![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
week 2 - after the execution
[ Break really is pretty much exhausted after going hard for two days straight, but as everyone files off to their rooms, Break will stop Gilbert to let him know to drop by that evening (and to bring tea if he can). They do have a lot to talk about, since there were a few revelations this trial, and most of them actually had nothing to do with the trial itself.
When Gilbert drops by he'll find the door unlocked for Gilbert to just come in, since Break at least trusts that there won't be a murder tonight. Though there's an interesting scene there waiting for him, since Break has made himself a human burrito by taking the comforter off one of the beds and very thoroughly wrapping himself in it.
He is Distressed. ]
Ahhhh... I'm so tired. My age is catching up to me too quickly~!
When Gilbert drops by he'll find the door unlocked for Gilbert to just come in, since Break at least trusts that there won't be a murder tonight. Though there's an interesting scene there waiting for him, since Break has made himself a human burrito by taking the comforter off one of the beds and very thoroughly wrapping himself in it.
He is Distressed. ]
Ahhhh... I'm so tired. My age is catching up to me too quickly~!
no subject
[Because there isn't any option.
When it seems like Break will speak again, Gilbert looks over a little, curious - but oh shit OOPS. IT'S JUST GILBERT FORGETTING.]
Er— sorry. [And he's reaching for the teapot to refill Break's cup now, good lord.]
no subject
That's better... I had to get something to drink before I started on the rest, you know. I wasn't exaggerating [ for once ] when I said it was a long story~.
no subject
But after he's done pouring Break a cup, he'll pour himself a little more and sit back so he's more comfortable. ...Well, as comfortable as someone can be when their posture is a constant state of rigid and anxious, anyway.]
Right... What was all that about, anyway? You really weren't lying...
[He was kind of hoping he'd be able to look back on that and be like "aha, I see! A clever distraction ploy!" but no...]
no subject
No, I wasn't.
[ This is a hard story to explain, because it's one that's more than a little convoluted. He supposes that starting with how this was discovered at all would be the best place to start, but it doesn't make it that much easier to actually accept. ]
Barma— Well. His role in all of this isn't simple either, but it seemed that he'd betrayed us. We ended up at the sealing stone, but... It was the one with the head. [ That in itself is pretty gross, but that's not why Break pauses. He shakes his head. ] Jack was lying to us the whole time, Gilbert. The person in the sealing stones wasn't Jack—It was Oswald.
[ This doesn't exactly explain how Gilbert is a Baskerville, but he's going to go plot twist by plot twist here. It's kind of a lot. ]
no subject
He doesn't think he's ready for whatever Break has to say, but honestly, he's even less ready than that, somehow. This is just the first hurdle and it's clear he's already struggling to comprehend what the actual hell happened.]
Barma betrayed us? [Or "seemed like it" anyway, but--
There's a long pause, then. A brief, sharp pain at his left temple.]
...What do you mean, Break? Jack was lying? Why— was Oswald's...
[HE'S STRUGGLING but on the plus side he's not literally holding a severed head this time, so he's not having a complete breakdown.]
no subject
Barma's role in it is... [ stupid ] complicated. Just for what I'm telling you now, don't worry about him.
[ He really doesn't want to explain Barma's weird crush on Cheryl. Considering how close he is to the Rainsworths and how much he dislikes Barma, he really doesn't want to think about it at all. ]
The one who caused the tragedy at Sablier was Jack. That's what I mean. He changed the way we know the story so that Oswald plays the role that he did, it seems like.
no subject
-Every PH character ever, including Gilbert right now just because he's somehow still existing to make the plot even more complicated than it should be.]
Jack—?
[He's reeling, because he knows that Break wouldn't lie about something like his, but it just doesn't make sense. Jack, who he'd thought was his past master, had been responsible for the fall of Sablier?]
