((A much more fitting vista, this was.))
Seo-yun stepped into the bowels of the ghost ship, her footfalls thumping gently on the worn and damp wooden floorboards, keeping an eye on her surroundings. Seo-yun and Mandy had been forced to flee the cruise ship after it had been declared a danger zone, winding up here out of pure happenstance. The musty smell didn't do it any favors, but at least it was easier to see in here than it often was in the bowels of the cruise ship and the ferry, courtesy of the eerie colored lighting befitting of something that seemed like it had been a tourist attraction in another life.
She had never been to an amusement park before, despite how wealthy her family was and their proximity to so many of them as a result of living in Florida. Her parents had simply never had the time, and whenever they were on vacation, they always preferred to travel. She had never been bothered by this fact, though, as she didn't see the appeal. She had never really had a fondness for the adrenaline rush involved, preferring instead to remain calm and of an even tempo at all times, an opinion that she had only cemented over the last day and a half, with all the violence that had erupted in her wake.
All the better to maintain her mask of perfection, no?
Of course, the pirate theme was about as tacky as Seo-yun could possibly imagine it being, but the decaying amusement park look of the place added an aura of horror to it not unlike any other abandoned building. The same kind of creepiness as a liminal space, something that seemed familiar and nostalgic, but twisted and off in some way that left it in the realm of the uncanny. It was a fitting place for a monster to be lurking, and that's what she was now, right?
The announcements had certainly painted her that way. Not undeservedly so, of course. In the span of a day and a half, she had single-handedly murdered four people who she had gone to school with at one point. Who else but a monster would be capable of such a thing?
The upshot was that the audience liked monsters. Players on SOTF always had all the eyes on them, by virtue of being the movers and shakers of the story at large. Nothing can happen if nobody dies, and somebody had to be the one to be there to pull the trigger. That kind of attention always brought love and hate in equal measure, and that was what she wanted right? She was the pack leader, the top dog, public enemy number one for the whole game. Everybody had to be watching her at this point, she knew that for a fact.
This was what she had always wanted.
So why didn't she feel any different?
She swallowed a lump in her throat, before turning to face her companion.
"Seems like as good a place as any, right?"
눈에서 멀어지면, 마음에서도 멀어진다
After The Third Announcement (PM For Entry)
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VoltTurtle
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MurderWeasel
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((Mandy Gross continued from Investigate))
"Yep." The pep behind the response was audible.
So, back to Pirates of the Caribbean.
Mandy was actually having a pretty good time, all things considered. Okay, there was still a little bit of unspoken tension lingering in the air, especially now that the announcements had come on and portrayed Seo-yun as a marauding murderer. That was going to absolutely complicate their lives going forwards, making it a whole lot harder to navigate future encounters peacefully and throwing more of the onus for diplomacy on Mandy's shoulders, since she was the one without a body count to her name. Of course, that was assuming they even bothered trying.
But those were problems for later. Right now, things were looking up. The inside of the ship was pretty dank, with pale green lighting in the room they were in that washed out everything as if they were looking through cheap night vision goggles, but it felt right with the humidity and mildly stifling atmosphere. The wood floor creaked under Mandy's feet, but it felt pretty solid, and she could see outside through a carefully gouged hole in the wall, splinters adeptly sanded to prevent accidental harm. All around were cobwebs that made her nose tickle looking at them, but actually they were just cotton stretched around the rafters. There were some plastic skeletons throughout the boat, and in one case it seemed like one had probably been dislodged and removed because there was a cleaner spot rather conspicuously empty. They made for a merry crew.
Seo-yun and Mandy were much the same. The other girl now sported the bandanna pilfered from Kamille (Mandy had been really close to getting that name after all, and as soon as the announcer said it she couldn't believe she'd ever forgot). They hadn't been in any life or death fights in a few hours, the ache from Amy's kick wasn't so bad anymore, and a hurried departure from the cruise ship wasn't the best but also wasn't a new experience.
So now, Mandy was bustling around, gathering supplies and setting up. She took a big goblet that was designed to look like some dull metal, lead maybe, but was actually plastic, and she wiped the inside clean with the tail of the spare t-shirt she'd been given. Her bag was sitting in a corner on a barrel, and from it she withdrew one of the wine glasses she'd pilfered from the banquet hall, and also a bottle of Gatorade.
