BASILISK

[guillotineroom]

.Characters may meet privately in any location available in the Edge of Reverie. Dorms are a good place to start, though!

Comments

[fisherwoman]

[gathering everyone together in the dorm early on day 13 to talk!!]

Let's make some choices before the other units have all made their alliances, hm? I'm not inclined to accept any kind of punishment, but I don't have any real preference for who we make a deal with, either. Still, we should decide, and we'll need to choose whether we'll offer anything besides the mutual guarantee of safety.

So, with that said! Does anyone have a preference for any particular group, or any ideas for an offer?

[velluminous]

[ Sprezzatura has a sheaf of hastily-scrawled paper and a general aura of frazzled distress. this lady hasn't even spent much time in the dorms, so she's taking the occasional furtive glance around, and so far hasn't piped up ]

[fisherwoman]

[by contrast, she seems calm, even a little amused as she glances her way]

You wrote something down, but you don't have anything to say? If you've got an opinion, you should tell us, you know!

[velluminous]

[ jumps, clutching the papers closer ]

Useless scribbles. I know few. Have kept to myself.

[ strong, strong fantasy slavic accent ]

[fisherwoman]

[she glances towards the papers, but her curiosity is mild.]

Well, alright. But, in other words, you don't care about which unit we assist?

[velluminous]

No. No...

[ ugh, ugh, ugh

rifling through... ]

Phoenix. There are some there who have been kind to me.

[fisherwoman]

[there's a pause of clear surprise for a moment.]

That's your reason? Well... I guess it isn't ill suited to a strange task like the one we've been handed.

[theomachist]

Uh, I don't have any ideas, but Sprezzatura is pretty smart. We could try Phoenix, like she says.

[fisherwoman]

Is she? That's good.

[glancing towards her as if she is not right there? endorsi why]

Well, anyways, I don't have a problem with that if it's what the two of you want to do. I don't know anyone well enough to have any preference.

[fisherwoman]

[gather gather gather probably in the dorm at some point]

So... Now that we have a little more privacy, how do we all feel about the proposal they've made?

I'll be honest. I'm suspicious! It seems strange that they would approach a group like us, that they know very little, out of simple altruism. I have trouble trusting anyone could be so kind, though the other involved teams did seem honestly surprised by the set up they offered. That being said... Well, I have my own thoughts on how we should respond, but I'd be curious to hear yours as well.

[velluminous]

[ she's perched somewhere higher, wherever that may be. she likes to be tall.jpg. tail curled around her feet, the tip flicking slightly in agitation ]

There is feeling, yes, of being pieces on board and directed where chessmaster deems. I do not think Mister Reim's motivations are entirely selfish or dishonest. Nevertheless, whether by oversight or true intention, this "triangle" may do Basilisk better harm than good. As group wedged into prior agreement between Cerberus and Kraken, we may be prospect to scrutiny in every interaction we have with either from now until...

[ until it's time to dole out punishment. she's quiet for a few seconds. ]

...Further, Phoenix as entire block will be judged harshly for its meddling, should any portion of this planning fall through. [ and hadn't Mister Reim mentioned another meeting? so there's more to this chess game than what they saw today ] Too many suspicious parties, someone undoubtedly will fall back on choice they feel is more reliable. Then infighting may begin, target "zero" being him. This may even be Warden's intention.

[fisherwoman]

Mm... You're right that it'll get worse if anything falls through, but that's not really my concern. Infighting is probably inevitable if situations like this keep occurring, anyways, and if he's already coordinated with other teams, then whether or not we go along with it doesn't change that he'll probably take the fall if anything goes awry. If you're going to make a bold choice like he did, you need to be prepared for the consequences, anyways.

[damn girl]

What kind of scrutiny do you think would fall on us, though? Is your meaning that they might be more critical of us as a party who interrupted their plans, even though we didn't come up with this course of action?

[velluminous]

[ it'll be your concern when Sprezzatura's flipping the fuck out and shrieking because she can't handle catastrophe in a normal-ass way ]

You do not think they would? We have no trust—not as exists between them two already. I can say "I will not go back on my word", but they have no reason to believe this is true.

[fisherwoman]

I guess, but won't that only last until this is over? If we agree to this, even if the Warden herself doesn't make the votes public, everyone involved in our little agreement will know who we were arranged to protect. So, if we hold up our end, they won't have cause to distrust us. I don't know them, so I can't claim to be invested in their wellbeing, but it might not be a bad idea to build that kind of reputation. I certainly wouldn't want to do the opposite, at least.

[tilting her head]

Would you be uncomfortable with scrutiny that only lasted that long?

[velluminous]

[ im uncomfortable with scrutiny ]

We only know what we agree to, not what may be whispered once we are no longer there. I would prefer not to consider them so underhanded, however. [ but as they say of wishes and beggars... ] I would prefer to make choice and be done with this.

[ preventative measures suck so much more than retaliation ]

[syckophant]

I don't know anything about Kraken or Cerberus....

But Reim seems like kind of a simple fool, if I'm honest. His involvement is almost certainly either altruism or being manipulated by someone else. He would make a very good servant, it is a shame he is on Phoenix. But I digress!

The truth is that the only person in this dump I care about is Wataru and he doesn't want our protection, so I don't really care who gets it.

[fisherwoman]

[humming in agreement]

I obviously wasn't going to say it while we were all there, but it is pretty foolish of him, isn't it? I even offered to repay the favor and he outright refused... I wonder if he'll come to regret that.

[giving a little shrug]

But, well, if we stand to gain something from it, I won't exactly argue with his convictions in this case. At the very least, I can't see how he would benefit from trying to trick or betray us in this situation, so I think the offer is legitimate enough. I'd like to accept, too, if the rest of us are alright with it.

[syckophant]

I ran him around a little when I first arrived for fun. It wouldn't be hard to do it again, fufufu~

In any case, I can agree to that. If we agree to this little... plot. Then we would likely have protection, and it isn't as if I have anyone else in mind to protect us, which is my priority.

[fisherwoman]

[she nods]

I didn't have a concrete plan before today, either, so it's almost suspiciously lucky this was dropped into our lap. I have the same priority, though, so I don't mind the help! Even better if they all insist we don't owe them anything in return.

[syckophant]

Indeed. I don't intend to be indebted to anyone. They'll find myme rather lacking in gratitude if they go looking.

So yes. Let's play along, like the good little criminals we are. No need to bite a hand offered at this time.

[emet_sulk]

[ This guy is probably lounging somewhere. There's a wide yawn (which he covers with a hand - wouldn't want to be rude) before he replies. ]

'Reim', was it? He did not strike me as the dishonest sort. Do keep in mind that we shall all be punished if every team has a defender, however.

[fisherwoman]

It did sound like they had a plan for that, though he didn't specify quite what it was. As long as we're not punished, though, it doesn't really bother me.

[emet_sulk]

Hmph. That is exactly the sort of self-serving thinking the Warden wishes us to pursue. I doubt the punishment is anything worth growing hysterical over.

[fisherwoman]

I won't deny that I'm self serving, but do I seem particularly hysterical to you?

[emet_sulk]

No. However, there are plenty of others who would and 'tis they we should be wary of. We require someone to protect us, yes? But paranoia may well fuel the desire to double-cross others for personal gain.