un: eclipse | video

[soloritur]

[ Marcos shows his face on screen for the first time in what feels like a long time. The last couple months have been hard on everyone, and he's no exception. There's a small white dragon settled beside him, trying to get into the frame, that he pushes back. He knows he shouldn't have it, but it still follows him around like a puppy. It hurts his heart to think that it doesn't know it's dead.

Not what this is about. ]

Hey there. [ He clears his throat. ] Listen, we need to talk. It's... been a rough few weeks. It was hard enough keeping track of everyone when we were separated between the two cities, but now. Now I think it might be time to take stock of survivors. Maybe make a list of who we've lost and who we need to look out for.

[ He remembers all the skeletons in the tower. They didn't seem like an illusion to him. ]

Kaneki is missing. Has been for a while. I wasn't worried until I found something he wouldn't have left behind if he had any choice in the matter. Luckily I got to it first. [ Which is why — ] I might need a hand with a beating heart in a box. I don't know if it has any other power, but the Merchant called it leverage, and I don't think I'm the right person to keep it safe. If anyone wants to take a look I'll send you my location.

[ The dragon makes a noise, and he rubs its head to keep it quiet. Sometimes he feels helpless, but it's important to remind himself of what he says next. ]

I know why most of you wanted to stay, to help these people, but be careful out there. Remember you're not alone.

Comments

[soloritur]

[ Oh... what? That information never reached him, and it floors him for a minute. And here Marcos found it just laying there. He's angrier for Kaneki, who was tricked into carrying around something that potentially put a target on his back. ]

You're telling me we've been carrying the heart of the guy who was behind all of this? And the Merchant didn't think that was important enough to tell us?

[beitangmoran]

I'm not going to waste time on his motives for not telling us. he is cagey at the best of time and he doesn't trust us.

I only made the connection very recently myself, even though, as it turns out, I had pieces of the puzzle as far back as when we were in Taravast itself. I just did not assemble them until a few weeks ago and gave Master Kaneki my conjectures. As the holder of the artifact, we agreed he probably should be the one to announce what it was, but circumstances being what they are, I can understand it was not a priority.

I suppose it might fall to me again to make a wider announcement at some point.

[soloritur]

[ There's been a lot going on, so he can't blame him or Kaneki too much for not announcing it, but he's conflicted on how to proceed. They're making a huge gamble thinking they can use this as leverage. ]

He must not know we have it yet, or he would have taken it back. He was in the city. It isn't safe for any one person to look after. [ The fact that his friend mysteriously disappeared is proof. ] From what I've heard, he's powerful enough that he could compel any one of us to hand it over. I hate to think what he could do to us if he finds out.

[beitangmoran]

He might not know, but then again, he left it as a bargaining chip... but what kind of bargaining chip is it really when he clearly has no need of it in his body to survive?

Still better to keep it safe until we know more, definitely.

[soloritur]

It's alive somehow. I don't know enough about him, but most things die when their heart stops, so I'd be nervous leaving it in our hands.

If I knew how to reach the Merchant, I'd deliver it to him and let him deal with the consequences.

[beitangmoran]

You can always try to contact him, but I doubt he'll be willing to take it on.

And that 'man', for lack of a better word, if most probably not human anymore. Surprisingly few of the people we have met turn out to be, in fact.

[Which is slightly disturbing.]

[soloritur]

He might not, but the Merchant is the reason we even have it. If he doesn't want to take it, I need a better reason why we should risk carrying it around with us.

Whoever it belongs to, I have to imagine they'll be looking for it.