Audience: Tartaglia Childe

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Comments

w6 tuesday

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[there's no reply text, but he'll feel a brief rush of air as she seems to zip right past his guards and appear in the jail cell next to him. she doesn't say anything right away, settling against the wall and looking at him from under her hood.

the emotional feedback is a mess? she's happy he texted her to ask her to come, but she's upset that he's here and kind of angry at the rest of the village and sort of lost on what to do next.]

Hey.

[toyska]

[In contrast, his own are pretty calm--he's not exactly delighted to be in here, but putting up a fight and making a break for it would only end poorly for him. He is tucked against the back wall as well, and greets her with the same smile and wave he usually does.]

You really do run very fast.

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[valid as hell.]

Yeah. Just one of my powers, I guess. But even without that I've always been really fast.

[in her normal high school life, iris ran track.]

You seem comfortable.

[toyska]

[tears myself away from chastity cake chaos]

It's not so bad. I've spent a lot of nights outdoors on my own, back home.

[Not that he really minded those either, honestly, but it's objectively more comfortable to be in here with pillows.]

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But it was probably roomier than this.

Oh, here. [she reaches into her cloak and pulls out a sandwich? at least it's wrapped in plastic wrap for safe keeping.] I'm sure some of your guards are feeding you but just in case.

[toyska]

Haha, that's true.

[His camping...]

Thank you. [Yeah he'll absolutely take that, with more gratitude than he's actually showing on his face.] They have, but it's a bit of a gamble. A few of them almost certainly want to poison me.

[KILL HIM ON SCHEDULE FOR THE REWARDS YOU FOOLS he does not say, because if they weren't willing to kill before this then they don't deserve to know]

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I'm surprised they haven't tried already. [very optimistic. there's a tiny surge of affection with that thank you though.] I'll leave you with some other snacks and stuff, too. You can always hide it in the hay so they don't see it.

...but at least they decided against breaking your legs?

[toyska]

I wouldn't be surprised if traumatizing the guards is the only thing holding them back. [And also maybe they'd feel bad for Gojou, who would probably be fine, but still.] But thank you. I'll take whatever you'd like to give.

[Honestly this is a terrible system because half of his guards still like him, they just have to save face in public about it.

He snorts, though.]

As if they could have. No one even tried to stop me from healing all the way. [He's not actually sure they could've gotten the pod open from the outside? But no one stopped him, so.] But I didn't really want to start a senseless brawl during the meeting.

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At least they still care about somebody. [it's said lightly, but there's still a little twinge of annoyance.]

Not that I'm not grateful they didn't stop you, but that was kind of confusing too. Like they really weren't sure what to do next. [there's a frown.] Antagonizing them would just make it worse.

[toyska]

[He smiles a little, reaching out to squeeze her hand lightly in reassurance.]

It's like I told Shi Qingxuan. They didn't want to be responsible--and now they're free to be angry with me for surviving on my own.

[He doesn't actually know for a fact how many people were willing to finish the job, though he can make a good guess based on their reactions to him in the meeting. But ultimately, it doesn't matter, because they didn't. Childe would be lying if he said he didn't think they deserved the turmoil--even if, for some, it's only the frustration of having to debate such a topic with the people they care about. God truly let him live another day and he made it everyone else's problem.]

But you're right. Even if it's only for a few more days, I'd still like to gather whatever information I can. [So it benefits him to play nice with the angry mob.]

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[oh...that's nice, thank you. that mollifies her enough to stop being mad for five seconds.]

I guess. It's just...I get why they're mad at you. I do. But...ugh, whatever.

[it's pretty unfair, actually, that this is how justice works in this place. nevertheless she tilts her head.]

Have you been learning much? The meeting got out of hand again.

[toyska]

I know. I understand.

[He gets it! He does. He is perfectly capable of acknowledging why people are angry with him for killing Lenore, while also calling out their hypocrisy and all the flaws in their logic. If anything, he's annoyed that so few people considered how to get the most benefits out of his impending death. Truly, everyone here needs to get more ambitious.

THE MEETING, THOUGH... there's some exasperation there, because it sure did get out of hand??? But hey, that worked out for him, so.]

