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[There is nothing on the screen at first, no sound. Then the sight of an arm with the sleeve pulled up to reveal a mark. It looks almost ordinary here, the Dark Mark. No magic to power it.
Of course, for those familiar, the sight alone still holds more than enough sway.
The video is switched off and the only thing that accompanies the post is in writing. No voice, nothing to give away the identity of the person who posted this, other than the arm most likely belonging to someone male.]
Who here is familiar with this sign?
Of course, for those familiar, the sight alone still holds more than enough sway.
The video is switched off and the only thing that accompanies the post is in writing. No voice, nothing to give away the identity of the person who posted this, other than the arm most likely belonging to someone male.]
Who here is familiar with this sign?
[ Regulus Black has often complained that his new life in outer space is hell, but the moment he sees the Dark Mark looking back at him from the communicator, he knows he was wrong. Hell has only just started.
He sinks onto a bench in the gardens, his legs suddenly too weak to hold him, and presses a hand against his mouth as he struggles to hold in his screams.
Minutes pass before his trembling fingers manage a reply. ]
Should I?
He sinks onto a bench in the gardens, his legs suddenly too weak to hold him, and presses a hand against his mouth as he struggles to hold in his screams.
Minutes pass before his trembling fingers manage a reply. ]
Should I?
Not if it means nothing to you at first glance, no. It's not a sight that anyone familiar with it would forget.
[Just another response that doesn't tell him anything upfront, but he can prod and see if there really is nothing but ignorance.]
It doesn't strike a chord?
[Just another response that doesn't tell him anything upfront, but he can prod and see if there really is nothing but ignorance.]
It doesn't strike a chord?
I don't know if you have realized it yet, but the people here are from various points in time and space, and even universes.
[ And right now he really wishes he were in a different universe than this Death Eater. But he must know his name, if only so he can judge whether this man would know his.
Would it be too much to ask for someone coming from before his betrayal? Most likely, yes. ]
[ And right now he really wishes he were in a different universe than this Death Eater. But he must know his name, if only so he can judge whether this man would know his.
Would it be too much to ask for someone coming from before his betrayal? Most likely, yes. ]
[ If he were in his right mind Regulus would notice the trap, he's been very selective in what information he gives away for months, and managed to twist the flow of information into a selective, skewed version of the truth.
Unfortunately, Regulus Black isn't in his right mind. More like out of his mind from fear. This is worse than when Anakin Skywalker told him about blowing up space stations like the one they are on.]
Yes! All kinds of people. Mostly from the Galactic Republic.
[ Wild, sudden hope has him breathless again. If he is smart, and careful, he might be able to pass himself off as one of them. At least for a little while. ]
Unfortunately, Regulus Black isn't in his right mind. More like out of his mind from fear. This is worse than when Anakin Skywalker told him about blowing up space stations like the one they are on.]
Yes! All kinds of people. Mostly from the Galactic Republic.
[ Wild, sudden hope has him breathless again. If he is smart, and careful, he might be able to pass himself off as one of them. At least for a little while. ]
[ Can he claim to be a Jedi without slipping up? It all depends on whether this man has already spoken to them. It might provide him some protection, or at least make the Death Eater more willing to talk. And he needs answers before he learns there is a Regulus Black in town. ]
No, I'm not. I use the Force.
No, I'm not. I use the Force.
[ It's working! It's actually working! Regulus laughs out loud, a sound that comes out closer to a sob, and if there was a Jedi around he would kiss them.
He barely pays attention what he is typing, mind already steps ahead, trying to puzzle out the Death Eater's identity, and point in time. He wouldn't know how to share his limited understanding of the Force anyway, except by comparing it to his own magic. ]
It's magic. It has a Light and a Dark Side. There are so many universes and each has their own magic. Are you magical?
He barely pays attention what he is typing, mind already steps ahead, trying to puzzle out the Death Eater's identity, and point in time. He wouldn't know how to share his limited understanding of the Force anyway, except by comparing it to his own magic. ]
It's magic. It has a Light and a Dark Side. There are so many universes and each has their own magic. Are you magical?
A little bit. You seem to know a lot about magic. Have you studied it?
[Somebody trying to convince him that he is one from this world. There are only a select few who'd take this approach. Smart enough to be deceptive, not rash enough to confront him. Scared, but not entirely mindless.]
