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[Bi-Han. So the mystery shadow man has a name. He could have asked him directly, but he's never felt all that compelled to try to get to know the guy. Sometimes it's worth it to act benevolently toward such people if there's a benefit to be had from their cooperation but Bi-Han doesn't seem likely to offer him much of anything he wants.]
I see. In any case, the spirit isn't on the network, no. I think the ones who have spoken to it just left it notes and gifts in the church.
I see. In any case, the spirit isn't on the network, no. I think the ones who have spoken to it just left it notes and gifts in the church.
Did you see it? When you came back?
[He wants to ask what it's like to die here, but he's definitely not drunk enough to be that improper. He's working on it though.]
I wonder who killed Bi-Han. He'll be after revenge as soon as he's able to.
[Kuai rubs his eyes, if it's not a random forest spirit he foresees himself breaking up a whole lot of fights in the near future.]
[He wants to ask what it's like to die here, but he's definitely not drunk enough to be that improper. He's working on it though.]
I wonder who killed Bi-Han. He'll be after revenge as soon as he's able to.
[Kuai rubs his eyes, if it's not a random forest spirit he foresees himself breaking up a whole lot of fights in the near future.]
[Who, indeed. He'll let Kuai wonder, for he has no idea. A spirit? Maybe. One of the others? Honestly just as plausible given his brother's personality. Self-defense. But he's not going to say that aloud.]
I've never seen the church spirit fully, no. Just a glimpse. Its hand slipping through the trap door. If you're quick enough to open your eyes you can catch that much before it leaves. Nothing more, though. I'd ask Aziraphale, if I were you and wanted to know details. If he doesn't know them personally he might direct you to someone who does.
I've never seen the church spirit fully, no. Just a glimpse. Its hand slipping through the trap door. If you're quick enough to open your eyes you can catch that much before it leaves. Nothing more, though. I'd ask Aziraphale, if I were you and wanted to know details. If he doesn't know them personally he might direct you to someone who does.
That's unfortunate. I hope she recovers. Has anyone else fallen ill? Is it tied to the market that was here recently?
I could perhaps create a shelter or a windblock but I'm not sure how useful that would be to anyone but myself. I'm not hindered by the cold.
I could perhaps create a shelter or a windblock but I'm not sure how useful that would be to anyone but myself. I'm not hindered by the cold.
Understandable.
Who is the other accompanying us? I don't think I've met them.
Who is the other accompanying us? I don't think I've met them.
General Maes Hughes. He was at the Town Hall with a map he'd gleaned from his dreams. Contacted me later asking for advice on travel here so I suggested he come along and get some experience, since you and I have been out plenty.
He'll be going out later as well, probably multiple times. He saw a lot of locations in his dream we haven't found yet.
He'll be going out later as well, probably multiple times. He saw a lot of locations in his dream we haven't found yet.
Hm. I suppose it doesn't much matter, I'm merely curious. Which seems to be the way of everything here: so many questions, very few answers.
[Maybe he will ask Aziraphale, just so he can get an answer to something in this place. He should probably also contact Bi-Han and get his side of the story before Kuai has to prevent a massacre.]
What do you give our chances of actually finding out .. anything about what's going on?
[Maybe he will ask Aziraphale, just so he can get an answer to something in this place. He should probably also contact Bi-Han and get his side of the story before Kuai has to prevent a massacre.]
What do you give our chances of actually finding out .. anything about what's going on?
Ah yes the one with the map, I didn't catch the name. I certainly hope we're able to find all the places he remembered.
It may turn out that this ordeal was beneficial in the end. It was nearly a disaster for those who were attacked, but for those who were asleep and able to glimpse this place as it was - we can use that.
If this works it will be the first big step into finding out more that isn't us journeying out at random.
It may turn out that this ordeal was beneficial in the end. It was nearly a disaster for those who were attacked, but for those who were asleep and able to glimpse this place as it was - we can use that.
If this works it will be the first big step into finding out more that isn't us journeying out at random.
I don't know.
[An unusually blunt answer from him as he knocks back more of his drink and lets the glass settle heavily on the table. He didn't come here to think hard thoughts. He'll do it anyway, though, but damn.]
Better than chance. We're doing what we can. But I can't just make up odds when space monsters are out there coming to turn out the lights and we don't know the first thing about how to tackle them.
[An unusually blunt answer from him as he knocks back more of his drink and lets the glass settle heavily on the table. He didn't come here to think hard thoughts. He'll do it anyway, though, but damn.]
Better than chance. We're doing what we can. But I can't just make up odds when space monsters are out there coming to turn out the lights and we don't know the first thing about how to tackle them.
Hm.
