AUDIENCE: HANSA

[retellers]

Comments

[robopriest]

And yet you didn't think to investigate further? Didn't think, "hey, maybe we should verify whether one of us is actively trying to sabotage us"?

[retellers]

No, we're just sitting on our asses all week doing nothing.

[ they place their hands on their hips. ]

You do know that we are actually doing work, right? That there is, in fact, a reason that we split up so that some of us can work in the castle interrupted while the rest of us stay here for you to yell at us all day? I know you all like to criticize us and call us useless, but I promise you, if you were in my position you would not be doing any fucking better.

[robopriest]

Well, then tell me. What is your "work" that's keeping so much of your attention? You're in the same situation we are. You yourself said that you hate wearing all of this, being masked, being faceless, probably because the Realm thinks you're a tool compared to us.

[That's what he doesn't get. This attitude. Even if they forgot everything...]

What are you all going through that we can't see?

[retellers]

A headache.

You know, we're still trying to figure out what's taking all the nova on top of all this, right? So trying to do the jobs we actually agreed to, on top of trying to figure out if one of us is either a backstabber or someone who just knows something that we don't but won't say for some reason, is a headache.

[ they move their hand, like they're going to flip hair out of the way, but then pause when there is. no hair there, only cloak. ]

... I'm not saying shit is harder for us than it is for you guys, but we're kind of multitasking here.

[robopriest]

Then let us help you. If things are so overwhelming that you're not allowed to focus on figuring out who might be undermining everything you're doing, why can't you let us into it? Or, let me guess. The Realm won't let you.

[retellers]

Kinda. But it's also just it's stuff you can't do, since a lot of it ties into the connection we formed with the Realm when we were made Leaders. We can look into things that you guys can't.

[robopriest]

Things?

[NARROWS EYES]

What things?

[retellers]

[ flatly, ]

Our secret cult rituals where we sacrifice virgins.

[robopriest]

Oh, of course. I suppose you're next on the list?

[HANSA,]

[retellers]

[ there's a pause

and then they just smile. ]

[robopriest]

...

[what]


[what does that MEAN]




Oh, don't tell me you've been getting it on with one of your fellow masked people while we're out here getting murdered.

[retellers]

[ they shrug. ]

I dunno. Are you normally curious about the sex lives of sixteen year old girls?

1/2

[robopriest]

[????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????]

[robopriest]

[SORRY HE'S JUST BLUE-SCREENING FOR A MOMENT???]

You're.

You're a sixteen year-old girl.

[retellers]

Yup.

[ yup! ]

[robopriest]

[He just. Pinches the bridge of his nose.]

You know, I was going to ask if I could see your face. And I guess I now know what to expect.

[retellers]

[ there's a nod. ]

I'd have to ask, anyway. We're not actually completely sure if we'd get in trouble or not, so we've been kind of waiting for all of us to be on board about the whole mask thing. You know, so that we're all equally as guilty if we get smited, so it's not awkward.

[ that's both a joke and also not. ]

But we'll see what the others say.

[robopriest]

Is that so?

[He raises an eyebrow.]

One of your crew's diary entries was discovered earlier this week in those little adventures. Said that they removed their masks for one of their followers just fine without consequences. Are you sure your fellow leaders aren't already going ahead with such things behind your back?

[retellers]

One of those losers is keeping a diary?

[ tiger, don't focus on the wrong part. ]

... that's interesting.

[robopriest]

Yep. Of course, it could be a leader from some bygone Realm contest...but it sounds a lot like one of you. Talks about us participants have "grown adjusted to being in an unfamiliar world" and how removing their mask may have been a "breach of protocol, but there has yet to be any consequences". Interesting, huh?

The rules aren't as strict as you think.

[retellers]

[ she, because i can use she now god bless, bites her nail. ]

I wonder what qualifies as grown adjusted...?

[robopriest]

Maybe that first week, before murder happened, when we started getting into routines. I mean, I went back to training, and a lot of people relaxed and let themselves believe in this whole fun nova business. Even Claude threw a party.

[retellers]

Well, the next entry was probably really awkward then.

[ f for the writer ]

I'm going to check in with the others first. We all have to meet up at the castle tonight, anyway.

[robopriest]

[f for the writer indeed. hope it isn't the SIXTEEN YEAR OLD GIRL who COULD MAYBE WRITE A DIARY no i'm joking]

Sure. Are you close with them, by the way? Your fellow masked leaders, I mean.

[retellers]

Not really. Don't think they like me very much.

[ it's said very matter-of-factly. ]

Even before things got even more complicated here, we had a lot of clashes in personality.