Week 5

[airlockedmods]

[As with the weeks before, life in the Fantasy Sweet returns to something resembling normalcy with shocking efficiency. The second floor rest area and Adventure Zone Death Orb Room are spotless again, the demon glitter has been vacuumed, the deflated orbs have been replaced. It's like none of it ever happened, like three more friends aren't dead and stored away in the guest house morgue.

There's a new floor to explore, their "reward" for a job well done.]

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday



[ooc: Don't forget to to turn in your activity for week 4, submit your memory regains and put in your threads for the Benefactors!]

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[misanthropicprinciple]

[He breathes out, and if this were any less grim, if they were anywhere else, it would have been a cartoonish phew of relief. As it is, it's sad; it's complicated. But it isn't angry.]

Then... thank you. For telling me, Angel.

[He rubs absently at his left wrist.]

I'm not saying that your autonomy or your... your physical safety or anything else is worth more than all those people's lives. But it's also not nothing. And people have done worse things for worse reasons than wanting to protect themselves.

People use other people... for worse reasons than wanting to protect themselves. And your dad sounds like a dick.

[brokencode]

[It wasn't quite condemnation, but unlike those that came before him, it wasn't outright forgiveness, either. And if she wasn't going to hear someone judge her as guilty, this would have to suffice. As it was, Angel let out her own held breath, then nodded to him.]

Thank you.

[His last statement made her cringe, however. There was no changing her blood ties to Jack, but... she didn't even want to think about them anymore.]

It's Jack. Not 'my father.' Jack.

[misanthropicprinciple]

Jack.

[The way he says it, correcting himself without a single hesitation, says he understands.]

I knew someone like that, too. Someone who stopped at nothing, who used everyone at his disposal to get what he wanted. So I don't... those people are all still dead. But don't think I don't understand.

[brokencode]

I thought... one day, I might find a place without people like him. It seems though, that they are more common than I thought.

[A breath escaped her, one filled both relief and sorrow.]

I am sorry you knew someone like that, too.

[misanthropicprinciple]

Yeah. Humans... aren't as beautiful as I once thought.

[How can he imagine they are, after everything he's seen, the blood he's waded through to unearth the truth?

His voice softens.]

But being here's reminded me that maybe they aren't so bad, either. That... maybe there's something worth hoping for in us, still.

[brokencode]

I honestly hope that you are right, Junpei. But if I am honest... [Her gaze shifted to the side. Rhys had promised to keep her safe, to keep her from going home. But the more things progressed in this hellhole, the greater her doubts grew.]

I am starting to lose faith.

[misanthropicprinciple]

[Surprisingly, he chuckles a little and pushes his hair back from his face.]

You start to lose faith and I start to get it back... We're quite the pair, aren't we? The traitor and the betrayed.

[brokencode]

[A bitter smile worked its way over her lips.]

If nothing else, I am glad I met you, Junpei. And I sincerely hope you do not lose your faith again.

[misanthropicprinciple]

I guess ideally, we'll meet somewhere in the middle. Eyes open, but not openly misanthropic.

[brokencode]

That... would be nice, I think. I just hope I can reach that point.

[That, at best, her world view wouldn't be permanently damaged, and at worst... At worst she would not live long enough to see it changed.]

[misanthropicprinciple]

[He pauses, hesitates, and then extends a hand to her--just like she did towards him almost exactly three weeks ago.]

You already know you won't be the only one working to get you there.

[brokencode]

I know. I... believe that.

[It took her only a few seconds of hesitation before she reached out and took hold of the man's hand. If nothing else, she felt good, seeing how much Junpei had changed in the past few weeks. Even as she sank lower and lower, some people managed to stand up just a little bit higher.]

Thank you. You are a good friend.