PRIVATE MEETINGS

[andexecutioner]

If you'd like to have a private meeting with the Adjudicator, this is where you should go! The Adjudicator is available at almost all hours of the day; just knock and he'll answer.

Comments are screened for privacy; no eavesdropping, that's rude.

Comments

[meanttobe]

A lot for us to work through, or a lot for you to work through...?

[And, because he is the kind of boy who is easily distracted, he glances over the cards. Hard to ignore when someone's playing a game right in front of you.]

[andexecutioner]

Both, but I'd think it's a bit more important for you guys. It's your memories and all.

[meanttobe]

So they are real! Like, genuine memories, things that really happened?

[andexecutioner]

Yep. At least, to my knowledge they are.

[meanttobe]

[...]

Do you have, uh, any- like, scientific evidence, or... [Very heavy sigh.] She's probably not gonna take your word for it, right. Oh well, 'least I know. ...Do...you know why they're all...weird? I mean, why everyone else doesn't remember things they should.

[andexecutioner]

[Shrug!]

Not really, unless you count "It's just how things work around here."

[meanttobe]

Swing and a miss, okay. Uhhh. So like... [He hesitates and lowers his voice a little. It does not seem like he's comfortable with what he's about to ask at all.]

...is there anyway to...guarantee someone's safety here? Like...absolutely...protect them.

[andexecutioner]

[The reaction that gets from him probably isn't a very promising one, Brady; he doesn't look up, but he seems amused. Not in a particularly nice way, either.]

Why do you ask?

[meanttobe]

[Ah, great, there's that ice through his veins.]

'Cause... 'Cause I like everyone here. [mostly] But. There's one, she- she's afraid. I can tell, and- ...it's stupid to ask, she wouldn't want me to, I just... If one of the people I'm trapped in here with is someone I love, like...it's like, even if there- there was something I'd act on, really, I... I wouldn't sacrifice her. Never, and...

[He drops his gaze.]

It's just something I've been wondering about. A little bit. How to keep someone safe who's in here, without acting on any of your...incentives.

[andexecutioner]

[See, that's interesting.]

What would you be willing to do?

[meanttobe]

[His mouth goes dry and he can't find his words for a moment.]

Anything.

[It's not a nice realization.]

[andexecutioner]

[He's quiet for a moment at that; he actually looks up at him, studying him for a moment, before he returns to his game.]

So if I were to tell you that you could spare your loved one by sending your best friend into a situation where they would be tortured into insanity and suffer for the rest of their life, you would do it.

[He flips a few cards.]

If I were to tell you to help Aligula make two of the people here into one of her experiments, you would do it. If I were to tell you to be one of Aligula's experiments, you'd do it.

[Flip. Flip. Flip.]

Think of the worst possible things that can be done to a human being. If I were to tell you that I want you to do all of that to Mozu, you would do it.

Is that right?

[meanttobe]

[And at that, it's Brady's turn to be quiet. Not look up, at all, just listen to Juri's words and the flipping of the cards.

That's the thing, the realization. It's that a large part of him wants to say yes, but.

Slowly, after a long few moments, he shakes his head.]

Sh... She'd hate me. And...I'd hate myself. [His voice comes out scratchy.] It. It was dumb to ask.

[andexecutioner]

...It wasn't dumb to ask.

[That's quieter than it normally is. A bit more focused.]

Just...keep it in mind, all right? Be careful who you promise "anything" to. Some people will be lenient. Some will really ask you for anything.

[meanttobe]

[He nods.]

...Are everyone's evening chats with you as cheery as this? [There's an attempted sliver of humor there but he's not in the mood to fully commit, so it just comes out dry, and a little sad.]

[andexecutioner]

The ones with decent people tend to be about this level of happy, yeah. It'd be kind of a concern if they weren't, I think.

[Given the whole murdergame thing.]

[meanttobe]

I think... I think that's all for tonight. [He glances up and then stands.] Thanks for the, uh...

...insight, I guess.

[andexecutioner]

...Don't mention it.