I'm happier with them than I was when we first arrived here. Trust is... pushing it, perhaps. But one of them dying certainly makes it harder to believe they're running with ulterior motives.
But we do have another entire cult to deal with to get to that point. Maybe we should be taking this as a test run for the Absolute?
Hah-- I'm not sure I need practice, but I suppose if you're searching for a silver lining.
[ he puts his hands behind his back, twiddling his thumbs. ]
I know you said you did not care to make the match, and I would not presume to change your mind on that - it is, of course, entirely up to you. I completely understand your desire to remain independent and reliant upon yourself - and hopefully Karlach and myself - in this endeavour. However I do know who your partner is, should you ever care to change your mind. The opportunity is available to you.
If you're planning on undoing what happened before, you might.
[ can't just bomb the absolute this time, mr dekarios. ]
... [ he sighs. ] I asked about it the other day, actually. I'm still not interested, but there's a power to knowing in order to tip-toe about the topic if they come to me about it.
[ so he has a very vague idea of things, but not much knowledge overall. ] You've been very proactive then, in your search.
I did not indicate to them I knew in any way, because I wanted to be sure to pass it along to you first. So you have the power in the decision, as it were.
[ so ... if he wants it, gale has it. ]
Yes. Though not particularly fruitful. I get the feeling my partner does not wish to be found.
[ i dont think he can share without their permission or testing the boundaries of a confirmed pair, so he'll need to ask them first before he can say exactly who. ]
Die, I suppose?
[ A JOKE. sort of. ]
The rules allow for a pairing of two who are orphaned, as it were. So I would need to luck out in that sense. Otherwise, the options are wait until closer to the end assuming I also survive that long, where they might feel their chance to succeed is stronger.
... Given the rate of death we saw last week, "lucking out" might not be so impossible. You may just need to survive long enough for it to come into play.
I agree. Dark as it is to pin one's hopes on another dying.
[ raising his eyebrows like. astarion your brain is so smooth and perfect but he knows you have enough of a murder wrinkle in there to put this one together. ]
Something along the lines of what Vin did. Though I do not know for certain if she was rewarded for her actions or not.
A question only Vin can answer, and I admit to being afraid to ask.
[ if the answer is yes, the temptation will rise. ]
I am hesitant to follow the directives of the Overseers, who would like to us to believe that once transformed, there is no cure but death for one monstrously changed. But I don't believe that to be true. After all, was not the same thought of us? With our inconvenient tadpoles?
[ which is the issue here, the temptation. what would you do for a cure? ]
Well, if there is a hidden cure it's worth remembering we had a hell of a time making any headway with our issue. So if we're going to assume that, we should probably start taking that thought seriously before there's no one left to ponder a cure.
[ he's not really sure what to say to that. out of the three of them, gale had always been the most on board with finding his partner and with that not really coming to pass... what else is there. ]
Decision paralysis? Ultimately, all options involve someone's death.
............ he opens his mouth, and then closes it again with a little frown. there's another pause before he actually does speak: ]
I would need to think about it, Gale. [ it's not a no. but he's been so firm on the fact he doesn't want to tie his life to someone else's that would need to give it that proper thought. ]
But if you sense your partner is gone, I will have an answer for you then.
For the moment, we'll keep an eye out if there's another trial with multiple bodies. If we figure something out, Karlach and I can make sure you get the killing blow in. [ and hope to god it works. ]
[ he tilts his head like he's thinking about it. ]
I will... be honest, Gale.
I'm annoyed at myself -- the other myself -- for not noticing how far you were spiralling. My head might've been up my own arse for most of our journey, and continues to be so, but even I was able to see you were struggling with what Elminster told you.
[ it's a little hesitant, like peeling back pieces of himself he doesn't want to peel back but --- well. gale is out here having all his vulnerabilities thrown all over the place simply because of the nature of this place. ]
I would suggest focusing on surviving. We'll see what we can find out about other options and ways to get yourself what you want.
[ this is like the sweetest thing astarion has ever said and it makes him very emotional? thanks? wiping at his face a little bit, but trying to play it cool so he does not make astarion run the opposite direction very fast. ]
I-- Thank you. And I think I owe you an acknowledgment myself. That I knew your requests for aide, for helping you with Cazador and I promised I would help you in whatever what I could. I feel that by ... giving up at the moment of pressure, I somewhat abandoned you. And that was wrong of me.
I think you are correct. We will have options. We will make ourselves options, if necessary.
[ honestly there's a lot of relief in admitting all of that and then having the outcome be ... good? insane how talking about your feelings works. that's fucked up and wrong. ]
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But we do have another entire cult to deal with to get to that point. Maybe we should be taking this as a test run for the Absolute?
[ ...? ]
Yes?
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[ he puts his hands behind his back, twiddling his thumbs. ]
I know you said you did not care to make the match, and I would not presume to change your mind on that - it is, of course, entirely up to you. I completely understand your desire to remain independent and reliant upon yourself - and hopefully Karlach and myself - in this endeavour. However I do know who your partner is, should you ever care to change your mind. The opportunity is available to you.
