*set vilunch true She doesn't notice me as I approach her table. It could be me approaching at a 45 degree angle of her back with the loudness of the lunchroom masking my already naturally quiet footsteps, or perhaps she is just that encased in her own world to the point that everything outside her direct field of vision ceases to exist in her mind. As far as I can tell from my placement over her shoulder, she isn't eating her food, or showing any interest in digesting it at all. Just using her fork to mix around the salad, occasionally stabbing it with a somewhat aggressive amount of force while giggling, then returning to mixing it around while wistfully looking off in the distance with a blissful smile on her face. It flares my temper a bit at seeing food so casually mistreated by this amateur torture technician. Right in front of her sits a source of nutrients that's not even spoiled, and rather than eating it and prolonging her life, she's casually tossing it around as if somehow she was exempt from the need to satisfy her body's nutritional needs. Perhaps if someone tried to kill her over a spoiled apple, she might treat food with a bit more respect. Still, I try to keep that in check as I approach. I am training to be more sociable after all. "Are you dull, or suicidal?" The suddenness of my voice at such a close proximity appears to startle her. She turns around quickly to face me, but evidently a bit too quickly since immediately after I'm stepping back to keep out of the way as she falls out of her seat and landing shoulder-first into the ground with her leg caught on the seat. *fake_choice #Assist her *set combat -1 *set humanity +1 *set vikindness +1 *set vi_myrtal -5 *if (male =true) I believe that is what they call 'being gentlemanly.' Even if I am still slightly annoyed at her careless disregard for food, she probably did not deserve her current distress. *if (vi_friend =true) Besides, helping each other was supposedly what friends did for each other. So I reach a hand down, and at first she seems to flinch before she realizes that the hand in front of her is offering to help her to her feet, and she starts looking more confused than afraid. "Stand up." "Uhm...right," she mummers, and while the tangled leg makes it rather awkward, together the two of us are able to get her to her feet. Now she's just staring at me with a confused look on her face, like I could have done anything else and it would have made more sense than what I actually did. "Are you alright?" "...Oh, I get it, you're trying to seduce me." She nods to herself, as if everything just made sense. I suppose I'm glad one of us understands what is going on, "Yes, doing nice things for someone, all to the unsavory goal of getting them alone to do horrible things to them. That is exactly the kind of thing an evil lowlife would do." You're one to talk. I may be evil, but at last I never waste food. "Do you want me to fall for you right now, or later?" "I would rather just eat. I am hungry." "Oh, I guess I won't pressure you to make a decision. I'd rather you didn't kill me, if that's okay." #Watch *if (vi_myrtal <100) *set vi_myrtal +5 If I believed in karma, I would say this was it at work for her careless disregard for food. At first it seems like her priority isn't to get off the ground but to rather get a distance from me. It's only after a few seconds that she realizes I'm not moving toward her, and takes the effort to unhook her foot from the table bench in order to get up faster, and a few more steps away from my current position. Despite her attempts at keeping a distance from me, however, she does not seem particularly afraid. Instead, she appears to be watching me with the same child-like glee that she displayed while playing with her food. "Hello." She speaks to me with the simple, one-word greeting. "Hello." I supply the standard social response. "Are you going to kill me?" "Not at this particular moment." "Oh, that's good. I guess we can keep talking in that case." "I would rather just eat. I am hungry." "Oh, I guess that's okay too. It's a step up from killing me." *page_break Next I do plan on talking to her about a few things that are on my mind, *if (vi_name ="Classified") chief among them being just who she is exactly, but one thing at a time. In my experience, food and water always need to take precedence over whatever other non-urgent matters are in front of you. The possibility of losing that food and water or otherwise being unable to take advantage of it due to unforeseen circumstances