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Bright High Brush
12b116
"At least we can get you some clothes," you say.
Ixander just snorts, but follows behind you.
Clothes are freely available to your troops, and Ixander walks over to pick some things out. You see him wander towards the skirts before he stops, squeezing his eyes shut and shaking his head. Then he grabs a pair of shorts and a t-shirt.
As soon as he covers the mark on his chest, the cloth begins to blacken and flake off until it's exposed again. He just looks at you.
As you walk towards the sports complex, you talk.
"Making decisions like this is my job," you say. "All of my troops are still alive, and I made the decision that I think will keep them this way."
Ixander doesn't say anything.
"We need something like that dragon if we're going to have any chance of killing the Teratomorph-" You see him flinch "-that'll keep killing C.Orgs otherwise, more likely than not."
He stays silent as you reach the sport complex. There is a variety of exercise equipment off to one side, but the bulk of the complex is a vast open are with various kinds of courts demarcated on the floor.
"I didn't want to have to make a decision like that, and this isn't something I wanted for you," you say. "I think you know why I chose you, but I'm not happy about it, and I want to do what I can to make this situation bearable for you. Let me know what you want, and I'll do my best to provide it. We're here so you can beat the shit out of me if that's what you want to do."
Ixander narrows his eyes.
"I'm not a fucking child," he says. "Frankly, it's insulting that you think that I give a shit about hitting you."
>Ixander's opinion of you has lowered, if that's even possible.
"Of course, if you had any faith in your C.Orgs, you wouldn't think you need some horror from another world to be able to do your job," he says.
"But so you can have some peace of mind," he says, the words dripping with sarcasm, "the dragon isn't going to mistreat me. The dragons are just animals before they do the servant ritual, so the only reason he can ... you know, think and talk is because I'm there. Plus, anything that happens to me happens to him. Before you ask, it doesn't work the other way around, so I'll be perfectly fine while he's getting shot or whatever."
"Don't pat yourself on the back yet, though," he says, "I have no idea if the shit in my head is me, him, or what he wants me to think and feel. It's fucking horrifying, and it's probably only going to get worse."
He looks directly at you.
"Are we done here? I'd just as soon not be anywhere near you. I'm not impressed by this ... whatever this was."
>despite what he says, you explained yourself reasonably well, and Ixander can't really find fault with your reasoning.
You can ask Ixander if we wants to exercise or spar with you, or let him go. You should also either keep the conversation going, or tell him what you want to tell him before he leaves.
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