the truth is, everyone wishes to be saved.

[finalring]

The execution has come and passed with the death of two more Agents. However time moves on without cease and so must the living. There are no celebrations, only the silence that grows heavier and heavier with every day and the feeling that something is pleased with what it has done.

There are two more days before the new week arrives: what will you do?

Comments

[ghostricked]

[Pauses, glancing in the direction of the guestroom... then nods- always odd to see a human expression from him- and trots over]

Of course, Emil. What's up?

[impyroverished]

[Alright, how to bring this up...hm...]

I...I think you had said something about voting for other people, right? And we had to do it.

[Or at least he thinks so. Someone had said something! He just doesn't remember with certainty who it was, but it sounded a lot like cat thinking. Cats are pretty to-the-point when trained.

Emil sighs. He seems pretty conflicted]

I can't. I just can't.

Is it cowardly to not want to do that?

[ghostricked]

[He had suggested that- probably before anyone else had unless he missed something. He looks away in what might be guilt]

I... I don't think so. I said all that but when the time came... I couldn't do it either. I just voted for myself.

[impyroverished]

I did vote for myself too. I thought if I did, then it wouldn't count for anything.

[The back of Emil's head thumps against the wall, he looks at the ceiling]

But it still feels like...I could have done more. I know there's nothing I could have done, but seeing her die...it's making me feel like I should have done something other than refusing to play!

[Voting for himself was his way of refusing to play along with the 'vote for someone innocent', but it sure didn't decrease the guilt he feels now!]

[ghostricked]

...that's what I feel too. It was by two votes. If we both played then it might have been someone else. Or if the Vessel was especially cruel we might have lost three people...

[impyroverished]

[The thought of losing three people feels like a punch to the gut]

That's totally what'd have happened! That thing has no mercy!

[He's completely sure of that]

...what's the right choice, Sissel? Tell me, if something like that happens again, what should I do? Because I don't know, I don't know at all.

[ghostricked]

...

I don't know. I wish I did. I... I really wish I did.

[impyroverished]

[...not even Sissel knows...]

...right...

[He really felt lost. The miasma-induced fear that has been with him since Level 1 keeps widening the chasm he perceives as separating him from the rest -- and it doesn't help the one person he considered a friend of his age in this place died.

But hey, widening distance or not, at least he doesn't seem to hold it against Sissel]

You must be so busy handling all of our problems. The cat I used to work with before the Foundation got me was a lot of moral support to our crew.

[So maybe Sissel has been doing the same to this crew, he imagines! Except maybe even better, because he can talk]

[ghostricked]

[He walks over to Emil, putting his paws on his knee in a classic 'pick me up' pose]

Maybe it's because I'm a cat. Maybe it's because I'm older than most of you. I want to give you the answers... but I can't. I'm not a leader. Not really.

[impyroverished]

[Time to pick up the cat. Up you go, Sissel. Emil holds him rather carefully, clearly he has practice at holding cats]

You're older--?

[Huh. Emil takes a good look at Sissel]

You don't seem that old. How old are you?

[ghostricked]

That's... complicated. Currently, I'm a little over ten. Which for a cat put me in my later middle age. But I've lived to that point twice. So I've experienced 20 years or so.

So I'm not literally older than most of you- but mentally I'm an old man in a lot of ways.

[impyroverished]

[That's...certainly complicated. Emil chuckles, scratching behind Sissel's ears]

I guess some would say you have been through two lives so far. Being in another world and starting all over must feel like the third.

[You have this one and six lives more ahead of you, Sissel!]

[ghostricked]

Hmm... you're not wrong.

... you know, I might not be a leader, but maybe we should have one. To help keep the chaos from yesterday from happening again.

[impyroverished]

We should! Someone who can take charge and is calm. There has to be someone!

[Well that pretty much rules out Rosa, even though she took charge about who to vote for. Hmmmm...]

Date?

[ghostricked]

Maybe. He seems to have some experience.

But if I had to choose right now I'd say the King.

[impyroverished]

That's the one who hmphs a lot and calls everyone mongrels, right?

[That guy? What a strange choice]

Why him?

[ghostricked]

He's not exactly friendly but people listen to him. He just has that energy.

[impyroverished]

He does. It's hard to argue with him, he always sounds so sure of what he's saying.