SorryImsorry

 -- aibohphilicGapeseedx0 [AG] began trolling conciseTactician [CT] at 17:17 --

[05:11] CT: Balish shifts, sliding down the wall where Nullar is supposed to be, landing with a muffled thud, jerking back up, eyes wide open and looking rather perturbed.

[05:13] AG: "Good morning," Nullar says drily. She appears displeased, but also shockingly more healthy than she had when he'd passed out. Her nose is straighter than he's ever seen it, much of the bruising is gone, and a little bit of tooth is already peeking out past her lips to replace the missing one.

[05:16] CT: Balish wipes a smidgen of trailing purple fluid from his mouth, blinking wearily. "Nullar?" He asks, confused. "I... Oh, RIGHT." He shakes his head, pushing into the air, everything coming back to him.

[05:17] CT: CT: Balish wipes a smidgen of trailing purple fluid from his mouth, blinking wearily. "Nullar?" He asks, confused. "I... Oh, RIGHT." He shakes his head, pushing into the air, everything coming back to him.

[05:18] AG: "I spoke to your partner," she says, her tone brittle.

[05:19] CT: He rubs his eyes, frowning. "Oh? WHAT did you two TALK about?" He pulls his hand back, and grimaces.

[05:21] AG: "She thinks you need reigning in, by way of a kissmesis. She offered me the position."

[05:21] CT: Balish glances up, confused. "Reigning IN? And WHAT?"

[05:23] AG: Nullar shrugs, staring down at her knees. "She said I could be your kissmesis," she says, an unspoken 'but' hanging in the air.

[05:24] CT: Balish chews on his lip, nervously playing with the hem of his shirt. "This is SOMETHING you WANT, that's clear... But is it SOMETHING you need right now?" Balish avoides the unspoken 'but', glancing away.

[05:26] AG: "I need time to consider a lot of things. There's Jackie to deal with, and your monster of a partner, too."

[05:27] CT: Balish nods slowly. "Yeah, YEAH, I don't KNOW why she's suddenly DECIDING to allow it, honestly." He cracks a smile, trying to lighten the mood, but his eyes just look pathetically scared.

[05:31] AG: "Oh you can't think of anything that happened recently?" She asks, then shakes her head. "Nevermind. That's not important. Don't view this as freedom, or as her maturing. She says if we do this she'll..." she shakes her head. "Well she saod she's going to kill me anyway, but she'll do it first chance she gets this way."

[05:31] AG: Said*

[05:33] CT: He pauses blinking. "What? She SAID she'll KILL you if..." He closes his eyes, then opens them again. "That's NOT something that will happen." He shakes his head. "BESIDES, if Libby isn't READY for this... I won't HAVE you dying SIMPLY because of what I want."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[05:33] CT: Balish jumps a little, catching himself. "What YOU want." He covers quickly.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[05:36] AG: Nullar looks up at him with wide eyes, obviously not letting that slip pass her by. She looks at him for a moment, chewing on her lip, before finallt saying, "Yeah. Sure. Wh-what I want. Even with her removed from the equation there's stilll Jack to deal with. But... you know I'm not a patient troll, Balish."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[05:37] AG: "And I've been waoiting a long time already," she adds, sounding sad and weak.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[05:38] CT: He closes his eyes and just stands there for a second, breathing. "I KNOW." He squeaks out. "But WHY NOW, why couldn't she WAIT..."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[05:39] AG: Nullar chews on her lips some more, fidgeting. She's not sure how much to tell- not out of any loyalty toward Libby, far from it, but because she doesn't want anything to sour his new barely almost acceptance of even the idea.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[05:41] CT: He curses, turning and hitting against the wall. "Shut YOUR mouth, I need to THINK..." He breaths, clearly not to the other troll. He lets his hand fall, stepping to the wall and lying his forehead against it, then gesturing backwards to her.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[05:45] AG: Nullar flinches, eyes going wide. Jesus, she hadn't known it was that bad! She's not sure what his gesture means, and she's a little wary to be near him after the whole Libby debacle, but she moves forward anyway, sitting by him quietly. She drums her fingers restlessly against her knees, trying to figure out weigh her options and see if touching him is a good thing. "Balish," she says, worried.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[05:49] CT: Balish glances toward her, eyes dull. "This WHOLE thing began, ALL of it, because, JUST BECAUSE it would keep you ALIVE. Now you are TELLING me that you could DIE if we verified this RELATIONSHIP? " He sighs. "Are you SURE you want this? I don't... I do NOT want to make this desision FOR you, when you don't KNOW everything."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[05:53] AG: Nullar shifts her position to get more comfortable, legs folded beneath her, the side of her cheek leaning against the cool wall. "Don't flatter me, Balish, you had others in mind, too. It's very sweet of you to lie like that, though." She considers the rest for a moment, playing with the fabric of her pants. "And Balish, didn't I make my decision a long time ago? Aren't we waiting on you?"

