Alone?! [Kaz was going to kill him if he found out that Jesper went to speak to the Veiled Order alone. Wylan immediately walks over to greet him, concern in his expression as he takes the sides of his arms in his hands and looks him over.]
Are you okay? Is everything all right? [A pause.] What did they say?
I mean...technically? [He's dead. He had only gone alone because--well he knew it was a risk. Everything in Hell was. Part of him, in that decision, was trying to make up for the mistakes from before--from the time spent in the fog where he couldn't do a damn thing to protect Wylan.
If he could mitigate the risk by having it squarely focused on himself, that's what he's going to do.]
I'm fine...physically. It was--I showed them the mark. [Definitely dead.] Nothing happened, even when they touched it. [Maybe doubly dead?] They said I was "kissed by the one from below." And that whatever they were planning or waiting for would be happening soon.
Jesper! [Seriously! Of all the reckless, crazy things for him to go off and do! His eyes go a little wide as he mentions showing them the mark.] You should have let me come with you. What if they had done something?!
[Kaz was going to kill him if he found out.]
What do you mean... something will be happening soon!? [He groans, fingers running down his face before he huffs out a sigh and takes a seat on the couch.] Did you get more information from them about what it could be?
...I didn't want you--I knew it was risky and I wasn't going to have you in a potential line of fire. [It's a guilty admission; he knows he should have taken Wylan, or told him at the very least.] I should have said something before I went. I'm sorry.
Whatever it is...I'm in line for a position of privilege because of this damn thing, apparently. One of them nearly wept seeing it...
I'm supposed to be here to support you. [He points out, looking a little put out.] I can't do that if you go off alone like that. Just-- Just tell me next time? We can decide then if it's worth it to split up.
[He nods, listening to what he describes before he shakes his head.]
I don't like the sound of that. [Especially with one of the members of the Order weeping at the sight of his mark.] I don't like the idea that something might be happening with the Veiled Order. Especially something that could potentially deal with the mark. [He doesn't call it 'your mark' because it wasn't his.] Did they say anything more?
I know. I know...I just--I didn't want to see you hurt.[Again. At least he could bet that the Order wouldn't be as sickeningly terrifying as what they had faced in the fog.] If things went south--And I know, fucking double standard putting myself out there with that possibility. I won't...go out without talking it through.
[At least that's a promise he can do a marvel best to keep. Unless Hell tossed worse at them, he could stick to it.]
I've told you all they told me. At least with regards to the mark and what's coming. [Because he had asked about what was going on in the burbs.] They're convinced that whatever is happening in Hellburbia is heaven--that we don't need God to get there or whatever. No shit, anyone knows Sainthood can be achieved by someone who's deeds are read the right way by the right people...
If things went south we could have at least been together. [He points out with a frown.] Just... promise me you'll tell me next time?
[He looks up from his seat on the couch, trying to do his best to hide his concern but it's written all over his face. Nothing what he was hearing was good, and it was all worrying.]
I wonder why they think that? [He says at first, lacing his fingers together and folds them on his lap.] I mean you're right, but that' sa little blasphemous isn't it? [He teases lightly, before his expression turns a little grave.] I don't think we should go in there. [He's glad they don't live there.]
[Wylan had a way of picking the words that just made his guilt twist in his gut. He sighs and nods.] I promise...No running off, even if it's well-meant.
[He fidgets on the couch. He knows Wylan's right, that it's best to stay out of Hellburbia but--] Everyone else is in there. We can't go on a rescue attempt without knowing more but...If we find a way? We can't just leave them.
[Wylan pauses, then sighs. Jesper was right, but what choice did they have? He tries to keep his hands still, tries to keep himself from fidgeting beside him when he shakes his head.]
We don't know what's really going on in there. I mean, what if we get wrapped up in whatever it is? We won't be able to actually help them if we do.
We need to find another way. [Another sigh, before he reaches out to set his hand on Jesper's thigh.] We'll figure it out. I just... I don't want to go barreling in without a plan and we don't have one right now.
Hey...[Jesper's voice is soft, gentle and coaxing, as he places a hand over the one Wylan has set on his thigh.] I'm with you on that one. We need a plan--it's why I went asking questions in the first place.
...Not that it got us far. But I'm not thinking of just barreling in there, all right?
