sorry for your loss

[cuteandinnocentpet]

[When people are returned to the main floor, they will find a trail of cupcakes from the elevator to the dining room. There is a table of drinks, pills, and cupcakes and cakes from the automat.

And on the table, in the center, is this asshole, with a party horn in its mouth. Despite that, it talks into everyone's mind.]

As you strangers tend to have a tradition of parties after an execution, I took the liberty. The plates and cups are over there.

[. . .

be merry I guess]

Comments

[katzenpfote]

[Caleb ignores the party entirely, heading out of the building and towards his house. He doesn't talk to anyone on the way, doesn't respond to any calls. He heads into his house adn closes the door, leaning back against it and slumping down.]

[Frumpkin stands gingerly on his legs, and he sighs.]

I really blew it, ja? I told them and now they will hate me. ... I suppose that's fair.

[He knows that Fortinbras will follow Arthur, so he doesn't have to worry about the dog, which is good. He sits there for a few long minutes, just staring at Frumpkin, before pulling himself up.]

Come. We have a few people to visit.

[But after that? House number 10 is where people will find Caleb. Hopefully he'll hear the door if someone comes to see him.]

[cuteandinnocentpet]

[Hi



guess who is in the house with a cupcake





this douche yup]

[katzenpfote]

[He jerks to his feet and pulls the dagger from his pocket, throwing it towards the creature.]

Get out of my house!

[Frumpkin yowls and hisses, springing after Kyuubey with his claws extended.]

[cuteandinnocentpet]

[It hops up and bounces off the dagger, landing on a cupboard in the kitchen.]

You didn't even look at the cupcakes. If I had emotions, I suppose I'd be offended.

In any case, that's not why I'm here.

[katzenpfote]

I do not want your cupcake.

What do you want?

[cuteandinnocentpet]

That's unfortunate. They are delicious, if a little too sweet.

Simply to talk. Considering you're already made it...clear you wouldn't make a contract for some time, you needn't worry about that.

[katzenpfote]

[Arguing about how he doesn't want it to make a contract with anyone here isn't going to get him anywhere, so he sighs. Frumpkin's tail is still puffed up as he stares at Kyuubey.]

About what?

[cuteandinnocentpet]

I merely wish to ask you about what you think makes free will so appealing.

Keep in mind that I do not have any investment as to whether or not you should submit to IT, but I am aware that all of you are resisting and I'm certain will continue to resist for as long as possible. Given your own experiences, I figured you were one of the few who may have something of a valid and informed opinion.

[katzenpfote]

[Oh godsdammit.]

Well, for a start... if you do not like what path you are on, you can change it. And if you say 'well you wouldn't dislike it if you had no free will', I am aware of that. And yet breaking new ground is what people do. It brings them joy. There is no way to have a life that is truly 'happy' as these hosts see it, but the ability to choose and stumble and fall and then find joy again is what makes happiness worth anything.

House 10

[unwittingking]

[I hope you weren't expecting to stay alone for long, Caleb, because pretty soon there's a knocking at your door. Shave and a haircut.

He'll wait to see if he'll open it, though.]

[katzenpfote]

[He kind of figured King would return the favor. He opens the door and ushers King inside before closing it. His stare is pretty flat, and he just waits for the other to speak.]

[unwittingking]

[He's silent as he walks in, and for a minute after, but he does speak.]

I don't think it's as bad as you think. I won't say it's good, but not that bad.

[He'll get that part out now.]

[katzenpfote]

I... don't know.

[The corners of his mouth twitch for a moment.]

I did not think I still had it in me to remember some of my old methods. I am a horrible person... even if that thing deserved it, I shouldn't have...

[unwittingking]

Hey. We both did stupid stuff back there, so if you're going to say anything bad about it, I'm included. We're in this together.

And...we were hit with a lot of emotions. Not much of an excuse, I know, but we've been through these twice now, and we're dealing with a lot of personal stuff. I already snapped once, would've been more surprising if I didn't again, or if you didn't at all. It's...it's not a good excuse, I know, but you can't tell me I'm wrong.

[katzenpfote]

No, you're not wrong. But my ability is one that can actively hurt people. If I had a major breakdown, there is a risk I could hurt many people here.

[unwittingking]

Caleb, almost everyone is like that. Arthur and the people from the mansion turn into weapons. From what I saw at the meeting, Jonathan can attack as two people. Karma's already trained in fighting, I feel almost certain his power would have to do with it too. And we've both seen what I can do.

But we can fight it. It'd be hard, but...we can try to go against it. Work to not break down. It'd take time, but...I think it'd be possible.

[katzenpfote]

... I try to not break down. I do. But then I freeze. And in battle if I freeze, it could all be over. If I can't fight it there...

[carryabigstick]

Hey, Caleb! Wait up!

[Not so fast. She's going to do her best to catch up to him despite some injuries from after the execution slowing her down a bit.]

Hey-- Sorry for earlier. Because of me, things got pretty out of hand back there.

[Yes, she is taking responsibility for the amount of lives that were offered today. It was after she started things with Arthur it happened so... she feels like she owes it to the other people that stepped in after.]

[katzenpfote]

[He almost seems like he doesn't hear her for a moment, before he stops and turns to face her, almost robotically.]

I've seen worse. I also was out of hand.

[There's no real emotion to his voice right now, and his stare is pretty blank.]

[carryabigstick]

Yeah, but-- maybe it wouldn't have needed to go there if I hadn't helped it.

[She sighs. She's-- familiar with that kind of look. She remembers...]

About what you said... I don't care what happened before, okay. You're here now. You're one of us. So don't just go pushing us away. I don't want to have to go chase after another person when I haven't even found Joshua yet.

[katzenpfote]

... Well, hopefully all of you feel that way, or I'll be the body next time.

I've... I am not trying to push you away because I hate you - any of you. I... am not good at making friends. And I am a mess, so it would not be all that good for you anyway.

[carryabigstick]

I... have some experience with it, so I feel pretty strongly about it.

One of-- no. The person that's most important to me hid a lot of things from me. When I finally did find out, it was because he was leaving. He dumped on me a whole bunch of knowledge about the kind of person he was before and the things he did... and just left. Like everything that happened after didn't matter anymore. When that was the part I cared about the most.

Just like back then... I know it's probably really hard for you. But the Caleb I know-- even just a little bit-- cares a lot about the people here and is looking out for them the best way he knows how. I think that means a lot more than whatever happened in the past.

[katzenpfote]

[There's a slight widening of his eyes - oh. The story from the other side. The one Vita told him.]

... You sound like the rest of the Nein. I... these places bring out the worst in us. And brings up bits of the past you don't want...

I am doing what I can. I am not very good at it...

[carryabigstick]

It's okay. We all are. And... maybe none of us are doing really great.

[She doesn't feel like she's doing a great job either.]

But that's all the more reason to do it together and not by ourselves. Even if we mess up, at least we have someone to help us pick things up again.

[katzenpfote]

It is... difficult. King knows my past - McBurn would not care, so he does not know. But I am... not a stable person. I have things in my past that make it difficult to keep things safe around me.

I want to keep all of us alive, but I do not know if that is possible, so I will settle for 'as many of us as I can manage'. I can have a breakdown later.