[Well, skipping over a couple things Magnus is carrying Flayn on his shoulders, and they're outside the cabin Sanji must be in. He's hovering, his hand near the doorknob, gritting his teeth.
Flayn, in close proximity, must be able to feel what he's feeling. A buzz of fear and anxiety, even a little hatred, but it's mostly being blocked out. Magnus is good, when he has to be, of forcing down his feelings and doing what needs to be done.
Flayn does not look like she wants to go through with this at all, but that's probably to be expected. She doesn't feel like she does, either - there's no small amount of dread and loathing and fear, and the slightest tinge of despair.]
I...
[She really! Hates murder!
Her voice trails off, and she looks at the cabin door. Isn't it too late to back out now?]
[Too late for Magnus to back out, but not too late for Flayn. He lets her trail off, feels her fear rising. There isn't time - Sanji might be awake already. So he decides.]
[Giving him a wave? His expression is still serious, and Flayn won't be able to feel a shift in his emotions. He doesn't seem angry or hostile, just nothing like the goofy guy Magnus usually is.]
Guess you know we aren't here for a slumber party. But I was hoping you'd hear me out for a minute or two. No fighting, no tricks, just a quick chat.
[He doesn't expect that Sanji will trust him. Not now. But he does expect that Sanji will see that Flayn is going along with this, and that will give him reason to pause.]
One minute before maybe I launch myself at you and take your head as compensation.
[Magnus seems to have broken whatever spell Sanji was under, and so the chef relines backwards, hovering between heavy threats and a flat neutrality that's unbecoming of someone usually so high energy. The anger from before -- at least currently -- has been stowed away]
I mean, I can take a shitty guess and assume it's gonna include death, but hey. Surprise me.
[His stare hardens on Magnus, fuck no he doesn't trust him... but then softens slightly when he settles his eyes on Flayn]
[That's fair and valid. Maybe he should just launch himself at them and kill them both.
Flayn thinks that, her heart sinking, and then flinches - no. She doesn't want to see Magnus die, either. Why does anyone have to die here? It's not fair. It's...
She's thinking in circles again - and feeling in circles, too, which is maybe not helpful for Magnus. Maybe while they're having this talk, he should put her down, so he doesn't have to deal with the soul-crushing guilt.]
...as the rules say, at least one person must die, so... I do not think there is much we can say that will surprise you. But...
[She'll let Magnus explain the rest. He's the one doing the bulk of the work here, anyway.]
[Yeah. It's starting to be a lot, Flayn. Good thing Magnus is used to dealing with bad brain emotions a lot of the time, or he'd really be struggling. But he sets her down.]
Pretty much what she said. Somebody's dying tonight, but it doesn't have to be you. Probably will be you, but. . .
[Shaking his head.]
I'm not really into hitting somebody who can't fight back. So, that's the deal I wanna offer. I've got a bunch of weapons, so you can pick what you're comfortable with, use any items you wanna use. Whoever wins lives to see trial, and Flayn'll help you get rid of the evidence.
[Sighing.]
I know I'm offering this like it's a choice even though that's bullshit. You didn't ask for this, and I'm sorry about it. But it's the only thing I could think to do - give ya a fair chance.
[There's an emphasis on two. Sanji can be kind, he could have offered Flayn that out and laid everything Magnus' feet -- because he knows damn well who he will be fighting -- but right now he's simply blunt and honest, this time regarding them as if they're one entity.
His eyes tick to the side, tired.]
Tch.
[And then he stands. His hands go to his pockets.]
Let's get this over with. Since you're gonna be so generous, I'm choosing your burial ground, and it'll be forest.
[Just... breezing right along, suddenly, tone distant. All business. He stares straight ahead.]
So if you've got anything else to say, say it. Otherwise shut up and let's go.
[He glances at Flayn, a little concerned, but continues.]
Yeah. One last thing. I, uh. Didn't manage to figure out your power. Smart move from you. [Giving him kind of a sheepish grin, but his heart's not in it.] So. Feel free to use it in a fight, but. If it's something like Jason's, where it'll let you set a trap to catch me at trial, I'm gonna ask you not to do that.
[All he really can do is ask - he can't bring himself to threaten or insist.]
Here's why. Somebody is gonna keep killing. If it's not me, it'll be somebody else. [He gives another concerned glance at Flayn, but continues.]
