[ there's another longer moment of pause. vax usually isn't the one to hesitate in any sort of moment of touchiness - especially not now - but there's a warring urge that wants to just withdraw and walk away, like he used to. the acts of death weren't so hard on him, but the aftermath, these fucked up trials, affect him a lot more than he'd let on.
...
eventually, touch week works out, though, and he will take the invitation, moving to come sit beside emet. he's kicked out of his boots because he's not a heathen, so he pulls his legs up to sit properly, taking up a little less space. ]
[the aftermath is the worst part. seeing what it brings out in others, at times; the ways it affects them. the ways in which they are forced to suspect everyone else they're trapped in here with.]
You need not forget. But it will serve none of us to linger.
[they can't afford to carry all that hurt with them forever, or it might break them in the future.
(he's never experienced it himself. he doesn't know just what it is to carry it.)]
Will it help to think on something else, or do you prefer not to do so.
Gods, yeah. If I don't think about something else, linger's not even going to begin to cover it.
[ that comes with a little bit of a laugh, humorless - he'll take the distraction for what it is, half slumping against emet's side. vax knows himself. he knows he's a brooder, he knows he'll be reflective and miserable the moment he's alone.
... he's not at the moment, though. so. ] Talk to me.
[he lets him lean against him, there, although he doesn't put an arm around him. this is fine. it's still comfortable.
and while he debates, for a few moments:]
I believe that we can somewhat reliably narrow down who the other was. Mayhap not with full certainty-- but I believe upon reflection that they let themselves slip, today. There was simply no time in the end.
it's not that much better of a topic, but. he'll take the logical route with emet for a couple of minutes. at least he's not spiraling like some people. brow furrowing, he thinks over the night that passed, trying to sift past marie.
He and Marceline both have reasons to lie about whether they owned a gumball of their own color, but he is the one whose skills include drawing. Who changed his answer, when speaking of the tokens, though I only realized later. And it would be quite convenient to visit the scene himself, would it not?
[ he nods about the drawing bit, and the tokens, too. makes sense. it's an uncomfortable, unpleasant feeling, roiling in his gut, but not one he disagrees with, either. ]
...He left a lot out, when we came back from the cemetery. I thought it was off, but I thought maybe it just freaked him out, to be that close to a corpse. He was trying to rush me out, too, before I was really ready to leave.
Then we will have to determine how certain we are. Most importantly, following that-- whether we believe it was 9S or his killer that could have been afflicted. 'Tis a possibility that he defended himself against an already damaged 9S, but if you found his behavior strange...
Iunno. He was odd, today, but I'm not really close enough to know if he was before that. 9S and I spent a little time together Wednesday, though, and he seemed fine.
I was not close to either of them, so I could not truly say. I do not know precisely how certain we can even be, in this situation, seeing as no one was caught for his death.
[is... is it death considering what he was. he's not sure, but it's effective shorthand regardless.]
But I do not know that we can simply-- leave it be, and hope that there is no repeat.
No. Sure the thing [ the prism, anyway ] is probably getting stronger, because of it.
[ in a rigged game - with two potential options, they only caught one. found the second, after the fact. what would the raven queen ask of him, like this? what would vox machina have done, as a whole?
he closes his eyes. ] ...even if we had caught him, we still would've only been able to narrow it to one in the end.
And thus we would reach this quandary in the end, no matter what. A threat left free, although Clarte did mention their concern that someone may have simply killed Marie themselves despite the vote.
[midtrialing potential, uh, just did not occur to emet-selch. there was a process there, thanks.]
Restraining Marie did not stop her. So the question is: what is to be done?
Mm. Think if Cashew hadn't come back injured, he would've torn her throat out. That was more of why I stepped back.
[ he'd been skulking around at the end of trial with a knife in hand, just in case, after all. less so for marie - or for wicked, heaven forbid - but more so for stopping what could have ended very, very badly. ]
... Honestly, I don't know. [ what's to be done. he's got no fucking idea - and the idea of going after kazunari doesn't sit well with him, turning over in his stomach. he's never been one to shy away from what needs to happen, but there's nothing to act on here except a situation they barely understand. ] Talk to the Residents. Keep an eye on Kazunari. Kumon too maybe. See if the charm's infectious or not. Look out for more weird fucking dreams, and stay on guard.
...possibly. But staying on guard will not let us put a stop to anything, not if we simply fall asleep. Yasusada told me they hoped to help put an end to any such situations when they chose to stay at the dojo.
[but-- it turned out the way it did, anyway. there was no waking to stop it.]
Simply keeping an eye on him is no preventative measure. I do not believe the dreams to be quite relevant, either.
I am attempting to determine what would be best for us. As a whole. The safest option may be to wait and see if it is him the next time, keep a close eye on the evidence and on him, but then it is too late for one of us. He may not be the only one again, either.
With Kazuma-- Steel called it a mercy. One they wished to see given to him. They implied it would have been worse, had we not found him as we did.
