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[harrow is in the restaurant sometime saturday morning, receiving a breakfast plate with a cup of coffee and some porridge. she takes a sip of coffee and makes a horrible face.]
Ew.
Ew.
Lord, no. Tea is even worse. The coffee would have been alright if it didn't come with milk in it. Yech.
We don't really have it. I don't much care for it.
[but she can at least eat porridge. yum.]
Well, no matter. [...] You seem less ill at ease.
[but she can at least eat porridge. yum.]
Well, no matter. [...] You seem less ill at ease.
[ mmm delicious gruel. he's not eating, just fiddling with the teabag in his mug, something mild and herbal. ]
...I was being churlish. [ sometimes your stress response is to become a raccoon. he is, at least, more subdued in his frustration now. ] I am not any more comfortable with our situation, but I recognize we are all struggling in the same way.
...I was being churlish. [ sometimes your stress response is to become a raccoon. he is, at least, more subdued in his frustration now. ] I am not any more comfortable with our situation, but I recognize we are all struggling in the same way.
Not at all.
[she nods her head in understanding. if anything, she was more gentle with him because she is familiar with his raccoon stress response.]
As I've said, I do understand how such situations may make one learn to be quick to draw. Consider it forgotten.
[she nods her head in understanding. if anything, she was more gentle with him because she is familiar with his raccoon stress response.]
As I've said, I do understand how such situations may make one learn to be quick to draw. Consider it forgotten.
[ he now has the impression that harrow is a very nice girl with a penchant for being goth. ]
Thank you. [ he means it, though his mood doesn't brighten any more than that, sighing quietly. ] I expect we will be set against each other soon enough, but there is no sense in making enemies in the meantime.
Thank you. [ he means it, though his mood doesn't brighten any more than that, sighing quietly. ] I expect we will be set against each other soon enough, but there is no sense in making enemies in the meantime.
[well, listen. sometimes she can be nice...]
I expect the same, but I have not yet resigned myself to it. I think it would be a pity to accept the terms of this competition are ironclad before they have even be laid before us.
I expect the same, but I have not yet resigned myself to it. I think it would be a pity to accept the terms of this competition are ironclad before they have even be laid before us.
[ a very nice girl made of bones... ]
...Such was my attitude last time. [ you can only have your expectations betrayed so many times before you lose your luster and sometimes become a rat man of the mountains. ] But there is some inevitability for what's to come, even if I do not know the shape of it yet.
[ the specifics are a mystery, but the overall storyline to all these games has followed a similar path. ]
While I will not accept defeat from the outset, tragedy follows us from place to place.
...Such was my attitude last time. [ you can only have your expectations betrayed so many times before you lose your luster and sometimes become a rat man of the mountains. ] But there is some inevitability for what's to come, even if I do not know the shape of it yet.
[ the specifics are a mystery, but the overall storyline to all these games has followed a similar path. ]
While I will not accept defeat from the outset, tragedy follows us from place to place.
[sorry that we turned you feral before your time, dimitri.]
...It does. And we would both be foolish not to consider it probable. But nor are we entitled to abdicate our duty to steer events to a better outcome if we can.
...It does. And we would both be foolish not to consider it probable. But nor are we entitled to abdicate our duty to steer events to a better outcome if we can.
[ he considers that, and sips his tea. ]
That much is true. We are obliged to try.
[ he sounds tired, but genuine. ]
...With effort, we were able to turn around both of the other times I have seen this happen. Not without loss, and not without heartache. [ he's hopeful in some ways, and not in others. ] Our only choice is to do that again. I am with you on that.
That much is true. We are obliged to try.
[ he sounds tired, but genuine. ]
...With effort, we were able to turn around both of the other times I have seen this happen. Not without loss, and not without heartache. [ he's hopeful in some ways, and not in others. ] Our only choice is to do that again. I am with you on that.
[she listens to him and then when he's done, nods.]
In some ways, I think it better to have your attitude than to...feel too content with the notion that we will manage to set it all right and revive anyone who is killed. It makes me feel ill at ease that some appear to have such certainty about that.
