(no subject)

[opening_act]

Who: Exael and the Unlucky Contestants
Where: The Game Tower
When: 86, Evening

[ Between one step and the next the walls (or streets, or open air) around you changes. The sight before you is a room inside the game tower, a new pressure at your neck. Reaching up or looking at the people around you reveals it to be a collar, titanium with a small green blinking light set in the center. ]

[ the screen flickers on, on your cellphone. It's a half-second, blink and you miss it— Exael, chewing on a nail, looking uncharacteristically nervous— then the moment's gone and she waves both hands and smiles for the camera. ]

"Ladies, gentlemen, honored guests! Units of all stripes and sizes! I come offering you a game and a few familiar words, rearranged for the occasion!"

Her carnival barker demeanor shifts for a moment as she lowers her head to say: ] "Glory to the highest, and on earth peace—" [ her head snaps up, her pigtails bouncing with it, and she's grinning again, all pomp and energy ] "even if we're not getting much down here! So let's kick up a ruckus, put on a show, and see how much good goodwill alone can manage! If you wish to save your fellows, now is the time speak!"

[ The rules appear on your phones. ]

[ Rules ] [ Rooms ] [ Results ] [ Endgame, Revivals & Winners ]

Comments

[eatsthecanary]

I'm not saying you have to get mad at them.

[dragonheartedgirl]

I don't understand.

[ If she gets upset then people will naturally feel bad or worse about what happened

And being sad or upset doesn't help anyone or change anything

So? She should just? She should just not be sad. She should just get over it! Right? ]

[eatsthecanary]

How do you get this less than me?

[ honestly, sounding a little bewildered ]

[dragonheartedgirl]

It's just--

[ how does she explain this? ]

There's no point in being angry or upset. Accidents happen and--I don't want anyone to be upset because I'm upset! So there's no point in being upset, or mad, and no one to be mad at but this stupid place and it doesn't help anybody!

[eatsthecanary]

Why aren't you allowed to be mad at this place? Who cares if it's not doing anything? People have useless emotions all the time.

[dragonheartedgirl]

Because--

[ she's trying to dry her face but the tears keep coming. she can't even seem to make herself stop, in spite of her sniffling. ]

--when I'm upset or hurt, then the people who care about me hurt too. I don't want them to hurt. I don't want anyone else to hurt anymore.

[eatsthecanary]

[ good thing Whisky is here. expert comforter. ]

They already know you're hurt. And if they're not idiots they could guess you're upset.

[dragonheartedgirl]

[ He may not be an expert comforter but his logic is flawless and, funnily enough echoes something that Raijuu told her some time ago.

STILL THOUGH ]

I don't like it. I--don't want to be a problem.

[eatsthecanary]

Do you think your feelings are burdens for other people?

[ he can guess because Lucifel talks exactly like this!!! ]

[dragonheartedgirl]

[ hiccup ]

I don't know?

[ she


has never stopped to really think about it one way or the other. ]

But people give up things--a--and sacrifice them for me, 'n-- [ sniff ] I don't want them to have to do things for me just because I'm sad.

[eatsthecanary]

Would you do things for them if they were sad.


[ bluntly, like his tone implies his line of thought should be obvious. ]

[dragonheartedgirl]

Of course.

[eatsthecanary]

So why can't they do the same for you?

[dragonheartedgirl]

I didn't say they couldn't!

[eatsthecanary]

But you don't want them to?

[dragonheartedgirl]

I just--don't want to be another thing that stresses them out. This place--is bad... and everyone is burdened.

[ so there you have it

by implication she does see her emotions/self as a burden. ]

[eatsthecanary]

[ yeah uh ]

So you do see yourself as a burden.

[dragonheartedgirl]

[ sniff ]

Maybe? A little...

[eatsthecanary]

And you don't think that's a problem?

[dragonheartedgirl]

It's the truth, though. All of my life people have felt it's necessary to look after me. So--I need to be... more self reliant. More reliable.

[ and all of this right now--it's not helping. get yourself together, yona!! ]

[eatsthecanary]

Isn't it fine to be upset after you've just died?

[dragonheartedgirl]

We came right back. And it didn't even last very long--and it was just the once. I should be used to it by now.

[eatsthecanary]

You're so convinced.

[dragonheartedgirl]

I just...

[ actually, no she really... doesn't know what to say for herself. ]

Sorry.

[eatsthecanary]

I don't know why you're apologizing to me now.