AUDIENCE: SOO-WON

[retellers]

Comments

[retellers]

Let me put it this way... we listen to you guys talk about how suspicious we are, and then you come to us and act like we're buds to get information, and then you immediately regroup to talk about how untrustworthy we are.

Not even just you specifically, but it's exhausting, you know? This must be what high school is like.

[recrowns]

I don't know, I'm not sure what high school is.

[a blessing, really]

But that's true, I can imagine that hearing everything that we talk about amongst ourselves can be rather tiring to hear. I think that everyone especially feels untrusting of you all thanks to the power dynamics.

[retellers]

No, everyone just wants someone to be an easy bad guy to pin everything on, and we're the easiest ones. Which is understandable. I'm just not a fan of being fake about it.

Or on the other hand, there's the people who call us useless all the time, but they're the same ones who never actually talk to us outside of trials so there's absolutely no way for them to ever learn anything from us.

[recrowns]

[ . . . . ]

Do you and Dorothy talk often? You both strike me as a certain type of self-possessed.

[just. wow! that said - ]

... I appreciate your honesty, though. I don't know how much I can help with, but I can at least try to keep people from expressing feelings so negatively when we speak. I think that some people are more willing to give you the benefit of the doubt as time goes on...

Though others may continue to expect you six to have all the answers we could possibly dream of.

[retellers]

[ they do not comment on the dorothy thing. ]

And we will continue to disappoint them. [ ... ] Anyway. I'm done complaining. You don't actually have to do anything, I just have a difficult time believing when people say they want to become buddies without there being a catch at this point.

[recrowns]

[he shakes his head at that]

That's okay. You can continue complaining if you'd like - it sounds as though you've been holding it in for a bit. Or maybe you had frustration to spare?

I might ask you for information when I come by, but it's mostly just to make sure I'm not leaving any stones unturned. We can change the topic quickly to anything else if there's nothing to report.

[retellers]

I mean, we're meant to answer your questions. If I'm not in the mood I'll say so.

[ they will not hesitate to leave. ]

But it doesn't matter. We can talk about favorite colors or food or whatever.

[recrowns]

Mm, that works!

[don't just go along with this so easily]

Do you have favorite colors? Favorite food? Gifts that you'd prefer that I start bringing?

[retellers]

No... no... nothing that you'd find here.

[ ... ]

Maybe I should go with red.

[recrowns]

Wouldn't that be a lie?

What gifts would you like then, even if they couldn't be found here?

[retellers]

[ immediately, ]

Jewelry. And I think I'd look good in red, so it's a decent color to go with.

[recrowns]

Ah, that's true, it'd be hard to find any jewelry in the Northern area at the moment.

Could you summon yourself a red cloak to wear instead of your current one?

[retellers]

It's not the uniform.

[ it's said like he just asked them to grow another head?? ]

[recrowns]

You don't get to stray from it even a little...? That's too bad...

If you're ever willing to take off your mask for me, we can go looking for new clothes, too. Something in red.

[retellers]

Hm, maybe one day. I'm a real looker and it's a shame to hide my face from everyone who doesn't deserve to see it.

[recrowns]

Oh, that is a shame!

But we'll have to get along better before I can properly ask, right?

[retellers]

Yup. There's too many people who haven't said shit to us, so why should we open ourselves up to them more? It seems like a pretty uneven trade-off.

[recrowns]

Mm, that's fair.

Should I tell you about myself too then, before I expect you to tell me about yourself?

[retellers]

[ ugh ]

You're royalty or whatever, right?

[recrowns]

Yes, I'm the whatever king.

[he seems to just be playing along though, rather than getting offended]

[retellers]

Yeah, you definitely are.

[ i hate this. ]

[recrowns]

Are you whatever royalty as well?

[stop saying it]

[retellers]

No idea. Kind of feel like I should be though.

[ it's their ego. ]

[recrowns]

What would you like to rule over, Your Majesty?

[stop encouraging this]

[retellers]

Somewhere...

[ hm. ]

Sunny.