[idk where the chosen are held, but here is Mandricardo who comes to approach Catra wherever she is.]
[His emotions have quieted down, some, but there's still that deep thrumming of rage, grief, and sorrow........but when he sees Catra, there's such overwhelming sympathy that it almost seems unnatural.]
That, and...I didn't want her to have to be forced to kill anyone here, again, if that really was the case. I don't think she wanted that. And I didn't want to go to trial seeing that she was responsible for killing someone we cared about.
[she resonates with those words. . . feels them deeply herself, and her gaze turns downwards. there's a sense of-- yeah, me too on her end of the emotional link]
Yeah.
I could tell. She wasn't killing people for fun.
[no matter how much Crow's death had hurt, she still believed that Byleth was-- deep down-- not a bad person]
I thought it might be more cruel to force her to go through it again.
[she feels, perhaps, it was a little misguided of her, but. . . what's done is done. her choices have been made. she can't-- she won't-- take them back]
[vaguely, she wonders what this means for Otome's chances of survival into next week, and. . . despite what she did at the end of trial, that thought draws out of her more feelings of sorrow and grief]
[For Byleth, to want to step up to the plate to kill her was one thing. He was her Servant, after all, and there was a part of that where he felt it was his responsibility, in a sense. With Otome...]
[He just sighs, emotions simmering back into sadness and heartbreak.]
...Yeah, we were. He was always nice to me. He always...looked out for me, no matter what. He really just had a good heart.
[she lets her own sadness and heartbreak and loss peek through the numbness, camaraderie with Mandricardo's. after all. . . Adora's death is still fresh in her mind]
[that chokes her up a bit, the corners of her eyes stinging. she sucks in a sharp breath and presses one hand against her face, like she's trying to hide her crumbled expression]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
w4 saturday
[His emotions have quieted down, some, but there's still that deep thrumming of rage, grief, and sorrow........but when he sees Catra, there's such overwhelming sympathy that it almost seems unnatural.]
....Hey.
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[she's tucked in a corner, sitting at a desk, staring out the window. she's settled as well, her emotions having dulled into numbness]
[until she feels the sympathy. then she jerks back, surprised, and whirls to face him]
. . .
H-- hey.
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[He doesn't seem to know what to say. It's just...sympathy, concern, grief.]
I'm sorry that...all happened to you. I-I'm so sorry.
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[there's another pang of grief from her. of loss. but even so, she sucks in a sharp breath and looks away]
Most of it I brought on to myself.
[as she does]
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It's this place, Catra. This place was the reason why you're in this situation. Why that all happened at the end with Otome.
It's not you.
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I'm the one who made the decision to kill Byleth.
[to attack Otome in a fit of emotional rage]
That was my choice. I'm not. . . shying away from it.
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[There's a long, long pause here.]
[And he looks at the ground, his feelings mixing in a complicated storm around him.]
Catra....you weren't the only one who wanted to kill Byleth.
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[she blinks a few times, surprise bubbling up through the surface of the numb feelings]
. . . huh?
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[Guess who was KNIFEBLOCKED]
I-It should have been me, Catra.
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[silence]
[she opens her mouth]
[closes it again]
[. . . a small flicker of guilt]
. . .
Did you want to-- to free her, too?
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[He's also feeling guilty, more so than Catra.]
That, and...I didn't want her to have to be forced to kill anyone here, again, if that really was the case. I don't think she wanted that. And I didn't want to go to trial seeing that she was responsible for killing someone we cared about.
[But that happened! Haha!]
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Yeah.
I could tell. She wasn't killing people for fun.
[no matter how much Crow's death had hurt, she still believed that Byleth was-- deep down-- not a bad person]
I thought it might be more cruel to force her to go through it again.
[she feels, perhaps, it was a little misguided of her, but. . . what's done is done. her choices have been made. she can't-- she won't-- take them back]
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[To kill her would be a mercy.]
That's why...I can't hold it against you. Maybe it could've been me instead of you, in this situation. I...really wish it was me.
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Summer's numbers are already dwindling. Someone has to stick around for Sally. For-- Annie.
[though she feels. . . guilt when she says Annie's name, 'cause haha I killed one of your Summers. . . whoops]
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[And that's also the guilt he's feeling. That despite how much he hates this, hates himself...he can't abandon everyone else.]
I just don't know...anymore. I just don't know anymore.
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. . . what about Otome?
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...I think I still...need some time before I can think about talkin' to her.
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[. . .]
[but she nods]
Yeah. I get it.
I didn't know you and Wang Lu were so close.
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[He just sighs, emotions simmering back into sadness and heartbreak.]
...Yeah, we were. He was always nice to me. He always...looked out for me, no matter what. He really just had a good heart.
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. . .
It sucks.
[THE EQUIVALENT OF "THAT'S ROUGH, BUDDY"]
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[Sometimes the one you love is taken mercilessly away from you in a horrible murdergame!!!]
[He pauses for a moment, before reaching with his hand, gesturing to take hers.]
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[she gives him a confused look, before extending her hand so he can take it. ???????]
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You're not alone, Catra. Please...remember that.
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[that chokes her up a bit, the corners of her eyes stinging. she sucks in a sharp breath and presses one hand against her face, like she's trying to hide her crumbled expression]
[but she squeezes his hand tightly in return]