[....His heart aches so fiercely for this man, its unbelievable.]
I'm glad that I can be your bedrock. [He turns his head slightly, kisses him on the palm of his hand.] But you can protect so much, here. So many look up to you. So...please. Believe in that too.
[ His thumb gently brushes over Sholmes' lower lip as he talks. ]
They abandoned the sides. They were neutral. It was because of them that we could move with our wounds... they were helping protect us and directed us to the holy grail. They spoke of god becoming selfish... that the other angels were only acting out of anger.
They spoke of a book. A book that Nero now holds. One that cannot fall into the hands of either side.
The Book of Life.
[ That's. Kind of a lot to toss out at once, buddy. ]
...I'm terribly upset and sorry to say that Mr. Van Zieks is dead. But not by the hands of a murderer, as expected. I am not sure how, but he met his end at the hands of spectres last night, along with that floating skeleton boy we saw at the masquerade, Emil.
[ That... is a double blow. While he'd only gotten to speak to Emil the once... he was so innocent. He told him he'd be his friend...
But even worse, hearing that about van Zieks sends a chill through him.
He promised he'd help keep him safe. The spectres... did they come in through windows that he wasn't able to close yet? Would he have been able to do something if he was here?
For as stable as Sholmes helped get him, this makes him start to draw back a bit. Metaphorically and literally. He needed to know, but the news is still so awful. ]
[But it just makes his expression turn stern, shaking his head. Another reminder, at how much is at stake. How all of them could be in danger, at any time.]
...The townspeople were...most generous in performing rites for the both of them. But it is a most devastating loss, regardless.
[He looks down, reaching for the other's hand to hold with his, intertwining their fingers.]
It's even more reason why...I will fight with all my power to keep you safe.
[ There's a soft nodding. He's still so tired and feels like such a broken man, but this helps.
Finley's no longer shaking and hiding, but still in her rabbit form and he, himself, is no longer ignoring that touch. It's progress.
There's a soft sigh. And he remembers. ]
Oh, there was a note you should see.
[ He's digging out the small bag he carries on him, the very one that Irene was digging in for coin and hands it to Sholmes.
Of course, what's in there are the two letters he'd received from the dead, the original note and that picture of Sholmes from their selfie session. All of them have light stains of blood on them from the tear in his bag. But also in there is the new note. ]
Yeah... I got lucky it didn't get completely destroyed.
[ He would have been sad had all those letters and the picture been destroyed.
But note! In loopy handwriting! (Not the same as his other note.)
The Authority is not the Creator it claims to be. It is easy to fall victim to their lies, as one of the eldest beings of this universe. Xaphania is no exception, and to have one's pride wounded is to no longer seek understanding. ]
It sounded like those might opposing sides. When I asked about the Celestials and Temporals, they said they didn't know. That they only knew about The Authority and Xaphania.
The Book of Life can't fall into either hand... that it would allow them to manipulate and discard the worlds. Our worlds, included.
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Maybe, but then... I don't understand why it'd be that form of all of them.
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...What do you think that form meant to you? I always noticed Finley as a lion when you were feeling agitated...
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My confidence... whenever I started to doubt myself. You were really good at getting her out of that form.
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[He strokes through his hair, gently.]
Perhaps it is a good omen of the doubts you are leaving behind.
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[ Wrong, but he has no idea about that. ]
...Has anything hurt Irene while you've had her?
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[Then that theory is moot, perhaps.]
[And he shakes his head.]
Not as far as I recall, no.
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[ This is, unfortunately, not the first time he's felt his soul damaged. ]
If there's one thing I hope I can protect you from, it's that feeling.
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[He holds him tighter, squeezes him at that but...gently. So gently.]
See? What did I tell you? You're a protector. And I have never felt more protected than when I am around you.
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[ He still has his face partially buried, but he brings a hand up to touch Sholmes' cheek. ]
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[....His heart aches so fiercely for this man, its unbelievable.]
I'm glad that I can be your bedrock. [He turns his head slightly, kisses him on the palm of his hand.] But you can protect so much, here. So many look up to you. So...please. Believe in that too.
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He moves his hand so that he's able to brush his fingers over the other man's lips. ]
It's so tiring, Sholmes. If they could only understand that taking these deals, taking these sides... They're all being used. Dragged into this war.
[ He sighs softly, there's more to their story. ]
That wasn't everything that happened down there. We saw... an angel.
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[And the feeling of the other's fingers tickles - he kisses his fingertips, only pausing at that last statement.]
Oh? Tell me.
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They abandoned the sides. They were neutral. It was because of them that we could move with our wounds... they were helping protect us and directed us to the holy grail. They spoke of god becoming selfish... that the other angels were only acting out of anger.
They spoke of a book. A book that Nero now holds. One that cannot fall into the hands of either side.
The Book of Life.
[ That's. Kind of a lot to toss out at once, buddy. ]
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[Poor angel...]
And...Book of Life? I suppose it goes along with this Grail, and the sprig from the Garden of Eden that...
[...]
[He frowns, sadly.]
Kotetsu...there's been some bad news, since you've been gone.
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What... bad news...?
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...I'm terribly upset and sorry to say that Mr. Van Zieks is dead. But not by the hands of a murderer, as expected. I am not sure how, but he met his end at the hands of spectres last night, along with that floating skeleton boy we saw at the masquerade, Emil.
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But even worse, hearing that about van Zieks sends a chill through him.
He promised he'd help keep him safe. The spectres... did they come in through windows that he wasn't able to close yet? Would he have been able to do something if he was here?
For as stable as Sholmes helped get him, this makes him start to draw back a bit. Metaphorically and literally. He needed to know, but the news is still so awful. ]
I... I see...
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[He doesn't know what to say after that.]
[But it just makes his expression turn stern, shaking his head. Another reminder, at how much is at stake. How all of them could be in danger, at any time.]
...The townspeople were...most generous in performing rites for the both of them. But it is a most devastating loss, regardless.
[He looks down, reaching for the other's hand to hold with his, intertwining their fingers.]
It's even more reason why...I will fight with all my power to keep you safe.
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We fight together, right...?
[ He slowly brings his other hand up to rest on Sholmes' neck. ]
We have the stars and the future to look to.
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[He sighs at the touch, rubbing his thumb over the other's hand.]
You and I. As one.
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[ There's a soft nodding. He's still so tired and feels like such a broken man, but this helps.
Finley's no longer shaking and hiding, but still in her rabbit form and he, himself, is no longer ignoring that touch. It's progress.
There's a soft sigh. And he remembers. ]
Oh, there was a note you should see.
[ He's digging out the small bag he carries on him, the very one that Irene was digging in for coin and hands it to Sholmes.
Of course, what's in there are the two letters he'd received from the dead, the original note and that picture of Sholmes from their selfie session. All of them have light stains of blood on them from the tear in his bag. But also in there is the new note. ]
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[But he'll take the note with his free hand. What does it say?]
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[ He would have been sad had all those letters and the picture been destroyed.
But note! In loopy handwriting! (Not the same as his other note.)
The Authority is not the Creator it claims to be. It is easy to fall victim to their lies, as one of the eldest beings of this universe. Xaphania is no exception, and to have one's pride wounded is to no longer seek understanding. ]
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[He pores over the note for a moment, thinking.]
I can't say I've heard of either of these. "Xaphania"?
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The Book of Life can't fall into either hand... that it would allow them to manipulate and discard the worlds. Our worlds, included.
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