They can run into each other in the planetarium, in the room with the massive projector. Hunter is just sitting here with his knees drawn up to his chest, Flapjack softly warbling at him. But he looks up once he hears Jingheng enter the room, and just... kind of scoots over to make room for him where he's seated. Hi.]
he scoots and jingheng sits down immediately, gazing upwards for a moment at the projector slowly casting stars overhead. he gazes upwards for a long, long moment before, careful of flapjack, he... wraps his arms around hunter quietly. and just hugs him.
... Do you really think it's possible to get everyone out of here? The personal demons seem pretty confident that it's not, but I don't want to accept that.
[He sniffs, looking up at him. Then, after a moment, he nods.]
But not just Tuuri and the rest of the double dead. We need to get the personal demons out, too, Jingheng. I can't— [He pauses. Shakes his head.] I won't let them keep Cosmopolitan or the others.
... Well, maybe not all of us. Whoever hurt Kon and Tuuri deserves to rot.
[Because as depressed as he feels over this, it's slowly starting to give way to rage. Fuck whoever framed Tuuri.
Either way, he sighs.]
We're... actually not that close. I was awful to him in the past and I haven't made up for it yet. But he's important to my friends, and I won't go back to his sister just to tell her he's gone. I can't.
he has to glance away for a minute but there's a faint smile on the corner of his mouth. damn if that isn't what he was thinking. "all" is optimistic. he'd love to give whoever did this a good fucking sock in the teeth. ]
Says a lot about you, you know that? That you want to make it right.
[ softer, because he remembers the memories he's seen, and god if this kid isn't loved... ] Back home... your friends are waiting for you. And him... we'll get you both back to them.
Sure. But I wouldn't plan on not making it back. Just so you know. Don't get attached to that plan.
[ gazing out at the stars. ]
I learned a long time ago that sacrifice... it can hurt the people around you too. Irreparably. Don't hurt them that way just to make it right. Make it back with him... so that you can make it right to him too.
I already know that getting left behind is just as bad. You don't have to tell me that.
[Quietly. Quickly. Snapping just a little because he's upset, whoopsie.]
... It's not like I want to stay, anyway. I want to help my friends get back to their families. And I want to do all the things I couldn't before because of Belos. [...] You have stuff you want to do with Zhanlu and Lu Bixing, too, right?
Because they gave you some kind of honorary position while you were missing? [A beat. And then he pauses, frowning in confusion.] ... Wait. What's a Prime Minister?
[He comes from a theocratic monarchy. The heckie is any other form of government.]
I, uh... I want to go to school. And learn how to carve palismen and play flyer derby with my friends. That sort of stuff.
[Sometimes you are tired of living in historic times and would just like to live a painfully average life, thanks.]
Someone with a lot of power to make things right if they use it properly. That's why Bixing can be trusted with it.
[ a small smile as he then listens... because like. damn if these aren't the softest things. it's not his fault that he has to ruffle hunter's hair because like. gross he cares for this kid a lot. there's a moment where he does pause and then just... ]
When we're out of here... would you ever want to visit us?
You can meet Zhanlu in person... and all of his animals... I'll show you a mech if you want. [ he looks down at his hands, rubbing an old callus quietly. ] We can go flying even.
Yeah! [And then he coughs, a little embarrassed.] I mean, uh... yeah, I'd really like that. All of that. I want to see what your world is like for myself.
[A beat.]
... I would invite you to my world, too. But we have to take back the Boiling Isles first. And then, um, rebuild society from the ground up. [Help.] So... maybe later?
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week five, saturday.
They can run into each other in the planetarium, in the room with the massive projector. Hunter is just sitting here with his knees drawn up to his chest, Flapjack softly warbling at him. But he looks up once he hears Jingheng enter the room, and just... kind of scoots over to make room for him where he's seated. Hi.]
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he scoots and jingheng sits down immediately, gazing upwards for a moment at the projector slowly casting stars overhead. he gazes upwards for a long, long moment before, careful of flapjack, he... wraps his arms around hunter quietly. and just hugs him.
zhanlu sings very quietly. ]
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Then, after a bit:]
I don't know how to fix this.
