gatonina | Audience: Escha

[ She's holding it and inspecting it pretty much out of reflex, because that's what you do? With injuries? ]

It isn't a nice thought, but there are a lot of us. If we keep on only losing two per week...

[ That would be. A very long time. ]

... I guess it gives us time to try and figure something out. One of those perfect endings people keep talking about.

[gross, she gets to see that it's a cut that went pretty damn deep in his hand that's still healing but is mostly better. but he lets her because it seems important.]

Yeah. That's what I'm afraid of, that we're going to be playing this game for a long time by dragging it out. People want to find another answer and think they can get one but...I dunno. [he frowns thoughtfully.] What do you think? Does a perfect ending really exist?

[ Yeah that. looks painful. But it's not like she has fresh bandages or medicine to offer, so she sticks to just holding his hand and hoping that's vaguely comforting. ]

... I... I go back and forth. I want there to be a perfect ending. Deciding for myself that there isn't won't help anyone.

But...

[ Optimistic personality aside, Escha comes from a post-apocalyptic world, and that's before the Bad End of the last murder game she was in. Sometimes... Things are just bad. ]

[it'll be fine. but it is and it's why he's not pulling his hand back immediately.]

...yeah. Me too. [it's hard when you're already a pessimist like he is, but considering how things were, and watching the way their original game ended doesn't inspire a ton of confidence.] But telling people that just ends in upsetting them so...I don't. Pretty sure you guys are the only ones who get it, even if I really wish you didn't.

Whenever someone talks about getting everyone out of here, I want to cheer them on. But there's a part of me that feels a little bit sorry for them.

Because it feels like giving them false hope?

Yeah...

But, I really don't want to give up, either. Amazing things can still happen, even after a failure.

[ it's. complicated. ]

Giving up never got us anywhere. But I can't tell you either way. Whatever you choose is going to be the right decision for you and...I'm playing for us, too. So we have an extra advantage that way.

[...but it's clear he's just as worried as the rest of them, so that's real reassuring.]

Does anything happen to you if your team wins or loses?

Well...winning director gets to pick three people from any game to save in the end. So that's something.

[ Hrm. ]

So if your team loses, you're at the same risk as the rest of us?

...it's not really something I'm considering since that's not going to happen if I have something to say about it.

You'll let me know if there's anything I can do to help you, right?

Of course. I still trust you guys more than anybody else in this game...but I trust Winter and Shadows, too. So try to talk to them when you can. They could use some new friends, too. And you're helping look after the others right?

I still need to talk to them more, but I'll make sure I do.

[ and she nods dutifully at the second part. ]

I'm doing my best.

You always do. [sound less fond, junpei.] They need somebody to keep them together. I dunno if you've noticed? But our friends are kind of a bunch of hot messes. [himself included, but it's fine.]

Aw, don't say that. Everyone else is doing their best, too.

[she says this but also in the future they're busy with tonbo's tiddies so what's the truth here. but since that's the future, he just grins lightly and holds up his hands as if to say "no offense."]

I know, I know. Your position's even harder than mine. I can admit that.

[ Listen................. We all needed some Healing Energies. and Tonbo's titties are full of Healing Energies. That's why they're so big. ]

I don't know about that... I'm struggling with only having a couple secrets, but you have to keep a lot more stuff quiet...

[stop this, i'm crying.]

...well yeah, but...[no he can't actually discount that, shit.] I kept secrets from you guys for a while on the ship too, remember? I've had some practice.

Sure... But I trusted you then, and I trust you now.

When you keep secrets, it seems like it's just for self-preservation, right? It's normal to want to look out for yourself when you're in a dangerous situation.

Yeah...and some of the things I'm not telling you guys now are to protect the five of you. [he can admit that much.] There are things I may be able to say to you later, but I don't...know when that is.

That's okay. That just means I'll have to keep checking back.

I guess that only leaves me wondering... For now, should we be acting under the assumption that what we know so far is accurate? A lot of people are worried that if we take things at face value right now, there will just be a twist in the end that changes everything...

[ she frowns. ]

... I understand if you can't answer that.

...considering what happened to us last time, that's not exactly an unnecessary worry. [DEMONS.] But I don't know. As far as I know now, what we've said is accurate. But things change. I just don't know how yet, or even if they really will.

A lot of you seem determined to change them though anyway.

As long as you aren't aware of any total misconceptions, that's probably as good as we can get right now.

We'll just have to wait it out.

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gatonina - 2020-07-04 04:10 (UTC) - Expand