I know a lot about stalking. I've had to shake a stalker quite a few times, and have actually been one on occasion. You could say I'm something of an expert on the topic. Stalkers and their reasons for doing so vary on an individual basis, but certain things tend to carry over. Looking at the pair of almost hungry eyes beside me, staring ever since I walked into the room, I believe that this can certainly qualify as stalking. *if (vi_friend =true) "...Hello Vi." "Hello friend..." "What a lovely coincidence..." "It sure is..." She giggled *if (vi_stalker =true) "...Vi." "Yes?" "Why are you staring at me like you're considering what sauces would go well with your meat?" "...Can I tell you later?" "Why not now?" "You might kill me..." *if (vi_think =true) "...Vi, did you follow me here?" "...No." "Then what is this?" "A coincidence...a lovely coincidence." "That does not sound like something someone says during a coincidence." "Well, what would they normally say?" "...I concede your point." *page_break Next The teacher begins the class by giving a romanticized idea of the arts, declaring them as being a way to express the character of the artist and their views. She says that once we have the fundamentals of drawing, our first project will be to make a painting of the most important thing in our life; though for the first couple months we'll just be learning about the basics of putting paint to canvas. Knowing this, I feel... *fake_choice *if (remember_past !=true) #Scared; they're really going to force me to go through my memories now? *set tactics -1 *if (forget_past =true) There's so much in my mind that I've been trying to get away from. I was still exhausted from remembering earlier; memories have only ever been dangerous for me and trying to dig them up had never brought anything but pain. Now they're turning tormenting me with my own memories into a school project? "Are you ok?" I hear a whisper from beside me *if (vi_friend =true) "No..." *if ((vi_stalker =true) or (vi_think =true)) "Go away..." She actually looks somewhat understanding. "That's ok...I know what it's like, hating your memories..." "Don't be too sure..." Though strangely enough, she does seem pretty sure. #Nervous; how would I be able to adjust to my new life if everyone knew my memories? *set tactics -1 If people knew who I was, why I was actually here, how could I ever hope of having any type of future here? "It's ok...all you have to do is lie." I hear a whisper from beside me "...How did you know what I was thinking." "Cause I was thinking the exact same thing..." *if (vi_friend =true) "Is that so..." I say, not truly believing her *if (vi_friend =false) "Somehow I doubt that..." #Annoyed; trying to make me draw my past? I thought I was here to get away from my past I sigh with irritation. I really wish these adults would make up their mind about whether they want me to remember or move on from my background. First my psychologist, then Miss Cherry, and now my art teacher. "Adults can be pretty annoying, can't they?" I hear a whisper from beside me "What makes you say that?" "The way they always switch between wanting to help you 'come to terms' with things but then wanting you to 'move on.' They never seem to make up their mind." "How did you know how they act with me?" "That's how they act with me..." #Calculating; exactly how much of my past should I let show in my picture? Something tells me that if I remained completely detached from my picture then the teacher would likely be able to tell, but for obvious reasons I can't be completely honest. "It's better to just lie completely." I hear a whisper from beside me "What makes you think I have to lie?" "Cause that's what I have to do, most of the time." "And you are universally unliked by your peers..." #Eager; everyone has always been telling me I have to hide my past up until this point *set stealth -1 It was liberating to have official sanction to actually express how I feel. It's not very often that I'm allowed to let go and stop suppressing my emotions. I might start to like art class... "That's a really bad idea..." I hear a whisper from beside me "What's a bad idea?" "Telling the truth. The teachers don't like gory stuff..." "What makes you think anything I made would be gory?" "...Can I tell you later?" #Intrigued; art seems more interesting than the previous classes *set tactics -1 *set stealth -1 *set humanity +1 A class dedicated entirely to learning how to express oneself. The only form of expression I'd ever learned up until now was the proper way to slit a throat. Is there really an occupation in the western world dedicated entirely to evaluating your mental state? "I wouldn't get too excited..." I hear a whisper from behind me "What makes you say that?" "They typically only want to see certain types of expression...and we're not allowed to paint gory stuff." "What makes you think anything I made would be gory?" "Well, cause they confiscated all my paintings..." #Disinterested; this class doesn't seem to have much to offer me It seems that this has been the theme for school, at least today. I have yet to find a single class that has