would be difficult to come back from. Even if the possibility is low, the consequences of such an event taking place are too high for the risk to be taken. Food will have to come first. Then we can talk. We sit with her on my right side, so that in the unlikely scenario where she decides to use the fork in her possession to attack me, I will have about half a second longer to react before she reaches me. Other than that, I don't spend an unnecessary amount of time thinking about her, and instead focus on my food. During my meal, I notice she doesn't touch her food at all, instead studying me with the same intense curiosity that she had been studying her salad a moment earlier. "You eat really fast." She says three minutes later, when the last of my meal has been transported into my stomach for digestion, "Are you afraid that it will run away from you?" "Anything is possible." I learned that particular lesson after hunting down a rat for the better part of an hour, only for it to scurry away after I had assumed it was dead and thus deprive me and my mother of food for the rest of that day. A particularly grim memory that I promptly banish from my mind, "I'd rather ask you a few questions." She tilts her head at me, "Like what?" *if (vi_name ="Classified") *set vi_name "Vi Myrtal" *set vievil true *set met_vi true "For starters, who are you?" "Vi Myrtal. I'm evil." Awfully polite of her to tell me where she stood on the moral spectrum right from the beginning. I wish more people were so honest. "Thank you. Next question." *temp vilunchquestion 0 *temp vilunchone false *temp vilunchtwo false *temp vilunchthree false *temp vilunchfour false *temp vilunchfive false *temp vilunchfivepointfive false *temp vilunchsix false *temp vilunchseven false *temp viluncheight false *temp vilunchnine false *temp vilunchten false *temp viluncheleven false *temp vilunchtwelve false *temp vilunchthirteen false *temp vilunchfourteen false *temp vilunchfifteen false *label viquestions *fake_choice *if (vi_torture =true) *selectable_if (vilunchone =false) #Why didn't you turn me in? *set vilunchone true *set vilunchquestion +1 *comment Tortured Vi in the bathroom but destroyed school security so it wasn't caught "The last time I saw you, I cut your arm open with a shard of glass and left you bleeding in a bathroom." I can still see blood seeping through the sleeve of her jacket, "Raise up your sleeve." She flinches as the rough fabric brushes against her wound, but nonetheless complies without hesitation. It appears she never went to get it actually treated, preferring to wrap it up with a large amount of toilet paper to stop the bleeding. She's probably been in pain all day. "Why did you cover this up?" "Cause it was bleeding? I'm sorry, did you want me to leave it open..." "Not that, why didn't you tell anyone about this?" "Well, I didn't want you to get in trouble," she says as if it were obvious. *goto viquestions *if (vi_trick =true) *selectable_if (vilunchtwo =false) #You said that we were both evil. Elaborate. *set vilunchtwo true *set vilunchquestion +1 *comment Decided to talk to Vi, and trick her into revealing that the reason she wanted to be around MC was because they were both evil. Either hallway or classroom. *if (vilunchfive =false) She tilts her head at my question, "You remembered that?" "Yes." After what appears to be a moment of thought, she shakes her head so violently that she needs to take a second to steady herself afterwards, "I don't want to. Can I not?" *choice #She [i]will[/i] tell me "I was not asking if you wanted to or not. Elaborate, now." Vi bites her lip and her gaze becomes focused on the table in front of her. When she hesitantly pushes her eyes back up to me, she appears to lose her nerve and focus back on the table, "...Because...you're from Hell. You're going to take me back to Hell where I'm supposed to be." "What is that supposed to mean?" She smiles at me, "Because...we're supposed to go to Hell together! You don't belong here, and I don't belong here, so we're the same and we're going to Hell!" Between the nonsense, I'm able to pick up that she feels some sort of kindred spirit in me. And that she expects me to do some sort of horrible thing to her. It's hard to tell how much of what she says is supposed to be taken literally. *goto viquestions #I won't force anything. She has a choice in the matter. *set vikindness +1 "Very well." This is evidently not the response she expected. I'm not sure why, I don't believe I have done anything to her up until this