Turning around and smacking the two mismatched cups down on top of a crate with faux-force but actually some care because she didn't want a fistful of glass, Mandy got to work unscrewing the plastic container. Then, she poured it between the two glasses, filling the wine glass to the very brim to make up for how much smaller it was. Her hand shook a little, and some of the bright green drink (even brighter in the matching illumination) spilled onto her fingers and the crate, just missing the revolver that lay next to the beverages, but Mandy was closer to laughing than breaking down.
She sort of hoped when this was all done that they'd put the ship back in a park somewhere. Maybe there'd be wax sculptures of her and Seo-yun put up in it, doing what they were doing right now.
"So," Mandy said, gesturing towards the drink as she set the not-fully-empty bottle down on the other side of the gun, "are you feeling classy?"
Her fingers hovered over the wine glass.
"Or decadent?"
They moved to wiggle at the plastic goblet.
"Yep." The pep behind the response was audible.
So, back to Pirates of the Caribbean.
Mandy was actually having a pretty good time, all things considered. Okay, there was still a little bit of unspoken tension lingering in the air, especially now that the announcements had come on and portrayed Seo-yun as a marauding murderer. That was going to absolutely complicate their lives going forwards, making it a whole lot harder to navigate future encounters peacefully and throwing more of the onus for diplomacy on Mandy's shoulders, since she was the one without a body count to her name. Of course, that was assuming they even bothered trying.
But those were problems for later. Right now, things were looking up. The inside of the ship was pretty dank, with pale green lighting in the room they were in that washed out everything as if they were looking through cheap night vision goggles, but it felt right with the humidity and mildly stifling atmosphere. The wood floor creaked under Mandy's feet, but it felt pretty solid, and she could see outside through a carefully gouged hole in the wall, splinters adeptly sanded to prevent accidental harm. All around were cobwebs that made her nose tickle looking at them, but actually they were just cotton stretched around the rafters. There were some plastic skeletons throughout the boat, and in one case it seemed like one had probably been dislodged and removed because there was a cleaner spot rather conspicuously empty. They made for a merry crew.
Seo-yun and Mandy were much the same. The other girl now sported the bandanna pilfered from Kamille (Mandy had been really close to getting that name after all, and as soon as the announcer said it she couldn't believe she'd ever forgot). They hadn't been in any life or death fights in a few hours, the ache from Amy's kick wasn't so bad anymore, and a hurried departure from the cruise ship wasn't the best but also wasn't a new experience.
So now, Mandy was bustling around, gathering supplies and setting up. She took a big goblet that was designed to look like some dull metal, lead maybe, but was actually plastic, and she wiped the inside clean with the tail of the spare t-shirt she'd been given. Her bag was sitting in a corner on a barrel, and from it she withdrew one of the wine glasses she'd pilfered from the banquet hall, and also a bottle of Gatorade.
Turning around and smacking the two mismatched cups down on top of a crate with faux-force but actually some care because she didn't want a fistful of glass, Mandy got to work unscrewing the plastic container. Then, she poured it between the two glasses, filling the wine glass to the very brim to make up for how much smaller it was. Her hand shook a little, and some of the bright green drink (even brighter in the matching illumination) spilled onto her fingers and the crate, just missing the revolver that lay next to the beverages, but Mandy was closer to laughing than breaking down.
She sort of hoped when this was all done that they'd put the ship back in a park somewhere. Maybe there'd be wax sculptures of her and Seo-yun put up in it, doing what they were doing right now.
"So," Mandy said, gesturing towards the drink as she set the not-fully-empty bottle down on the other side of the gun, "are you feeling classy?"
Her fingers hovered over the wine glass.
"Or decadent?"
They moved to wiggle at the plastic goblet.
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VoltTurtle
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"Classy, I think," Seo-yun replied, forming the slightest smile on her face, as she moved to delicately pick up the glass.
Of course Mandy was already getting settled in. From what little Seo-yun had bothered to remember about what Mandy liked and disliked, she knew that the other girl was a big fan of everything Disney related, and they had pirate themed attractions, right? Seo-yun didn't actually know, as the empire of Walt Disney had never been her cup of tea. Not that the distinction really mattered, Mandy was at ease, and therefore Seo-yun was also slightly more at ease.