really taught me anything about how I'm supposed to survive in the western world, and learning how to paint does not seem like it would help. "That's the way it is for most classes." I hear a whisper from beside me "How is it for you, exactly?" "Useless, boring; nobody here really seems to think a whole lot." "I assume this is part of why you are universally unliked." *page_break Next I look forward and see several other students looking back at me. They look forward when they see that I've identified them; it seems Vi isn't the only one following my actions "It's cause you're with me..." "You're making a habit of answering questions that I haven't asked you." "Sorry...but still, they just think it's weird that you're talking to me, because I'm evil. You shouldn't have to kill them, though I suppose you could if you wanted to." *set vievil true *fake_choice #"I'm trying to avoid killing people." *set vikindness +1 *set humanity +1 *set combat -1 *set tactics -1 *set vi_myrtal -10 "Oh..." She looks disappointed, "Why?" "I just would rather not do it." "Oh...well, that's probably good. At least you're less likely to kill me, right?" "I suppose that is one way to look at it." #"I'd probably get blamed if kids suddenly started dying." *set stealth -1 *set explosives -1 "Oh? Right, well that makes sense." "How so?" "You...just seem like the type who would get blamed for that kind of stuff." #"I'll keep that under consideration." *set stealth -1 *set vi_myrtal +1 "I had a feeling you would," she giggles "What gave you that feeling?" "I could help, you know," she said, leaving my question unanswered "I prefer to work alone." *if (vi_friend !=true) #"Stop talking to me." *set vi_myrtal +5 "Ok..." she sighed, though her smile only widened. "Why are you pleased?" "Me? No reason...you're just really nice to talk to." "You are a disturbing individual." "So are you..." she giggled. There are more than a few thing about this girl's behavior that is alarming. How does she know so much about me at a glance? Why is she so obsessed with me? *if (vi_friend !=true) And why does it seem like the harsher I treat her, the more positively she reacts to me? *choice #Confront her directly *set stealth -1 "You need to explain yourself." "What do you mean?" "You are constantly staring at me, being far too interested in whatever I happen to be doing, and you have a disturbing understanding of what I'm thinking at any given moment. Who are you really?" "...Can I tell you later?" *fake_choice #No! "Vi, I am becoming very annoyed at how you are constantly dodging my questions. Who are you and why are you so fixated on me?" Vi bit her lip, "It's...not something I can talk about..." "Why not?" "Well...why don't you talk about what gave you your eyes?" "My what?" "Your eyes! The way your eyes are always moving and looking at people; they're hungry...you won't talk about them. I can't talk about my eyes for the same reason!" *page_break Next Part of what she said makes sense, but the other parts just leave open more questions; it's true, she does look at things differently than the other students I have seen, but I wouldn't consider her hungry. Yet I would recognize if she were from the same background as me. A soldier can always tell another soldier. This girl was not a soldier. Yet she was able to tell that I was. "What happened to you?" I ask "...What happened to you?" *fake_choice #I tell the truth *set vikindness +1 *if (vi_myrtal <100) *set vi_myrtal +5 *set stealth -1 *set vi_truth true *set vievil true "I came from a very bad place, where I was forced to kill people. I was taken in by an organization that taught me how to be better at killing people. Then I eventually got out, and now I am here." Very summarized, but we don't have all day here. "Your turn." She hesitates; she doesn't flinch at a single word I say, until I mention her turn. She evidently did not expect me to be compliant, "I...did something very bad; I hurt someone, killed them, and now I'm evil." "And the reason you are so fixated on me?" "That's not what you asked, that's cheating." "Okay, what information do you want in exchange?" "I...I don't want to play this game anymore." She smiled, however, "Can we play again later? I really want to learn more about you..." The bell ends up making the decision for me. *page_break Fifth hour... *goto_scene 1-8fifth-1 Vi runs to her next class before I am able to stop her. I make a mental note to follow up on what we talked about later as I'm heading to Language Arts. #I lie "I grew up in New York and had an ordinary childhood." "...That was a really bad lie." "No it wasn't. My heartbeat remained completely steady and I retained eye contact. There was nothing in my body language to indicate a lie." "...Can I have a turn lying good?" "You aren't allowed to lie to me." "Why not?" "Because I will know if you are." "But I know you were lying. That's not fair." "Life isn't fair." "Oh...I guess that makes sense." She sighs, "Okay...the not-lie is..." The bell rings and she immediately stands up, "I'll tell you later!" She leaves before I can remind her that she wasn't allowed to do that. Stupid