you gotta be so cold to make it in this world

[scythegun]

[It's been exactly three weeks and three days since Yeager woke up in an unfamiliar location, surrounded by twenty-eight unfamiliar individuals and one very familiar face he'd really rather forget. Being here on his own would be preferable to being here with Alexei.

But somehow - against all odds - they've managed to play nice with one another for three weeks and three days. There have been three murders, three executions, and as of yesterday, three motives. Someone else will die at the end of the week and the cycle will repeat until they're all dead.

Yeager can't really say he cares all that much about the outcome. Dying hasn't scared him for a long time, after all.

The real killer here is boredom. The building they found themselves in prevents escape, but despite being laid-out like some kind of fancy manor (not like his, more like what he'd imagine the nobles of Zaphias to own) there isn't anything interesting to do here. He'd initially thought the first week was the worst, if only because they got a new floor the second week, but there hasn't been anything interesting on any of these floors.

(Never mind the question of "how big is this manor and why does it have so many floors", that's something he'd rather not think too much about. It doesn't really matter, does it?)

The most recent floor they've gotten access to is home to a gym and strangely an indoor garden of some sort; the others call it a "zen garden" and it held Yeager's attention for all of five minutes, which is probably a new record for any of the rooms on the new floors, sadly.

Needless to say, he's been very bored.

He doesn't bother heading up to the top floor today, instead he makes it up to the second before deciding the library's a good place to go. It's not that he has any interest in the books - he certainly doesn't - but it's still early and he's probably got a little while before Alexei comes in. Alexei surely will come in; the man practically lives here, after all. He's presumably done with his cataloguing and all that by now, but there are plenty of thick, boring books for him to study.

If Yeager's sense of time isn't completely screwed (and he's fairly sure it isn't), he's probably got a little less than an hour before all the clocks in the building chime, signaling the start of the day. That's more than enough time for him to rearrange the books. He doesn't move too many of them, of course! Just four of them, picked at random and moved to random places throughout the shelves. Once he's done with that, he selects one of the (many) murder mystery books and takes a seat, biding his time until Alexei shows up.

(It's not a terribly interesting book, but he can be patient when he needs to, and waiting for an hour or so really will be worth it. Surely this will get Alexei to do something with his face.)]

Comments

[scythegun]

[Well, that's disappointing. Yeager's expression dips momentarily into something that might be mild irritation, but Alexei's picked an interesting topic, and he bounces back easily. Sure, the books might not have done what he was hoping for, but at the very least this conversation is holding his interest.]

There are a few here who might be smart enough to figure for that. I could certainly see someone attempting, though I wonder if anyone would actually be capable of managing it...

[He hums a bit before continuing.]

Of course, if they did attempt it, they'd at least have to kill one of us. I'd be a bit surprised if that happened!

And then there's the matter of trust... I don't know if anyone here could really believe that this wouldn't end with someone getting stabbed in the back!

[ideismo]

You would be surprised what people are willing to believe in situations like this.

[Just saying.]

Besides, it isn't as though they're asking for trust, just mutual assistance to get out of the situation. It wouldn't make sense to betray your partner once the plan itself is underway... As for killing one of us, that's assuming we're both still alive at that point.

[scythegun]

[He dismisses the first part with a shrug; trusting someone to that extent just doesn't seem possible in a situation like this, but he supposes people here might be willing to risk it. Maybe it'll even work. Who knows!

The second part is more interesting, and he'll focus on that.]

So what do you think will happen to us, hmm?

[ideismo]

I'm not predicting anything; that's tempting fate.

[Maybe we'll be here, maybe we won't. Who the hell knows.]

[scythegun]

That's no fun.

[He doesn't sound annoyed though, and instead he shrugs.]

I suppose there isn't anything we can do but wait and see! The boredom will probably kill me before anything else, though.

[ideismo]

Well, that will solve at least one of the problems in that scenario we're discussing, won't it.

[...While that is entirely true, Alexei, for fuck's sake.]

[scythegun]

[It gets him to laugh, anyway.]

Well now I can't let that happen, can I? Besides, dying would make things far too easy on you. Who would pester you when you spend all day in here? You'd be entirely too happy if I died, and I certainly can't have that, now can I?

[ideismo]

Please. You didn't even let me start my day in here before making a nuisance of yourself today.

[scythegun]

I don't know what you're talking about. I only came in here to read, and it would be rude not to at least greet you, ja?

[...he's absolutely smirking like a douchebag.]

[ideismo]

[That doesn't seem to faze him any; he just sort of lets his breath deepen on the inhale and sighs a little, shifting those other books back where they're supposed to be.]

I do intend to survive this, along with as many of the group as possible. We'll see what that number ends up being, at the end... Whether you're among them or not really isn't of much consequence to me.

[scythegun]

[...You are not going to let him have any fun today, are you. Yeager sighs and closes the book, setting it aside. There really isn't any point in pretending anymore.]

I am curious to see how this turns out. You might just be stuck dealing with me for quite some time, milord!

[ideismo]

I said it wasn't of much consequence, not that I intend to complain about the outcome either way.

[So if you're there, then you're there; if not, so it goes. He doesn't seem to be doing much with his expression that says otherwise, anyway.]

[scythegun]

[What's the point if you won't even complain about it...]

Am I really that forgettable? I'm hurt!

[ideismo]

I don't remember saying that.

[Well, surely that's a promising start, at least- ]

I simply don't see much point in mourning a foregone conclusion. Someone is likely to target you eventually, given how this game is being played.

[Alexei.]

[scythegun]

[It gets him to laugh, but his sense of humor is terrible, so...]

Why would someone want to go after me? I've done nothing to paint a target on my back here!

[ideismo]

Oh, that's the issue, somewhat. Tell me, when it comes down to it - will people attack their friends, I wonder? Or the ones that prefer to stay at the periphery of the group, without much of value to contribute?

Of course, being too valuable isn't any good either... But keeping distance won't do you many favors in the end.

[It's difficult to tell exactly what he's doing from his tone alone, and as usual his expression isn't really helping; is this...an attempt at advice, is it just Alexei being super-backhanded about saying no one will care if you die, it's hard to say.]

[scythegun]

[Oh, it's absolutely backhanded, there's no way it's actual advice. Yeager waves a hand at that as if to dismiss it, though.]

It certainly is a risk, but it's one I'll willingly take! I greatly prefer that over listening to them mourn people they've only known for a few weeks. Getting overly attached is just as dangerous, wouldn't you say?

[ideismo]

You don't see any middle ground between detachment and falling over oneself with sentimentality...?

[...So asks the resident patron saint of lost causes.]

[scythegun]

Oh no, there certainly is a middle ground, but I doubt any of them would be able to find it. The majority of them are entirely too sentimental for that. I'm sure even you could end up being their best friend if you talk to them enough!

[ideismo]

...For the time being, things are as they were back in the Empire. If I can influence them peacefully, then so be it.

[And if not, then...eh, he tried but if they've got to move, they're going to move.]

[scythegun]

[Yeager shrugs.]

I wonder how long that will last...? I suppose you are a bit limited here, though.

[There aren't any orphanages for you to threaten to burn down or superweapons to raise from the bottom of the ocean!!]

[ideismo]

It will last until I've exhausted all viable options.

[He didn't threaten to burn down anything, orphanages or otherwise.]

[scythegun]

I'll be looking forward to the day you murder someone, then!

[ideismo]

I've never been either optimistic enough or unreasonable enough to consider that off the table and you know it.

[So if you're trying to get a rise, you're not going to.]

[scythegun]

[You aren't letting him have any fun...]

Oh, I know. It would be more fun if you'd at least pretend it isn't an option...