I don't... understand. Why? Why would he do something like that—? Framing Oswald-- No— why would he cause the tragedy at all...? I don't understand this.
no subject
[ That's the short explanation that is 100% true, but he'll at least make an effort to properly explain it. He takes a drink of his tea first, though. ]
Lacie... That was Oswald's sister, apparently, and from what I can tell, Jack was in love with her. She was pulled into the abyss, but that's not what caused the tragedy. Jack just got the idea in his head of bringing the Abyss to Lacie, or something like that. He wanted to destroy the world to meet Lacie again, and used— [ Here, Break pauses, even falters, but he shakes his head. He can't tell Gilbert this part, ultimately. It's not because he wants to keep it from him, but it's something he knows will become Gilbert's focus even though he can't do anything about it here. So... Later. If they return home, then he'll finish telling the story. ]
He used B-Rabbit to try it. Everything we know about the story is reversed, essentially. Jack was the traitor. He just did a very good job of fooling the entire world about the truth.
no subject
He used Alice? [A rare use of her name instead of just "the stupid rabbit", because of course since Gilbert's "forgotten" pretty much everything else of importance, he'd forget the revelation about Oz, too. And he's undoubtedly furious about the idea of Alice being used for something like that, but Break's made the right decision here, since he'd basically cease to function as he should be in a murder town if he knew the real truth...]
I— can't believe that this entire time... [That it was Jack, that Jack had been lying, that Jack had used people like tools just for what sounds like one single, selfish wish--
But of course there are always hang-ups with a plot this stupidly convoluted.]
—We have to get back. As soon as possible, no matter what the cost. [Which was a given from the start, but there's even more motivation behind it now. Leo was one thing, but if Jack is a danger, and Jack is residing within Oz's body...]
no subject
The uses of Alice's name gets Break to look surprised, but then he bows his head with a little smile. I would seem to be at the use of her name, but it's actually at the misunderstanding that Gilbert makes. That's what he had been leading him to believe, of course, but still, now it sounds strange to think of Alice as that Chain. It's not much better to know that it's Oz, but it only confirms the little deception to keep that a secret. He knows Gilbert well, so he knows that wouldn't be taken with the determination he's hearing here. ]
Mm, we do. We have to stop Leo and Jack both, and neither one of them is going to make it easy, I'm sure.
[ To say the very least. Leo is almost simple in comparison to Jack, because there's a plan to take care of Jack, but only Break and Cheryl knew that one. He also knows Gilbert well enough to know that he wouldn't forgive him if Break ended up being the one having to take care of that problem.
There's a twist in his chest at that thought. So he moves past it as quickly as he can. ]
...So. If you imagine everything Jack told us in reverse, that goes for you too. Sorry it's taken so long to get to the point, but it's complicated, as I think you see. Jack was lying about you being his servant too.
[ DID YOU FORGET WHAT THIS WAS ORIGINALLY ABOUT... Let Break remind you. ]
You and Vincent were both taken in by the Baskervilles. That's what I meant. But now you probably see why I couldn't explain that then.
no subject
Hah.
But if it boils down to luck in the end, then he supposes "Gilbert Baskerville" is something that makes more sense than "Gilbert Nightray". And to think he'd spent so long wondering why misfortune had befallen that house so vigorously.
There's a pressure behind his eyes by now - the start of one of his unpleasantly sharp headaches, because the memories tied to those words are still with him. They just aren't unlocked yet, and that's also likely for the best. Being told by another person is making him emotional already; he's almost grateful that a second or third-hand recounting is the only thing they have to go off of, currently.]
Then... this entire time— [It's automatic to think of himself as "the villain" in this scenario, though if what Break says is true, the Baskervilles were never in that role to begin with. It's a lot to take in, obviously - but it does clear up some things. The note on his card, for one.]
...So that's why I survived... when Cheshire attacked, or during that poisoning attempt, or— [So many years ago, when that scar had been left on his chest-- So many other times that now he feels foolish for just assuming he'd been lucky or resilient.]
no subject
[ Break struggles again here briefly, but he exhales with a tension shifting back into his posture again. He reaches up and rubs his hand through his hair briefly, a sort of anxious gesture, but it's also quickly gone. ]
I'm sorry that I had to be the one to tell you, for what it's worth. Being... delicate has never been my strong suit.
[ But this is delicate, for Break. He's trying, and unbeknownst to both of them, that in itself is a quiet sign of the difference in time that exists between them. Break has learned to be a little more gentle and less flippant when it counts, though he's still awkward and terrible at it. ]
no subject
...No, I'm— [Well. He's not exactly glad to have been told because that's a lot of hot bullshit BUT WHAT'S DONE IS DONE, and it's better for him to discover it now rather than weeks down the line.]
