(OPEN/CATCH-ALL) can't commit to anything but a crime

[bookofpowers]

WHO: chrollo lucilfer and you!
WHEN: november! i forgot what date it was when i wrote this.
WHERE: the apartment's recreation room, sector 5 church, nova city.
WHAT: a normal catch-all! drinking and making conversation in the recreational room, and snippets of his real self through the other locations!
NOTES\WARNINGS: i once again make mention of my opt-out for warnings, as they might come up. even so, i'll always warn on the subject line so you know what to expect within that tag!

Comments

[bookofpowers]

What do you mean? Went away?

(that's the thing of interest. he doesn't need a priest of a cleric, he knows enough and searches for no confessions or redemptions, but to know someone can just disappear from this place? then that's the real gold.)

[tinflower]

Back to her world. She went back before, but Aurora said she never left, so I don't know if this is like that or when people just get sent back.

[ Does that make things at all clear. ]

[bookofpowers]

(YOU KNOW IT DOESN'T!!!)

... So, we are brought here to prove our world worthy of salvation, and yet, we can be returned? It feels to me the game is rigged.

[tinflower]

[ WELCOME TO ETRAYA. Especially that part about the game feeling rigged, which even doesn't change Gorgug's mild expression.

Because, you know: ] Some worlds get multiple people. At least, I know people from my world, but other people don't know anyone from theirs. It's not fair. No one knows why.

[ He pauses, and even includes: ] She did what they told her to in the past missions. Something happened to her in the last, [ and he looks down briefly, ] but-- that happened to some of us. And Aurora got corrupted, so. I don't know if the mission got judged.

really do thank you deeply for the exposition bless your heart

[bookofpowers]

I'm the only one from mine.

(as far as he is aware, at least.)

... What? What happened? And-- corrupted?

i am the loser who likes giving exposition, i like game talk

[tinflower]

[ He looks away again, hesitant about what to say, how much to give--not because it isn't important, but because it's...personal. Hits close. It's why he came here to see Aerith: because she got infected. He knows, and he knows what it's like.

But it doesn't have to be personal, right? So he tries telling himself. Padme told him to help others, so- it's better, right? Than doing nothing.

Even if Padme isn't here anymore either. ]

...there was... something, an entity, [ he starts slowly, working his way through his words. ] It showed up here from another of the places like this, from the mission before the one we had. It wasn't the whole thing-- I don't actually know a lot about it, but it got... inside people. It got inside Aurora too, into her programming. When she told us about the last mission-- you can see it on the network, if you go back.

[ If they want to see that. ]

The mission was supposed to be about our fears, and-- I think it was, but that thing was out there too, getting inside us, messing with our heads. You got angry or violent, or you tried trapping people, too. You knew their worst fears, or you triggered your own-- you did anything you could just to make as much fear as it wanted. It wanted that-- that fear.

And then it just...went. [ Apparently. Supposedly. But the discomfort is apparent on Gorgug's brow, the grimace of his mouth. ] I don't know that it's all gone. I haven't heard anyone talk about it.

youre the exposition hero please lets get the roles right

[bookofpowers]

(he's falling silent, his ears focused on every word, all that is being said and what isn't. his thoughts roam to how it would apply to him, what really is his fear? is it something tangible they could bring into him? unlikely, he thinks, or he... doesn't? he'll have to sit with this for a little while. the biggest thing he can think of are his people, his carefully crafted sense of identity placed on an entity breaking, but that's impossible here once he decides to quit the games and carry the spider's name outwardly.

which sits exactly with what is being presented to them in etraya. if his world disappears, so does the spider. his fear of being meaningless, to fail his people-- later, later. not now.

perhaps the goggled eyes and shock are genuine, after all.)

... I'm sorry you had to go through that. Are you alright?

i feel like chrollo dressed as aerith.... 🌸 (also sorry for the delay, i got sick!)

[tinflower]

[ It's a difficult question, for one reason or another (or maybe both). He doesn't want to lie, but it's also not something to be telling a stranger about; but he also doesn't want to downplay what happened, especially for other people. Would that be fair? Though he doesn't know the real strain that everyone was put through, and it's hard to deduce the state of a place when you've been avoiding a majority of the people within it.

So he looks down, awkward but quiet, shuffling on his feet in a way to delay and find himself an answer. ]

I'm... we're... I haven't seen people talk about it. [ ... ] I think they're dealing with it in their own ways.

[ He hopes they are, if it was as bad for them as it was for him. It's the only answer he can think to give, at the very least. ]

please never worry about delays with me! take your time and enjoy the ride 💖

[bookofpowers]

I did not mean the plural, you seem very young, I'm concerned for you...

(he very much meant the boy in front of him, an attempt to bridge any differences and have him connect a little to the persona chrollo is putting forward. whether it works or not, he doesn't know, but the attempt was made.)

bless 🙏

[tinflower]

[ Ah-- The concern directed specifically at him--in a way he can't sidestep it so easily--freezes Gorgug, his already difficult expression turning more so in the face of it.

He pinches his lips together, shuffles awkwardly in place, as: ] I'm an adventurer-- I have to deal with difficult times, so I... there's nothing else to do but to get over it. I'm-- I'm doing that. I'm getting over it.

[ For the awkward quality, his tone is angling for encouraging, attempting to soothe any worries about himself away. It's not dismissing the concern, not hiding that there's something wrong, but painting it as a work in progress: whatever's wrong with him is temporary. He'll be fine.

This is what people grow up to do, after all. Sometimes, you have to suck it up. ]

[bookofpowers]

Like a Hunter?

(which he after realizes that makes no sense to explain it without context, the boy doesn't come from the same place as he does.)

... They are elite members of society - they usually devote themselves to tracking down priceless items, mystical places, and the unseen wonders of the world.

(but that's not the important part. he can pay attention to the rest of the conversation, because that's what matters out of it. his hand gently sets on gorgug's shoulder, as a token of comfort.)

I see. Feel free to tell me if you need anything, although I have very little to offer.

[tinflower]

[ The word does get a confused stare, and nothing like recognition entirely finds itself on Gorgug's face as Chrollo explains the title and job description: there's some correlation, but not entirely, Gorgug thinks. Not if tracking down unseen wonders comes with a reason more than just sightseeing.

But the subject moves on, back to what it was, and a part of Gorgug feels bad--or, perhaps more adequately, shameful. Awkward, really, since the concern was unexpected, and he doesn't immediately know what to do in the face of it. ]

Th-- thank you, [ he decides on, glancing down shyly at times, unable to keep the other's gaze. ] If... you see anyone who looks like they need a hand, not a lot of people here have someone they know from their world. I don't know if that's the same for you, [ he says with a small nod. ] I... I'm lucky, but-- I'll remember that. Thank you.

[ Now he's repeating thanks. He looks a little like he wants to escape, but not out of fear, and not insincere about the thanks given. Just awkward. ]

[bookofpowers]

I do not myself, so I have very little choice there, mhm?

(he has to make do with what he has - his people are with him, at least philosophically and metaphorically, but not really here. it's their essence that he carries, but he doubts he will find many like-minded individuals here.

one can only do so much.)

I should actually get going. It was nice to meet you, kid.

(kid, right? right?)