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[The voice that of the message is probably not the one you expect. And if you're Gilbert, probably causes traumatic flashbacks. It's certainly Break's voice, but a bit high pitched and more comical...]

Hello, this is Emily! You're obviously an idiot who can't even come see someone in person if it's important, but I'll take pity on you anyways. Leave a message and I'll tell the wonderful and charming Mr. Break about it if it's worth it!

[are you sure you even want to leave a message now]

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[ Literally immediately after this. Like. He made the phone call from his bed. Break probably even overheard it. He probably even overhead Sharon's hissing and spitting when he pulls the phone away from his ear and is hung up on.

A minute later, he'll turn to Break. ]

Sooooooooooo... Did you know anything about that chip when we were tasked to take it?

[ cecil

Cecil, what did Break tell you about talking to Sharon? As soon as he recognizes the angry voice on the phone, Break stands up from where he had been sitting, fully intending on snatching the phone out of his hand, but Sharon beats him to it, so to speak, and hangs up on him. So in lieu of dramatically snatching the phone from Cecil to then focus on comforting Sharon, he settles for the next best thing.

With no hesitation whatsoever, Break throws a punch towards Cecil's face.

Regardless of whether he hits him or not, Break's expression is frightening with how angry and dangerous it is, and his tone matches. Cecil's question is ignored, because there's something much more important to address. ]

Did you misunderstand what I said, Cecil? As I recall, I had said that I would claim your head if you ever spoke to her again. It would be wise for you to convince me to not do just that.

[ Though, surprisingly, the fact that he's even giving Cecil a chance to explain himself is a token of how their relationship has improved, so. There's that. ]

[ flkhflf oh come on he's either JUST back from the dead or else still healing from stab wounds a freaking one-armed eight year old gave him, Break, he thought you'd understand.

But yes, of course, the punch connects because um wow??? I thought we were bros?????? He rubs his jaw. ]

No. No, I deserved that. [ He did but that didn't mean you had to, you know, actually do it. ] And if you would like to kill me, I would deserve that also. But I'm only going to ask you again once I revive.

Did you see the little girl who was in town yesterday, Break? Did you speak with her? Did you know she has what Sharon had?

[ Break doesn't have his cane handy, since they're just in the room, but his fists stay clenched as if he were itching to grab it. Though ultimately, they relax, and he grumbles with a deep note of irritation. It's the fact that Cecil would revive so quickly that convinces him, since he would just have to deal with this tomorrow rather than a little less than a week from now.

Still, he is Angry!! And doesn't know what to do with this anger that isn't harming Cecil more, so he wanders over to the drawer claimed as his and aggressively opens it only to pull out a small tin. He sits back on his bed and starts to angrily eat out of the tin, which seems to be his stash of sweets. Today, it's sad, shitty knockoff Oreos. Pity him.

Stress eating is a good alternative to murder. ]

If only you would take longer. [ He still sounds really pissed off, though, so don't take the stress eating as a sign of contentment. ] No, I did not see her or speak with her, and I do not care that she had that damned chip.

[ Are you seriously eating chocolate to feel better? Break you're adorable. If Cecil's jaw weren't still aching, he'd have trouble keeping a straight face. ]

Do you know what it is, though? What its purpose is, how it may be used? How it was not used?

Did Sharon ever tell you?

[ These can barely even be called chocolate, they're more like flavored cardboard... ]

...Only that it allowed her to write. [ He admits reluctantly, because this is something he really does not want to talk about. ] What does it matter? Even if more were to be brought over here, it's obvious what would happen to them.

[ Well, the writing thing is new. Not surprising, but not terribly important to Cecil, anyway. ~~Poor Reim though.~~ ] It allows the little girl to go through the barrier.

Sharon never told you that?

No. [ He says it sharply as he glances away, but his expression is at least more thoughtful now. ]

She may not have known, but even if she had, what it did was not very important to her. It was a gift. That was what she valued about it.

I see that now.

But she did know. And that's why I spoke to her. She knew, and she tried to leave, but couldn't for some reason.

I wonder why. I wonder what makes that little girl different from Sharon. I wonder why she tried to leave and did not tell you, and if she would be gone now, if she could.

