Cecil thanked her for the directions. Katelynne smiled back with a "yeah, no problem!" and eyed over her own map once again, still trying to determine if it was in her best interest to go to the shoe tree first or not.
When she looked back up, everyone was gone. She frantically searched around to see Yuka still standing there with the gun in hand and Cecil and Quinn already ducking behind the trees. Some Mexican guy was suddenly there too, and he had a similar idea with the trees. Katelynne didn't need to be told twice to do the same.
She grabbed her things and scampered behind the tree nearest her. "Yeah, me too," she echoed Cecil and the new guys' words, her face going through a range of motions trying to figure out what the heck she got herself into. She really didn't have time for this hogwash. The path was mostly clear now, anyway; maybe if she played it cool she could just slink away.
Quintessential Thinking
Yuka was showing due caution with a valid refusal. If the positions were reversed, Quinn might have come up with a similar set of reasons, though if the positions were reversed, the current conversation wouldn't be happening. Still, it was inconvenient; the only real result of speaking up was an increase in the tension and no progress towards the goal. However, more tension wasn't necessarily a bad thing, especially when not directed specifically her way, it just depended on how the rest of the encounter played out.
Quinn didn't react to Yuka's refusal, just continued watching her, maintaining that steady eye contact. Some people found that kind of steadiness to be trustworthy, others became uncomfortable with it after a time. Most people couldn't stay looking at another person's eyes consistently for long periods; it didn't feel natural, could get overly intense, and in some studies was demonstrated to actively impair conversational skills. Quinn didn't mind so much. Eyes were just eyes. Yuka gazed into hers.
Yuka wasn't done talking though, and came back with an intriguing counterproposal. Not one Quinn felt she was on board with, but intriguing nonetheless. Trustworthy? Also no. A gun was a gun, it wouldn't be that difficult for Yuka to say, start lowering the weapon to the ground and then twist around for a shot before actually dropping it. Yuka probably didn't have those kind of gunslinging chops, but a fluke would be enough to ruin Quinn's day, night, life. Quinn didn't know enough to consider what Yuka might do, so the default position needed to be that she was capable of anything Quinn imagined she was capable of.
Intentionally, Quinn paused. Yuka had addressed everyone, so everyone would have an opportunity to respond. That would make it much easier to gauge where the wind was blowing before formulating her own reply.
Cecil was no. Cecil was also moving in a way that suggested he was getting ready to flee. If Yuka wanted to make good on the implicit threat of a gun, then him breaking and running could prove the inciting moment. Something to keep half an eye on. Peripheral vision. Other guy was also a no. Quinn didn't know him at all, but he was further away, it evened out.
Kate, well, Kate reacted most extreme of all. She must have been paying attention to how Quinn and the others were moving because she ducked right behind a tree, putting it between her and well, almost everyone. Quinn could barely see her.
Quinn didn't smile, but felt the corner of her mouth twitch nonetheless as she glanced between the rest of them there. She shifted the daypack she was wearing on her back, shucking the strap off of her right shoulder, then her left, sliding it into her left hand, the one closer to her personal tree. She looked dead at Yuka, then let the bag drop to the forest floor with a gentle thump.
Quinn didn't react to Yuka's refusal, just continued watching her, maintaining that steady eye contact. Some people found that kind of steadiness to be trustworthy, others became uncomfortable with it after a time. Most people couldn't stay looking at another person's eyes consistently for long periods; it didn't feel natural, could get overly intense, and in some studies was demonstrated to actively impair conversational skills. Quinn didn't mind so much. Eyes were just eyes. Yuka gazed into hers.
Yuka wasn't done talking though, and came back with an intriguing counterproposal. Not one Quinn felt she was on board with, but intriguing nonetheless. Trustworthy? Also no. A gun was a gun, it wouldn't be that difficult for Yuka to say, start lowering the weapon to the ground and then twist around for a shot before actually dropping it. Yuka probably didn't have those kind of gunslinging chops, but a fluke would be enough to ruin Quinn's day, night, life. Quinn didn't know enough to consider what Yuka might do, so the default position needed to be that she was capable of anything Quinn imagined she was capable of.
