[nature is healing. that's about the one thing he knows right now and it's why he finds himself taking an almost leisurely walk near the woods. despite what they found there just a few days ago, it still feels a little better than being in the town after this morning.
it does and doesn't surprise him to see claude outside, but he quickens his pace to jog up to him.]
Hey Claude. [the look on his face is one of friendliness at least, even if it's not an outright smile right now.] Mind if I join you?
(He's always enjoyed being outside. His mind becomes busy, his thoughts keep moving around, and he needs more than a room to run off all of that energy.
Sora can find him looking up at the sky, feeling all of his troubles shrink until they feel small enough to actually resolve,)
Hm? Oh, Sora. (He smiles. Despite everything, he can still smile. Though, maybe after over a week in this place, Sora may have realized that unlike him, Claude's smiles are sometimes lacking, never quite reaching the eyes and seeming more practiced than genuine. It's the kind of smile he wears now, ) Of course. Couldn't stay inside, could you? Me neither.
[given the fact that he recognizes that sort of smile in other friends, it's something he notices. it sets a tone for everything and it's why sora's softer in his approach, more casual as he shrugs and looks to the sky as well.]
Nah. After yesterday, it didn't really feel right to stay in. [nine hours was a little too long, thank you.] Besides...I think more of the answers we're looking for are out there instead of inside somewhere.
After yesterday, I don't think I ever want to be inside ever again. How do you think my grandfather would feel if I decided to leave the castle behind and live a life in the wild?
(He's joking, he's playing... or is he? Hmm, sometimes it's hard to tell with Claude von Riegan. He can be a little eccentric by noble standards back home.)
Oh? And what are you looking for today, Sora? If you've got questions, I'll let you pick my brain a bit.
[he gives claude a curious and somewhat funny look like he's trying to decide, but he decides to do what he does best and answers honestly.]
I think you should do what feels right. [but he folds his hands behind his head as if to stretch his shoulders a bit.]
I guess the one thing I wanna know is if we can really believe what Virid said. About getting his memory back after what he did to Hajime. Do you think it's true?
Usually people try to come clean before they die. Confess their sins and give their admissions so they can rest in peace or something. Otherwise, why would he lie?
Yeah, uh, I'm gonna be honest. I don't really want to test this sort of thing ever again. [nobody does? but he's just saying.] ...but I've also been thinking about the possibility that maybe there really was a reason that Virid did all this. Something he didn't tell everybody.
[he seems to be watching claude's responses.] It might not have been a good one, but...what if it did exist?
Oh, I have no desire to put this to the test either.
(The problem with growing up the way Claude has is that one becomes sensitive to being watched. It's also why his expression doesn't appear to change much at all except for the way his eyes shift over towards Sora, direct and aware-- "I know you're watching.")
Dead people don't tell secrets, Sora. Speculating about Virid will only take us so far.
(It's only then that he closes his eyes,)
People can have good reasons and still do terrible things. I would have to consider the reasons with the actions to make my judgement... but I would listen.
[....this is a little risky, maybe, but. he trusts claude. claude seems like someone with good intentions, and claude seems like someone who knows how to keep information quiet when necessary. it's why he doesn't shy away when he notices he's been caught watching and instead weighs his words carefully.]
...okay, so...what if he was asked to do it? [and before claude can repeat the idea about speculation, he continues.] I'm not speculating. It's something he told me last night when I went to see him.
(He knew enough people would talk to Virid and he'd eventually be able to shake one down. He didn't expect one to actually come to him though so color Claude von Riegan surprised when he hears Sora, though, he quickly regains his composure and gives him a smile-- cunning, like a trickster or menace from some story,)
Oh? And you're telling me because you trust me?
(That's why, right?)
Careful, Sora. You wouldn't want to say too much to the wrong person.
(A warning to be careful with how he proceeds from here on out. Is he sure he wants to do this?)
[you would think that kind of look would deter him, but when you've come face to face with the literal cheshire cat most smiles don't faze you. not to mention the fact that sora feels like he has a good impression of the kind of person claude might be.]
I'm telling you because I feel like a few people ought to know, and I trust you not to spread it around like some others might. The last thing we need to do is start worrying people if it really was a one-time thing.
[the idealist can be pragmatic.] Do you think you might be the wrong person?
(It's unfortunate.... but guess who has a whole room to himself for PCs now I guess? This guy. And before the execution, he's going to grab Sora first thing in the morning and herd him into his room.)
