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[bluescreenwhitedragon]

"This is Intensity. Leave a message."

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[bluescreenwhitedragon]

And if the Manager doesn't answer? Are you going to stop there?

[crossmyheartandhope]

...kinda can't, right?

Guess I'll hit the books some more. Figure out some weird demon rituals.

Work through the hosts we know, then throw a dart at some named demons in some books or something. Other princes first, I guess, the ones that seem less sketchy.

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

And when should I start looking for you if I don't hear from you?

[crossmyheartandhope]

I guess... I'll do one a day, or something. The research's gonna take time, anyway.

You want me to check in after every one or something? Then I guess if I'm a no show after 48 hours, you know something happened.

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

Yes. And tell me who you're going to summon the next day at the check-in.

[crossmyheartandhope]

Yeah. Okay. I can do that.

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

[Finishes writing up the info]

Then best of luck to you.

[crossmyheartandhope]

...thanks.

[Hesitates. Then:]

You don't actually gotta look for me, though. If I don't show up again, I mean. Just, like. Make a note somewhere that that one was a bad call and call it done.

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

Absolutely not. That isn't how this works.

[crossmyheartandhope]

The whole point of me doing this alone's so if something goes bad, no one else gets boned this time.

Kinda defeats the purpose if I get in over my head and you gotta come fish me out again.

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

Even if I did agree to that, and I won't.

Heart Soldier never would.

[crossmyheartandhope]

You don't gotta tell em.

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

Let's say I don't.

Do you really think they won't notice you're missing?

[crossmyheartandhope]

I mean. 'S not like I'm there a whole lot anyway.

They'll probly figure I'm out doing something, and then it'll have been long enough that they'll figure grey plague, and then. [Shrugs.]

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

And then they all kill themselves to get to Lady Death and try to find you.

One of your unitmates was already willing to do that for you even before this whole mission started and had to be talked down from the ledge.

[crossmyheartandhope]

Yeah, well. People with grey plague just fade out, right? No Lilith involved, so suicide's not gonna help em.

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

You become the Damned. So you feasibly could end up in either Liar Hell or Vengeance Hell.

But that's not the point, and you and I both know it.

If you really want to make up for what happened, you better walk across that finish line with me.

[crossmyheartandhope]

I - what?

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

Did I stutter?

[crossmyheartandhope]

No, but - no.

I just -

[Hhhesitates for a second, and then another.]

I ain't worth that much. If something happens to me before we get where we're going, better me than - than you, or B, or King or Dva or Prim.

[Or Nem. But that goes without saying.]

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

This isn't a zero-sum game.

You dying or turning into a Damned doesn't protect anyone else. It just gets you killed.

[crossmyheartandhope]

I'm just saying... I dunno how me getting through everything is gonna make up for all this.

And if - if someone's gonna walk across that finish line with you, I can think of a whole lot of people who deserve to get out of here more than me.

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

Do you think disappearing makes up for anything?

If you think suffering is the only way to make amends, do it with your head held high.

[crossmyheartandhope]

[Shifts a little, uncomfortable; he sure did just get called out.]

...s'what I'm trying to do.

I gotta put this right somehow. So if that's gonna take a risk, it oughtta be me who takes it.

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

A risk with no reward.

You have to know that this won't work.