But if it is me, the one thing you can count on is, everybody else from the castle is safe from me. [He rubs at his jaw, like he's trying to pick his words carefully. This part is important to him. If he's gotten the right read on Sanji, it'll be important to him, too.] That's not a threat. I'll keep my word on that whether or not you cooperate. But it's a reason for you to not want them to catch me. The next person might not care, but I do. I'll do my best to protect them as long as I'm alive.
[Spoken after a moment of deliberation, because -- yeah. He listened. Magnus wasn't wrong with how he framed the promise, no matter that Sanji's voice is now levelheaded and flat. His stare floats from Flayn to Magnus]
You're gonna fuckin tell me that if new shit came out and you had to kill everyone from the castle to save this game, you'd keep your promise? No you wouldn't. You'd make your excuses and then throw them under the bus. So don't offer me an empty bandaid, Magnus. We -- you -- none of us get that kind of control.
[...]
But I won't use my power. Lucky for your ass, it wouldn't help anyway.
[So. There's that. And Sanji assumes that the preliminaries are finished. The glance that catches Magnus is filled with hardened distrust, and then a light scoff]
Not gonna lie, I hope you eat shit and die.
[What a nice fellow. Though even that isn't said in hatred. He just sounds. Tired.
... But he stops in front of Flayn on his way to the door, glancing down at her. His elbow bumps into hers.]
C'mon. Both of you. Let's find out who wins the lottery.
[He really will do his best to keep his promise, but he can only keep so many promises at once. He knows Sanji is underestimating his sincerity, but he also knows Sanji isn't wrong.
Anyway, he'll follow Sanji out the door.]
You got a weapon you prefer? Or are we doing hand to hand?
[He has his pride, after all, not that either of them would understand if it's not explained -- and he is not in the explaining mood, obviously. Besides the brief pause where Sanji glances behind him at the half-opened door of the cabin, he keeps his eyes forward and remains silent on the walk.
It passes quickly, as the time before someone's death often does.
Only when they're at the boundary of the forest does he turn to them, nodding further in]
Let me get Flayn settled, let me put away my axe, and I'll count it down. She's not - [He's going to say 'part of this' but he knows that isn't true; he doesn't want to give the chance for Sanji to throw more blame at her.] - she doesn't need to get hurt.
[But once they step into a forest clearing, he'll set Flayn down on the ground, set his axe against a tree - if he has it, he'll be tempted to use it, and that's a bad idea for multiple reasons - and then turns to Sanji.]
Count of three. 3 . . . 2 . . . 1.
[And then once he hits the end of the countdown, he'll spring into action - unless Sanji moves first?]
Darting straight into the fuckin trees because he did not promise the most honorable of fights here. Just the location.
But more than that, it's his way of gauging the speed of his opponent. This won't be much of a fight if brawns over here can't keep up, so while Sanji is quick to be evasive, he never moves so fast that he loses sight of who is after him.]
Flayn's eyes widen slightly, as he darts into the trees. ...what if he just continually outruns him? What if they make it to morning without either one of them dying?
It's unlikely, but gods, she hopes it will happen.
She sticks close to the action, keeping a careful eye on what's about to happen. Just like the executions, she's complicit in this - so even though she doesn't want to watch it, she can't bring herself to look away. She wont.]
[Magnus isn't slow. He's not anywhere as fast as Sanji, though, so he can't easily keep up. Still, when Sanji runs, he'll follow as quickly, keeping his guard up.
He wants to try to stay in the area Flayn is in, but he also knows he can't let Sanji evade him all night. That would be a disaster.]
Come out and fight!
[He doesn't actually think Sanji running away is dishonorable - he's physically very strong. It's fair for Sanji to use what he's got against that. But he's hoping he'll hear a reaction when he shouts.]
Though outrunning Magnus for the rest of the night gets designated as the back-up plan once Sanji's done assessing how he moves. Not gonna lie? The other is pretty fuckin nimble for a big guy, and Sanji warns himself not to get too cocky about this.
