[ her voice turns soft, her hands tremble at her side. she feels so helpless - which is nothing new, perhaps, but there are lives at stake. and this, leaving someone completely innocent to die, is even worse than having to kill someone who wasn't fully conscious of their actions. ]
We won't have anything to go off of, unless they do it again. That means leaving someone else to be murdered because of our failure.
We know what we found today. We can think it over again.
... We may not be able to save Asch. We may not be able to save anyone in the weeks to come. [...] Even gods don't always succeed. More humans than you can imagine have died because of our failures.
[fuck gandharva
it's a little more honest than he'd like to be, but he keeps his voice level. it's not about him, anyway.]
But the world goes on, Brilith, and we can keep trying. I don't necessarily think Asch should've chosen to be a martyr, but I doubt he decided to die so that he could be a source of despair for everyone.
[ ah. so this is her limit. as agni speaks, even though she doesn't know the full extent of what he's referring to, her breath catches in her throat. by the time he calls asch a matter, tears spill over, rolling down her cheeks. ]
A-Agni...
[ brilith's gaze falls to the floor, and her voice turns to a whisper. ]
gently, he steps forward to wrap her in a hug, if he'll let her. this really was easier before she learned about his insight—because now, he's so uncertain as to which boundaries he can no longer cross.]
Come with me to the garden for a sec?
Edited (actually i'm putting that off because i thought of something) 2020-03-01 05:46 (UTC)
[ she stiffens at first, the discomfort from insight not so easily forgotten. but in a place like this, where things just keep getting worse... having someone familiar nearby is a great comfort, even if brilith isn't particularly happy with him or how he left things between them before this happened. so she lets him do this and leans into it, crying quietly against his chest. it feels awful, terrible, to be so helpless- to know that even trying to smile or sleep off her worries won't help. she feels utterly, entirely useless here, even more than usual.
it's a few, long moments before she moves again, just to give a slight nod. why the garden would be so enticing right now she has no clue, but... ]
he takes her hand, if she'll let him, even if primarily to guide her. (but maybe he's a little selfish, and wants to do this for himself as well.)
either way, they make their way to the garden. there's a patch of dirt that doesn't seem to have anything growing in it yet...? beside it, there's a small sign, in magically translated fonic script: star of malkuth.
agni is quiet for a moment, before he speaks.]
... Asch planted sunflowers here. Someone's going to have to look after them.
[ she'll let him, though she doesn't grasp his hand in return - she's just a little too numb to try, right now. she follows without paying much attention, still trying to pull herself together, until they come to a stop before this patch of dirt and the sign. it doesn't register at first, what agni is asking, but as the realization starts to set in, she looks up at him with wide eyes. ]
But I... I don't know anything about gardening.
[ the library might have something, she thinks, but... will she really be able to help something like that grow? ]
[ if this is all she can do for asch now, she'll try. he may have told her to focus on the living, but... she hates to just condemn him and move on like nothing happened. all lives are important, even those lost for the sake of those who remain.
it isn't fair. but if brilith really can't do anything to help asch now... keeping his legacy alive will have to do. ]
Maybe... But he needs someone right now, doesn't he? More than I do.
[ she's a priestess. she can hold it together, if she has to, but isaac is just a kid. he shouldn't be left alone when someone he was clearly attached to is going to suffer for their mistakes. ]
[ brilith doesn't move away, but she doesn't try to lean into the touch, either. she only endures it. ]
It's just... We aren't that close. [ aren't, because even now, even condemned, he still lives. ] Shouldn't this belong to one of his friends?
[ the chance for her to really call asch a friend... it's already gone. but there are others who already made it there, where she was a little too unsure of how to even try. ]
Honestly, knowing Asch, he might just expect his plants to die once he's gone. I don't think he's picky on who'll take care of them.
[...]
Besides, kindness from a stranger can be just as meaningful. It's one thing to expect compassion from a friend, but to know that even others would still want to help you... [...] I get the feeling Asch didn't think he'd be liked at all.
