[ In fairness, Alec couldn't have been certain about the state Henry was in. The one time Alec brought up someone lowering them, Henry started throwing debris.
Besides, he wanted to hear any explanation straight from the source. ]
Oof. Couldn't even clear that low bar, huh?
[ He's probably selling himself a bit short, but "thank yous" have never been his forte. ]
A couple things. She didn't want a lich running around. She didn't want us to suffer for the "crime of not knowing anyone". She's an interesting character.
Yeah? Guess it makes sense why she'd stick her neck out for you, then.
[ Sprezzatura didn't mention anything like friendship to him, but she didn't seem the type to want to monologue about it at all, let alone to a complete stranger. ]
And you figured we wouldn't even be a blip on her radar, huh?
[ Rummage rummage. He comes up with a couple of sandwiches. If there's something like a panini press around, he's going to toast them up. Because apparently he's just Like This. ]
She told me something else, you know. Once Basilisk was in the same predicament as Unicorn, all brand new and stuck in a death game with no allies, no connections. She refused to see another team go through the same thing.
Remember the shared dream? You weren’t the only one who visited.
[And she saw the mindscape part. There were monsters. There was unkind prying. He wasn’t lucid enough in his dream to stop some of his less than flattering traits from coming out.]
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I’ll have you know that your thank you was compared to mine, which was apparently lacking.
[so thanks for that!!]
What did she say, though?
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Besides, he wanted to hear any explanation straight from the source. ]
Oof. Couldn't even clear that low bar, huh?
[ He's probably selling himself a bit short, but "thank yous" have never been his forte. ]
A couple things. She didn't want a lich running around. She didn't want us to suffer for the "crime of not knowing anyone". She's an interesting character.
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But it’s fine, probably.]
Couldn’t even clear that low bar.
[But that’s about the usual push and pull between them.]
She’s a friend. One of the very few people here I can call that with any sincerity.
[UNAWARE OF HER MEETING HIS SHADOW AT THIS POINT, TOO, BUT THAT'S ALSO FINE]
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Yeah? Guess it makes sense why she'd stick her neck out for you, then.
[ Sprezzatura didn't mention anything like friendship to him, but she didn't seem the type to want to monologue about it at all, let alone to a complete stranger. ]
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[Even if he didn’t take the news of being lowered very… kindly at the time.
They’ve reached the diner. In they go! The jukebox kicks on again, as it always does.]
To be honest, at the time, I wasn’t sure if we could rely on Basilisk. Not completely.
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[ Said as he ducks back into the kitchen, instantly going to the fridge to see what there is to quickly heat up. ]
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[He finds a seat at a booth.]
Exactly what made that game so hard for so many others.
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[ Rummage rummage. He comes up with a couple of sandwiches. If there's something like a panini press around, he's going to toast them up. Because apparently he's just Like This. ]
She told me something else, you know. Once Basilisk was in the same predicament as Unicorn, all brand new and stuck in a death game with no allies, no connections. She refused to see another team go through the same thing.
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[Alec. He can deal with a normal sandwich, it’s okay honey.
But that sounds like Sprezzatura.]
I wouldn’t say that we have an awful lot of connections now, either. Unless a few of our other teammates have been busy.
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I've got a friend on Sphinx now. Maybe. Beyond that... no idea what the others are up to.
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Oh? Who?
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Her name is Ori.
[ They are collecting tieflings I just realized this. ]
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Okay, well. It looks good, at least. Henry’s brows raise, though.]
Ori? We've met.
[…Hm. No further comment.]
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I wouldn't count her out just yet. She's... surprisingly forgiving.
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But maybe worse-]
Remember the shared dream? You weren’t the only one who visited.
[And she saw the mindscape part. There were monsters. There was unkind prying. He wasn’t lucid enough in his dream to stop some of his less than flattering traits from coming out.]
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Let me guess. It didn't go well?
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[THIS INCREDIBLY LOW BAR TO CLEAR]
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In any case, if all that — whatever it was — happened and she was still worried about you, maybe it's not as bad as you think.
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[He had been so angry about Ori’s persistence to heal him. To be concerned. Now, it’s just baffling.
The problems of a man with a broken sense of empathy.
Anyway, how’s this sandwich taste.]
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[ He didn't make it so if it sucks, you can't blame him.
No, it was just a simple ham and swiss and tomato affair, so the toasting definitely elevated it. You're welcome. ]
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Either way, I don’t think having one friend on one team counts for much the next time we’re thrown into a similar game.
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No, I guess not. Are official alliances like a thing around here? You know, team to team.
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I don’t know. Probably. It seems like something humans would do in a place like this, spending extended amounts of time with each other.
You should ask around.
[YOU should. Not him.]
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