Log:Goodbye, Beloved

2019/12/13 Harlequin|Sasha Hunter 1

Sasha looks at the prompt then smiles wryly, perhaps the first true, non-sad smile since he heard about Hunter's death. But even this one is wistful. "Well," he murmurs to himself in Russian, "I suppose I could try butthead or @%hole since you called me those as well, but let's try..." And he types in Eromenos.

The drive folder opens to reveal its file contents.

Sorry.mp4

Case Files Folder

"You know, beloved," murmurs Sasha as he looks at the revealed files, "I didn't used to speak to myself nearly as much. I'm choosing to blame you for this new habit." He blinks a little as dust apparently gets in his eyes before clicking the Sorry.mp4 file.

The video window pops up and begins playing. Hunter is dressed in his Null gear, though there's no helmet or domino mask, and his weapons haven't been equipped yet. Just black paramilitary gear with a bit of padding and some armor, though it's lighter on armor than his Enforcer uniform. He's standing, fiddling with the camera before sitting down to reveal the old computer chair from the loft he lived in before he lost his memories.

Hunter smiles, but there's no joy in it. It's resigned and a bit determined. "Hello, Sasha. Alexsandr. Erastes." He shifts, not sure which greeting to use. Hunter looks uncomfortable being on camera, and looks away towards a window. "I didn't have much time to prepare this, but..." He takes a breath, then looks to the camera. "Thank you for dragging me out of my drunken depression. I...needed that. I've been lost for quite some time now. You made me realize I can't just sit and wait for the world to end. I have to do something. I have to -try-."

He smirks and looks down at the floor, shaking his head. "Your last words to me were right. I'm going to do something stupid. Without powers, or magic, I'm going to go up there and try to end this James Porter once and for all."

His brow furrows faintly from emotion. He straightens up, face tilting upwards as he looks up and takes a breath. "And if you're even watching this, it means I failed. Or died trying. Or...I hope...died succeeding."

The youth avidly watches Hunter as he moves about fiddling with the camera. He reaches out a hand and gently, very gently, touches the screen as Hunter speaks on it. He murmurs softly at one point, "I should've said 'do something stupid but make certain to come back."

It's rare to see Hunter apprehensive or nervous before a mission, but he is. It's strange on him when it's genuine, compared to the times he pretended to be just some kid out of his depth among metahuman friends. He must know his chances of success are slim, and he's going anyway.

"I'm asking my other self to deliver this when he gets confirmation that I'm dead. The drive has a folder with some unfinished business involving cases I was working on. I've been working as a vigilante for quite some time now."

Now that it's to business, he looks back to the camera. "Under the control of another vigilante. He's...coerced me into working with him. There are more details in the folder on this thumb drive. Leave them alone, complete them in my place...they're there if you want them. Just don't put yourself at risk."

Sasha listens to the description of the case files file. He frowns heavily at the mention of some vigilante forcing Hunter to work /for/ him. With implies choice after all a part of his mind notes. He then shakes his head as he mutters, "My lovely hypocrite: don't put yourself at risk. I should bring you back just to rub that in your face." He has to blink some dust away again.

Hunter leans forward and rests his elbows on his knees. "Not for these cases. Not for revenge. And I certainly don't want you risking your life or your soul trying to do something crazy like retrieving my body from space or striking deals to get me back."

"Well, from what little she told us, I don't think your in space, beloved," murmurs Sashs as he looks at the Hunter on the screen. "And I did just turn down the Gentleman flat a few minutes ago...of course, I could probably get his attention again if needed." He sighs then adds, "But first, I have to get you back here. And proper buried in holy ground. If I can't bring you back, no one else is either."

The youth listens to himself then adds with a dark chuckle, "Well, I'm going a bit mad, aren't I?"

A soft sigh escapes Hunter as his expression softens. "And...I'm sorry. For everything," his eyes cast down. "I'm not the person you thought I was, or the person I thought I could be. His head tilts down as he looks at his feet. "Every promise, every vow I made to you, I've broken. Didn't seem to matter anymore. I've...I've started killing again." His jaw tightens at that. "It seemed justified. Righteous. They were all bad people. And it's become just so easy to find permanent solutions to certain...'problems'." His voice sounds hollow and soulless as he breaks down criminal's lives into problems.

"Well, now I have to get you back, you twit!" grouses Sasha as he blinks more dust out of his eyes. "Why do you all always backslide? Hah, probably for the same reason I always overreach myselves."

He shakes a hand at the screen. "End don't justify means. Now I have to get you back the hard way to show you that. Argh!"

"Like this one. I'm going to kill this evil Porter or die trying," Hunter says coldly, his eyes becoming hardened. There's complete conviction in his voice. Absolute certainty.

"And see? This is the Assassin idiocy coming out again. Gods!" he grouses. "One step forward, two steps back...no, the reverse. That''s what we want, the reverse."

"At least it'll be doing something. I can't live like this anymore. Being lost. Controlled. Empty. Purposeless. Just some employee at a corporation." Hunter shakes his head and smirks. "I'd rather go back to the Order."

His smirk smooths away. "Living is...hard. So much harder than it was when I was back with the Order. I knew my purpose. I knew my place," he says almost fondly.

"Oho, I see. Maybe I should show this to Xander? Give /him/ a different view on how /this/ attitude...Argh!" He wipes his eyes again becuase of all the damned dust in the air.

"And, well, you didn't live long enough to get to the better bits. Neither have I. So..." He goes back to listening.

Hunter shakes his head, trying to dispel those thoughts. His expression becomes one of regret. "So...I'm sorry. I'm sorry for failing you. I'm sorry for not being better. For losing you. For running away. For...everything." There's emotion in his voice, like his loft is on the verge of getting dusty, too. But he doesn't cry.

His head lifts up to look at the camera after a few moments. He takes a breath, and offers up a sad smile. "But also...thank you. For everything. Good experiences and bad. I still loved you, my Erastes. I'm just sorry I never figured out how to properly show it. Goodbye...beloved." He leans closer to the camera as he reaches for the record button, and the video ends.

The dust finally gets too much for Sasha as his eyes overflow with tears. He sobs for long minutes until he finaly wipes away at his face with his sleeve. "No, screw Fate, screw the Rules, I'm getting you back. You get to die in bed with me when we're both 1000 after we make love." He hiccups then rubs at his eyes again. "I'll deal with the files later...not now...I..."

Sasha gets up and stumbles to his bed, dropping onto it like a rock. He pulls pillows to his chest then, with a curt gesture, pulls the furs over himself and brings darkness to the room. After along while, he falls into a restless sleep.