drove to Chicago, all things know, all things know

[cherryblooded]

[This is getting so routine.

Cherryblod had thought about napping the rest of the day, like he'd said, but there are people to take care of, people who'd been closer to Aiden and Shirazu than he had been. So after about an hour in his room to decompress, he'd headed to the kitchen and started cooking. At some point Stan and Bruce had both joined him.

Almost everyone seems to want to take care of those who are remaining. Almost everyone.

The food this time is mostly soup and sandwiches - nothing fancy, nobody's in the mood to appreciate it - but it's there set up in the dining room by the time everyone (alive) receives notes under their doors. ...He slips an extra one for Sigrun under Mettaton's door, just in case.]

[name],
If you want to spend this time by yourself, that's fine.
If you'd rather have some company, there's food in the dining room, and you're all welcome there.
If you want to take some food and go, that's fine, too.
Take care of yourself.
-Cherryblod, Stan, Bruce

Comments

[goodforsomething]

Heh. Yeah, hard to make plans around here. [Though if patterns hold, everyone should live for a few more days.] But it's good to keep busy. Once I'm done with the color portraits, I think I might just start paintin' the walls.

[That and try to find wall panels that actually do move. It's a good cover for checking them over more thoroughly during the day.]

[amygdalae]

[Another small nod from Bruce. It's not as if he hadn't thought of it himself - saving the ones back from his world. But there was just no way he could justify it to himself, much less to anybody else. He's already caused so much pain to others - causing even more for the sake of somebody else wasn't going to make it any better.]

I'm sure they're all fine. [All of them, if those photos are even real anyway. Bruce is still leaning towards 'no', personally. Just because of his own hunches.] We can trust in them to take care of themselves and each other in there.

[captainobnoxious]

[At least two more people might die this week. At least two.

... Hopefully just two. There's not a single person in this room she'd like to see disappear though, and that's even getting past her duty as a leader; as a person, as just Sigrun Eide, any of these people dying or being a killer would be harder on her than it would've been any number of weeks ago.

But this'll go on until there's one left or none at all.]

... Ever think about what might happen if there's just two people left? If everyone but two died off. Would he make them fight to the death, or would he king them both?

[penduli]

...I hope I get to meet her one day, Mr. Cherryblod. [ He'd honestly like to see a lobster wearing any of that. Not in a mean way, in a really curious way. ] And Lobco, too. I think it'd be nice. I'd invite you to come see my family too, but, well...

We'd just be visiting memorials. It's not very exciting.

[goodforsomething]

If they're really in there, they're no worse off than us. I mean, this place is awful, but I wouldn't want Ford to kill a bunch of his friends just to maybe get me a ride out.

[Stan snorts.] Not that he'd do that, but you get what I mean.

[amygdalae]

[If there were only two left... its something Bruce really doesn't want to think about much, honestly. He certainly hopes they can stop this before there's only two of them left.]

...I highly doubt he wants two 'kings', if he ever wanted a 'King' at all. [Because like hell Bruce believes anything the Kingmaker says at this point, more or less.] I wouldn't be surprised if he forced them into a battle for their lives.

[If there's only two of them who knows, they might just probably destroy each other in the end and only the Kingmaker wins.]

[captainobnoxious]

[... What are the chances that she's going to have to end up just putting a knife through her head instead.]

... Alright then, that's fair. I'll make sure it gets done one way or another. It's basically his dying wish, after all.

[amygdalae]

Yeah. [He returns, voice quiet, nodding one more time.] I wouldn't want that either.

[Not that he thinks Tony nor Betty would do that. Betty he knows for sure, but Tony... despite everything, he knows that Tony wouldn't put anybody's lives above his own. Not like this.

And in the very small likelihood that the pictures were real, then Bruce knows he should be the same as well.]

[cherryblooded]

...I'd like that. Since it would mean a lot to you, I'd be happy to visit your family.

[His family doesn't have memorials, probably.]

[goodforsomething]

Especially if they've been there as long as us.