Just play it smart. And maybe, maybe if he's lucky--
Abruptly he switches his battle stance, this time launching himself directly into the other's personal space, his right foot gathering strength to land a blow against Magnus' knee if he can. And whether or not the hit lands, Sanji is already trying to dance out of range before Magnus can retaliate]
[Magnus is surprisingly fast for a big guy, but not fast enough to dodge or block when Sanji gets in close. He tries to strike him back with a heavy fist, but he misses, and stumbles, grunting in pain when Sanji's foot hits him in the knee.
He hisses, staring back at Sanji, but forces himself to stay upright. He's stumbling a little, now, though, the knee incredibly painful, but the adrenaline is keeping him going. Magnus has always been able to keep going no matter how injured he is.
So he'll wobble again, like he can barely move, and then abruptly charge, swinging a fist at Sanji.]
[it really is a shame the two of them never got a chance to spar, Sanji thinks to himself -- Magnus is the type of opponent he prefers.
But it's a moot point and Sanji mets the stare head-on, his face expressionless as he dodges that fist with a step, and then drills his foot straight into where Magnus' kidney is.
It's probably evident from the strength of that kick that he means to make Magnus bleed to death from the inside]
[He cries out harshly at that one - the pain is immediate. Magnus isn't a biology expert, but he is a fight expert, and he knows a wound like that is serious.
And that's gonna be a problem, isn't it? He needs to pass these wounds on, but he can't risk passing on a deadly injury. Fuck. Fuck.
But worrying about that has to come after winning this fight. So far, it's not going well for him, is it? He expected Sanji to give him a good fight; wouldn't have picked him if he didn't think he could. And in a way, it might be easier if Sanji wins here, and he dies, and. . .
He thinks about two people who he cares about very much. One of them is brave and confident, acts like nothing could ever knock them down. But Magnus knows they're more fragile than that, that they need somebody to rely on by their side. Another person who is kind and gentle. Who would have to face something horrible by themselves. He doesn't want to be the cause of that. Better keep fighting, huh?
He tries to use the momentum, when he automatically doubles over from the pain of that hit to the kidney, knowing Sanji is behind him, to turn around and slam a fist into him. He's aiming for whatever part of Sanji he can reach - but will likely manage to slam a fist into the side of his head.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
w4; thursday
Flayn, in close proximity, must be able to feel what he's feeling. A buzz of fear and anxiety, even a little hatred, but it's mostly being blocked out. Magnus is good, when he has to be, of forcing down his feelings and doing what needs to be done.
And this needs to be done.]
You ready, kiddo? Still time to bow out.
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Flayn does not look like she wants to go through with this at all, but that's probably to be expected. She doesn't feel like she does, either - there's no small amount of dread and loathing and fear, and the slightest tinge of despair.]
I...
[She really! Hates murder!
Her voice trails off, and she looks at the cabin door. Isn't it too late to back out now?]
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At any point you need to bolt, you bolt. Got it?
[And then he opens the door.]
1/2
Oh yes, he was awake. And sitting casually on a bunk bed, a leg folded over his knee. His voice is rough with venom when he calls out:]
Took you shits long enough, huh. So, who do I get to slaughter toni--
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His gaze finds Flayn's.
... Oh.
... Her, huh? A lady.
With sharp abruptness, the fire in him goes out, and Sanji just stares like he doesn't believe what he's seeing.]
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They deserve that, she supposes. Her gaze meets his briefly, but then she looks away, and Magnus will feel another wave of intense guilt.]
I am sorry.
[She doesn't know what else to say here. She had planned to say something - but now, she doesn't seem to be able to get the words out.]
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[Giving him a wave? His expression is still serious, and Flayn won't be able to feel a shift in his emotions. He doesn't seem angry or hostile, just nothing like the goofy guy Magnus usually is.]
Guess you know we aren't here for a slumber party. But I was hoping you'd hear me out for a minute or two. No fighting, no tricks, just a quick chat.
[He doesn't expect that Sanji will trust him. Not now. But he does expect that Sanji will see that Flayn is going along with this, and that will give him reason to pause.]
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Talk. Now.
One minute before maybe I launch myself at you and take your head as compensation.
[Magnus seems to have broken whatever spell Sanji was under, and so the chef relines backwards, hovering between heavy threats and a flat neutrality that's unbecoming of someone usually so high energy. The anger from before -- at least currently -- has been stowed away]
I mean, I can take a shitty guess and assume it's gonna include death, but hey. Surprise me.
