[Gold is the only one there. Well, besides the hover bike they clearly got there on. They learn away from the wall and stroll towards him. There are only two lights on in what is otherwise a very large room.]
[When the local secret agent is done with your cryptic bullshit, you know it's bad. He stands up ramrod-straight and holds his ground.]
Oh, no. You answer me first. I am not helpin' take down Tweedledee and Tweedledeath so someone else can step in an' pick up where they left off. Who is it.
[It's something of a line in the sand; he's spent a good amount of time trying to convince himself that he's worrying too much, that the third party in question isn't hostile, but he can't be sure unless someone confirms it.]
[Mashup from hell or not, odds are he'll still be able to tell if Gold is telling the truth. It's a small comfort, but it's what he's relying on right now.]
[He'll be able to feel it - a flash of anger in their tune. He'll see the way they clench their fists and then release. But then, instead of acting on that feeling on the surface, they say almost gently:]
[They let the conversation trail into silence, clearly thinking something over. It takes them a while to get through it, until finally:]
I can't.
[They take a step forward and lift a hand, seeming to intentionally ramp up their own tune - or tunes - all at once. They remember how J reacted to this before. It should be easy to bring him down.]
[He's only willing to be patient for so long. When Gold remains silent, J listens, concentrating on Gold's tune and trying to see if he can pick up on any of the nuance of what he's thinking about. The mashup doesn't make it easy, but that's not about to stop him.]
[The problem with being that tangled up in Gold's tune is that he's completely unprepared for what comes next. He gets that spark of intent, but intent doesn't always have context and he doesn't know what to brace himself for, let alone have enough time to do it. The increased volume blindsides him, searing across his senses. For a moment, his vision goes white; the next thing he knows, he's in a heap on the floor, gasping for breath, immobile and barely conscious under the weight of that tune.]
[With such a dramatic reaction, Gold eases back on the volume, but not completely. Hopefully enough residual discomfort will be enough to keep him down. They walk to him and push him over, patting him down for his communicator so they can confiscate it.]
Sorry about that...
[They speak in a digitized mumble as they look him over, apparently taking the situation in a stride. That is, until it becomes obvious that them and J aren't alone.]
GOLD, you FUCKING DIPSHIT.
[It's Silver. They're storming in through the back entrance, and their body language and their tune are both very unhappy.]
[The volume easing up helps, but it's not enough; J is still gathering his wits about him when Gold takes his communicator, and there's not a lot he can do about it. He does make an angry noise in the back of his throat when Gold apologizes - like hell is he sorry.]
[And then Silver strides in, angry as hell, and J loses most of the progress he's made; between Gold purposefully trying to keep him inert and Silver's anger, he's not going anywhere for a while.]
[Of course, that doesn't mean he's not still listening.]
[Gold abruptly stops their tune all together. Taking J's communicator, they stand and turn to face their angry friends, otherwise wordless.]
What are you doing, asshole?
[Silver stops several feet away and stops. They look at J for a moment, and then their tune seems to haltingly become quieter. They look back at gold, and the tension is thick.]
Calm down.
[Despite the fact that everything they say is digitized, there is something extra robotic about the way that Gold says that. Silver raises a finger angrily, and then lowers it.]
[On one hand, it's a relief, and J takes a moment or two just to catch his breath. It helps.]
[On the other hand, a tune going silent usually means death. Gold is still standing there, plain as day, but J can't pick up on his tune at all - it's like he's one of the robot bodyguards following musicians around. If he can do that, that means that he - and Silver, and Santiago, and Blanche, if they all can do that trick - can pretty much sneak up on him and he wouldn't know until it was too late. The thought is chilling.]
[He could try to get up; he could try to get his communicator back; or he could stay here and get his bearings and listen. That last one seems like the best plan right now.]
[Gold pockets the communicator, still staring at Silver, their interactions made all the more inscrutable by the fact that both of their faces are hidden.]
What were you even planning on following this up with? Is this somehow your scheme for saving face?
You know it'd be easy to deal with. We have a lot of ways of dealing with it. I was going to do it the nicest way, too.
No.
[Silver's anger spikes a little again, but not enough to be deafening. Gold is still ghostly quiet.]
No, Gold, you're better than that.
Silver. [The word is said very precisely.] How did you know I was here?
Uh.
[Silver get about four second to answer before Gold performs some kind of athletic stunt faster than the eye can see, and ends up right in front of them. It is clearly a threat. Silver raises their hands in feigned surrender.]
Buddy. You're acting like a crazy person. Just putting that one out there.
[J has gone very, very still, and he's going to stay that way until the war zone on the other side of the warehouse has calmed down.]
[But...saving face? Dealing with it? J knows too much - that much is obvious to him right now - but Gold's reaction to his refusal to take no for an answer...]
[It's Gold, isn't it. Gold's the third leech. And he came to Gold with his questions-]
[He probably owes Silver his life at this point.]