There was still the chance that someone could come around the corner at any moment, seeking vengeance or trying to steal her fame or whatever else, so she couldn't be completely relaxed. If anyone came, though, Seo-yun would take care of it. The dull ache in her mangled ear served as a constant reminder of what would happen if she didn't. Virginia's life might not have mattered all that much in the end, but at least she had taught Seo-yun a valuable lesson. Threats are to be eliminated, not toyed with.
That was beside the point, though. She could let herself enjoy a small moment with a friend, absent the usual pressure of the game. She had already proven her worth to the audience at large, and given enough time there would be more lambs coming to her for slaughter.
She raised the glass to Mandy, unable not to smile if only for the absurdity of it all.
"Cheers."
Of course Mandy was already getting settled in. From what little Seo-yun had bothered to remember about what Mandy liked and disliked, she knew that the other girl was a big fan of everything Disney related, and they had pirate themed attractions, right? Seo-yun didn't actually know, as the empire of Walt Disney had never been her cup of tea. Not that the distinction really mattered, Mandy was at ease, and therefore Seo-yun was also slightly more at ease.
There was still the chance that someone could come around the corner at any moment, seeking vengeance or trying to steal her fame or whatever else, so she couldn't be completely relaxed. If anyone came, though, Seo-yun would take care of it. The dull ache in her mangled ear served as a constant reminder of what would happen if she didn't. Virginia's life might not have mattered all that much in the end, but at least she had taught Seo-yun a valuable lesson. Threats are to be eliminated, not toyed with.
That was beside the point, though. She could let herself enjoy a small moment with a friend, absent the usual pressure of the game. She had already proven her worth to the audience at large, and given enough time there would be more lambs coming to her for slaughter.
She raised the glass to Mandy, unable not to smile if only for the absurdity of it all.
"Cheers."
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MurderWeasel
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"Cheers."
Mandy clacked the big goblet against Seo-yun's glass, and it didn't make a satisfying sound at all. But that was just fine. She raised it to her mouth and took a big long drag, intending at first to drain it all the way to the bottom, but on the second swallow some went down the wrong pipe and she coughed, spraying a fine Gatorade mist into the air and sloppily putting the container back down on the crate. More drops of sugary beverage sloshed over the sides, rolling down the curves of the plastic and making Mandy's fingers sticky.
"—'m fine," she wheezed as she took a couple steps back from the table, coughing and smacking her fist into the center of her chest because she'd seen that on TV even though it never seemed to do anything and sure didn't now. Her eyes were damp at the corners.
This would be a pretty stupid way to die on SOTF, huh?
After a few moments, her breathing became more reliably clear. The coughs became smaller, more the sort of dainty throat-clearing she aspired to instead of the explosive, spittle-laden monstrosities that came naturally. She wiped her eyes, looked around at the dim green glow, the fake cobwebs, the revolver on the table, the expression that seemed like concern on her friend's face.
Thirty seconds ago, she would've left everything as it was, for fear of ruining the moment. But things had already kind of been ruined, hadn't they?
Mandy took a couple steps to the gash in the side of the ship and looked outside at the murky, gloomy water. She turned, looked back at Seo-yun, smiled a little but it felt forced. Turned again, looked back at the water. The moon was rippling in the little waves.
"...you don't have to lie me," she said.
Mandy clacked the big goblet against Seo-yun's glass, and it didn't make a satisfying sound at all. But that was just fine. She raised it to her mouth and took a big long drag, intending at first to drain it all the way to the bottom, but on the second swallow some went down the wrong pipe and she coughed, spraying a fine Gatorade mist into the air and sloppily putting the container back down on the crate. More drops of sugary beverage sloshed over the sides, rolling down the curves of the plastic and making Mandy's fingers sticky.
"—'m fine," she wheezed as she took a couple steps back from the table, coughing and smacking her fist into the center of her chest because she'd seen that on TV even though it never seemed to do anything and sure didn't now. Her eyes were damp at the corners.
This would be a pretty stupid way to die on SOTF, huh?
After a few moments, her breathing became more reliably clear. The coughs became smaller, more the sort of dainty throat-clearing she aspired to instead of the explosive, spittle-laden monstrosities that came naturally. She wiped her eyes, looked around at the dim green glow, the fake cobwebs, the revolver on the table, the expression that seemed like concern on her friend's face.
