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[ thorns would really love to give a normal response but he's still having flashbacks to that remote village in iberia, which was when he actually did have to kill elysium. thorns looks ahead. ]
With my sword.
[ this sounds like such a 'well, duh' reply but it's the only thing he can manage at the moment, when elysium getting injured is still a very recent event. ]
With my sword.
[ this sounds like such a 'well, duh' reply but it's the only thing he can manage at the moment, when elysium getting injured is still a very recent event. ]
[ okay. sure. that tells him so much. it falls so flat he doesn't even want to attempt to recover it, so they can just walk in this awkward silence together.
…
thankfully, they don't have to deal with it for long when the hotel is a short few blocks away. he looks at their hands, wondering if thorns will let go, shoving his other hand into a pocket before taking a quick peek into the foyer. ]
Looks like they're still out searching. [ unsurprising. the very first incident that set all of this in motion had left him searching for days. he thinks he could've kept going for weeks and even months, if he'd had to. ] It's been, what, couple hours now? Are you calling them back, or me?
…
thankfully, they don't have to deal with it for long when the hotel is a short few blocks away. he looks at their hands, wondering if thorns will let go, shoving his other hand into a pocket before taking a quick peek into the foyer. ]
Looks like they're still out searching. [ unsurprising. the very first incident that set all of this in motion had left him searching for days. he thinks he could've kept going for weeks and even months, if he'd had to. ] It's been, what, couple hours now? Are you calling them back, or me?
[ first feeding. now a ferris wheel. he fixes thorns with an unrelenting stare before folding his arms. ]
You really are making fun of me. Okay.
[ once again muttered under his breath. ]
Give me a minute.
[ … he turns and wanders off. if thorns tries to follow, he'll pin him in place with a look and shake his head. he could've just said he was going to the washroom or something and the dramatics would be cut in half, but that also wouldn't be nearly as fun. he takes like five minutes. ]
You really are making fun of me. Okay.
[ once again muttered under his breath. ]
Give me a minute.
[ … he turns and wanders off. if thorns tries to follow, he'll pin him in place with a look and shake his head. he could've just said he was going to the washroom or something and the dramatics would be cut in half, but that also wouldn't be nearly as fun. he takes like five minutes. ]
I can.
[ they might move slightly faster if it's thorns due to bias. but he does so, and then waits as they trickle in one by one. he holds onto elysium's hand the whole time, his grip only tightening when he sees each face.
of course, every time one shows up they ask for an update, and thorns just tells them to wait until everyone gets here. once they do and make sure their location is secure. ]
We found him. Unfortunately, he was captured by an enemy and drugged. We are still investigating what they injected him with, but it made him hostile. [ ... ] He was killed in the struggle.
[ they might move slightly faster if it's thorns due to bias. but he does so, and then waits as they trickle in one by one. he holds onto elysium's hand the whole time, his grip only tightening when he sees each face.
of course, every time one shows up they ask for an update, and thorns just tells them to wait until everyone gets here. once they do and make sure their location is secure. ]
We found him. Unfortunately, he was captured by an enemy and drugged. We are still investigating what they injected him with, but it made him hostile. [ ... ] He was killed in the struggle.
[ they watch them cycle through the stages of grief—denial, anger, bargaining, and depression. acceptance never comes. instead, they circle endlessly through the first four, sometimes separately, sometimes all at once, until it's pure anger that finally settles in their bones. fingers point first at the defender, until realisation strikes:
what struggle? between him? elysium? there's no way death was the only option.
the caster advances first, grip tightening around their staff. the defender just stands there, shell-shocked, almost catatonic. only last night, they'd both been laughing together, making plans to celebrate their graduation from trainee to full-fledged operators. the guard was this close to mastering the destreza. that'd explain elysium's injury. ]
… If you need someone to blame, blame me. I'm the one who made the call. But you already knew, even the other night, that we were being pursued. This mission was never as simple as it was made out to be.