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[05:58] CT: He laughs, a sad, tired laugh. "SURE, I've had OTHERS in mind, I've ALSO never thought you would end up MEANING this much to me." He sighs, and continues. "I don't want to be the CAUSE of your death. You'll DIE, Nullar, Libby will make SURE, no matter HOW much I argue with her about it."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[06:00] AG: "Why are you with someone who'd hurt those you care about?" She asks, then visibly winces. "Okay, sorry, I'm not really in a position to ask a question like that."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[06:01] AG: "Libby did put it an interesting way," she murmurs. "If I'm going to die anyway I might as well do something worthwhile with my time remaining."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[06:03] CT: He rolls slightly, frowning. "WHAT makes you say that? Why do you THINK you are going to DIE?"

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[06:04] AG: "Well, either she wins and she kills me, or Jack wins and he does. Or so she says."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[06:05] AG: "Jack's said otherwise, but.."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[06:05] CT: He shakes his head. "There is ANOTHER way, there HAS to be another way. This isn't BLACK or WHITE."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[06:11] AG: Null is quiet for a moment. "Well, I guess we have time to figure something out. I still have the black queen to deal with... and Rilset," she says darkly.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[06:12] CT: He sighs. "And ME, if this is a THING we are doing."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[06:13] AG: "The 'other' you, or...,"

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[06:14] CT: He just shakes his head. "WHICHEVER, I don't know anymore."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[06:14] CT: Balish pauses, glancing down, and equiping a overear computer.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[06:22] CT: Balish shakes his head. "She'll KILL you the moment we AGREE. She's made that CLEAR."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[06:23] AG: "The moment we agree? I was under the impression that I'd be killed once Jack was gone and I had outlived my usefulness with regard to your... black inclinations.."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[06:25] CT: he nods. "I BELIEVE that is what you are SUPPOSED to believe."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[06:26] CT: Balish blinks, stepping back, starting to hyperventilate.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[06:27] AG: "Wonderful," she says drily. "Is your partner okay with you clueing me in on that fact?"

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[06:27] AG: Her eyes go wide at his action, and she sits up a little. "Balish??"

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[06:28] CT: "P-probably NOT..." He shakes his head. "This is NOT okay."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[06:29] AG: Nullar looks worried and confused, but slips a haughty mask quickly in its place. "What isn't, Balish? Are you having some kind of trouble I should know about?"

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[06:31] CT: "S-she WANTS to KILL you because of ME..." He back to the wall, looking at the ceiling. "Of COURSE, because of ME and my DISEASE."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[06:33] AG: Nullar stands up, sick of looking so far up at him. She takes a step closer, a scowl on her face. "Balish, calm down. We were speaking about this like adults, surprisingly enough, just two seconds ago. Talk to me-- 'teammate to teammate'."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[06:33] CT: "She HAS it, she's THINKING like him, LIKE ME." He corrects himself with a cruel smile.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[06:39] AG: Nullar frowns. "Jack had the good decency to warn me what could happen if we.... coupled," she says, sounding a little displeased to speak about it in such scientific terms. "How could she imply you're insane and act insane in the next breath and not feel at least a little hypocritical?! She did say it wasn't kind, or fair, but..."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[06:42] CT: Balish's eyes widen, glowing a purple hue. He rips off the headset, tossing it to the ground, and ending it with a stomp. "FUCK." He roars, turning to the wall and hitting it again and again, before letting out another roar, collasping to the ground.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[06:46] AG: Nullar watches his display, unimpressed, and waits until he tires himself out before she sighs and asks, "Mind explaining what's going on? Or at least mletting me look at that hand?"

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[06:48] CT: "She's CHANGED, we exchanged STIMS and she..." He lets out a choked sob, not turning around, and whispers. "I was RIGHT."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[06:50] AG: "Details, Balish, I can't read your mind," Null tries to say curtly, but it's clear she's concerned. She stwps forward, until she can rest her knee agaunst his back, wanting to comfort him and remind him she's there without alarming or confusing him with something like a pap.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[06:52] CT: Balish turns, a few trailing purple tears sliding down his face. "She's like HIM, because HE is the REAL one, because I'm the FAKE one, this is HIS body, I'm just... I'm JUST a GUISE." He braces against the wall, entire body convulsing.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[06:54] AG: "What?" Nullar snaps, and with that her patience wears thin. She nudges him with her knee, then bends down and grabs him by his clothes, shaking him while balanced on the balls of her feet. "Balish stop acting stupid!! Maybe you're suppressing parts that are honest parts of yourself but you did it to be *good*!"

