AUDIENCE: SHIGEO

[retellers]

Comments

[exercisms]

[Taking it!]

Thank you. I'll do my best to find them.

[Tucking it into his pocket, with the ribbon poking out.]

. . . The other thing is, I know who Shima-san's leader is. The one who told him to kill Brick-san.

I wanted to talk to you about that. But I don't want to cause you more difficulties.

[retellers]

[ they frown slightly, but then nod. ]

We can talk about it. I can try to answer any questions that I can.

[exercisms]

Do you know who Shima-san's leader is? If not, can I tell you?

[retellers]

... I know through conversations you all have been having. But, you shouldn't tell me directly, since that will count as you breaking the rule.

[ so, basically, the leaders eavesdropping is fine, as long as the team member isn't directly doxxing to them. ]

[exercisms]

Oh!

[He seems pleased! Should he be pleased the leaders are listening in on all their conversations? Well, he is.]

Then you already know. So. . . that's good, right? If what that person was doing was dangerous, or if they were lying, you would be angry with them, and you aren't.

[retellers]

... what was being said is true.

[ there's a pause, and then they are just going to sit down on the ground. ]

About the splintering.

[exercisms]

[He will sit down too, next to her. This seems distressing, but not all that surprising.]

When did you find out?

[retellers]

It was recently... I think all of us should have heard about it by now.

But it's true. And... Shima's Leader is very kind. So I really hope people don't give them too much grief about it. I don't think anyone hates what happened more than they do right now, besides those who were directly involved.

[exercisms]

They've been nice. [He doesn't have any ability to give someone grief.] But I don't understand why they didn't tell the rest of you and us what was happening. Was that against the rules, too.

[retellers]

We're not allowed to talk about participant matters with each other, unless we know for sure that the other Leader already knows about it. It's... very difficult to work around.

Plus... not all of them would believe it. Swan definitely wouldn't unless they experience it firsthand, I think.

[exercisms]

When I talked to Swan last week, they were very determined to find the person responsible.

[Swan is so stubborn. He likes that, but it tracks.]

Do you know how F. . . the leader [sorry] is finding out people are splintering?

[retellers]

[ he was obviously about to say friend, wow ]

It has to be through the Realm, I think. I don't know why it doesn't tell all of us... maybe its own rules that it made for us regarding the teams backfired? So instead of being able to tell all of us, it can only do it by team...

[exercisms]

. . . Will that happen to you, too? Will you have to tell one of us to do something like that?

[retellers]

It might.

[ it's said quietly. ]

B-but... hopefully that won't be the case. It could be something that won't happen very often, maybe...

[ they do not sound like they entirely believe that though. ]

[exercisms]

It seems like at least one person every week has splintered.

[Bad!]

I want to understand. Sora-san said since I'm used to dealing with spirits, maybe I can help someone who has splintered. I'm not sure, but. . . I can try.

[retellers]

The problem is that... it seems like it isn't noticeable until really late. Every time a Leader has been able to spot it, it's when it's close to the point of no return. So unless we figure out how to spot it earlier...

[exercisms]

What does it look like, close to that point?

[retellers]

I don't know if it's the same in every case, but... the one I know about, the person splintering was having severe issues with their memory. It happened very drastically.

But from our standpoint, it's... I'm not sure how to describe it.

[exercisms]

. . . Can you see it in a different way than we can?

[retellers]

Well... we can sense things that you all can't, because of our connection to the Realm.

[exercisms]

There are sometimes things I can see that others can't.

[So that makes sense to him! Okay.]

Are you going to be okay? You don't deserve to have to do something so terrible as that.

[retellers]

[ they're quiet, but then nod. ]

I'm going to have to be. Everyone is... everyone is suffering here, so I can't cry just because it's hard for me. It's hard for everyone.

[exercisms]

If you're sad, you should cry. It doesn't make you less brave, or less able to help.

[retellers]

Not everyone might think that...

[exercisms]

[What to say to encourage her. . . ]

It doesn't matter what everyone thinks! You are the protagonist of your own life.

[What does this MEAN.]