[His stare hardens on Magnus, fuck no he doesn't trust him... but then softens slightly when he settles his eyes on Flayn]
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Flayn thinks that, her heart sinking, and then flinches - no. She doesn't want to see Magnus die, either. Why does anyone have to die here? It's not fair. It's...
She's thinking in circles again - and feeling in circles, too, which is maybe not helpful for Magnus. Maybe while they're having this talk, he should put her down, so he doesn't have to deal with the soul-crushing guilt.]
...as the rules say, at least one person must die, so... I do not think there is much we can say that will surprise you. But...
[She'll let Magnus explain the rest. He's the one doing the bulk of the work here, anyway.]
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Pretty much what she said. Somebody's dying tonight, but it doesn't have to be you. Probably will be you, but. . .
[Shaking his head.]
I'm not really into hitting somebody who can't fight back. So, that's the deal I wanna offer. I've got a bunch of weapons, so you can pick what you're comfortable with, use any items you wanna use. Whoever wins lives to see trial, and Flayn'll help you get rid of the evidence.
[Sighing.]
I know I'm offering this like it's a choice even though that's bullshit. You didn't ask for this, and I'm sorry about it. But it's the only thing I could think to do - give ya a fair chance.
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And that's why the two of you chose me.
[There's an emphasis on two. Sanji can be kind, he could have offered Flayn that out and laid everything Magnus' feet -- because he knows damn well who he will be fighting -- but right now he's simply blunt and honest, this time regarding them as if they're one entity.
His eyes tick to the side, tired.]
Tch.
[And then he stands. His hands go to his pockets.]
Let's get this over with. Since you're gonna be so generous, I'm choosing your burial ground, and it'll be forest.
[Just... breezing right along, suddenly, tone distant. All business. He stares straight ahead.]
So if you've got anything else to say, say it. Otherwise shut up and let's go.
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[Flayn does not have much of anything else to say to that, honestly. What can she say? It's not like he's wrong.
She just nods once.]
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Yeah. One last thing. I, uh. Didn't manage to figure out your power. Smart move from you. [Giving him kind of a sheepish grin, but his heart's not in it.] So. Feel free to use it in a fight, but. If it's something like Jason's, where it'll let you set a trap to catch me at trial, I'm gonna ask you not to do that.
[All he really can do is ask - he can't bring himself to threaten or insist.]
Here's why. Somebody is gonna keep killing. If it's not me, it'll be somebody else. [He gives another concerned glance at Flayn, but continues.]
But if it is me, the one thing you can count on is, everybody else from the castle is safe from me. [He rubs at his jaw, like he's trying to pick his words carefully. This part is important to him. If he's gotten the right read on Sanji, it'll be important to him, too.] That's not a threat. I'll keep my word on that whether or not you cooperate. But it's a reason for you to not want them to catch me. The next person might not care, but I do. I'll do my best to protect them as long as I'm alive.
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[Spoken after a moment of deliberation, because -- yeah. He listened. Magnus wasn't wrong with how he framed the promise, no matter that Sanji's voice is now levelheaded and flat. His stare floats from Flayn to Magnus]
You're gonna fuckin tell me that if new shit came out and you had to kill everyone from the castle to save this game, you'd keep your promise? No you wouldn't. You'd make your excuses and then throw them under the bus. So don't offer me an empty bandaid, Magnus. We -- you -- none of us get that kind of control.
[...]
But I won't use my power. Lucky for your ass, it wouldn't help anyway.
[So. There's that. And Sanji assumes that the preliminaries are finished. The glance that catches Magnus is filled with hardened distrust, and then a light scoff]
Not gonna lie, I hope you eat shit and die.
[What a nice fellow. Though even that isn't said in hatred. He just sounds. Tired.
... But he stops in front of Flayn on his way to the door, glancing down at her. His elbow bumps into hers.]
C'mon. Both of you. Let's find out who wins the lottery.
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It can't be pleasant. It's unpleasant enough for her, and she's been accustomed to the guilt for a while now.]
...for what it is worth... it is a promise that the both of us would very much like to be able to keep.
[...but like he says, you never know.
Flayn takes a breath and follows them to the door.]
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Sure. Can't argue with that.
[He really will do his best to keep his promise, but he can only keep so many promises at once. He knows Sanji is underestimating his sincerity, but he also knows Sanji isn't wrong.