Intentionally, Quinn paused. Yuka had addressed everyone, so everyone would have an opportunity to respond. That would make it much easier to gauge where the wind was blowing before formulating her own reply.
Cecil was no. Cecil was also moving in a way that suggested he was getting ready to flee. If Yuka wanted to make good on the implicit threat of a gun, then him breaking and running could prove the inciting moment. Something to keep half an eye on. Peripheral vision. Other guy was also a no. Quinn didn't know him at all, but he was further away, it evened out.
Kate, well, Kate reacted most extreme of all. She must have been paying attention to how Quinn and the others were moving because she ducked right behind a tree, putting it between her and well, almost everyone. Quinn could barely see her.
Quinn didn't smile, but felt the corner of her mouth twitch nonetheless as she glanced between the rest of them there. She shifted the daypack she was wearing on her back, shucking the strap off of her right shoulder, then her left, sliding it into her left hand, the one closer to her personal tree. She looked dead at Yuka, then let the bag drop to the forest floor with a gentle thump.
They didn't trust her, Yuka realized, and the thought sank in and settled inside her, leaving its mark like the pebbles beneath her soles, her nails in her fist. They were scared of her. Manuel's refusal, in particular, hurt, and she would remember that. It was understandable, she supposed. She appeared to be the one with the most powerful weapon here, and therefore, she was the person everyone here had to be most wary of. She would probably do the same if she were in their shoes. It just felt very odd being on this side of the situation. People were supposed to like her. That's how things went most of the time, and that's how she liked it.
At least it decided things a little. There was no way she could find allies in this group, not with first impressions like these.
She averted her gaze from Quinn for the time being, keeping track of everyone else. They were hiding near or behind the trees, still fifteen meters or so from her. The gap between them felt incredibly wide, but would it still feel that way if any of them charged her? Would that distance matter if any of them pulled out a gun? The only person actually behind a tree right now was Katelynne, and she seemed the most scared of everyone here. But she couldn't see her, see if she was trying to pull a trick or not.
Quinn shrugged off her daypack, but still had a knapsack around her shoulder. It felt like a mockery of Yuka's demand, but was it enough for her purposes? Her knapsack was closed, and she would notice if she reached for it. She would like to think she'd be able to react in time if the others tried to make a move, but she had no basis for that. But, again, they were the ones terrified of her. Yuka, too, was terrified, and she desperately wanted to scream or cry or panic in some manner, but if she escalated the situation any further, made any sudden move, that might push any one of them to act against her. She had to set aside her emotions for another time, another place.
Her eyes fixed on Quinn. Her nails dug deeper into her palm.
With the movement of a few straps, she shrugged off her bags and dropped her gun, and then raised her hands above her head.
"Happy?"
She then looked past Quinn, towards the tree Katelynne had chosen, and projected her voice in that direction.
"Katelynne, I just wanna know where we are, so I can find my sisters. Show me what you showed Cecil, and I'll be out of your hairs. Alright?"
At least it decided things a little. There was no way she could find allies in this group, not with first impressions like these.
She averted her gaze from Quinn for the time being, keeping track of everyone else. They were hiding near or behind the trees, still fifteen meters or so from her. The gap between them felt incredibly wide, but would it still feel that way if any of them charged her? Would that distance matter if any of them pulled out a gun? The only person actually behind a tree right now was Katelynne, and she seemed the most scared of everyone here. But she couldn't see her, see if she was trying to pull a trick or not.
Quinn shrugged off her daypack, but still had a knapsack around her shoulder. It felt like a mockery of Yuka's demand, but was it enough for her purposes? Her knapsack was closed, and she would notice if she reached for it. She would like to think she'd be able to react in time if the others tried to make a move, but she had no basis for that. But, again, they were the ones terrified of her. Yuka, too, was terrified, and she desperately wanted to scream or cry or panic in some manner, but if she escalated the situation any further, made any sudden move, that might push any one of them to act against her. She had to set aside her emotions for another time, another place.
Her eyes fixed on Quinn. Her nails dug deeper into her palm.
With the movement of a few straps, she shrugged off her bags and dropped her gun, and then raised her hands above her head.
"Happy?"