Thirty seconds ago, she would've left everything as it was, for fear of ruining the moment. But things had already kind of been ruined, hadn't they?
Mandy took a couple steps to the gash in the side of the ship and looked outside at the murky, gloomy water. She turned, looked back at Seo-yun, smiled a little but it felt forced. Turned again, looked back at the water. The moon was rippling in the little waves.
"...you don't have to lie me," she said.
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VoltTurtle
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Seo-yun's whole body tensed up, her grip tightening around the shotgun, her finger making its way towards the trigger.
"...excuse me?"
Originally, she was just going to make an internal quip about how of course Mandy managed to screw up a toast, nearly choking herself to death in contrast to Seo-yun's elegant sip. She was even going to follow it up by remarking on how Mandy wouldn't have made it a day without her, how good she was for partnering up with Mandy in the first place and giving her a chance.
Except, Mandy had to go and shatter any illusion of control she thought she still had.
Her smile had disappeared, replaced by a look of utter neutrality. Outside, her body remained still. Yet, inside, she wanted to scream. After all she did, now Mandy was catching on? Maybe Kamille did more damage than she had thought. Maybe Mandy had been stringing her along, all the way up to this moment, just to make it hurt her the most. Just to punish her for allowing herself to trust someone else.
If that was the case, if that was the case-
"What do you mean?" she asked, quietly, not betraying any hint of emotion.
"...excuse me?"
Originally, she was just going to make an internal quip about how of course Mandy managed to screw up a toast, nearly choking herself to death in contrast to Seo-yun's elegant sip. She was even going to follow it up by remarking on how Mandy wouldn't have made it a day without her, how good she was for partnering up with Mandy in the first place and giving her a chance.
Except, Mandy had to go and shatter any illusion of control she thought she still had.
Her smile had disappeared, replaced by a look of utter neutrality. Outside, her body remained still. Yet, inside, she wanted to scream. After all she did, now Mandy was catching on? Maybe Kamille did more damage than she had thought. Maybe Mandy had been stringing her along, all the way up to this moment, just to make it hurt her the most. Just to punish her for allowing herself to trust someone else.
If that was the case, if that was the case-
"What do you mean?" she asked, quietly, not betraying any hint of emotion.
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MurderWeasel
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"I'm not stupid, is what I mean."
This time, Mandy didn't turn to look at Seo-yun. She stood against the wall of the ship, pressing her sticky fingertips to the old wood, feeling the grooves of the grain and watching the pale ghostly glow ripple across them. She wasn't sure if she was avoiding turning because she couldn't bear to look at her friend as she spoke, or because she was afraid what she saw might make her lose her nerve.
"I know that we're, we're not defending ourselves all the time. Some of the kills were our fault."
The words were chosen carefully. She could've said they were Seo-yun's fault specifically, and she wouldn't have been entirely wrong, either, but it wasn't so fair to apportion the blame that way when she'd gone along with it at the time. Especially not with what she was going to say next.
"I remember the plan, Seo-yun," Mandy said. "It's you and me to the end, and the only way that can happen is one of us gets the ten. And because you got the first, that's you. So that's what we're doing. We don't have to pretend."
Her fingers scratched at the wood, picking, searching for purchase but not able to pry free a single splinter. Her next words were firm, but still spoken like she was asking for permission.
"But if we're not pretending? I've got some things I need to say."
This time, Mandy didn't turn to look at Seo-yun. She stood against the wall of the ship, pressing her sticky fingertips to the old wood, feeling the grooves of the grain and watching the pale ghostly glow ripple across them. She wasn't sure if she was avoiding turning because she couldn't bear to look at her friend as she spoke, or because she was afraid what she saw might make her lose her nerve.
"I know that we're, we're not defending ourselves all the time. Some of the kills were our fault."
The words were chosen carefully. She could've said they were Seo-yun's fault specifically, and she wouldn't have been entirely wrong, either, but it wasn't so fair to apportion the blame that way when she'd gone along with it at the time. Especially not with what she was going to say next.
"I remember the plan, Seo-yun," Mandy said. "It's you and me to the end, and the only way that can happen is one of us gets the ten. And because you got the first, that's you. So that's what we're doing. We don't have to pretend."
Her fingers scratched at the wood, picking, searching for purchase but not able to pry free a single splinter. Her next words were firm, but still spoken like she was asking for permission.
