93. Backdated to the end of the Grey Log

[lamb_of_gold]

[Mu is sitting, damp-haired and smelling of soap, in a quieter corner of the Plane with the cloth of Aries in a disassembled pile in front of him. He seems to be meticulously cleaning one of the forearm bracers, and the cloth which he is using to do so has turned a rather distinct shade of red, coupled with an equally distinct coppery smell in the air.

He's taken lives before, but it never gets easier.]

Comments

have some kittie first~

[sosweet]

[ And a stealthy kitten comes from behind all by itself, sniffing and patting the Cloth parts. ]

[lamb_of_gold]

[For a second, he thinks its Cy, but she was always notoriously bad at sneaking, and probsbly would have said something by now. Nevertheless, the ball of fuzz is sufficient to stir Mu out of his thoughs as he pluks the kitty away from the metal and onto his lap]

[sosweet]

[ Once on Mu's lap, Aegisthus makes himself comfortable and dozes peacefully. ]

[traitortwin]

[South has been pacing the Plane, wondering what the best way would be to help Wash recover from his wounds after the battle. They'd both done what they could with what training they'd received on temporary patch-ups in the field, but they both knew it probably wasn't enough.

So when South spots Mu, she frowns. Didn't he...? The healing thing? ... Yeah.

... How do you ask for something like that? ... This is so out of her realm of knowledge it isn't funny.

She approaches slowly, watching him cleaning the bracers. And when she's close enough, she finally speaks - firm, like a good soldier, but also... a little unsure. And kind of quiet, for her, if we're being honest.]

Hey. ... You made it out, too.

[lamb_of_gold]

[ He doesnt look up when he answers.]

It seems so. I dont think I'm a ghost, at any rate.

[traitortwin]

Yeah. Right. There's no such thing as ghosts. [Paaause.] Where... I'm from, anyway.

[... This is so awkward.

She sighs, shakes her head.] About what happened. ... Does that kind of thing always happen with this place? The killings, the messages, the going-to-other-worlds and the... beast-thing... [She looks up at him again.] Is that normal? Or were we just a special exception?

[lamb_of_gold]

Mm. The latter, thankfully. Thats the only time I can remember it happening, at least.

[traitortwin]

Great. Guess it's good that's not normal, but I don't know how I feel about being part of an exception, either.

[lamb_of_gold]

In these circumstances? I'd much prefer being the exception.

[grip_on_reality]

[Menzies stops a distance away, just watching him for a long moment. when she speaks, her tone is a bit gruff, though the question is sincere enough:]

You make it out all right?

[after all, she knows he was in the thick of the fight, and she didn't see everything that happened]

[lamb_of_gold]

A few bruises, nothing worse. And you?

[grip_on_reality]

[she shakes her head, approaching him now] Not a scratch. I suppose I should thank you.

[but that gruffness is still there; she doesn't sound particularly grateful]

[lamb_of_gold]

You're mad at me.

[grip_on_reality]

[she gives him a look, trying to read his expression and tone. realising he isn't going to say any more, she sighs] Look, I don't think you did what you did because you wanted to, and I know it wasn't easy. But he was ready to blow that place 'imself, and you didn't say a word to any of us! You didn't even give him any warning. So why the hell did you think it needed to go down like that?

[she eyes him, waiting expectantly for his answer]

[lamb_of_gold]

Would you have taken the chance? Perhaps it was an act, and whatever was inside him would simply regenerate the body and continue to terrorize us.[Finally, he stops his task, putting the bracer and cloth down.] It was not a chance I particularly felt like taking.

He was dying anyways - it would have been cruel to let him suffer any longer, and just as cruel to tell him what I was about to do.

[not_a_lamb_nor_ram]

[ Kiran had not been far from Mu since they got back from the ordeal with Grey, and without the need for words, verbally or telepathically, somehow they took a semblance of space apart. Inevitably, Kiran returned to the general area where Mu was, with a fresh change of clothes and a small bag of Cloth-cleaning effects (it was expected, after all), a few paces behind the man.

He takes a breath about to say something, only to just breathe out. He looks to the back of his Master's head, to the Cloth, to the ground, then back up as he gradually approached, albeit with a subtle hesitance.

Kiran picks the spot opposite Mu, with Aries between them. Again, he doesn't speak as he settles himself and his things down. There wasn't much to do, really but he needed his mind occupied in that maybe, words will come to him. Hands lightly glowing, he takes to giving Aries a greeting and a general scan of his state, looking for hidden bits of damage. As if touching the Cloth gives him the push he needs -- ]

Master, I'm sorry.

[ He'd rattle off a list as to why but not right now. ]

[lamb_of_gold]

[Of course Mu knew he was coming, and was aware of Kiran's presence even before the latter spoke. When he does, Mu ceases his cleaning, choosing simply to speak]

You've nothing to apologize for, lamb.


[Aside from scuffed and dirty, the cloth is in good shape - it can take a bit more punishment than that!]

[not_a_lamb_nor_ram]

[ Truly it is unnecessary, but Kiki felt the need to draw some kind of stability from the Cloth. He stopped his inspection shortly, and took to what would amount to routine maintenance of the Cloth, working on the parts of the opposite arm. ]

Did you know him well-- Grey?

[ It almost (almost!) sounded like the first time he had asked why they were not in Sanctuary; as if he shouldn't ask, yet he wanted to know. ]

[lamb_of_gold]

[There's a beat, and a familiar distance in Mu's voice.] Not well, no. But I did not dislike him.

[not_a_lamb_nor_ram]

[ A moment's pause, a breath and -- ] I was hoping that he wasn't the monster.

[moveslikestrider]

[Footsteps herald Dave's approach. He's older now, by at least a year and taller because of it. Rather than say anything Dave just sits down beside the man. The usual air is subdued for once. He's seeking answers even though his mind already knows the answers.] Could it have gone any other way?

[lamb_of_gold]

[Mu looks up as he feels the swell of power that permeates Dave's presence. But at the boy's words, he looks back at his work, his hands now still.]

Does it trouble you?

[moveslikestrider]

I knew he wasn't going to make it. [Dave says instead of what's on his mind. He killed the man. No one else could hold him down. He killed him. It's not a matter of protecting others. It's the fact his powers were used to kill. He's never killed another human being.

Monsters, creatures, battling noir, yes. But Grey had been human somewhere in there.]

[lamb_of_gold]

[Time to meet the bullshit detector!]

And yet?

[moveslikestrider]

[And yet what? That he thought maybe things would go differently? He knows that's bullshit the moment he thinks back on it. Instead he just rubs behind his shades with one hand.] I've never killed anyone before. And he was terrified, you heard him.

I guess it just feels like that thing wanted that outcome. It wanted us to kill him. And that's been bothering me, you know? Why would it want that? What was the point? [There he goes, dancing around the fact that Grey had sounded so scared and it ripped at him. He'd been innocent and used. It didn't feel like justice. Just cold blooded murder.]