Week 8 - May 20th - May 24th

[cartesio]

Last Week

With the weekend's latest tragedy, a strange mood has descended over Cartesio. What happened was unprecedented, and perhaps that's why the already decreasing hostility from the townsfolk comes to a complete halt. Could it be the strange circumstances? Bolin's desperate plea? Last week's peaceful Wednesday? Some combination? Whatever the reason, it's clear that the Sergeant's iron fist around the town has loosened. While the residents aren't jumping to interact with you, there's no graffiti, no new broken windows.

Cartesio is confused...but open to explanation, for perhaps the first time.

Still, while the town seems amiable, almost accepting again, there's little to chase away the knowledge that the Sergeant's tasks for you are near their end, and that means those without medals are doomed to their fate.

Or does it? After everything that's turned around, is it possible for you to claw your way out of here as well?

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[Welcome to the final week! If you want to contact the Sergeant, please post here!. Also please remember to submit your activity check!]

Comments

[marmoron]

It wasn't fair, huh.

Is that what you're gonna tell her if there's a situation where she blocks us from being able to leave by protecting the assholes in charge?

[relieable]

[don't make him choose sides. he pinches the bridge of his nose, but, otherwise, doesn't argue. he's scared to throw down with Keith because he'll lose]

......

[marmoron]

[He'll let that silence speak for itself for a few seconds, but he doesn't seem to be taking any joy in it.

Don't you think she deserves to know what the fall out's gonna be?

[relieable]

[Osomatsu continues to look down. he's not quite sure what Keith wants him to say. but, then, Osomatsu's the one who started this, trying to stand up for Sakura.

his eyes flick up and he fixes his gaze on the other man. his voice is tight]

I just think. There are better ways to get your point across than telling a little girl who believes in the good in everyone to go to hell. All right?

[marmoron]

[It's Keith's turn to go quiet for a moment. He knows Oso has a point here; he's never pretended to be good at getting his point across diplomatically. But he's also not any closer to apologizing.]

She needed a wake up call.

[That's something he's not backing down from.]

We almost lost our entire universe back home because the other paladins thought the same thing about give someone questionable a chance. If Sakura wants to act like the Sergeant's innocent because he's just taking orders -- fine. That's stupid, but I'm sure that makes sense to a kid who has no understanding of how responsibility works. But protecting the guy;s boss too? Even when we know they plan on repeating this bullshit and making even more people suffer for it?

You've got to be kidding me.

[relieable]

[after a moment, Osomatsu lets out a breath through his nose. Keith's right, and believing the Sergeant is innocent is dumb. he agrees! he's been gunning for the Sergeant since they first got here. the guy forced them to kill each other, and he had hostages, and...

but then Osomatsu looks at Sakura, and he doesn't know what to do. he doesn't think she is stupid. he doesn't think Keith is stupid. they're both trying their best in a horrible situation. the last thing they should all be doing is arguing.

if Keith stepped in to fight with Sakura because she was in the way? what would happen then?

he finally faces Keith again. maybe he's right. maybe Sakura did need a wake-up call. at the same time, Osomatsu doesn't want her to become jaded because of... everything that's happened here. he probably shouldn't be talking about this, it's not helping. so he just leans back in his seat, wanting to shrink]

[marmoron]

[Keith's focus remains squarely on Osomatsu until he sits back in his seat. He, too, remains silent for a long moment afterwards, letting the tension sit in the atmosphere. He knows this isn't how he should be acting. This isn't how you're supposed to treat the people on your side, let alone the people on your team.

Osomatsu called him their "leader" during that trial and he'd outright rejected the notion and this would be why. He doesn't have the ability to bring people together -- he's combative, he's bullheaded and he knows better than anyone else that he can't be these things because that isn't how you lead.

But for a little while, he thought maybe he could pull himself together to be the person the paladins needed him to be -- the person Shiro saw in him. One stupid argument in deep space later, and well.. there went that notion. He's a perpetual disappointment, even to himself and no matter how right he feels about this particular issue, the feeling that he's letting history repeat itself here bruises more than he'll ever let on.]

Look.

[It's said through clenched teeth, though he doesn't drop eye contact yet.]

I'm... [Sorry? ...why's that so fucking hard to say.] Let's just go back to talking about what we've learned so we can prepare for the end.

[relieable]

[Osomatsu is the first to look away. he's not disappointed in Keith, because he doesn't know him that well. but he is still upset about what he said to Sakura. he supposes that's as good as they are going to get out of him, apology-wise. it is what it is]

Fine.

[he's not saying another word]