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[bluescreenwhitedragon]

"This is Intensity. Leave a message."

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[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.

[crossmyheartandhope]

I gotta try.

You said it yourself - only way to pay people back's to purify them. For that, we need the angel.

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

That is true. That is how you pay them back.

But you won't rescue him this way. And I think deep down you know that.

[crossmyheartandhope]

So... what, then? Just sit around and don't do anything?

They're hurting him, dude.

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

That doesn't change the reality of the situation.

[crossmyheartandhope]

It's still a chance, though. Even if it's not a big one - that's gotta be better than nothing.

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

Is that what you believe?

[crossmyheartandhope]

I gotta believe it.