andexecutioner | PRIVATE MEETINGS

[... huh. Somehow, that seems more unusual than the glider or the cards. She tilts her head, trying to get a better look at the animal in his hands, and see if it's one she recognizes.]

You sure do like your toys, don't you? [It's not what she came here to ask. But it's distracted her from her actual question for a moment.]

They keep me out of trouble.

[It's flippant, almost self-deprecating but not quite; it seems he's in a good mood today, for whatever reason. Probably aided by the fact that he doesn't seem to be injured from the fight in the pit, despite the fact that Rideaux definitely got him with his scalpels; the slash on his cheek and the spot where one of them had caught him in the throat are completely healed over, no scars or anything.

The animal he's playing with looks like a cat of some sort, for the sake of reference; it's pretty nondescript, though, a little black one. There's a couple of small stuffed ones on the shelves near his desk as well, one of them white with a red ribbon around its neck and the other one brown with a white ribbon.

...Toys and cats, man.]

Something on your mind?

[It almost hadn't occurred to her. But then, healing powers were exceptionally common in her world, one of the advantages of being in Althena's domain. She doubts that he's relying on the power of a protective goddess, though -- maybe it's the same power that he's using to drain the life out of the Competitors?]

Actually, I was wondering about that system you use to make announcements. How does it work?

What, the intercom?

[You know, of all things he was expecting, that wasn't anywhere near one of them.]

You can talk into something and it'll broadcast it to everyone. Why?

[Because if it had been magic or something like that, it would have made her next question sound even dumber than it already does.]

Well, I mentioned to someone that the flyers were getting a bit out of hand. And they brought up the idea of borrowing your system for our own announcements, instead.

[She leaves out that it was Katniss, since she can't be sure if the bad blood goes both ways.]

I figured there would be no harm in asking, so... would it be allowed?

[...God, does he ever not like Katniss, so that's a wise choice, really.]

Not going to happen, but it wasn't a bad idea, I guess. I mean, you might want to tell Aligula to use less paper if that's the concern, because she gets kind of...

[...]

She's really enthusiastic.

Enthusiasm isn't always a bad thing, but... someone has to clean it all up after, right?

[Who is doing that, anyway. Jean isn't completely sure if Aligula herself cares enough to do it, but surely someone is handling it...]

[... and the bodies...]

[... maybe she'll look into that herself before asking him. Let's investigate this line of thought a little further before jumping on another.]

Well, what about if it was an emergency? Let's say...

["Someone is trying to kill me." Yeah, no, he won't count that as an emergency.]

... let's say there there was a fire. In the... [Kitchen? They'd be able to smell it. What other room seems particularly flammable?] ... library. Would getting a warning out still be a problem?

[His expression goes kind of odd at that; it's less like he's bothered at all by the question and more like he's trying to work out why the hell that would constitute an emergency.

He shakes it off quickly enough, though.]

Actually, yeah. Basically, I won't do anything to directly interfere with the lives you're living here - I won't go out of my way to hinder you unless you're breaking rules, but I won't help you when it comes to daily life, either, unless it's absolutely necessary.

I mean, I've given people things because they've asked for them before, and I guess I could give people gifts if I felt like it. But that sort of thing's up to my discretion, and it's not really interfering with anything either way.

[Oh. They could burn the place down, and he wouldn't care? That's certainly useful information, though she hesitates to call it good.]

Such as the trinkets in the vending machine?

[... she pointedly decides against asking why there were naughty bras in there.]

Something like that. Or some sort of specific request or something, I guess.

But nothing that would get us out of here, I imagine.

[Huh. Well, that's intriguing. She remembers the last week, when he had bragged about his abilities at the Incentive. At the time, she had likened it dismissively to him being like a genie. But right now, the comparison seems apt.]

If we do make a request, is there a catch?

I'm not guaranteeing you'll get anything, because it's like everything else - if I don't agree with it for whatever reason, I won't grant it. But you can ask for whatever.

I'm not going to make you give up something to get it or anything, though, if that's what you're asking.

Yes, that's what I meant. I'm not keen on selling my soul for anything, after all.

[There's nothing she actually needs, not that she can think of. But now that she's aware of the possibility, she still wants to give this a try. Especially since she's curious if he really does have those situation-altering powers that he's flaunted.]

[What's something about this situation that he could change? Something fairly difficult, but wouldn't disrupt the flow of his precious game.]

How about adding new rooms? Could you do something like that?

Edited 2016-07-20 13:21 (UTC)

Technically, yeah. But I'm not going to reward you before you're due for one.

Get through another week and see what you get. Even if no one's moved by then, I'll give it to you. What sort of room would you want? Within reason.

Well, I'd like --

[She almost blurts out an answer, but stops herself.]

... I'd like to think it over for a moment, if you wouldn't mind.

[Because she had almost asked for a ballroom. But that wouldn't be testing his power very far, would it? There's trusting others, and then there's falling for a con -- he could easily take a sufficiently large room, clear the furniture, buff the floors and call it a ballroom. Besides, the party last week had shown that they didn't really need a formal space for dancing.]

[She needs something more outlandish. To see how far she could stretch the bounds of reason and get away with it.]

Take your time.

[If he knows what she's trying to do, he doesn't seem troubled by it; it's confident, if flippantly so.]

[She paces a little, cupping her chin thoughtfully.]

[Her next instinct is to ask for a bar. She's not an alcoholic, but this game has made a very compelling argument for becoming one. It's also markedly more difficult, since it requires very specific furniture and a good stock of liquor. But outright asking for one would feel like a confession of how troubled she's still feeling right now. And of course, many of the people here were young and susceptible, and would also feel tempted to make it a habit. There must be something healthier, something they can all enjoy...]

[And then an idea dawns on her. There was something that came up in her first conversation with Brady, when they had discussed surfing, which she had said they'd be lucky to find here. And it touched on a unifying element among their group -- the girl who showed up in the swimsuit. Their cook who had won his fish friend from the vending machine. The actual, literal pirate.]

[And truth be told, it was something she wanted, too. As much as the indoor plumbing had been a fascinating novelty at first, they were far removed from the sacred springs of Althena that dotted the surface of Lunar. A little more water might help ease the homesickness in her heart.]

How about a pool, or a spring? Would that be reasonable?

[...Well, that seems to amuse him a bit, though he shrugs at it a little.]

That sounds like the sort of thing I'd ask for, actually.

But yeah. If that's what you want, sure.

It does? You have some surprising interests...

[She almost reconsiders just for that. Your approval fills her with shame, Juri.]

[But, maybe that's just another sign of how water seems to hold a strange connection to all of this. The symbol of life and healing on Lunar, which carries the Blue Dragon's blessing...]

[She folds her arms in resolution, and nods.]

But yes. That's what I'm going to request.

All right, then.

Anything else?

No. I think I've already gotten far more than I came here expecting. But you can bet I'll be back next week, whether it's there or not.

[There's a touch of confidence there, clearly, as if something's gotten her fighting spirit lit.]

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