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[06:57] CT: Balish glares at her, standing up, grapping her shoulders and taking her up as he does so. "It doesn't MATTER what I did, or what I'll DO." He says, his trembling grip on her shoulders. "I'll LOSE, eventually I won't be ABLE to fight it nd PEOPLE will DIE. Just like what Libby is DOING. LOOK my in the EYES and TELL ME I'M WRONG!" Balish finishes with a yell, eyes shining faint purple light and blo

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[06:57] CT: od dripping from the corner of his mouth.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[07:03] AG: She can't hide the trembling that occurs when she's brought to her feet. It's too close to recent events, despite the person involved being different. She looks him dead on the eye, though, and considers her words a moment before sayong, "Yes. You will lose some of us. That was a given when we started this shitty game. Can't you see now why I want to destroy it? But you're thinking an awful lot of yourself if you think your actions matter that much."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[07:11] CT: "No not the GAME, I'll lose MYSELF, Nullar I can't DO this, I don't WANT to BECOME... I don't WANT to kill anybody." Balish's eyes are wide, and blinking with purple, fading and growing irregularly.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[07:13] AG: Null is frozen for a moment, but she leans in again, like she had so much earlier, pressing forward against the hands on her shoulders to bury her face into the crook of his neck. "You don't have to become anything you don't want to," she says against his skin, "No matter what these twinks try to convince you, you can still fight."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[07:16] CT: He whispers. "Can I? You can SENSE people, you can SENSE the PRESENCES of others. TELL me what you SEE." His grip slackens, arms rolling down. "No... NO... don't ANSWER that, I already KNOW it. You see ONE, you see the OTHER." He lets his hands fall, and slumps back.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[07:19] AG: "I see you, Balish," she says, relaxing when he pulls back. "Whatever you are, whatever you could be. My power is just a weaker form of Libby's after all," she finishes bitterly.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[07:25] CT: He shakes his head, staggering up and taking a few steps away from Nullar. "It's not the POWER, Nullar, it's the BEHOLDER." He smiles sadly, pulling out a computer. "Say, I'm black for YOU, and if you SAY you return those feelings, there is a GOOD chance you will DIE." Balish continue to walk, smearing what is identified as Aether into a compartment on the computer. "VERIFY this, you will DIE, or

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[07:25] CT: DENY this, you will LIVE, those seem the CHOICES, and I am fine wiith BOTH outcomes..." A portal opens, and the opressive darkness of somewhere terribly black shows through. "But I WILL need to catch up with you LATER, I seem to have ONE last option to TRY."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[07:28] AG: "Balish, no!" Nullar cries out, not stepping forward to follow him but pain nevertheless present in her voice. "How can you say you're fine with both? Balish, please, let's finish discussing this, I promise I'll at least try to respect your wishes," she pleads, tears in her eyes.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[07:32] CT: "Because, I ACCEPT your will to LIVE, and I accept you as a Kismesis." He turns, giving an arrogant smirk, "I SHOULDN'T, not a lowblood like you, but I FIND myself hating you as much as I love Libby. NOW, if you don't MIND, I'm going to SEE what a witch THINKS of this twisted head." Balish nods curtly. "I should have done this an AGE ago. I'll DIE or I'll LIVE, but either WAY I'll have ANSWERS."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[07:33] AG: "Balish," she pleads again, sadly, and sidesteps to block his way

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[07:35] CT: He lowers his gaze. "SAY it or don't, all I will do is LOSE my MIND, you'll lose your LIFE. I'm sure Libby won't kill you ONCE, there's not going to BE any coming back, and I STILL am going to Derse, DESPITE your decision. Scarlet is the ONLY ONE who may be ABLE to help. A godtier Witch of Heart will tell me what is REALLY in mine, and WHO gets to keep the FLESH."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[07:57] AG: "Balish, please!" She repeats, hating how pathetic her voice sounds. "We can solve this by ourselves. And can't you at least give me a kiss to go?" She asks, only half joking, attempting to light the mood.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[08:00] CT: He crosses his arms. "THAT is the basement to Libby's TOWER, I am going IN and EXPERIENCING something, then having my WONDERFUL sprite make me a portal to Derse. The ONLY WAY we can solve this OURSELVES is by some how keeping you SAFE, and letting me BEAT the everloving SHIT out of myself until one is BETTER. Do YOU have any ideas?" He repeats, looking arrogant but with empty eyes.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[08:02] AG: Nullar looks at him, confused and sad. Finally, she says, "I may not have any better or different ideas, but... could I at least have a, a k-kiss before you go?" She finishes, hating how pathetic she soinds. "It doesn't have to mean anything."

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[08:06] CT: Balish blinks, and grins, finally reaching his eyes, sparkling slightly in the dim light. "As you SAY." He says, stepping forward and sweeping his arms around the smaller troll, angling her chin up with a finger. "I DO suppose this makes us FAIR then, doesn't it?" He half mutters, as he presses his lips against hers, teeth lightly brushing against her lips, and clicking against her fangs.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[08:25] AG: Nullar's eyes widen, then flutter closed, as she presses her lips back against his. She lets out a breathy, pleading noise, as her weight slackens against his, chewing on his lower lip slightly.

<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;">[08:25] CT: While working, he slips an overty large husktop between them, as well as a half bag of aether, the supply dwindling intensly. "You won't be SAFE for LONG that can TAKE you somewhere, ANYWHERE you have been. Be CAREFUL." Balish takes Nullar's shoulders, swinging her into the black void. Before the portal closes, she can see Balish take out his amulet, rub a nub of aether on his pendant, and vanish.