Emergency Meeting

[induality]

[They were finally let out of the court room but things were far from great. Instead of a gathering to mourn the dead-- what they really needed right now was a proper gathering to meet and discuss what happened. As soon as they got out, she yelled for everyone to meet in the food court. She hurried immediately to start some tea and coffee and prepare what she could. All of them probably needed a moment.]

Sorry to drag you all here after... all that. But... again... it's b-better if we stay together right now. And I think... an emergency meeting i-is in order.

If you want anything to eat I can... t-try. But in the meantime I started some tea and c-coffee... so... As long as we're together try-- to relax. We're... g-going to get through this.

Comments

[burninglight]

I'm getting that same distinct feeling myself, yes.

...Will you be alright?

[myocordial]

...I've lost a lot of people in my life. It might be crass to say, but in a way I have gotten used to it.

[Talk about the actual worst thing to be used to, but here we fucking are.]

[burninglight]

...hm. [That sounded like an agreement, Ardyn falling silent for a long moment or two.]

It doesn't get easier, does it? Even for those who understand mortality and the inevitability of death...even now, the separation still aches no matter how accustomed to it one is.

[myocordial]

...No. No, it doesn't.

[He's gotten more accustomed to coping with it, but it will always hurt just the same.]

I remember every friend I have lost, vividly. And they all still hurt. As they always will. It feels as if I've lost parts of myself and yet I keep going as if I haven't. As if nothing's changed.

...And so I will this time, too.

[burninglight]

I've not had many friends. But I can remember how it feels to lose them.

[He took a slow breath, sighing and pushing his hair from his eyes.]

...we don't have much choice, really.

[myocordial]

Well. You have more, now.

[Silver lining...?]

Technically speaking, there's always a choice. To keep moving is a choice. Giving up... That's always on the table as well.

...Flipping the table over, too, is a choice.

[It's the one he likes best.]

[burninglight]

Personally, I was always partial to ripping a leg off the table and using it as a club on whoever happened across my path. Not exactly the most functional method of coping, but it is what it is.

[myocordial]

Points for creative use of a table, if nothing else.

My personal method of "fight someone until one of us nearly dies" is sadly unavailable in here.

[burninglight]

Ah, regrettably I'm too mortal to take risks like that anymore. Even that thing would have killed me, most likely.

[myocordial]

...And yet you were ready to stay behind anyway.

[burninglight]

I'm rather stupid like that.

[myocordial]

So you are.

...We would lose something irreplaceable if anything happened to you as well. You do realize that? Despite what you seem to think, you are not expendable.

[Yeah, he heard that part back there.]

[burninglight]

I was planning to at least injure it--I was trusting Noctis to handle the rest if and when it got past me. He's rather experienced in finishing things I start.

[If that was a joke, Ardyn said it too flatly to even sound like sarcasm.]

This life is a meaningless one meant to have ended long ago. If I should finally find the rest I continue to be denied, then the least I can do in the process is something halfway worthwhile.

You and the others...shouldn't be so concerned about me.

[myocordial]

Did you consider, perhaps, relying on those more durable than you now are? Because as far as strategies go, that's a rather poor excuse for one.

[Ardyn. Ardyn, come on.]

...Hm. Too bad I choose to be concerned anyway.

I think you'll be capable of much more worthwhile things by living through this. And if there are so many of us here concerned about you... then have you considered that there's a worth to you that you're just not seeing?

I can't make your choices for you, of course. It's your life. What you do with it is, in the end, up to you. But I can certainly hold you to the promise you just made me. We'll see the ones who engineered all of this pay...

Tell me, how do you intend to do that if you're dead, Ardyn Lucis Caelum?

[Don't die on them yet.]

[burninglight]

...

[Ardyn lowered his head slightly with a tired, hollow laugh, pressing a hand to eyes hidden by disordered violet hair.]

You're...you're right. I won't...do something careless like that again. If I'm to be stuck living a bit longer, then I may as well see this through to the end and handle whatever follows when we come to it.

[myocordial]

Good. I want as many of us as possible to be there at the end. [Preferably everyone, but...] We've lost plenty, so... We have to do all we can to hold on to what we still have.

[burninglight]

I can't make any promises. But I...for some reason, I think I wish to stay with the rest of you for a bit longer.

[myocordial]

I'm glad to hear that.

And I'll take simply not actively trying to die.