thefoundation | WEEK 5 MINGLE

WEEK 5

They said it was a break week, but two of your number were lost anyway last week. While you're all tired and still recovering, the speakers crackle to life with the voice of The Lady.

"Attention, Guests. The game is back on. Break week is now over. Happy Holidays."

The Staff are still like they were last week - only this time, the orders almost always go wrong, if they even manage to go through - the Staff are vanishing constantly. Meals are also getting affected - they're still perfectly edible, but they're not as delicious as they once were, with seasoning and other things occasionally being off. The Sign warning people to not take knives is still on the kitchen door, but The Chef seems incredibly tired, often resting on a chair in the corner.

The Resort is still furnished with Holiday items - but after Medic's christmas protest, there are more items related to other holidays up, and it's much more balanced - objects and colors of multiple holidays side by side in harmony, with the mistletoe still up for any needed smooching. There are, however, more wriggling...things, and there's even an entire 'tree' made of eldritch tentacles with glowing balls of light on them that wink in an oddly hypnotic fashion.

The weather is still nothing, but the courtyard seems to have switched to a much warmer clime, which while still a little cool is pleasant enough to sit outside in. Finally, the music this week seems... almost ominous...?

On Monday morning, another memory is returned to everyone, one more traumatic this time instead of gentle like the others have been. Yet, you feel as if you know a little more about your time in this world, now. Not everything, but...enough.

Enough to see this game through to the end, at least.

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[she notices that, and tilts her head just slightly.]

Wouldn't that make sense, though...? Animals aren't humans. And treating them as though they are would cause the greatest chance of either being harmed.

[A pause. She snorts, shaking her head.]

I guess so. It was just...a funny thing to note, I guess.

[Anything to distract her from her thoughts right now. She side-eyes Makoto, crossing her arms. She still doesn't trust Makoto entirely, and she feels like shit for it. The girl has been through a lot, but the fact that something could pilot her body like that, to commit those crimes, and be expected to believe that she's been completely cleansed...]

Funny how we apply that logic to things that look human, as well.

What do you mean?

[honestly... Makoto wouldn't blame her. She's trying desperately to pretend things are normal, but... it's because she feels as ready to snap as anyone there.

Makoto wouldn't blame Ripley for not trusting her, because she no longer trusts herself.]

[A pause. She grimaces, turning her head to look at Makoto.]

I--I think I, uh, mangled this metaphor somewhere, but... [She sighs.] If someone saw a monster killing someone, they'd probably try to kill it. Dress that monster up in a human body, and suddenly, people can jump through as many hoops as they want to try and make sure it's safe.

[...]

I can't blame you--you had no say in being used like that.

[oh. she lowers her face, her hair obscuring her eyes. but it's clear she is definitely trying to process that.]

... Ripley-san, it's okay to blame me for that. If that's what you'd like to do, I wouldn't blame you for it either.

No.

[Ripley grits her teeth, exhaling sharply. Maybe if Makoto was older, she'd have stumbled and held her responsible, felt less guilty about placing the blame on her. But Makoto is hardly an adult--as frustrating and convoluted as the whole situation is, no kid needs to be told that they were the one responsible for the deaths of multiple people. And it wasn't like Makoto chose to become the Barghest's vessel.

...God, it's hard, but she's learning to try and think things through and not let her trauma mar her thoughts.]

I admit that I might've blamed you during the days after, but...I think I was just frustrated. Frustrated that these goddamn monsters would be cowardly enough to use other people to disguise themselves. Frustrated with the fact that some people don't want to kill them because they look like their friends.

[She lets out a snort. Can they really call them their friends if they've been pretending ever since they got here?]

[she pauses, not sure how to take that, but she does want to communicate this.]

I don't know how it is for the other monsters. I... want to be grateful to Cinque-san for saving me, for betraying the Barghest. But I don't trust them, either. Cinque-san and Rean-san were both unwilling hosts, just like I was.

The Barghest used my sister against me, who knows what the Doppelganger and Jorogumo did to their hosts. So, your instinct isn't wrong, Ripley-san.

...

[She hates being so conflicted about this. Hell, she knew that things would be complicated, and she hates it. Why can't anything be clear cut for once in her life?]

You think the Doppelganger was trying to save you? [Said with a somewhat incredulous tone. She lets out a sharp laugh.] Hell, I don't think she expected that you would actually be saved! She drowned Flat! You think she didn't know that electricity was the way to eliminate the Barghest entirely?

[The more she speaks, the more thoughts whirl around in her head and the more confused she becomes. She hardly knows what's right and what's wrong and what she's supposed to be doing anymore besides protecting the people close to her. She looks away from Makoto.]

How do you know that they're telling the truth about their hosts? How do you know that you aren't the only one who's dealt with being possessed?

... I know she didn't. Because neither Flat-san nor I told her. [she says that resolutely.] She also wouldn't have had any clue who I was if not for my helping her with Shirou.

If you asked me now? I wouldn't know how to kill her. I only knew who she was because she was so distinct in speaking. I didn't know Rean was the Jorogumo.

[but at that last part, she doesn't know what to say, so she pauses, long, and hard, and folds her arms around her waist, her hands hugging her elbows, fingers digging into her jacket.]

I don't know if she was trying to save me. But the fact is, she did. She did it before I could do something worse. Before I could act out some sick, twisted revenge fantasy that didn't even belong to me. I don't... remember what happened on the day of the execution, just what Akira's told me. But the Barghest is dead because of it.

[Ripley crosses her arms, wincing slightly as she positions her hands carefully around her wound. There's a pause as she taps her fingers against her arm, eyebrows furrowed in thought. She notes Makoto's body language and takes a small step back, eyeing her.

After a long stretch of silence, she speaks again, her voice low and flat. A question.]

Would you want her to live, then?

[Just one question.]

... I don't know.

[she looks down. She knows that's what Ripley's been driving at the whole time. She doesn't know if she should be grateful or if she should wish for Cinque's freedom as much as her own.

It was very much a gray area for her.]

But I wouldn't have wanted to live, if it meant the Barghest survived. I don't know if Cinque-san would feel the same about the Doppelgänger.

WEEK 5 MINGLE

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