[he isn't certain. what he would do at home, what they always did, was to just-- remove the source. remove the danger. that which cannot exist within the whole, that which threatens it... had to be unmade. it was simple.]
[ if i had a nickel for every time emet selch told me hey! i might murder a guy! i'd have tWO NICKELS, TEEJ
anyway - vax sort of already knew the answer to the question he asked, but he wanted to hear him say it. he pulls back, expression conflicted, immediate, passion flaring in his voice. ]
- Part of that was because Kazuma killed his fucking best friend without knowing it. Don't do anything rash, are you out of your mind? We don't know nearly enough to - he might not even remember it, if we didn't catch him. He's not already dead.
[ and you can't just steal away someone's life because of a what-if chance. that isn't a string that needs to be pulled. not in his opinion. especially not kazunari, who is practically still a child. ]
Acting right out isn't the safest option, either. If this place's gonna keep people doing this, I don't think it's gonna fucking stop just because we cut off a limb. It sure as hell didn't this week, did it? We caught Kazuma. Someone still got fucked over.
How rash do you think me to be? Do you believe I would take such action without further consideration-- it has been mere hours, Vax. Do not accuse me of being on the very edge of it.
[there's a slight edge to it, almost offended. he's thinking about the potential, sure, but he's not going to stab a teen without more thought going into it than this.]
It is simply an option, should it seem necessary. At the very least, I should like to speak with Steel once more, to gauge their opinion this time.
he sort of flops back down after that brief moment of "what the fuck" and then drags his hand down his face. ]
Fucking - lead with that, next time, yeah? [ DON'T JUST GO SAYING YOU'RE OUT HERE READY TO ELIMINATE A CHILD, EMET!!!! GOD!!!!!
this is why vax is not a crystalline, actually. he can't help it, though, all compassion underneath that broody outer core - the idea of someone getting hurt rashly (that isn't himself) immediately makes him react. vax sounds somewhere between relieved and stressed if only because emet and percy both are aging him. he's supposed to be immortal now! ] That's what I was saying too. Looks like this Prism's gonna try and kill people no matter what, and there's fuckall we can do about it in the short term.
Just - let's gather information for now. I'll go talk to Shale too, see what they feel about it.
I have-! Or were you not listening when I acknowledged it could well have been 9S, if someone were afflicted? For now, all options must be taken into consideration, do try to take the full conversation into context.
[but this is still just about an average level of snippiness for him, so it's fine. he just exhales a breath, rubs at his face.]
Atsushi asked me to help him continue seeking the culprit, and I discouraged him from digging too deeply just yet. I am hardly being rash about any of this-- 'tis a risky sort of accusation to voice. It is simply that there is only so much time to make such a determination if aught is to be done at all.
[ he reaches out and baps emet in the chest, though it's not hard. ] No, I jumped ahead because you made it sound like you were going to merc Kazunari. [ this is also just grousing, grumbling.... and ok maybe he jumped to a conclusion but he's vax'ildan, that's what he does. especially when it comes to the safety of others. he will admit maybe he jumped a little ahead!!!
... anyway. ]
Yeah, I get what you're saying. Everyone's gotta be patient for a tic. [ but it sure fucking is hard to be patient. ] If the pattern holds, this'll happen again on Thursday, so. Gives us a couple of days, at least.
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[he just.
gestures for vax to sit with him, there. it's touch week shhhut up.]
But all we may do is move forward. Make it through tomorrow, and continue on. We cannot ignore the other entirely.
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...
eventually, touch week works out, though, and he will take the invitation, moving to come sit beside emet. he's kicked out of his boots because he's not a heathen, so he pulls his legs up to sit properly, taking up a little less space. ]
Yeah. [ vax says, eventually, voice rough. ] Yeah, I know. You're right.
[ he's maybe not as good at closure as he wants to be, either. ]
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You need not forget. But it will serve none of us to linger.
[they can't afford to carry all that hurt with them forever, or it might break them in the future.
(he's never experienced it himself. he doesn't know just what it is to carry it.)]
Will it help to think on something else, or do you prefer not to do so.
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[ that comes with a little bit of a laugh, humorless - he'll take the distraction for what it is, half slumping against emet's side. vax knows himself. he knows he's a brooder, he knows he'll be reflective and miserable the moment he's alone.
... he's not at the moment, though. so. ] Talk to me.
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and while he debates, for a few moments:]
I believe that we can somewhat reliably narrow down who the other was. Mayhap not with full certainty-- but I believe upon reflection that they let themselves slip, today. There was simply no time in the end.
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it's not that much better of a topic, but. he'll take the logical route with emet for a couple of minutes. at least he's not spiraling like some people. brow furrowing, he thinks over the night that passed, trying to sift past marie.
... ]
... Kazunari, I think.
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[he nods, at that.]
He and Marceline both have reasons to lie about whether they owned a gumball of their own color, but he is the one whose skills include drawing. Who changed his answer, when speaking of the tokens, though I only realized later. And it would be quite convenient to visit the scene himself, would it not?
