un: sweet lily of the hidden valley; voice

[bearshermark]

[Eleven's voice comes through hushed, yet tinged with urgency]

This one is asking for a mirror.

[A different, fainter voice, words heavy and slurred as through from disuse] Take me to mirror..

[Eleven audibly hesitates, his attention turning briefly away from the network as his voice lowers, softer] Are- are there more of them? The one on the ship shattered..

[A halting pause from the other side] ..End pain..

[Grief, bleeding through compassion] I will. If I can't help you, I promise.

[Eleven takes in a deep breath and clears his throat] ..I know it's probably too much to hope there's another mirror we could easily find, but he seems convinced it would help. It was said the body in the lake had a similar aura. I didn't think much of it then, but now I wonder...

Comments

[bearshermark]

I do.

[downswing]

Have you executed the blameless before?

[bearshermark]

I understand mercy kills.

[downswing]

Have you executed them before?

[bearshermark]

[Stubborn]

Not people. But neither do you need to protect me.

[downswing]

Unnecessary to stain further hands.

[bearshermark]

I am not so fragile.

[downswing]

You link strength to bloodshed?

[bearshermark]

I link your attempts to shield me to apparent frailty.

[Goddess, he both appreciates and dismays this understanding, lamenting a lack of high-born words to make his point as effectively as Wangji does]

[downswing]

You mistake.

Euthanasia is an act of final kindness, to be performed to rite and standard. Better a learned hand.

[bearshermark]

[Well that takes him off tack at least]

It's a kindness I'd like to be able to provide, if it's going to continue to be necessary.

[downswing]

Efficiency still recommends me.

[bearshermark]

Demonstration with instruction.

[downswing]

For the sake of your pride?

[bearshermark]

For the sake of learning to do so properly in the future.

[downswing]

I take no joy in this teaching.

[bearshermark]

By rights it's an unpleasant task.

[downswing]

By wrongs.

[bearshermark]

[All right, that one isn't clear]

Will you?

[downswing]

I would not.

[bearshermark]

Okay.