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week 4 | monday evening
[ so, rhys is... not happy! (when is rhys ever happy?) but the events of the past few days keep churning around in his stomach and he's in need of a sounding board for them. there's a few people he could probably talk to but most of them suck, so he's going to head to the one guy who he's sure is... pretty decent!
which is break.
rhys makes good life choices, surely! anyway, monday evening, he'll find himself knocking on 302 when he comes up the stairs for the evening and glancing around to make sure no one's around. he's... not sure how much he wants people to see him going to see break. especially when they're two of the three people who voted to kill a kid. whoops.
they were right though, so who cares. ]
Break?
which is break.
rhys makes good life choices, surely! anyway, monday evening, he'll find himself knocking on 302 when he comes up the stairs for the evening and glancing around to make sure no one's around. he's... not sure how much he wants people to see him going to see break. especially when they're two of the three people who voted to kill a kid. whoops.
they were right though, so who cares. ]
Break?
no subject
He's surprised, but that expression into a smile that's sardonic. Before he even says anything, he does think it's strange. Revealing this much about himself to strangers in such a short time... This was more than he had revealed to people he had known for decades or more. Granted, it was hardly pressing in that case, but it's still strange for him. ]
...Well, personally, I hope not.
[ He pauses, because even he knows he should explain further, that doesn't make it easy to do. He had explained this to Morrigan actually, but it's still odd to admit. ]
But that's the opinion of a dead man. There very well could be other forces at work to make it so there's "more," because that's what happened for me, in a sense. But I'm not sure if I would recommend it.
no subject
what break answers with isn't what he expected of course, his eyes widening a little as he processes it. did break just... did he just admit to being dead? there's no way. he can't just leave something as confusing as that alone, so he asks. of course he asks. ]
So, you're dead. But you're... here? [ rhys is getting pretty tired of trusting dead guys. ] How does that work? Have you been in a game like this before, Break?
[ or is break's backstory about to get really, really weird? ]
[explains ph] @god: why
No, certainly not. It's just why I have three ages, listed, actually~.
[ He laughs, but after that laugh, his expression turns much more serious. He had actually told Morrigan about this, since she had asked about his three ages, so he supposes that it's oddly appropriate that another member of Team Shady get the story too. ]
I haven't always been a valet. When I was a younger man, I was actually the knight and bodyguard of a different household. But I failed. I wasn't able to protect my master, and he died. I regretted it greatly, and so much that I managed to draw the attention of... Well. The Abyss is a bit hard to explain, but you may as well think of it as a demon. I was given a chance to change things. Or, really, I just went mad with my regrets.
[ Though there's definitely a large portion of this story he skips over completely. In part, it's because explaining Chains and Illegal Contracts is probably akin to Rhys trying to explain his arm and eye to Break in terms of how much he'd understand, but. He also just doesn't want to admit that he was a serial killer in a murdergame. ]
I was pulled into a deep abyss from which there's supposed to be no return, and I mean that quite literally. Being pulled into the Abyss is supposed to mean death, but I managed to appeal to its keeper. She gave me a chance to grant my wish to change the past, but time flows differently there, and so many decades passed while I was only in there for a short period of time. So the young man I was died in the Abyss.
[ He motions to his eye ]
My eye is the price I paid for it. That stupid cat is the one that owns it now, since he's a creature from that place. [ He keeps his hate for Cheshire on the downlow, though, since he'd definitely kill the cat again if he could... ] It's been twenty-one years since the Abyss spat me out, but more time passed while I was in there, hence the 139. I don't exactly keep track, but if that's the number my profile lists, it's as good as any.
[ Though he does gloss over another part here: whether his wish was actually granted or not. He pauses, but then decides to explain that too, since it makes his hatred for this week's motive much clearer. ]
...And I succeeded. I changed the past like I wanted so badly. [ His smile grows bitter here, since it's not any easier to swallow even years later. ] As promised, my regret was erased. The event that took my masters' life never occurred. But perhaps it was meant to happen all the same. My master was able to live four years longer, but instead, the entire family was wiped out, and the youngest daughter which I was tasked with protecting... She ended up taking the same path as I did. The Abyss whispered to her, and she also listened. But she dragged the entire family into the Abyss with her. My own pride and foolishness erased the entire family. They no longer exist at all.
because suffering
and that leads him to one question. kind of callous but isn't that what this whole conversation is? ]
So, you made a deal with a demon and the demon betrayed you. [ rhys' thoughts flicker to jack for a moment but he ignores it. ] And now you're here, wanting to rig the system to win this horror show and...
[ it kind of sounds like he's implying this might be a mistake. ]
What if you're just supposed to be dead?
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No, I wasn't betrayed. I got exactly what I wanted, but what I wanted couldn't be predicted. As I'd hoped, the event that led to my master's death never happened. But I was just too foolish and single-minded to think about what it could mean if it didn't.
[ It's a small correction, but an important one. He doesn't begrudge anyone for what happened but himself. As for the actual question itself... Break smiles, but only very lightly. ]
I probably should be, but I'm not. Not yet. Whether I deserve it or not... I was given a second chance at life. So until there's no more strength in my body, I won't die so easily.
no subject
he needs to change the subject. ]
Okay. I get it. Then that's why you want to take advantage of the accomplice rule. What about Gilbert? Does he want think this is a good idea? I, uh, I figure you've talked to him, right?
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Oh, absolutely. Gilbert is my protégé, more or less.
[ It's a bit complicated, but getting into the world of Pandora Hearts (implied) politics is a bit outside of the scope of this discussion. ]
It's not ideal, since playing by their rules doesn't sit that well with me, but there's little other choice at the moment. If another way to secure an exit presents itself, we'll take that. But for now, taking advantage of their poorly written rules seems like the most advantageous.
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Wait. What if that's the point? [ he should probably explain himself a bit more. ] What if... they want us to take advantage of any loopholes in the rules to kill someone? They just want us to kill, it doesn't really matter how we do it, right?
[ is rhys being properly paranoid or onto something? who knows!! it's rhys, one can never tell with him. ]
no subject
[ Break responds without missing a beat, so it seems like this is something that he may have considered too. And yet, that doesn't exactly make his answer better... ]
But unfortunately, with the way things are now, it's the only path presented to us. If they want us to kill, then the lack of other options is certainly incentive to that.
[ wow it's like break is on team shady for a reason... ]
no subject
Ah. Yeah...
[ it's like rhys wants to say more but he doesn't know exactly how or what, so he doesn't say anything. instead he runs his hands over his face and asks his final question, for now. ]
When? You don't want to do this this week, right? I mean, you want to wait a while before doing anything, right? That would... make the most sense.
[ please tell him you're playing it cautious, break. he's with you, tentatively, but he's still not quite sure himself. ]
no subject
I do. Taking action at all is a large risk, so I'm not planning on taking that step carelessly.
[ Break seems to consider how to continue himself, but considering what he actually says, it might be surprising. ]
I'm personally playing a balancing act here. If it comes to the point where I'm more certain that— [ He pauses, then sighs ] I may not live to the end of this game regardless. If it gets to that point, then I'll be the one to kill, and you two can act as accomplices. That's when, I believe.