[Somebody trying to convince him that he is one from this world. There are only a select few who'd take this approach. Smart enough to be deceptive, not rash enough to confront him. Scared, but not entirely mindless.]
Edited 2016-03-21 00:14 (UTC)
[ A little bit! A little bit! That is not helpful!
The deflection, the ease of it, it rules out many of the more mindless followers, except that Regulus can't think right now. He can't even get his hands to stop shaking. ]
A little bit. There is nothing else to do but talk all day. You pick up some things.
The deflection, the ease of it, it rules out many of the more mindless followers, except that Regulus can't think right now. He can't even get his hands to stop shaking. ]
A little bit. There is nothing else to do but talk all day. You pick up some things.
So you've talked to someone from my world. You must have, else why would you know what the word muggle means?
Who did you talk to?
[A very direct question, but there wouldn't be a reason to deny an answer, given what Regulus wants to portray himself as. Besides, it shows him his earlier mistake. Shows him, if he thinks just a little bit, that Barty hasn't bought it. Two conversations taking place, only one in actual writing.
The other is in their minds, but it's clear enough. Check.]
Who did you talk to?
[A very direct question, but there wouldn't be a reason to deny an answer, given what Regulus wants to portray himself as. Besides, it shows him his earlier mistake. Shows him, if he thinks just a little bit, that Barty hasn't bought it. Two conversations taking place, only one in actual writing.
The other is in their minds, but it's clear enough. Check.]
Edited 2016-03-21 00:21 (UTC)
Oh bloody...
[ He buries his face in his hands and takes precious moments simply to remember how to breathe, and wait for his racing heart to stop trying to burst through his chest.
It's not too late yet.
Not too late.
Oh who is he kidding. Of course it's too late. It had never been anything but a fool's hope, too many people knew his name, and where he was from. ]
Let's stop wasting another's time, shall we, Barty?
This is Regulus Black.
[ He buries his face in his hands and takes precious moments simply to remember how to breathe, and wait for his racing heart to stop trying to burst through his chest.
It's not too late yet.
Not too late.
Oh who is he kidding. Of course it's too late. It had never been anything but a fool's hope, too many people knew his name, and where he was from. ]
Let's stop wasting another's time, shall we, Barty?
This is Regulus Black.
Edited 2016-03-21 00:55 (UTC)
You're no fun, Black.
[He uses the last name, although he doubts Regulus would do the same. Barty's issues with his family are too well known and he doubts he'd want to provoke him more. At least not right away. This is a less intense game now.]
You really have no pride left. Hiding who you are, what you are and where you came from.
[He uses the last name, although he doubts Regulus would do the same. Barty's issues with his family are too well known and he doubts he'd want to provoke him more. At least not right away. This is a less intense game now.]
You really have no pride left. Hiding who you are, what you are and where you came from.
[ It shouldn't hurt, not anymore, but this time his shakines is all the result of this irrational hurt blooming in his chest; damn it, damn him...
...damn himself for still caring, when Barty is going to happily murder him. ]
You've never had much patience.
Does it even matter?
...damn himself for still caring, when Barty is going to happily murder him. ]
You've never had much patience.
Does it even matter?
I had many years to learn patience. A lot more than you. And you too taught me a few valuable things before your years ended.
[It's easy to be calm now. Cold. Barty really had had years of studying his own feelings, of experiencing them too strongly and suffering from them. He is used to it. Pain is easy to bear, happiness might throw him off more.]
It matters, Black. You need to keep in mind what you're turning your back to, don't you?
[It's easy to be calm now. Cold. Barty really had had years of studying his own feelings, of experiencing them too strongly and suffering from them. He is used to it. Pain is easy to bear, happiness might throw him off more.]
It matters, Black. You need to keep in mind what you're turning your back to, don't you?
Nothing matters anymore. Not now.
We both know you are here to kill me.
[ Because to assume anything else would lead to impossible hopes. He sacrificed these hopes in a dank, dark cave along with everything else that once mattered to him. ]
And we both know you're going to make it hurt. [ And then, since it's all lost already anyway. ] Won't you, lover?
[ Funny how he could never be so forthright when it still made a difference. ]
We both know you are here to kill me.
[ Because to assume anything else would lead to impossible hopes. He sacrificed these hopes in a dank, dark cave along with everything else that once mattered to him. ]
And we both know you're going to make it hurt. [ And then, since it's all lost already anyway. ] Won't you, lover?