Sit.
(Claude's pod is open! His blankets and pillow and everything shoved to the back along with his bow and other things (you know, the doll, and stuff. It's cool).
He's also going to toss Sora some sort of pastry from the kitchen that he grabbed earlier. It's breakfast.)
We don't have a lot of time so let's talk. Do you still stand by what you said? We're killing an innocent guy today and our killer is getting away.
[good morning to us and to doom. claude is going to have to forgive sora a bit because this is so early and he is kind of sleepy, but he has no qualms about following claude back to his room to sit in his pod and catch the pastry with one hand.]
Which part are you asking about specifically? I've kind of said a lot of stuff. [the answer is very likely yes, but he wants to hear it from claude himself.]
(Oooh, that gets a smile out of Claude. And here he was! Thinking he'd ask an open question and let Sora fill in the blanks himself and give Claude any answer
(which he would have read into, of course)
He holds up one finger,)
Helping those that are being told to kill. (And two,) Accepting the sacrifices along the way.
[normally he would have, but sora is Learning! and also he was curious where claude was going with this. when he brings up those points though, there's a short, determined nod.]
Yes. If this is really how things are going to be, then I want to find a way to help them and figure out another option. And if there's really a bigger enemy we might be facing if we don't do this, then I want to find a way to prepare to fight it.
...we're sacrificing Kano today, aren't we? I have to accept that we can't change that. But that doesn't mean I can't do better next time.
...okay. [he has no idea what to do with this information suddenly.] And the reason they didn't speak up when it looked like we were going to vote for Kano is...?
[...he's angry because it means someone innocent is walking free, but at the same time the way it's said is from a place of someone who's trying to understand the motivations and the person.]
You don't know that. (If they spoke up or not.) Everyone here has their secrets and not everyone is in a position to share them.
Unfortunately, this means someone else is going to have to pay the price for what happened. Fortunately for us, this is another source we didn't have before.
They know things that we don't and I suspect they'll continue to learn more.
[he knows better than to argue right now, but he does believe that not admitting to the crime is just the same as not speaking up. instead, he sort of frowns at the idea of secrets before listening to the rest.]
You think they'll be able to actually tell us things? Or want to? [...] What if they end up doing this again?
[...he lets his legs swing a little so his heels hit the bottom of the pod, thinking of how he wants to phrase his thoughts.]
...I'm not surprised. I know I said it was possible Sharon was an accomplice, but it still felt a little too clean. At the time, it made the most sense though. Probably because we wanted it to make sense.
Do we know who the second one is? Or why they did this?
There's more but you're bright, Sora. You'd probably figure out who they are and that isn't my information to give. (Sorry. He's actually, very sorry.) They like you, though, and hopefully you can earn their trust.
I'll keep speaking with them and see what I can learn until then. Hopefully, there'll be more to share.
I hope you're right. [he would very much like to know? he would also very much like to not die but that's kind of an irrelevant point right now when the goal itself is to help.] I'll have to see what happens. I can't think of anybody who'd do this without a good reason, but I'll do my best to listen whenever they feel like they can trust me enough.
[there's a nod then.] Thanks for telling me. If we can get even a little more information about where to go from here then we're doing better than last week.
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w0 sunday pt2
it does and doesn't surprise him to see claude outside, but he quickens his pace to jog up to him.]
Hey Claude. [the look on his face is one of friendliness at least, even if it's not an outright smile right now.] Mind if I join you?
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Sora can find him looking up at the sky, feeling all of his troubles shrink until they feel small enough to actually resolve,)
Hm? Oh, Sora. (He smiles. Despite everything, he can still smile. Though, maybe after over a week in this place, Sora may have realized that unlike him, Claude's smiles are sometimes lacking, never quite reaching the eyes and seeming more practiced than genuine. It's the kind of smile he wears now, ) Of course. Couldn't stay inside, could you? Me neither.
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Nah. After yesterday, it didn't really feel right to stay in. [nine hours was a little too long, thank you.] Besides...I think more of the answers we're looking for are out there instead of inside somewhere.
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(He's joking, he's playing... or is he? Hmm, sometimes it's hard to tell with Claude von Riegan. He can be a little eccentric by noble standards back home.)
Oh? And what are you looking for today, Sora? If you've got questions, I'll let you pick my brain a bit.
(See: He'll listen. He'll help.)
