week 6, post trial

[robitussin]

[Their numbers keep falling. Three people have died already this week, with two more on the way tomorrow. With the outburst the townspeople gave them once the results came through... If anyone were feeling downhearted, it's to be expected at this point. Things continuing at their current pace is a frightening thought, after all. Like last week, the offer to spend time together or meet in a central location doesn't come.

Hawks and Dabi wait for the morning in their cells, but the rest of the tourists are free to wander about the town as they please; free to rest, to talk with each other, and to try to gather strength wherever they can. So, where does the evening find you, Cartesio?]

Comments

[marmoron]

[That gets a pause.]

Is that really how heroes are expected to be in your world?

[Not saying it outright, but his tone's skeptical enough that it's clear he's thinking 'how do you have any heroes at all.']

[amburere]

No. Lot of 'em are lazy useless trash. [ ............ ]

Nothing but perfection worked for him.

[marmoron]

Him?

[AGain not gonna say it, but in Keith's experience those who demand perfection are often sorely lacking in it themselves.]

[amburere]

[ Ain't that the truth. Dabi hesitates for a whole bunch of reasons, but he's also tired by now. Being too specific is a no go, but being vague well......he's said too much already. If he doesn't name him, he should be able to keep his flames under control.

Keith will have to lean in to hear it, and it's delivered with the most deadpan affect he can manage. ]

My father.

[marmoron]

[Ah, that explains a lot -- not just about Dabi, but about why Natalie befriended the guy. He remembers Dabi sayign something about family being "off limits" to Natalie and he's pretty sure she has a bit of a soft spot for people who have fucked up families. But that's an aside really. Dabi's piqued his curiosity in other ways; he wasn't expecting honesty.]

Your father wouldn't let you be a hero?

[Not for the first time, Dabi's reminding him of someone from his world.]

[amburere]

Ha. [ That's a rabbit hole he doesn't dare to think on more than a passing thought—wouldn't that have been nice? The actual truth is much worse. ]

"Disappointing", "regrettable", "a pity". Wasn't perfect enough to succeed him as a hero—I was as useful as trash to him.

[marmoron]

[There's a short pause, and then:]

Sounds a lot like your father was pretty imperfect himself.

[The similarities between Dabi and Lotor keep getting stronger, though Dabi's starting to hit on territory that hits closer to home for Keith himself. It's not a train of thought he's particularly enjoying having.]

[amburere]

Yeah? Tell that to the hero commission, cause he's the number one hero.

[ His words are acidic, but they also carry a hint of amusement. What else can he do but laugh at himself and the situation, especially with him and Hawks (the #2) being...whatever they are right now.

This will all end well, surely. ]

[marmoron]

[He's not going to comment on the weirdness that is the phrase "hero commission" because Keith has just enough self awareness to realize he's in no position to comment on the strangeness of other people's worlds, but there's a faint degree of skepticism in his tone.]

You have a hero ranking system... why? Not to get all philosophical, but isn't the point of heroism to do what's right because it's the right thing to do. You don't need a ranking system for that.

[amburere]

[...and that gets more laughter, to the point where he actually needs to catch himself before he pulls out a staple. After a moment—]

You'd think so. Popularity, number of arrests, number of saves—the only metrics that matter for fake heroes. You're either part of the system or thrown out.