girl. *page_break Fifth hour... *goto_scene 1-8fifth-1 She is faster than someone her size has any right to be; by the time I'm out the doorway, she is already lost in the crowd. I could probably track her down if I made a serious effort, but I have a Language Arts class to go to. #I dodge the question *set vi_myrtal -5 *set vi_trick true "Something bad happened, and now I am here. Your turn." "...That's cheating. You have no heart. You are heartless." "I know. Your turn." "...I'm a bad person." "That didn't answer the question at all." "I know; I cheated, because I'm a bad person like you." "Like me?" "Yes. We're bad people. We have no hearts." "How do you know that?" "Because heartless people look like each other." "Is that why you are obsessed with me? You think we are similar?" She bites her lip as she realizes that she has revealed too much, "I..." The bell rings; I'm distracted for a fraction of a second, but in that time she is already running for the door. *page_break Fifth hour... *goto_scene 1-8fifth-1 She is faster than someone her size has any right to be; by the time I'm out the doorway, she is already lost in the crowd. I could probably track her down if I made a serious effort, but I have a Language Arts class to go to. #Fine... I grumble out a compliant answer; this girl is the most stubbornly uncooperative stalker I've ever had. "If you are this set against talking to me..." "Oh no! I still really want to talk to you!" She says, leaning closer to me with worship in her eyes, "You're like...this strange, demonic, beautiful creature..." She continues leaning forward, and starts petting my arm like it's made of gold... *fake_choice #"Stop that." *set tactics -1 *set reflex -1 Immediately, her arm freezes. "Oh...I made you angry, didn't I? Are you going to kill me?" "Why is that the first thing you assume?" "Well, because you're good at it." "How would you know that?" "Can I-" "If you finish that sentence, I might just kill you." *page_break Next She promptly stops speaking, and stares forward with her hands in her lap. It appears I scared her into surrender. At least that is what I thought, at first, but then she mumbles without looking at me, *if (vi_friend =true) "I'm really glad that we're friends..." "Why?" "Because there's blood in your eyes..." *page_break Fifth Hour... *goto_scene 1-8fifth-1 Vi doesn't speak again after that cryptic statement until the bell rings and she runs off to her next class. I decided to follow her example and head to my Language Arts class. *if (vi_friend !=true) "Hey...have you reconsidered?" "Reconsidered what?" "Being friends." *fake_choice #We're not friends *set virelationship "One-Sided Obession" "Oh...well, that's ok." "Really? You're going to just accept this?" "Of course. I mean, not being my friend obviously makes you happy; and I'm happy if you're happy. So I'll never ask to be your friend again." "That is very accommodating of you..." Though I find it suspicious that she's so perfectly willing to give up on her goal so easily. *page_break Fifth Hour... *goto_scene 1-8fifth-1 After the bell rings, she waves goodbye to me and runs off, presumably (and hopefully) to her next class. I decide to follow her example and head to my Language Arts class. #We can be friends *set virelationship "Strange Friendship" *set vikindness +1 *if (vi_stalker =true) *set vi_friend true *set vi_stalker false *if (vi_think =true) *set vi_friend true *set vi_think false "You really mean that?" "I do." "I'm so happy..." "Why is this such a big deal to you?" "Because...evil people are supposed to stick together." *set vievil true *page_break Fifth hour... *goto_scene 1-8fifth-1 Vi doesn't speak again after that cryptic statement until the bell rings and she runs off to her next class. I decided to follow her example and head to my Language Arts class. #I don't move *set combat -1 *set firearms -1 *set reflex -1 *set vi_myrtal +5 I sit perfectly still and just watch her, trying to decipher what she's trying to do. A full minute goes by of her just doing that while staring at me. Eventually, my curiosity gets the better of me. "What exactly are you doing?" "...I don't know. It just felt right." She grins, "Are those...scars?" *page_break Next I pull my arm back, but her interest is already piqued, "Those are scars...where'd you get them?" "...If I were you, I would turn your attention elsewhere." *if (vi_friend =true) "But we're friends...friends tell each other things..." "Maybe once you tell me what your interest is, then." "I...can't." "Then I suppose I can't help you." *page_break Next She doesn't say anything else for the rest of the class. But now she knows... There's something distinctly wrong with this girl, and I'm not closer to learning the truth than I ever was. *fake_choice #Nevertheless, I can't help but be intrigued... *if (vi_myrtal <100) *set vi_myrtal +5 There's something about her...I can't help but notice something similar in the way she speaks, acts, talks... She said it when we first met; our eyes look a lot alike. What happened that gave her those eyes, and that allows her to see the same look in mine? There must be more beneath that surface... #I'm starting to believe she may actually be a threat It's just too convenient. I just show up to this school, and one of the first people I meet turns out to be completely obsessed with me? If I didn't know any better, I'd say she'd been planted... Except someone who had been planted wouldn't be this obvious...she's not a professional, but then that could just make her more dangerous. She could simply be psychotic...I will need to tread lightly. *page_break Fifth hour... *goto_scene 1-8fifth-1 After the bell rings, I make my way to Language Arts. *if (vi_friend !