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[sharktrash]

Who: MANTICORE and possibly you
What: catch-all for all your MANTICORE needs
When: april
Where: various (see toplevels)
Warnings: Squalo, will add as necessary

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[ basic settings in toplevels! feel free to make your own starters, tag each other, threadjack, etc ]

Comments

[scalpedsociety]

We could be talking about a lot of things to be honest. The drugs, the fact that you're an acquired taste for most people in terms of personality sometimes... but I personally don't mind these things.

[Her expression gets dark.]

Until you stumbled out that place... you spoke to her didn't you? I bet you said things you weren't supposed to say. You have every right to be suspicious, but...

[Her voice is starting to become wobbly.]

You keep going like this, she'll kill you. And she won't think of bringing you back.

[It's beginning to become obvious that Squalo isn't her son, isn't even her student. But the affection she feels for him is plenty real. Call it successful brainwashing, she doesn't care, but she does care for Squalo.]

[sharktrash]

[ He drags a hand over his face. ]

So now it's my personality. Fucking sorry, I was born this way and I ain't gonna change --

[ Ah. She keeps talking. He'll actually listen to the rest, his own expression growing darker. Almost dangerous, really. He glances around to make sure their manager isn't there, and lowers his voice to a (loud) hiss. ]

You think I don't know that? She deigned to inform me of that, you know. "I'll make sure you join your shitty friend." What, did you think everyone's that "quit" went on with their lives? Did you? Not by a long shot. We're all -- we're all fucking hostages, and you can be fine with that, but I'm not.

[sublimelymagnificentblitz]

So killing yourself's gonna solve anything? Getting yourself killed? You think that'll make things any better?

There are things worth dying for. This ain't it.

[Really, what Jecht means is that there are things worth sacrificing for. He might not communicate that well, but... maybe he doesn't need to say it with words. The memory, the weight of previous decisions, lies around him like a palpable aura.]

[scalpedsociety]

[There's anger inside her now. For what was done to Squalo, what was possibly done to Wolfram, and Koumei, and Nariko. There's also sadness, because for those latter three, they are almost good as dead. (And they can end up the same way if they aren't careful.)]

So you finally say out it loud. I really don't care what you do, but you aren't getting yourself killed. I care about you Squalo, I have no one else I remember here.

[Maybe that is for the best.]

I just want you to be careful, that's all. I personally care about nothing else you do.

[sharktrash]

Why the fuck do you keep -- I'm not gonna fucking die if I can help it. Got too much stuff to do. [ Also he'd miss that dick, probably. ]

[ He gives the both of them dark looks. ]

I'm not planning to go to her again, if that's what you want to hear. [ Adds under his breath which is still too damn loud; ] Not soon, anyway.

[sublimelymagnificentblitz]

Yeah, well. You're pushing yourself down that path. I've seen it. This isn't just me being all paranoid.

I've seen guys go down the path you're walking. Most of 'em don't come back. The rest regret it. [His hands slip from the crooks of his elbows to the outside. Less defiant and angry, more solemn.]

[scalpedsociety]

Also on your dependence with that... stuff you snort. While I'm used to it, Jecht is right. You take too much of it. You can't do much of anything if you depend on it so much.

[What's she's saying is a lot like Luce here. 'You can't overthrow a inter-galactic bitch-er witch when you're sky high on coke.']

[sharktrash]

[ Ugh. People worrying about him. All of the sudden it feels so unnatural, so annoying -- Dino. That was his thing, wasn't it? His and that boy's who -- who he's met here. This was why he hated them. Nobody asked them to fucking care. He was fine. ]

I'M NOT DEPENDENT ON ANYTHING!!

[sublimelymagnificentblitz]

[Jecht knows the answer to this. His statement is more of a sigh than a challenge.]

Prove it.

[scalpedsociety]

[She turns to Jecht and whispers: Are you sure this is a good idea?]

[sharktrash]

[ Yeah, are you? ]

I don't owe you anything.

[sublimelymagnificentblitz]

[Look, yelling and belittling is about all he's got to run on.]

[So he fixes Squalo with a glare.]

No. You don't. But I'm not asking you to do it out of debt.

[scalpedsociety]

We care about you Squalo. It may be a thing you don't want but you change how we feel about you.

[sharktrash]

That's why you're weak.

[ What a nice thing to say to someone who cares, right? Except for a moment, he feels like he's not talking to them but to Dino. He hisses and rubs his temples. ]

I'll see about it.

[sublimelymagnificentblitz]

Did trying to take a cheap shot at us make you feel better? 'Cuz all I heard was that what we're saying bothers you and you're trying to pretend it didn't.

[scalpedsociety]

[For a second, Aramat looks genuinely hurt by that statement and she stays silent for now preferring to stay close to Jecht.

She'll just pretend he never said that to her.]

[sharktrash]

[ Wow damn it. ]

Yeah, a little. And I'd feel even better if you fucking stopped. I'm not the kind of person who -- [ deserves? wants? ] -- needs this.

[sublimelymagnificentblitz]

If you weren't, I wouldn't bother. And after all this time you can't tell me that ain't the damn truth.

[scalpedsociety]

If you want to overthrow the rotten bitch, your mind cannot be addled. Do you understand that at least Squalo?

Besides... I don't care how you are without it.

[This relationship they built on a foundation of lies put into their heads will be tested, but it's better that seeing him be a slave to a drug.]

[sharktrash]

[ Ugh fucking carebears why are you being like this. ]

...I'll think about it.

[ That'd better be enough for you. ]

[ Don't worry, a couple days from now bae will force him to kick the habit. ...it might get ugly. ]

[sublimelymagnificentblitz]

Go on and laugh at this coming from me, but... think about it hard.

And ask yourself what really matters to you, while you're at it.

[No real issues of 'foundation of lies' here -- Jecht'd do the same for anyone. Band or party or whoever needed it. The only thing he doesn't have that his memory could give him is the authority to speak from experience.]

[sharktrash]

[ Yeah, for once, he's not making the obvious pun. ]

Fine. [ He still thinks they're making it sound worse than it really is. ] ...and I don't want an answer to that question.

[ Because it feels more and more like it'd be "Xanxus" and there's no way in hell that's healthy. ]

[scalpedsociety]

[At this point, if Squalo's affection for Xanxus is strong enough to quit drugs. Then it's worth it. Although she's going to regret that later on.]

Even if you don't want it, ask anyway.

[sharktrash]

[ It's enough for him to die for him or kill himself so lmao. He gives her a long look. ]

...you have no idea what you're telling me to do.

[sublimelymagnificentblitz]

Yeah. We're asking you to figure out what's important to you.

If nothing else, that'll take away any doubt any of us have.