"But if we're not pretending? I've got some things I need to say."
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VoltTurtle
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Seo-yun's breathing steadied. She took her finger off the trigger.
So Mandy was fine with the killing, and wasn't about to betray her. That was good, then. Perhaps their relationship could do with some more honesty, in light of that.
"Then we aren't pretending anymore," she replied, doing her best to maintain her composure. "Say what you need to say."
So Mandy was fine with the killing, and wasn't about to betray her. That was good, then. Perhaps their relationship could do with some more honesty, in light of that.
"Then we aren't pretending anymore," she replied, doing her best to maintain her composure. "Say what you need to say."
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MurderWeasel
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"Okay." Mandy took a big, slow breath. "Thanks."
She wasn't quite sure what she'd been expecting. Maybe not to even get this far. Maybe for Seo-yun to tell her off, to blow up, to act offended at the very suggestion she could be anything but truthful, to threaten to abandon her. But that was Mandy not giving enough credit. They were friends. That was what this whole thing was about, the entire reason she'd come along and done all she'd done.
"This isn't easy," Mandy said. "And right now... you have the harder job. I know that. You're the one who has to do the—who has to kill people. You started, and you've got them all, so it doesn't make any sense for me to. And that's a relief. I'm... thank you for that."
The moon rippled. There was a faint buzz of electronics.
"But it isn't going to stay that way.
"Once you get ten, you're done. You're gone, out."
Mandy help up her right hand, index finger extended to forestall any objection. She could almost feel the faint air currents pulling at the tacky, partially-dried Gatorade residue.
"It's going to be you because, because you can't stay. Everyone will be after you, and you're already hurt. They'll all know what to expect, and they'll kill you. So it has to be you to go home early.
"But that means I'm going to be alone. In the most dangerous part of the game. So you—so we need to make sure that we're not making that any harder than it needs to be."
Finally, Mandy turned, and she didn't try to force a smile. Her hand fell back to her side, and her eyes snapped shut because she still wasn't ready, even if she caught the faintest, briefest glimpse.
"So we need to not kill my teammates. We're not killing your teammates because they don't count, but they don't actually matter. We don't care what happens to them. And if we kill my teammates when we don't have to, that means I can't fall back on them after you're gone.
"I'm not going to ditch you for them. I promise. But we need to look out for me too.
"Okay?"
She wasn't quite sure what she'd been expecting. Maybe not to even get this far. Maybe for Seo-yun to tell her off, to blow up, to act offended at the very suggestion she could be anything but truthful, to threaten to abandon her. But that was Mandy not giving enough credit. They were friends. That was what this whole thing was about, the entire reason she'd come along and done all she'd done.
"This isn't easy," Mandy said. "And right now... you have the harder job. I know that. You're the one who has to do the—who has to kill people. You started, and you've got them all, so it doesn't make any sense for me to. And that's a relief. I'm... thank you for that."
The moon rippled. There was a faint buzz of electronics.
"But it isn't going to stay that way.
"Once you get ten, you're done. You're gone, out."
Mandy help up her right hand, index finger extended to forestall any objection. She could almost feel the faint air currents pulling at the tacky, partially-dried Gatorade residue.
"It's going to be you because, because you can't stay. Everyone will be after you, and you're already hurt. They'll all know what to expect, and they'll kill you. So it has to be you to go home early.
"But that means I'm going to be alone. In the most dangerous part of the game. So you—so we need to make sure that we're not making that any harder than it needs to be."
Finally, Mandy turned, and she didn't try to force a smile. Her hand fell back to her side, and her eyes snapped shut because she still wasn't ready, even if she caught the faintest, briefest glimpse.
"So we need to not kill my teammates. We're not killing your teammates because they don't count, but they don't actually matter. We don't care what happens to them. And if we kill my teammates when we don't have to, that means I can't fall back on them after you're gone.
"I'm not going to ditch you for them. I promise. But we need to look out for me too.
"Okay?"
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VoltTurtle
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"Okay."
Seo-yun set the wine glass down on the crate, the muscles in her back finally starting to unwind.
"We'll leave your teammates alone," she gestured to the bandana on her arm, "and hopefully this will mean I won't have to kill any more of them."
There was the sound of a deep inhale. She felt her throat tighten.
