Quest 142

[primrosella]

"The chance of a lifetime", is it

Comments

[horrible_penny]

This is like one giant, ugly psychology experiment.

[primrosella]

To see who will or won't press the button, you mean?

[horrible_penny]

Kind of. It's like they're seeing how desperate we are, you know? I don't think most people here would hurt someone ordinarily, but with a magic box that can give us what we want more than anything else...

[primrosella]

And perhaps more importantly, we don't necessarily have to face the person we're harming. There's no way of knowing who will be cursed by it, which means we don't have to take responsibility for whatever might happen from it.

[horrible_penny]

Unless we feel responsible just because we pressed a button that made someone cursed, whether that curse is a good friend or a total stranger.

How do the boxes know what we want, do you think?

[primrosella]

The people who feel that way, I think, will be the ones that don't press the button. That no reward is worth the punishment we'd inflict on someone else in exchange for it.

Wishing, perhaps? I don't know. Or perhaps we have to ask for it.

[horrible_penny]

...You're not going to try, are you?

I mean, I don't think you will, but I wouldn't blame you if you did, even with the curse. Having the opportunity to go home would be really nice.

[primrosella]

I'm not. I'm going to give my box to Blue and let him hold it for me, so I won't get tempted by it any more.

It's just that--well, I don't really need any of the things it's offering. I don't have any use for the money, and while it'd be nice to have something of mine from home, I don't really need it, and I'd like very much to go home, but...I think I'm needed here more. At least for right now. So I'd only be pressing it to sate my curiosity, or because it's something forbidden and I know I shouldn't, and neither of those are good reasons to use it at all.

[horrible_penny]

That's a good idea. Way better than just throwing it out. I've heard that a few people were taking boxes from people who'd thrown them out to use.

This is kind of out of left field, but how're you doing, Rosella?

[primrosella]

A girl did ask me for mine, but I think it's better that Blue holds on to it instead. At least then I know where it is, and that it won't be used.

Oh, I'm all right, Penny. Certainly better today than I was in the dark with all those statues and things. And you?

[horrible_penny]

Blue's a good guy.

Oh, eugh. Those statues were creepy. I only saw them on the network, but that was enough.

I'm okay. If one more person dies or leaves the City, though, I think I'll go totally insane.

Sob Penny you have no idea. :(

[primrosella]

He really is, isn't he?

I don't blame you. It seems as though more and more people are leaving all the time, and now that we all have these boxes--well.

But let me ask you something of my own--do you have plans yet for Christmas?

After I posted this, I read that another friend left and another died. Oops?

[horrible_penny]

Really really. I've been trying to think of something better to give him than candy.

Yeah...

This Christmas? Plans? Not yet. Who knows who'll be here then and who won't be.

And sometime tonight, Rosella's going to have a breakdown of her own! Add one more to the list.

[primrosella]

He is difficult to shop for, you're right. It's hard to come up with gifts for people that seem to have everything they need or want already.

Well, you and I are both here now, and assuming we both still are for Christmas, you're invited to Christmas dinner at the Warehouse.

*facepalm* Make that a breakdown for two. To go.

[horrible_penny]

Really? Thank you, Rosella. That'd be really nice.

Sob so much agonyyyyyyyyy.

[primrosella]

We're hoping to have a big tree and time for everyone to share presents, and then a great big dinner all together. And I'll make sure there are plenty of things without any meat in them, too.