Audience: Will

[becomemod]

Comments

[stunwhistle]

[im choosing to believe it's fucked up coffee]

Mind if I join you for a bit? I did say I'd check in once we were all done in there, after all.

[becomemod]

I don't mind.

[ There's plenty of room on this bench. ]

I'll be alright. What about you?

[stunwhistle]

[he takes a seat on the bench.]

I'll be alright, too. I mean, I have to be, right? [his gaze flicks briefly to the moon up in the sky.] There's still, what, four weeks left until the festival? We're only halfway there.

[becomemod]

Somehow it feels long and short at the same time.

[ They won't discuss more than that at night. ]

[stunwhistle]

Yeah. [that's why he's talking about the timing, which is public knowledge, rather than about the murder he is probably going to have to commit during that time. it's fine.] It's hard to believe we've been here a month. But that makes... what, seven months now, for you guys?

[becomemod]

[ It's fine. Probably. ]

More than half a year at this point.

[ A sip of their drink. ]

This last month... It's been terrible. [ They'll just say it. ]

[stunwhistle]

It's definitely been pretty miserable.

[and it's only going to get worse as time goes on and their numbers dwindle. but he can't say that while the moon is out.]

...there've been some parts that haven't been so bad. The people we've met here - uh, mostly, anyway - and the eight of you.

[becomemod]

[ They know what's happening in the weeks to come.

Honestly, they seem startled to be listed as a positive. ]

All eight of us?

[stunwhistle]

...well... yeah. You're helping us through all of this, and I guess I can only speak for me, but - I've liked getting to know you.

[becomemod]

I'd like to be doing more to help you.

[stunwhistle]

You're doing what you can, right? That's all any of us can do, and it's all any of us can ask of you, too.

So - y'know. We're all in this together. And I think that's better than having to face it alone.

[becomemod]

... Yes. [ A sigh. Four weeks of this and it really is exhausting. ]

We are, as we move forward.

[stunwhistle]

[THAT "..." REALLY MAKES ME MORE CONVINCED THE NPCS ARE SECRET VILLAINS!!!! anyway]

...we'll get through it, one way or another.

[becomemod]

No other options but to keep going. I've always been good at that.

[stunwhistle]

That kind of resiliency isn't a bad thing, but man, it sucks that so many people here have to be that resilient.

[becomemod]

It might be part of the reason we were brought here to begin with.

[stunwhistle]

It could be. We're all pretty different people, but - one thing I've noticed is we're all very resilient. And very stubborn.

[becomemod]

It's better than the alternative, but it still isn't ideal.

[ Ideally: no murder. ]

[stunwhistle]

Believe me, I'd love it if things were a little more ideal. I can't think of a single superhero comic that's had this many people dying and getting executed on the regular. People'd be like, ehhh, that's too grimdark.

[becomemod]

[ Watchmen exists, not that Snake is particularly aware of comic books. ]

I haven't read any comic books, so I wouldn't have anything to compare it to.

[stunwhistle]

[he shrugs]

It's pretty different from what I've read is all.