=true) "Oh...I made you uncomfortable..." She seems to finally make that deduction. *page_break Next "Forget about those." "Ok." "...Wait, really?" "Of course; if you want me to forget them, I will forget them." "That's...awfully considerate." "Yes! Does this mean you reconsidered being friends?" *fake_choice #No. *set virelationship "One-Sided Obsession" *if (vi_think =true) *set vi_stalker true *set vi_think false "Oh...well, that's ok." "Really? You're going to just accept this?" "Of course. I mean, not being my friend obviously makes you happy; and I'm happy if you're happy. So I'll never ask to be your friend again." "That is very accommodating of you..." Though I find it suspicious that she's so perfectly willing to give up on her goal so easily. *page_break Fifth Hour... *goto_scene 1-8fifth-1 After the bell rings, she waves goodbye to me and runs off, presumably (and hopefully) to her next class. I decide to follow her example and head to my Language Arts class. #Very well. We can be friends. *set virelationship "Strange Friendship" *set vikindness +1 *if (vi_stalker =true) *set vi_friend true *set vi_stalker false *if (vi_think =true) *set vi_friend true *set vi_think false She becomes absolutely silent, and I worry for a moment that I psychologically broke her. "You...really mean that..." "Yes..." "That's...amazing...you're an amazing person..." "Thank you..." "No...thank you..." *page_break Fifth Hour... *goto_scene 1-8fifth-1 After the bell rings, Vi hugs me and runs off giggling; presumably (and hopefully) to her next class. I follow her example and go to my Language Arts class. #[i]Break her *set violent +20 *set novi true *set incidents +1 *set fourth_incident true *set vi_myrtal +5 *set breakvi true *if (vi_friend =true) *set virelationship "Abusive Friendship" I quickly pin her arm down and bring an elbow down her arm, shattering the joint into a dozen little pieces. She screams out, and then someone else screams out, and then the entire classroom is screaming. The teacher runs over and screams at me to leave her alone, though she's retaining a rather large distance from me. I'm not sure why they're all freaking out so much; I mean, she touched my arm. As they're escorting me out of the room, I look back at Vi. She's staring at me and whispering, "It hurts...it really hurts..." So why the hell is she smiling? *page_break Next *if (incidents >1) And so here I am, in the principal's office...again. *if (second_incident =true) Principal Gardner sits behind his desk, tapping his finger steadily, "So...is breaking arms just how people greet each other where you're from?" "...Sometimes." *if (second_incident =false) Principal Gardner sits behind his desk, angrily glaring at me and obviously trying to keep from shouting, "I've been principal of this school for twenty years...you could say I've seen quite a bit in my time. But this..." *if (incidents >1) "This can't the worst thing I've done today." *if (incidents =1) "You mean that even with this many people in one building, this is the first time anyone has ever gotten hurt?" "I don't need comments from you!" He raises his voice, "So...oddly enough, Miss Myrtal has said that she's going to drop all charges. She told me this before I had even gotten a word to Agent Decker, so I cannot for the life of me figure out why...but, if I were you, I would consider a bit of gratitude." *page_break Fifth hour... *goto_scene 1-8fifth-1 He rants for a bit longer, then lets me leave for my Language Arts class. #Get her alone I stand up sharply, "Mrs. Winchester, I need to go to the bathroom!" I interrupted the teacher in the middle of describing different brush techniques, and she looks up with an annoyed expression. Then, when she sees who it was that spoke out, she suddenly becomes much more agreeable, "Very well, remember to take a pass." Vi stares at me as I'm leaving, and raises her hand as if reaching. There is undoubtedly something off about her...and in a moment, I'll figure out what. *page_break Next As soon as the door to the classroom is closed, I look at the *if (female =true) women's bathroom *if (male =true) men's bathroom right on the other side of the hallway, and immediately go to the left, round a corner, and wait there staring at the space between the two rooms. As predicted, less than three minutes later, Vi comes out of the room and rushes into the bathroom. People with obsessions are always the easiest to predict; it's why we were always encouraged to never hold anything sacred. *page_break Next I walk into the bathroom and slowly