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I think you should do what feels right. [but he folds his hands behind his head as if to stretch his shoulders a bit.]
I guess the one thing I wanna know is if we can really believe what Virid said. About getting his memory back after what he did to Hajime. Do you think it's true?
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(It's such a strange thing to lie about. )
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Sometimes people say things to justify their actions. Even if they don't think of it as a sin or whatever.
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Hmm... I suppose you have a point there.
(Yeah, he can definitely see it. )
Unfortunately, the only way to know for sure is to test it again and again until we have enough samples...
(Like a science experiment. Which. Well, Sora should see the problem there.)
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[he seems to be watching claude's responses.] It might not have been a good one, but...what if it did exist?
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(The problem with growing up the way Claude has is that one becomes sensitive to being watched. It's also why his expression doesn't appear to change much at all except for the way his eyes shift over towards Sora, direct and aware-- "I know you're watching.")
Dead people don't tell secrets, Sora. Speculating about Virid will only take us so far.
(It's only then that he closes his eyes,)
People can have good reasons and still do terrible things. I would have to consider the reasons with the actions to make my judgement... but I would listen.
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...okay, so...what if he was asked to do it? [and before claude can repeat the idea about speculation, he continues.] I'm not speculating. It's something he told me last night when I went to see him.
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Oh? And you're telling me because you trust me?
(That's why, right?)
Careful, Sora. You wouldn't want to say too much to the wrong person.
(A warning to be careful with how he proceeds from here on out. Is he sure he wants to do this?)
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I'm telling you because I feel like a few people ought to know, and I trust you not to spread it around like some others might. The last thing we need to do is start worrying people if it really was a one-time thing.
[the idealist can be pragmatic.] Do you think you might be the wrong person?
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wk 1, pre-execution!
Sit.
(Claude's pod is open! His blankets and pillow and everything shoved to the back along with his bow and other things (you know, the doll, and stuff. It's cool).
He's also going to toss Sora some sort of pastry from the kitchen that he grabbed earlier. It's breakfast.)
We don't have a lot of time so let's talk. Do you still stand by what you said? We're killing an innocent guy today and our killer is getting away.
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Which part are you asking about specifically? I've kind of said a lot of stuff. [the answer is very likely yes, but he wants to hear it from claude himself.]
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(which he would have read into, of course)
He holds up one finger,)
Helping those that are being told to kill. (And two,) Accepting the sacrifices along the way.
(The innocent lives that would have to be lost.)
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Yes. If this is really how things are going to be, then I want to find a way to help them and figure out another option. And if there's really a bigger enemy we might be facing if we don't do this, then I want to find a way to prepare to fight it.
...we're sacrificing Kano today, aren't we? I have to accept that we can't change that. But that doesn't mean I can't do better next time.
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(Secrets. He's good at keeping them. It's why Sora decided to trust him, right?)
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haha what the hell.]
...okay. [he has no idea what to do with this information suddenly.] And the reason they didn't speak up when it looked like we were going to vote for Kano is...?
[...he's angry because it means someone innocent is walking free, but at the same time the way it's said is from a place of someone who's trying to understand the motivations and the person.]
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You don't know that. (If they spoke up or not.) Everyone here has their secrets and not everyone is in a position to share them.
Unfortunately, this means someone else is going to have to pay the price for what happened. Fortunately for us, this is another source we didn't have before.
They know things that we don't and I suspect they'll continue to learn more.
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You think they'll be able to actually tell us things? Or want to? [...] What if they end up doing this again?
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(He keeps his tone light, and playful. He even smiles! But the smile doesn't quite reach his eyes, like there's some regret and sadness there,)
For example, I believe they were truly trying to help us at the trial. (When he speaks, it's with no joy,) ... We didn't just miss one killer, Sora.
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...I'm not surprised. I know I said it was possible Sharon was an accomplice, but it still felt a little too clean. At the time, it made the most sense though. Probably because we wanted it to make sense.
Do we know who the second one is? Or why they did this?
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(So, nope.)
There's more but you're bright, Sora. You'd probably figure out who they are and that isn't my information to give. (Sorry. He's actually, very sorry.) They like you, though, and hopefully you can earn their trust.
I'll keep speaking with them and see what I can learn until then. Hopefully, there'll be more to share.
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[there's a nod then.] Thanks for telling me. If we can get even a little more information about where to go from here then we're doing better than last week.
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please gmail im begging give me my nôtïf
never
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