It's a lesson. A brutal one that no one should have to learn, but one that happens to the best of us nonetheless. Out here, anything can happen. And tearing each other apart? That's how you all end up dead. What you should be doing now is supporting each other, not breaking each other down. They'll let us know when he's cleared for visitation.
[ what he says isn't wrong. but now is hardly the time.
it's like looking in a mirror, almost. there isn't much more to share than that, but more importantly… the difference really is that they have each other. ]
what struggle? between him? elysium? there's no way death was the only option.
the caster advances first, grip tightening around their staff. the defender just stands there, shell-shocked, almost catatonic. only last night, they'd both been laughing together, making plans to celebrate their graduation from trainee to full-fledged operators. the guard was this close to mastering the destreza. that'd explain elysium's injury. ]
… If you need someone to blame, blame me. I'm the one who made the call. But you already knew, even the other night, that we were being pursued. This mission was never as simple as it was made out to be.
It's a lesson. A brutal one that no one should have to learn, but one that happens to the best of us nonetheless. Out here, anything can happen. And tearing each other apart? That's how you all end up dead. What you should be doing now is supporting each other, not breaking each other down. They'll let us know when he's cleared for visitation.
[ what he says isn't wrong. but now is hardly the time.
it's like looking in a mirror, almost. there isn't much more to share than that, but more importantly… the difference really is that they have each other. ]
[ at the very least, it seems like they're not going to attack elysium. that's not to say that they won't want to fight him later, but they have at least accepted that they should talk amongst themselves first to try to figure things out. whether or not they'll still be angry or not is another thing. ]
Rhodes Island is sending more staff here as backup. Until they arrive, you all need to stay in the hotel and stay together. While it is not impossible to get attacked while in a group, they likely would prefer not to. It draws too much attention, especially in a city.
[ it's likely why they had to get them drunk first before moving in to separate them. ]
You'll get further orders once we know more on what's happening.
[ they argue about having to stay inside, because of course they want to go and hunt down who did this. thorns ask them if they know who to look for, they say no. thorns asks if they have ever been here before this, and they say no. he sends them back to their rooms, and then sends one of his lil constructs after them so that he'll know if they make a break for it or not. ]
...
Rhodes Island is sending more staff here as backup. Until they arrive, you all need to stay in the hotel and stay together. While it is not impossible to get attacked while in a group, they likely would prefer not to. It draws too much attention, especially in a city.
[ it's likely why they had to get them drunk first before moving in to separate them. ]
You'll get further orders once we know more on what's happening.
[ they argue about having to stay inside, because of course they want to go and hunt down who did this. thorns ask them if they know who to look for, they say no. thorns asks if they have ever been here before this, and they say no. he sends them back to their rooms, and then sends one of his lil constructs after them so that he'll know if they make a break for it or not. ]
...
[ thorns just sighs, accepting this as just another weird thing elysium does, and then heads for the ferris wheel. it's still early enough in the day that there isn't much of a line, so they only have to wait a few minutes before getting let on. ]
I haven't been on one of these in years...
I haven't been on one of these in years...
[ there are so many possibilities to think about, so many what-ifs he has and hasn't explored. but there is one road he's gone down where there's no going back, and it's this— thorns' hand in his.
when they're finally left alone, he turns to face thorns again. ]
Are you going to listen to your own words?
[ in reference to staying in the hotel and together. it's worded like a question but it isn't really one, especially after everything they'd already talked about before. trick question. ]
when they're finally left alone, he turns to face thorns again. ]
Are you going to listen to your own words?
