We could've been out of there a lot sooner if she'd just given up the ghost from the beginning. Instead, she toyed with us because she thought it was funny. [His expression is harsh and his tone's angry if only because he's so tired of being played with.
But...ah. He straightens a little to really look at her.] ...you're probably used to working alone and looking after yourself, aren't you?
Of course she would have. She still thought all of us were stupid in the end, and yet I'm gonna go see her one more time anyway.
[But. Hm. He tilts his head at that statement.] ...I've never really gotten to ask. I know you fight stuff that your sisters make you deal with and everything, but...why, exactly?
Not really. And I don't care what she thinks of me if I get some answers about what this thing is.
[And speaking of answers:] You needed to kill what they sent after you? Or....you needed to kill your sisters? [He can't exactly tell and he figures it's better to ask anyway.]
[Hm.] Where would I have heard about that? [Nope. There's literally no mention of Intoner in his memory, or in my inbox.] I assumed it was some kind of battle wound, but I never thought to ask.
And I suppose you could think of it that way, but calling it a... symptom would be more accurate. It's what gives Intoners their powers, and what's going to destroy my world.
That doesn't entirely explain what Intoners are, Zero. Or how they relate to dragons. [He remembers that, but he looks at the flower a little too closely now that she's drawn attention to it.] Let me guess. You don't get a choice?
[ that pulls a bark of humorless laughter from her. ]
Guess again. The Flower gave them all fake memories - a happy, blissful dream of all of us growing up together that never actually happened. It was so convincing that they all ran off to save the country.
[ and wasn't that the biggest joke of them all. little vessels carrying seeds of destruction, running around trying to be heroes. ]
They wouldn't have been born if I hadn't done what I'd done - that made them my responsibility to deal with. God knows nobody else would have been able to.
[ and it's much easier to clean up after one Intoner than six ]
[Huh. Well that's fucked up, and he faces her with an uncertain frown.]
Well, you're probably right. Doesn't seem like anybody else would've been right for the job. [It explains some things, too.] So...what, there isn't a way to change how things are done? Even if the memories are fake and things are in motion, it's not always a set path, is it?
Man, I don't know, Zero. [It's maybe a little snapped because he's not even sure what she's really trying to tell him or expect from him.] Obviously not, but there's such a thing as figuring out how to work with people even when they want to kill you. That's kinda what I meant.
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[ she doubts it ]
What pissed you off, by the way? The "leaving" blondie behind, or the stupid helpless act...?
[ she's not bothered by it or anything, she's just curious. ]
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Can it maybe be both?
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[ Zero grimaces at the thought. it took her how long to spit out a name again? ]
... I wouldn't know much about the former though.
[ she sounds a touch more somber at that. ]
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But...ah. He straightens a little to really look at her.] ...you're probably used to working alone and looking after yourself, aren't you?
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[ Zero exhales at the thought. gross. ]
I leave bodies behind, not people.
[ she says the words evenly. and also, judging from the way she won't look at him, glossing over something. ]
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[But. Hm. He tilts his head at that statement.] ...I've never really gotten to ask. I know you fight stuff that your sisters make you deal with and everything, but...why, exactly?
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[ but, whatever, she's not the boss of him.
his question is, ironically, easier for her. this is what she's dedicated herself to, after all. why be ashamed of it? ]
Because I needed to kill them, and they preferred to not die.
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[And speaking of answers:] You needed to kill what they sent after you? Or....you needed to kill your sisters? [He can't exactly tell and he figures it's better to ask anyway.]
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[ maybe it'll be demonically bad breath ]
It was both. I killed whoever or whatever they threw at me while I was hunting them down.
[ she says it almost lazily - clearly she thinks nothing of the countless deaths she doled out. ]
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Dare I ask why?
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Why I killed them? Because they would have tried to kill me.
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Didn't you hear? I wanted to be the only Intoner.
[ with the way info flies around this place, she wouldn't be surprised if he'd heard about that. Zero hadn't exactly been hiding it.
she's tired though. this week sucked. why bother with pretenses? ]
... How do you think I got this flower?
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Around? It doesn't matter, really.
And I suppose you could think of it that way, but calling it a... symptom would be more accurate. It's what gives Intoners their powers, and what's going to destroy my world.
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I tried to dig it out, you know. If I killed myself, that would kill the Flower too, right?
I ended up with five sisters, instead.
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Guess again. The Flower gave them all fake memories - a happy, blissful dream of all of us growing up together that never actually happened. It was so convincing that they all ran off to save the country.
[ and wasn't that the biggest joke of them all. little vessels carrying seeds of destruction, running around trying to be heroes. ]
They wouldn't have been born if I hadn't done what I'd done - that made them my responsibility to deal with. God knows nobody else would have been able to.
[ and it's much easier to clean up after one Intoner than six ]
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Well, you're probably right. Doesn't seem like anybody else would've been right for the job. [It explains some things, too.] So...what, there isn't a way to change how things are done? Even if the memories are fake and things are in motion, it's not always a set path, is it?
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And what, exactly, would you suggest? Should I have let them run around until they were consumed and destroyed everything?
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[ she scoffs ]
No one is that stupid.
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Why would I joke about it? There aren't any other options for me.
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