"If I'm being honest with you, though," she continued, "then you should know that I wanted to go for the ten all along."
She looked away, not quite able to look at Mandy as she said that, her usual confidence starting to slip. She wasn't used to admitting to lies, only spinning further lies until she had a nice, comfortable web to rest in. That being said, even if honesty wasn't something she was used to, if there was ever a time to come clean, it would be now-
"When we formed our partnership, I knew you wouldn't be able to handle it. So I took that burden upon myself."
-but that didn't mean she couldn't still be a little dirty.
"I didn't want to tell you, because I wasn't sure how you would take it, but I've been playing for keeps since then," she returned her gaze to Mandy as her confidence resurged, "and everyone that we met that wasn't on your team or mine, I was planning to kill, because it was them or us. Leo, Mary, Abel, Virginia, Nura, Amy, Mariko..."
Her voice remained steadfast, her resolve absolute. Weaving together truth and some lies was much easier for her than just telling the truth. She would keep Mandy in her grasp, whatever it took.
"I didn't intend to kill Kamille," another lie, "but he forced my hand."
That uncomfortable itch came back, even stronger than before.
"Now that you know, is that okay with you?"
Seo-yun set the wine glass down on the crate, the muscles in her back finally starting to unwind.
"We'll leave your teammates alone," she gestured to the bandana on her arm, "and hopefully this will mean I won't have to kill any more of them."
There was the sound of a deep inhale. She felt her throat tighten.
"If I'm being honest with you, though," she continued, "then you should know that I wanted to go for the ten all along."
She looked away, not quite able to look at Mandy as she said that, her usual confidence starting to slip. She wasn't used to admitting to lies, only spinning further lies until she had a nice, comfortable web to rest in. That being said, even if honesty wasn't something she was used to, if there was ever a time to come clean, it would be now-
"When we formed our partnership, I knew you wouldn't be able to handle it. So I took that burden upon myself."
-but that didn't mean she couldn't still be a little dirty.
"I didn't want to tell you, because I wasn't sure how you would take it, but I've been playing for keeps since then," she returned her gaze to Mandy as her confidence resurged, "and everyone that we met that wasn't on your team or mine, I was planning to kill, because it was them or us. Leo, Mary, Abel, Virginia, Nura, Amy, Mariko..."
Her voice remained steadfast, her resolve absolute. Weaving together truth and some lies was much easier for her than just telling the truth. She would keep Mandy in her grasp, whatever it took.
"I didn't intend to kill Kamille," another lie, "but he forced my hand."
That uncomfortable itch came back, even stronger than before.
"Now that you know, is that okay with you?"
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MurderWeasel
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Mandy took one more deep breath, to match those she'd pulled in, held, and released as Seo-yun spoke.
"Yeah," she said.
She wasn't—couldn't be—surprised. It made so much more sense. From the very beginning, every time she turned her head, Seo-yun was in trouble, in peril, her hand forced so that she just so happened to need to exact horrible violence on somebody. And that was the plan. She'd said it at the start, just filtered some so Mandy would listen. And, for all that? She'd actually been concerned with getting Mandy to listen. She'd gone out of her way to keep Mandy on her side.
Why me?
It was the question she couldn't actually ask. Mandy was not Seo-yun's best friend back home. She wasn't special. Some of the dead people probably had better claim to being here, at the girl's side. They weren't on the same team. It would've been really, really easy to pick Mandy off at almost any moment. Even if she'd had some suspicions, she hadn't given them enough credibility to keep herself safe.
"Mostly."
Mandy's eyes snapped open. In the ethereal lighting, Seo-yun looked like a ghost, her pale skin ectoplasic green, the shadows and angles of her face long.
"I think we should reconsider how we treat friends," Mandy said. She was surprised how steady her voice was, how confident she felt. Seo-yun had her gun right there, while Mandy's was lying next to the goblet on the makeshift table. But it didn't matter. She wouldn't have even had a gun without Seo-yun.
"Eventually, they mostly have to die," Mandy continued, "obviously. But we don't have to do it. It feels... not right, you know?"
This wasn't quite the strong argument she'd been looking for, but it was oddly easy to slide back on track.
"There are people," Mandy said, with a sweeping gesture of that same hand she'd really have to drag through the sea to clean before too long, "watching us. And when we get out, we want them to like us, right? And if we're tricking and betraying our friends, they won't. And there are, um, a lot of other people here, who aren't your friends or mine either. So why pick on Amy, you know?"
