Week 4

[airlockedmods]

[After everything that this case was, you probably don't want to deal with anything else. But you wake up on Sunday, just like before, with some new memories, and some new stores to check out.

Let's see what this week brings.]

Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday

(( Don't forget to check in, and check your memory regains! You can also stop by the gacha machine and Xander's office hours. ))

Comments

[burninglight]

[...right, he's the other anger ball of angry.]

In future, I'd like to ask we both at least try to wait until we're not out in the open before we start a screaming match.

[motherfucking_ghost]

Think that'd really make a difference?

[burninglight]

In that we'd still be screaming at each other, or that everyone would still hear it?

Honestly, you're right regardless, but we could at least make the token effort.

[motherfucking_ghost]

I can't promise anything. [quick to anger]

[burninglight]

I'm aware.

[pictured: the former personification of anger issues.]

I just...don't want all of us to fall apart. Not like this, at least.

[motherfucking_ghost]

Are you just like...not mad at me anymore?

[burninglight]

Oh, I'm still furious and I think we're both idiots.

But I'm more concerned with making sure we all live through this week.

[motherfucking_ghost]

[He finally pauses, hands stilling, and actually looks at Ardyn.]

What about another technicality or accident?

[burninglight]

...I don't know. We can't prevent those, but we can at least try to stop anyone from killing each other of their own volition.

[Ardyn was focused on Church with deeply tired gold eyes, and when he spoke it was sincere uncertainty instead of anger or defiance.]

As I said...'I don't see any other course of action'. I hold no illusion that all of us who remain will with certainty get out of this alive. But I want to escape with as many of us as can possibly remain safe to the end. And we can't do that if we all break apart now.

[motherfucking_ghost]

Means you woulda made a good king.

[burninglight]

[Ardyn didn't have an answer for that, looking like Church had just said something that refused to compute properly in his head. He reached up to his scarf idly, brushing a hand against the pendant hidden beneath it.]

I-I....you don't really believe that.

[motherfucking_ghost]

Of course I do. You make some stupid-ass decisions sometimes, but that's human. Why wouldn't you have been a good king?

[burninglight]

Why would I have been?

[????????????]

All I did was...make mistakes.

[motherfucking_ghost]

What are you talking about?

[burninglight]

I would have been a terrible king. If I was worth following, I'd not have been cast out in the first place. I'm not Noctis, I've no ability to be someone others would truly wish to answer to.

[motherfucking_ghost]

You were helping people and then got the hate plague for doing it. That's why you got all stabbed and betrayed. I don't understand what you're saying.

[burninglight]

I don't understand what you're saying!

[?????]

I-...they couldn't have thought me even worth helping if they would all sooner have cast me out when I began to deteriorate. What kind of king isn't worth his subjects' sympathy?

[motherfucking_ghost]

You were literally a hate plague monster who got taken over by the sentient hate plague. What did you want them to do? Heal you? Oh wait.

[burninglight]

I-...I don't know.

You really think that I...

[motherfucking_ghost]

I literally haven't seen a single reason why anyone should think otherwise, man.

[burninglight]

[...Ardyn laughed shakily, dropping to sit next to Church with his head in his hands.]

[Give him a second.]

[motherfucking_ghost]

[...Okay, well, that's. Concerning. He's just gonna...scoot a little away. For safety. Ardyn's safety! Obviously. Not anyone else's safety from people who might have just snapped.]

[burninglight]

No one's ever-...

[focus, ardyn]

...No one's ever said that to me.

[motherfucking_ghost]

You've been a hateplague most of your life. Yeah, I should think nobody's ever said it.

[burninglight]

No, I mean....even when I was human. I can't remember anyone saying anything like that. I've never even been called 'Your Majesty' before.