week 1; taako (post-trial)

[paook]

[ when the trial has come and gone, miki is still in hell. that is to say she's in mcdonalds and getting some burgers because goddamn somehow that insanity made her famished. and when she spots taako, whether he's hanging out or leaving, she immediately calls out to him-- ]

HEY, COME HANG OUT WITH ME!

Comments

[chaoticlootral]

You get used to it. [Dismissively, waving a hand. Apparently death has never been a big deal for him.] Or, uh, it's just one of those things that's happening to everyone around you, so it sorta feels normal, and then you get here and everyone is like, 'what the fuck, Taako, why'd you kick it so much?' and you realize, oh yeah, that shit's fucked and that doesn't actually happen to most people.

[Taking a sip of soda. Y'know, to move past the death talk.]

I think I have to go back? Got things to finish. . . . Magnus won't wanna splitsies either.

[paook]

[ that... sounds horrible. bad enough that now she feels awkward about even bringing it up, and so she'll take the cue to move on from it. there's no need to make people recount awful shit. ]

Going back even when it sounds awful? Better than what most people would say. [ herself included, really. ] But what does Magnus have to do with it?

[chaoticlootral]

Unfinished business. [Cool explanation.] We’re from the same place, you know. Uh, like originally too.

Whatever, whatever, what about you? If you make it out, where you gonna head? Some sort of beach world? Permenant island vacay?

[paook]

...Dunno. [ she deflates with a huff. easier to talk about other things than herself - dumb stupid shit is easy. ] If I'm totally honest? Not even sure how much I want to make it out. Other people probably deserve it more than me.

[ people like her best friend, who was much too good in a world that fell to hate. ]

[chaoticlootral]

[Giving her just. The flattest look. Before he drops it to snort-giggle instead, a little darkly. Sorry for laughing at your pain, Miki, but come on.]

Oh come on! Deserve it? What does deserve have to do with it? The, uh, the world is kind of a fucked up place, you know? If you don't scrape out your own rewards, tie your own boots, pat your own ass, no one else is gonna do it for you. Deserve doesn't mean crap. You earn it. You, uh, make yourself from nothing. If you want to live, then fuckin' fight tooth and nail for it. Screw these strangers.

[paook]

[ she doesn't say anything for a moment, stunned by the response, but soon she smirks and laughs a little. ]

You're really something Taako! Lucky you're saying all that to me, and not like I dunno? Makoto, or maybe Alex. [ basically anyone who has a properly working moral compass. ] You're not wrong, but I guess I don't know how much I deserve it considering how I died to begin with. Not even sure why I got selected out of so many to play. Shit's all out of whack here.

[chaoticlootral]

I'd tell them same thing. I'm not saying murder anyone, but at least have a spine, homie. Taako was born alone in this world, Taako made his way to the top, and Taako's not fuckin' dying here, capiche?

[Just shrugging. Taako's moral compass points to a different true north than others, sure, but he isn't really ashamed of that.]

Anyway no one really knows how you died - I mean, clearly, that's why I get so many questions. They don't have to know, the buncha Nosey Nellies. That's kinda between you and whatever deity you do or do not worship.

[paook]

It's on our profiles. Though, uh, I guess with yours and Magnus' I can see how you get those questions! Not everyone gets to die a dozen times... 'homie.'

[ said like it's a foreign language and she's just trying hard to be cool. ]

But you're right, I don't really care about how people died. Doesn't change that we're dead. And I think we have a lot more important things to worry about than prying into people's lives. Like how to find the Composer and kill them. That's the only asshole I really wanna murder here -- Reapers are just the servants way I see it.