doublesmall | (thot PC's) junpei

Yeah, no shit. I'm starting to wonder if the plan's boring us to death, or just keeping us here until we can't stand each other anymore.

[certain people are pushing that already, but it's fine? it's fine. he'll stab his roommate if he must.]

Considering some people? Leaning toward the latter.

[He looks over his shoulder briefly.] Of course it's the latter. You heard the broadcast didn't you? "First week here, and we were all willing to work with each other to find a way out of this gilded cage. That changed."

[But he's busy looking through the cabinet now, not really for something to drink but to keep himself busy. And maybe drink. Who knows.] Not really a warning to be ignored, I think.

I'm pretty sure we've always been screwed on that front.

[or maybe it's just him who would definitely not be willing to work with some people here. either way, chuuya shrugs a shoulder.]

Last time something like this happened to me, cooperating with anyone wasn't really the answer, so.

[...oh?]

You've been in this kind of game before then? [There's something deliberate in the way he says "game", but he's trying not to appear too eager for this bit of information.]

Something like that. It was a mystery novel last time, though, and I at least got instructions for the damn thing.

[he takes another sip, there.]

I wouldn't call it much of a game, though. Maybe for the guy who wrote it.

[Squint.]

You're not like the other guy who was summoned and sent inside actual books to fight monsters, are you. [That's what he's taking from this.]

What? No. I've never heard of that.

[there's a wave of his hand-]

There's someone back home with the ability to pull people into books he's written.

[Other Chuuya sure said some weird shit, but it's fine it's fine.]

An ability sort of like your gravity thing? [A wild guess, but he's finally leaving the cabinet alone and starts to pace the room to look at the paintings. He doesn't feel like sitting.] How do people get out of that sort of trap?

Like my gravity manipulation, yeah. There's more gifted back home than just me.

[bsd please tell us how much of the population is fucking gifted i'm begging.]

And you get out of it by solving the mystery-- at least in that one. I have no idea how it'd work if he wrote something different.

Huh. [Well. That's also weird, and he has a million questions about that but let's go backwards a bit.] Suppose it would depend on the genre, if he was an author.

How long ago was that?

Not that long-- it's been a bit, though.

[aka i don't know what the timeline is right now]

Took a while to get out of the damn thing.

[Fair.]

Could be why you're here then. If they wanted people with some experience, you bring in people who've found a way out of hostile situations. [He frowns in thought.] Then again, the "mystery" on our hands isn't exactly easy to pick apart.

...I mean, I don't really think that experience applies in this case, either. Like I said, I had instructions-- the setup was that a certain number of the population in the book were killers, and the goal was finding them out and getting rid of them.

That's the kind of shit that just isn't worth doing the long way.

[Just a Look.]

What makes you think we just don't have our instructions yet? Yeah, normally they come right when you wake up but their rules are a little different, looks like.

If they're really trying to recreate what happened, they might not have a choice but to do it the long way.

'Normally'? What, is this a repeat experience for you too?

[because maybe that does lend credence to the theory that they wanted people who've done it before... hm.]

Yes. And since I'm not the only one, I can't rule out that theory yet either.

Great, so we've got a club or something going here.

[a roll of his eyes, as he takes another sip.]

Well? How'd it work for you?

Not in a way that's going to do us any good. [...] A certain amount of people came in, but only a certain amount could leave. That's how.

So-- get rid of the competition or risk them getting rid of you, I'm assuming.

[it's the logical conclusion. stab or get stabbed, if you have to trim numbers somehow. his head's cocked, a brow raised as he looks junpei over.]

And given that you're still here, I'm also assuming you were pretty good at avoiding that latter part.

Yup. There was a way for all of us to get out alive, but I wonder if our captors here will even give us that option. [He looks at the black watch on his left wrist for a moment.]

I've been known to dodge death once or twice, yeah. [Haha.]

If you ask me, they shouldn't. There's a couple of real pains in the ass here.

[let certain people die. it's fine. it's FINE.]

No wonder you'd get a round two though, if that's the case.

Hah. Try round three. [It's kinda mumbled and said to himself but it's fine.] What, you already have people you'd get rid of?

Real unlucky bastard, aren't you.

[round three... but well, he must be doing something right to still be alive.

probably someone to be cautious around. he doesn't look like much, but maybe he'd shank somebody given half a chance.]

And I'm pretty sure my roommate here would do just fine if he got left behind. Seems like his kind of place.

[He's bypassing that for now. Let's not talk about his luck, and instead he lifts an eyebrow.]

You mean the "superhero"? [Said in a way that implies he strongly believes Nathan is kind of a dumbass. ] At least someone besides Polly is having a good time.

I'd like it if he were enjoying this less. Or at least stuck with literally anyone but me.

[thanks, he hates it.]

Why not just...lock him out? Take his shell when he's not paying attention, let him figure it out for himself.

[No.]

You know, that's not a bad plan.

[yes.]

[RIP Nathan.]

If this is going to be a game where the strong survive, he'll have to figure out how to handle himself sometime. May as well give him a hand.

I like the way you think.

[he's raising his glass to junpei, there, before he takes another sip.]

The ass-kicking route hasn't gotten results, so it's worth a shot.

[He shouldn't, but he laughs a bit.]

You already tried beating him up? How'd that go?

Not as well as I hoped. Most people would give it up, at that point...

[he's annoying and persistent, why.]

The overdramatic type never give up that easily. [There's a shrug, and eventually he decides that he'll be here a while and pours himself a drink. It's nothing very strong, or even a lot, but it's there to pretend to be social before he settles on a nearby chair.] But he also seems easily distracted.

[Dick wars...]

He does, so I think it'll be easy enough to get him locked out. Just gotta find the right opportunity.

[which is a large part of his job, so like, he's used to it. he'll make it happen.]

Lucky for you, we apparently have all the time in the world. [Ugh.] If that didn't work, you think people can just trade?

Who in their right mind would trade to get stuck with that guy? It's too early to have to resort to bribery... not like I have the resources for it, anyway.

I don't know, you could stick him with Polly? They seem like they'd have fun together. [But hmm...is it too early, Chuuya? Is it really?]

Used to buying people off?

It's not my favorite tactic, exactly, but it's useful enough.

[so, yeah, definitely at least somewhat used to it.]

Might be right about those two, though. Maybe they'd like it better that way.

They can't expect us to keep everything exactly the same just because they decided it. Not like they'll punish us for swapping. [A sip of his drink.] And Carlos is way more tolerable than your roommate.

You think so? Can't say I've really met the guy-- for as little as there is to do here, there's a few people I haven't run into much.

[A shrug.] Yeah. More decent than some of the others I've met here. I've talked to everybody at least once, but there are some that seem to be laying low. Can you blame them? We're in a haunted love hotel.

(thot PC's) junpei

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