If I had to know, I'm glad that you were the one who told me. [He can count on Break to be straightforward, even if he can't expect extreme delicate care to be taken.] ...Thank you. I'm— I still don't really understand... I don't know what to say or think. [To put it lightly...]
But I promise that I won't let it interfere with our work here.
no subject
[ His answer is smoother now, because the fact that Gilbert doesn't draw attention to that softens means that Break doesn't have to shy away from it so violently. ]
We'll figure out the rest when we get home. Or if you get your memories back here, whichever comes first~. I'm afraid I'll have to hope for the latter, you know, because it's a convoluted mess to try and explain.
no subject
[Or his missing carcere or SOMETHING... Basically he's getting the feeling that someone behind the scenes here likes to bully him in particular, which, what the fuck. RUDE, STRANGER.]
no subject
[ So not much at all... ]
We could ask the weird girl about it if you want, but I'll leave that decision to you. [ Apparently he's also a rude ass when he thinks she isn't listening, since he's referring to Miata here. ]
no subject
Weird girl...? [...] Do you mean Miata? [BREAK. He'd actually thought Break was being a punkass and was teasing him about the blindfold girl for a second, even though he knows Break had taken him seriously earlier. Everyone else had made fun of him okay, he's been conditioned...]
...I might do that, but I think her hands are pretty tied here. She still hasn't given me an answer about my carcere.
no subject
[ Because based on Break's tone, he sure doesn't seem to. That's not exactly surprising, considering the difference between how readily each of them gives their trust, but it even sounds like Break hadn't believed in her plight even a little. ]
no subject
[But, you know. This is Gilbert. So that should totally be taken with a grain of salt...]
man i should have just kept the joke tag
That might be true. But, I think we should err on the side of caution and assume that she's misleading us.
[ He takes a sip of his tea, then motions gently with it back towards Gilbert. ]
Remember, we didn't think Jack was acting either.
i mean it was also accurate
JACK VESSALIUS UGH.
He doesn't even remember things clearly and he's already starting to develop that Thing where hearing Jack's name makes his headache worse. He scowls, displeased, but he at least gets what Break is trying to say.]
Right... That's a little too close to wishful thinking, anyway.
["Ohhh the mouthpiece is on our side!" seems too convenient.]
yeah... thanks jack
That's my thought. Even if she is genuinely confused and on our side... It's not a risk I'll take, personally. It's rather convenient that she's the only one that seems to know anything.
[ He shrugs ]
My trust in other people has never been that high, admittedly, but it's especially not very solid when we're playing in a game of life and death.
he sure..... went turbo jack
Right. Right... Unfounded trust in a game like this is just asking for trouble. We'll need answers, though... How can we be sure that she wasn't lying about the seven survivors, anyway?
[Which he thought about a few times during the week of intense paranoia, but he preferred to leave those thoughts unturned.]
no subject
[ His response is simple and immediate, since he had naturally thought of the same. Though unlike Gilbert, this probably occurred to him the moment he heard the rules instead of paranoia week... ]
But in that we have less of a choice. Even if we took matters into our own hands [ he means murder ], we'd have nothing to show for it. So long as neither of us can call our Chains, then our options are much more limited. In that, we have to rely on her word.
[ Break pauses, then adds: ]
...Though when we make it to seven, we can make a gamble if it turns out to be false, of course. We wouldn't have much to lose at that point, so we can always see how much she values her own life. Bu~ut since she's the one that likely holds all the cards at the moment, I also don't want to destroy the cards before taking a look at them, so to speak.
no subject
But Gilbert listens, even though he's not looking too pleased about it. Break isn't wrong... Gilbert just doesn't like the fact that they're so out of their depth here, that not even his punkass coworker can think of an immediate way to finagle an out.]
...Things can't reach that point. [Because if they do, he has a feeling threatening her life wouldn't do shit, either.]
But I guess for now, we just focus on making sure that we "play the game". We can't find a way to figure out how to leave if we're dead. [GLOOMY GUS but for real.]
(no subject)
(no subject)