She shrugged, but that movement looked more casual than she actually felt.
"We can choose. It won't even slow us down much—especially now that we know what we're doing, right? And, and if they make it an issue, yeah, of course we take 'em out. We've got time. Nobody's even close to you."
As she spoke, Mandy walked closer, back to the crate. She reached out, eyes locked with Seo-yun's the entire time, her hand slipping right past the revolver to scoop up the plastic cup from its spot beside the wineglass. She held it up, out, the invitation clear.
"Is that okay with you?"
"Yeah," she said.
She wasn't—couldn't be—surprised. It made so much more sense. From the very beginning, every time she turned her head, Seo-yun was in trouble, in peril, her hand forced so that she just so happened to need to exact horrible violence on somebody. And that was the plan. She'd said it at the start, just filtered some so Mandy would listen. And, for all that? She'd actually been concerned with getting Mandy to listen. She'd gone out of her way to keep Mandy on her side.
Why me?
It was the question she couldn't actually ask. Mandy was not Seo-yun's best friend back home. She wasn't special. Some of the dead people probably had better claim to being here, at the girl's side. They weren't on the same team. It would've been really, really easy to pick Mandy off at almost any moment. Even if she'd had some suspicions, she hadn't given them enough credibility to keep herself safe.
"Mostly."
Mandy's eyes snapped open. In the ethereal lighting, Seo-yun looked like a ghost, her pale skin ectoplasic green, the shadows and angles of her face long.
"I think we should reconsider how we treat friends," Mandy said. She was surprised how steady her voice was, how confident she felt. Seo-yun had her gun right there, while Mandy's was lying next to the goblet on the makeshift table. But it didn't matter. She wouldn't have even had a gun without Seo-yun.
"Eventually, they mostly have to die," Mandy continued, "obviously. But we don't have to do it. It feels... not right, you know?"
This wasn't quite the strong argument she'd been looking for, but it was oddly easy to slide back on track.
"There are people," Mandy said, with a sweeping gesture of that same hand she'd really have to drag through the sea to clean before too long, "watching us. And when we get out, we want them to like us, right? And if we're tricking and betraying our friends, they won't. And there are, um, a lot of other people here, who aren't your friends or mine either. So why pick on Amy, you know?"
She shrugged, but that movement looked more casual than she actually felt.
"We can choose. It won't even slow us down much—especially now that we know what we're doing, right? And, and if they make it an issue, yeah, of course we take 'em out. We've got time. Nobody's even close to you."
As she spoke, Mandy walked closer, back to the crate. She reached out, eyes locked with Seo-yun's the entire time, her hand slipping right past the revolver to scoop up the plastic cup from its spot beside the wineglass. She held it up, out, the invitation clear.
"Is that okay with you?"
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VoltTurtle
- Posts: 491
- Joined: Wed Sep 19, 2018 5:41 am
"...Sure."
Seo-yun hesitated before saying that. She had a lot of so-called friends from Mangrove Garden, and in truth, she didn't give a damn about any of them. Lucille? A narcissist with delusions of grandeur who desperately needed humbling. Bethan? A cute moron who's brain was better off as a splatter on the pavement. Mary? Seo-yun would probably be helping her along a path she would've taken on her own. Amy? A walking disaster who warranted a FEMA response. And those were just the friends she could think of off the top of her head. Now that they were all here, they were nothing more than cobblestones, meant to be laid to form her path to stardom.
After all, that was what she had wanted all along, right?
She was starting to feel less and less sure about that.
Ignoring that, Mandy's ideas were at best hopelessly naive. A kill was a kill, and delaying a notch on her belt would only put her life at further risk. Virginia had proven that much. She would still agree for now to keep the peace, but should an opportunity present itself later on, she would take it, without hesitation.
She picked the wine glass back up, before gingerly clinking it against Mandy's goblet.
"I'll do my best," she murmured, "but you and I will always come first."
Seo-yun hesitated before saying that. She had a lot of so-called friends from Mangrove Garden, and in truth, she didn't give a damn about any of them. Lucille? A narcissist with delusions of grandeur who desperately needed humbling. Bethan? A cute moron who's brain was better off as a splatter on the pavement. Mary? Seo-yun would probably be helping her along a path she would've taken on her own. Amy? A walking disaster who warranted a FEMA response. And those were just the friends she could think of off the top of her head. Now that they were all here, they were nothing more than cobblestones, meant to be laid to form her path to stardom.