lock the door behind me, hoping that anyone who tries to get in will just assume that it is under maintenance. Upon entering I see in the corner of the room a camera looking in, and I again wonder if they might be taking the security around me a bit far. Then again, considering what I'm doing, they might be justified. Vi hasn't noticed me come in, and is currently meticulously checking every single stall hoping to locate me. She's completely alone... *choice #I just want to ask her some questions *set combat -1 *set tactics -1 I purposefully make my footsteps louder than they usually are to announce my presence, and she quickly turns toward me. "Ah! ${firstname}! What a coincidence!" "Vi, why are you following me?" "I-I'm not, I just...really needed to use the bathroom..." *if (male =true) "This is the men's restroom." "...That explains the urinals! I was wondering...so why are you here?" "I wanted to corner you so that we could chat." "Oh...are you...are you going to kill me?" "No. I just want to talk." *if (female =true) "Vi, you're insulting me." Her face becomes horrified, "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to! Please don't kill me!" A somewhat extreme reaction "Vi, calm down and speak in coherent sentences. I will not hurt you if you do not give me a reason to. I just want to talk" *page_break Next "Oh." She sighs, evidently relieved, "That's good...wait, *if (vi_friend !=true) does this mean you reconsidered being friends?!" *fake_choice *if (vi_think =true) #I'm still thinking "Oh...ok, I'll be patient..." "Thank you. Until then, I had other things to talk with you about." "Like what?" *if (vi_stalker =true) #I still won't be your friend "Oh...never?" "Not for the near foreseeable future." "Oh..." She sniffs, "I'll just stick to following you..." "...Thank you, I suppose. Now, I had other things to talk with you about." She wipes her eyes, "Like what..." #...Fine, I will be your friend *set virelationship "Strange Friendship" *if (vi_stalker =true) *set vi_friend true *set vi_stalker false *if (vi_think =true) *set vi_friend true *set vi_think false Her eyes go wide with an unhealthy amount of excitement, "I'm...I'm...I'm so happy..." "I can see that..." "It's like...you put a happy bomb in my chest...and it just blew up..." "That's...nice...I did have other things I wanted to talk with you about, though" "What could be more important than our everlasting friendship?" *if (vi_friend =true) what did you want to talk about?" *page_break Next "You still have not explained why you followed me in here?" "Oh...can I tell you later?" "I took the effort of cornering you here so that you would talk about it now. I want to know why you are obsessed with me." "But...I can't tell you..." "Why not?" "It's...it's just very important to me..." She begins blushing *page_break Next Before I can continue, the bell rings. "We have to go!" "It seems that way..." A shame, but there will be plenty of opportunities to continue this conversation. We have all year. *page_break Fifth hour... *goto_scene 1-8fifth-1 After leaving the bathroom, I immediately head for my Language Arts class. #[i]I need answers; interrogation seems the only option here *if (vi_friend =true) *set virelationship "Abusive Friendship" *if (vi_friend !=true) *set virelationship "Abusive" I reach over to the light switch and turn it off, immersing the room in complete darkness. Vi gasps and looks around frantically, but unlike me she hasn't ever gone on late night missions through the desert and hasn't learned to see in incredibly low visibility. Right now, she can barely see what's directly in front of her. This is for the camera also; it's illegal in this area for cameras to have sound or other special features, meaning that it won't be able to record what happens next. I move across the room quickly, and the moment I'm in range I grab her by the throat and push her against the wall, squeezing the airpipes and restricting her breath for a calculated amount of time. Just enough to disorient her but not enough to leave her unconscious. Once the time has passed I release. She falls to the ground, coughing for air; I don't let the pressure up. I grab her by the collar and push her against the wall again, letting her head smash against it; "Who are you? Who sent you? Why are you here? Why are you following me?" *page_break Next "I...I...I..." she stutters nervously, not fully comprehending what's going on. I'm purposefully asking questions that she can't answer to start off with, to put her in a state of panic and make it more difficult to think of lies. "When I ask a question, you will answer it with no hesitation. Who are you?" "Y-you know my name...why are you asking?" She hesitated *choice #[i]Cut her *set novi true *set incidents +1 *set vi_torture true *if (vi_myrtal <100) *set vi_myrtal +10 I look over to the window beside me; she follows my gaze, and her eyes widen as I punch the mirror and pick up a shard of broken glass. Before she can respond, I clamp my hand over her mouth, roll up her sleeves, and stab the shard into her arm; not deep, but past the first layer of skin and slightly digging into