[ Sorry, Break. For rubbing that in. He wants you to go talk to her about it and find out, since he's not allowed by either party, apparently. ]

[ That she knew and didn't tell him doesn't matter much at all to Break, because for one, it's irrelevant now, but also because he knew something right away as soon as Cecil had brought it up. He looks up from his stress eating with a cold smile. ]

Because you don't understand anything about the situation or about my lady, Cecil. That is why.

[ He could leave it at that, and he would, for most people, but he has a feeling Cecil would push the issue, so he decides to explain. ]

She did not tell me because it was not important. She told me that it allowed her to write and it was a gift because that is what I needed to know. She told me this, and that is how I found out what it was we were to take. Anything further was not important, because I knew I would have to take it from her.

[ Break's posture and language had become more rigid, but he seems to realize it himself, and he shakes his head as a gesture to relax both. ]

But she wouldn't leave. You don't know her at all, and I'd prefer that it stays that way, but I'll tell you this—She would never leave anyone behind. She wouldn't go through the barrier unless she could take almost everyone here with her.

[ And even telling him that much was too much. Look at what it got her.

Sharon is too kind. A kind person does not need a chip like that. A person who is willing to take risks and make sacrifices does. Someone like Jason. Or Jet. Or Break.

That's what Cecil thinks. But then, there is a lot about Sharon he does not know. And not for lack of trying. ]

If you believe that, then why do you think she tried?

To be thorough, most likely. She's a Rainsworth. She would be discontent if there were things she could do that she hadn't thoroughly explored.

[ He sighs, like this is tedious, but takes another cookie like a true winner... ]

Why does that interest you so much, Cecil?

It interests me because it interests them. Because there is a way to get through the barrier. A way that little girl knows. And there is only so much we can do from in here.

[ Because Carlos is here. Because he's scared in a way he was not before. Because he's getting desperate. ]

[ He regards Cecil seriously, but though he has a feeling he knows what Cecil is getting to here, he also knows it's something he wouldn't consider. He had learned his lesson twice-over now for working alone. Even Mr. One Man Show, as Sharon called him, couldn't stand alone here. ]

And what then? If you left, what would you do?

Find the rebels. The place where that little girl came from.

That's obvious, right?

Yes, and then what, Cecil? Kill them? Reason with them? Both are going to be exceedingly difficult, especially for you.

[ He sighs heavily, then stares back at Cecil seriously. ]

Don't plan such foolish things on something so vague. That's why I'm in the position I'm in now, you realize.

[ You didn't have to say the "especially for you part" you know. ]

All I would have to do is stay alive long enough to convince them I was worth listening to for a while. And considering that death is not real or permanent here...

It would be worth it, to try.

[ It's Break, of course he did!! ]

Would it? Remember who we work for, Cecil. And you've been particularly loud in your alliance, so I see no reason why they would hesitate to kill you immediately. And what if you don't revive, once you leave that barrier? What if that's something only we are granted?

[ He shakes his head ] It's not a bad idea. But you're not the right one to do it, and neither am I. It would have to be someone like Sharon.

[ Cecil has a pet theory that Yao Corporation employees do revive outside of the barrier. Su Geming was alive after Gyro killed him, after all. And there's always the strange case of Doctor Kite. Some people do or can, at least, but it's not something he bothers arguing. It might not apply to him, anyway. ]

Sharon is a politician. She would be better off away from the rebels. No, the best person would be a rebel him or herself. ...Someone like Jason. [ Or Jet. ] Or Joel.

...But then it wouldn't be someone who worked for the corporation. And once someone like that earned the rebel's trust... It would not help The Yao Corporation at all.

Sooooo... You're right. It is not going to work. But. I would have liked to have something like that, anyway.

[ Break doesn't know Joel, but he does know Jason. Of course he does. With that person at the head of negotiations, he believes it would have a better chance to be listened to, but at the same time, he can see the logic behind what Cecil is getting to. He brings a hand to his chin in thought. ]

I see. Then let me change my question. If it were someone that worked for the corporation, if it were you, would they be willing to be a martyr? That is... a very great possibility, unfortunately.

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[ action ] rm 5.1

i'm sorry........

don't ever be <3

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