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

[carryabigstick]

I mean. I wouldn't give Joshua too much credit. He was a kid, but he was always sharp. And it's something he's been aware of for a long time. Enough that he felt like it was worth throwing away years of work towards building a life of helping others.

...he has a lot of issues, deep down. I don't know how he ended up with those people, but I know there's more to it.

I won't say it doesn't bother me but-- everyone has their circumstances.

[katzenpfote]

... It is easy for young people to be deceived by those who claim to be able to help them develop their skills.

I am not quite so altruistic. I want to protect those I care about, avoid those who would hurt me or them, and reach my own goals. It is not so much about 'helping others.'.

[carryabigstick]

There's nothing wrong with that. Shouldn't everyone want that? I mean... that just... sounds like life.

So maybe some people do less or more but-- I don't think you're doing it wrong.

[katzenpfote]

There is something wrong with that when they are turned into assassins with false memories.

[carryabigstick]

I don't see how false memories could be your fault-- and we can just forget the assassin part altogether.

[Because she can't, in all fairness, judge him only for that. Especially when it sounds like he had his own situation, just like Joshua.]

[katzenpfote]

Even if - even if I was trained to kill traitors, even if I had the 'memory' of my parents plotting, I should have had enough moral fiber to not set the house on fire.

[carryabigstick]

Oh, I set the house on fire plenty of times.

[Estelle......]

Listen. It's not that simple. Not everyone is born into the same circumstances. That's a hell of a good reason to be confused! You were young. And the fact that you can talk about it like this now... that means you've given it a lot of thought and grown from it, right?

Maybe you can't change those things from the past, but-- you changed into the person you are now, didn't you? I think that's worth something too.

[katzenpfote]

The house was on fire with them trapped in it. Intentionally.

And then I ended up in an asylum for eleven years.

I am... trying... to not be that person anymore. But when situations like that come up, it is difficult. I should have contained myself but I am sick and tired of being used by these killing scenarios. It is like something my old teacher might have thought up.

[carryabigstick]

...I can't imagine how that feels. I'm... still trying to understand what Joshua's going through. It's not like I got the chance to talk to him about it... not really.

But I still think, for what it's worth, that you should give yourself credit for the effort you've made. You're clearly not the same person anymore-- it's the situation, not you. We're all... struggling with that. The other trial wasn't much better.

[katzenpfote]

... I do not want to hurt anyone I don't have to. I do not think I would even hurt someone if they tried to kill me here. I... I suppose I am a little better at it now that I am on my own - well. I have the Nein. But being away from that man helps.