Day 178

[sunflowerfields]

[Hinawa immediately threw her complementary mirror on the ground and stomped off back to the carnival upon hearing what the last 'challenge' would be. She doesn't know or care who might be paying attention to the radios, she just wants to yell into the ether more than anything.]

This is barbaric! How can anyone agree to this!? They're going to die!

Comments

[sunflowerfields]

They're still dying. They'll still feel pain and suffer, and for what? So that horrible beast can have a spectacle to watch! To see us pitted against each other!

[chronosynthesis]

You are not wrong. [He lets out a sigh.] But if we refuse, then he has a line he can continue to refuse to cross until we give into his terms.

I doubt there is enough kindness in his heart for mercy. We've no choice.

[sunflowerfields]

It's evil, is what it is.

[There's a hitch in her voice as if she's holding back tears.]

Why? Why can't there be another way?

[chronosynthesis]

[He falls quiet at that. There's nothing comforting he has for that. There's no other way because the Prince is cruel and selfish and doesn't care about the pain he's inflicting. No doubt that's exactly what he want.

Sometimes the world really is just that bleak. Really that evil.]

... I truly wish there was.

[And then, hurriedly:] You needn't participate--would you like company?

[sunflowerfields]

I'm in the carnival. I can't abide to even be near that awful place right now.

...

I wouldn't mind some company I suppose.

[chronosynthesis]

Give me a place to meet and I will be there. [No magic and a bad arm means he'll only be a liability for the hunt, and he knows that. Mayne her can at lest bring her some peace while the others do what must be done.]

[sunflowerfields]

The cookhouse. I'll make some tea.

--> [action]

[chronosynthesis]

[It isn't hard for him to find her in the cookhouse, when most of the carnival is away to hunt or watch the hunting. That's something he can attend to later, but right now there's a small thing he can actually do.

So he approaches, quiet, with long sleeves hiding most of the bandages on his arm but not his hand. He clasps them behind his back and offers her a small smile.] You are the one who was speaking on the radio, correct?

[sunflowerfields]

[She already has the kettle on when she hears him enter. She turns, trying to quickly wipe her eyes. Her face is red.]

Yes, that's me. I'm Hinawa.

[chronosynthesis]

[Syrlya nods his head in greeting.] I am Syrlya.

[He leans against the counter.] I am glad to see you are unharmed from all the chaos.

[The less carnival members they have bruised and dying at the end of this, the better.]