[He's just going to stay here and breathe as quietly as he can. And listen. And hope a fight doesn't break out, because that is the one thing he won't survive.]
[Gold's body seems to relax slightly, even if they don't say anything. Silver waits a few moments before speaking again.]
Look... I already know what you did with that stunt, so... You don't have to be so defensive about it.
Then why didn't you say anything?
Because I trust you, I guess? Even though you just bumrushed someone from our team, and everything...
[There's another pause, and Silver takes a step to the side, to start walking around Gold and towards J. There's a tense moment where it's unclear if Gold will stop them, but in the end, they don't. Silver kneels down in front of J and shakes his shoulder.]
[The ruse is up; J sits up slowly, one hand held to his head like he's just coming to and hasn't been eavesdropping this entire time.]
Not today. Just the proud owner of the headache of the century.
[On one hand, asking questions is what got him here, on the ground. On the other hand, he has to know how deep this goes, and Silver not wanting him dead is an advantage. Kind of. He leans around Silver and looks at Gold, voice quiet when he speaks.]
An' then what? Go for round two when I hear it again an' ask you about it?
[He's at the edge of outraged, and despite his best efforts it shows. Reining it in isn't working too well. He looks at Silver.]
Great. I'm glad you trust 'em. How the hell are the rest of us supposed to?
[Gold used them all - used them to get the powder to the musicians in Fairy Trial - and he lied to J about what it did, and Silver just...let it happen. They've all been used, like pieces on a chess board, with none of them the wiser, and Gold tried to silence him when he found out. The enormity of the situation is only just starting to sink in, and it's all J can do to keep on an even keel.]
[Silver is trying really hard to come up with some sort of explanation. But, before they can, they are interrupted by the sound of Gold getting onto their hover bike and slamming it into gear. Silver bolts to their feet again.]
Gold, wait! Come on!
[But before Silver can stop them, Gold has already zoomed off towards the doors and busted through, the exit opening before them without them having to stop.]
Gold!
[Silver follows them for a few steps, before finally slowing down and stopping. They sink down to the floor and onto their knees, gradually resting their helmet against a hand as if they need it to keep from sinking lower.
[Y'know, J is really tired of getting taken by surprise. What the hell.]
[It takes him longer to get to his feet and follow - by the time he makes it outside, Gold is gone and Silver is on their knees.]
[...it's very much against his better judgment, but...he can't do nothing. He just can't. He approaches Silver, slowly, and lays a hand on their shoulder.]
[The voice digitizer in their helmet makes the crack in their voice sound strange. For once, they don't react negatively to this presumption of closeness.]
Please don't bring this down on their head. They didn't...I know they didn't mean to hurt anyone with this.
[They're in the middle of the street - it's a back alley, but they can't afford to be here. This is not the kind of conversation that belongs outside, for more than one reason.]
C'mon. Let's go inside.
[Give him the extra thirty seconds to process this.]
[There will be a delay before they follow, but they will, closing the doors after them. They don't seem to know what to say, beyond that part, so instead of saying anything more they will just wander ahead into the warehouse, ostensibly lost in thought.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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What did the third presence feel like to you?
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Oh, no. You answer me first. I am not helpin' take down Tweedledee and Tweedledeath so someone else can step in an' pick up where they left off. Who is it.
[It's something of a line in the sand; he's spent a good amount of time trying to convince himself that he's worrying too much, that the third party in question isn't hostile, but he can't be sure unless someone confirms it.]
[Mashup from hell or not, odds are he'll still be able to tell if Gold is telling the truth. It's a small comfort, but it's what he's relying on right now.]
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J... I don't think you understand.
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Yeah, I know. That's why I called you. So explain.
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I can't.
[They take a step forward and lift a hand, seeming to intentionally ramp up their own tune - or tunes - all at once. They remember how J reacted to this before. It should be easy to bring him down.]
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[The problem with being that tangled up in Gold's tune is that he's completely unprepared for what comes next. He gets that spark of intent, but intent doesn't always have context and he doesn't know what to brace himself for, let alone have enough time to do it. The increased volume blindsides him, searing across his senses. For a moment, his vision goes white; the next thing he knows, he's in a heap on the floor, gasping for breath, immobile and barely conscious under the weight of that tune.]
[Yeah. This isn't good.]
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Sorry about that...
[They speak in a digitized mumble as they look him over, apparently taking the situation in a stride. That is, until it becomes obvious that them and J aren't alone.]
GOLD, you FUCKING DIPSHIT.
[It's Silver. They're storming in through the back entrance, and their body language and their tune are both very unhappy.]
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[And then Silver strides in, angry as hell, and J loses most of the progress he's made; between Gold purposefully trying to keep him inert and Silver's anger, he's not going anywhere for a while.]
[Of course, that doesn't mean he's not still listening.]
