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WELCOME TO YOUR PRIVATE CHANNEL, DOCTORIZE FOR SECURE COMMUNICATION, USE 018.07.154.55 *** DOCTORIZE has posted an AUDIO MESSAGE. If you wish to listen, type LISTEN01. <USER> LISTEN01 AUDIO MESSAGE PLAYING... <doctorize> This is the line for Dr. Daniel Dickens. If you'd like to leave a message, please do so here. I'll try to get back to you as soon as possible! | ||||
--> action?
As such, he does show up in 20 minutes as promised, as a bat that awkwardly shifts into a person dropping down by the door where he lands. He looks... well. Tired is probably the first word to come to mind, because even though he has physically gotten somewhat better from his fight with Mukuro by now, it looks like he hasn't slept well lately. It makes the smile he wears seem even more cheap than usual when he calls out.]
Marco?
action!
Although Marco is of two minds about this, frankly. He could use a professional opinion on how necessary his precautions are.
In any case, once he opens the door... He and Danny don't look too dissimilar. A tense, tired expression that gives way to a strictly courteous smile once he sees that there is no immediately apparent danger.]
Thank you for coming. [He sighs.]
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[He says, as he reaches somewhere inside his coat before pulling out what appears to be a file. There's an initial "M" on one of the tabs, so it can be easy to guess what this is even if there's no other identifier on the outside of the file.]
I brought what you asked for.
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... Thankfully, a moment later, he does remember to ask:]
May I?
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Eager, aren't we?
[He looks like he wants to say something else, but he appears to refrain for now as, after a pause, he tilts the file to allow Marco to take it from him here.
Marco will find, upon opening it, that it does in fact appear to be the correct file, with all of Marco's personal information that had been given when he was a patient of Danny's. There's also dates recorded of appointments had, and brief notes of what the subject entailed without going into too much detail about what Marco said exactly during those sessions.
He may note, however, there is one thing missing: any of Danny's own commentary of any opinions, thoughts, recommendations, and so on he had when examining Marco as his doctor. True to his word from before, it seems he either took the time to remove that sort of thing from the file, or it was never there to begin with?]
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But it's fine. Everything is fine.
The file, as far as Marco can tell... is fine, too. He doesn't linger too long on any page - he'd rather not be reminded of things that he said on certain occasions, thank you very much - but it looks professional enough. And the lack of commentary... That doesn't bug him, either.
In fact, he thinks he'd rather not know what Danny thinks of him at all.]
Thank you. [Again. He nods. And since Danny did just as he asked...]
I'm... not sure if you'd like to see me destroy it or not. You do have my word that that's all I'm going to do.
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[Is this the other shoe Marco had feared dropping? Because sure enough, Danny's expression and tone is not particularly cheery anymore. It's cold and accusatory.]
Because I'm not sure if I believe that, given that you don't seem to trust my own word as much anymore.
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It-- It's not like that.
[But he hardly has a plan for this. Not one that doesn't require him to throw Rachel under the bus - and that's a plan he simply can't accept.]
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[He folds his arms here, as if genuinely prepared to stare the other man down and wait for a better answer.]
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[Danny knows what matter. It doesn't need to be named. He doesn't need to name who he talked to, either - or rather, Marco would prefer to think Danny can't make him name anybody.]
And... And ultimately, I've concluded that it wouldn't hurt to get rid of the file.
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[It's hard to say if he's actually being sincere about feeling that way here--he looks more tired than upset by this.]
But now, I can't help but wonder what exactly this "investigation" turned up that made you decide to consider those slanderous rumors seriously as opposed to trusting my word...
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... I understand being skeptical. [Marco gulps. Is it even a good idea to throw himself under the bus before Danny gets to do it?] You would know better than anyone that I can jump to conclusions.
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I suppose you do have a point there.
[...]
... And yet, despite being self aware of that personal flaw, you're still doing so in this moment. Why? What was said that makes you so sure that this is a risk worth taking?
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Unfortunately, preempting Danny does not stop him from asking the one question Marco isn't sure how to answer.
Not directly. Not specifically. If he mentions only the details, and not the broader picture...]
Well, [He inhales.] I've been told you're very close to Aunamee.
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Allegedly, according to my accusers despite no evidence of ever having any conversations with Aunamee online or in person that anyone could vouch for as proof of this.
[However......]
Unless there was someone else you spoke to other than Riley or Mukuro that told you something like that as well?
[There is one other person that does in fact know the truth of all this. And if his suspicion is correct... well. That might be a problem.]
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But what can Marco do? If Danny already suspects who it might be, denying it will only confirm his suspicions. If he doesn't, and Marco says there was somebody else, then he'll be casting a spotlight on Rachel. There is no perfect option here. What else can he try? Is there a third option...?
...
There might be.]
F... Frankly... The fact that you're denying having spoken to him ever seems telling.
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[At that, Danny tilts his head, regarding Marco with curiosity. He's kind of interested seeing that Marco has tried to divert his suspicion here rather than confirm it.]
I mean, it is true, isn't it? Have you ever seen me engage in any of his manifestos on the network, or even standing in the same space together? Let alone ever talk about or mention him myself?
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[That's exactly what he's counting on for this argument, though. He just... has to put it in a way that makes sense. He steels himself -]
But that's-- that's unusual, isn't it? Aunamee has a big presence. And you say you've never interacted with him?