[closed] a long time ago, we used to be friends

[directed]

Who: Ray Palmer and Rip Hunter
Where: The fifth floor bar / Ray's workshop
When: July 12th (prior to the event)
Rating: R probably? Character suffering and death
Summary: Ray has refused to give up his belief that Rip can be saved. That faith comes with a high price.
The Story:

[I just want to talk, Rip. You pick the place. I won't even bring my suit.

So the message had gone. Honestly, he's tempted to ignore it regardless, to chalk it up to Ray's usual attempts to push him towards some ridiculous notion of friendship or camaraderie--but Rip's a bit too careful for that. While this could easily turn out to be more of Dr. Palmer's antics, a direct to recipient cereal delivery or lord only knows what else, there could be something more. Perhaps Raymond has put together what he considers a plan--and if so, then Rip should take the opportunity to discover just what he (and the others, potentially), have plotted.

He's in the fifth floor bar before he sends the reply to tell Raymond to meet him there. It's less used these days to be sure, which suits his purposes well enough. Moreover, he can see the single entrance clearly from the table he's seated at, meaning any element of surprise the Legends might attempt to gain is hindered from the start.

Not that he knows if they're coming; Rip simply understands the importance of planning for it. After everything, he can't accept on good faith that they'll simply leave him alone, no matter how much sense it makes.

He doesn't drink. Merely waits quietly, biding his time by glancing over the network until Ray arrives.]

Comments

[directed]

[He lets out a huff of laughter then; oh, but that is something new: comparing Rip to Vandal Savage, of all people.

Unfortunately, Rip doesn't seem to be too swayed by the tactic. If Ray is expecting Rip to be shocked from his current path, he'll be quite disappointed.]

Because she has your ATOM suit, correct? [It's a guess, but a reasonable enough one, he suspects. If Rip truly is as predictable as claimed, then Ray would want to protect the one he cares for most.

It's admirable--and equally, futile.]

Which I've already disabled before. [Leaving Ray helplessly small, unable to do much more than run through the vents of the Waverider.] Do you truly wish to take the chance that I won't be able to do so again?

Do you want the weight of her suffering and her death to be on your shoulders--just like Anna's?

[shrinkage]

[ he'd hoped for the miranda slight to land harder, and he can't help but flinch at rip's guess. he has no response to it, only a sullen glare that turns into a pained snarl when anna's name comes out of his mouth. ]

Shut up.

[ his vision blurs, and ray blinks hard against it. ]

You're not that stupid. Kill me, the mansion won't blink. You so much as look at her wrong...

[ ray's not the only one who loves her. ]

[directed]

And you'll still never forgive yourself.

[Rip's already begun digging his own grave; the Legends will no doubt see Rip's actions as provocation, never mind that Ray had been the one to somehow procure a device designed to purposely invade and manipulate the mind of another. He knows as much, which is why he focuses no on his own fate should Sarah come to harm, but Ray's.]

Because you'll have done everything in your power to save her and failed--except for the one thing that would have made a difference, that you could have done all along. Now, you may think you know what it means to live with that kind of burden, but trust me, Ray.

[The man who had his choice of the whole of history to find heroes to help. The man who knew all along when the fragments of the Spear had been hidden, and how to find them.

The man who in the end, chose principles over his family.]

You have no idea.

So don't give me reason to use her against you. Just tell me where the device is, and this can end here and now.

[shrinkage]

[ he's so angry, but ray can't tell if he's shaking from blood loss or emotion. he reminds himself: sarah's surrounded by her family. she's friends with vampires, and devils, and mages. she's argued with mad scientists and none of it comes close to the childhood she'd endured.

he coughs and tastes blood, the sharp tear of pain making him clutch his stomach again. ]

Fine. [ he breathes heavy, and coughs again. his voice drops out for a moment, as he tries to say the location. ] ...underneath.

[directed]

[Angry, powerless, dying: in the end Rip doesn't care. The only thing that matters is the location of the CI machine, which Ray seems at last willing to give up. Unfortunately, he's a bit far gone at this point. Rip sighs in a quiet moment of frustration, then reaches a hand out to slap Ray's cheek.]

Don't go drifting off on me quite yet, Dr. Palmer. [Drifting off, as if it's something so harmless facing him now.] Underneath what?

[shrinkage]

[ he doesn't have the energy to flinch from the touch. ray does stumble over his words a little more, struggling to find the right one. ]

It's below-- [ he shakes his head and finally seems to find rip's eyes. ] You know. Where the sun don't shine.

[directed]

[…Really, Raymond?

Rip looks anything but amused as Ray offers up his answer. Given the man hadn't been able to stop Rip's insistent tapping, no doubt he'll be unable to move his body properly either. There's no choice to it then; he sets the gun down, outside of Dr. Palmer's reach, then grips the man's waist to turn him over, uncovering the floor space beneath where Ray had been laying.

None of this is done gently; unsurprisingly, Rip isn't concerned with Ray's pain.]

[shrinkage]

[ he can't yelp anymore, and so just groans in pain. it hurts. everything hurts. well, except for his numbed arm. that just feels cold, now.

in spite of the pain and the lack of feeling, ray starts to chuckle. the blood backing up into his body gurgles as he's tipped unceremoniously over. he never liked jackson pollock much. he spits, and keeps laughing as shock starts to take him over. ]

Guess Thawne removed your sense of humor too, huh?

[directed]

[He scoffs, releasing Ray to fall to the floor once more.]

Or perhaps I was hoping your stubborn pride wouldn't outweigh your better judgement.

[All the more foolish, he supposes, for assuming Ray might make the smarter choice for once. He picks up his gun and stands once more; it likely won't be long before Ray actually does bleed out, but Rip does have one more question to ask before he goes tearing about the workshop.]

Do you really think you've accomplished anything by this?

[shrinkage]

Well I got-- [ he chuckles again until he starts to cough. he keeps getting quieter. quieter, still. ] --got you to hope.

[directed]

[Ever the optimist—and equally, ever the fool.

Rip leaves Ray then. Expecting the man too far gone to be able to do anything of consequence, he devotes his time to tearing the workshop apart. He means to find the cognitive intrusion device, and Rip isn't gentle as he goes about it. Whatever progress Ray has made, even in areas where Rip has an interest, Rip means to shatter.

His frustration only mounts with each minute that goes by, and the device still left unlocated and in play. Unfortunately his luck doesn't change for the better before too much time passes, and Rip is forced to vacate the room.

What started off as an annoyingly redundant conversation has turned into something far more vexing by the time Rip walks away.]