[Because it only elevates his one (1) fear about this whole situation: that there was no getting anyone out.]
We're going to find a way to get them out of that mess all right? And if we don't...then the people in charge are going to have to deal with us directly until they fix that mess.
We can't give up on them. And you've got the brains to puzzle something out, so...We keep working at it.
I'm not giving up on them. [He says firmly.] I just... need to look at this a different way.
If we cannot get them out now we need a plan to get them out in the future. If we get trapped in the bubble we'll be just as gone as they are, but there has to be something we can do.
It's just maddening that we can't seem to do anything about it right now.
It's not going to be easy. [He points out with a frown.] I mean it never is here, but I have a bad feeling it's going to be more complicated than other times.
I don't know where to begin. [He groans, rubbing at his face.] I don't want to go charging in, but I don't know if there is a way to get inside without getting caught up in the spell.
Maybe we could ask Lilith... [Something he's hesitant about but it could be a possibility.]
We don't exactly do "easy" anyway. Do we? [When was the last time any job they tried had been an easy mark?]
I don't like the idea of owing Lilith or any of them favors. I might try to reach out to Kaz again, see if I can get through. Maybe we can lure him out?
I say we keep asking any of them for help on the back burner. Last resort. [They were running out of other options anyway, so going to Lilith wasn't too far down the list.]
I won't know until I try, right? So...take the shot first, and see where that leaves us.
When are you going to try? We'll need a plan of what to do if we lure him out. We can't just bombard him with facts about who he really is. We may need to befriend this ...alternate version of Kaz first before we really work on breaking the spell. [A pause.] If there is a way to break the spell once they're outside of Hellburbia.
I don't know. [He admits with a sigh.] Soon I think. I don't like how long we've gone without really hearing anything. I'll see how that goes if I reach him first.
We can't really make a plan until we know he can get messages from us anyway.
We need contingencies. Let's say that he can get another message from you, what do we do? What do we say? What could we say to him to lure him out of Hellburbia?
What then? [He feels like pacing around the room, but he stays where he is, keeping close to Jesper.] I hate this. [He frowns.] I don't know what he actually knows versus what he needs to know.
I think you've been hanging around Kaz too much before this to have that kind of talk. [He has to laugh, just a little.]
We'll need to convince him we're worth listening to, people worth seeing? I could try to convince him I know him--he has to have his cane, right? [Why is this so hard?] Maybe showing what I can do over a video call would get his attention...
I'm just saying we need to think about it. [He rolls his eyes, shaking his head.] I never said I liked the idea of it.
[He thinks about it. Could that work?] That could work. I mean you could try - the worst thing that happens is he doesn't believe you. [Which is highly likely but they needed to try something.] He has to have his cane - they wouldn't just take that from him, right?
And I'm saying you're thinking like Kaz. Some would take it as a compliment. [Is he teasing? Absolutely.]
...Here's hoping he believes me then. [He pauses, clearly thinking on something.] He needs it, so he has to have it...which means I might have an idea.
I might consider it a compliment. [He teases back.]
All right. Let's try your idea and if that doesn't work well... we'll come up with another one. If he doesn't believe you or doesn't trust you after it's going to make things difficult to lure him out.
So what do we do if it backfires and what do we do if it works?
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Are you okay? Is everything all right? [A pause.] What did they say?
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If he could mitigate the risk by having it squarely focused on himself, that's what he's going to do.]
I'm fine...physically. It was--I showed them the mark. [Definitely dead.] Nothing happened, even when they touched it. [Maybe doubly dead?] They said I was "kissed by the one from below." And that whatever they were planning or waiting for would be happening soon.
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[Kaz was going to kill him if he found out.]
What do you mean... something will be happening soon!? [He groans, fingers running down his face before he huffs out a sigh and takes a seat on the couch.] Did you get more information from them about what it could be?
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Whatever it is...I'm in line for a position of privilege because of this damn thing, apparently. One of them nearly wept seeing it...
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[He nods, listening to what he describes before he shakes his head.]
I don't like the sound of that. [Especially with one of the members of the Order weeping at the sight of his mark.] I don't like the idea that something might be happening with the Veiled Order. Especially something that could potentially deal with the mark. [He doesn't call it 'your mark' because it wasn't his.] Did they say anything more?