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[ softer ] We can't. Not right now, game's rigged... we can only do our damndest to get them. All of them.
That's how we fix it.
We make it to the party, and we take them back.
[ there is no other solution. ]
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[ as he pulls away, just to rest hands gently on his shoulders. ]
I only play to win. And I will tear this place apart if I have to do so. They don't get to keep them.
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But not just Tuuri and the rest of the double dead. We need to get the personal demons out, too, Jingheng. I can't— [He pauses. Shakes his head.] I won't let them keep Cosmopolitan or the others.
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That's more like it. All of them.
Everyone. Satan has more than enough assholes down here for his parties. He can have a hell of a lot of fun without us.
[ a moment... ]
That Cosmopolitan. Means a lot to you.
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... Well, maybe not all of us. Whoever hurt Kon and Tuuri deserves to rot.
[Because as depressed as he feels over this, it's slowly starting to give way to rage. Fuck whoever framed Tuuri.
Either way, he sighs.]
We're... actually not that close. I was awful to him in the past and I haven't made up for it yet. But he's important to my friends, and I won't go back to his sister just to tell her he's gone. I can't.
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he has to glance away for a minute but there's a faint smile on the corner of his mouth. damn if that isn't what he was thinking. "all" is optimistic. he'd love to give whoever did this a good fucking sock in the teeth. ]
Says a lot about you, you know that? That you want to make it right.
[ softer, because he remembers the memories he's seen, and god if this kid isn't loved... ] Back home... your friends are waiting for you. And him... we'll get you both back to them.
I imagine they'd miss you pretty badly otherwise.
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[Quietly, propping his chin on his knees since he still has his legs pulled up his chest.]
But if anything happens to me, then I at least want to make sure King— I mean, Cosmopolitan, makes it home to his family.
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Sure. But I wouldn't plan on not making it back. Just so you know. Don't get attached to that plan.
[ gazing out at the stars. ]
I learned a long time ago that sacrifice... it can hurt the people around you too. Irreparably. Don't hurt them that way just to make it right. Make it back with him... so that you can make it right to him too.
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[Quietly. Quickly. Snapping just a little because he's upset, whoopsie.]
... It's not like I want to stay, anyway. I want to help my friends get back to their families. And I want to do all the things I couldn't before because of Belos. [...] You have stuff you want to do with Zhanlu and Lu Bixing, too, right?
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We do... Lu Bixing is the Prime Minister... and I guess I have a posthumous job promotion I need to start taking care of.
Zhanlu... he'll want to know everything when he wakes up, probably.
[ he tilts his head. ]
What sort of things?
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[He comes from a theocratic monarchy. The heckie is any other form of government.]
I, uh... I want to go to school. And learn how to carve palismen and play flyer derby with my friends. That sort of stuff.
[Sometimes you are tired of living in historic times and would just like to live a painfully average life, thanks.]
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[ at the question though he hums. ]
Someone with a lot of power to make things right if they use it properly. That's why Bixing can be trusted with it.
[ a small smile as he then listens... because like. damn if these aren't the softest things. it's not his fault that he has to ruffle hunter's hair because like. gross he cares for this kid a lot. there's a moment where he does pause and then just... ]
When we're out of here... would you ever want to visit us?
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... Can I?
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You can meet Zhanlu in person... and all of his animals... I'll show you a mech if you want. [ he looks down at his hands, rubbing an old callus quietly. ] We can go flying even.
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Yeah! [And then he coughs, a little embarrassed.] I mean, uh... yeah, I'd really like that. All of that. I want to see what your world is like for myself.
[A beat.]
... I would invite you to my world, too. But we have to take back the Boiling Isles first. And then, um, rebuild society from the ground up. [Help.] So... maybe later?
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We know a thing or two about helping society. If you ever need some advice, I think we could offer it.
Or... any kind of help.
[ a small smile. ]
But we both have things to do when we make it back, don't we?
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We both have people who are counting on us. We can't let them down.