You've all heard every accusation of distrust and unfairness under the sun already, none of us need to rehash it. We've got more important things to be dealing with, when a place has a veritable mind of its own and the power to execute it, and people willing to kill running around in the meantime.
[ It isn't respect, necessarily, but his opinion of them increases a little more. ]
A few things, though they're all mostly related to nova. [ Anything dry or almost-condescending is gone - business for both of them, then. ] I can tell that we're losing memories, and even the past two weeks are a little... fuzzy, around the edges. We're generating nova, if the rankings are anything to go by - for better or worse, given the experiences generating it - but it isn't quite enough to offset the fact nova isn't properly flowing through the Realm, is it?
Who proposed this as a competition, or was it something you came to a decision over together?
It's not. Until the disturbance is dealt with, there's nothing that can actually stop your memory losses entirely. [ they shake their head and then... grimace, a little. ]
And it... wasn't our idea. The Realm sort of got the idea on its own? It was meant to be an extra incentive for people who might have been on the fence about helping, but it was never meant to actually become people working against one another. More like... do your best, and you might get a bonus!
[ Glad to confirm what he figured was true, but that... well. ]
That - go figure. [ A wry snort. ] After having dealt with a place with power before the Realm, I shouldn't be surprised.
It doesn't change my next question, though maybe it changes the impact of it, in that case. So a different one to start: is there a bonus, for the team that gathers the most nova? For the competition at its most basic level, rather than anything involving murdering people to get nova and regain memories.
Yeah. The winning team gets a wish. Anything they want, no strings attached. [ they look a bit to the side ] I don't know if that's why people are killing each other. I hope not.
[ He'd heard a few passing mentions of a wish, so the confirmation is good. ]
We can hope all we want, but given that killing someone else results in a higher quantity of nova and the return of memories... well. [ Wry, but he won't sit on it too long. This leads into another setup question. ] Would that include the winning team's leader, or only their team?
The killing part is a theory, but... [ well. they don't have any big argument on it. ] Us Leaders are included too, yes. I know I thought it would be nice to have, but I don't think I'm ever getting out of fifth place.
[ they sound a little put off about it. sometimes. you are competitive ]
[ He tips his head in acknowledgment, because - if Swan doesn't have an argument on it, it's sound enough for them to continue investigating. ]
We'll work on it. I can't say I'm thrilled, either. [ Ideally without murder? But also competitive, it's fine. ] But that begs a question that has to be asked.
Is it possible that a leader may be able to cheat, to gain an advantage for their team? Whether through information, whether vague or not, or by giving their participants something that would help them.
Actually breaking the rules isn't just dangerous, it's near-impossible. But... bending them is a little different? [ they shrug ] I've been bending the rules a bit to try and get members of my team to find each other more easily.
[ they grin a little slyly ]
But information depends on what we ourselves learn, and that's not always easy.
[ me laughing in the future at this thread with sora, anyways ]
I'd guessed as much, considering how strict the Realm is in regards to what you can and can't do to help us, or interfere in the investigations and executions thus far.
[ For someone that doesn't... give a lot of information out, Hua Cheng is about to take a stab in the dark on this one. It's what Xie Lian would do - and did do, so he keeps that in mind as he pulls out his PHS. ]
But if they possibly had, perhaps, learned or remembered something?
[ swan stares for a bit before they lean closer to look at the phs screen. spoiler they're a lot shorter than hua cheng so so they may have to go tippy toes it's fine. ]
[ For as much as he's a bully, Hua Cheng won't torment Swan with being on their toes for long. He lowers the PHS once he pulls up his note taking app, which is - actually pretty empty, save for one plain colored one. The redacted potions are just dashes. ]
[ A nod, and he mentally files that away. ] That does help to narrow it down further, at least.
[ He regards them thoughtfully, slipping the PHS back into the inner breast of his robes. ] En, it was. It was copied down as it was written, though I don't know the full details of how it was found.
Mmm... That's a good question. Even if it was in those "expeditions" some of you went on, I don't know how a report written by one of us would wind up in there. Unless they lost it.
[ ... ]
That's definitely an option.
[ the organization is just not there all the time ]
[ Flat look. While his opinion of them has increased, he is... still not happy how any of that went down for Kano's execution. ]
Well. [ Moving on. Because he really did not like how one cyoa ended. ] I suppose there's two questions to ask next, for this: are you all writing reports, and do we know what's causing those "expeditions."
I know I'm not writing any. They'd only be for myself, anyway. And... I'm not sure if that's it for sure, but nova shows itself in a lot of different ways. I think both of them were memories. I don't know whose, or if it was even just one person's, but from what I've heard, it sounded like that.
[ look he's also not happy at their side of it, either, it's fine ]
Considering the number of us here, including you and the other leaders, from what I've heard about them... if they're memories, it wouldn't surprise me if they weren't just one person's. But no one's come forward to say anything in response to the publicly known aspects of the "expeditions." Either they're forgotten, or they don't want to confirm anything.
