WEEK 3

[strangerpeople]

WEEK 3



[The week begins as last week began. But there's is a great difference-murder. It has happened. Blood has been drawn; it cannot be undone. The Game has made itself known. The Game is paramount. The Game simply is.

As morning dawns, those who were not present with the DEAD lock will find that the doors that were locked are now gone-and a whole new area has finally opened up to them. They will also find that they remember something they had not been able to recall beforehand. The question is, was it worth it?

And-is it you, or is the ship getting...colder as the hours go by? No, it's not just you. By the end of Sunday, the ship has started to dip into freezing temperatures. It might be difficult for people to bundle up-unless you're Brain, who will find his closet inundated with winter clothing that fit him perfectly.

Yup. This is going to be a long week, as if last week wasn't bad enough.



There are currently 16 strangers in this place.]

Comments

[pegasinister]

[He doesn't answer at first, though he clearly understands the implied question. His longer fingers tap his cup- anxiety he rarely shows]

... I had a... friend- [Goddess, Ferdinand would explode if he heard Hubert refer to him as such to a third party, wouldn't he?] - that I would often have tea with. Pine was a favorite of his.

[Was]

1/2

[lovedthemost]

[Brain frowns for half a moment--and there's a trickle of confusion--before he realizes he recognizes that expression on Hubert's face.

He's not nearly as expressive as Heart by any means, but...Brain's seen that look enough times to know what it means, though Hubert wears it far more subtly. That, combined with the past tense and the anxious tapping, well...]

...I see.

[Brain is not human. He's made that entirely clear. He has very little sympathy for them, usually, for a variety of reasons ('Few better motivations than spite.' Hubert had said, and Brain could very well not deny it,) but this...feels different.

The question is...why?]

2/2

[lovedthemost]

My condolences.

[it slips out before he can stop it, and he almost looks surprised at himself, startled for a moment before he schools his expression back into a more controled coolness]

[pegasinister]

[He seems surprised too, but nods]

Don't. He died serving Adrestia and doing his duty. Such is the risk of war.

[Still... he seems to appreciate it]

[lovedthemost]

[well if that isn't relatable, Brain doesn't know what is]

I am certainly more than aware of the risks of war.

[pegasinister]

[Somehow that doesn't surprise him, they seem to be of similar mind of certain things.

...if Hubert was more self reflective maybe he'd wonder about being similar to an inhuman being. But he's not, so he won't]

Yet I find myself missing him and others. Being here without my duties to focus on gives me too much spare time for such things.

[lovedthemost]

[Brain huffs a bit at that, almost rueful]

If he were here, I believe Heart would tell you that that's natural, when it comes to your companions. [he uses the word nakima specifically, but the translator might not catch the entirety of the meaning]

[pegasinister]

He is likely right, but it is the duty of the Vestra to be beyond what is natural. To kill and commit all atrocities without hesitation or emotional attachment.

[He huffs in grim amusement]

After this war such things will not be needed any longer. But I am what I am, regardless.

[lovedthemost]

[Brain tilts his head a bit at that, studying Hubert for a moment]

You don't think so? That it won't be needed?

[pegasinister]

That is the hope... of course, it may be a foolish one. Humans are humans, and there will always be risks to the crown. But perhaps my level of depravity will one day be a thing of the past.

[lovedthemost]

[Brain laces his fingers together in front of him, casually, but there's something of a stillness to him--a tension, almost]

...By "the crown," I assume you mean her.

[pegasinister]

[He nods]

My liege lady, Edelgard. I have been her servant, protector and friend since I was six and her four.

[lovedthemost]

Then...if there are always threats to her that you can dispel, that means you shall ever be useful to her, correct?

[Brain's expression has gone a bit distant, and though it seems he's looking at the table between them, his thoughts are clearly elsewhere]

I can think of nothing more important than that.

[pegasinister]

[He makes an agreeing sound to that]

Is that who Heart is for you?

[lovedthemost]

...yes. [there might have been a slight, brief hesistation, but when he says it, he sounds certain]

I want to be the most useful to Heart. To make his wish a reality.

[pegasinister]

What is his wish? With a name like Heart I suspect it is fittingly expansive.

[lovedthemost]

To create a world where Roidmude can live and evolve to their full potential free of threat. By reaching the Promised Number, we will rule over humanity, ensuring a future for our kind.

[...yep]

[pegasinister]

[And Hubert feels both a familiar sympathy and a gut churning distaste. How can he not?]

So your kind are subjugated? Well... if Heart wishes to rule over humans, then take my advice to heart-

[... he pauses and groans at his own accidental pun, but moves on quickly. This is important]

-humanity, while weak, is a stubborn people. In my own homeland we have been ruled over by non-humans for generations. Hiding in secret and claiming to be gods and divinely chosen.

... and their stewardship of the world has led to war, death, and abuses beyond measure of the innocent. It is Lady Edelgard and mine's dream to bring them low and return our home to the hands of humanity. Perhaps you can do better... but many have said the same over history... and eventually they all fall and are forgotten.

1/8 dlskfhs

[lovedthemost]

[Brain can't help how the corner of his mouth quirks at the accidental pun, but--then he's listening to Hubert, and his hands are curling a bit, clenching on each other--his jaw tight.

He'll wait until Hubert finishes, but when he speaks, there's a surprising amount of intensity in his voice]

I'll spare no words of defense for the non-humans that you are fighting against in your world. I don't know why they have chosen to do what they have done, nor do I care what their reasons are. Your fight is your own and I can say that I wish you well of it.

[lovedthemost]

[his expression darkens further, fingers digging in to his hand]

What I can say for the humanity of my world is that the only choices they have ever offered us is torture, servitude and eradication. [there's a thread of a deep, bitter anger creeping into his voice]

We were created by humans--one that gave Heart the human form of a man he hated, and tortured him for his own pleasure. When our other creator discovered him taking a cattle prod to Heart, he declared he would no longer be part of the project, and left us to our fate. He knew what was happening--he knew that Heart had reached an artificial intelligence level similar to that of a human and he left him to be tortured.

[lovedthemost]

[that anger as progressed to pure fury--it's not directed at Hubert, specifically, but considering he's looking right at him, it's plain on his face, if it wasn't already obvious in the raised volume of his voice]

He walked away when he could have helped him! I would have given anything to be able to help Heart, instead of being stuck watching, useless in my unevolved state!

[there's some anguish that creeps in at the end there, a long held hurt written on his face and in the hitch of the breath he takes]

[lovedthemost]

[Brain swallows, and fury is easier, so it's that that returns first]

We made them pay for it--destroyed their physical bodies. But we didn't know they'd uploaded their consciousness. So now one of them now leads the Kamen Rider in striving for our eradication while the other is out there doing...who knows what!

As far as I am concerned, the only reason that subjugation is an option for humanity is because of Heart's kindness. There is no one as kind as Heart, despite all that he has suffered.

[lovedthemost]

[he's starting to lean forward, unthinkingly]

If it were up to me, I'd see them wiped out. Permanently. [and he does not say that casually, but instead with pure, intense hatred]

[lovedthemost]

[There's a beat--and then Brain sucks in a breath through his nose and closes his eyes, sitting back when he realizes he's leaned forward just...making a bid for control despite the miasma of hate and rage and pain and guilt that feels like it's made a home in his chest and is pacing, snarling, wanting to be unleashed, to lash out for all the injustice that Heart, especially, has suffered.]

[lovedthemost]

[Another moment, and Brain's blowing out that breath and opening his eyes again. That intensity and fire isn't gone; it's simply banked, but only just.]

...that being said, since it is coming from you, I'll take your words to Heart.