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[fogsong]

[ oh man. oh man. the first part rings more alarm bells but the second part that comes through... well, it answers some of her questions even if it fills her with a sick sort of concern. ]

I didn't but I don't care. It doesn't matter who they are underneath it all. They hurt the people I care about here. They've hurt them before. They tortured them. They killed them. They deserve to die.

Does it bother you?

[faceblocks]

sure
maybe i guess
they chose it
(did they?)
thats something to think about

i mean
if that was me
id want someone to take me out before i got that bad
but yeah its not really about me
its about what they did to other ppl

i guess all of it can be true at the same time
it kind of does
might make me a hypocrite about my sis now

jinx bailed btw
she gave me a free shot
i gave her one too
none of it worked out

[fogsong]

Don't think too much about them. Don't let it get to you. They got what they deserved.

And you'd never turn out like them. You've got people who care and keep an eye on you.

Might be something to think about then.

You're both too messed up right now to really see what's going on. Give her a few days. Give yourself a few days. Think about it then. Right now, just focus on yourself. Do something for yourself, something you love. Watch a movie. Have a drink.

[faceblocks]

youre probably right
i know
i
yeah

i love my sister
u know they tried to cut out my heart a few times
its funny
i laughed a little
bc they didnt know

my sisters got my heart u dumb fucks
but keep trying ig

[fogsong]

Fuck, Vi.

How bad are you feeling right now?

[faceblocks]

idk

im kinda numb

maybe its my blood
doing smth extra

[fogsong]

Physically numb or emotionally? Because it's sounding a lot like you might be dealing with shock and corruption.

[faceblocks]

feelings

the physical numb is nbd

the rest tho
its like all the colors gone
just like my sister says

[fogsong]

Yeah, that sounds like corruption, shock, and depression.

You down to grab a drink?

1/2

[faceblocks]

cool its like a whole party
who knew corruption had friends

idk

2/2

[faceblocks]

yeah but

no crows


ugh crowds
crows are fine

[fogsong]

Come to my place. We'll drink here. I don't have a wealth of booze but I've got wine and whiskey and snacks.

[faceblocks]

u had me at snacks

also whiskey

[fogsong]

Cool, I'll get the shit out. [ an image comes through with her text. it's a detailed map to her house from the Watch Tower and includes tiny cute faces of Rose and Sharon surrounded by flowers and the words Our House in sharp, angled handwriting. ] Feel free to just walk in.

[ the entry-way is far from Sharon's normal style. everything about the place screams home. ]

[faceblocks]

[maps: the kind of directions vi can actually follow. it's easy enough to find because she knows this area. it's full of memories of her first days here - full of ghosts.

feel free to just walk in gets a laugh, but it's a complicated one. walking right into other people's places? that's old hat to vi, and she's not sure how to feel about those memories either. so she just doesn't. feel. that's healthy, right?

the house isn't what she expected. it's cute and soft where sharon's - well, she's cute, but she's full of sharp edges, and this room, at least - it doesn't have an edge in sight. the faces give her pause, but she sends the text.]

im in
i mean im here.

[fogsong]

[ vi will hear the clatter of glass in the room directly in front of her and the door to the kitchen swings open. it's warmer in there than at the entry, the brick fireplace lit up and glowing. there's pastries on the kitchen table, iced in yellows and whites, but, better than that, are a pair of rocks glasses filled with several fingers of whiskey. ]

Hey there. [ she greets vi ] Welcome to my lonely, humble abode.

[faceblocks]

[vi follows the sound of the glass - once in the kitchen she's again caught of guard by the soft tones, everything's a bit fancy to her when she compares it to home, but there's no time to think about that if she goes straight for the glass.]

Hey.

It doesn't look lonely. [but. as far as she knows sharon lives alone. the contrast of the photo in the entryway makes her re-think that statement.] Looks don't always mean anything, do they?

[eyyyy. she might look slightly less corrupted than she is. or not! but the smell of rotting flowers clings close to her like perfume as she slides into a chair.]

[fogsong]

Yeah, looks can be deceiving. [ the house had the feel of a home but it lacked the life of one. sharon just took care of it. kept it the way rose would have kept it in hopes that one day she'll return.

she takes a seat across from vi and leans forward, elbows on the table. ] You been bleeding?