point that would make her believe the worst about me, but the act of simply honoring her wishes seems to take her off guard. "...Are you seducing me?" "I have never been adept at seduction." "Are you sure?" "That is what I have been told." "Oh. Well I guess you would know what you're talking about. But why aren't you trying to hurt me if you're not trying to trick me?" "I see no benefit in doing so." "Oh." *goto viquestions *if (vi_think =true) *selectable_if (vilunchthree =false) #Is there still time to decide our status of friendship? *set vilunchthree true *set vilunchquestion +1 *comment Told Vi that MC would think about whether or not they could be friends After I ask her this, Vi seems more excited than I think I have ever seen her before. "Y-Yes? Do you want to be friends now?" *choice #Yes *set combat -1 *set vikindness +1 *if (vi_myrtal <100) *set vi_myrtal +5 *set vi_think false *set vi_friend true She freezes up after I respond with the one syllable word. I think I overwhelmed her for a moment before she realized she was in reality. After that takes its time to get through her mind, she slowly turns back to her food. I'm not sure what she's doing until she picks up a roll of bread, kisses it, and hands it to me. "What is this?" "Please eat it. It's poisoned," she replies, "With my love." I'm a bit hesitant at the word poison, but I'm fairly certain that my immune system is able to deal with love appropriately. Besides, if this is something that 'friends' are supposed to do, then this would likely be an important thing to learn early on. Vi continues to watch me as I eat her 'love biscuit' with glee. I suppose I should feel good that I made at least one person happy. It's a change of pace from how my interactions with people have usually gone in the past. "Is this what you do with friends?" "I dunno. Nobody really ever wanted to be my friend before." "So we are both in uncharted waters it seems." "Yes! That's good, right? Cause friends are supposed to have stuff in common!" "I suppose so." "I promise to be the best friend ever!" She smiles, "Is there anything else you want to ask me?" *goto viquestions #No *set vi_stalker true *set vi_think false "I wanted to formally tell you that I reject your friendship." "Oh." She nods her head passionless, "I see. I guess that makes sense. You probably think I'm really dumb." "Do you intend to respond aggressively?" "No, I would rather you not kill me. That seems like it would hurt." That was rather cleanly tied up. A bit too cleanly for me to trust considering how fervent she was earlier, "Was there anything else you wanted to talk about?" *goto viquestions *if (hurtvi =true) *selectable_if (vilunchfive =false) #Why do you enjoy being hurt? *set vilunchfive true *set vilunchquestion +1 *set vi_trick true *comment If the MC has been hurting Vi throughout their time together, thus raising reputation Vi seems particularly surprised by this question. "Why would you think I like being hurt? Pain is painful." "Are you certain that you do not enjoy pain? Even a little?" "I mean...I'm pretty sure. Although I guess I can't really know, y'know? Like this one time, I woke up one morning and couldn't see anything so I thought I went blind and hit my head, but then it turned out that I was just crying and my tears dried up while I was sleeping so I couldn't open my eyes, so I guess it would be pretty presumptuous to assume anything about myself, especially since you seem so sure. You seem like the kind of person who knows a lot about pain." "I think you would know more about your likes and dislikes than I would. That is why I am asking." "So...do I like pain or not?" "You tell me." "But you just said I did." "I was asking if you did." "So I don't?" "If you do not, tell me you do not. If you do, tell me that you do." "Oh, I guess I don't. I do not enjoy pain, it makes me feel bad." Now that we finally got that sorted out, it just begs another question, "In that case, why do you react positively to my abuse?" "Because you're pretty." "Odd, most people I have known tell me otherwise." I believe 'eyes of a serial killer' and 'looks like they forgot how to smile' and 'way too many lines for someone that age' have been the most kind descriptive terms I've heard. Vi violently shook her head. "Not here," she says pointing at my face, and then points at my *if (female =true) breast, "here." "Are you making sexual advances toward me?" "No not here. Inside! Your heart!" *if (male =true) torso, "here." "That is still my body." "No not here. Inside! Your