Too easy by far to rationalize away the consequences of one's actions.
In some ways, I think it better to have your attitude than to...feel too content with the notion that we will manage to set it all right and revive anyone who is killed. It makes me feel ill at ease that some appear to have such certainty about that.
Too easy by far to rationalize away the consequences of one's actions.
Is that how it turned out for you as well, then? That everyone returned to life in the end.
[ he muses aloud, tense enough that he nearly crushes his flimsy to-go tea cup. ]
...That was not the case for every participant at our camp. [ the thots. ] It troubles me that anyone could view death without the finality it deserves. Even if we have watched our ghosts return to us... it feels like nothing more than a dim hope.
[ and when it comes to death and dying, dimitri is not an idealist. ]
[ he muses aloud, tense enough that he nearly crushes his flimsy to-go tea cup. ]
...That was not the case for every participant at our camp. [ the thots. ] It troubles me that anyone could view death without the finality it deserves. Even if we have watched our ghosts return to us... it feels like nothing more than a dim hope.
[ and when it comes to death and dying, dimitri is not an idealist. ]
In the end everyone did, but it was a near thing.
[she watches him nearly crush the cup with mild concern.]
I agree. Resurrection is a rare thing. It is not to be trifled with or taken lightly.
[she watches him nearly crush the cup with mild concern.]
I agree. Resurrection is a rare thing. It is not to be trifled with or taken lightly.
I think it's foolish to hope as well. But I am stubborn, about these things. I will not capitulate in advance, before the terms are even given.
[welcome to hell. she's already sweating a little bit, wearing all black and face paint as she is.]
Gross. What's this supposed to be?
Gross. What's this supposed to be?
[ neither of them are equipped for this weather. he has to tug at his collar as he peers around, frowning. ]
Some of these rooms seem to lead to totally different places. But this is extreme even so.
[ there's no door anymore though, so they either need to find a way out, or discover what they're supposed to do here. maybe they can call the neighborhood watch. ]
I think... [ the details are slowly coming to him, though he sounds extremely uncertain ] we are in—hell?
Some of these rooms seem to lead to totally different places. But this is extreme even so.
[ there's no door anymore though, so they either need to find a way out, or discover what they're supposed to do here. maybe they can call the neighborhood watch. ]
I think... [ the details are slowly coming to him, though he sounds extremely uncertain ] we are in—hell?
Ah, yes. Hell. I've heard of it. But as far as I'm aware, it's simply a place one is trapped forever.
...Let us hope that's not the case here. As far as I know, hell is no pleasant place to linger. Nor is it for the living.
[ and for the time being, they're alive. ]
Please stay close—we do not know what demons may be lurking about.
[ he's just guessing. this seems like prime demon real estate. ]
[ and for the time being, they're alive. ]
Please stay close—we do not know what demons may be lurking about.
[ he's just guessing. this seems like prime demon real estate. ]
I don't intend to wander off, but don't trouble yourself.
[she is unreasonably confident, just as she always is.]
Doesn't it feel as though to leave we're meant to sort of...be punished? I have the strangest feeling.
[she is unreasonably confident, just as she always is.]
Doesn't it feel as though to leave we're meant to sort of...be punished? I have the strangest feeling.
[ he will trouble himself because they're literally in hell. it seems like something perhaps better tackled as a team.
though he frowns. ]
I feel... as though you're right.
[ these stupid rooms. ]
What—do they expect us to punish each other? Ridiculous.
though he frowns. ]
I feel... as though you're right.
[ these stupid rooms. ]
What—do they expect us to punish each other? Ridiculous.
Oh, it's easy enough. Repentance and atonement. Open a vein and bleed to death for your sins, or whatever it is those of you who aren't necromancers tend to do.
[...]
When I returned from the space station, I didn't tell God about the ability to travel to other universes. Because although he is God, I felt a little uncertain about his intentions. That is a considerable sin.
[...]
When I returned from the space station, I didn't tell God about the ability to travel to other universes. Because although he is God, I felt a little uncertain about his intentions. That is a considerable sin.
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