the muscles; she screams into my hand, but there's no possibility of anyone hearing her. I then begin to slowly cut down her arm, the screaming intensifies but the sound is all absorbed; I cut down three inches and then wait until she goes from screaming in agony to merely sniveling before I lift my hand up again, "Who are you?" "V-V-V-Vi...M-My-Myrtal..." she whimpered out, tears flowing out of her eyes and voice becoming desperate and weak. So far she was responding extremely poorly to torture, meaning she probably wasn't a professional; which just begged the question... "Why are you following me?" *page_break Next She bites her lip, "C-can I...tell you later..." I clamp my hand over her mouth again and her eyes go wide as she realizes her mistake of answering a question with another question. She's already screaming apologies into my hand before I dig the shard of glass into her arm again, then create a red line in her skin parallel to the one I made earlier. Once again, I wait awhile before removing my hand. Consistent cause and effect, so that she knows exactly what the consequences are for being uncooperative. Encourages honesty. "Why are you following me?" "I...I can't...p-please don't make me tell you..." *page_break Next I clamp my hand over her mouth again, but before I can get back to work, I hear a banging on the door and hold my position. "${mr} Decker! We know you're in there with Miss Myrtal! Open this door right now!" It's Principal Gardner I look back at Myrtal. This isn't good; having them catch us like this is a worst case scenario. I doubt even Daniel could cover this up... "I-I won't tell anyone..." Vi whispers through the tears, trying her hardest to give me a comforting smile. I leave the bathroom feeling that I have more questions than when we started. *page_break Next *if (incidents >1) And so here I am, in the principal's office...again. *if (second_incident =true) Principal Gardner sits behind his desk, tapping his finger steadily and obviously trying to keep from shouting, "After the last time, I honestly thought you couldn't possibly surprise me again...congratulations. You found a way." *if (second_incident =false) Principal Gardner sits behind his desk, angrily glaring at me and obviously trying to keep from shouting, "I've been principal of this school for twenty years...you could say I've seen quite a bit in my time. But this..." "Let's recap, shall we? Miss Myrtal is currently on her way to the doctor to get stitches; according to her, she accidently broke the mirror and cut herself on the glass, when the light switch must have fallen on its own. Thoughts?" *fake_choice #I tell the truth *set stealth -5 His face scrunches up into disgust as I relay the exact details of what actually happened in the bathroom. "...I see." He looks like he's about to vomit, "You should be expelled for this...hell, you should be arrested and deported for this! But our...mutual friend is telling me to just...'leave this alone.' Isn't that something? A student under my care gets her arm sliced up, and the CIA is telling me to 'leave it alone!'" #I go along with Vi's lie I have no idea why she's covering for me, but I'm not about to push away a lifeline when I see one. "I agree with everything Vi said." "Is that so..." "Correct." "...I don't know if you intimidated her or if she's just as crazy as you are...fine then, I'll pretend I believe this." #Don't say a goddamn word First lesson when learning how to resist questioning. Don't give them anything to work with, not even lies. Don't say a single word and they don't have any ammunition. "...Well? Any comment?" "..." "...Fine then, it seems there's nothing more to be said." *page_break Next "I suppose there isn't anything I can do with you, with the CIA breathing down my neck...but they don't have any influence over how I run this school. I am prepared to make your year very difficult..." *page_break Fifth hour... *goto_scene 1-8fifth-1 Once he's finally done ranting, I make my way to my Language Arts class. #Hit her *set hurtvi true *if (vi_myrtal <100) *set vi_myrtal +5 I punch her once in the stomach, knocking the breath out of her and leaving her gasping for air. "Who are you?" She coughs, "V-Vi...Myrtal." Her voice comes out raspy due to the lack of reliable air, but otherwise she doesn't show any amount of significant pain. "Why have you been following me?" "I can't tell you." *page_break Next I hit her again, this time in the side, closer to her heart. "Everyone talks eventually. Why are you following me?" "Nngh..." So far, she is taking my beating surprisingly well, "...I-if hitting me makes you happy...you can keep doing that...I just can't tell you why..." Is this girl some kind of masochist? I've heard of those; they're extremely difficult to intimidate. If I want to get answers, I would need to take more extreme measures. *fake_choice #[i]Cut her *set novi true *set incidents +1 *set vi_torture true *if (vi_myrtal <100) *set vi_myrtal +10 "You can. And you will." I say, looking at the mirror over the sinks. She follows my gaze, and her eyes widen as I punch the glass and pick up a broken off