[eventually she wears herself out - rage only lasts so long. and she's aware she has an audience, so after a moment she just gives the punching bag a last annoyed kick, and turns around. walks away from it, muttering a series of curses under her breath.]
It didn't have to happen like that. [she says, finally, glancing over at him.]
[ There's concern in his gaze as he watches her, but when she finally looks his way, some resignation takes over. ]
... Yeah. [ He can still feel the shock of the very moment Ashlyn had killed Essek. ] It was always going to be difficult with it being the final trial, but this...
[ He trails off. None of them could have predicted this. ]
This is what I wanted to avoid from the start. Watching a kid crumble under all of this. [...] Watching her crumble, especially. I love that girl to death, she deserves better.
[she makes it easy for him to! the touch is grounding, and she relaxes slightly.]
Hah. Well, that makes me feel better all on its own, doesn't it. [sigh.] You think they figured it out after all that? Who will be the last ones standing.
That's his whole thing, I think. He keeps records, so I can see why he'd want to do it here.
[her tail flicks in agitation.]
And the other two, right, they're responsible for saving their world, so of course they'd step up here, it's just that I tried spending the entire time I was alive telling Suguru that he deserved more than that. Feels like any progress I made is just getting wiped out.
You leave an impression on people, Karlach. I'm sure they haven't forgotten what you've told them. Whatever they're planning on doing, it'll be with the intention of seeing you and the others again.
[a beat, and then she huffs out a laugh, and leans over to kiss the side of his head. he's not so bad at comforting words!!]
That's all I can ever hope for. [she spent ten years in hell thinking that was it for her, that nobody would ever remember her again. it's been nice, here.] ... It's been really good to talk to you again, hope you know that.
[astarion is her blorbo she loves him so much. and also he is a cat that doesn't want to take a bath.]
He's a brat. [SO fondly.] He takes... I don't want to say work, because that's more mean than I want it to be. Patience? I don't know.
He's a little like Nehan, actually, in that he's been through so much that he's just not willing to let anybody else fuck him up. You've got to endure the bites to get to the nice stuff.
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Punch the life out of that bag, Karlach. He'll wait until she wants a break. ]
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It didn't have to happen like that. [she says, finally, glancing over at him.]
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... Yeah. [ He can still feel the shock of the very moment Ashlyn had killed Essek. ] It was always going to be difficult with it being the final trial, but this...
[ He trails off. None of them could have predicted this. ]
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This is what I wanted to avoid from the start. Watching a kid crumble under all of this. [...] Watching her crumble, especially. I love that girl to death, she deserves better.
[rubs at her face.]
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She'll be relieved to see you. [ He's searching for a bright side. ] We'll get her through this.
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I know. [...] Thank you. For the reminder.
[she's supposed to be the one finding the bright sides!!]
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I wish I was as good at lending out comforting words as you are, but I like to think I've learned a thing or two from you.
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Hah. Well, that makes me feel better all on its own, doesn't it. [sigh.] You think they figured it out after all that? Who will be the last ones standing.
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I think so. They know how much we're depending on them, so... I'm sure they're giving it everything they've got.
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I've got the feeling it's going to be Suguru, Satoru, and Lavi, at least. Kids who never got the chance to be kids.
[which is exactly what she didn't want, but there's nothing she can do about it now.]
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... That wouldn't surprise me. Lavi, especially, seems keen on seeing it through to the end.
[ They really left it to the children, but. They're not ordinary children. ]
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[her tail flicks in agitation.]
And the other two, right, they're responsible for saving their world, so of course they'd step up here, it's just that I tried spending the entire time I was alive telling Suguru that he deserved more than that. Feels like any progress I made is just getting wiped out.
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You leave an impression on people, Karlach. I'm sure they haven't forgotten what you've told them. Whatever they're planning on doing, it'll be with the intention of seeing you and the others again.
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That's all I can ever hope for. [she spent ten years in hell thinking that was it for her, that nobody would ever remember her again. it's been nice, here.] ... It's been really good to talk to you again, hope you know that.
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Yeah, well... I'd like to think I'm not hopeless when other people try and have an effect on me.
[ And Karlach has had an effect on him. ]
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And gods, do I try. [she jokes.] You're better at taking it than some of the others around here. Like Astarion.
[does not even HESITATE in shaming him]
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Oh, I'm sure he's one of the more difficult ones. Fun to talk to, but I can never get much out of him.
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He's a brat. [SO fondly.] He takes... I don't want to say work, because that's more mean than I want it to be. Patience? I don't know.
He's a little like Nehan, actually, in that he's been through so much that he's just not willing to let anybody else fuck him up. You've got to endure the bites to get to the nice stuff.