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[ can't just bomb the absolute this time, mr dekarios. ]
... [ he sighs. ] I asked about it the other day, actually. I'm still not interested, but there's a power to knowing in order to tip-toe about the topic if they come to me about it.
[ so he has a very vague idea of things, but not much knowledge overall. ] You've been very proactive then, in your search.
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[ guess he does not want to blow up anymore. not after the dog did it too. now it's just passé. ]
I did not indicate to them I knew in any way, because I wanted to be sure to pass it along to you first. So you have the power in the decision, as it were.
[ so ... if he wants it, gale has it. ]
Yes. Though not particularly fruitful. I get the feeling my partner does not wish to be found.
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... I suppose it wouldn't hurt.
[ knowing, and then making his own decisions. ]
Ah. [ ah. after he'd said that it was do or die when it came to the wish as well. ] ... And if they don't? What will you do then?
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Die, I suppose?
[ A JOKE. sort of. ]
The rules allow for a pairing of two who are orphaned, as it were. So I would need to luck out in that sense. Otherwise, the options are wait until closer to the end assuming I also survive that long, where they might feel their chance to succeed is stronger.
Or I take the initiative elsewhere.
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the LOOK he gives him like GALE. ]
... Given the rate of death we saw last week, "lucking out" might not be so impossible. You may just need to survive long enough for it to come into play.
[ ... ]
Initative how, exactly.
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[ raising his eyebrows like. astarion your brain is so smooth and perfect but he knows you have enough of a murder wrinkle in there to put this one together. ]
Something along the lines of what Vin did. Though I do not know for certain if she was rewarded for her actions or not.
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[ he has the perfect single brain cell. ]
Hmm. I didn't consider if she'd been rewarded for an impromptu execution. I'll have to ask her. [ ... ] Would it be something as large as a wish?
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I’m not sure I find an item like being able to summon a swarm of bats into a room an equal enough pay-off for a timely assassination.
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[ if the answer is yes, the temptation will rise. ]
I am hesitant to follow the directives of the Overseers, who would like to us to believe that once transformed, there is no cure but death for one monstrously changed. But I don't believe that to be true. After all, was not the same thought of us? With our inconvenient tadpoles?
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[ which is the issue here, the temptation. what would you do for a cure? ]
Well, if there is a hidden cure it's worth remembering we had a hell of a time making any headway with our issue. So if we're going to assume that, we should probably start taking that thought seriously before there's no one left to ponder a cure.
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I don't exactly know what to do anymore.
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[ he's not really sure what to say to that. out of the three of them, gale had always been the most on board with finding his partner and with that not really coming to pass... what else is there. ]
Decision paralysis? Ultimately, all options involve someone's death.
[ whether someone else's or gale's. ]
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... If we both survive long enough, if we find both of our partners no longer available-- Would you consider ... ?
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............ he opens his mouth, and then closes it again with a little frown. there's another pause before he actually does speak: ]
I would need to think about it, Gale. [ it's not a no. but he's been so firm on the fact he doesn't want to tie his life to someone else's that would need to give it that proper thought. ]
But if you sense your partner is gone, I will have an answer for you then.
For the moment, we'll keep an eye out if there's another trial with multiple bodies. If we figure something out, Karlach and I can make sure you get the killing blow in. [ and hope to god it works. ]
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[ it feels like a boundary that maybe he shouldn't have poked at. ]
If we survive long enough for it to be a concern, then maybe other solutions will have arisen. Patience might be key.
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I will... be honest, Gale.
I'm annoyed at myself -- the other myself -- for not noticing how far you were spiralling. My head might've been up my own arse for most of our journey, and continues to be so, but even I was able to see you were struggling with what Elminster told you.
[ it's a little hesitant, like peeling back pieces of himself he doesn't want to peel back but --- well. gale is out here having all his vulnerabilities thrown all over the place simply because of the nature of this place. ]
I would suggest focusing on surviving. We'll see what we can find out about other options and ways to get yourself what you want.
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I-- Thank you. And I think I owe you an acknowledgment myself. That I knew your requests for aide, for helping you with Cazador and I promised I would help you in whatever what I could. I feel that by ... giving up at the moment of pressure, I somewhat abandoned you. And that was wrong of me.
I think you are correct. We will have options. We will make ourselves options, if necessary.
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... I think, essentially, we're on the same page. We both let each other down one way or another in your world.
[ so. perhaps now is the chance to not do that. a rather simple thought, but it's a soothing one regardless. ]
I will find out what I can from Vin, if she's willing to tell me. Otherwise, you can always ask her yourself. She's quite amiable.
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[ honestly there's a lot of relief in admitting all of that and then having the outcome be ... good? insane how talking about your feelings works. that's fucked up and wrong. ]
I know, I know.
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At this point, it would be strange without all the yapping. Probably better to keep you around.
[ it's probably clear he is doing the Cat Thing. ]
It would nice if that were a way to access it as well. A little less risky than potentially getting caught for a murder and executed.