[faceblocks]

Today? No. Not for lack of trying, though. [it tries to be a smile, but it's not.] Jinx forgot her bullets. Or something.

[she's just slightly sweating poison. not enough to be truly noxious, but it's left its scent behind.]

Every other day or so? Yeah, I bleed some, the Zealots bleed some. It's a tradeoff. They don't seem to like it, but they keep playing the game.

[and there goes the drink, down the hatch.]

Play stupid games, win stupid prizes, right?

[fogsong]

[ sharon grabs the whiskey and pours vi another glass before taking a deep drink from her own. ]

Hunting them? [ it kind of sounds like vi is doing the same thing sharon has been doing on and off this month. ] Making them pay?

[faceblocks]

[a nod, because that's exactly what she's been doing. oh, a few times had been rescue missions, but there had always been an edge to them since the first time. before the first time. she'd been gunning for them since the idea of them had been presented by never mind.

ah, that vileblood alcohol tolerance.]

They wanted blood. They wanted to get crazy. Well...

[a laugh and a sip this time.]

I saw their handiwork in one of those books Never Mind dropped all over Trench. Didn't like it much, and I liked watching my friend re-live that shit even less. You been making 'em pay, too? High fuckin' five to that.

[palm. up. it might make your palm a little tingly. just a warning.]

[fogsong]

[ sharon smacks her palm against vi's with a resounding clap, though it lacks in enthusiasm. immediately, she feels the effects of her vileblood but she shakes it off. it's not like it's a bad tingly. ]

They fucked with my mother last year. [ vi's blood may be poisonous but sharon's voice is full of venom ] Tortured my friends. Tortured me. Like fuck was I going to let them get away with it. [ she downs the rest of her drink and refills both their glasses. she's not a big drinker and it doesn't take much before it goes to her head. ]

I've tormented people for less. Though, unlike the Order, these guys are really into pain. Some of them don't even flinch or scream. It almost takes away the satisfaction.

[faceblocks]

[vi also lacks enthusiasm, it's a high five of bitter, fuck you energy, in a one way direction of zealots, with a slight branch off toward ...a few pthumerians. woah, woah, wait, what.

did sharon just say her mother? that gets vi's attention. she thinks about the woman in the photo, and decides not to ask: she's pretty sure she can put most of the pieces together. it's the second time sharon has mentioned her mother - the other time had been in a much more lighthearted way (johnny. lawrence. and his drunk post bonanza), and she'd guessed around the edges of it - but this seals the deal.]

I've killed for less, I just don't talk about it. When I was locked up it was a whole different game, and it was almost always for me. I didn't have friends in there to care about, but...

...even if they were people, or still are something in between, they chose this. And if we can't fix them, and this is what they are, it's not any different than the outpost beasts. Fuck 'em.

If you go for the throat first it almost takes the buzzkill away.

[not like she started doing that or anything. another sip, but she's smiling a little.]

I'm guessing this shit's old hat for you. I'd say I'm sorry about it, but I'm ...there's something wrong with me right now, I know.

[fogsong]

[ Sharon nods her head in quiet agreement at the fact that the zealots chose this. Not that it would've changed her actions if they hadn't or if they could be cured. The zealots get what they deserve no matter what. And some crimes can't be wiped away. ]

It's, uh... It's both very old and very new for me, actually. [ she takes a long drink and lets the alcohol sit in her mouth for a moment before she speaks again to address vi's apology. ]

Vi, look at what happens here. Look at what we go through on a damn near weekly basis. Of course there's something wrong with you. This shit builds until we can't think right. [ there's something angry and bitter coiled in her voice. something impossible to conceal and her expression twists with it, nose wrinkled as she glares down at the table. ] People do everything to try to prevent corruption and beasthood but it's inevitable in a place like this. It's part of the fucking design.

We can only suffer so much before we just snap.

[faceblocks]

[vi would debate that if she were more herself, but right now it's hard for her to have any sympathy for them - even if they were people once. did they know this would be the fruit the tree of their wretched labors bore? they had to know. they could have used their own blood. she'd made them use it. she smiles at that memory.]

Yeah. I grabbed a bomb that wasn't a bomb. [a tiny:] yay for not thinking right. And then I was disappointed my sister didn't bring her gun. So I guess this is the sound of my... [a finger snap instead of the word.]

It's a shit design, sometimes. But other times you can ...use it.

How does that work? The old and new?