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...He left a lot out, when we came back from the cemetery. I thought it was off, but I thought maybe it just freaked him out, to be that close to a corpse. He was trying to rush me out, too, before I was really ready to leave.
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Iunno. He was odd, today, but I'm not really close enough to know if he was before that. 9S and I spent a little time together Wednesday, though, and he seemed fine.
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[is... is it death considering what he was. he's not sure, but it's effective shorthand regardless.]
But I do not know that we can simply-- leave it be, and hope that there is no repeat.
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[ in a rigged game - with two potential options, they only caught one. found the second, after the fact. what would the raven queen ask of him, like this? what would vox machina have done, as a whole?
he closes his eyes. ] ...even if we had caught him, we still would've only been able to narrow it to one in the end.
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[midtrialing potential, uh, just did not occur to emet-selch. there was a process there, thanks.]
Restraining Marie did not stop her. So the question is: what is to be done?
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[ he'd been skulking around at the end of trial with a knife in hand, just in case, after all. less so for marie - or for wicked, heaven forbid - but more so for stopping what could have ended very, very badly. ]
... Honestly, I don't know. [ what's to be done. he's got no fucking idea - and the idea of going after kazunari doesn't sit well with him, turning over in his stomach. he's never been one to shy away from what needs to happen, but there's nothing to act on here except a situation they barely understand. ] Talk to the Residents. Keep an eye on Kazunari. Kumon too maybe. See if the charm's infectious or not. Look out for more weird fucking dreams, and stay on guard.
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[but-- it turned out the way it did, anyway. there was no waking to stop it.]
Simply keeping an eye on him is no preventative measure. I do not believe the dreams to be quite relevant, either.
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he opens an eye to look at him. ]
What’re you saying?
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With Kazuma-- Steel called it a mercy. One they wished to see given to him. They implied it would have been worse, had we not found him as we did.
[he isn't certain. what he would do at home, what they always did, was to just-- remove the source. remove the danger. that which cannot exist within the whole, that which threatens it... had to be unmade. it was simple.]
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anyway - vax sort of already knew the answer to the question he asked, but he wanted to hear him say it. he pulls back, expression conflicted, immediate, passion flaring in his voice. ]
- Part of that was because Kazuma killed his fucking best friend without knowing it. Don't do anything rash, are you out of your mind? We don't know nearly enough to - he might not even remember it, if we didn't catch him. He's not already dead.
[ and you can't just steal away someone's life because of a what-if chance. that isn't a string that needs to be pulled. not in his opinion. especially not kazunari, who is practically still a child. ]
Acting right out isn't the safest option, either. If this place's gonna keep people doing this, I don't think it's gonna fucking stop just because we cut off a limb. It sure as hell didn't this week, did it? We caught Kazuma. Someone still got fucked over.
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[there's a slight edge to it, almost offended. he's thinking about the potential, sure, but he's not going to stab a teen without more thought going into it than this.]
It is simply an option, should it seem necessary. At the very least, I should like to speak with Steel once more, to gauge their opinion this time.
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he sort of flops back down after that brief moment of "what the fuck" and then drags his hand down his face. ]
Fucking - lead with that, next time, yeah? [ DON'T JUST GO SAYING YOU'RE OUT HERE READY TO ELIMINATE A CHILD, EMET!!!! GOD!!!!!
this is why vax is not a crystalline, actually. he can't help it, though, all compassion underneath that broody outer core - the idea of someone getting hurt rashly (that isn't himself) immediately makes him react. vax sounds somewhere between relieved and stressed if only because emet and percy both are aging him. he's supposed to be immortal now! ] That's what I was saying too. Looks like this Prism's gonna try and kill people no matter what, and there's fuckall we can do about it in the short term.
Just - let's gather information for now. I'll go talk to Shale too, see what they feel about it.
[ mutters, at the end: ] Hells.
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[but this is still just about an average level of snippiness for him, so it's fine. he just exhales a breath, rubs at his face.]
Atsushi asked me to help him continue seeking the culprit, and I discouraged him from digging too deeply just yet. I am hardly being rash about any of this-- 'tis a risky sort of accusation to voice. It is simply that there is only so much time to make such a determination if aught is to be done at all.
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... anyway. ]
Yeah, I get what you're saying. Everyone's gotta be patient for a tic. [ but it sure fucking is hard to be patient. ] If the pattern holds, this'll happen again on Thursday, so. Gives us a couple of days, at least.
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[just pushing vax's hand away from his chest, don't you bap him. leave the tits alone.]
See what Shale has to say then, as soon as you can. I have the feeling you'll do better with them regardless.
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Yeah, I will. Guessing your conversation didn't go that well?
[ the topic of what to do with likely murderer kazunari sucks, actually. let's talk about this, instead. ]
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I feel it was... improved, this week, but given what you said before-- you are still better suited.
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