15/ Voice

[infidus]

It's fascinating, the things one finds lying around in this city. For example, in recent days both body parts and the bodies they belong to have simply been tossed out for the bird to pluck dry. This is hardly surprising. Anatole been quite full of dead things, lately. In only a few weeks, we have seen the corpses of prostitutes, a strung-up

Comments

[voice]

[girl_unlocking]

[A strung up soldier gets an audible wince. And the cat oh god, she is wishing she could delete that thing right off and into the fifth level of mist.]

I had the airship one, too.

[voice] FF HE MEANS LANGUAGEY HOMEWORK, LOLOL

[infidus]

Did you, then? I wonder what causes a specific person to experience one or the other.

[And, more importantly...]

Have you been completing your assigned practices, Dawn?

[voice] DAWN WOULD NOT LEAV A STRAY ITALICY THINGER IN HER ASSIGNMENT /SOB

[girl_unlocking]

Maybe this place...

...maybe it has things it wants us to know. Like lessons or something.

[Mine might be stop trusting strangers, because look where it gets you. And speaking of lessons, she is mostly telling the truth.]

Yes. I'm caught up now. [A little flatly.] I didn't mean to fall behind.

[voice] NO? BUT ITS SO FRIENDLY WHEN PEOPLE DO THAT.

[infidus]

That isn't outside the realm of possibility. Particularly if these things are governed by an outside will. What do you think... Dawn?

[He's smiling, though she can't see it. The expression oozes into his words, like honey and razors.]

As for falling behind... well. I wouldn't concern myself over it.

We have time.

[voice] SHE IS NOT FEELING VERY FRIENDLY LATELY

[girl_unlocking]

Me?

Well...

...I think this place just likes to watch us suffer. I guess it's not that different from some of the people in it. I can see why it chose them.

It's hard to remember. I got a lot of the Mist sucks, but I think everyone knows that. And if they don't...

...well, I'd like to know where they've been living the last few months.

And doors always seem to mean blood.

[Yeah, she kind of went there. But her tone isn't peevish, just tired. Strained.]

Do we? And here I thought we had even less time.

[voice] She needs a hug.

[infidus]

Ah, but if it chooses its residents based on their personality and its proximity to the city itself... then why are you here?

[Aizen laughs softly, without a track of cruelty.]

Well, think of it this way. Rushing will only impede your learning... and the city will be cruel or kind as it pleases regardless. You are angry, I see. It is understandable. But when one allows their rage to rule their behavior and overwhelm their thoughts, they have already begun to lose.

[voice] She does! B-but ..maybe not from you, Aizen.

[girl_unlocking]

Cannon fodder, maybe. I mean, people need someone to mess with, right? Otherwise it'd be like peanut butter without the jelly.

[She likes it better with bananas anyway. Or cornflakes. But he's right - and that scares her. He's evil, why is he making sense? Her head is all turned around and he's not helping.]

Is it? Understandable? Do you ever get angry? I bet you don't. You seem ...smarter than that. [Way smarter than me. Probably grand-master-cunning-plan guy. Definitely that guy. But that's good advice and OH WHAT IS THIS, EVEN.]

[voice] What? Why not? 9_9

[infidus]

Ah, but the city itself consists almost entirely of this cannonfodder, don't you agree?

[He goes quiet for a moment, and twists his cup on the table in front of him.]

Anger is not an emotion I frequently indulge in, no.

[voice] Because you are unpredictable! <.<

[girl_unlocking]

Yup. But some of us must be more fun to watch that the others. I mean, some of us are so crazy we probably don't care, and some of us just don't care. Or if they do you can't even tell.

I think we're just a bunch of fish in a fishbowl.

But it's useful when it's there are doesn't rule you, right? It's like ...a motivator.

[voice] NONSENSE. find the thing that most benefits him and he will predictably do that.

[infidus]

An interesting theory. If this city, then, is a fishbowl, then who do you suppose is its owner? And who is the cat looming over the rim?

[He laughs, softly. It isn't unkind.]

I suppose anger might be a useful motivational tool, yes. It's difficult to say. I can't remember the last time I felt... true rage.

[voice] b-but she doesn't know what that thing is ;;;;

[girl_unlocking]

People say it's the Twins? I guess that's as good a theory as any. So that would make them the cat. Or ...cats.

...and some of us would be sharks? Or piranha.

What do you think about the dreams?

[Probably means the shared ones. Could mean the other ones. You know, the ones about Doors.]