonium nods insistently. " I REALIZE my mistake, Father. I understand your being angry, but there's no point in drilling in what I fully comprehend... "
" I'm not talking about the other day! " Father snaps, turning to give his full aggravation to the scientist. " I saw your powerful and uniquely deadly daughters spendin' a full day planning for a... picnic. Is that right? In the middle of a cataclysm..? "
" ... It was a surprise for me. They were just trying to lighten the mood. "
" Because of your loss you have your daughters looking for party favors instead of missing persons! And don't think I don't see the way you keep them close to your chest... Do you know how wasted they are playin' defense on the inner sector, running your petty errands? You cannot let your grief make you so CAREFUL that you fail to utilize a prominent weapon against the enemy--!
" THEY AREN'T WEAPONS! ... They're my children, Father! " It was hard, near impossible, to raise one's voice to match Father's tone, but one might say the professor in his passion came close, though it rang of a moral disgust Father lacked. " And I would sooner throw myself in front of Lord Fuse than be the reason they lose the light in their eyes! I acknowledge I've been too careful-- but I won't apologize for giving them somewhere to feel safe! These are kids not machines! They can't endure endless misery without breaking! Haven't you ever heard of morale? Of hope and-- and the moral fiber of our society after all this? "
" — But you know that isn't an option! " By now they're locking eyes, even if the dad of 3 has only flames to look into. Flames that are burning hotter. " Some fool's children are on the front lines either way, the weight of the world is on their backs-- its time to GROW UP! Or would you rather the planet DESTROYED? Do you think I ENJOY putting the fate of the world into the hands of fragile little brats, Professor..? Do you THINK I wouldn't rather the ADULTS handle this? Hardened soldiers? That's the PROBLEM! "
" — Have you ever stopped to wonder what it IS about children that makes them so effective!? "
Father hits the lab counter beside him, growling as he pinches his brow. Yes, he has... and its idiotic. Its so frustrating and idiotic. And with each loop of this paradox he feels his patience thinning. " ... I'm not sure if 'effective' is the word... "
" ... Father. You've been studying these creatures too. You know there is something about the nature of children that fusions respond to. Sugar. spice. everything nice.... that is somehow more vital than all the powers of chemical X. We... lose it with age, forget something, but whatever it is-- its poison to these monsters. " Father remains silent, giving only a pensive, burning look as he slowly lowers his hand in thought. Professor's tone softens, so easily able to calm his at times own fervent passion compared to the fire affected villain's. And he's well aware of the privilege.
" How do we so relentlessly use the wonder of children in an adult's war without snuffing out our only hope in the process..? " Dread weighing Utonium's voice, he searches the fellow parent's eyes for understanding at the severity of what he's saying-- if there was anything to be found somewhere in that fire, he knew at least it was a desire to not fail. " ... I'm not sure. "