She then looked past Quinn, towards the tree Katelynne had chosen, and projected her voice in that direction.
"Katelynne, I just wanna know where we are, so I can find my sisters. Show me what you showed Cecil, and I'll be out of your hairs. Alright?"
-
LeslieFranc
- Posts: 188
- Joined: Mon Aug 13, 2018 11:22 pm
The others seemed to be of the same opinion as him. Well, most of them anyway. One of the girls dropped only her daypack, but she didn’t seem to have any intent of submitting to Yuka’s wishes of establishing trust, at least from what Cecil could tell. Which was why he did not understand the need to drop it in the first place, unless she thought that two bags would be already too heavy for her if she decided to run, or maybe she had a plan, or something else. He wasn’t sure. Nonetheless, it didn’t help the growing tension of the moment, which she had provoked by asking Yuka to put her gun away earlier.
But then Yuka dropped her own bags and also her gun. She put her hands up and asked for directions.
Cecil would be lying if he said it didn’t make him relax one bit, but he also couldn’t help but disapprove of the way Yuka just decided to put herself in the disadvantage so as to only find out where they were. Maybe it would work, maybe it wouldn’t, but Cecil himself had been taught to never compromise if he already had the advantage. Although, of course, this could’ve been avoided if she wasn’t suddenly put on the spot about her gun.
At least he got another name. Katelynne. The girl who gave him the directions. It was only a small thing, but he’d try to remember her.
She would have to answer Yuka after all.
The thought of going for Yuka’s gun, or shooting her with his knife crossed his mind, but he immediately dismissed it.
Not sure of the distance. Too far. Or my aim. Don’t want to lose the blade immediately. Or if I’d want to be branded a murderer this early in the game. No no not yet not yet that’s bad—
So he stood still and waited.
But then Yuka dropped her own bags and also her gun. She put her hands up and asked for directions.
Cecil would be lying if he said it didn’t make him relax one bit, but he also couldn’t help but disapprove of the way Yuka just decided to put herself in the disadvantage so as to only find out where they were. Maybe it would work, maybe it wouldn’t, but Cecil himself had been taught to never compromise if he already had the advantage. Although, of course, this could’ve been avoided if she wasn’t suddenly put on the spot about her gun.
At least he got another name. Katelynne. The girl who gave him the directions. It was only a small thing, but he’d try to remember her.
She would have to answer Yuka after all.
The thought of going for Yuka’s gun, or shooting her with his knife crossed his mind, but he immediately dismissed it.
Not sure of the distance. Too far. Or my aim. Don’t want to lose the blade immediately. Or if I’d want to be branded a murderer this early in the game. No no not yet not yet that’s bad—
So he stood still and waited.
Katelynne peeked out from behind the tree after her name was called. Looked like the situation was diffused, whatever the misunderstanding was. Yuka didn't have the gun in her hand anymore, at least.
"Okay," she called back to Yuka. She brushed some stray hairs out of her face before pulling out the map and cautiously walking over to Yuka.
"We're, uhm, 'bout right here." Katelynne pointed at the map in the same general spot she showed Cecil. "There's a waterfall maybe an hour thattaway, and up this road is all this stuff going on in the woods."
As she gave Yuka the rundown, she got a better look at the gun out of the corner of her eye. The camo print really stood out on the forest flo—OH! She knew what it was. Heh. Dad still used the one he got last Christmas.
...
"...Anyway, that's the gist of it." Katelynne folded the map back into the book before starting back up the cleared path. But then she slowed to a stop and turned back around, giving one final address to the fractured group. "I'm, uh, heading on up to the shoe tree. Y'all are welcome to come along, or not; it's up to y'all. Otherwise, uhm...
...Yeah."
((And then she set out.))
"Okay," she called back to Yuka. She brushed some stray hairs out of her face before pulling out the map and cautiously walking over to Yuka.
"We're, uhm, 'bout right here." Katelynne pointed at the map in the same general spot she showed Cecil. "There's a waterfall maybe an hour thattaway, and up this road is all this stuff going on in the woods."
As she gave Yuka the rundown, she got a better look at the gun out of the corner of her eye. The camo print really stood out on the forest flo—OH! She knew what it was. Heh. Dad still used the one he got last Christmas.
