syckophant | IC Inbox

[ Despite the phrasing, she doubts this has anything to do with concern for her well-being ]

I have no intention of working in the field, and it seems B and Intensity will also be home base mainstays. I'm not out to ruin anyone's fun, but if my abilities could be an asset, then I want to provide them to the community.

B, Talon and I are the committee responsible for vetting the other candidates and finalizing the team. Full disclosure, a fair amount of nepotism was involved. I've never hidden my work relationship with B, and Talon comes to me for debriefings. [ Which makes for an opportune segue into: ] Which reminds me... I stopped you before, because you were obviously worn out, but if you're up to talking about what happened...

I am not. I've yet to confer with Absinthe, and he has some things to explain before I'm interested in sharing details of our outing. I'm not pleased with his handling of the sitiation, and that's all I'll say for now.

And I'm less than pleased by this fool's errand you seem to be helping to put together. I'd thought you were smart enough to know that a "committee" in which nepotism is involved is just a collection of people who already agree with each other, and functions the same as one person making all of the decisions.

[Waves a hand and shakes his head.] But that doesnt matter! I'm not wasting any more of my mind on that than this! I've no interest in this project of yours, and I want nothing to do with it, besides! So.

Is that all for this meeting?

[ Oh my, he's irritated. She doesn't make eye contact, content to "watch" the wrestlers onscreen, more concerned with how Fox is going to wash that olive oil out of his tail, or how she should have taken the initiative to purchase claw covers for him instead of taking oven mitts from the kitchen, than any fascination with fanservice ]

I had fully anticipated that this system is something our unit won't have interest in, but I didn't want my own partner being the last to know what's going on. [ but she won't correct that she was tapped because she's in agreement with everyone, because it's better than admitting she's been working with Intensity and watching her audition idol unitmates ]

The implementation of this system has very little to do with Absinthe's expedition, failed in your perspective or not: There was an expedition subsequent to the one you were on that ended with someone killing themselves in a last ditch effort to request help from Lilith. That is the level of recklessness we're trying to prevent, by establishing with the team what would constitute an emergency and when they would require rescuing.

Edited (An errant bracket AND A TYPO =_=) 2019-08-30 19:02 (UTC)

Of course. Thank you for letting me know.

[Not that he likes the idea, but of course he shouldn't lash out at her for telling him something. Otherwise she would have more reason to keep things from him.]

Idiots are going to be idiots, no matter the safeguards in place. But by all means, good luck.

Of course, you're welcome.

If the aforementioned stupid people go forth refusing to heed our advice, they're free to. They're just on their own.

In theory, anyone who's read the material provided and thinks critically about their actions should be fine. [ though she takes little comfort in it, knowing how people don't read, forget or just disregard the information provided. ]

Naturally, a new report will be coming out, but I haven't seen it yet, and I only know what Talon has told me.

Of course it will.

...What would you say your end goals are for all of this. "You" in general, I mean, not you specifically, though if you do have a specific goal, I am curious.

The general goals are making sure people are aware of the risks before they leave and establishing a contingency plan with them that everyone will stick to.

I'm in agreement with that. If there was anything else I'd add, it would be for preparing the contact team for emergency situations, except those would not be easy to plan for.

No... no not that. Not with this specific thing, but in the end. This thing, with you and Intensity. The knowledge gathering, the reason for that, for the expeditions, for all of the... thing. I understand wanting to understand, but putting yourself and everyone else in danger...?

What are these risks for? I don't mean to undermine them, or anything, I just don't understand what could be worth... I suppose... [He shakes his head.]

No, I. Nevermind.

It's fine, I don't mind answering the question. Sorry that I misunderstood, though I'll still have to revisit expeditions and the system to explain... Intensity— and B, Talon and I, have come to the troubling realization that people will jump into dangerous situations, prompted to or not. They're often motivated by their own curiosity, or sometimes a sense of justice or wanting to protect someone. You're not wrong in saying that those expeditions are dangerous, and we'd also like to curtail them, but failing that, we can only guide adventurers to act more responsibly.

Quite honestly, I am thankful to not have to expect that level of recklessness from BARiTONES— while I was caught off guard by Absinthe's expedition, he is not beholden to me. Ah, not that I expected you to tell me about it, either, and this new position doesn't make anyone any more obligated, since it is opt-in. But... if you thought you'd ever be in situation where you might not return, and you wanted me to do something about it, then I would like to know, so I could coordinate that to the best of my ability. I'm not foolish enough to think that my involvement would make you or anyone else safer or more successful, but I will put all my effort into minimizing damage.

Moving on, Intensity has made no secret of his motivation to rule Hell, and while I can't say I support him in that sense, I see little downside to being informed through the sacrifices of himself and others. If we're ultimately supposed to choose one side or the other, then that choice should be an informed one. We're already in Hell, after all, a few more bites from the Fruit of Knowledge isn't going to leave us any worse off than we already are.

[He pauses, thinking on that for some time. He's got a lot to think about, but ultimately nods his understanding.]

... So you are not loyal to his cause of ruling, then? [His expression is relaxed, curious, and open. He's genuinely asking, at least for now. If she didn't want a boss before, why should she change her mind now...?]

