I could not tell who the words of the siren's song were referring to... but they were not so vague as to refer to many. I hope that means that the others will return - and that such senseless violence was limited to one person.
[ for alisaie and joonghyuk's sake, but for everyone's. xie lian feels every casualty personally in that big, kind heart. ]
To think that this would happen beyond Qi Rong is even more troubling.
He gave me a reason, though it was not particularly surprising, and he rarely tells the truth about anything if he thinks it will get a rise out of me.
...Something along the lines of this conflict, yes?
[ he gets where this is going, but; ] Qi Rong is... I don't know what would have been offered to him, in exchange, I suppose. I would not rule it out - but, similarly, I wouldn't completely discount his reasoning of killing Mr. Marius as 'just because he could', either.
Even so, Baraqiel-gege said that Mr. Marius was of the Celestials. If we can assume that Qi Rong was of the Temporals, then, that checks out too.
Oh, dear. [He's shaking his head.] Then we run into a wall here, my dear fellow. I asked Qi Rong what his team was, and he was part of the Celestials as well.
Mmm. It is hard to say. I rather annoyed him into giving it up, and didn't tell him mine until after he gave his. So one would need to confirm, perhaps, with our masked benefactors.
[ he. gets a little embarrassed? flustering a little, he shakes his head, waving his hand. ] Ah, it's nothing. A name someone who is an elder sibling is sometimes called - I, ah, joked about it with Baraqiel a bit last week, but he said he didn't mind being called that, so I suppose it stuck.
Mmm. No. This great detective sees through the heart of the matter, you know. And I already made a point to ask our winged friend about you. Of course, they denied anything, but! Actions speak louder than words.
[He snaps his fingers in the other's direction.]
Just like I have arrived here with friends from my world who I know very well, I do not think it is quite unusual to assume that our masked benefactors, who have had their true names and identities revoked to play a role, may be closer to you than you realize.
[ oh heavenly emperor. he looks very, very embarrassed, now, reaching up to scrub his face with the finger snap comes. ]
I - I don't disagree with you, Mr. Sholmes... [ he is not sure whether to laugh or to cry, though ] But... I do not think I know anyone even remotely like Baraqiel in the way that they act! I've never met anyone like them before, in many shades of the word...
Qi Rong was quite afraid of them, though, so... it does make sense, if it was someone both of us could have known.... [ but also
Ah, but even if you do not know them, do they not know you? I hardly think a stranger who holds themselves as proud and daunting as they do would throw themselves so upsettingly at a barrier that holds you and prevents you from being saved!
[sholmes looking over at baraqiel like dude calm down]
So press them further. They and the others have told me that they are prevented from sharing too much about themselves, but I would not be saying this if I did not deduce that something was there. It is worth a try.
Well, someone did say we got rather close quickly, which is true...
[ xie lian scratches his cheek, fidgeting a little. he is trying to give it thought, but... who knows. ]
...I will try, at least some. I don't want to harm them, either. The problem is not that I feel as though I can't ask... it is rather, that I think Baraqiel would tell me immediately, and then be punished along the lines of turning briefly to dust - or worse - if they did. They don't have as much concern for their safety as I would like.
I wonder if there's any way we can free our masked friends from the shackles of their roles. Even Baraqiel stated that their true name was locked away.
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[He huffs, dipping his hat over his eyes for a moment.]
I can't help but fear the worst, here.
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[ for alisaie and joonghyuk's sake, but for everyone's. xie lian feels every casualty personally in that big, kind heart. ]
To think that this would happen beyond Qi Rong is even more troubling.
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[Xie Lian's words seems to make him rather pensive. He's silent for a moment, before speaking up quietly.]
Did Qi Rong ever tell you why he killed that young man?
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[ so...yea but it was a shitty one. ]
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But! What if...it was something else he did it for?
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[ he gets where this is going, but; ] Qi Rong is... I don't know what would have been offered to him, in exchange, I suppose. I would not rule it out - but, similarly, I wouldn't completely discount his reasoning of killing Mr. Marius as 'just because he could', either.
Even so, Baraqiel-gege said that Mr. Marius was of the Celestials. If we can assume that Qi Rong was of the Temporals, then, that checks out too.
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[He actually deeply frowns at that.]
Oh, dear. [He's shaking his head.] Then we run into a wall here, my dear fellow. I asked Qi Rong what his team was, and he was part of the Celestials as well.
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[ xie lian does not, personally. ]
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[ he looks thoughtful, hand on his chin. ] I could ask Baraqiel-gege.
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[what's that]
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[ he. gets a little embarrassed? flustering a little, he shakes his head, waving his hand. ] Ah, it's nothing. A name someone who is an elder sibling is sometimes called - I, ah, joked about it with Baraqiel a bit last week, but he said he didn't mind being called that, so I suppose it stuck.
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[Stares at Xie Lian for a good moment.]
You do realize that your "gege" cares an awful lot about you, don't you?
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...It does seem that way... but, it is not just me, they care about everyone!
[ do they, xie lian, ]
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[He snaps his fingers in the other's direction.]
Just like I have arrived here with friends from my world who I know very well, I do not think it is quite unusual to assume that our masked benefactors, who have had their true names and identities revoked to play a role, may be closer to you than you realize.
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[ oh heavenly emperor. he looks very, very embarrassed, now, reaching up to scrub his face with the finger snap comes. ]
I - I don't disagree with you, Mr. Sholmes... [ he is not sure whether to laugh or to cry, though ] But... I do not think I know anyone even remotely like Baraqiel in the way that they act! I've never met anyone like them before, in many shades of the word...
Qi Rong was quite afraid of them, though, so... it does make sense, if it was someone both of us could have known.... [ but also
whomst ]
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Ah, but even if you do not know them, do they not know you? I hardly think a stranger who holds themselves as proud and daunting as they do would throw themselves so upsettingly at a barrier that holds you and prevents you from being saved!
[sholmes looking over at baraqiel like dude calm down]
So press them further. They and the others have told me that they are prevented from sharing too much about themselves, but I would not be saying this if I did not deduce that something was there. It is worth a try.
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Well, someone did say we got rather close quickly, which is true...
[ xie lian scratches his cheek, fidgeting a little. he is trying to give it thought, but... who knows. ]
...I will try, at least some. I don't want to harm them, either. The problem is not that I feel as though I can't ask... it is rather, that I think Baraqiel would tell me immediately, and then be punished along the lines of turning briefly to dust - or worse - if they did. They don't have as much concern for their safety as I would like.
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[He folds his arms, thoughtful.]
I wonder if there's any way we can free our masked friends from the shackles of their roles. Even Baraqiel stated that their true name was locked away.