...
"...Anyway, that's the gist of it." Katelynne folded the map back into the book before starting back up the cleared path. But then she slowed to a stop and turned back around, giving one final address to the fractured group. "I'm, uh, heading on up to the shoe tree. Y'all are welcome to come along, or not; it's up to y'all. Otherwise, uhm...
...Yeah."
((And then she set out.))
Yuka dropped her bag and gun, as well as one other person who dropped her bag. Then Yuka started talking about how she wanted to find her sisters (oh, yeah, she was one of triplets), and she wanted to know where she was so she could find her sisters. Manuel nodded. He could understand that, and she seemed sincere enough. Here went nothing ...
Manuel threw his bag down as Katelynne left and stepped out.
"Okay. Good enough." He didn't want to have to go it alone.
Manuel threw his bag down as Katelynne left and stepped out.
"Okay. Good enough." He didn't want to have to go it alone.
Survivor: UCONN - Seriously, it's awesome!
Version 8
Kaede Tsurumi: "Eeep! I-I'm so sorry! I-I'll try not to get in your w-way next time!"
Morgan Whitney
Tyler Slomkowski
Victor Grail: "I didn't give you the lead so that you could lose it! I guess it's up to me to carry us after all."
Version 8
Kaede Tsurumi: "Eeep! I-I'm so sorry! I-I'll try not to get in your w-way next time!"
Morgan Whitney
Tyler Slomkowski
Victor Grail: "I didn't give you the lead so that you could lose it! I guess it's up to me to carry us after all."
Called out.
It was faintly amusing seeing Yuka throw in the towel at a bare hint of pressure. Dropping her own bag was the only card Quinn had to play and yet there Yuka was, backing down from the 'everyone' demand all the way to a single person. Quinn wasn't complaining though, far from it. The important thing was that the gun was down and the immediate threat lessened; Yuka stooping back down towards the weapon would be very obvious at this point and give Quinn ample time to react and remove herself from harm's way.
Yuka locked eyes with her again and once more, Quinn met them. Her only reply was a simple nod. Yes, all things considered, she was happy. That seemed to be sufficient for an understanding between the two of them and Yuka then turned her attention to—oh, it was Katelynne, not Kate? Not much difference, she supposed. One was basically short for the other.
Cecil didn't move. He didn't lower his weapon either. Quinn had more than an eye on that now. The distance between all of them wasn't so great and Yuka's attention was occupied. Just because Quinn would see a sudden rush coming didn't mean that Yuka would, and any warning, accounting for reaction time or any other delay, could easily come much too late. Did Cecil have that in him? Well, of course he did. Everyone did until proven otherwise.
Regardless, Yuka and Katelynne conferred for a bit over directions and that was seemingly that for the interaction here. Good luck finding the shoe tree. Was that a tree made of shoes? A shoe made out of trees? Limitless possibilities. Maybe there was something worth seeing.
Quinn raised a hand, wiggled it a tiny bit side to side, and then turned to follow along with Katelynne as the other girl passed her, scooping up her bag along the way.
She still made sure to put that tree between her and Yuka immediately.
((Quinn continued in Shoegazing))
It was faintly amusing seeing Yuka throw in the towel at a bare hint of pressure. Dropping her own bag was the only card Quinn had to play and yet there Yuka was, backing down from the 'everyone' demand all the way to a single person. Quinn wasn't complaining though, far from it. The important thing was that the gun was down and the immediate threat lessened; Yuka stooping back down towards the weapon would be very obvious at this point and give Quinn ample time to react and remove herself from harm's way.
Yuka locked eyes with her again and once more, Quinn met them. Her only reply was a simple nod. Yes, all things considered, she was happy. That seemed to be sufficient for an understanding between the two of them and Yuka then turned her attention to—oh, it was Katelynne, not Kate? Not much difference, she supposed. One was basically short for the other.
Cecil didn't move. He didn't lower his weapon either. Quinn had more than an eye on that now. The distance between all of them wasn't so great and Yuka's attention was occupied. Just because Quinn would see a sudden rush coming didn't mean that Yuka would, and any warning, accounting for reaction time or any other delay, could easily come much too late. Did Cecil have that in him? Well, of course he did. Everyone did until proven otherwise.