heart!" "Most hearts look the same." "But yours is black and evil looking!" I suppose I have never actually seen my heart, so she may be right. If so, I should probably see a doctor. But first, "None of this has answered my original question." "Because you're evil, you're supposed to hurt people. It's when you look pretty." I think I understand. "So you do not gain pleasure from pain inflicted on you, but from watching me perform amoral actions." "Uh-huh." "Why is this?" "Because if you're evil, then I'm evil, and we can both be evil together! And it's okay! I'm not alone!" Okay then. *goto viquestions *selectable_if (vilunchfivepointfive =false) #Why do other students avoid you? *set vievil true *set vilunchfivepointfive true *set vilunchquestion +1 "Because I'm evil." "Is that the only reason?" She thinks for a second, "I'm pretty sure. Unless I smell. Do I smell?" "No." "Then I guess I have to be evil." Well, one can't argue with that logic. *goto viquestions *if (vievil =true) #Why do you believe you are evil? *set vilunchsix true *set vilunchquestion +1 *comment If Vi has said at some point that she is evil *comment Remember to go through and mark every instance Vi has said she is evil "Well that's what they all told me." "Who are they?" "Y'know, them," she points at a television screen hanging on the wall with two news casters that no one pays attention to, "Those guys said I was bloodthirsty, and everyone seemed to agree with them so I figured, they're probably right. I once heard that if enough people believe something, something magical will happen and make it true. Like if everyone believed something was on fire. I think that's how it works. When everyone said I was a bloodthirsty monster, they had to be right, right? I mean, those guys on the news seem like they know what they're talking about." "So you believe you are evil because everyone has told you that you are evil." "Yes." "And why do they tell you that?" She shrugged, "Probably something I did." *goto viquestions *selectable_if (vilunchseven =false) #Where did you come from? Who sent you? *set vilunchseven true *set vilunchquestion +1 "Uhm...I guess I came from my mom. Not sure where I was before that, but everyone seems to agree on that at least." "But why are you here?" "Uhm...well, I would probably get in trouble if I didn't go to school. I'm pretty sure that's illegal, at least until I turn 18, which won't be for awhile so until then I'm kind of stuck, y'know?" "But who sent you?" "...Is this...a metaphorical question?" "No." "I don't really know how to answer. Sorry. Are you going to kill me?" "No." "Oh." *goto viquestions *selectable_if (viluncheight =false) #Do you have a family? *set viluncheight true *set vilunchquestion +1 "Yes." "Where are they?" "Well, dad is dead, and mom is inside her head...oh hey, that rhymed." "Yes, I see." *goto viquestions *if ((vi_trick =false) and (vi_truth =false)) *selectable_if (vilunchnine =false) #Why are you so interested in me? *set vilunchnine true *set vilunchquestion +1 "It is obvious that you have some sort of attraction toward me. What is the cause of this?" "Because I'm evil, and you're evil too, which means we're both evil." "How exactly does that explain anything?" "Because evil people are supposed to stick together." *goto viquestions *selectable_if (viluncheleven =false) #What do you know about this school? *set viluncheleven true *set vilunchquestion +1 *set vievil true "Well...it's made of bricks, and was built...about thirty years ago, I think? Also, this year, there's a lot of security cameras and guards, and the principal hasn't told anyone about it, so I guess it has something to do with you, right? He really likes weird kids, and a lot of the teachers have to get extra training for PTSD survivors." "What about the students?" "I don't think they have to get PTSD training, though I think like, around one in twenty of them have something wrong with them. Not like us, though, they're not evil. They're just sad." "Do you know what the general opinion of the school is." "I...I'm probably not the person you want to ask about that, they don't like me a whole lot." "Take a guess." "Well...most of them are probably confused about all the new security, but I don't think very many people are asking questions about it, so you don't have to worry about them finding out about you. Overall...I guess they're just being people." *goto viquestions #What do you know about me? *set vilunchtwelve true *set vilunchquestion +1 "Uhm...well, you're evil, and you've probably