text; username: SHIKI

[satsujinki]

No one really tells you how scary it is to fish in the dark. Everyone else seems used to it, but the thought of falling in is crippling.

I guess it must sound more profound in my head when I'm worrying about dying alone near a dock, doing something new. Sorry.

[The little worries that pop into your head when you stare into an abyss.]

I guess tea would be able to improve the state of things just a little.

Comments

[satsujinki]

That's an interesting and very much a terrifying thought to consider. Let's hope this 'mission' ends swiftly so we don't have to find that out.

[The last thing he needed was to meet Vin Diesel.]

[strictdiscipline]

[It would probably be a very Interesting experience, if nothing else.]

Are you hoping to return home after this is over?

[Because if so, she's got bad news for you buddy.]

[satsujinki]

The way you ask that has me worried.

[It's like spoiling a movie without even saying what happens.]

[strictdiscipline]

[Ah, sorry about that. She'll be more careful about SPOILERS in the future.]

It's not an impossibility that we'll be able to leave after the business in Chantes is finished. But there's also no telling how long things will take here.

[They could very well be here for ten years trying to fix things.]

[satsujinki]

Has there been any report of someone being sent home?

Possibly for not being of use or something along those lines?

[If you can't beat them--lower the curve drastically.]

[strictdiscipline]

There have been a number of people transferred to different missions. [Spoilers, part 2: this isn't the only mission out there.] Whether or not they've managed to go home from there I don't know - none of have been able to contact any of them.

[satsujinki]

[There was a new sort of fear creeping up on him at that point.]

Can we even verify that ALASTAIR intends on delivering--that this is supposed to be 'good'?

[strictdiscipline]

Not without contacting them directly, which no one's been able to do.

[They're all shrouded in mystery for the moment. Sorry, Shiki.]

[satsujinki]

Alright.

Thank you for telling me that much, at least.

[It somehow made the water feel even darker than before.

That was the kind of grief people felt when they lost loved ones, he realized. The few people in his life close to him were worlds and worlds away.]

omg that bracket text got deep

[strictdiscipline]

It would have been kinder if ALASTAIR had told any of us beforehand. But they seem to thrive on telling us very little outside of the absolute necessities.

shiki knows exactly how to complain the right way, sometimes...

[satsujinki]

What good is that? I know soldiers aren't meant to know every bit of reasoning, but that's when they're voluntarily enlisted.

This is a forced draft that may as well just be kidnapping.

[strictdiscipline]

[She can't disagree with him there.]

You're right, but there's little we can do other than comply with their requests right now, unless you have an ability of your own that'll allow you to transport yourself back home.

[satsujinki]

Suffice to say, if I had any ability like that, we wouldn't be having this conversation at all.

At this point, I'm fairly confident that I'm just dead weight to this whole effort.

[strictdiscipline]

I wouldn't say that. There are plenty of ways to help, if you wanted to. Though no one will force you if you don't want to.

[Well, she won't at least.]

[satsujinki]

I'm just fine with being dead weight, actually. Any sort of involvement seems like something that could attribute to helping people fight and kill.

I'd rather not, in that event.

[strictdiscipline]

Sometimes it's necessary to fight and kill. Or do you object to both regardless of the reason?

[satsujinki]

Necessary or not, I plan on avoiding both as much as I can.

I don't blame people for defending themselves, but it doesn't excuse the sin.

[strictdiscipline]

[Guess she's SOL in his book then.]

I hope you aren't ever faced with that choice here. [It's not entirely unfeasible, especially since:] There seem to be plenty here who enjoy fighting more than they should.

[Fighting and killing both.]

[satsujinki]

[Shiki's book was still rife with contradictions, though.]

They can take care of things. My forgiveness doesn't exactly make or break someone else's convictions, though.

As much as I believe in that, it wouldn't be fair to hold other people to those standards.

[strictdiscipline]

There are plenty here who don't share those beliefs.

[Regardless:] I suppose fishing must lend itself well to such thoughts though.

[At least in the sense of providing plenty of time for them.

[satsujinki]

Yeah, it's incredibly depressing.

It's easier to gut a fish than skin a rabbit though, that's for sure. At least one part of this won't be as stressful.

[It was apparent even to Shiki that he was a MAJOR downer.]

[strictdiscipline]

I've never done either so I'll take your word for it.

But I'll leave you to it. I'm sure you'll need your concentration once the fish start biting.

[satsujinki]

I don't really mind it, honestly. My hands are free with this magic apparatus, so it isn't as if I'm really straining.

Plus, nothing's touched my line at all, since I've started.

[strictdiscipline]

I hear fishing takes a lot of patience. [Like a lot looooot of patience.] It's never really been to my taste.

[satsujinki]

I think it might. Fortunately, as much as I complain, I'm still stubborn enough to follow through with the right steps and do everything the right way.

[He added--]

The fact that I can do it while sitting certainly makes it easier.