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[scythegun]

GUNTHER SCHWARZ

Jaeger. Leviathan's Claw owner. Not particularly pleased to be here.

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[manufactured]

[He'll come in, though he won't sit down; though he's tempted to pace, he manages to keep himself from doing so.]

It's nothing in particular, admittedly. Am I interrupting you somehow?

[scythegun]

No, no! I wasn't doing anything important!

[And even if he was, he'd make time for Wesker.]

[manufactured]

[He's quiet for a moment at that. Somewhat awkward, but then not much is exactly new in that regard...]

...Do you mind if we spend time for a while, then?

[scythegun]

[It's awkward, sure, but he's gotten used to that. Wesker's words get him to smile anyway.]

Of course I don't mind. Is there anything in particular you want to do?

[manufactured]

We don't have to do anything.

[...He doesn't feel like being alone.]

[scythegun]

Of course, Albert.

[He gets it. He doesn't like being alone either, after all.

...But with that said, he also doesn't like silence, so...]

Your dogs seem to have calmed down a lot! Do you think they're used to me now?

[manufactured]

Decidedly more than they were. I've been spending time with them today as well; they can tell that I haven't been feeling well, so they're...concerned, I suppose.

[scythegun]

Ja, I can certainly understand! Spending time with them helps though, doesn't it?

[manufactured]

It does. They help me just as much as I've helped them; they keep me sane in a lot of ways.

[scythegun]

I'm glad you have something like that! It's important to have something to help keep you sane, ja?

[manufactured]

It is.

[And that reminds him of a conversation he had with Shuji at one point recently; he doesn't seem to know what to do with that notion and it seems odd to bring it up, but...it's not a bad thing, either.]

...You also tend to help me a great deal with that, you know.

[scythegun]

[Oh...]

That's nice to hear, you know! I'm really glad I can help! You help me a lot as well, so I'm glad I can return the favor!

[ c: ]

[manufactured]

[Ah, that's...]

It's good to know that I can do that much for you, at least.

[...

c: ]

[scythegun]

Of course, Albert! You're the only person I trust with this much! It's still difficult for me to open up, but I've found it's gotten a bit easier with you, at least!

[manufactured]

...Likewise.

[That said, though, that is when he starts pacing; just trying to find something to do with himself, really, while he tries to collect himself.]

I remembered exactly what I was trying to do back then. With...all of the experiments, particularly the ones that kept recurring in my memories beyond a certain point. The sort of thing that Excella became.

That's what's been troubling me lately, and why I wanted you here with me for a while.

[scythegun]

...Is that something you want to talk about?

[It sounds bad. What the hell could he be doing with experiments like that?]

As I said, I'll stay for as long as you want me here, so don't worry about that.

[manufactured]

It's only fair that you know what you're dealing with, isn't it?

[Which technically doesn't answer the question of whether he wants to or not, but it's close enough, as far as he's concerned.]

[scythegun]

[Mmngh, he doesn't really like that, but...]

I do agree that it's fair, but that doesn't really answer my question. I don't want to force you to talk about it if you don't think you can.

[manufactured]

[...]

I can discuss it with you. You aren't forcing me to do anything - don't let that be a concern. I...

[Because it's so much better if you do what he says, is it?

No.]

...I would tell you, if you were forcing me.

[scythegun]

I know you would, and I'd never want to try to force you to do anything.

[...]

If you're certain, then yes, I'd like to hear it.

[manufactured]

[...]

I told you that I was going to try to rule over the world as a god. That wasn't something I misrepresented to you - it's what I genuinely thought until a very short while ago.

Recently, however...

[He pauses a bit, then; just...give him a moment. To breathe, and to collect his thoughts.]

Recently, it's come to my attention that I only understood part of the plan.

I know that I wanted to save the world. To...fix something that I believed was fundamentally wrong, I suppose, but also to pass judgement on humanity as a whole. To decide who deserved to live or die, based on something that would be objective at its core. Something that couldn't be swayed by the superficial charms of individuals, something that couldn't be lied to or manipulated. Something that would be an impartial judge that could decide, based on inherent traits, who deserved to survive.

[...]

I wanted to save the world by unleashing the virus that caused Excella's mutation. Those that it "chose" - those that could bond with it without dying - would be considered worthy of survival.

The casualties were projected to be massive. I didn't care.

[That's...seriously understating the severity of it, simply by merit of not stating exactly how many casualties he's talking about. But it is the basic gist.]

[scythegun]

[Jaeger listens to all of that silently. He shifts a little where he's sitting on the bed while he tries to work out how to respond. Some part of him was wondering if this was all leading up to something like "and then I tried to destroy humanity" so at least he was on the right track, sort of? Holy shit. Okay. Alright, he's got this.]

I see. I'm so sorry you had to remember something like that, Albert. I...

[He's... He's got this...]

It... certainly is an awful thing to deal with, ja?

[He doesn't have this.]

I can't say I understand, because I don't, but that's... Goodness, that really is something, isn't it?

[Give him a moment and maybe he'll be able to pull himself together.]

[manufactured]

[...You do not have this at all.]

It's something I've been suspecting for some time. That my memories would result in something like that eventually.

[He seems...abnormally calm about this, all things considered? He's being incredibly level about the whole thing, and his words are about as even as they usually are. Which is likely not the best sign in the world, honestly.]

...It's likely not something that I should have told you. But again, it seems unfair to keep something like that from you.

[scythegun]

[He absolutely does not have this and he's not sure he'll ever have it again, honestly. This is a lot to take in. It's no wonder Wesker wanted him to stay over. He's not sure he ever wants to leave.]

No, no... It's a lot, but it's... Ja, it's good that you've told me. As you said, I need to know, right?

[Jaeger shakes his head as if to clear it. He's trying, that's really the most that can be said right now.]

I'll be honest with you, this is sort of terrifying. Saying it's a lot to take in is an understatement. But... that doesn't change that you're still very important to me, Albert. I don't know if I can do anything to help, but I'm here for you.

[That's really the most he can offer.]

[manufactured]

...This is the sort of thing that I've told you about before. The reason why I don't explain so many of my memories to you.

[His words are still unnaturally calm, but he can feel his breathing picking up; he's quick to work his hands into his sleeves, to toy with the fabric there to give himself something to do, and he takes a moment to breathe, to try to force his breathing itself to become less jagged- ]

There are some things where you can't force the burden of knowing onto someone else - where things change for them, once they know. I imagine you understand what I mean when I say that, now.

[And there are a lot of things he isn't saying, still - he understands if this is a dealbreaker, he understands if Jaeger wants nothing further to do with him beyond this point...

He understands, but that doesn't change the fact that he can feel himself shaking despite himself.]