[ Funny how he could never be so forthright when it still made a difference. ]
A pretty face really shouldn't have distracted me from your fickleness. Fatal mistakes, but there is so much to learn from them.
I don't think there would be much use in killing you, from what I gather. Hurt, however, that's a different matter.
Lover? Darling, there's no love lost. Not for years now. Good riddance.
I don't think there would be much use in killing you, from what I gather. Hurt, however, that's a different matter.
Lover? Darling, there's no love lost. Not for years now. Good riddance.
Don't say that! Don't act like none of it mattered. You KNOW there was something there. If we'd had more time
[ Oh Merlin. Merlin. What is he even doing arguing love with a madman?
There's nothing worth fighting for, there never was. Least of all when it is with Barty Crouch. But it matters, because Barty was supposed to care, and he'd told himself he could endure sacrificing Barty's almost-could-have-been-love, but he'd never fooled himself into believing he could endure his indifference. He shouldn't have had to. ]
Stop it. Please. Just do what you must. Take your revenge and then leave me alone.
[ Oh Merlin. Merlin. What is he even doing arguing love with a madman?
There's nothing worth fighting for, there never was. Least of all when it is with Barty Crouch. But it matters, because Barty was supposed to care, and he'd told himself he could endure sacrificing Barty's almost-could-have-been-love, but he'd never fooled himself into believing he could endure his indifference. He shouldn't have had to. ]
Stop it. Please. Just do what you must. Take your revenge and then leave me alone.
Edited 2016-03-21 01:38 (UTC)
If we had had more time before what? Before you betrayed us? Before you decided how little it all means to you? So you'd have had me pine after a traitor who stabbed me in the back? Ah, yes. What tender love we shared. Too bad you charred it.
Drowned it.
[This isn't a talk that ever should have taken place, but here they are. Post things that Regulus couldn't have believed he'd survive, that he hadn't survived. Yet here they are and it is awful. What else could it be?]
You don't deserve to be left alone.
Drowned it.
[This isn't a talk that ever should have taken place, but here they are. Post things that Regulus couldn't have believed he'd survive, that he hadn't survived. Yet here they are and it is awful. What else could it be?]
You don't deserve to be left alone.
I wanted to die.
I should have died.
[ He had never wanted to face the consequences of his actions. He hadn't been brave when he accepted his death. He had been running from his own sins as much as he sought to cleanse them.
But now here they are, and Regulus just wants it to stop. And they haven't even met yet. ]
There is nothing I can say that will be enough. I won't try.I know you better. You have no use for empty platitudes.
I should have died.
[ He had never wanted to face the consequences of his actions. He hadn't been brave when he accepted his death. He had been running from his own sins as much as he sought to cleanse them.
But now here they are, and Regulus just wants it to stop. And they haven't even met yet. ]
There is nothing I can say that will be enough. I won't try.I know you better. You have no use for empty platitudes.
You chose the most cowardly path you could think of. Any blood traitor in your family has shown more pride and bravery than you've ever known.
[He knows where the wounds are and he knows how to pour acid into them. He doesn't want to give Regulus any chance to talk himself up again.]
I'll find you. Who do you think will win when we face each other? I've never run. I've never faltered.
I'd burn everything we shared out of you. I'll just have to content myself with what can be burned.
[He knows where the wounds are and he knows how to pour acid into them. He doesn't want to give Regulus any chance to talk himself up again.]
I'll find you. Who do you think will win when we face each other? I've never run. I've never faltered.
I'd burn everything we shared out of you. I'll just have to content myself with what can be burned.
Then burn it. I don't care. Burn me alive.
You have always excelled at bringing about pain and destruction, haven't you?
Just stop this. Stop sending me these owls.
[ No no no he doesn't want to burn he wants to run, to hide, to escape...
But he also wants to stop running.
And there's this tiny little foolish part of him that is still hoping for the nightmare to turn into a fairytale. ]
You have always excelled at bringing about pain and destruction, haven't you?
Just stop this. Stop sending me these owls.
[ No no no he doesn't want to burn he wants to run, to hide, to escape...
But he also wants to stop running.
And there's this tiny little foolish part of him that is still hoping for the nightmare to turn into a fairytale. ]
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