[Stan's quiet for a moment before adding:]

I'd be lyin' if I said I hadn't thought about tryin'. Back when he offered to save our worlds, or somethin' like that. [There were a lot of reasons he didn't. Chief among them was that he honestly didn't trust the Kingmaker to come through anyway - he didn't want to be the chump who committed mass murder for a reward that never came. So even if there was a moral element to it too, an unwillingness to take that final step to being a killer, it's not like he's a saint here.] It was easier to think about before we all knew each other so well. Now...even if I saved everyone back home, I couldn't live with myself.

[captainobnoxious]

Well, if it's just me and someone else, then I'll let you guys know what it's like to win. And kill the bastard myself when I'm in arm's reach. I'll be alone, but that won't be so bad. Probably.

[... You know, just in case it ends up that way. Why wouldn't Sigrun figure she could kick anyone's ass.]

I think I might have to go toe-to-toe with that thing in the pit first though. I wonder what it really looks like, if it's not actually the dead people. Sure would like to get my blade in it.

[pokexplorer]

Right... We all have.

[From the very first week they wanted this to stop. But now there are only ten of them, and another week looms before them.]

I suppose the most we can do to combat it is keep exploring... With luck, we may get another floor that will prove to be more promising than the last.

[Thaaat's not going to be the case, but he's still holding out hope.]

[pokexplorer]

[Phew, glad he gets it.]

Of course.

[Since they've got that cleared up...]

And how are you faring? If you'd like, I can bring Klinklang out for you to visit with. ...No explanations necessary, of course.

[isafraid]

Heh. Hardly.

[He'd remark that at lest he was alive... but he'd said that already, too many times.

In a way, he's kind of glad to have someone fuss over him.]

....I hope you had enough help with this, then?

[isafraid]

[...Ah. Sigrun, you're going to make him all emotional and that's the last thing anyone needs right now??

Or the best? Emotional Speedwagon is usually a thing as it is.]

If there's anything I can do, it's keep a secret. Might I just say.... I appreciate the sentiment.

[He grins a bit, sighing.]

Can't say how much you can ask of me as a soldier though.

[isafraid]

[You're an excellent guy, Stan. Let Speedy have some of that.

....Or, he would, right up until Stan has to go and say that...]

Explosion zone huh...?

[isafraid]

[Fairly high?]

Kingmaker's getting worse.
figure things have to start changing sooner or later.
might have to plan.

[His grin is a bit put on.]

You like it?

[cherryblooded]

[At least Cherryblod can naturally poker face.]

It's a good riddle. I'll have to reflect on it a little and get back to you, if that's alright.

[cherryblooded]

I've had worse trials.

[Much much worse.]

But I wouldn't say no to visiting a friend.

[cherryblooded]

You're doing well, I think. Trying.

[amygdalae]

[Bruce is quiet too as he listens to Stan, his own expression a mix of emotions. It's easy enough to say that murder is wrong, that killing is vile and terrible but sometimes its just--different. Sometimes people do it for what they believe is right and good and even though it is wrong its also so hard to blame them for anything. Sometimes bad people sometimes make good choices and good people make bad choices. Nobody's perfect.]

I did think about it too. [He says as well, but as soon as he does Bruce quickly shakes his head.] But I couldn't--just dwelling on it made it worse. I could never bring myself to justify lives for something like that.

[He's already killed and hurt so many people by accident alone; how could he bring himself to do it deliberately?]

[amygdalae]

[Bruce is certainly not doubting Sigrun's ability to kick ass. He knows she probably can and will if she has to. (Unlike himself.)]

It's still better to have strength in numbers. [Even after all that is said and done, not going at it alone won't have the odds stacked against her as compared to actually going at it alone.] At least if we do have to fight it, we can rely on each other as backup.

[amygdalae]

Cherryblod was doing most of the work, but yes.

[A smile.]

It's good to see him back in proper spirits.

[Of a sort, anyway. Although all of are all just kind of in a Mood.]

[amygdalae]

I appreciate the support.

[He will continue to try, too.]

[goodforsomething]

Sure, passin' out drunk counts as fallin' asleep. I asked.

Just don't overdo it, it's fine!