[week four - tuesday]

[hypertoxic]

Hiiiiiiiiro.

[ Uh. Where is that voice coming from?

If Hiro travels the path up to the oasis today, about halfway there he'll hear a voice coming out to him. But there's no one on the path before or behind him. What the hell?

Well, if he looks up, he'll find a spidery girl sitting on the branch of a tree that borders the path, idly swinging her legs and grinning down at him like a hyena. ]

I've been meaning to find you! I heard from a reliable source that you might be looking for me, so I thought I'd make myself findable!

[ ... she doesn't hop down, though. she seems content to stay up there. why is she in a tree???? ]

So let's talk! I think we have a lot to discuss.

Comments

[hypertoxic]

Ahahahahahahaha. I'm not saying any of this because I dislike Jacopo, don't get me wrong! But he is a stupid dumb easily influenced idiot. It is sort of charming in a weird way.

[ Vriska will thumb at her own chin, her eyes narrowed in thought. ]

This makes things harder. If you were the last Wickie, you would have had critical information that I need. Now I have to restart my search! I have a hunch who the remaining Wickie might be, but if I'm correct, it will be difficult at best to get the truth out of them.

[ Vriska will wave a hand. Very, very dry: ]

Yes, Hiro, I was going to ask you to start murdering people left and right as my own personal hire-out assassin. Get a clue!!! I'm not coming to you for that, dork. I need the rest of what you said. Also, whether or not this is all some sort of incredibly complex VR simulation doesn't really matter to me! Sure, if we can deconstruct reality as we know it that would be great and all, but if we can break the rules of the game to our advantage that should be all we need! We can work together towards our separate goals and each get what we want out of the deal. I think that sounds fair, don't you?

[zerotohiro]

Seems to be a lot of people on the island who're like that, but he's taking it a step further.

[Now he just looks disappointed? Sorry Vriska!!!] I know. Trust me, I know. But think about it this way. You have an extra set of eyes to help with the search. Give me an idea where to start and I'll see what I can do. ...I already worked out a deal with someone else, so I don't see why I can't do the same here when we both have similar goals. What's your hunch anyway?

[He rolls his eyes.] Hey, you never know. But I can do the rest. I'm just saying if it were VR I'd have a better idea how to pull the game apart at the seams but as it is, breaking the rules is a good enough goal. They're pretty much the same anyway at the end, aren't they? Getting out of here with as few casualties as possible? I don't see why not.

...you've got a deal. But I'd also like to see that rulebook you were talking about if that's possible. Not right now since we're in a tree but later.

[hypertoxic]

... Akira. I think Akira is the remaining Wickie. [ Said with some grimness. ] I will be trying to get the truth from him myself, but I can only push so far. If I have you helping me, we might just learn something. We can try pressing Jacopo for information, too, but it can't seem suspicious!

And yeah, basically! Either you break reality as we know it or I break the game. In the end, we both win, so who cares? I think this is the beginning of a fruitful partnership.

[ His request will get half a smile and a nod. ]

Yes. I was planning on it. Just not now, like you said. We will have to sneak away from the village sometime this weekend. If we both make it through this week's trial, Saturday night or Sunday morning will be the best times for us to slip away and work on it.

[zerotohiro]

After what just happened and what I told you, you still want to really trust Jacopo? I...talked to Akira on Sunday. I sort of started feeling him out and he says he isn't doing anything but at the same time the guy's everywhere. He either knows something or...you know. Who knows? Even if he isn't the Wickie, we could use his help, too.

This sounds fine by me. And I'd like to speak to another business partner of mine between now and then. [He holds up his hands.] You'll be protected, I'm not gonna blab about your role. But I think they might be useful to us, too, if I explain part of your plan.

So that's it. You, me, Saturday night if we both live and the rest of the island's too distracted to notice. I think I can do that.