SCAWWY ⇢ KARLACH (FLURRY)

[shirtbag]

Comments

[shirtbag]

[ SDKFDKLF

snorts. laughs. ]

He what now?

[ablazement]

I'm surprised you haven't heard, he likes to brag about it. We've got Gods and Goddesses, right? I think that's a weird thing in other places, but we do. And he was macking on the Goddess of Magic before I met him.

[shirtbag]

Mackin' on? [ GALE? HELLO ] Y'mean he was twitter-pated? What'd she think 'bout it?

[ablazement]

[karlach out here just spreading gale's dirty laundry i'm sorry alli]

She was into it! Apparently! They -- [whispers:] fucked, apparently!

[shirtbag]

[ whistles! ]

Have mercy. Ain't a lot of people what can say they forked a goddess. Must say, I'm impressed.

[ablazement]

Yeah. On the one hand, I'm sort of curious.

On the other, she's horrible. You can't trust a God to treat you like a person, you know? Gale's just a bug to her. And I won't stand for that.

[shirtbag]

Ya tried talkin' to 'em about it?

[ablazement]

Who, Gale? More times than I can count. You can't trust a wizard to make the right decision about their own damn wellbeing.

[shirtbag]

[ poor karlach :') and gale ]

S'how you know you give a damn 'bout someone, huh? Frustratin' to no end. Sounds like he's got some learnin' to do on his own.

[ablazement]

[unfortunately for gale he has to suffer karlach being aggressively on his case so it really is just. poor gale.]

... Guess so. [a sigh. and as she says this, a little squiggly tattoo crawls across her face that says haven't got the time. huh.]

[shirtbag]

[ no.... poor karlach too

boothill was getting close to addressing the elephant in the room—the writing across her chest. those words on her face catch up to him more quickly. he says them slowly as they travel, eyes narrowed. ]

"Haven't got the time," huh...?

[ablazement]

[ah.

well. she pauses. instinctively, her tail curls down, wraps around her ankle.]

Hah, well - who ever does, right? Life's so short.

[shirtbag]

[ he notices her curl into herself a little. oh no. not that ): ]

That ain't what I...

[ he tries to say this carefully, lowering his head a little. ]

Miss Karlach, you been seein' those words show up on peoples' bodies, right? I ain't fool enough to think ya' haven't seen mine.

[ablazement]

[a beat.]

... Yeah, I've seen 'em. I was trying to be polite. [huff.] It doesn't matter to me much what they mean, other than it hurts the people that wear them. Fucked up, is what it is.

[but she senses he has a point, so.]

[shirtbag]

Couldn't agree more.

[ insanely forked up. ]

I'll be honest with ya'. I saw them words show up across your face. About time. I only read 'em out by reflex.

Now, you don't gotta tell me nothin' you don't want to. Just tellin' you what's what.

[ablazement]

[silence, for a bit. it's weird, her being silent, being still. she's a fidgety person, all energy, all the time, but just for a moment, she seems tired.]

... I can tell you, but you have to promise you won't mention it to anybody else. Alright? Swear.

[shirtbag]

[ boothill waits, watching her steadily. he can see that exhaustion roll over her like a wave. ]

Hey. [ he nods. ] Anything you tell me stays here in this room, okay? I ain't sharin' with nobody. Swear on my life as a Galaxy Ranger.

[ablazement]

[the thing is, she believes him! she believes him. maybe some people would be more cautious or suspicious, but not her. it gets her into trouble sometimes.

karlach sighs, and then stretches her arms out. moves, just - tries to make herself move.]

I haven't got very long. I don't know if I'll even last the whole way through this thing.

[shirtbag]

[ that's a huge blow, and it show on his face. give him a second. ]

What'd you say?

[ he heard it, but he needs to hear it again to believe it. ]

[ablazement]

[she glances at him, almost guiltily.]

I'm... [say it. just say it out loud.] I'm going to die.

[shirtbag]

[ boothill searches her face, dumbstruck. his mouth opens and closes and opens again. ]

Karlach... [ his voice is strained. ] What's happenin' with ya?

[ablazement]

[she rubs at her chest - where the glow is.]

I told you about this, the engine. It's not made to work outside of the Hells. It runs too hot, and it's going to blow eventually. Maybe sooner than later.

S'alright. I've made my peace with it.

[shirtbag]

So that's why...

[ she was always very warm.

he takes a step forward. what does he even say about something he can't understand? ]

You sure about this? You mapped out every possibility? There ain't no way of coolin' ya off?

[ablazement]

[got it in one!

deep breath.]

If I go back to the Hells, it'll work. But I won't. I'm never going back.

[and - the tattoos kick in, full force. it's the same word plastered over and over, layered, like a repeated slash of a sword across her chest over and over: AVERNUS AVERNUS AVERNUS AVERNUS AVERNUS AVERNUS. she's hot - the temperature rises just a little.]

I won't.

[shirtbag]

[ boothill listens intently until the tattoos run their rampage. he leans back, eyes darting, processing the same word appearing as though on the attack. he can almost hear the crackle of fire under her body. ]

Hey, hey, hey-!

[ he reaches and, if she lets him, he holds onto her arm, engine be damned. he's a cyborg with no skin. he's not immune to heat, but he can take it better than a human can. ]

Whoa there. You take a deep breath, all right?