Headed for rekindleme. Hopefully.

[herecomesthehurt]

While I appreciate your determination, your work ethic so far hasn't inspired a lot of confidence.

[Like that barely started application that's due in less than six hours.]

Finish it or don't finish it, I guess. It's all the same to me.

[...Paine, hun, come on.

Give me something else to work with, here.]

Fine. If you want my honest opinion, I don't get why you picked this game. In case you haven't noticed, I'm not really the hugging type. But between that and some of the other places you send the people in here...well, I'm not complaining.

That's all I have to say on it. Just try not to get distracted before it's due, why don't you? That is, assuming you're really serious.

Comments

[ensared]

[ Gale snorts. ]

I'm not exactly the touchy-feely sort, either. Look where that got me.

[ He's already there, apartment set up and everything. And in the middle of a crisis, too! He shakes his head in disdain. ]

They're just as bad as the Capitol.

[herecomesthehurt]

The Capitol? Something from your world?

[She'd like to agree with you, but that's a little hard without knowing all the facts. Still--]

They must be pretty nasty, if you're comparing them to our muns.

[After all, Paine has seen what her's has done to some of the people here. That tower...she'd rather not think about it. And the person she sent was just a kid.

Needless to say, her opinion isn't very high.]

[ensared]

[ Nods. ]

They make twenty-four kids fight to the death every year, just for entertainment.

[ He spits out that word, dripping venom. No, "nasty" isn't the term he'd use for them. That's far too generous. ]

[herecomesthehurt]

Kids?

[That brings out a moment of genuine shock; she's heard about - and experienced - awful things in her world, but watching children kill each other? For entertainment? The thought genuinely disgusted her.]

Yevon may have been corrupt, but I don't think even they would have stooped that low.

[ensared]

[ He sees Paine's disgust and raises it pure, unadulterated loathing. But although it's difficult to explain, there's more to it than just entertainment. ]

They do it so the Districts won't rebel again. It's an annual reminder that we lost the last war. A warning for what could happen if we try it again.

And we're supposed to treat sending kids to their deaths as an honor. They expect us to watch and enjoy the show, like it's all just a... a game.

[ There's that damned word again. None of this stops him from wanting to start a revolution, though; in fact, it makes him want it even more. There's so much wrong with his world. Someone needs to change it. ]

[herecomesthehurt]

[She has to take a moment to imagine that, though she doesn't like the picture she sees when she does. She remembers what happened in the Den of Woe, and pictures how that would have looked if all the Crimson Squad members were children. If that happened over and over again, and everyone in the world could watch.

Were there really a place out there where such things happened? Where people were that brutal? Paine may not be the most optimistic person in the multiverse, but the idea was enough to unsettle even her.]

It's hard to imagine. Our old leaders used false hope to keep control. But I guess fear is just as effective.

[She can tell how disgusted he is - Gale doesn't hide it very well - but she doesn't blame him at all. Anyone who comes from such a world should be disgusted...though she imagined there were plenty of people who weren't.]

[ensared]

[ He nods grimly, looking off in a vague direction with glazed eyes. Fear was something he was all too familiar with, even if he's not fully aware of how the Capitol will use it against the Districts. His own anchor to such an awful society isn't so much out of fear, however... ]

If it weren't for my family, I would've left a long time ago.

[wavesinherheart]

Ah... maybe they wanted to try something new?

[herecomesthehurt]

I suppose. She also says that I "need a hug", but I wouldn't say she's the best judge of that.

[Too biased in favor of hugs in general.]

Though maybe it won't be a total waste.

[wavesinherheart]

It's still going somewhere, I suppose. Even if it seems like you might not be the best fit for it.

[imaginedsoldier]

Sounds like a common thing lately.

[You know, the whole "taking the non-hug types to places that ask for it."]

[herecomesthehurt]

Maybe we just have to wait for the trend to die down.

[And for their mundanes to get bored, maybe.]

I'm assuming the idea's not your cup of tea, either?

[imaginedsoldier]

Something tells me the trend of taking us where we don't want to go won't end.

[And it isn't because he's been with his mun for years; nope.]

It isn't.

[But Cloooud. :( You know you wanna get out at some point...]

[herecomesthehurt]

Good point.

And let me guess - you might end up in this place, too?

[imaginedsoldier]

Yeah.

[He shrugs ever so slightly.]

Seems she reached her limit with this cycle.

[herecomesthehurt]

Lucky you. Better be careful next month, though.

[Not that much can be done, all things considered.]

Still, there are worse possibilities.

[digientelechies]

[There's a very small creature at your feet that is ogling you.]

But isn't everyone a hugging type?

[He honestly sounds perplexed.]

[herecomesthehurt]

[Well that's...strange. It can talk, so it's probably not a fiend, but what in the world...]

Not everyone.

[She's not trying to be mean. Just honest.]

[digientelechies]

[His ears, which had been fanned out, shrank a little in size for a moment. His voice is a little wary.] Ohh... [Then his ears expand again and he flails his little arms excitedly.] Maybe you just haven't found the right hugger!

[herecomesthehurt]

I really don't think that's it.

[Sorry little guy.

She really does think you're kind of cute, though. She just doesn't feel the need to say it.]

[digientelechies]

Awww okay. But you can make friends if you go, right?

[herecomesthehurt]

[A smirk.]

We'll see how it goes.

[digientelechies]

Good luck! [He truly means it. Everyone should have friends!]

[paopu_oath]

[Let's just pretend Kairi is vaguely familiar with a... well... smaller version of Paine. So she completely misses the point of this post.]

When did you get so... big?

[herecomesthehurt]

Excuse me?

[Either she misheard the question, or this girl needs to explain. She hasn't gotten any bigger recently - she's sure of that.]

[paopu_oath]

Well aren't you normally... [She fumbles a little, then uses both her hands to measure out the size of the tiny Paine she remembers.]

[herecomesthehurt]

[It takes her a second, but once she figures out what Kairi is trying to indicate with the gesturing, she knows that there must be a mix-up.]

I think you've got something mixed up.

[She's never been that small, that's for sure.]

[paopu_oath]

[Kairi isn't so sure. Despite size difference, the two mostly looked so similar.]

I guess she had wings... [She admits finally. This Paine certainly is wingless.] Hmmm. Are you a treasure fanatic, too?

[herecomesthehurt]

Sorry, but you've got the wrong person.

[Spheres are the only treasure she ever came close to "fanatic" about, and she certainly has never had wings.]

[paopu_oath]

[O-Oh dear.]

Oh, I'm sorry! Now I just sound rude. I'm Kairi. Sorry again for the mix-up.