They'll say it's not worth it, so we'll leave this town in ruins [Week 2, Sunday, Post-Ex.]

[zerotohiro]

[This is how he functions. He checks in with the people he wants to and then he goes off to explore on his own. He doesn't think most people will be out and about right now after everything they witnessed today, but as he steps into the shaded parts of the jungle he nearly jumps out of his skin as he finds Vriska sitting there. He's still in his hoodie despite the tropical heat and his hands slip into his pockets before he eyes her warily.]

What're you doing way out here? Most of the island's that way. [There's a jerk of his thumb to gesture behind him.] Figured you'd be back there antagonizing them.

Comments

[hypertoxic]

[ She's got a coil of what at first glance looks like rope in her lap; but on closer inspection, it turns out to be a pile of vines! Go figure, right? Her fingers are working with them in quick, spidery movements, looping and tying and fixing. ]

I don't need your judgment, [ she says, voice flat. ] I don't waste all my time harassing chumps! Not that there is much to do here besides that. Look, I'm busy, pipsqueak! What does it look like I'm doing?

[zerotohiro]

It looks like you're wasting time with a bunch of vines, but okay. [Vriska...but he's definitely watching her weave with the vines and there's a soft "huh" under his breath.] ...either that, or you're making something useful. [He holds up his hands.] I'm not judging anybody yet. Think we already did enough of that yesterday?

[hypertoxic]

Obviously not, because you apparently have nothing better to do than be a judgmental pain in my ass.

[ cocks an eyebrow at him. ]

I'm making snares, numbnook.

[zerotohiro]

[Someday he'll be more bugged by her insults. Today is definitely not that day and he's more watching her hands than her for the time being. He's memorizing the pattern she's weaving in before his eyes snap to attention.]

You're doubling up on the effort to enhance the strength of the vines. [It's almost impressive, but simultaneously.] You've done this before?

[hypertoxic]

[ Her hands stop moving as she eyes him thoughtfully. ]

Perceptive. Yes! I have sweeps of experience with making traps. Even if all those goody two shoes voted to make the communal food open to everyone, I'm still going to help.

[zerotohiro]

[A shrug. Yes, he is, but that's normal.]

Sweeps are...what, years? Or some other weird alien terminology. [He also just sort of gestures to the ground non-verbally asking if he can sit.] It doesn't really feel right for it to be open and not doing anything to contribute. I'm starting to figure out stuff I can do, too. Since I can't do...that. [And a gesture to the vines.]

[hypertoxic]

A sweep is two of your silly human years, dork.

[ Vriska will flap a hand at him, non-verbally granting him permission. He'll also get a raised eyebrow for his opinion. ]

You and me both, but try arguing with that group! [ falsetto ] Oh, no, it's so mean to shut anyone out, what if some weird extremely specific and incredibly unlikely scenario happens where someone can't help at all and we're forced to starve them to death? We can't do that! [ she rips a snort. ] But whatever. If we're going all democratic, they won fair and square! They'll see it was a dumb idea eventually.

[ Glances at her vines, and then up at him. ]

So what have you figured out so far?

[zerotohiro]

So you're...twelveish. [And he'll plop on the ground to watch, propping his chin in a hand.]

The thing about that is...someone's always going to end up being shunted out just by nature of how many of us exist. And okay, sure, let's pretend everyone's getting in on this. If people aren't contributing we're gonna run out of resources really fast and then what? People might kill somebody for a cheeseburger or something.

[...he misses real food.]

I figured out that the Chiefs are really choosy about giving us just enough of what we asked but not enough that we can use to overpower them. But that was obvious. So. Do you mean about them, the game, or our group of people?

[hypertoxic]

Thirteen.

[ Otherwise she lets him jabber at her, turning her focus back to her vines. But her movements probably make it clear that she's listening. ]

Anyway, I agree with you! That is why I argued for everyone to mandatorily contribute in the first place. These idiots don't know what they're getting into. Scarcity makes people go pretty fucking crazy!

[ Throws him a considering look at the end. ]

How about all three?

i remembered about an hour ago that i didn't tell you i got home so. hi.

[zerotohiro]

I mean I think murder does, too, but scarcity doesn't help.

[Give him time to start fiddling with a spare vine since it's within reach.]

Our group of people can be split between givers and takers just like any other society. Look at the people most likely to say "hey, you don't need to do anything, I just want to help" versus the people who'll take what's given with no reason. We have more of the former than the latter running around. Even knowing what was coming people were outraged about Haru's death but...surprisingly a lot of people also seemed not as shattered finding her pieces everywhere. You could say it's shock, or maybe some people are more used to things like this than others.

The game's rigged. We're pretty much playing in the dark and only getting real rules revealed to us as we stumble upon them. Think about the Chiefs. Wanna take bets on when they were going to bother telling us about the partner rule if we didn't ask? But I don't think the Chiefs are above giving us answers for the same reasons that you and I already covered.

Mandatory contribution. We play into their game and put forth effort, they'll reward us. Pay to play. It sucks, but at the same time look at what just happened. [He sighs.] I'm trying to decide if I want to look more into the game first, or our game runners. They go hand in hand but it's about what has more leads to follow.

hello. why is this 15 billion words.

[hypertoxic]

[ Vriska will be quiet throughout that outpouring of words and ideas, one eyebrow cocked over a small smile.

Eventually: ]

I misjudged you, Hiro. You're a nerd, but you're a pretty smart nerd.

[ She'll gesture briefly with one hand. ]

As for where to start? Pick the game. Our robo-overlords are going to do their best to mislead us. But Hal said something at the beginning of all of this that I thought was interesting! "Use the rules to win." To me, that means there are ways to bend or even break them, if we're clever enough.

it's like you don't even know me

[zerotohiro]

[There's a slightly crooked grin in return because...yeah. He's aware. Thanks, Vriska.]

I'll take that as a compliment. [But he ponders on that.] I wouldn't disagree with that, but most people would take that to mean "give into the rules to win the game." What made you automatically shift to thinking it means the rules are supposed to be rehashed and broken?

[Again, not disagreeing, but curious where Vriska's thoughts are.

[hypertoxic]

[ you're welcome, small talkative human boy. ]

Because I'm a gamer, Hiro! I have been at this for a loooooooong time. And the real winners? Cheat! It's what I have always done. And it works!

[zerotohiro]

It works up to a point, but as long as you have people to bail you out I don't see why cheating's that bad. So who are you going to keep around to bail you out whenever the Chiefs make cheating backfire?