[ in reference to staying in the hotel and together. it's worded like a question but it isn't really one, especially after everything they'd already talked about before. trick question. ]
[ in elysium's mind, thorns is just making fun of him for his past (but really present) crush by doing these low-key and high-key date and couple activities. it has to either be that or he's testing him, right? and the moment he makes it awkward, it's over.
a part of him is like there is no way thorns is thinking about it that deeply nor is he some manipulative mastermind, but unfortunately, where thorns is involved, his iq and eq plummet to the floor.
hence, the alien headband… another date activity… he hasn't forgotten he technically has a girlfriend, even if it does seem like he has. this seemed like a safe thing to do. getting proper ears might've sent him into cardiac arrest, but it seems that thorns hadn't been flustered by it.
darn!!!!!! ]
Since highschool? [ sits across and looks out the window. he is still plotting thorns' downfall and demise. ] Man. You really haven't been out…
a part of him is like there is no way thorns is thinking about it that deeply nor is he some manipulative mastermind, but unfortunately, where thorns is involved, his iq and eq plummet to the floor.
hence, the alien headband… another date activity… he hasn't forgotten he technically has a girlfriend, even if it does seem like he has. this seemed like a safe thing to do. getting proper ears might've sent him into cardiac arrest, but it seems that thorns hadn't been flustered by it.
darn!!!!!! ]
Since highschool? [ sits across and looks out the window. he is still plotting thorns' downfall and demise. ] Man. You really haven't been out…
[ this is where thorns is torn about this.
this group, whoever they are, keep showing up again and again. at a surface level, everything seems completely unrelated to each other, but every time it points back to them. if their plans are to keep traveling around together, then there is a chance they may run into this again. it makes thorns wants to investigate so that they can better avoid the tragedies that they keep getting thrust into.
but how can he say that in a way that doesn't come off as this is more important than being with elysium? from thorns' point of view, it's to assure that they can, but it requires finally having that Talk. ]
... I said we can run away together.
this group, whoever they are, keep showing up again and again. at a surface level, everything seems completely unrelated to each other, but every time it points back to them. if their plans are to keep traveling around together, then there is a chance they may run into this again. it makes thorns wants to investigate so that they can better avoid the tragedies that they keep getting thrust into.
but how can he say that in a way that doesn't come off as this is more important than being with elysium? from thorns' point of view, it's to assure that they can, but it requires finally having that Talk. ]
... I said we can run away together.
[ it's funny, since so much that they did, especially back in high school, were things that would be considered couple activities. that fact is likely what gave elysium the courage to ask thorns out to prom, since all signals were pointing in that direction. that, of course, did not end well.
and is becoming an issue here, because that kind of relationship is what thorns knows to be theirs. he can suggest a lot of seemingly romantic activities, and in his memory it's normal for them. if he notices other couples around it will slowly hit him that this may be weird, but the first problem is that it would require him to pay attention to other people. ]
I don't go to amusement parks or carnivals.
and is becoming an issue here, because that kind of relationship is what thorns knows to be theirs. he can suggest a lot of seemingly romantic activities, and in his memory it's normal for them. if he notices other couples around it will slowly hit him that this may be weird, but the first problem is that it would require him to pay attention to other people. ]
I don't go to amusement parks or carnivals.
[ he tells himself it'll be rhodes' problem, not theirs. the real concern is that their faces are already known, but if they just keep their heads down and make like civilians since they will be civilians, what reason would there be to go after them?
plenty, considering elysium's killed more than a fair share of their people by now or lead to them, but surely they won't expend resources on chasing a random guy… ]
Is now already later?
plenty, considering elysium's killed more than a fair share of their people by now or lead to them, but surely they won't expend resources on chasing a random guy… ]
Is now already later?
[ what's even funnier is that everyone around them is probably convinced they broke up in the romantic sense. even if they were made fun of for being like a couple, to the point people thought they were, those just weren't the things that would bother them. they were too close for that. rather, were they the ones jealous for not having as close of a friend? ]
Makes sense. You never did care for loud and crowded places.
[ elysium watches as the people and stalls below shrink to miniatures beneath their ascent. back then, everything had felt so small, and he'd thought him and thorns would be together forever. they could still be together forever from now on, technically. though, he is thinking about how if he were in a relationship, some of the things they did wouldn't be ones he'd be comfortable with. the thought's somewhat sobering. ]
But as a change of pace now and then… they're not so bad, right?
Makes sense. You never did care for loud and crowded places.
