audience: emma perkins

[cyclists]

Comments

[cyclists]

A few more weeks. It depends on how numbers are looking, and what people will do now. [He shakes his head.]

It doesn't work like that though. The corruption...it may have gravitated toward Julius this last week, but that doesn't mean it's gone. So long as we have gateways to open, it means the universe doesn't think we're done with our job and unrest exists in those places.

On the other hand, now there are new places it may manifest, and that's what I'm trying to figure out.

[foodbin]

[She blinks.]

New places...? What do you mean?

[cyclists]

...Emma, why do you think we vote each week and have a trial, even when someone isn't corrupted at the time?

[foodbin]

...I don't know. I hadn't really thought about it.

[cyclists]

Corruption can begin to manifest in the heart of those who take someone's life. It's why we had to purify Akane. Not always, but it makes the heart more susceptible to it.

[foodbin]

[After a moment, softly:]

What? Wait, can you tell if I... [She pauses, taking a breath.] How much more susceptible are we talking? More than anybody else...?

[cyclists]

[He shakes his head. ] We haven't sensed anything yet. But darkness calls to darkness. It's not so much more than anyone else, but it's easier to find, y'know?

...he'll protect you no matter what though. I know that much.

[foodbin]

Not so much more than anyone else, but... It is more than anyone else?

[...]

Him protecting me isn't going to stop me from hurting anybody else. When you say people who have taken a life... Is that just here? How recent does it have to be to attract something like that?

[cyclists]

It's more like it's easier to find because it's surfaced versus something buried. A little more obvious, and a little further spread, but not a substantially greater amount.

I just mean here, or a lot of us would be in trouble. [Just saying.] It's like we've said from the start. All of you have darkness and light within you. Do something to stir the darkness, it starts immediately. That's why we still had to deliver Akane to the other plane.

[...] But, I don't sense anything within you at the moment. I can't guarantee it won't grow, but it's not obvious like it was in Tokidoki, or Lili. It may just rest for now.

[foodbin]

But if it’s surfaced, rather than buried... Does that mean I’m more likely to...?

[cyclists]

[He's trying not to lose his patience, because it's another one of those things he doesn't have an answer for.]

Sometimes the universe gives us a heads up of who may be corrupted. It hasn't said anything about you. So, I can't really say if you're more likely to be corrupted or to attract a corrupted person. But like I said, I don't sense anything right now.

[foodbin]

...So the only thing you have to go off is that you think it might be more at the forefront than it would be for anyone else.

[This time, she doesn’t sound angry so much as... scared, honestly.]

[cyclists]

Yeah. [He sounds pretty defeated, too.] ...at the same time, I think both of you have a strong enough light it can balance that.

[Is that true? No idea, but he's trying to be reassuring even if everything's a mess.] And who knows? Taking out the corruption itself helps erase the unrest in the universe and it can't ignore that.

[foodbin]

...I promise, I’m not trying to be mean when I say this. I just... Are you sure about that, or are you just trying to make me feel better? It’s okay if you’re honest.

[cyclists]

I don't think you're the kind of person that would appreciate being pitied or lied to just to feel better about an inevitable truth. It's just what I think though. The other side is still getting news...maybe that'll come up and we'll get clarity on it, too.

[He's still mad at her, but...this situation sucks for everybody.] If we're talking about honesty, I can't promise you're going to live past this week. I can't even promise that we'll have a week where we won't lose even more people, especially now that so many of you know the win condition. All I can do is let the others share the news as they learn it, and help prepare you for whatever comes next.

So. [A quiet pause.] What comes next for you, Emma?

[foodbin]

...I don’t know.

[It’s quiet.]

If most of us have to die anyways, and I’m at risk - I don’t want to hurt anybody. I don’t want to lose myself. [But - she doesn’t want to die.] I don’t know.

[cyclists]

Of everyone who's left, I have to wonder if everyone else feels the same way. [It's a thought.] Nobody wants to die, and we don't want you guys to die either. But if the corruption does stop...does that buy us time? Or stall what we know has to happen?

[...] Sorry. I've been thinking about this a lot lately.

[foodbin]

...We find new information every week that can help us. Stopping the corruption until we have a better idea isn’t a bad thing.

[...]

What would you do if you were in my shoes? If you were scared you might hurt someone, even if you weren’t sure?

[cyclists]

...if it were me? [A funny question.] I'd at least consider who I might go after at a time like that, or what I could possibly do to them. I'd prepare for the possibility that I could hurt my friends...but I'd also trust them to fight back. But those are just my friends.

And most importantly, I'd tell somebody else and see what they thought. [Just saying.] Even if it's a precaution and nothing's likely to happen...look at Swift Wind. He had Saix tie him up at night because he was afraid. And Xion...she won't say it, but I think she's still scared it'll happen again, too.

[foodbin]

...Right. I just...

[She sighs.]

Sorry. I don’t mean to unload on you.

[cyclists]

...it's okay. [Strangely.] It's a scary thing, knowing you could be the one to end the life of somebody you've come to care about. Losing control of who you are, not even knowing if your actions are your own or someone else's...trust me, I get it. Probably more than you'd think.

[There's another pause.] ...people are complex. Even with something like darkness living in their hearts, the light helps shape them. We just have to remember that even if the way to get there is scary and seems like the end, we still have the power to change things if people work together.

[foodbin]

[After a few moments... The real crux of the matter.]

...If I’m going to have to die anyways before this is over, I just don’t see why I shouldn’t do it before I have the chance to hurt someone else. I don’t exactly want to be the last one standing here, especially if I’m going to be more of a risk than anyone else.

[cyclists]

[...]

Shess told me. [About Emma asking him to kill her if something happens.] I'd advise taking time to think about this before doing anything, but...I understand not wanting to be the last one standing. I don't know if I could do it either.

[foodbin]

I’m not going to jump into anything.

[Since it is, quite literally, life or death.]

But I can’t just... [...] How much did I tell you about back home?

[cyclists]

...uh...you told me that back home isn't actually a thing that's likely to happen, more or less.