(no subject)

[payback]

[Galadriel]

[Someone certainly sounds serious today.]

Galadriel. I'm sorry to ask this of you so suddenly, but can you go to Legato's room and check to see whether his name is still on the door or not?

[After Galadriel confirms that Legato is no longer in the castle, well... Rin has to take a minute and share the good news.

She sounds a little weird. Mostly it's because she can barely believe he's gone. Legato has been a burden and responsibility for her one way or another for a long time. She feels relieved and weirdly... sad. It would have been nice if he could have changed here, become a different person, a better person. But that didn't happen and now he's gone. With any luck, he'll stay that way.]

... Legato Bluesummers is gone.

[It sounds like she might say something else, and then she just stops and doesn't.]

Comments

[cricketycricket]

[he hears this and ... goes to find Rin, himself, in the throng of travelers]

Truly gone? Not just slipped away. You're sure?

[payback]

[She's sitting side-saddle on Tad, looking tired.]

I can't pick up a scent on him, so if he slipped away it's more like he disappeared into thin air.

[cricketycricket]

I'm not sure which is worse. [he sighs] Well, if he is out here somewhere ... it isn't as though he can control anyone. But if he truly is gone, well, then ...

[he purses his lips - he feels much the same as Rin, probably: he didn't have any love lost for Legato, but he'd felt a sort of obligation to help him for a while. it had broken once he saw how shattered his mind was - and how much the telepath seemed to like it that way. then he'd just become wary and cautious, more than anything else]

I suppose we did all we could. Everything considered.

[payback]

Yeah... I think we did more than anyone could expect. Actually.

[It doesn't mean it isn't hard. The terrible thing is, Rin isn't even sure why she should feel this weird sense of lostness. She looks downcast down at the ground.]

[cricketycricket]

[he's silent for a moment, then puts a hand on her shoulder] Thank you, for that. For keeping to a moral high ground that very few people seemed willing to tread. The fact that he isn't here anymore doesn't make your strength in warding him any less admirable.

[payback]

[... Doctor you kind of pierced her heart with that.

She licks her lips and stares at him for a second, totally taken aback. And then, softly:]

I thought about killing him a lot.

[cricketycricket]

As did I, in perfect honesty. ... But we both know, that wasn't the answer. [he sighs, a frown slowly crossing his face. darkly:]

Besides. ... That was what he wanted ...

[payback]

Yeah, well...

[She shakes her head.]

I don't know. If he wanted it... [How much a difference that made to her final decision, that is.]

... It's over now anyway.

[cricketycricket]

It is. [he nods] Your time's your own, again, now. ... [just enough happiness creeps into his tone - a considerate amount of teasing] Which means you'll have no excuse not to come and visit.

[payback]

Visit? I'll move back.

[cricketycricket]

Even better.

[payback]

There's no reason to stay out there now, you know.