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What are you doing, asshole?
[Silver stops several feet away and stops. They look at J for a moment, and then their tune seems to haltingly become quieter. They look back at gold, and the tension is thick.]
Calm down.
[Despite the fact that everything they say is digitized, there is something extra robotic about the way that Gold says that. Silver raises a finger angrily, and then lowers it.]
Come on. Step away from the suit, man.
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[On the other hand, a tune going silent usually means death. Gold is still standing there, plain as day, but J can't pick up on his tune at all - it's like he's one of the robot bodyguards following musicians around. If he can do that, that means that he - and Silver, and Santiago, and Blanche, if they all can do that trick - can pretty much sneak up on him and he wouldn't know until it was too late. The thought is chilling.]
[He could try to get up; he could try to get his communicator back; or he could stay here and get his bearings and listen. That last one seems like the best plan right now.]
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What were you even planning on following this up with? Is this somehow your scheme for saving face?
You know it'd be easy to deal with. We have a lot of ways of dealing with it. I was going to do it the nicest way, too.
No.
[Silver's anger spikes a little again, but not enough to be deafening. Gold is still ghostly quiet.]
No, Gold, you're better than that.
Silver. [The word is said very precisely.] How did you know I was here?
Uh.
[Silver get about four second to answer before Gold performs some kind of athletic stunt faster than the eye can see, and ends up right in front of them. It is clearly a threat. Silver raises their hands in feigned surrender.]
Buddy. You're acting like a crazy person. Just putting that one out there.
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[But...saving face? Dealing with it? J knows too much - that much is obvious to him right now - but Gold's reaction to his refusal to take no for an answer...]
[It's Gold, isn't it. Gold's the third leech. And he came to Gold with his questions-]
[He probably owes Silver his life at this point.]
[He's just going to stay here and breathe as quietly as he can. And listen. And hope a fight doesn't break out, because that is the one thing he won't survive.]
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...Look, you do not get to scold me right now...
You're being a hypocrite.
[The two of them stand in silence for a few moments.]
...Could you stop muting yourself already, I hate talking to you like this.
Do you really want me angry instead?
I want you human. [They pause for a moment, and then laugh stiffly.] You know. Ish.
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[Very dangerous, he remembers in the next moments, and stays silent and still.]
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Look... I already know what you did with that stunt, so... You don't have to be so defensive about it.
Then why didn't you say anything?
Because I trust you, I guess? Even though you just bumrushed someone from our team, and everything...
[There's another pause, and Silver takes a step to the side, to start walking around Gold and towards J. There's a tense moment where it's unclear if Gold will stop them, but in the end, they don't. Silver kneels down in front of J and shakes his shoulder.]
Hey, are you dead?
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[The ruse is up; J sits up slowly, one hand held to his head like he's just coming to and hasn't been eavesdropping this entire time.]
Not today. Just the proud owner of the headache of the century.
[On one hand, asking questions is what got him here, on the ground. On the other hand, he has to know how deep this goes, and Silver not wanting him dead is an advantage. Kind of. He leans around Silver and looks at Gold, voice quiet when he speaks.]
What were you gonna do to me?
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I was going to make you forget this happened. If I even could.
[What would have happened if they couldn't isn't mentioned.]
If I haven't already made my opinion clear, that was dumb and this shouldn't have happened.
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[He's at the edge of outraged, and despite his best efforts it shows. Reining it in isn't working too well. He looks at Silver.]
Great. I'm glad you trust 'em. How the hell are the rest of us supposed to?
[Gold used them all - used them to get the powder to the musicians in Fairy Trial - and he lied to J about what it did, and Silver just...let it happen. They've all been used, like pieces on a chess board, with none of them the wiser, and Gold tried to silence him when he found out. The enormity of the situation is only just starting to sink in, and it's all J can do to keep on an even keel.]
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Gold, wait! Come on!
[But before Silver can stop them, Gold has already zoomed off towards the doors and busted through, the exit opening before them without them having to stop.]
Gold!
[Silver follows them for a few steps, before finally slowing down and stopping. They sink down to the floor and onto their knees, gradually resting their helmet against a hand as if they need it to keep from sinking lower.
They're quiet.]
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[It takes him longer to get to his feet and follow - by the time he makes it outside, Gold is gone and Silver is on their knees.]
[...it's very much against his better judgment, but...he can't do nothing. He just can't. He approaches Silver, slowly, and lays a hand on their shoulder.]
...you okay?
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Please don't bring this down on their head. They didn't...I know they didn't mean to hurt anyone with this.
[Their next words come out softly:]
They're the only one I have left.
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C'mon. Let's go inside.
[Give him the extra thirty seconds to process this.]
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What happened?
[To Gold. To Silver. This whole mess. Everything.]
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[Sort of dodging the question even now, but it's said wistfully instead of argumentatively.]
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