trustfell | Looks like this will be a weekly thing

Looks like this will be a weekly thing

[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.]

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[It takes a moment for Cabanela to answer, but when he does, he's actually managed a slight smile, though it's awkward.]

I'm not busy at aaall. Come on in, Mordecai.

[With a sigh, Mordecai waits for Cabanela to step aside before entering and standing in the middle of the room, hands clasped together.]

I-I saw your note, and-and I startin' thinkin' about everythin' I've been hearin' from the Conductor. How he used to work for some sorta god, and now we know that those shadow things are afraid of light. Makes me wonder if those two are connected. N-now I haven't gotten any sorta lights from the vendin' machine, but we do have the candles...and alcohol upstairs, but I do not think settin' the whole place on fire is the best idea. The Conductor wouldn't stand for that.

[He breathes out to steady his voice.] I've been talkin' with the Conductor last week, but we never got a chance to meet together to piece it all together. Mind if I sit down?

Maybe they are related.

[He motions for Mordecai to take the chair, though, as Cabanela sits on his bed, looking serious.]

I've been thiiinking, ever since Ashley mentioned that the thing that kidnapped all of us could be considered a "god", and now we know for certain that the creature down in the basement can't stand the light...

Could suuuch a weakness be considered godlike? It makes me wonder.

[Mordecai sis on the chair with his hands folded and looks at this lap while Cabanela speaks.]

...Back on Mars, I may as well be. See, this week I remembered why my title is what it is - I somehow got hold of cosmic spaces powers, and I could do pretty much everythin'. Teleport, affect the past timeline, make copies of myself, change the weather, and bring someone back to life.

[He looks up.] In that dream, my best friend got shot, and they were all a-weepin' over him, but I brought him back with only a thought. Makes me wonder if when we get out of here, I might do the same for the folks that meant a thing.

[Because like heck he's bringing back Reaver and Kaneki.]

But I'm gettin' off track. Point is, you can be like a god but not perfect. No one is, Inspector. And another thing - I spoke with the Conductor earlier this week. Said that he's not really in contact with the god unless he needs it. The shadows might just be another ally of his.

Goldike powers, huh?

[....Reaver he won't comment on, but Kaneki would probably lead to Problems. The kid didn't harm any of them, anyway.]

....I wonder who controls whom. If he "needs" the god, that sure sounds like he's control--

[And then Cabanela cuts himself off abruptly. He even laughs.]

I asked him for a retelling of Faust!

[He attempts to shrug, but it looks more like his rolling his shoulders.] No idea how that happened. Last thing I knew before that, I was talkin' to one of those cosmic beings that use that Force Galactic while the universe was in danger of endin'.

[That name is familiar. Even way into the future, ancient literature still makes its mark.]

That the one with the "deal with the devil" plot, right? [His eyes widen.] Oh! Think that's the case here?

Let's think about what we know about our situation.

Something, something that could be called a "god" brought us all here. It stands to reason that this "god" is prooobably not benevolent.

In the legend, Faust is given all worldly knowledge in exchange for his soul. It's listed that the Conductor likes risk-taking.

It makes me wonder.

[Mordecai slowly stands up in horror.

It all makes sense now.]

That "hell of a sacrifice" he make for the company...He said headin' this experiment was a reward for his service!

[How the hell are they supposed to go after someone who has a damned demon on his side?

And that's assuming that Cabanela's even right about this.]

...Maybe he killed all of his coworkers for this "god".

[Using the power of friendship and the Force Galactic--no wait.]

What was that he mentioned to me again? The last experiment session unfolded in such a way that literally anythin' would be better than that. Yeah. If we do remind him of his coworkers...wonder if that's how they all died.

Sometimes I wonder if he wants us to leave. First the precaution to allow us to kill him with his permission, then sayin' there's a way for lots of us to leave without murderin' someone, and his promise not to stop us if we find that way out.

Now, he might say that this is his idea, but he's gotta have some reason to stick to bein' all neutral and non-interferin' for the sake of the experiment. Ain't the god forcin' him directly, but if there really was a deal, we have our answer.

"Literally anything would have been better than that".

[He looks thoughtful.]

That doesn't tell us much, does it? I stiiill don't know what kind of a man the Conductor is.

[...]

You know, I think him being neutral and non-interfering is the pooint. He's running an "experiment" the way scientists put rats in mazes.

I dunno. Mad scientists don't always make sense.

[Why isn't the Marshal here? He'd know more about this.]

They doon't, do they?

The only "mad" scientist I know is a friend of sorts, and he's nothing like the Conductor.

...So he's one of the harmless ones? Mostly rambles about what he wants to do?

[Those...are potential troublemakers, and he would not allow them in his saloon, but if they aren't breaking the law, there's no reason for the Marshal to take action.]

The only mad science he's doing is helping me out, maaan!

We've been... working on something for a number of years. Maybe it's a lie to call what he does mad science; he's just your regular run-of-the-mill doctor, really.

[He just happens to have a pet pigeon that can do everything for him, nbd]

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Looks like this will be a weekly thing

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