AUDIENCE FOR: Lup

[guestservices]

mostly void, partially stars.

❤

Comments

[evocationary]

I just wanted to make sure I could talk about this protection thing with all of you without having to tiptoe around it. I figured that's what that meant, just... I can't be too careful. It's not me that's on the line.

[guestservices]

Oh. [it's a quiet sort of oh, and they look at her for a second.] ...would you like to talk about it?

[evocationary]

Kinda. But it's all bad vibes, so if you don't want to hear it, I wouldn't blame you.

[guestservices]

Between you and me, I sort of specialize in bad vibes. You can say whatever you want, just know there may not be anything we can do about it. [...] I don't mind listening.

[evocationary]

Specialize in bad vibes, huh.

I don't expect any of you guys to do anything about it. That's fine. You seem like prisoners more than employees, though uh, I guess that's the same thing. [...] I don't know, it's...

It's good. It should be. I can help.

[guestservices]

Mm...slaves to capitalism. [idly said. but they regard her carefully with that.]

But...it's kind of a daunting job. Knowing you can help but having circumstances attached to it. Right?

[evocationary]

Knowing I can help but having to like, pick people. And tell myself I can't just pick the people I love, and being a little in charge of who might die. Even if it is random.

[...] There are some people here that probably shouldn't be given a second chance to go murder.

[guestservices]

[. . .]

Can we walk?

[this is an important conversation, and staying still doesn't seem like a good option.]

[evocationary]

Sure, yeah. Sorry, forgot you're stuck unless I go.

Let's walk.

[she'll lead them off! she's not going in any particular direction.]

[guestservices]

[lup may be leading, but after a few moments aquarius begins to usher them onward toward the courtyard. their steps are light, not even really making a sound as they walk onward and out into the garden. they don't stop for a bit, heading past the patio and onto the walking path.

soon, they settle amongst the flowers, turning to set their gifted flower crown on a nearby dog statue before having a seat on the ground.

but. right.]

I can probably get you a cushion if the ground's uncomfortable.

[evocationary]

[me watching them put the flower crown on the dog like IS THIS RINDO]

Sure, if you want. I'm not gonna complain at you. [she will settle down next to them, curiously.]

[guestservices]

[they will reach into their pocket and pull out a nice red cushion for her. she cannot keep it, this is just for her butt for this one thread.

anyway now that they're here, aquarius seems to relax just slightly with a small sigh.]

Which is nice, because I'm guest relations, not complaints. [sort of a joke.] ...sometimes it's not so bad being out here instead of in there. But we were talking about your addendum. It's always tempting to try to save the people you care about the most instead of being pragmatic, huh? Are you thinking of anyone in particular when you say no murdering?

[evocationary]

[thank you for her butt]

Kind of oppressive in there, huh. [she says, sympathetically.] ... I mean, mostly just like, Marie creeps me out. Um. Yoo Joonghyuk and Shinobu seem like shady people that'd get away with things for weeks, too.

I don't know what's pragmatic and what isn't. I'm not good at not uh, being biased.

[guestservices]

A little! A little, yeah. [but after that most of their emotions taper down to something calm and even as they listen.]

Even if you don't know yet, it doesn't hurt to watch them and observe while you can. [...] You have to pick four people each week, right? I guess it depends if you trust the people you care about to be able to take care of themselves if you can't offer them extra protection.

[evocationary]

Hm, well, I don't.

[stop]

... I don't know if it matters. If they don't have extra protection, they could just get their card drawn, and nothing can be done about it.

[guestservices]

I don't blame you. [just outright.]

If they're targeted, maybe they can fight back. But the draw of protection is very appealing. [...]

I wish I had advice that wasn't something like "use your best judgment." It's easy to say something like that, but putting it into action is where it gets trickier. What kind of advice would you give one of your participants if this came up back at your station?

[evocationary]

Oh, jeeze, I don't know. [she says, laughing a little.]

I was really bad at it. Half the time I just, uh -- [...] How old are you. Do I have to PG-13 myself?

[guestservices]

I'm very well aware of what your station was like, Lup.

[evocationary]

Okay, so then you know that my advice is probably not very applicable in this situation.

[guestservices]

I'm not so sure about that. I've heard about a boat where people slept together to protect each other, so...

[evocationary]

Y- what.

[danger will robinson]

That doesn't work here! Probably!

[guestservices]

[...okay, sorry. there is like. the softest laugh at that. sort of like if you aren't prepared you'll miss it.]

Sorry. Okay. So that doesn't work here. That can't be the only thing you did at the station.

[evocationary]

[huff.]

I don't know if this ever came up at the station. We didn't have these. Nobody worked with us, it was just the wild west, and when people came to me, it was always to ask me for fun toys to murder people with.

And I couldn't tell them no.

[guestservices]

[...]

That sounds horrible. Being locked into something you can't change.

[evocationary]

[she sighs, and flops down.]

Yeah. This is like round two! Like, congrats, you're locked in, here's a bunch of responsibility for people's lives!

... Like, it's fine. I'm not going to make my way through each one of you to whine and whimper, I'll just deal. At least I can do something.