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[At least that's a promise he can do a marvel best to keep. Unless Hell tossed worse at them, he could stick to it.]
I've told you all they told me. At least with regards to the mark and what's coming. [Because he had asked about what was going on in the burbs.] They're convinced that whatever is happening in Hellburbia is heaven--that we don't need God to get there or whatever. No shit, anyone knows Sainthood can be achieved by someone who's deeds are read the right way by the right people...
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[He looks up from his seat on the couch, trying to do his best to hide his concern but it's written all over his face. Nothing what he was hearing was good, and it was all worrying.]
I wonder why they think that? [He says at first, lacing his fingers together and folds them on his lap.] I mean you're right, but that' sa little blasphemous isn't it? [He teases lightly, before his expression turns a little grave.] I don't think we should go in there. [He's glad they don't live there.]
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[He fidgets on the couch. He knows Wylan's right, that it's best to stay out of Hellburbia but--] Everyone else is in there. We can't go on a rescue attempt without knowing more but...If we find a way? We can't just leave them.
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[Wylan pauses, then sighs. Jesper was right, but what choice did they have? He tries to keep his hands still, tries to keep himself from fidgeting beside him when he shakes his head.]
We don't know what's really going on in there. I mean, what if we get wrapped up in whatever it is? We won't be able to actually help them if we do.
We need to find another way. [Another sigh, before he reaches out to set his hand on Jesper's thigh.] We'll figure it out. I just... I don't want to go barreling in without a plan and we don't have one right now.
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...Not that it got us far. But I'm not thinking of just barreling in there, all right?
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[He turns his hand over, lacing his fingers with Jesper's, his worried expression deepening.]
What if we can't get them out? [He says quietly as if he's almost afraid of the answer.] What if there's no real way for us to get anyone out?
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[Because it only elevates his one (1) fear about this whole situation: that there was no getting anyone out.]
We're going to find a way to get them out of that mess all right? And if we don't...then the people in charge are going to have to deal with us directly until they fix that mess.
We can't give up on them. And you've got the brains to puzzle something out, so...We keep working at it.
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If we cannot get them out now we need a plan to get them out in the future. If we get trapped in the bubble we'll be just as gone as they are, but there has to be something we can do.
It's just maddening that we can't seem to do anything about it right now.
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[Either that or Hell's going to give them the option. One way or another they were finding their way in there.]
We'll figure it out, and then we get them out, right? That's always been the plan. Just need to make sure the waiting doesn't drive us all nuts.
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I don't know where to begin. [He groans, rubbing at his face.] I don't want to go charging in, but I don't know if there is a way to get inside without getting caught up in the spell.
Maybe we could ask Lilith... [Something he's hesitant about but it could be a possibility.]
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I don't like the idea of owing Lilith or any of them favors. I might try to reach out to Kaz again, see if I can get through. Maybe we can lure him out?
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I don't either but I don't know what our options are. [He pauses, thinking about it.] Do you think that he'll listen enough to be lured out?
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I won't know until I try, right? So...take the shot first, and see where that leaves us.
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When are you going to try? We'll need a plan of what to do if we lure him out. We can't just bombard him with facts about who he really is. We may need to befriend this ...alternate version of Kaz first before we really work on breaking the spell. [A pause.] If there is a way to break the spell once they're outside of Hellburbia.
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We can't really make a plan until we know he can get messages from us anyway.
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What then? [He feels like pacing around the room, but he stays where he is, keeping close to Jesper.] I hate this. [He frowns.] I don't know what he actually knows versus what he needs to know.
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We'll need to convince him we're worth listening to, people worth seeing? I could try to convince him I know him--he has to have his cane, right? [Why is this so hard?] Maybe showing what I can do over a video call would get his attention...
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[He thinks about it. Could that work?] That could work. I mean you could try - the worst thing that happens is he doesn't believe you. [Which is highly likely but they needed to try something.] He has to have his cane - they wouldn't just take that from him, right?
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...Here's hoping he believes me then. [He pauses, clearly thinking on something.] He needs it, so he has to have it...which means I might have an idea.
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All right. Let's try your idea and if that doesn't work well... we'll come up with another one. If he doesn't believe you or doesn't trust you after it's going to make things difficult to lure him out.
So what do we do if it backfires and what do we do if it works?
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