144.98750

[dorkypantsuit]

Hey, I know this is a kind of weird thing to say, but to all you newbies without common sense out there: Do not warn visitors about getting indebted to the carnival. I don't want to see anyone getting in trouble their first week, especially not anyone on my team. Got it?

Comments

[dorkypantsuit]

[He laughs, finding her bewildered expression somewhat cute.]

Yeah! These wings aren't just for show.

[He gestures over his shoulder with his thumb as his wings briefly buzz to life behind him. Even though he was actually using his telekinesis to fly just then. It's just easier to blame his wings.]

Though it does make wearing shirts difficult.

[waitingforplayer2]

Mm....!

[ Between nagas, one-armed men, and the wings... ] Do you have Carly tailor yours? She's fixing my hoodie for... [ She gestures at her ears. ]

[sweatysometimes]

So more innocent people can get roped into your messed up magical slavery? No thanks.

[dorkypantsuit]

[He shrugs.]

I mostly just wear halter tops I guess. Or cut a hole in them. It takes to long to wait for them to be altered.

[Not really, but he has zero patience.]

[dorkypantsuit]

[Pidge, don't make him worry about you even more that he already is.]

Look. Is there anyway we can talk about this in person?

[waitingforplayer2]

[ She nods. It seems like a lot to get used to. But Psiionic seems to be adjusting to it all right.

She goes back to tweaking the machine, but it's slower. ]

There's... workers here that got their contract through the games. [ She hasn't asked many people about this directly. But she's heard things. And it seems logical anyway - games have a Losing Condition, after all. ]

Anyone could be here for a whole year because of us.

[sweatysometimes]

[ She can take care of herself. ]

What for? You're not going to change my mind.

[dorkypantsuit]

I know I can't. You are a person and your free to make your own decisions. You're going to do what you want regardless of what I say.

But if that is the case than I want you to make that decision only after knowing all the relevant information. The details you may not have heard about, or maybe even the ones that seem obvious, but that you're trying to ignore.

I don't know you and I certainly can't control you, and I wouldn't want to even if I could.

But I'd really like to have a frank discussion with you in private, if it were possible.

[dorkypantsuit]

[Psionic, frowns, but nods in agreement at her statement. It is true after all, someone might end up being forced to stay here as a direct result of something Chiaki does. It's hard to deal with.]

I'm sorry, I know it's hard, but I only ask that you do this for your own protection.

Like in most institutions, disobedience is not well tolerated here.

[His voice is hesitant and small, as much as he thinks working here has been a good experience for him, he's more than well aware of it's flaws.]

[meanlook]

I'm not anti-people. I'm anti-stupid.

[dorkypantsuit]

You literally told me you didn't need friends, how is that not anti-people?

[meanlook]

[A hard huff. The sound of being beaten but not wanting to admit it.]

[dorkypantsuit]

But you wanted Alois to take care of himself, so that proves you do like people.

[meanlook]

When you have to live with someone and they're out of their mind more than usual due to not sleeping, you want whatever's going to make them less annoying.

[dorkypantsuit]

[And people keep telling him humans don't have black romance. Yeah right!]

Sure, whatever you say.

The only thing I can't figure out is why you're so anti-people. And why you don't like admitting it.

[meanlook]

You want to live with him for a month and see how you like it?

[dorkypantsuit]

I'd invite him to stay, but Bonnie's here now and three's a crowd, so I guess I'll have to pass on this generous offer.

[meanlook]

I'll trade you. One blonde for another. A little kid is easier to handle than Alois.

[dorkypantsuit]

I don't know if I can trust someone like you around a sweet girl like Bonnie.

[meanlook]

Che. Like you're so squeaky clean?

[dorkypantsuit]

I mean, at the very least I'm not anti-people.

[meanlook]

[Grumble grumble.]

[waitingforplayer2]

It traps people.

[ She mutters it quietly. Maybe she thinks he won't hear her if she says it more quietly, or can pretend not to if he doesn't want to answer it. He is her supervisor and she does need to follow what he says. ]

Couldn't she just ask?...

[dorkypantsuit]

[He sighs, looking away in thought for a moment before responding.]

I don't know why she does things this way. It's hard to talk to her about this kind of stuff. She doesn't think of things the same way as we do. Probably because she's semi-immortal or something.

But if it weren't for the carnival I'd probably be dead right now, and I don't know if I would have joined if she'd just asked.

I know it's wrong to pretend you don't know someone could get stuck here. But if you break the rules you could get really hurt, or worse. I don't want anything like that to happen to you. The carnival isn't the worst place to spend a year either, is it?

[waitingforplayer2]

You--

[ Him too? she wants to say. But she's a bit scared to, to be honest.

He's been here a while. Had a lot of changes. She looks at him almost like in a new light. ]

It's... [ She scratches behind her new ear, the feeling still a little strange but oddly comforting after all this time. ] Everybody's pretty nice, I guess. The work is taking some getting used to, but it's interesting.

[ She isn't bored. She's even losing at games again - there's something exciting about that. ]

I just... I have to get home to my friends. It feels like it's going to be a long year. [ She shrugs. ] Sorry...