[ elysium watches as the people and stalls below shrink to miniatures beneath their ascent. back then, everything had felt so small, and he'd thought him and thorns would be together forever. they could still be together forever from now on, technically. though, he is thinking about how if he were in a relationship, some of the things they did wouldn't be ones he'd be comfortable with. the thought's somewhat sobering. ]
But as a change of pace now and then… they're not so bad, right?
If you want it to be. Any time can be later.
[ he looks over at the door, his grip on elysium's hand remaining firm.
they should stay for when the other operators arrive. ditching the rookies right now is possibly the absolute worst move they could make for their mental health. but if elysium suggests they should leave, thorns will follow. even though he's aware it may be a bad move. ]
[ he looks over at the door, his grip on elysium's hand remaining firm.
they should stay for when the other operators arrive. ditching the rookies right now is possibly the absolute worst move they could make for their mental health. but if elysium suggests they should leave, thorns will follow. even though he's aware it may be a bad move. ]
They're not. This is nice.
[ he looks over towards the horizon, where it looks like the sky and sea melt into each other. it's always amazing how different the same view can be if you just change the viewpoint a bit. it's true for things other than just scenery. ]
You must be used to doing things like this though.
[ he looks over towards the horizon, where it looks like the sky and sea melt into each other. it's always amazing how different the same view can be if you just change the viewpoint a bit. it's true for things other than just scenery. ]
You must be used to doing things like this though.
[ every part of him wants to take thorns and run. but it doesn't take critical thinking to know that it isn't the wisest choice; even if they wait for the other operators to arrive, it's too optimistic to think they could simply slip away without anyone's notice. he would not be surprised if they were being monitored since their arrival. inevitably, by sticking around they'll be pulled into the mission, and after how dangerous zeruertza had been… he doesn't think it's wrong to be wary.
… ]
Let's wait for the situation to play out. I'll get roped into surveillance at most, but at least that doesn't put me on the field.
[ his fingers skim over thorns' knuckles, a quiet touch, almost pleading touch. ]
Will you stay with me?
… ]
Let's wait for the situation to play out. I'll get roped into surveillance at most, but at least that doesn't put me on the field.
[ his fingers skim over thorns' knuckles, a quiet touch, almost pleading touch. ]
Will you stay with me?
… I ended up doing a lot of those things alone. It never felt right to replace you, not when they were the things we always did together.
[ he tears his gaze from the window and turns a grin on thorns. ]
That's one way to make it harder to get over someone. But in the end, I think I was better off for it.
[ he tears his gaze from the window and turns a grin on thorns. ]
That's one way to make it harder to get over someone. But in the end, I think I was better off for it.
Of course.
[ the last thing he wants to be is away from elysium, anyway. even with all the abilities the corazonix gives him, he still can't be in two places at once. ]
It'll give us time to plan out our next steps.
[ so many of their decisions and actions the past few hours have been reactionary, so what they might genuinely need is a chance to actually sit down and think instead of immediately leaping to an extreme. ]
[ the last thing he wants to be is away from elysium, anyway. even with all the abilities the corazonix gives him, he still can't be in two places at once. ]
It'll give us time to plan out our next steps.
[ so many of their decisions and actions the past few hours have been reactionary, so what they might genuinely need is a chance to actually sit down and think instead of immediately leaping to an extreme. ]
[ it's a surprising answer.
thorns is fully aware that elysium has an active social life. even before, he was aware of it simply because they had enough mutual friends that thorns still heard things even when he was actively trying to respect elysium's privacy.
he isn't sure how to feel about it. should it be guilt, for blocking elysium from potentially having a nice time with someone else? or... what? ]
I guess we were meant to be up here together, then.
thorns is fully aware that elysium has an active social life. even before, he was aware of it simply because they had enough mutual friends that thorns still heard things even when he was actively trying to respect elysium's privacy.
he isn't sure how to feel about it. should it be guilt, for blocking elysium from potentially having a nice time with someone else? or... what? ]
I guess we were meant to be up here together, then.
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