...I was trying to keep Isley from killing people by making him promise that if he really needed to, he'd kill me instead of... some random person.
[...]
It was only because I knew he wouldn't! I'm not that stupid. And I'm definitely not suicidal.
...oh right! That reminds me! Neither of us backed down, it's just that when we got too close to doing actual damage, I guess it made him uncomfortable so he sort dropped in and stopped us.
I-- Of course I'm talkin' about the fight! I already know all that other crap, but this? I thought he used to be a fuckin' soldier, like you. He should know better!
[ >:(!!!!]
That was your fight. No one's got any right to take it from you just 'cause they ain't comfortable. What a crock of shit.
Something about how if she killed me he'd have to kill her, and that would cause him problems so he may as well just stop it from getting out of control in advance.
...anyway, it's okay, really! We're going to do it again sometime? Except without the um, high stakes. That way he won't get all twitchy about it.
[She makes a face that looks quite like a >.< and smiles.]
I'm not nervous. I don't know when it will be, but...
It doesn't matter. I fought her and didn't die. I know now she can't just...
[...]
The first time I fought her, I couldn't touch her. Not even with Irene and Noel and Sophia to back me up. None of us could land even one blow. I was so scared I couldn't move.
I'm not afraid anymore, you see? I feel like the whole world shifted. Even though I know it's really just me.
Oh! You should meet them! Noel and Sophia! Um, the foxes.
...I couldn't have done it without you. I owe you so much of everything I am, and I--
[...she closes her eyes a little, and just for a moment, she looks... sad.]
[But only for a moment. She smiles again even as she opens her eyes.]
Well... if you ever come inside you're bound to meet them. I don't make them stay in my room all the time, although you can always come visit them there, too, as long as-- oh, I have a cat! I mean I have two cats. I named the new one Teresa and it's huge!
I'm thanking you now because she didn't take my head off, and that's a completely valid reason for thanking so don't argue with me.
[huffpuff.]
And. Um.
Well! I named it after her because I already had Irene and Noel and Sophia, you see? And Teresa wasn't here yet, I mean she had been but she was gone, so I thought it was appropriate and besides Helen said maybe if I named an animal after someone they'd show up!
And then she did.
So now I'm waiting for Noel and Sophia, which would be pretty awkward actually.
[...]
I will if you disappear! I should get a horse and name it Arthur.
I-- all right! All right, fine. You're welcome. Sheesh.
[And... then he gives her a weird look, because her logic is weird and that's the only acceptable response really.]
D'you listen to yourself talk? I mean, bringin' someone here just by naming a pet after them... If that really worked everyone'd have a closet full of cats and gerbils and shit, you know?
[...]
I guess it's not so bad as a tribute, though. 'Course if you really wanna honor Arthur you probably only need to name the back end of the horse.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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Funny. Not too long ago you were scared shitless of dyin' at all, never mind against her. And you know there's not always a chance of coming back.
I guess punks like you can grow up pretty fast, huh? You don't even sound scared.
[...]
...hey, don't go overboard, though.
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[...]
It was only because I knew he wouldn't! I'm not that stupid. And I'm definitely not suicidal.
...oh right! That reminds me! Neither of us backed down, it's just that when we got too close to doing actual damage, I guess it made him uncomfortable so he sort dropped in and stopped us.
[ :| ]
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[... >:| ]
What-- what the hell is that guy's problem!
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Wait. Are you talking about the fight?!
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[ >:(!!!!]
That was your fight. No one's got any right to take it from you just 'cause they ain't comfortable. What a crock of shit.
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Something about how if she killed me he'd have to kill her, and that would cause him problems so he may as well just stop it from getting out of control in advance.
...anyway, it's okay, really! We're going to do it again sometime? Except without the um, high stakes. That way he won't get all twitchy about it.
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...Fuckin' whiny little brat. At least you got a rematch outta it, I guess.
You're not nervous about that one, are you?
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I'm not nervous. I don't know when it will be, but...
It doesn't matter. I fought her and didn't die. I know now she can't just...
[...]
The first time I fought her, I couldn't touch her. Not even with Irene and Noel and Sophia to back me up. None of us could land even one blow. I was so scared I couldn't move.
I'm not afraid anymore, you see? I feel like the whole world shifted. Even though I know it's really just me.
Oh! You should meet them! Noel and Sophia! Um, the foxes.
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Look, just don't get all cocky about it, you still didn't beat her. That was the idea, remember? You still got that one fight left.
Difference is now you know you can do it. ...I knew you'd get there, though. Never would'a bothered if I didn't think so.
[...]
Eh... do I get a say in whether I meet this kennel of yours or not?
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...I couldn't have done it without you. I owe you so much of everything I am, and I--
[...she closes her eyes a little, and just for a moment, she looks... sad.]
[But only for a moment. She smiles again even as she opens her eyes.]
Well... if you ever come inside you're bound to meet them. I don't make them stay in my room all the time, although you can always come visit them there, too, as long as-- oh, I have a cat! I mean I have two cats. I named the new one Teresa and it's huge!
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Hey, I'm not through with you yet. You gotta kick her ass, really this time. Then you can thank me.
[He exhales a little puff.]
Anyway, I guess I can meet your-- why the hell did you name your cat after her? That's an even worse name than Irene for one of those furballs.
[...]
You're not gonna name anything after me, are you?
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[huffpuff.]
And. Um.
Well! I named it after her because I already had Irene and Noel and Sophia, you see? And Teresa wasn't here yet, I mean she had been but she was gone, so I thought it was appropriate and besides Helen said maybe if I named an animal after someone they'd show up!
And then she did.
So now I'm waiting for Noel and Sophia, which would be pretty awkward actually.
[...]
I will if you disappear! I should get a horse and name it Arthur.
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[And... then he gives her a weird look, because her logic is weird and that's the only acceptable response really.]
D'you listen to yourself talk? I mean, bringin' someone here just by naming a pet after them... If that really worked everyone'd have a closet full of cats and gerbils and shit, you know?
[...]
I guess it's not so bad as a tribute, though. 'Course if you really wanna honor Arthur you probably only need to name the back end of the horse.
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[...]
And why would I listen to myself talk? I'm the one saying the words so it's not like I don't know what I'm saying.
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[what even]
[And then he just laughs.]
Ah, never mind. I'll just take your word for it that anyone in the conversation knows what the hell you're talkin' about.
Anyway, I'm not gonna disappear. ...But if I do, don't name anything lame after me, okay? Make sure it's cool.
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You can't disappear.
I mean. I know that you can't help it, if you do. I know we can't control it. I might disappear, too.
But you can't.
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Didn't I just say I ain't done with you yet?
[...]
Hey. You busy up there?
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So I guess I'm busy doing that.
[...]
Why?
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[He glances to the side briefly before turning back to the Forge.]
I can show you some zombies I found that got frozen out where it's flooded. What do you say?
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All right! ...you didn't have to go by yourself to begin with, you know.
[STERN LOOK. But only for a second because she just stepped off the roof.]
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Yeah, yeah. There's plenty of stuff I shouldn't do to begin with, but that ain't always a good reason not to. I told you, it was overtime.
Hurry up, huh? I don't have all day.
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[...]
You really want me to hurry?
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[And then he stops abruptly, mostly because there is something behind him now.]
[Which under normal circumstances would be cause for alarm, but instead he just grins a little and shuts the Forge off.]