I have, despite their best efforts. [Who let Medb into his cell for bang time.] Though I admit I'm still considering what it means for us. I don't think telling everyone to focus on indulging is going to work anymore.

[For the Avatars, he means--"eyes on the prize" might've worked in the beginning, but it's a little too late for that now. Actually, while they're on the subject--]

...A question, actually, if you can answer it. Why are there only seven rings around the station?

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Probably not, but it's still a thing that needs to happen. So it's becoming a game of juggling what is and isn't important anymore. Right?

[but huh. she tilts her head and there's a brief flicker of confusion there.]

I don't think it really means anything specific. It might just be what's holding up the base itself. Technically there are only seven deadly--cardinal...whatever sins in the modern world. We just went back to the olden days when there were eight of us to account for. Maybe it's a throwback to that?

[i.e. if there really is a reason she doesn't know it.]

[toyska]

That, and deciding what to do about an uninvited guest.

[But the monster's presumably not his problem anymore?! He lived long enough to learn that the dead can communicate with the living, so maybe it is still his problem. Hard to say.

He nods in response to her answer--there's a flicker of doubt, but it's not directed at her.]

Alright. I'd just wondered. [...] Whose floor is it this week, by the way? Have I missed yours?

[He'll be missing it either way, but still.]

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Ooh...yeah, there's that. [she still says this calmly, but there's a sudden spark of fear in her emotions before she immediately moves on.] Most of you seem to want to fight it which is probably not a good idea.

[but moving on.]

It's Wrath's. [lightly amused, because she knows how he and wrath are.] Mine's last...but you'd probably hate it anyway.

[also a joke.]

[toyska]

[The fear is expected, but it sparks answering concern in him anyway. He can take a hint, though, and rolls smoothly with the subject change.]

Oh. In that case, I'm fine here. [STOP

But no, there's amusement on his end too.] Why would I hate it?

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[she doesn't have anything to throw at him but she makes a face...that he can't see. i never said lust wasn't an idiot.]

You're missing the beach. You can't tell me you wouldn't be interested in that. [childe your hydro.]

And I dunno! It's not anything too exciting...no fighting arena or anything. But I like it just fine.

[toyska]

[She's doing her best. It's okay, he can sense the look.]

Wrath likes the beach? [...] No wonder they were so confused about that question a few weeks ago...

[Anyway. He waves a hand.] Liyue's coasts are nicer, I'm sure.

[That makes him laugh, though.]

I would've been very surprised if you had something like that on your floor. [PLEASE, LUST. Actually, he isn't sure what he might've expected. He hadn't put much thought into it before now.] The one all of you stay at, that we don't have access to--does that one reflect all of you as well?

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...what question? [what did you do to her wrath????]

If they're anything like the place you showed me, I bet they're really nice. I kind of wish I could've seen them myself.

[but there's a grin under the hood.] You never know! Maybe I secretly moonlight as a boxer or something. [but she shakes her head a little.] It does and it doesn't? We all have our own bedrooms that're suited for us and then our common area. It's not too different than what you guys have but a little downsized.

[toyska]

Ah, nothing. Just a difference between our worlds.

[Everyone being so mad about him killing Lenore via toaster in the tub makes no sense to him whatsoever. HIS ELEMENTAL REACTIONS.]

If I'd been able to climb the elevator like I wanted, would I have been able to see it?

[childe please stop breaking the rules everywhere]

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I completely believe you. [childe :unamused:]

But I don't think so. You would've probably just gotten squished by the elevator and then where would you be?

[toyska]

It's true! We had a bit of discussion about elemental magic, that's all.

[Because Wrath said "I want to give you a swirlie" and Childe said "wouldn't that trigger Vaporize because your hands are made of fire" and they both got confused about it. Truly they are morons.

Also, it's too easy, he can't resist--] I would be in the elevator shaft.

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Ooh...that makes a little more sense. [lust will never know how truly stupid her favorite people are. but she does shake her head.]

You would be stuck in the elevator shaft. Like a lizard. Or Spider-Man. [that's not how that works.]

[toyska]

Like a spider man?

[wh]

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No, no, like Spider-Man. He's a superhero that can climb up walls and swing between buildings and stuff.