[He has both hands around his glass, watching the liquid spin around as it's chilled from his fingers. Now that he's asked the question he's positive he didn't really want the answer. Agreeing with Rosinante doesn't make it any harder to swallow.]
We'll make it. We have to, there's no other choice. So we do what we must.
[This is getting kind of deep and he sorta wishes he was full on hammered to not have to think about this. He can't even remember the last time he's been drunk. Years and years ago. Probably sometime after Bo' Rai Cho dragged him away from trying to kill himself as some pointless atonement for murders he didn't remember committing.
Welp, that's an even worse thought. Back to the bottle he goes to pour himself another.]
Let's talk about anything else. Pretend we're not here for a while.
[He has both hands around his glass, watching the liquid spin around as it's chilled from his fingers. Now that he's asked the question he's positive he didn't really want the answer. Agreeing with Rosinante doesn't make it any harder to swallow.]
We'll make it. We have to, there's no other choice. So we do what we must.
[This is getting kind of deep and he sorta wishes he was full on hammered to not have to think about this. He can't even remember the last time he's been drunk. Years and years ago. Probably sometime after Bo' Rai Cho dragged him away from trying to kill himself as some pointless atonement for murders he didn't remember committing.
Welp, that's an even worse thought. Back to the bottle he goes to pour himself another.]
Let's talk about anything else. Pretend we're not here for a while.
Me too.
Message me when you're thinking of venturing out. I've been outside more than at the Invincible. The snow reminds me of home.
Message me when you're thinking of venturing out. I've been outside more than at the Invincible. The snow reminds me of home.
[He silently raises his drink in a toast to that, then gulps some of it down. Already time for a refill, he's going through it too quickly, but it's hard to find the effort to care. He's tired still, a sort of lingering exhaustion more than any result of being underslept; and besides, it takes a lot for a man his size to get drunk.
Though it's starting to take effect, slowly but surely. He can tell, because the things that come to mind that he wants to ask about are things maybe best left alone, but he's damned well going to ask at least one of them anyway. If it gets awkward, he can blame it on the alcohol, it's an easy scapegoat.]
You and the other Grandmaster, Hasashi. You were together, weren't you?
Though it's starting to take effect, slowly but surely. He can tell, because the things that come to mind that he wants to ask about are things maybe best left alone, but he's damned well going to ask at least one of them anyway. If it gets awkward, he can blame it on the alcohol, it's an easy scapegoat.]
You and the other Grandmaster, Hasashi. You were together, weren't you?
[He does not choke on his drink or sputter or go red. In fact he merely goes completely still, his eyes flicking up to Rosinante's as if that's the only part of him that still functions.
Of all the things to talk about that one had not crossed his mind. While they were more than obvious to anyone who had seen either of them together for more than thirty seconds, Kuai is still utterly convinced of their stealth and that they were holding to the utmost bounds of propriety.
However; Rosinante had seen his death, felt how he felt about seeing Scorpion in Grandmaster Hasashi's place. And Kuai had let slip that he'd go back to the Netherrealm simply because he would be there.
Eventually he looks down at his drink again.]
Yes.
[Time to down that all in one go and get another.]
Of all the things to talk about that one had not crossed his mind. While they were more than obvious to anyone who had seen either of them together for more than thirty seconds, Kuai is still utterly convinced of their stealth and that they were holding to the utmost bounds of propriety.
However; Rosinante had seen his death, felt how he felt about seeing Scorpion in Grandmaster Hasashi's place. And Kuai had let slip that he'd go back to the Netherrealm simply because he would be there.
Eventually he looks down at his drink again.]
Yes.
[Time to down that all in one go and get another.]
[He's known for a while, he thought. Suspected, certainly, but the kind of suspicion that doesn't actually really need confirmation. It's sweet, though. Maybe bittersweet, given the circumstances.]
Wish I'd gotten to know him better while he was here, but he seemed to keep to himself. Not that I blame him. Dying isn't an easy thing.
[He refills his glass, and hovers the bottle near Kuai's. There's still whiskey if he wants it; otherwise, plenty of other things to drink at the bar.]
Wish I'd gotten to know him better while he was here, but he seemed to keep to himself. Not that I blame him. Dying isn't an easy thing.
[He refills his glass, and hovers the bottle near Kuai's. There's still whiskey if he wants it; otherwise, plenty of other things to drink at the bar.]
He's like that.
[Considering even he and Kuai didn't speak very often, he's not surprised that Hanzo kept to himself.
He tilts his glass towards the bottle, silent indication to fill him up again. At this point he's lost track of how many he's had. Three? Four? Too many he's sure.]
No, but at least he has experience with it. He's died several times before. But all this is new.
[He nods to the rest of the room, indicating the place at large.]
