I always put myself in destructive situations [W5, Friday]

[hydrokinetics]

[It took time. Everything took time as it always did. It took time for them to all calm down, it took time to heal physical wounds, it took time to properly remove the evidence of obscene crimes...but in the evening they were able to gather in one place away from everyone else. It hadn't been easy coordinating everything, but it was necessary.

And so here they were. All seven of them.]

...I don't really know where to start. [His voice is tight, but determined.] But we need everybody on the same page. Who wants to go first?

Comments

[thatsthespirit]

[AHA HA HA. . . HA. . .]

[her gaze suddenly becomes sharp, as some of the anger from earlier returns]

Do you remember what Damian said? About removing Yuna from the game?

[elemancy]

Yeah, I remember.

[but he has to ask.]

Hey. Do we know if... these coyotes are actually real coyotes? [he's probably wrong about this, but he just doesn't want to rule it out.]

[thatsthespirit]

I don't know if they're real coyotes or not, but I don't think them attacking Yuna two weeks in a row is a coincidence.

[places a hand on her hip]

Especially since Jason and I were left alive, even after we lost consciousness.

[and now you know why she wanted to murder a robot after she woke up this morning. she 100% believes Hal is responsible for Yuna's death]

[elemancy]

It's not a coincidence. That much I'm sure of.

[he says that with confidence.]

It means they're either trained to go after her scent... or they're programmed to do it. Robots, empty shells just like our Sheriff.

[she was absolutely targeted.]

[thatsthespirit]

They bleed, just like real animals do. I didn't notice any mechanical parts in them.

[but, that said--]

Even if they aren't robots, they're a significant threat. Anyone staying outside after the sun sets should be extremely careful.

[elemancy]

Yeah. Doesn't matter which it is, because it could be either.

[he's just saying:] I've dealt with things like that. Soulless things that will target whoever they're told to, relentlessly. They'll die trying without retreating. They're focused.

I don't know if it's different, or if these are just scent trained. Either way... it means if there's more targets...

[it's a problem.]

[thatsthespirit]

[yeeeeeeah]

Let's just hope the Sheriff doesn't decide to have anyone else with a key role removed for. . . "not participating to their fullest potential."

[she practically spits those words out]

[elemancy]

Yeah. We're probably okay for now, but...

[well, who the hell knows? it doesn't make it feel any better, though.]

[thatsthespirit]

[SURE DOESN'T MAKE HER FEEL BETTER]

[SURE MAKES HER WANT TO PUNCH A ROBOT]

Noctis.

. . . I apologize for my behavior this morning.

[elemancy]

Don't worry about it.

[he offers the weakest, most hollow smile. he's tryng. he's just not succeeding.]

I wasn't much better. Things... are bad right now. For all of us.

[thatsthespirit]

Even so. . .

[a sigh]

I'm the last person who should be letting emotions interfere with her decision-making like that.

[elemancy]

Just means you're more human than you realize.

[it's normal. it's really too normal in the worst way—it sucks. sometimes, feelings really do suck.]

[thatsthespirit]

. . .

[lifts a hand and places it over her heart, looking distant for a moment]

Is that what it is? Hn. . .

[elemancy]

Yeah... probably.

[sorry to be the bearer of human news, milla.]

It's a thing.

[thatsthespirit]

And here I thought it was a "thing" I had gotten used to.

[apparently not!!]

[elemancy]

Guess that's part of the human side of things too. You find out you can feel all sorts of crap you never even wanted to.

[insincerely]

Well, the Sheriff informed me that I "contribute a lot" by talking to people on a regular basis and having broken into the Post Office, even though I obviously never figured out anyone's role or killed someone, so... yeah, we're probably safe.

For now.