killed people, *if (vi_torture =true) and you like cutting people with glass, *if (hurtvi =true) and you punch really hard, and you're really strong, *if (vi_stalker =true) and you don't really like being followed, *if (vi_think =true) and you think a lot, *if (vi_trick =true) and you're a liar, *if (violent >50) and you've been hurting people here, *if (vi_myrtal >70) and you hurt me a lot, *if (vi_myrtal <60) and you want to seduce me, and you have really scary eyes, and you're beautiful, and I love you." "That is all? Nothing else?" "Uhm, yeah. Is there something else you wanted me to know?" Given her fascination I had expected her to have some sort of deeper knowledge about my past, besides that there was violence involved. I suppose she could be lying, though she doesn't look like it. "No." *goto viquestions *if (vi_truth =false) *selectable_if (vilunchthirteen =false) #Have you ever killed someone? *set vilunchthirteen true *set vilunchquestion +1 She tilts her head as if not understanding the question, "Can't you tell?" "What do you mean?" "I guess you could just be trying to trick me..." she mumbles to herself, "Are you trying to trick me?" "No." "Oh, I guess that can't be it then...why are you asking me that?" "Because I want to know the answer." "Oh...no." "Why not?" "I just...I really can't. I'm sorry, I don't want you to know that right now." It's clear I'm not going to get an answer to that without extensive interrogation, which isn't exactly an option right now. "Another time, then." "Can you please ask me something else?" *goto viquestions *if (((Vi_friend =false) and (vi_think =false)) and (vi_stalker =false)) *selectable_if (vilunchfifteen =false) #Do you want to be friends? *set vikindness +1 *set vi_friend true *set vilunchfifteen true *set vilunchquestion +1 *if (vi_myrtal <100) *set vi_myrtal +5 She freezes up after I respond with the one syllable word. I think I overwhelmed her for a moment before she realized she was in reality. After that takes its time to get through her mind, she slowly turns back to her food. I'm not sure what she's doing until she picks up a roll of bread, kisses it, and hands it to me. "What is this?" "Please eat it. It's poisoned," she replies, "With my love." I'm a bit hesitant at the word poison, but I'm fairly certain that my immune system is able to deal with love appropriately. Besides, if this is something that 'friends' are supposed to do, then this would likely be an important thing to learn early on. Vi continues to watch me as I eat her 'love biscuit' with glee. I suppose I should feel good that I made at least one person happy. It's a change of pace from how my interactions with people have usually gone in the past. "What exactly was that meant to symbolize?" "Friendship!" "Is this what you do with friends?" "I dunno. Nobody really ever wanted to be my friend before." "So we are both in uncharted waters it seems." "Yes! That's good, right? Cause friends are supposed to have stuff in common!" "I suppose so." "I promise to be the best friend ever!" She smiles, "Is there anything else you want to ask me?" *goto viquestions *if (vilunchquestion =0) #Actually, now that I think about it, I don't care about you *set vi_myrtal -40 *set ignorevi true *set virelationship "Hurt" Vi recoils with a look of absolute horror on her face, "Wait...what?" I don't bother repeating myself since it's clear she heard me just fine. Instead I'm more focused on the food in front of her. It's completely untouched, if one disregards its lack of order due to Vi's prodding. Otherwise, still a perfectly valid meal. I reach over and grab the tray of salads and fruits, both things that I saw very little of during my time in active combat. Substances so rich in vitamins are more valuable than gold to someone who knows what it's like to be hungry. Unlike the previous owner, I waste no time transporting the food through my mouth and into my digestive tract. One thing I notice is the taste. It appears that there is some sort of flavoring on the salad. Mayonnaise. I don't think I've ever tasted anything like it. I wouldn't say it's a bad taste, and even if it was I wouldn't throw it up, I've had far worse things, but even so the taste is strange and foreign to my taste buds. I couldn't say whether I enjoy the taste or not without further experimentation. At some point Vi ran away from the table, but that's not really on my mind. I am slightly annoyed that she left tears on the table before she ran away, but that's not important enough for me to pay attention