un: ut malum pluvia | audio

[somebadnews]

[ Five has, maybe predictably, not yet shared the information he overheard when he and a few others followed Sairen some days ago to his secret gambling arena. When he decides to in the middle of the night, it really sounds like he's just postulating out loud while he's pacing around a room, because... that's exactly what he's doing at two in the morning. ]

What do we know about the Beastmaster? The village has ties to him, and the Hok-Shinn's offering didn't satisfy him the last time he came. How often does he come, and what were they offering? I'd assume either bodies or weapons, but they seemed purposely vague about it.

Then there's that chemical that the clan controls to make the land fertile enough to grow on. Supposedly they withhold it from farmers who rebel against them, but where does it come from and where do they keep it? Without it they wouldn't have the same hold over their people. And who is the white wanderer that gave it to them the first time? Is that related to their deal with the warlord, or is it something we can exploit?

[ He just says these things like they're already public knowledge. Be useful and fill in the gaps for him, he'll appreciate it. — The next part comes out more direct, because he's really getting sick of spilling hot drinks on himself whenever a pair of gossiping ghosts wander through the wall. (He gets it, Klaus. They might have driven him to drugs too.) ]

Also, I need to borrow an exorcist. If one of you knows how to dispel ghosts, we've got two who don't know how to mind their own business.

[ He's absolutely looking directly at them when he says this. Take a hint, ladies. ]

Comments

un: ut malum pluvia

[somebadnews]

[ Not that he wasn't just thinking that, but he still feels responsible. Klaus doesn't do well on his own. ]

That's a good question. Has he ever managed to get rid of one of his ghosts?

[gladiokinesis]

not that i know of, but to be fair i've never asked

[somebadnews]

I think he would have mentioned it. He probably couldn't have done anything, as entertaining as it would have been when he realized he isn't the only one who can see them.

[gladiokinesis]

maybe he would have gotten there eventually -- ben was able to communicate through him and all

[somebadnews]

[ ...Now he's distracted; mentally backtracking to a year ago. Diego was supposed to pick up Klaus. But Klaus was the only one to show up in that alley, and only thanks to Ben possessing him. Did Diego...? ]

Did you talk to him? Ben?

[gladiokinesis]

briefly. i even got to hug him

(and it had felt so good to see their brother again, especially since...well according to vanya and klaus, he's gone for good now.)

[somebadnews]

[ That's at least... one thing he could have excused being late for. But he didn't stick with Ben. Instead he'd let the Commission pick him up, and that never made much sense to him. ]

Before you decided to go after Lila?

[gladiokinesis]

she came after me. and drugged me.

[somebadnews]

[ Right. He knew he wasn't headhunted, it was all Lila.

And even all these months later, he can't help but feel slighted that they couldn't focus long enough to show up by a simple deadline. There's a chance they could have all been home by now if they'd only listened as well as Ben. ]

I can see what you liked about her.

[gladiokinesis]

(liked implies it is in the past tense and diego isn't still kinda hung up on her. he doesn't correct five.)

it was complicated, her mom manipulated her her whole life, just like our dick dad did to us. besides, being there i was able to figure out it was vanya again. it worked out. and i never would have met herb, that guy was awesome.

[somebadnews]

[ He should know not to mention the Commission. Even a cursory comment comparing the Handler to Reginald makes him twitch. Diego has no idea the bullet he dodged when he got out of there. ]

Good to see you learned something from it.

[gladiokinesis]

you don't remember vanya still, huh? or why it was important to help her?

[somebadnews]

[ Did he just gloss over her again? ... ]

You've been talking to Allison.

[gladiokinesis]

did you really think allison wouldn't tell me?

[somebadnews]

[ …okay not really, but it doesn’t seem productive when he hasn’t figured out the cause. ]

I guess I didn’t tell her not to.

[gladiokinesis]

would you have?

[somebadnews]

[ He wishes he had right now, but he’s not going to say that. ]

I didn’t, so obviously not.

[gladiokinesis]

(five doesn't say it, but diego does) you wish you had

[somebadnews]

Why are you awake, anyway? Curse keeping you up?

[ Aggressively changing the subject. ]

[gladiokinesis]

maybe a little

(mostly because he's been ignoring it...)

[somebadnews]

[ Five has no idea what that's like, but he's angry whenever he thinks about them cursing his family. He should be focusing on lifting them before anything else.

At least on helping them deal until he solves them. ]

If you want me to come over, we can work on it.

[gladiokinesis]

(look diego is more concerned about five's memory loss issues -- the curse can wait.)

does it actually matter if i want you to come over or not?

[somebadnews]

[ Not really, no. He's eager to get out of this haunted house anyway. ]

Do you need a minute to get decent?

[gladiokinesis]

yeah, give me a few

(it's late at night, he can't be expected to still be wearing pants)

[somebadnews]

[ He’s so glad he asked.

Five gives him a few generous minutes before he decides it’s been long enough. Then he teleports directly outside his door and gives it two short knocks, just in case it wasn’t. Most of his housemates are probably asleep so he’s not worried about startling them. He barely cares if they aren’t.

He also has the sleep aid Hermione inexplicably gave him in one bandaged hand. So far it’s untested, but if anyone benefits from it, it might as well be Diego. It’s the least he can do for allowing him to get cursed in the first place. ]