cancry | post-dungeon regroup

post-dungeon regroup

[Obviously, they had to pull back and recover; Phoenix thought it would be best to head to the pseudo-headquarters in Invidia and settle back into the mansion to recover as well as consolidate what they all knew. There was a lot to get through, and a lot of recovery to be done by some of them. He'd need to talk to Etoile, thank Ariel, thank Medic again--]

[...But for now, he just about immediately collapsed on a couch and decided he would exist there for a while. You're on your own for food this time, kids.]

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... [Phoenix pushed himself up enough to brush disheveled hair out of his face and direct a faintly uncertain look in Achilles' general direction, as if trying to gauge whether or not he was serious.]

[...Eventually he concluded he was too exhausted to care about appearances, shifting enough to rest his head on Achilles' lap.]

I'm...afraid I have to ask your forgiveness. I was the one directing Chiron and Etoile, so no small amount of this outcome rests on my shoulders.

[ In truth it had been a bit of both. The offer had been genuine, but he also had not expected Phoenix to actually him up on it. So when he does… there’s a few seconds where it takes Achilles by surprise, and a few seconds more when it’s not Phoenix that he sees - it’s Patroclus’s bright pink and purple hair, that dog Furred’s twitchy little tawny ears (Fen…rir… was it…?), Odysseus’ tired eyes, Odile’s sleepy little head… and then it’s Phoenix, healed but still battle scarred and weary.

He almost puts a hand on his head, but refrains for now. ]

That… is not something you need apologize for, my friend. I refuse to give you any blame for this.

...I thought you might not. But it would have felt wrong had I not admitted as much.

[Admittedly, the contact alone was a small reassurance that things were...not okay, but salvageable.]

Regardless...I feel responsible for this all the same.

…Phoenix.

[ Fuck it. He’s resting his hand in Phoenix’s hair after all, gentle and hopefully reassuring. If Phoenix doesn’t want that he’ll know and pull back, but right now he feels the need to do so. ]

You are, without a doubt, one of if not the most capable among us. Even in spite of your lack of sight, you are dependable, quick thinking and immensely skilled. Save perhaps for Rei’s larger body of experience and knowledge, there is nothing I would say that you lack. In our group, there is none I consider more reliable a comrade than you.

So believe me when I say this - I don’t think this would have gone better with anyone else. If anything it would certainly have been worse. We might have been mourning the loss of three friends today, rather than just the memories of one.

You need not hold yourself accountable for suddenly having to fight a lion when we were all expecting a feral cat.

[He didn't answer right away, but he also didn't move from under Achilles' hand. Exhaling in a long, tired sigh, Phoenix closed his eyes and tried to piece together anything he was feeling about this whole mess.]

You're...kind to say as much. Truly, I mean that. And I acknowledge that...things could easily have gone much worse. Nearly did, if not for Ariel's intervention. But I...all I can see are my own missteps. I wasn't able to stop Chiron from nearly being killed, and I fear my own reaction to that may have severely frightened Etoile.

[ He looks away for a moment… because he knows what it feels like after something like this. He still remembers his own missteps, and how the others would reassure him like he is doing now. But no matter how much they did he still felt at fault; no words are going to ever make that feeling go away. ]

…I understand. It can be… difficult to see anything but after something like this. Hopefully, Etoile will recover… I get the feeling that she’s an exceptionally strong young lady, though if she decides not to fight with us any longer I could hardly blame her. At least she is afforded that choice.

Chiron though…

[ He just… trails off there. ]

I told you we would find a way to fix this, and I intend to hold to that. If we can recover Rei's memories, we can recover his.

[...]

I'm blind, not utterly stupid--I know that you care about him, too.

[ He wants… to say something about that first part. Voice a concern that has been growing ever bigger within him. But then Phoenix continues and— ]

Of course I do. I care about all of you.

[ uh huh… ]

...Achilles.

Unless I am mistaken and it is not only the pair of us here, I see no point in holding to pretense.

???

[ Phoenix can’t see it but Achilles is tilting his head quizzically. ]

I’m afraid I’m not sure I follow what you mean. When you said care did you not mean—

[ Deadpan: ] Oh no. How strange. I appear to have suddenly gone deaf. Terribly unfortunate. How ever will we communicate about this now.

...Achilles, I set myself on magical fire and proceeded to cut that girl's arm off as soon as I realized Chiron was injured. And I heard how you sounded when you spoke to him back in the Underside.

I think we're both a little past the 'denial' stage at this point.

I would have been upset if it had happened to any… most of you. [ then what’s with that pouty tone, huh?? ]

…But I suppose you are right. If anything the regret in my chest is most indicative of that.

Likewise.

...I don't intend on getting in the way, once this current predicament is dealt with. Astrals forbid this turn into a competition, when we've vastly more important matters to deal with. But if the situation should arise...I think we can likely see some manner of compromise.

[...after all, it was very abundantly clear he didn't exactly dislike Achilles, considering he was currently being used as a pillow.]

[ Achilles is quiet for a moment, mostly because he’s still pouting a little over being called out like this, but also because he’s mulling over what words to say next. ]

I also have no interest in turning such things into a competition. After all, when I was alive Orpheus and I—

…Pardon me, but I’m afraid we need to back up a little.

You set yourself on fire?!

It isn't as though I exactly planned to. [well, it wasn't going to be much of a secret anyway.] I heard Chiron fall, and...well, I feared she would kill the three of us and then the rest of you. The next thing I knew, everything was on fire.

It's...something similar happened when I was still alive. He--I made a magical contract with some great and terrible force for the power to save someone. It came at a particularly high price, something I seem fortunate enough to not have had to pay again.

[ He sighs heavily. ] Goddess… no wonder you were concerned about frightening Etoile… and here I thought you’d been hit with some sort of curse like whatever has been afflicting Chiron for so long…

[ A high price to save someone important to you though… why does something about that not sit particularly well with him…? ]

Well, I am even more thankful that you are still with us then, knowing that transpired.

She seemed distressed, for good reason. I doubt it would have killed me, I'm just glad I didn't have to pay with more than my sight this time.

[ Ah… so that’s how that happened, huh. ]

I am also glad for that. Hopefully you do not need to use such a power again.

[ Though if mystery girl shows back up again it may be needed… oof ]

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Fuck it this is multi part now 1/?

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Done

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1/?

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Done

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