I had thought this was about you throwing in behind him. I don't want us to be on opposing sides... We are a unit. We should be able to trust each other, even if it is for no reason other than that it benefits us during this production.

That said, this does mean he and I will be opposing each other once this is over... I've no intention to allow anyone power over me, though I certainly do not want to remain in Hell. But you're right that we need to know as much as possible while we are here.

Is that knowledge really all you are joining this project for...?

I have no intention of taking on an employer. That hasn't changed.

Furthermore, the path Intensity treads is risky, and he is just as capable of bad decisions as anyone else. Possibly more, considering his personality. We are business partners, in the capacity that if he asks for my analysis and opinion, I grant them to him, just as I would for anyone else. It is the least I can do for the information he provides, but I'm not siding with him. As always, you're free to confirm that whenever you'd like [ with their ability ], though it would be good practice to exercise some subtlety. Never miss an opportunity to hone a useful skill. If you could pull it off without me noticing, I'd actually be impressed— oh... let me get back to my point.

Anyway, if you consider him your competition, then that's between you two, to be settled after Graduation. When that time comes for me, I'll most likely return home, and you'll finally be rid of me.

[ she laughs a little at that, not that she thinks he hates her, or that she'd be hurt if he did hate her. But they're not friends and he'd probably enjoy himself more if she wasn't around babysitting him. ]

Until then, I still consider the unit sacrosanct. By which I mean I will facilitate any reasonable requests for assistance or confidentiality, but if another's actions could jeopardize the inter-unit relations I've worked on, our standing within the community, then I reserve the right to protect that as I see fit. As you can see, members are dispensable. But reputations last, long after perpetrators are gone. Those who remain do not easily forget. While I don't know the specifics, you should be aware that bad blood that predates the existence of our unit persists. I don't want us to be in that position; I don't want to leave behind a mess for my replacement to clean up, but there's only so much I can do.

Edited 2019-09-01 18:13 (UTC)

...

That's really all you want...? To go home?

[He isn't... sure how to feel about that. Of course, some people have to want to go home, and Yvette never was someone with desires, but it is so baffling to him that someone who doesn't seem attached to much of anyone or anything could only want to return to a world they left.]

Why work so hard just for that?

...Where else am I supposed to go?

[ An honest question, since she's never considered being anywhere else. It only makes sense to go back where she came, back to whatever organization she used to work for and whatever jobs they have her do. ]

...Anywhere...?

You're intelligent, and at the least seem curious, so... why go home, where you know, where you'd understand it all, when you could travel the multiverse? You could go to any number of worlds, learn so much, observe anything. Isn't that an interesting idea...?

Well. I suppose some people just want familiarity, it just seems odd to me.

I suppose if going home really doesn't put a world under the protection of heaven, it's a bit of a waste, isn't it?

But if I chose the other option, I don't have anything I'd wish for anyway. Furthermore, it would put me in the employ of someone I know very little about. If I go back, at least I know who I can refuse to work with.

It doesn't necessarily mean you work for a Prince, living in their territory. Plenty of demons don't do anything for them.

[Probably. Eichi does sound convinced of that, though.]

They might think you owe them, but who cares what some over-inflated imp wants? It's their fault we're here anyway. They don't take your free will.

[ There's a vague smile, self-reflective ]

We really are different. Not that you're incorrect, but I can't really think like that at all...

[He frowns a little.]

It's a shame. You work so hard. Surely you deserve more.

[ that earns a laugh ]

I definitely don't see things that way. Not that hard work is its own reward, but if I'm feasibly able to do something, then I'll do it. I don't mind the work if it must be done, and I'd rather do it, than leave it to someone who wouldn't be happy handling the task.

But does that make you happy?

I'd be more unhappy if something vital was overlooked and the unit suffered as a result.

Maybe it doesn't make me happy, but I don't have time to dwell on that. I have learned to love what I must do.

You have plenty of time, Yvette. We all do. We have nothing but time. There are plenty of times when we don't, but much of our time is simply spent in our dorms or playing in "lives". Do you just not want to think about your own happiness?

What is the point in doing so, if everything can change tomorrow?

If I can bear it better than most, why shouldn't I capitalize on that?

Because we all have to bear our own burdens, Yvette. You can't take them all onto your shoulders, and despite our burdens, that doesn't mean we just ignore ourselves...

I know you work best by diminishing yourself, but... what would you do with no one else to work for? Not as an employee, but in general. You said yourself, everything could change tomorrow. What if we were all made to play solo?

[Sighs.]

I just don't understand anything about you.

[ if she had no one else to work for...? What a terrible thought. ]

Realistically, there's never a shortage of people who would rather hire someone to do something they don't wish to do.

And if I had to work alone... mm... I'm actually more accustomed to working independently. I remember only having minimal direction and making my own judgement calls.

If there's something you'd like to understand, you're always free to ask me questions. I'm fairly transparent about my thought process and methodology, I just can't explain much about my past, since my memory is limited.

[ and she's not going to be looking at memories for a while ]

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