to. I have food to eat, and then classes to attend. That girl isn't important enough for me to allow myself to be distracted by her. *page_break Sixth hour... *goto_scene 1-10sixth-1 *if (vilunchquestion >0) #Are you going to eat that? "Eat what?" Vi replies, evidently having completely forgotten the array of food that was laid right in front of her. "That. The salad and fruit." "Do you want it?" She pushes it toward me, "I don't need food." I cannot tell whether or not I should be angry about that. Everybody needs food, trying to pretend otherwise is an insult to everyone I know who ever died over a grain of rice. On the other hand, this food that she supposedly 'doesn't need' is being offered to me. Decisions decisions... *fake_choice #Tell her to eat. I want her to live *set tactics -1 *set explosives -1 *set humanity +1 *set vikindness +1 "You need to eat," I inform her while pushing the food back toward her. "But...you said you wanted it." "I have eaten today, you have not. Your continued survival is important." Her face begins to turn an unhealthy shade of red and she looks down at the table, "Why would you say something like that..." "Because it is." "You're wrong." "I would not have said it if I believed my information was incorrect," I'm not exactly the type to preach about the sanctity of human life. Someone just died a few seconds ago, someone is in the process of dying right now, and someone will die in a few seconds from this moment. Despite that, the overall population of the human race is unlikely to notice their absence, and the total population is unlikely to even take the smallest dip in number. When thought about like that, the idea that a single life has any form of value becomes a pretty silly notion, doesn't it? So when I say that I want someone to live, I expect that to be taken seriously. "Eat. Now." Luckily she gets the message before I have to start forcing it down her throat. #Take the food Being conditioned to equate food to survival, I'm not about to turn down a meal paid at someone else's expense. I take the food and immediately begin biting into it. Salads and fruits, both things that I saw very little of during my time in active combat. Substances so rich in vitamins are more valuable than gold to someone who knows what it's like to be hungry. Unlike the previous owner, I waste no time transporting the food through my mouth and into my digestive tract. One thing I notice is the taste. It appears that there is some sort of flavoring on the salad. Mayonnaise. I don't think I've ever tasted anything like it. I wouldn't say it's a bad taste, and even if it was I wouldn't throw it up, I've had far worse things, but even so the taste is strange and foreign to my taste buds. I couldn't say whether I enjoy the taste or not without further experimentation. "You must really like food." *page_break Next "So...uhm, do you mind...if I ask you something now?" "That depends." "Why are you here?" "I came to eat." "Oh, not that. I mean, I guess that's true, but I wanted to know, why are you at this school? If that's okay..." *fake_choice #Refuse to answer. She doesn't need that information "It is not." Vi immediately looks back at the ground, "Sorry..." #Refuse to answer. It's better for everyone if she doesn't know *set humanity +1 "I cannot tell you that." Vi immediately looks back at the ground, "Sorry..." "You have done nothing wrong," I assure her, "Your question is reasonable. I cannot answer." "Is someone forcing you? How could someone do that? Couldn't you just kill them?" "It is complicated." #Tell the truth *set stealth -1 *set firearms -1 *set humanity +1 "I have been assigned here until my superiors believe I am ready to enter into society fully." "Assigned? So what are you supposed to be doing? Are you here to kill someone?" "No. I am to study other members of society and attempt to mimic their habits, and attempt to succeed in a formal education." "Are you, like...an alien?" "Of a sort." "Cool..." Vi looks like she wants to say something else, but fear has frozen her over. I am not sure if she is waiting for me to say something or is trying to build up courage, and an extended period of silence falls over us until the sharp ringing of the bell overhead cuts through it. Nothing to do about it. We are both forced to go our separate ways. There are still questions surrounding her, and I am sure she feels the same way about me, but all that will have to wait for another day. We have classes to attend. *page_break Sixth hour... *goto_scene 1-10sixth-1