It has to something someone's forgotten. Even though we're in here, your memories don't just flow out of you. But if something's gone... there's no telling where it could've went. So maybe that's what they walked into.
A pocket the Realm made, so to speak, with a memory or memories.
[ fun ]
One last train of thought, for now. [ Progress! He'll be back, Swan. ] What did those "expeditions" do to the nova? Did you notice a change in anything?
[ they seem surprised but pleased he's implying he'll be back, though they stay serious ] Mm... I think being in them might have gathered up the scattered nova itself. I know some totals changed after those.
And yet we're still in fifth. [ ha, anyways ] I'll see what I can learn, from the participants' side of things. Should you think of anything, well - I'll be back, and I've a blind eye and a penchant of my own for bending rules.
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It was a near thing. [ Dryly. J...joke. ] No, with quite a bit going on, I just had to decide what my opinion of you was.
[ So, like, yay? ]
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[ in a confused sort of tone ]
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[ tiger for bottom tier atm tho ]
You've all heard every accusation of distrust and unfairness under the sun already, none of us need to rehash it. We've got more important things to be dealing with, when a place has a veritable mind of its own and the power to execute it, and people willing to kill running around in the meantime.
So, yes. I want to talk to you now.
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[ there's a kind of wan smile before they draw themselves to stand up straight, looking almost commanding for a moment ]
So what did you want to talk about?
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A few things, though they're all mostly related to nova. [ Anything dry or almost-condescending is gone - business for both of them, then. ] I can tell that we're losing memories, and even the past two weeks are a little... fuzzy, around the edges. We're generating nova, if the rankings are anything to go by - for better or worse, given the experiences generating it - but it isn't quite enough to offset the fact nova isn't properly flowing through the Realm, is it?
Who proposed this as a competition, or was it something you came to a decision over together?
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And it... wasn't our idea. The Realm sort of got the idea on its own? It was meant to be an extra incentive for people who might have been on the fence about helping, but it was never meant to actually become people working against one another. More like... do your best, and you might get a bonus!
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That - go figure. [ A wry snort. ] After having dealt with a place with power before the Realm, I shouldn't be surprised.
It doesn't change my next question, though maybe it changes the impact of it, in that case. So a different one to start: is there a bonus, for the team that gathers the most nova? For the competition at its most basic level, rather than anything involving murdering people to get nova and regain memories.
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We can hope all we want, but given that killing someone else results in a higher quantity of nova and the return of memories... well. [ Wry, but he won't sit on it too long. This leads into another setup question. ] Would that include the winning team's leader, or only their team?
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[ they sound a little put off about it. sometimes. you are competitive ]
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We'll work on it. I can't say I'm thrilled, either. [ Ideally without murder? But also competitive, it's fine. ] But that begs a question that has to be asked.
Is it possible that a leader may be able to cheat, to gain an advantage for their team? Whether through information, whether vague or not, or by giving their participants something that would help them.
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[ they grin a little slyly ]
But information depends on what we ourselves learn, and that's not always easy.
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I'd guessed as much, considering how strict the Realm is in regards to what you can and can't do to help us, or interfere in the investigations and executions thus far.
[ For someone that doesn't... give a lot of information out, Hua Cheng is about to take a stab in the dark on this one. It's what Xie Lian would do - and did do, so he keeps that in mind as he pulls out his PHS. ]
But if they possibly had, perhaps, learned or remembered something?
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Did someone remember something for real?
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They certainly got something.
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[ they finish reading and lean back to look up at hua cheng ]
There's not much here save for the mask thing, though. Was it damaged when they got it?
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[ He regards them thoughtfully, slipping the PHS back into the inner breast of his robes. ] En, it was. It was copied down as it was written, though I don't know the full details of how it was found.
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[ ... ]
That's definitely an option.
[ the organization is just not there all the time ]
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Well. [ Moving on. Because he really did not like how one cyoa ended. ] I suppose there's two questions to ask next, for this: are you all writing reports, and do we know what's causing those "expeditions."
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I know I'm not writing any. They'd only be for myself, anyway. And... I'm not sure if that's it for sure, but nova shows itself in a lot of different ways. I think both of them were memories. I don't know whose, or if it was even just one person's, but from what I've heard, it sounded like that.
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Considering the number of us here, including you and the other leaders, from what I've heard about them... if they're memories, it wouldn't surprise me if they weren't just one person's. But no one's come forward to say anything in response to the publicly known aspects of the "expeditions." Either they're forgotten, or they don't want to confirm anything.
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[ fun ]
One last train of thought, for now. [ Progress! He'll be back, Swan. ] What did those "expeditions" do to the nova? Did you notice a change in anything?
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And yet we're still in fifth. [ ha, anyways ] I'll see what I can learn, from the participants' side of things. Should you think of anything, well - I'll be back, and I've a blind eye and a penchant of my own for bending rules.
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