[Considering even he and Kuai didn't speak very often, he's not surprised that Hanzo kept to himself.
He tilts his glass towards the bottle, silent indication to fill him up again. At this point he's lost track of how many he's had. Three? Four? Too many he's sure.]
No, but at least he has experience with it. He's died several times before. But all this is new.
[He nods to the rest of the room, indicating the place at large.]
I guess he would, given the nature of your world's Netherrealm, but yes. This is still different.
[And he can't imagine it ever gets easier. He's died three times himself now and only the second time was quick and painless. Wouldn't it be nice if they were all like that? But he doesn't mention it, not wanting Kuai to have to remember exact circumstances of his - ... boyfriend?'s death.
The world feels more appropriate for young people, but oh well. It's staying in his own head.]
Sorry, this probably isn't helping any. We all have people we miss, though, and sometimes it's nicer to think about those good memories than the things around us here.
[And he can't imagine it ever gets easier. He's died three times himself now and only the second time was quick and painless. Wouldn't it be nice if they were all like that? But he doesn't mention it, not wanting Kuai to have to remember exact circumstances of his - ... boyfriend?'s death.
The world feels more appropriate for young people, but oh well. It's staying in his own head.]
Sorry, this probably isn't helping any. We all have people we miss, though, and sometimes it's nicer to think about those good memories than the things around us here.
[Even the knowledge that Rosininate thought that would cause Kuai to immediately die of embarrassment. Not that he has a better term for whatever their relationship is. Just Grandmasters being Grandmasters.]
It's true. Though it's somehow much easier to dwell on the bad memories than the good. It takes so little spoil something, and so much to redeem it.
Maybe we can make better memories here. Good ones to think on when all is dark and depressing.
[He's just drunk enough that he can't think of any, but there's bound to be something. It's a visible struggle for him to come up with one. ]
The lights in the little boats we sent out into the lake was nice.
It's true. Though it's somehow much easier to dwell on the bad memories than the good. It takes so little spoil something, and so much to redeem it.
Maybe we can make better memories here. Good ones to think on when all is dark and depressing.
[He's just drunk enough that he can't think of any, but there's bound to be something. It's a visible struggle for him to come up with one. ]
The lights in the little boats we sent out into the lake was nice.
They were.
[He had braced himself for Kuai to ask about his own good memories from home and was already sorting through ones safe to talk about, or ready to invent new ones as needed, so it's a relief when instead he decides to focus on their current surroundings. Yes, good choice. Much preferred.]
Mary is a lot of fun to have around. One of the first things she did was insist we put our handprints in paint on the door to the room we share. Every time I see how much smaller hers is, I smile.
[He had braced himself for Kuai to ask about his own good memories from home and was already sorting through ones safe to talk about, or ready to invent new ones as needed, so it's a relief when instead he decides to focus on their current surroundings. Yes, good choice. Much preferred.]
Mary is a lot of fun to have around. One of the first things she did was insist we put our handprints in paint on the door to the room we share. Every time I see how much smaller hers is, I smile.
[Okay that is adorable.]
Better things to think on than we currently have been. Or are.
[He frowns. Yeah, he's feeling it now. But you know what? He doesn't care.]
There are good people here. Ones that won't give up and are trying to make the best of it.
Coraline keeps wanting me to make snowmen for her.
Better things to think on than we currently have been. Or are.
[He frowns. Yeah, he's feeling it now. But you know what? He doesn't care.]
There are good people here. Ones that won't give up and are trying to make the best of it.
Coraline keeps wanting me to make snowmen for her.
Does she? I haven't spoken to her in a while. I think I accidentally frightened her off. She's a good kid too, though. Smart.
[Maybe he'll have to message her sometime, see how she's doing. It's hard to keep tabs on every single person here, but if anyone's going to try, it's him.]
[Maybe he'll have to message her sometime, see how she's doing. It's hard to keep tabs on every single person here, but if anyone's going to try, it's him.]
She's a teenager, they're moody like that.
[He's trained a lot of them, they hold grudges and get all nervous around authority figures and have mood changes every four seconds.]
I know she can be, but she does questionable things like camp out at her gravesite so no one can see how she died.
[He's trained a lot of them, they hold grudges and get all nervous around authority figures and have mood changes every four seconds.]
I know she can be, but she does questionable things like camp out at her gravesite so no one can see how she died.
[Doesn't he fucking know it. Teenagers are something else. They can still be smart, though, but - yeah, moody, don't always make the best choices.]
That was months ago, though. If that's the worst she's done, then she's doing all right. Did you ever find out what happened to her? Why she was so intent on guarding it?
That was months ago, though. If that's the worst she's done, then she's doing all right. Did you ever find out what happened to her? Why she was so intent on guarding it?
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