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[swatsflies]

@ZD
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((OOC: Zell may show messages to Jim Hawkins. If you do not want Jim to see/know, then please let me know.))

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[armoured]

I know.

[He wishes he had something more comforting to say than that, but he doesn't.]

You have to try and listen to Jim, and Zack, and everyone else who's here to support you, though. We're going to get through this together, so you have to stay strong.

[swatsflies]

[ It's something straight up Zack would say, which earns a smile. Though there is something niggling him about the words. The I know has him worried. He didn't answer it earlier. ]

I will. You can count on it. [ A beat. ] What about you?

[armoured]

Huh? What about me?

[Wilfully ignoring the intent behind the question.]

[swatsflies]

You know what about you. How are you doing? [ Especially after all of that crap. ;-; ]

[armoured]

Zell, I--

[Even he can't bring himself to say that he's fine at the moment.]

I'm getting by.

[swatsflies]

[ He doesn't like the sounds of that. ]

Alright. You know, if you ever need anyone... I'm here. We're all in this together, right?

[armoured]

[There's a long... long hesitation.]

My brother is dead.

[Did he know already? Maybe. But it's at least some explanation for why he isn't doing well.]

[swatsflies]

[ Al can probably guess it's news from the sound of a sharp inhale. It feels like a punch in the gut, and it takes a moment to figure out how to word. ]

Frickin' hell. I...I'm sorry, Al. [ Making a frustrated noise as he rubbed the back of his head. ] What happened?

[armoured]

It was an anomaly.

[Another one, this is too many times that he's had to watch people that he cares about dragged away, helpless to stop it.]

I tried to-- I-- But I couldn't do anything.

[swatsflies]

[ What's even the right thing to say? He knows he can't say it's okay. He knows it's never going to be okay, even when you get someone back. Swallowing back his own emotions to do his best for Al. ]

I know. I know you did your best. [ He says it with certainty. ] I know you, Al. I know you would have done everything you could have.

[armoured]

[There's a very long pause, and when Al's response come it's in a muted voice, devoid of any of the hope that's usually there.]

But it wasn't enough.

YOUR SPIKE WILL BE THE SPIKE TO PIERCE THE HEAVENS, AL!

[swatsflies]

[ He places his hand on tablet as he heaves a heavy sigh. ]

I know it sucks. And it feels pretty shitty that it keeps happening. [ Curling up his hand into a fist. ] We just have to fix this frickin' place. Give it back it's power so it can bring everyone back. We'll make it happen, Al.

[armoured]

No!

[It's immediate and horrified.]

That's-- that's the last thing we should be trying to do. I know we miss the people that are gone, but bringing them back from the dead isn't right. It's not-- it's not natural, Zell, we shouldn't be trying to get all of them back.

[swatsflies]

[ Whoa. He's taken aback by the reaction for a moment. ]

What's wrong with it? If we can save them... if we can save everyone, why shouldn't we try? [ Please explain, armor bro. ]

[armoured]

Because it's not saving them, they're--- they're already gone, Zell. You don't know what bringing them back does to them, or the world, you can't just do that.

AND I THOUGHT I HIT SUBMIT FOR THIS TWO DAYS AGO

[swatsflies]

What if they aren't gone? What if there is still hope? I'm going to do whatever I can to find out, Al. I'm not giving up on any of them.

I hate when that happens!

[armoured]

It's not giving up to understand when it's time to let someone go!

[Oops, that comes out as a shout.]

[swatsflies]

Not going to let them go if there is a way to save them.

[ He's not yelling, but it's clear he's being stubborn. Huffing out a breath. ] I'm going to do it, Al.

[armoured]

You're an idiot, Zell!

[This is probably the first time that he's lost his temper with one of his friends, at least properly, and he can't help how livid he sounds.]

You don't understand how dangerous it is to even try that, you don't know what the price is! You can't-- You're an idiot!

It'll cost you an arm and a leg

[swatsflies]

How is it dangerous?! Tell me, Al? What kind of price wouldn't be worth it?

[ Why does it sound like Al has been there before? ]

wow rude

[armoured]

[He makes a choked sound in the back of his throat, but he can't just let Zell carry on this way. He has to tell.]

Nature needs balance, Zell, bringing a life back needs an equivalent price paying. But there isn't a price for a human soul, not really, it just hurts everyone to try and pretend that's not so. Please, you have to trust me, nobody should ever come back from the dead no matter how much you miss them.

[swatsflies]

A price? What kind of price? [ It's not that he doesn't trust Al, but it just it's hard to swallow it when they are right there in the morgue. And there is an admin with the ability to some how resuscitate them like with Zack. ] Like someone else dying instead?

[armoured]

No, it's--

[He hesitates a long... long time, before steeling himself to go on.]

It's like my body, Zell, it's hollow. I lost my original one trying to bring my mother back.

[swatsflies]

[ Oh he just lost his body trying to bring his-

WHOA WAIT WHAT??? ]

What?! [ There is so much to ask or react to. Al doesn't have a body. That would explain SO MUCH. SO MUCH that he's also wondering why he didn't even guess. Then there is the whole how do you lose your body thing. ]

Where. Where did you lose your body? [ It's out before he can even think. Then he's kind of staring at the screen realizing how stupid that sounds. ]

[armoured]

[His voice is quieter, low and soft and sad.]

It's-- it's kind of a long story, are you sure you want to hear it?

[He knows he's started now, revealed the big secret, but he doesn't want to pile this on Zell without a warning for how heavy it is.]