[ she's not even sure if asch knows, or if he'd care if he did. but he always struck her as someone who would be a wonderful friend. in the end, didn't that turn out to be true? he did what he could to help nia, and he did what he could to keep another innocent from suffering the same fate... even if it means the killer will still be free in the coming weeks. ]
...Then I'll try. Maybe... [ "maybe i'll ask pumpkin for pointers," she almost says, but. the last thing brilith wants to do is speak to any of them. ] I'll check the library later.
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[ her voice turns soft, her hands tremble at her side. she feels so helpless - which is nothing new, perhaps, but there are lives at stake. and this, leaving someone completely innocent to die, is even worse than having to kill someone who wasn't fully conscious of their actions. ]
We won't have anything to go off of, unless they do it again. That means leaving someone else to be murdered because of our failure.
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... We may not be able to save Asch. We may not be able to save anyone in the weeks to come. [...] Even gods don't always succeed. More humans than you can imagine have died because of our failures.
[fuck gandharva
it's a little more honest than he'd like to be, but he keeps his voice level. it's not about him, anyway.]
But the world goes on, Brilith, and we can keep trying. I don't necessarily think Asch should've chosen to be a martyr, but I doubt he decided to die so that he could be a source of despair for everyone.
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A-Agni...
[ brilith's gaze falls to the floor, and her voice turns to a whisper. ]
H-How are we supposed to stop this?
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gently, he steps forward to wrap her in a hug, if he'll let her. this really was easier before she learned about his insight—because now, he's so uncertain as to which boundaries he can no longer cross.]
Come with me to the garden for a sec?
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it's a few, long moments before she moves again, just to give a slight nod. why the garden would be so enticing right now she has no clue, but... ]
...Okay.
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he takes her hand, if she'll let him, even if primarily to guide her. (but maybe he's a little selfish, and wants to do this for himself as well.)
either way, they make their way to the garden. there's a patch of dirt that doesn't seem to have anything growing in it yet...? beside it, there's a small sign, in magically translated fonic script: star of malkuth.
agni is quiet for a moment, before he speaks.]
... Asch planted sunflowers here. Someone's going to have to look after them.
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But I... I don't know anything about gardening.
[ the library might have something, she thinks, but... will she really be able to help something like that grow? ]
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To be honest, I doubt Asch knew anything easier. But that didn't stop him.
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I'll look for a book on it, then.
[ if this is all she can do for asch now, she'll try. he may have told her to focus on the living, but... she hates to just condemn him and move on like nothing happened. all lives are important, even those lost for the sake of those who remain.
it isn't fair. but if brilith really can't do anything to help asch now... keeping his legacy alive will have to do. ]
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[ she's a priestess. she can hold it together, if she has to, but isaac is just a kid. he shouldn't be left alone when someone he was clearly attached to is going to suffer for their mistakes. ]
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I'm glad for that.
...But why didn't you ask him to do this instead?
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he reaches up to touch her face, gently.]
Are you saying you don't want to?
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[ brilith doesn't move away, but she doesn't try to lean into the touch, either. she only endures it. ]
It's just... We aren't that close. [ aren't, because even now, even condemned, he still lives. ] Shouldn't this belong to one of his friends?
[ the chance for her to really call asch a friend... it's already gone. but there are others who already made it there, where she was a little too unsure of how to even try. ]
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[...]
Besides, kindness from a stranger can be just as meaningful. It's one thing to expect compassion from a friend, but to know that even others would still want to help you... [...] I get the feeling Asch didn't think he'd be liked at all.
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[ she's not even sure if asch knows, or if he'd care if he did. but he always struck her as someone who would be a wonderful friend. in the end, didn't that turn out to be true? he did what he could to help nia, and he did what he could to keep another innocent from suffering the same fate... even if it means the killer will still be free in the coming weeks. ]
...Then I'll try. Maybe... [ "maybe i'll ask pumpkin for pointers," she almost says, but. the last thing brilith wants to do is speak to any of them. ] I'll check the library later.