shard. "No...please, wait..." I place my hand over her mouth, roll up her sleeves, and stab the glass into her arm cutting just past the skin and digging slightly into the muscle underneath. She begins screaming and tears immediately begin rolling down her eyes from the extreme pain, but any sounds she makes is muffled into my hand. I begin cutting the shard of glass down her arm, approximately three inches, and roughly pull the glass out. It takes half a minute before her screaming reduces to soft whimpers and I deem it safe to allow her to speak "Why are you following me?" "I-I...I'm s-sorry...I..." Her words are coming out incoherently. This is a level of pain that Vi isn't used to. She has clearly never been seriously interrogated before by someone who knew what they were doing, meaning she likely isn't a professional. That strikes one possible theory, "I c-can't...tell you..." "Everyone has a breaking point, and you are swiftly reaching yours. Save yourself the pain and talk." "I...I can't...please don't make me tell you..." *page_break Next I clamp my hand over her mouth again, but before I can get back to work, I hear a banging on the door and hold my position. "${mr} Decker! We know you're in there with Miss Myrtal! Open this door right now!" It's Principal Gardner I look back at Myrtal. This isn't good; having them catch us like this is a worst case scenario. I doubt even Daniel could cover this up... "I-I won't tell anyone..." Vi whispers through the tears, trying her hardest to give me a comforting smile. I leave the bathroom feeling that I have more questions than when we started. *page_break Next *if (incidents >1) And so here I am, in the principal's office...again. *if (second_incident =true) Principal Gardner sits behind his desk, tapping his finger steadily and obviously trying to keep from shouting, "After the last time, I honestly thought you couldn't possibly surprise me again...congratulations. You found a way." *if (second_incident =false) Principal Gardner sits behind his desk, angrily glaring at me and obviously trying to keep from shouting, "I've been principal of this school for twenty years...you could say I've seen quite a bit in my time. But this..." "Let's recap, shall we? Miss Myrtal is currently on her way to the doctor to get stitches; according to her, she accidently broke the mirror and cut herself on the glass, when the light switch must have fallen on its own. Thoughts?" *fake_choice #I tell the truth *set stealth -1 His face scrunches up into disgust as I relay the exact details of what actually happened in the bathroom. "...I see." He looks like he's about to vomit, "You should be expelled for this...hell, you should be arrested and deported for this! But our...mutual friend is telling me to just...'leave this alone.' Isn't that something? A student under my care gets her arm sliced up, and the CIA is telling me to 'leave it alone!'" #I go along with Vi's lie I have no idea why she's covering for me, but I'm not about to push away a lifeline when I see one. "I agree with everything Vi said." "Is that so..." "Correct." "...I don't know if you intimidated her or if she's just as crazy as you are...fine then, I'll pretend I believe this." #Don't say a goddamn word First lesson when learning how to resist questioning. Don't give them anything to work with, not even lies. Don't say a single word and they don't have any ammunition. "...Well? Any comment?" "..." "...Fine then, I suppose there's nothing more to be said then." *page_break Next "I suppose there isn't anything I can do with you, with the CIA breathing down my neck...but they don't have any influence over how I run this school. I am prepared to make your year very difficult..." *page_break Fifth hour... *goto_scene 1-8fifth-1 Once he's finally done ranting, I make my way to my Language Arts class. #This is pointless... I've gotten as far as I can with her without resorting to serious torture, and attempting to go to those lengths in the middle of the school would have disastrous consequences. "This never happened." I get up and walk away. I see her trying her hardest to find me in the darkness *if (vi_friend =true) "Wait! We're still friends, right?!" *if (vi_friend !=true) "Wait! We can keep talking about other things...if you like..." There is something deeply disturbing about this girl. *page_break Fifth hour... *goto_scene 1-8fifth-1 After the bell rings, I make my way to Language Arts class #Ask again *set vi_myrtal +5 "If you make me repeat myself, you're just wasting my time." "I-I'm still Vi! Vi Myrtal, that's still my name!" *if (male =true) She snivels, "A-are you going to kill me?" "...Maybe. If your answers don't satisfy me." Honestly, that would probably the worst thing I could do in the scenario, having nowhere to store the body. But she doesn't need to know that. "Oh. I guess...I c-can't really stop you...if you really want to kill me..." "You could just answer honestly, and save us both the trouble." *if (female =true) "Do I have to hurt you, Vi?" "I-I guess, if you wanted, I couldn't really stop you...I-I would rather avoid it, but it's up to you..." "No, it really is up to