vivarium | ambidex voting #8

Entry tags:

ambidex voting #8

A M B I D E X V O T I N G

Chop chop, everyone downstairs to the first floor! You're all done the puzzle rooms, so you know what to do. Well, most of you, but it's pretty basic, just enter any Ambidex Room you like (they're not elevators, you ignorant test subjects) then vote! How does voting work? Very simple! Pick Ally or Betray, and that's it! But with every round, there's always some prizes, depending on what you vote, so here's this rounds:

For anyone who chooses Ally, well, if your opponent chooses Ally as well, then 2BP for each of you. You get all that friendship, blah blah, whatever.

For anyone who chooses Betray, and gets a Betray in return, your BP doesn't change at all, but you might get some coins for your trouble, let's saaaay, 20? Generous, I know.

Now, the best part: for anyone who chooses Betray and their opponent chooses Ally, Calhoun will be very generous with his prizes, again! You'll get 15 coins and a memory! Also, as usual, those who pick Betray get 3BP instead of just 2.

But if you're the poor sap that chose Ally and got stabbed in the back, well, sorry, you lose 2 BP. At least you got stabbed for the greater good, right? And plus, you might get a little something. He'll talk to you later about it.

But anyway, happy voting! Calhoun will see all of you later with the results.

BASIC INFO ✖ VOTES + FORMS ✖ RESULTS + REACTIONS

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Why am I not surprised Calhoun is milking this for all it's worth. [Hershel sighed, seriously though fuck Calhoun. He went quiet a moment before asking:]

What happened in the first round, then?

[...]

I asked for a truth. He said I tried to stab Yuusuke.

[It's like his life is a knife party. Too bad he desperately wants out.]

[Yeah, that's pretty much his life. So this is what Heiji was talking about. Poor Sasuke, jesus, Hershel just regarded him a few more moments before resolving himself.]

We don't know what that means, or what the context is. I know it doesn't sound like it can be anything but horrible but- [He paused, struggling with how to word this.] That's probably what Calhoun wants, it's easier to be scared of something if you fill in the blanks yourself with the worst possible conclusions. He's done this before too, with all that motive nonsense.

Heiji said something like that too-

[...Wait.]

--He didn't ask you to find me, did he?

[This is the worst. Entirely predictable, considering Heiji said he would do as much, but still the worst.]

[Have a small smile, sorry dude.] Not exactly, but he knew I'd want to find you I'm sure. He mentioned you went through something rough in your puzzle room but not much more than that, you know how he is. He can be a bit on the nosy side. [He shook his head.] I'm probably not much better, it's just... you are our friend, you know that, don't you?

If you want I can leave you be but- well, there's something I want to tell you about, if you'd be alright with that. It has to do with the motives Calhoun gave us before you came in.

[Friendship is great and all, but is Sasuke really the type of person Hershel wants as a friend, all things considered...

But hearing that, and knowing what he does about the motives, his expression becomes worried.]

...Did he... tell you something similar?

[It's actually kind of a baffling thought. Hershel's probably the nicest guy here - just what could he have done that Calhoun could call him out on?]

[Who wouldn't want a ninja friend, come on.

Seriously though this was heavy shit all around so Hershel sighs softly, rubbing the side of his neck a bit awkwardly.]

He told me I killed someone. [He glances away- yeah, he was really hoping this was the right thing to do.] It was the blackmail he used, he said he'd tell everyone that. I ended up telling Heiji, I'm still not sure why, and well-

[He looked back over to Sasuke almost sheepishly.] He told me some of the same stuff I told you before. We just... we don't know until we get our memories back. He told me he didn't believe I was really capable of something like that, and the way I was reacting was more telling than whatever Calhoun was trying to pull. Until we get our memories back we can't understand context, or how much of the truth Calhoun is willing to stretch, or... well, just I know this can't be easy, and even if you take everything I say to heart it won't stop you from wondering but-

[Holy shit this is so long I'm sorry.] Sasuke, I truly believe you're a good person. I know I must sound naive about this sort of thing but no one who cares this much about being forced to hurt someone else could really want to do it, could they?