After all, that was what she had wanted all along, right?
She was starting to feel less and less sure about that.
Ignoring that, Mandy's ideas were at best hopelessly naive. A kill was a kill, and delaying a notch on her belt would only put her life at further risk. Virginia had proven that much. She would still agree for now to keep the peace, but should an opportunity present itself later on, she would take it, without hesitation.
She picked the wine glass back up, before gingerly clinking it against Mandy's goblet.
"I'll do my best," she murmured, "but you and I will always come first."
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MurderWeasel
- Posts: 3456
- Joined: Mon Aug 06, 2018 9:56 am
- Team Affiliation: Jewel's Leviathans
This time when the goblet clonked against the wineglass, not a drop spilled.
"You and me," Mandy echoed, and drank deep. The sweet beverage went down quick and easy and smooth.
Seo-yun was hedging her bets, and obviously so, but that was alright. They were planning to do terrible things, and actually? That was alright too. They'd already done terrible things, after all. This wasn't how Mandy had ever expected something like this to go, and she certainly still didn't understand everything entirely—there were still lingering doubts about why she was in this position, what made her so special, whether she'd be able to stomach it knowing the truth—but what she had was good enough to go on for now. She could extrapolate from here, turn the variables into an equation that would hopefully make future encounters more predictable.
Mandy smacked the empty cup back down on the crate with a clatter that wasn't half as satisfying as it should've been; the plastic rebounded and fell to the floor, rolling with the rocking of the vessel. She didn't even care. She was beaming now, because this had been a risk, but now that it was done she was in, set up, understanding achieved. It wouldn't be easy or pleasant, but together they could do it, right? Especially with Seo-yun willing to listen to Mandy and take her into her confidence.
"So," Mandy continued, "you have any ideas how we can get you the rest of the way there?"
((Mandy Gross continued in ...and so we destroyed everything))
"You and me," Mandy echoed, and drank deep. The sweet beverage went down quick and easy and smooth.
Seo-yun was hedging her bets, and obviously so, but that was alright. They were planning to do terrible things, and actually? That was alright too. They'd already done terrible things, after all. This wasn't how Mandy had ever expected something like this to go, and she certainly still didn't understand everything entirely—there were still lingering doubts about why she was in this position, what made her so special, whether she'd be able to stomach it knowing the truth—but what she had was good enough to go on for now. She could extrapolate from here, turn the variables into an equation that would hopefully make future encounters more predictable.
Mandy smacked the empty cup back down on the crate with a clatter that wasn't half as satisfying as it should've been; the plastic rebounded and fell to the floor, rolling with the rocking of the vessel. She didn't even care. She was beaming now, because this had been a risk, but now that it was done she was in, set up, understanding achieved. It wouldn't be easy or pleasant, but together they could do it, right? Especially with Seo-yun willing to listen to Mandy and take her into her confidence.
"So," Mandy continued, "you have any ideas how we can get you the rest of the way there?"
((Mandy Gross continued in ...and so we destroyed everything))
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VoltTurtle
- Posts: 491
- Joined: Wed Sep 19, 2018 5:41 am
Seo-yun swallowed the last of the cheap beverage shortly after Mandy, gently placing the glass back down on the crate.
That was it then, their partnership was a real partnership now. She hadn't told Mandy why she had been chosen, but that didn't matter, and she didn't need to know. Seo-yun didn't fully understand why herself, anway, but she knew that she made the right choice in her partner. Even on the rare occasion that she made the wrong choice, it still worked out for her in the end. It always did, and it always would, because she was Seo-yun, star in the making.
"I do, actually," she replied, with a slight smile.
(("Let's go over the details."))
That was it then, their partnership was a real partnership now. She hadn't told Mandy why she had been chosen, but that didn't matter, and she didn't need to know. Seo-yun didn't fully understand why herself, anway, but she knew that she made the right choice in her partner. Even on the rare occasion that she made the wrong choice, it still worked out for her in the end. It always did, and it always would, because she was Seo-yun, star in the making.
"I do, actually," she replied, with a slight smile.
(("Let's go over the details."))