you. And whether or not you want to answer my questions honestly." *page_break Next "B-but...what do you want to know?" "Why did you follow me in here?" "Y-you followed me..." "I won't play games. Why are you following me?" "I-I can't tell you..." *fake_choice #[i]Cut her *set novi true *set incidents +1 *set vi_torture true *if (vi_myrtal <100) *set vi_myrtal +10 "You can. And you will." I say, looking at the mirror over the sinks. She follows my gaze, and her eyes widen as I punch the glass and pick up a broken off shard. "No...please, wait..." I place my hand over her mouth, roll up her sleeves, and stab the glass into her arm cutting just past the skin and digging slightly into the muscle underneath. She begins screaming and tears immediately begin rolling down her eyes from the extreme pain, but any sounds she makes is muffled into my hand. I begin cutting the shard of glass down her arm, approximately three inches, and roughly pull the glass out. It takes half a minute before her screaming reduces to soft whimpers and I deem it safe to allow her to speak "Why are you following me?" "I-I...I'm s-sorry...I..." Her words are coming out incoherently. She has clearly never been interrogated before, meaning she likely isn't a professional. That strikes one possible theory, "I c-can't...tell you..." "Everyone has a breaking point, and you are swiftly reaching yours. Save yourself the pain and talk." "I...I can't...please don't make me tell you..." *page_break Next I clamp my hand over her mouth again, but before I can get back to work, I hear a banging on the door and hold my position. "${mr} Decker! We know you're in there with Miss Myrtal! Open this door right now!" It's Principal Gardner I look back at Myrtal. This isn't good; having them catch us like this is a worst case scenario. I doubt even Daniel could cover this up... "I-I won't tell anyone..." Vi whispers through the tears, trying her hardest to give me a comforting smile. I leave the bathroom feeling that I have more questions than when we started. *page_break Next *if (incidents >1) And so here I am, in the principal's office...again. *if (second_incident =true) Principal Gardner sits behind his desk, tapping his finger steadily and obviously trying to keep from shouting, "After the last time, I honestly thought you couldn't possibly surprise me again...congratulations. You found a way." *if (second_incident =false) Principal Gardner sits behind his desk, angrily glaring at me and obviously trying to keep from shouting, "I've been principal of this school for twenty years...you could say I've seen quite a bit in my time. But this..." "Let's recap, shall we? Miss Myrtal is currently on her way to the doctor to get stitches; according to her, she accidentally broke the mirror and cut herself on the glass, when the light switch must have fallen on its own. Thoughts?" *fake_choice #I tell the truth *set stealth -1 His face scrunches up into disgust as I relay the exact details of what actually happened in the bathroom. "...I see." He looks like he's about to vomit, "You should be expelled for this...hell, you should be arrested and deported for this! But our...mutual friend is telling me to just...'leave this alone.' Isn't that something? A student under my care gets her arm sliced up, and the CIA is telling me to 'leave it alone!'" #I go along with Vi's lie I have no idea why she's covering for me, but I'm not about to push away a lifeline when I see one. "I agree with everything Vi said." "Is that so..." "Correct." "...I don't know if you intimidated her or if she's just as crazy as you are...fine then, I'll pretend I believe this." #Don't say a goddamn word First lesson when learning how to resist questioning. Don't give them anything to work with, not even lies. Don't say a single word and they don't have any ammunition. "...Well? Any comment?" "..." "...Fine then, I suppose there's nothing more to be said then." *page_break Next "I suppose there isn't anything I can do with you, with the CIA breathing down my neck...but they don't have any influence over how I run this school. I am prepared to make your year very difficult..." *page_break Fifth hour... *goto_scene 1-8fifth-1 Once he's finally done ranting, I make my way to my Language Arts class. #This is pointless... I've gotten as far as I can with her without resorting to serious torture, and attempting to go to those lengths in the middle of the school would have disastrous consequences. "This never happened." I get up and walk away. I see her trying her hardest to find me in the darkness *if (vi_friend =true) "Wait! We're still friends, right?!" *if (vi_friend !=true) "Wait! We can keep talking about other things...if you like..." There is something deeply disturbing about this girl. *page_break Fifth hour... *goto_scene 1-8fifth-1 After the bell rings, I make my way to Language Arts class #It's probably nothing *set reflex -1 *set vi_myrtal -10 I shrug it off, and focus on learning. Whatever is wrong with her; it's none of my concern *page_break Fifth hour... *goto_scene 1-8fifth-1 Once the bell finally rings, I make my way over to my Language Arts class.