[He pauses. Again, it's a moment of wanting to believe in whatever Galo is saying, contrasted with the nasty bile that rises in his mouth at the Lio I know. What Lio does he know? This Lio still wants Kray Foresight to be dead. To pay for everything he's done. That isn't a different person in the dragon.]
What he's doing? What he's done. Burning down the city is the only way I'll get them back. Killing him is their only chance at freedom.
[See, this is where they can argue and really disagree, not just misunderstand each other. Galo won't budge on this - not the city, and not that he knows something about Lio, something important.
The fact that Lio doesn't protest that he doesn't want this, but rather that he feels he has no choice, only proves his point.]
If that's really how you feel, then I'll just have to stop you and make you see that you're wrong.
[Oh, to submit to the mortifying ordeal of being known! Lio's anger rises again, but less fury, more righteous this time.]
If you know what he's done, seen the ashes he's left behind him, accept the truth, then why do you care about his life still? If he burns-- if he burns, it's to pay for all of us who he has burnt out.
[Wow? But he doesn't really seem to know what he just said.]
Or - even if part of me did, it doesn't have anything to do with why! You talk a big game about your ideals, how you don't kill people. Why don't you try standing by them?
[He hears it. He . . . doesn't cry, there's no tears, but there's a thickness to his voice suddenly that suggests fighting something back at that. This is all so familiar. How dare Galo know him. How dare he stand here and tell him the contents of his heart, how he can barely stand to see anyone else die. Every death feels like it breaks something in him a little bit more. ]
[He's staring at him. It's actually pretty rude. But he's staring because he doesn't even know the exact why Lio is asking, but he knows there's not a good answer. It's Lio. From the moment he met him, that's been a good enough reason for just about anything.
He thinks about that moment he really saw Lio, where it all changed. The kids. The bag of junk food he brought to them. The way Lio stood watch, the way they all trusted him.]
'cause I like you. I just - I just do.
And because you were right about Gov Kray. And I don't think you would've bothered to tell me all of that if you didn't think there was a chance we could see this eye to eye.
[He wasn't sure what answer he was even looking for. Some explanation that made sense, that could explain his own innate desire to trust this person. Because he wouldn't have bothered to tell him if he didn't see some sort of inner strength that would allow him to believe it. The relief he feels at the fact that Galo listened. That he saw the reality and didn't turn away from it.]
I--. . . [His brow tightens, trying to decide how much to spill here. Right now.] I wasn't wrong to take a chance on you, then.
[He didn't mean it like that! And yet, he did. Shaking his head.]
No. And I told them as much. And. I told her to ask Master Blue to at least change the execution rule, so if we don't find the killer we don't have to execute the wrong person.
I don't think it'll really be changed. But maybe the fact that he won't change it - maybe they'll realize it isn't about justice. It's the only thing I could think of to do.
[ They seem deeply loyal to Blue, but, then again, so did Galo. Maybe they need to see if any of the teens are hot enough to sway the staff’s deeply held opinions? ]
If they’ve done this before . . . [ He trails off. ] Sometimes the only way forward is through.
[Lio has a career ahead of him in Cult of Personality deprogramming.
Anyway, it feels good to hear Galo say that, when the options have felt like either to accept their wretched fate or die in a futile attempt to fight it. At the very least, he doesn't want Galo to die fighting it, when there are things that still need to be done.]
[20 percent less mad might be the absolute floor of Lio's mad. He's just 80% mad at the world at all times. So 15 percent less is actually not really mad at all.]
Good.
[So . . . . . . . . . now what. There's maybe a vibe again. This is fine.]
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What he's doing? What he's done. Burning down the city is the only way I'll get them back. Killing him is their only chance at freedom.
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The fact that Lio doesn't protest that he doesn't want this, but rather that he feels he has no choice, only proves his point.]
If that's really how you feel, then I'll just have to stop you and make you see that you're wrong.
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If you know what he's done, seen the ashes he's left behind him, accept the truth, then why do you care about his life still? If he burns-- if he burns, it's to pay for all of us who he has burnt out.
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[Wow? But he doesn't really seem to know what he just said.]
Or - even if part of me did, it doesn't have anything to do with why! You talk a big game about your ideals, how you don't kill people. Why don't you try standing by them?
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. . . Why?
[Not the ideals. The caring.]
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He thinks about that moment he really saw Lio, where it all changed. The kids. The bag of junk food he brought to them. The way Lio stood watch, the way they all trusted him.]
'cause I like you. I just - I just do.
And because you were right about Gov Kray. And I don't think you would've bothered to tell me all of that if you didn't think there was a chance we could see this eye to eye.
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I--. . . [His brow tightens, trying to decide how much to spill here. Right now.] I wasn't wrong to take a chance on you, then.
[And before he can interact with that at all.]
You have to vote for me again tomorrow.
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Looking more serious, though. Nodding.]
Okay. I can do that.
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Nodding back once he agrees. At least he doesn’t have to worry about Galo dying tomorrow - maybe. ]
Does it feel like justice to you?
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No. And I told them as much. And. I told her to ask Master Blue to at least change the execution rule, so if we don't find the killer we don't have to execute the wrong person.
I don't think it'll really be changed. But maybe the fact that he won't change it - maybe they'll realize it isn't about justice. It's the only thing I could think of to do.
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If they’ve done this before . . . [ He trails off. ] Sometimes the only way forward is through.
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I can't accept living with this and I won't play by their rules. But also, we gotta get back home.
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Anyway, it feels good to hear Galo say that, when the options have felt like either to accept their wretched fate or die in a futile attempt to fight it. At the very least, he doesn't want Galo to die fighting it, when there are things that still need to be done.]
I know.
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So! Are you 20% less mad at me now?
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. . . 15.
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I'll take it.
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Good.
[So . . . . . . . . . now what. There's maybe a vibe again. This is fine.]
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Well. We gotta find who did this to Nia and Asch, that's for sure. Especially if they're a wereoctopus.
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Mm.
[Letting him punk out then.]
You're lucky they did not take your arm.
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