AUDIENCE: SHIRO

[retellers]

Comments

[retellers]

... I've heard about it, but only from other participants. If there's any splintering happening, I haven't noticed, and none of the other Leaders have owned up to it.

[lionson]

I was told Cater's nova was splintering, and that another Leader told someone from their team to kill Cater for it. It seems kinda weird to me, that someone else would notice but her own team leader wouldn't.

[retellers]

[ ... There's a sigh ]

Yeah.

[ they got nothing else?? ]

[lionson]

...Wolf. Did you notice, or did you not notice?

[retellers]

I can't confirm or deny the dead teams, it counts as a team hint.

[ they're dying here. ]

[lionson]

[WOLF PLZ]

Just tell me who to kill and don't put that shit on any kids on our team, got it?

[retellers]

[ they make a face ]

Can people stop assuming I'm telling people to kill already?

[lionson]

Well when you do have to, don't bother anyone else with it. I'll do it for you.

[retellers]

Sound less eager to murder for me, would you?

[ they know why but also SHIRO ]

[lionson]

I can't help it if murder is the best way to keep most people safe.

[retellers]

[ they dont entirely disagree but like... is it ... ]

You okay? You're not normally this. [ ....... murder happy ] Intense.

[lionson]

[Yeah it's NBD he's just really feeling the murder this week.]

Maybe I'm just a little tired of watching people die, yeah? It's not like me to just sit by and let things happen like this without at least trying to take on some of the burden.

[retellers]

[ unfortunate. i had no idea. ]

... You'd be watching someone die either way.

[ they are very ? ? ? ? ]

[lionson]

If someone has to die because their nova is splintering, that's one thing. But having to watch someone get executed when they had no choice but to kill, that's what I have a problem with.

[retellers]

[ ... ah ]

Weekend hit you hard, huh?

[ clearly, that's it ]

[lionson]

That's not the only reason.

[It is a big reason though. Effect-induced paranoia is another.]

I just don't want to see any more kids face execution. So if murders have to happen, I'll do them. I already know I'm going to die soon, so it's fine.

[retellers]

... Right. Wanna explain that last part?

[lionson]

Shima is from my world, but several months in the future. He had no idea who I was when I should have been his teacher at school, and apparently my son was teaching my class. So at the very least, I know I'm dead within a few months of my time.

[retellers]

That's...

[ hm. they're frowning underneath the mask ]

So what, you throw it away here?

[lionson]

Who's throwing away what? You just said there's a way to bring people back.

But dying and coming back, that'll mess with people heads. I don't want to leave kids with that kind of mental damage.

[retellers]

You think watching people die is better? Because I'm pretty sure you're throwing a fit about it yourself.

[lionson]

No, it's not better! But I've done it enough times in my life that I can actually handle it.

And you said it yourself: eventually someone on this team is going to have to do it. If someone has to do it anyway, why shouldn't it be me?

[retellers]

Just because I mentioned the method doesn't mean I think we should do it.

[ shiro, please. but wolf sighs a little ]

You're not changing your mind about this, are you?

[lionson]

[Shiro is indeed oddly focused on the 'murder' part. But even though he's getting irritated, he does stop to ask something.]

What method do you think we should do instead then, huh?

[retellers]

Not the first thing that comes up that I remembered when the Realm was unstable, maybe?