Regardless, Yuka and Katelynne conferred for a bit over directions and that was seemingly that for the interaction here. Good luck finding the shoe tree. Was that a tree made of shoes? A shoe made out of trees? Limitless possibilities. Maybe there was something worth seeing.
Quinn raised a hand, wiggled it a tiny bit side to side, and then turned to follow along with Katelynne as the other girl passed her, scooping up her bag along the way.
She still made sure to put that tree between her and Yuka immediately.
((Quinn continued in Shoegazing))
Yuka couldn't help but smirk to herself as Manuel dropped his bag well after it mattered. Maybe he was just bad at listening to directions.
She nodded along as Katelynne oriented her on their whereabouts. They were rather close to the center of the island, as it turns out. Surprisingly near the village, considering how thick the forest was. And then Katelynne announced to the group that she was going to the shoe tree, which of course meant that Yuka would be going the opposite way. She said she would be out of their hairs, remember?
The thought of going to a place with lots of buildings, with lots of potential threats—your classmates—prickled the hairs on her neck, but that also meant that more allies could be there.
That meant her sisters could be there.
With another clench of the fist, Yuka took note of how Quinn put a tree between the two of them. And then she picked up her stuff and walked the opposite way, past Manuel and Cecil, her usual 'See you later' left unsaid. For one, she didn't feel like being friendly with them after this. For two, she wasn't actually sure if she'd see them later, and not another second of thought needed to be devoted to that.
She continued glancing back at the two boys, wondering if either of them would charge her, but they stood still. The gravity of what had just happened, of the decisions she had just made, gradually dawned upon her, and the urge to scream at it all rose. But she held it off until the two men weren't in hearing distance, and once they weren't, that urge died within her, like a sneeze suppressed, and it left a similar amount of frustration within her. She would reevaluate things when she was alone, when she could afford to. For now, the sea of panic and anxiety bubbled just beneath, begging for release as she walked away.
((Yuka Hayashibara continues in I Pray to the Lord You Reveal what His Truth is))
She nodded along as Katelynne oriented her on their whereabouts. They were rather close to the center of the island, as it turns out. Surprisingly near the village, considering how thick the forest was. And then Katelynne announced to the group that she was going to the shoe tree, which of course meant that Yuka would be going the opposite way. She said she would be out of their hairs, remember?
The thought of going to a place with lots of buildings, with lots of potential threats—your classmates—prickled the hairs on her neck, but that also meant that more allies could be there.
That meant her sisters could be there.
With another clench of the fist, Yuka took note of how Quinn put a tree between the two of them. And then she picked up her stuff and walked the opposite way, past Manuel and Cecil, her usual 'See you later' left unsaid. For one, she didn't feel like being friendly with them after this. For two, she wasn't actually sure if she'd see them later, and not another second of thought needed to be devoted to that.
She continued glancing back at the two boys, wondering if either of them would charge her, but they stood still. The gravity of what had just happened, of the decisions she had just made, gradually dawned upon her, and the urge to scream at it all rose. But she held it off until the two men weren't in hearing distance, and once they weren't, that urge died within her, like a sneeze suppressed, and it left a similar amount of frustration within her. She would reevaluate things when she was alone, when she could afford to. For now, the sea of panic and anxiety bubbled just beneath, begging for release as she walked away.
((Yuka Hayashibara continues in I Pray to the Lord You Reveal what His Truth is))
-
LeslieFranc
- Posts: 188
- Joined: Mon Aug 13, 2018 11:22 pm
Just like that, the three girls ran off on their own one by one. First with Katelynne after giving directions, then the remaining unnamed one following after, and then finally Yuka herself. That left Cecil and the other guy who now just decided to drop his bags.
Something about the way this whole encounter ended rubbed him the wrong way. No, more than that, he was aggravated. It could’ve been that he wasn’t sure whether to consider if he was going to leave with a win or a lose. He got some directions, and he didn’t lose anything at all. But of course, it’s not like a lack of failure meant complete success. And that was just the problem, wasn’t it?
