don't wait for a knight in shinin' armor, your savior's reflected in the mirror

[perpend]

[That sure was a fucking thing. That execution was a fucking thing. Those secrets are a fucking thing.

Cabanela retreats to his room, but not for all that long. Everyone will get a note eventually, written in very neat handwriting

I do not plan on bowing down to threats and intimidation. If you did not act, it means you were, like me, aware of the risk, but decided against it. Your reasons are entirely your own.

Join me in the dining room if you agree enough is enough, and that you won't acquiesce to threats. I don't plan to let this stop me, and neither should you.

-C

In the dining room itself, Cabanela has set up coffee and tea for those who want it-- there's no food, because to be honest, he doesn't know how to cook. Two more candles have been lit-- he wasn't really sure what to do about the whole... parasite thing... so Fern's candle will have to make due.]

Comments

[explosivecombat]

I don't know if I'd say this much is important to me, so much as it likely just explains a few things.

[But that's...probably fine, honestly; he's not really the sort to be terribly affected by things, at least not outwardly.]

The last thing I recalled before arriving here was being released from prison. I was arrested shortly before the end of the war I've talked about; I've spent the past seven years in solitary confinement.

[destage]

...What?

[Hi, holy shit, what the fuck? Like...okay maybe this explains some things, but--]

I definitely understand, now...you must not have had any sort of freedom at all.

[explosivecombat]

None beyond what was offered to me, and that wasn't much, if any at all.

It's all right now, however; as I've said, I was released recently - I've been granted a pardon by our nation's leader. But the past seven years haven't been particularly kind.

[destage]

...So this place...has been kind of an adventure in finding independence? After all of that time.

[Within the walls, of course. But she...smiles a bit, able to relate on a minor level.]

[explosivecombat]

...Something like that, actually.

[He actually had to think about it for a moment, but honestly, she's...not too far off.]

I was in the military for quite some time before that as well... You could say that I'm accustomed to taking orders at this point.

[destage]

What do you think of it, then?

[Sayaka turns a little bit so she can face him properly, tilting her head. Color her a bit curious. She knows her feelings were very much like being thrown into the deep end of the pool, but it could be different for him.]

[explosivecombat]

I find that I can't complain, really.

[...]

...Well, I could likely lodge a complaint about any number of things, giant sentient bacteria colonies among them. But the personal independence isn't one of them.

[destage]

Oh, no, trust me. You're far from the only one who wants to file a complaint about that. That was...disgusting, to put it very bluntly.

[Who the fuck allowed that to happen, seriously.]