V & V - Rageous Road to Fame

First - First Kiss

Ven: "Kid Ritz... you can tell me."

He looks at me, drained.

Kid Ritz: "I know. I thought I could keep it to myself, but I can't."

His voice is soft, exhaustion laced through it.

Ven: "I don't want you to keep it to yourself. I didn't want to push you, but if you're this upset over something, it's important that you express how you're feeling."

Kid Ritz nods, playing gently with Jewels' tail.

Kid Ritz: "Veneer... I've been seeing him. Everywhere. I saw him hiding behind the wall at the mercado, I saw him hiding in the shower... and my closet. I see him out of the corner of my eye, in the mirror over there, behind you in the bushes at the dinner. He won't leave me alone."

I look at him, worried and confused.

Ven: "You see who?"

Kid Ritz: "Dom... and that disgusting smile. He's cold and lifeless. He... went into my nightmare. He posed as my Dad from the last time I saw him. I beat him up but woke up to beating my pillow. He... changed what happened. He made it so that my Dad won... punching me and kicking me."

I didn't know Kid Ritz had to fight his Dad... that's awful. And it being the last time he saw him? I can't imagine what that leaves you with.

Kid Ritz: "Every night is the same dream. My Dad is on the porch with Mama, arguing. Then, he starts hitting her. I run out of the house and push her inside. That's all that happened correctly. Then, it goes wrong. The first time this dream happened, I looked down at my foot since I stepped on a broken plate, and the cuts from it made it hurt to walk. My Dad then took the opportunity to punch and kick me. Every night since, my Dad has found new ways to catch me off guard. I still manage to punch him back in the eye, but I wake up to punching the air or my pillow."

I feel awful; he's been going through this every night alone? I wish he told me sooner. I don't know what I could have done to help, but maybe I could have done something; anything.

Kid Ritz: "That's not the weirdest part. My Dad's eyes glow, and he laughs at me while punching or kicking me... except it's not his laugh. I don't know how to describe it, but there's nothing there."

I touch Kid Ritz's shoulder softly, rubbing gently. 

Ven: "I'm... sorry I gave this to you. I haven't had anything happen since Friday. I... can't express how sorry I am for giving him to you."

Kid Ritz: "You didn't do anything to give him to me. For whatever reason he feels like doing this, he will keep doing it until he finds a reason to stop."

Ven: "Has your Mama been exposed to any of this?"

Kid Ritz stiffens, his eyes watering. 

Kid Ritz: "She's uh... she's staying with one of her friends right now. I sent her away Sunday after Dom kept appearing more and more. I didn't want to risk her getting hurt."

Ven: "You've been dealing with this entirely alone? I know how terrifying Dom is when no one else is around; I can't imagine living like that!"

Kid Ritz: "I thought I could be not afraid of him. The one good thing my Dad taught me was how to fight. If I don't show fear, the other guy can't win. Except... I have been showing fear. I haven't slept well; I go into the dream every time I sleep. I... have only slept well for the first time in your car."

Jewels wakes up, stretching on Kid Ritz's chest before approaching me. She nuzzles my arm, hopping off the bed and to her cage. She must be tired; she put herself to bed.