QUASIPLATONICROMANTIC NOT-MESS

[chanteuser]

i'm still wheezing y'all

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[arkitect]

It does not make him any less absent, no.

[he breathes out a slow sigh.]

But with the requirements fulfilled, then perhaps he will not be missing for long.

[robopriest]

Exactly. Let's focus on that.

[And a long pause.]

Hey. Did you get something back, Emet-Selch?

[arkitect]

...I did. I remembered the years that I lost, along with- what truly became of my world, and myself.

[even having known it before-- to have it all return in a rush is still heavy, and he is still settling back into the knowledge once more.

but he pauses for several long moments, before:]

I also recalled something separate that I had forgotten.

[robopriest]

...I see.

[Yeah, it was nice to have him so...hopeful, almost, but...that was a false hope. Even he, during this week with his mind in a million different places, was scared of suddenly referring to all of that in front of him.]

[The last part makes him furrow his eyebrows, however.]

What is it?

[arkitect]

[it sure was nice to think his home still existed yeah... but here we are once more.]

...one of the members of the Convocation. I had thought him to be gone, but... I did not remember until now that he was still present, in some way, though he lost pieces of himself over time. Much as we have done here.

[double dose of trauma! it's fine! he's FINE.]

[robopriest]

...

[A member of the Convocation?]

How terrible. I suppose...he had you for support, then.

[arkitect]

-well, we did not often work together directly, no. And by the end of it, I do not think any support I had to offer him would help.

[robopriest]

Was...was he that far gone?

[arkitect]

...he still had his duty and his mission to hold fast to. In that way, he was himself.

But he no longer seemed to recall any feelings he once had for us. I attempted, once, to encourage him to remember.

[he breathes out a slow sigh.]

He said that he would simply lose it again, with time. That if the memories were so precious to him, he would not be asked to forget them twice. I cannot say that I agreed with his outlook.

[so in that way-- no, there was no supporting him.]

[robopriest]

Goodness gracious. This place is really built to stab you where it hurts, huh.

[Emet-Selch Trauma Central! Got to love it!]

I'm sorry. That you had someone like that who was...losing himself. [And he was helpless to do anything.] Especially after all that you lost...

[arkitect]

Well, I suppose the fortunate part of it is that there is little it can do to me which is new.

[please don't say that so fucking flippantly.]

Hansa, you do understand what else I am telling you, do you not?

[robopriest]

Hm.

[Yeah, don't say it like that!! Binch!!]

[And his expression is grim.]

...Which one did you kill? Soo-won? Or Ochako?

[arkitect]

You know as well as I that we no longer needed to kill for our numbers.

[he is fairly sure hansa can work out why, then, and therefore which.]

[robopriest]

...

Let me guess. Won, then.

[arkitect]

...it was a necessity.

[robopriest]

[He buries his head in his hands.]

[One important person killing another. He's just...]

[So, so tired.]

...Words cannot describe how much I hate this damn Realm for making us play these. Murder games. Shit.

[arkitect]

I have grown quite weary of it, myself.

[he just- shifts closer, with a huff of an exhale. he doesn't reach out, but if hansa wants to, it's a silent indication that he'll accept.]

...but I would ask you not to share this with others, for the record.

[robopriest]

Of course I wouldn't.

[He finally lifts his head to look at Emet for a long moment. To think...what if it had gone wrong last night? What if Won had retaliated? In that state, splintering, he could have...]

[He reaches out, grasping the other's hand, intertwining their fingers.]

...In the end, I'm glad you're okay. I hate that this place forced you to do it. But you're here now, and that's what matters.

[chanteuser]

[





ah. ]

... is that why you stayed elsewhere that night? Hilda said he was notably showing signs of splintering, by the end of everything....

[ the surprise is there but also she just looks... tired. again, this place keeps messing with all of them, doesn’t it? from the people who splinter to those who have to deal with them. ]

[arkitect]

I did not wish for any of you to be exposed to more danger.

[he hadn't stayed with soo-won, after all-- just somewhere away from their camping spot in the forest, so any fight would not be brought to them.]

[chanteuser]

[ why are both of their immortals like this, send tweet. ]

... [ she sighs. ] It's appreciated. Thank you for telling us.

I'm just... glad that things were probably set for us to find someone else, yesterday. Even if I wish it hadn't been Dorothy. [ it was always going to be somebody though, and that's just how this place works. ]