[Because sometimes ninja friends get startled and try to stab you. That worried expression only grows more and more concerned as Hershel speaks, however.]

I... can't really imagine you killing someone, either. [It's Hershel. Hershel. Calhoun had to be lying.

Him, on the other hand...]

...Even if attacking Yuusuke was just an accident on my part, I just--

I don't know. [And that's what's got him so agitated. He knows now that he is probably far more capable of badly hurting someone than he's really comfortable with. Killing someone wouldn't even be that much of a stretch. And he still doesn't even know why he's able to do any of it.]

[The fact Sasuke didn't seem to believe Calhoun's blackmail made Hershel ease a bit, it was still a dangerous sort of thing to throw around regardless of any shounen friendship speeches and what not.

He watches Sasuke for a few moments as he speaks and after, before saying:] You're still worried that you even know how to do things like this? [He guessed, then again there were a lot of things he could be worrying about at this point.]

[Flatly:]

Normal teenagers shouldn't know how to handle knives like that.

Normal teenagers probably don't get kidnapped to crack codes or see bodies all the time. [Hershel pointed out, who could that be.

He considered for a moment before continuing a little softly.] Sasuke, let's say it's the worst case scenario and you have hurt people in the past, for whatever reason. Barring the fact I have no doubt there would be other forces at work in making a teenager do something like this, what can you possibly do now?

Whatever happened has already happened, and one day we'll find a way to learn the truth about it but punishing yourself isn't going to change that, is it? You're going to have these skills no matter what, they don't need to be a harmful thing.

[He hates thinking about that possibility. But at the same time, he hates how he keeps trying to avoid the thought when it's pretty blatant that someone would generally be trained in using knives to... well. Knife people. That and:]

That's the problem, though. It already has.

[And those words definitely come out bitter.]

Calhoun knows about it. Something like this could come up again. But no matter how much I think it over, I can't figure out how to avoid it.

[Short of biting the bullet and, as Hershel had said, getting drugged - or worse. Whether it's his future or his past, he's screwed either way.]

I admit it will be hard to avoid Calhoun pulling nonsense again. [Hershel sighed before looking over again, pretty blatant with his concern at this point. Like it wasn't blatant before.] But he'll do that to everyone, no matter what. I still don't quite understand what he and Zero want but they clearly want to make you miserable here, or more so push you to do something drastic.

Maybe the only way to avoid it is to figure out a way to... well, bore them, I suppose. Clearly they're doing this for a reaction, right? If they don't get that there's no reason to waste time on something like this. [Bully logic apparently?] Just- Sasuke, no matter what please promise me you won't try anything drastic with them, something that could get you hurt or worse.

[Well, he's already pretty good at lacking facial expressions at least...]

...I'll try not to.

[Though that isn't really a promise.]

[Yeah, that wasn't a promise, he's used to that sort of thing from Ema. Welcome to the ranks of being like Ema, Sasuke. Are you proud.

That was probably more than he should have expected, honestly, and he really just continued to look concerned about it.] Try not to forget the good you've done here too, Simon would certainly be lost without you, and you never betrayed. I guess... I'm sorry, I wish there was something I could say that would help but I'm not sure there is. Just- we'll find out the truth, so hold on until then.

[i forgot to post this i'm an idiot whoops.]

[Wow I can't believe you.

But for his part, Sasuke just sort of... buries his face a little more behind his arms. Would those things be enough to make up for any harm he might have caused in the past...?]

...Sorry. For worrying you.

[Hershel came all the way here to check on him, and he's done nothing but act difficult since.]

[You're breaking his heart, dude. He tries to smile sincerely.]

Don't be sorry, if anything I should be thanking you. It's- well, just thank you for listening and not- [Freak the fuck out about murderer shit. He's bad with words so he shakes his head.]

Hang in there, Sasuke, we'll get to the bottom of all this.

You're too kind to do anything like that. It has to be Calhoun twisting things around to try to hurt you.

[He just absolutely cannot imagine Hershel actually harming anyone, much less killing them.

As for the last part...]

...I'll do what I can.

[He still needs to remember it for himself. So that maybe, somehow, he can figure out a way to make up for it...]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

ambidex voting #8

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject