Bartending live

[noteablekiller]

Who: You
Where: The lobby
When: Day 87

[Codex is on camera, speaking to everyone from the lobby, it's obvious he's arranged chairs and set out glasses to facilitate some bar tending]

Did anyone receive fanmail they'd like to respond to? If so, come down to the lobby and use BARiTONES live, we'll be providing free drinks for anyone responding publicly to their mail.

Think of this as a way to encourage the sort of audience engagement you're interested in. I realize fanmail is often... invasive, but I'm sure most of you have fans you wouldn't mind hearing from again.


[You are free to assume you already got a drink from Codex and are sitting down to address mail, or to top level a comment to Codex and he'll respond!]

Comments

[backstory]

The princess has everyone call her that here. It isn't a problem at all.

[He's one of the few who sticks with princess, especially after she said he tended to do so at home, too. Perhaps even a small gesture like that will help him regain some of his memories.]

You doubt yourself too much. Just having a reliable friend is enough to help. Sometimes all a person needs is a listening year and someone willing to be there.

[wonderlandgirl]

Okay! Hiryuu it is.

[She doesn't want to be the only one calling her Princess. She doesn't want to be the only one who isn't.]

Do you really think that? I... suppose I've been feeling like I've been nothing but useless since I got here, but - well, if she didn't think I was in the way, then maybe it would be all right?

[backstory]

I think we all feel that way.

[He certainly has as well. It's difficult because they've been thrust into this situation that they have very little control over.]

But actually, there may be a way that both of us could help, if...you would like to help me?

[1/2]

[wonderlandgirl]

[Both of them--?]

Oh, of course!

[2/2]

[wonderlandgirl]

[Well.

[You said that far too quickly, didn't you, Wednesday?

[Ground, swallow me up.]

I-I mean...! If you're sure I'm the best person...?

Re: [2/2]

[backstory]

I think you are someone who can make a difference.

[Encouragingly. He has faith in her abilities. All she has to do is be sincere. He coughs, ducking it into the crook of his elbow, before continuing along.]

I have been talking with a couple of people in my unit, as well as the princess. About what happened at the recent game.

[There...isn't a need to think too deeply about what happened right now. Just the basics.]

Three different groups decided to save SensitIV. Because my group is very unpopular right now, it is my belief that they thought Heart Soldier Senshi would be protected by someone, and we would all die needlessly.

[Which, very clearly, turned out not to be the case.]

I know that in the future, games will likely be different from that, but...

[His eyes close and he shakes his head.]

If each group had another group they were already responsible for protecting from the start, then maybe everyone's lives could have been spared. No one would have needed to be hurt. [Which is what hurts and frustrates him the most. Deaths could have been prevented.]

If in the future, we can get the groups to agree to do what is best for everyone, and work together, we might...be able to prevent at least one less person dying in the future. I want... to hold a meeting with all of the units. Including pep!pep! I'm sure that everyone would prefer to do what they can to help others as a whole. It just...needs better organized.

[wonderlandgirl]

You do?

[He's got a sight more faith in her than she does. Wednesday isn't sure if doing things one after the next and trying and failing not to get completely overwhelmed counts as making a difference, but--

[But if it's Levi who's thinking it?

[It's different if it's him. It's different if it's doing it for him, for - for a friend. For any friend, she tells herself, she'd do it for any of them...

[(But, when it's Levi doing the asking, it's that one bit more simple still to bury her own doubts, her own fears, the anxious little voice that's telling her this couldn't possibly work because, because, because. Because he's thinking all the things that she has, he believes in all the same things that she so desperately wants to believe are possible - that people are reasonable and they can be trusted, that just maybe there's a way out of this that can stop anybody from getting hurt.

[Because he's Levi. Because if anybody can do this, it's him.

[Him and Hiryuu, she corrects herself, and that sounds a lot less... something. Silly.]

All right, what do you need me to do? Just... talk to my unit? Or is there more?

[backstory]

I still need to figure a couple more things out and talk to someone else, but once that's been done--

[He nods, glad she's caught on.]

Pep Pep, in general, is a very reasonable unit I think. But if you could talk to them, or we could talk together with Cobalt, it would be incredibly helpful.

[wonderlandgirl]

I'm glad you think so. I...

There has to be some way to stop people getting hurt unnecessarily.

[backstory]

That's what I think too.

[NOD NOD]

And we'll all figure it out together.

[wonderlandgirl]

Do you think Hiryuu will help? I'm sure that, between you...

You would probably work very well together.

[backstory]

Of course! My master doesn't give up on fighting for others.

[He sounds rather proud about all of this, chest puffing up.]

The first memory from home I saw through my companions from home, was her efforts to save an entire village from Fire Tribe officials. She is daring and kind and wants to protect others as much as possible. We have spoken, and while she said there have been attempts in the past that did not turn out well, I am sure we can do something about it now.

[wonderlandgirl]

I can't imagine that the two of you together won't be able to do something to help. She sounds like a very admirable person.

I'm afraid my first memory wasn't anywhere near so impressive.

[backstory]

Don't doubt yourself.

It would be concerning if everyone was forced into such a dangerous situation. I am glad that you do not have to deal with such things.