Here's an FYI for the Null -- and I KNOW YOU'RE LISTENING, you hive-minded, crack-brained asshats!

[so_dark_a_road]

I've been informed as to the demented deal you made with one who would protect me. But your pathetic little extortion attempt FAILED.

I'm still defying you. In fact, I'm ACTIVELY WORKING AGAINST YOU. I will protect anybody on the list, with my very life, and I am helping to organize along with others who feel the same and will do the same.

So you can put me right back on your kill list, thank you very much!

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[bythewaves]

"Not quite as elegant as your usual, my brother!"

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[so_dark_a_road]

I was going to curse them in Sindarin, since it's such an eloquent language for invective, even more so than Quenya. "May your motherboards melt from the molten heat of your own malice and malignity!" We like alliteration, no? [ Smile. ]

But I'm sure they wouldn't have Elvish in their translation program. So I had to make do with colloquial English.

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[bythewaves]

I did it in the common! Or are you saying my efforts were not sufficient?

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[so_dark_a_road]

And as we always say about our works of art and craft, we put much of our thought into them, and that determines the effect of the thing made. I could feel your thoughts in your music, and it sounded like a loving whisper telling me to come and be comforted.

[ He scoots nearer to his brother. ]

I'll tell you a little of our story, Yukari's and mine. He's like us in some ways. He has his own vocabulary to describe his life, but there's a haunting similarity, even though the events are different.

When he chose his values early in his adulthood, he chose Beauty above all, but Chaos claimed him for its own. He served a king whom he loved and who cared greatly for him, but in the end there was dissension between them. Yukari was a troubled person, and he carried a great weight of self-hatred for which he was not originally responsible. And I think it made him unable to endure being respected, loved, and trusted for long. He could not believe himself worthy to receive such things. And in the end, he declared his independence by trying to kill his liege. He didn't succeed, and the man forgave him, gave him a superlative sword to take with him on his journeys, and wished him luck in finding the one thing that the king believed would make him happy -- beauty in some form that would make sense to him and complete his life. Yukari committed a great many violent acts in his time, and he became even more dedicated to creating and serving Chaos, but he never stopped searching for that ineffable thing, that beauty that he knew intuitively that he had been born to seek.

When he came here, he found me. And I found him. There was a kind of recognition between us -- it's hard to describe. Beauty and Chaos, the things we gave our allegiance to for years of our lives, those things are a common chord in our Songs.

Of course, for me, it's Love, above all. But I didn't know that until the day of my death. And it's been a long journey, a long time struggling to find ways to live out that understanding.

But that's why I thought I could help him. Because I know.

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[redwinekindofgirl]

Wow, you're subtle.

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[so_dark_a_road]

I try. [ Grin. ]

Nice to meet you, by the way.

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[redwinekindofgirl]

Uh... yeah, I guess. Points for the first impression.

[utulien_aure]

[Sigh, it's not that Fingon disapproves, really, but a head's up would have been nice]

What's this about a deal?

[so_dark_a_road]

[ Curufin's deepest apologies. XD ]

A dear friend of mine tried to bargain with the Null for my life. He said that if they would take me off the list, he would kill somebody on it. So, as you can see, I'm trying to get back on it as quick as possible.

[utulien_aure]

[Can everyone just go back to the days when Fingon was the crazy reckless one? He liked those days better.

But as it stands, he just nods.]

Will your friend stop if there's proof you're back on the list?

[farmboyjedi]

I'm joining you.

I believed them at first...but I found out more so as not to jump in too quickly. I have to make a stand as well.

[so_dark_a_road]

Thank you, Luke! You are a brave and generous man.

[farmboyjedi]

I'm getting used to this sort of thing...but things like this are what I've devoted my life to.

You know, there are stories of mechanical races invading other worlds like this...these don't seem like anything I'm familiar with, though. I just hope we can find a way to stop them.

[sciencelizard]

A-Are you sure doing this is safe??

[Curufin, please, laying low is usually the protocol here... or at least her protocol, anyway.]

[so_dark_a_road]

No, Alphys, I'm afraid it isn't. But I'd rather be on the list and maybe have some killer go after me than after somebody who is more vulnerable than I.

Speaking of which, you are on that list yourself, according to Matt. Do you have anybody around you who can protect you?

[sciencelizard]

[She fidgets, running her hands over each other as she tries to gather her thoughts.]

I-- I know, I mean, I saw, I-- My roommate is on there too. Or at least one of them. Almost all my friends are there. I don't-- I don't want anyone to get hurt, but what if they're being targeted because of me?

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[sightlessly]

So that's how. Someone bargained you off.

I agree with your conclusions here. Wholeheartedly. I'll do anything in my power to keep everyone safe. No one should die for this game the Null and "gods" are playing.

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[so_dark_a_road]

Yes. That's how it happened.

Thank you for your support, Matt! Yes, this is insanity. We must keep anyone from dying if we possibly can.

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[sightlessly]

However we can. I have a bad feeling about this snowballing on itself if someone dies.

[He's trying not to go to the worst case scenario. But it's difficult not to follow the slipper slope down to its bottom.]

[paragonbrosca]

You seriously give no fucks, do you? I like it.

...wait, someone made a deal with them?

[so_dark_a_road]

[ Chuckle. ] That's about right!

Yes, somebody made a deal. Somebody who cares about me very much, but who is horribly mistaken about what is an appropriate response to this situation, what is an effective way to keep anybody safe.

Pleased to meet you, by the way.

[paragonbrosca]

Same, but I don't plan to die so your friend can help you live. Think they'll renege on the deal after this?

[voice]

[hot_mes]

[well after he's exerted a monumental effort to keep Atem alive...]

I believe I can put two and two together. I didn't know you knew him.

[voice]

[so_dark_a_road]

[ And thank goodness he did! ]

I'm sure you can, Law. You are an intelligent man. Yes, I know him. And as you can see, I'm extremely concerned.

[voice]

[hot_mes]

Yeah, I get that. Maybe then it'll be good to know that his intended victim is alive.

[there is something of an edge to his tone, but he's not hauling off to make declarations of vengeance or anything]