Looks like this will be a weekly thing

[forcegalactic]

[This whole week has been awful. This whole experience has been awful. Mordecai wants to go straight to his room and deal with his frustrations, but that's not what a mayor does. A mayor takes charge, a mayor fixes what's wrong, a mayor makes things better. Even if he can't do everything on his own, he's has to do something.

Two hours after the end of the trial, the living will find another note slipped underneath their doors.]

There's cookies in the kitchen. The dining room is ready for anyone who needs a quiet place to talk it out. I'll be in the bar if you need a drink, alcoholic or something more appropriate for the underage crowd.

-Mordecai Benmont Jiminy

[There's a pile of warm chocolate chip cookies in the kitchen. Two more candles are lit at the memorial - one for the victim, one for the culprit - and Mordecai has left a pile of blankets from the storage room on one of the dining room tables.]

Comments

[decrees]

[Logan isn't going to approach Cabanela in front of everyone. There's something he needs to talk about in private, after all. He'll show up after things have quieted down a little, knocking on Cabanela's door.]

...Are you free to talk?

[perpend]

[It's a moment before Cabanela responds, but Logan will be able to hear the sound of him pushing out from his chair before he greets the other man.]

I'm free. What's on your mind?

[decrees]

...May I come in? I don't want anyone else to overhear. It's about... what we discussed earlier this week.

[You know, his tragic backstory.]

[perpend]

[His expression softens a little.]

Of course. Come in.

[Cabanela will step aside to let Logan in.]

[decrees]

[Logan waits until the door is shut before he launches into an explanation.]

That thing in the pit isn't the Crawler. I'm positive of that. It never fights like that. I cannot rule out the possibility that it is something from my world, but I'm aware of how the Crawler works and that's not it.

[perpend]

No?

[That explanation would have been too easy, wouldn't it?]

That creature in the pit appears to fear, or be harmed by, light. Even if it's not the creature you're familiar with, maybe there's still a way to beat it.

[decrees]

That's just it - if it isn't the Crawler, then it can be defeated. It has never taken over anyone that was placed down there with it. I don't believe it can do that.

The shadows I fought in Aurora were dangerous, but they were easy to defeat. I'm sure it's entirely possible to destroy this one as well. Light and fire were the most effective methods of dealing with the ones back home, so I imagine the same weaknesses exist for this one.

[He sounds... almost excited??]

[perpend]

[...he's never heard Logan sound so excited.

Should he be concerned?]

We'll haaave to be careful-- even if they're just shadows, it seems the creatures have incredible powers, even if it's just... shadow powers.

[decrees]

[Likes: Killing monsters probably should have been listed...]

I know better than to underestimate shadows.

[TRUST HIM, HE KNOWS...]

But this is a start. If it's something we can kill, then perhaps we have a way to strike back at the Conductor.

[perpend]

I wonder...

The technology of this place is a little dated, as far as things I'm familiar with go. Maybe that's because modern technology uses a bit too much electricity.

[decrees]

I suppose that's one possibility. I had hoped that we were in a world closer to Albion's level of technology, but...

[why is it always technology]

[perpend]

It's very difficult to tell, isn't it? We've been here for weeks, and none of us even know what sort of world we're in.

[decrees]

Unfortunately. I would like to know where we are, but I suspect I'll hate the answer.

[It'll probably involve a lot of technology.]

[perpend]

[His hands fold, thoughtful.]

Maybe it's possible to find out without help from the Conductor. There are enough of us here from various places that suuurely someone will recognize something.

[decrees]

That's what I thought, but if anyone has recognized anything they haven't come forward with it. Parts of this seem possible in Albion, but there are other things that are completely baffling.

[perpend]

It's.... strange.

I've run into a handful of books I recognize, on a surface level, anyway; and I've even discussed them with the Conductor. But any version I find heeeere is... off. Places are different, or removed entirely-- character names are changed.

It makes it diiiifficult to figure out where we are.

[decrees]

I would assume it isn't your world, then. I don't believe the Conductor would go to all the trouble of making entirely new books with only a few things changed. It must be like that normally in this world.

[perpend]

It must be a veeery similar world.

[Or maybe Agatha Christie just transcends space and time.]

Either way, it doesn't look like I've found enough to figure out what's going on.

[decrees]

[...would you really be surprised?]

It's frustratingly difficult. The Conductor will talk to some of us, but I don't wish to push anyone else to try to talk to him on a regular basis.

[Look at what happened to Kaneki and Ashley. Never again.]

[perpend]

Well, I could always try asking him more.

I've spoken to him a fair bit before.

[decrees]

...Just don't let me call you our spokesperson.

[was that a joke, that might have been a joke

a really, really dark joke, but still a joke???]

[perpend]

[Was that a joke??

He laughs quietly, just the same.]

That... might jinx things, just a little bit.

[decrees]

Indeed. I'd rather not lose anyone else I'm fond of.

[That's still dry, but it's not sarcastic. Don't you dare die, alright.]

[perpend]

The sentiment's mutual.

[He'll try not to, okay.]

[decrees]

...I'll be careful, then.

[He was going to be anyway, but you know what, he's not sure how to respond to that. So here we are.]