audience: cloud

[mygod]

Comments

[residentmerc]

It being earned doesn't make it less insufferable.

[ but like. mildly fond. he is not that bothered. ]

[egodist]

I don't make you stay here...

[ THEY JUST

HANG OUT AND COMPLAIN ABOUT THINGS!!! ]

[residentmerc]

[ vague amused vibes ]

Just thought you might wanna know.

[egodist]

[ dryly: ]

I'm at least aware of my bad personality. Imagine how many people I'd inflict myself on if I wasn't.

[residentmerc]

Yet somehow, knowing that makes them inflict themselves on you instead.

[egodist]

Gluttons for punishment.

[ he said it too fast ]

[residentmerc]

[ SO FAST? cloud nods. still vaguely amused vibes here ]

Can't be anything else than that.

[egodist]

It really can't.

I wonder if cults are more likely to summon masochists.

[residentmerc]

You sure you wanna go there when you willingly joined it?

[egodist]

The use of the word 'summon' is key here.

It is because I joined willingly that I am exempt.

[residentmerc]

Yeah, because the kind of people who willingly join cults are definitely not masochists.

[egodist]

[ hmmm ]

Point taken.

Though I lack the desperation they do.

[residentmerc]

[ point taken right back, considering; ]

If you didn't, you wouldn't be helping us out. [ desperate people will do terrible things! ha ha ]

[egodist]

Well, it's been a long time since I felt desperate.

[ like decades ago long time ]

Though I intend for our efforts to have something to show for themselves.

[residentmerc]

They'd better.

[ LIKE. PLEASE. but speaking of efforts; ]

Did Nehan update you guys on what we found?

[egodist]

The depressing news, you mean?

[residentmerc]

Have we gotten news that wasn't depressing in this place?

[egodist]

I consider progress to be worthwhile even if it is inconvenient.

This progress is just the most objectively disheartening by far, given the amount of death and pain involved.

[residentmerc]

You're not wrong about that. But it's the closest thing to a solution we've found so far, too.

[egodist]

What are your thoughts on necessary sacrifice?

[residentmerc]

I don't care for it. [ that's important to note. he's not into any of it! ] ... But if things work, at least these would be temporary. We're stuck between that and losing everything.

[ it is not that dying doesn't suck. it does. getting killed sucks like hell. he did not want his killers to die for obvious reasons, and neither does he really want anyone else. but. the alternative is dying anyway. ]

[egodist]

I share your sentiment. If there was a way to accomplish salvation without sacrifice, that is the obvious choice. But the alternative is to do nothing, and whoever remains there might get involved in a ritual where we don't know what will happen to their lives. There is no certainty they will be brought where you are.

And even if your current state is tenuous, we at least know you exist mostly safely.

[ random fires and mind games not counting. but they at least can't die ]

[residentmerc]

It's safer on this side than they are on that one. [ because at least things that can kill them are 1) non permanent 2) not... their own possessed friends... ] If hiding out everyone on this side until we found a way back was a solution, I'd rather that than the burden of whoever has to be left behind too, but that won't stop the cult.

[ shakes his head ]

... If we can find anything else in the coming week that'd work, I'd rather take that, but they should know this is our best bet right now.

[egodist]

Any reasonable person would be in agreement with you. None of us relish this current plan of action, though it seems the most sustainable at this moment.

[ but it's nice to hear that cloud is being logical about it, since scien can easily understand how many emotions could get kicked up

but he's not good at dealing with those ]

This is the best option to be able to save all of you, not just some.

[residentmerc]

Being reasonable's easier on this side than theirs.

[ he cannot blame anyone for feeling an emotion about having to. kill each other. in the hopes this works. but he is also not good at dealing with feelings himself and also has some issue with processing emotions (looks at his brain) so. yea ]

Wouldn't want to be the one having to make the decision of how to proceed with that.