[Hm. He notices that, the exchange, the horror-- it's understandable in Trip, but that animal oughtn't have been reacting so visibly. It's possible he's just mirroring his master, of course, but Polnareff makes note of it nonetheless.

As for that question . . . there's no easy way to answer it. Not just because the answer hurts-- although it does, even now, a hollow little void in the center of his chest that refuses to go away-- but because it's so complicated.]

We were forced apart by a man intent on killing me. It wasn't something easily done-- people whose Stands are hurt or severed like that typically do die. [And so did he. But he'd rather not disclose his death, not at all and not especially to this child, no matter how mature he is. Save some secrets for later, yeah?] But I knew what he'd planned on doing, and had a failsafe. I managed to survive, but Chariot didn't.

[He doesn't sound particularly upset. There's a dullness in his voice, a carefully cultivated flatness that he's determined to keep. As Polnareff speaks, he looks between Trip and Serperior, watching closely. Is the pokemon reacting to Polnareff's words or simply mirroring Trip's reactions?]