Anyway, he'll follow Sanji out the door.]
You got a weapon you prefer? Or are we doing hand to hand?
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[He has his pride, after all, not that either of them would understand if it's not explained -- and he is not in the explaining mood, obviously. Besides the brief pause where Sanji glances behind him at the half-opened door of the cabin, he keeps his eyes forward and remains silent on the walk.
It passes quickly, as the time before someone's death often does.
Only when they're at the boundary of the forest does he turn to them, nodding further in]
When do we start? The moment we step in there?
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Either way, when they come to a stop, she's here, and she's looking more and more apprehensive the closer they get to where they're going to fight.]
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[Nodding.]
Let me get Flayn settled, let me put away my axe, and I'll count it down. She's not - [He's going to say 'part of this' but he knows that isn't true; he doesn't want to give the chance for Sanji to throw more blame at her.] - she doesn't need to get hurt.
[But once they step into a forest clearing, he'll set Flayn down on the ground, set his axe against a tree - if he has it, he'll be tempted to use it, and that's a bad idea for multiple reasons - and then turns to Sanji.]
Count of three. 3 . . . 2 . . . 1.
[And then once he hits the end of the countdown, he'll spring into action - unless Sanji moves first?]
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Away.
Darting straight into the fuckin trees because he did not promise the most honorable of fights here. Just the location.
But more than that, it's his way of gauging the speed of his opponent. This won't be much of a fight if brawns over here can't keep up, so while Sanji is quick to be evasive, he never moves so fast that he loses sight of who is after him.]
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Flayn's eyes widen slightly, as he darts into the trees. ...what if he just continually outruns him? What if they make it to morning without either one of them dying?
It's unlikely, but gods, she hopes it will happen.
She sticks close to the action, keeping a careful eye on what's about to happen. Just like the executions, she's complicit in this - so even though she doesn't want to watch it, she can't bring herself to look away. She wont.]
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He wants to try to stay in the area Flayn is in, but he also knows he can't let Sanji evade him all night. That would be a disaster.]
Come out and fight!
[He doesn't actually think Sanji running away is dishonorable - he's physically very strong. It's fair for Sanji to use what he's got against that. But he's hoping he'll hear a reaction when he shouts.]
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[Fast and a smarmy fuck. The worst combo.
Though outrunning Magnus for the rest of the night gets designated as the back-up plan once Sanji's done assessing how he moves. Not gonna lie? The other is pretty fuckin nimble for a big guy, and Sanji warns himself not to get too cocky about this.
Just play it smart. And maybe, maybe if he's lucky--
Abruptly he switches his battle stance, this time launching himself directly into the other's personal space, his right foot gathering strength to land a blow against Magnus' knee if he can. And whether or not the hit lands, Sanji is already trying to dance out of range before Magnus can retaliate]
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He hisses, staring back at Sanji, but forces himself to stay upright. He's stumbling a little, now, though, the knee incredibly painful, but the adrenaline is keeping him going. Magnus has always been able to keep going no matter how injured he is.
So he'll wobble again, like he can barely move, and then abruptly charge, swinging a fist at Sanji.]
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But it's a moot point and Sanji mets the stare head-on, his face expressionless as he dodges that fist with a step, and then drills his foot straight into where Magnus' kidney is.
It's probably evident from the strength of that kick that he means to make Magnus bleed to death from the inside]
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And that's gonna be a problem, isn't it? He needs to pass these wounds on, but he can't risk passing on a deadly injury. Fuck. Fuck.
But worrying about that has to come after winning this fight. So far, it's not going well for him, is it? He expected Sanji to give him a good fight; wouldn't have picked him if he didn't think he could. And in a way, it might be easier if Sanji wins here, and he dies, and. . .
He thinks about two people who he cares about very much. One of them is brave and confident, acts like nothing could ever knock them down. But Magnus knows they're more fragile than that, that they need somebody to rely on by their side. Another person who is kind and gentle. Who would have to face something horrible by themselves. He doesn't want to be the cause of that. Better keep fighting, huh?
He tries to use the momentum, when he automatically doubles over from the pain of that hit to the kidney, knowing Sanji is behind him, to turn around and slam a fist into him. He's aiming for whatever part of Sanji he can reach - but will likely manage to slam a fist into the side of his head.]