But I survived, he reminded himself. That’s a win. Now to just accumulate those wins to a victory.
He felt exhausted, and yet he also wanted to scream and kick something. Maybe that guy’s bag. Or slash something with my knife. Maybe the tree. Or just cry—wait, no. No crying.
What the actual fuck am I thinking right now?
He felt sick. He needed to leave.
Immediately taking off after a brief wary glance at the other remaining boy, he took the path which he remembered to be the way to the waterfall.
He ran until he could hear the blood pounding in his ears, his head starting to throb painfully and his grip on the knife loosening. Slowing down to a walk, he tried to get himself to calm down.
Cecil let out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding. Finally being alone allowed him some relief, which was then followed by the downpour of fear, anxiety and frustration that he had been trying to keep at bay the moment Yuka started asking them to put down their bags and he just scurried towards a tree. Now that he thought about it, he might have overreacted. There didn’t seem to be any malicious threat coming from Yuka then, so maybe, just maybe…he could have trusted her?
Or not. I’ll never know. He sighed. Could’ve been worse, anyway. Still sucked, though.
Or maybe he was just so scared of being shot. He was scared, he was so fucking scared of the gun, of getting shot, just like Ms. Garcia—oh my God, Ms. Garcia—why did he think of that now—he should stop, he should—
Cecil started running again.
((Cecil Salazar-Loveless continued in pâro))
Something about the way this whole encounter ended rubbed him the wrong way. No, more than that, he was aggravated. It could’ve been that he wasn’t sure whether to consider if he was going to leave with a win or a lose. He got some directions, and he didn’t lose anything at all. But of course, it’s not like a lack of failure meant complete success. And that was just the problem, wasn’t it?
But I survived, he reminded himself. That’s a win. Now to just accumulate those wins to a victory.
He felt exhausted, and yet he also wanted to scream and kick something. Maybe that guy’s bag. Or slash something with my knife. Maybe the tree. Or just cry—wait, no. No crying.
What the actual fuck am I thinking right now?
He felt sick. He needed to leave.
Immediately taking off after a brief wary glance at the other remaining boy, he took the path which he remembered to be the way to the waterfall.
He ran until he could hear the blood pounding in his ears, his head starting to throb painfully and his grip on the knife loosening. Slowing down to a walk, he tried to get himself to calm down.
Cecil let out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding. Finally being alone allowed him some relief, which was then followed by the downpour of fear, anxiety and frustration that he had been trying to keep at bay the moment Yuka started asking them to put down their bags and he just scurried towards a tree. Now that he thought about it, he might have overreacted. There didn’t seem to be any malicious threat coming from Yuka then, so maybe, just maybe…he could have trusted her?
Or not. I’ll never know. He sighed. Could’ve been worse, anyway. Still sucked, though.
Or maybe he was just so scared of being shot. He was scared, he was so fucking scared of the gun, of getting shot, just like Ms. Garcia—oh my God, Ms. Garcia—why did he think of that now—he should stop, he should—
Cecil started running again.
((Cecil Salazar-Loveless continued in pâro))
Shoe tree? What the hell was that? Manuel shook his head. Either way, Katelynne left, presumably going that way, then Quinn followed her, and Yuka passed him going the other way, passing him by. The other guy was a little firmer in his desire to leave, running off like his ass was on fire. Manuel just rolled his eyes and left.
((Manuel Figueroa continued in I Pray to the Lord You Reveal what His Truth is))
((Manuel Figueroa continued in I Pray to the Lord You Reveal what His Truth is))
Survivor: UCONN - Seriously, it's awesome!
Version 8
Kaede Tsurumi: "Eeep! I-I'm so sorry! I-I'll try not to get in your w-way next time!"
Morgan Whitney
Tyler Slomkowski
Victor Grail: "I didn't give you the lead so that you could lose it! I guess it's up to me to carry us after all."
Version 8
Kaede Tsurumi: "Eeep! I-I'm so sorry! I-I'll try not to get in your w-way next time!"
Morgan Whitney
Tyler Slomkowski
Victor Grail: "I didn't give you the lead so that you could lose it! I guess it's up to me to carry us after all."