madburnout | PRIVATE CONFLICT: BEAUREGARD

[He actually leans back, switching his gaze to his hands. Clenching as if he's concentrating on something, then letting it go again. There's something about that statement that really covers it - something he was struggling to grasp.]

. . . When I am in my normal body, when I am angry . . . I can manifest it. It burns. It is all-consuming. I could feel it in every part of my being, I could make it burn as hot as the sun. Here it is like. [Bringing his hand back closer, over his chest.] My chest is empty. My heart is made of ice again. No matter how angry I get, I feel nothing compared to that. Something has gone out.

Yeah. [ she doesn't have the same ability to do what he does - she can't summon fire and she can't explode with it, but before, she feels like she could channel it. ]

Something's gone out. [ she mumbles. ] Before this I - I could fight it out, you know? Just like that. I could beat the shit out of something, or something bad would happen and I'd just - I'd beat it up and it'd stop being a problem, but we can't - there's no fighting back here.

It just fucking happens and it's all our fault. It's us.

[Honestly, there's something about that that snaps him out of it a little. Snapping up his gaze to look at her.]

I-. . . What happened to Asch, we share the blame. All of us. But we cannot shoulder it alone - the fact we are here, faced with these decisions at all is of consequence. You will break your back trying to carry shame for things you had no choice in.

[ it - helps, honestly? she stares at him for a second, expression slightly startled. ]

I - okay. [ you'll break your back trying to carry shame for things you had no choice in. it echoes in her head. ] ... Yeah. Yeah, I know.

[Good. He wants to help. It does nothing but speak kindly of everyone here that they are all hit this hard by this though. At least that part of them is not broken yet.]

I do not want you to suffer as well.

[Galo trying to kill himself via terrible voting choices, all of his friends tearing themselves to pieces over it. He won't have it.]

[ she - actually offers him a small smile. it's sad, but. ]

You're - you're sweet. [ she elbows him. gently. ] I wasn't expecting... anyway.

Thank you. Sometimes I need someone to bust my ass a bit.

[He doesn't find it a shock that someone is surprised he's like this. But he cares deeply, about so many things, more than he can stand. He doesn't quite smile, but he comes close enough when he's elbowed, relaxing his posture a bit to draw his knees up and put a hand on his chin.]

It is my job as leader of the Mad Burnish.

[hey did you just get recruited into the fire cult]

[ you know it's not even the first cult she's been adopted into which is funny ]

Yeah. Are you the leader even for people who aren't Burnish? I can't exactly summon fire with my hands. [ it's light teasing. she's touched, really. ]

I am the boss. I can change the rules for membership if I choose.

[Is it more that Lio just doesn't understand the concept of friends and thinks you have to join his gang? Maybe. But still.]

[ lio. ]

Well, shit. If it's that easy. [ tease, tease. ] I already said I'd help you burn this place down, man. That hasn't changed. Now it means even more.

[ gangs are easier than admitting you're friends, tbh ]

I suppose without flames you'll have trouble summoning the motorcycle.

[He says that in such a serious tone. Is it not a joke? It's not a joke. Anyway, Lio doesn't particularly realize he's being teased - he is too beautiful, and people rarely do it. The entire Mad Burnish just support him no questions asked and have never once teased the Boss (or he just stubbornly does not notice.)]

We will figure it out.

[ he's - so serious, she can't help it. she actually is trying not to grin. ]

The - the what? What's a motorcycle?

[WHAT'S A MOTORCYCLE??]

Ah-- A two-wheeled vehicle? Do you really not know what they are? Gueira chooses a four-wheeler, so I suppose you could do that instead.

Oh. Like - a cart, kind of? [ SHE'S FROM A MEDIEVAL WORLD LIO ] A two-wheeled cart sounds unsteady, dude. But - no, we don't have those in Exandria.

Ah-- I suppose so. It is not unsteady if you know what you are doing. [Lio . . . may not have much of an education.] Exandria is where you are from?

Exandria's the name of the world - I guess I've never been out of Wildemount so I don't know if Tal'Dorei has motorcycles, but. I've never even heard the word.

Anyway yeah. Wildemount is the continent I live on.

[???????

??????]

Ah--. . . I don't recognize any of those places.

[failed geography . . . ]

[ ... she'd be concerned if he did??? ]

I mean, it kind of looks like we're from different worlds entirely, so. Are you from that earth place?

I am from Detroit.

[A grand city of the . . . midwest. On Earth, yes.]

Like. The world of Detroit? [ its now canon ]

[THE WORLD OF DETROIT. THE UNIVERSE OF FUCKING MICHIGAN. Which may or may not still exist in dystopian Promare world.]

The city of Detroit. I've moved around many places, however, in my work. [Which, for a reminder, is terrorism] Mostly Promepolis. And I suppose-- Earth, is correct.

[ hi my name is lio, i'm 19 and i never fuckin learned how to read also my job is terrorism ]

I mean, same. If you call what I do work. We've spent more time on the ocean and in enemy territory lately than anywhere else.

[♪lio fotia, single child, detroit, michigan ♪]

Ah-- what did you do?

Mercenary work, kinda? I was a pirate for a while. Fuck, dude, I was first mate of a ship for like, months. [ :D ]

[EXCUSE ME]

Ah-- like a storybook. [AMAZING.]

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disreguarded - 2020-03-04 04:32 (UTC) - Expand