[seasonality] catchall for malik

[wtfox]

Comments

[godcards]

No.

[ yes. ]

[wtfox]

Suuuure it didn't. It even bothered me a little, you know.

[godcards]

[ He didn't even have to go to the stupid expulsion and he did anyway, so really, it's his own fault. But he didn't think it'd be... that. ]

Why's that? Because she died or something else?

[ He's still a little defensive but also curious ]

[wtfox]

The control thing. Like, it probably wouldn't be so bad for me if I ended up in there, because there's no way I'd just be like "oh no! I don't want to fight!" because I definitely would want to live, so I'd do the things they were made to do on my own.

But, like, I don't wanna find out the hard way that something could stop me from fighting back.

[godcards]

[ He rubs the uninjured part of his face. ]

This feels like a punishment. We're trapped here and there's nothing we can do.

[wtfox]

You think so? What do you think you're being punished for, then?

[godcards]

[ he looks away, tries to make himself look busy by putting the book back, but that only takes like 30 seconds. ]

It's a long story.

[wtfox]

And supposedly we're stuck here for a whole school year. I've got time.

[godcards]

I don't think you'd understand. All you need to know is [ he kinda falters ] there's something I need to do. I cannot accomplish that while I am here.

[wtfox]

...then let's focus on getting out of here. If it's that important, you don't have time to get down in the dumps.

[this is her meanly trying to cheer him up]

[godcards]

That's what I'm trying to do.

[ sort of. it's mostly just him being self pitying at this point. ]

But how are we suppose to escape if we're going against an invisible enemy? And a powerful one, at that...

[wtfox]

Isn't that what the others are for? Let them throw themselves into things and we can learn from their mistakes.

[godcards]

Hmph. [ Except no he's actually considering her words. ]

There are a couple of those types here, I know that for a fact. Might as well let them be martyrs for our cause.

[wtfox]

Exactly. Work smarter, not harder, right? Why should we risk our necks when there are plenty of people willing to do it?

[godcards]

Right. [ affirmation. ok. yes. back to basics. ]

I just don't expect a lot of progress out of these people.

[wtfox]

Me either, but it shouldn't be too hard to nudge them into action if we come up with ideas. A lot of them are just looking for something to do.

[godcards]

That's where I'm hitting a roadblock. What is there for them to do? If there was concrete evidence that they could help, I'd be more than happy to send them running towards danger. Like lambs to the slaughterhouse...

[wtfox]

What I want to see is if anyone else is going to kill again. There's definitely got to be a reason why Kaoruko did it, even if she didn't share it with us.

If someone else does go, maybe they'll be more forthcoming with the reasons why. We could learn something from that.

[godcards]

It still sounds like divine forces, to me. Or possibly possession... It depends if the reasoning is the same if it does happen again.

[wtfox]

...I talked to someone who'd talked to her before yesterday. They said that she said the reason wasn't important, and when they asked if it was worth it, she said she hoped so.

I'm not really sure what that means in the big picture.

[godcards]

Sounds like she was trying to get a wish fulfilled in a different way. She could have been promised a shortcut... Whether that's true, well. I don't want to find out like she did.

[wtfox]

[she waves a hand]

Like, what, "you graduate instantly if you kill someone and get away with it"? Something like that?

[godcards]

Possibly. Maybe she talked to the being that's keeping us here. Or perhaps she was simply manipulated to do someone - or something - else's work. She may have been desperate to get her wish fulfilled.

[wtfox]

Kinda silly to do something so risky when there are other ways of getting it, but I guess people just do that when they're desperate!

[godcards]

They do... And they're easier to influence.

[ a beat ]

Those might be the type of people to keep our eyes on. Desperate ones... They'll be easier to convince, whether it be ourselves or the power that rules this place.