Catch-all; Taichi

[momming]

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[momming]

I felt a bit as though my mind was trying to convince me she was a threat, actually. But it was nowhere near as powerful.

[goalsides]

[...don't like that.]

This better not happen again. [he will fistfight a bear.] ...but we should sit down.

[fussing? about her injuries? it's more likely than you think.]

[momming]

Ah... right.

[ Okay, sure, she will find a place to sit and settle, arm still wrapped around her ribs with only the slightest twinge of discomfort on her face. ]

[goalsides]

[he sits down next to her, keeping an eye on her to make sure she doesn't overexert herself just in case.]

...you did the best you could, you know. [because he could hear things from the arena. i think. mods didn't say no so i think we could all hear.]

[momming]

[ by sitting, Taichi?? ]

I don't think I was able to do much of anything, honestly. [ given how it all happened. ]

[goalsides]

[it could happen???]

You didn't immediately try to kill her. I think that says a lot, actually.

[momming]

I didn't want to. I didn't believe in any of it. In punishing someone by taking their life into my hands, in being forced to fight her like that...

... I still feel a little sick.

[ It had all been so... gruesome. And it had been treated like a game. ]

[goalsides]

[it makes sense. the longer she talks, the more he frowns because this is very much not okay.]

It's over. [not that it helps since it happened at all.] It's not going to happen to you again. It can't.

[momming]

It might happen to someone else instead.

[ She's sure he's already thought about that. ]

[goalsides]

[judging by the slump of his shoulders, yes. he has thought about it.]

...we can hope not, but we do have to think about the possibility. Especially in case it's one of the kids.

[do not? send unqualified children?]

You don't know why you were picked, right?

[momming]

I don't, no. Maybe because I voted for myself?

But it might also be unrelated.

[ a mystery. ]

[goalsides]

You already got punished for that. If that's a second punishment...[he will throttle this goddamn bear!!!]

But if it's unrelated, that means it really could be just about anybody if this happens again.

[momming]

[ Taichi, it's okay. Breathe. ]

That's a distinct possibility, yes. I suppose we could just hope that no one takes it upon themselves to murder.

[ But she also says it with the air of one who is preparing for the worst. ]

[goalsides]

I'd hope so. But...this place was way too ready for when someone did murder.

[it's fine. he is also preparing for the worst.]

[momming]

From the trial to the... expulsion.

I don't like how this feels.

[goalsides]

You mean the part where it all feels like a set-up? I don't either.

[momming]

It just seems as though... it's going to continue and I don't know why.

[goalsides]

Whoever brought us here is looking for something. It's probably going to continue until they find it. Whatever it is.

[momming]

... I'm not so sure I'd like them to.

[goalsides]

Neither do I. But unless we find another answer, that's what we have to assume right now.