[PRIVATE 4 WOLF!!]

[heliokleptic]

[So Dawn leads Dragonfly into the woods!]

Comments

[pitching]

[not creepy, not creepy, okay very creepy but trying not to look freaked out]

[heliokleptic]

[doesn't seem in the least bit bothered. but doesn't go in very far either, before turning to face Hikaru]

So... Are you a wolf?

[pitching]

No, I'm not.

[shakes head]

[heliokleptic]

So... you haven't had any say in what teams the wolves take?

[pitching]

I can't have a say if I can't even begin to figure out who's a wolf in the first place. I can't tell at all. I mean, my first vote was random cuz I don't understand how you're suppose to decide.

[heliokleptic]

Haha... okay. That's kind of how I feel too. But... after each round ends and the teams disappear, you looked pretty upset.

[pitching]

I just don't want them to go through what Hound had to in the last game! That huge guillotine thing is always there, and each time the smoke comes up, there's always the sound of two thuds as if it--

[shakes head]

People say it might only be there for mind games, but you can't trust the personae!

[heliokleptic]

...you're a really nice guy.

[pitching]

[rubbing eyes a bit]

Huh?

[heliokleptic]

For worrying that much about other people. I suspected you because... well, the look on your face made me think of how I feel, every time I've done something I didn't want to because I didn't know what else to do.

[pitching]

I don't think...I don't think I could continue to play as a wolf knowing that there's a chance that I'd end up hurting so many people. Maybe if my team was here, I'd do it to protect them, but even then, if we were forced to--

[shakes head, trying not to think about it]

[heliokleptic]

[D8, puts a hand on your shoulder]

Hey... it's okay. You're right, maybe you can't trust the Personae, but you can trust the people here. I was trying to think, between Kunzite and Emerald, who would be the most likely to hurt others to protect themselves and... I don't think it's either of them. I think almost all of the teams would give themselves up instead of play a game where they have to choose who to kill every night.

[pitching]

At least staying sane as they did it. I'd want to protect Coral just like in the last game, but then if I had found out someone on Kunzite died instead...I don't know. I know Kunzite cares about each other though so they might? But they'd feel terrible about it. They felt terrible when they hurt Hound.

[heliokleptic]

No... I don't think any team could do it. Once, maybe..? But again and again? And we keep 'killing' other people trying to find them? The Personae hasn't even had to threaten us to get us to vote.

The more I think about it, the more I'm sure they're safe. Did you know the reason the Personae sometimes run games like that is because they get more power from it?

[pitching]

...really? I didn't know that...

[heliokleptic]

Yeah, Guy heard it from Maleficent, and told me. In their own way, Personae that run bad games are just doing their best to protect their world. Not that that makes it okay... but, it isn't just about being cruel. They get power from stronger feelings. And... I guess stuff like 'fear' and 'anger', and having to fight with each other over what to do in a game will get them a lot more power.

So, if was really hurting anyone, it would be better to show us the bodies, right? So people were actually afraid for their lives, and their friends lives?

[pitching]

Oh...

[look at the sudden relief in his face]

That makes a lot of sense, yeah. Cuz when I saw Hound getting hurt, that was...yeah. Okay, I guess that makes sense.

[heliokleptic]

[relief back at you =x]

I know a little bit about illusions, because I've spent too much time in Acedia's head. I think that's what this Personae is like. Well... that doesn't mean he definitely wouldn't hurt anyone. But... at least for this game, I think he's just putting on a big show. Scaring people gets him more power, but it won't bad as bad for us as if he actually hurt anyone.

[pitching]

Acedia?

[shakes head]

Yeah, I think this persona...no, I felt it when it called us. It can be dangerous.

[heliokleptic]

My teammate, he's playing in this game too.

And yeah, Acedia can be pretty dangerous too. But most of the time he'd rather just make people think he'll be dangerous when he doesn't really care enough to go through with it.

[pitching]

[. . .

your life sounds hard . . .]

So you're saying the persona is probably like that Acedia guy then?

[heliokleptic]

At least a little bit, yeah.

[pitching]

Then I guess the thing to do is to hurry and get this game over with by finding the wolves so we can go home quickly. That way, we can at least check and make sure.

[heliokleptic]

Well... you're not a wolf, and I'm not a wolf. And we know that either Kunzite or Emerald are definitely wolves. I was thinking Emerald wouldn't do it but... Knife is smart enough to figure out everything I just told you, so she could be playing after all.

[pitching]

Yeah, you're definitely not a wolf! I can tell that much! Knife does seem like that kind of person, doesn't she? I don't know her as well as Snow, but I can tell she's clever at least. If it was Liberty instead of Snow, I might suspect them, but Snow is...Snow.

[heliokleptic]

I haven't talked to Knife yet, but I will. How's Snow been acting? I don't know him at all.

[pitching]

Quiet...but he's always quiet. He's been acting more concerned about how I am instead of trying to figure out if I'm a wolf or not.

[heliokleptic]

Did he seem worried about the game?

[pitching]

I think about as worried as everyone else. He thinks the guillotine was added to mess with us, too.

[heliokleptic]

So... what do you think?

[pitching]

I don't think it's your team, and I don't think it's Snow. If it can only be one team, it's probably Emerald then, right?

[...]

I think Sapphire's safe, too. Fallout would be easier to read if she was a wolf, I think. Maybe I'm wrong though since I only know so much, but to me, she feels like she'd be a sheep.

[heliokleptic]

All right... I still have to talk to Knife, but I'll think about it. Either way, we should try to make sure Emerald and Kunzite go up tonight.

[pitching]

Yeah. [nods] So you're really not a wolf right?

[heliokleptic]

I'm really not.

[pitching]

Totally sure? Really sure? Absolutely sure?

[heliokleptic]

You can suspect me if you want. I won't hold it against you.

[pitching]

[shrug]

I'm just really bad at this sort of thing.

[heliokleptic]

Haha, it's kind of hard. But at least now that I'm sure no one is getting hurt, it's less stressful...

[pitching]

Trust me, I understand. I feel a thousand times better because of it.

[heliokleptic]

Well that's good. Do your best, okay?

[pitching]

Yeah, that's what I'll do.

[Pauses]

Thanks for everything by the way.