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[Lancer is just strollin around the campus quad when he spots Flat. He's pretty sure he sees him somewhere before. And he's mentioning golems, uh?]

Golems? Watcha talkin' about, kid?

Ugh, of course you wouldn’t know them.

[ flat grumbles, his usual cheery disposition replaced by something a little more annoyed. clearly he’s not in the mood.

he shakes his head, speaking to lancer in a loud whisper. ]

I’m kind of running from these big big things that are looking for me. If you see anything that’s big and not human-looking, then let me know!

[certainly, Lancer's expression isn't impressed either. "Running from these big big things that are looking for me?" Sounds really childish. But he heard Flat is capable of insane things - so who knows. He sighs before replying.]

Listen. I don't know what your problem is but it ain't cool doing little pranks like this, y'know?

[or maybe the golems do exist and both of em gonna need to kick their ass while runnin' around.]

It's not a prank!! If it were I wouldn't have shown up!

[ cOME ON LANCER, LISTEN TO HIM! ]

If it's a prank you want, I can do that later! I have lots of them thought up, but not this time around!

I can't really speak for seers, but it does kind of seem to be a lot of hassle with very little pay off.

[And also he's bitter about some things.]

god right??!!!????? why not just take the ppl that aaactually want to do that and leave others alone? jeez :/

If magic stuff only picked and chose the people who wanted their powers things would be a lot different in this world.

for example, you wouldn't be a walking corpse?

Hypothetically, maybe, probably not.

[FLAT. HE'S NOT JUST TELLING PEOPLE THAT'S A THING.]

[Emille's doing her normal thing in the labs, typing away at a computer, her back to the entrance. But when she gets up to check on something, she sees a person-shaped shadow behind some long glass stasis tubes. She can't tell who it is from the distortion given from the glass, so she goes to investigate, hand on her rapier hilt just in case...

No, it's just a young fellow with a sweat-tracked forehead who smiles when he notices he's been spotted, and then says something about golems.]

...Golems? In the labs? I sincerely hope not! Whose magical constructs are they?

[ as soon as he’s found, flat steps out of his hiding spot, his smile sheepish as he looks around cautiously. ]

They definitely belong to the school! They’re in charge of finding any Seers that don’t want to join to put their visions in the Cassandra thing or whatever. But maybe they won’t come here, like you said!

[Out of human habit, Emille subconsciously follows Flat's example in scanning the room too.] Ah, yes. You are not interested in the cookies and juice on offer, I take it? Hm. It does sound like an unpleasant and exposing experience to be stuck in a machine for fifteen minutes, while it scans your memories for upload. I can understand your distaste for the process. [A pause, as she's unsure if she should ask, being a victim of odd mind-voices of her own.] Or are your visions the truly frightening aspect of this situation?

[A frown comes upon her face at the very thought of a clumsy giant crashing its way through the lab's glass doors, hellbent on finding Flat.] If a golem does come in here, I will need to exchange some particular words with Headmistress Duchene. I do not mind if you stay, yet I would not recommend it as we are relatively close to where the Cassandra system is set up.

Not really? After those sessions I just really want a nap...

[ and in he thinks he can probably get better pastries around here anyways.

the question of whether his visions are frightening is met with a shrug of the shoulders. the nature of them aren’t scary at all, but it’s the memories associated with them that are. the rejection of his parents, the murder attempts that followed after, the alienation from his peers and previous professors—

he shakes his head, smiling. ]

Maybe that’s how I gotta fool them! They’ll think I would never come near it, after all!

[Emille takes Flat's smiling head-shake as a no to her question; that his visions are not as bad as the process itself. Perhaps he is claustrophobic, then?

Well, if he wants to stay around, she's not going to say no to a possible assistant...]

If you feel as if you could trick the golems by staying here, would you be interested in assisting with a little data-checking? It is solely a computer job in which you would scan information logs for any changes, and note anything you do find.

[She then points behind her, towards a door in the back of the room.] Or, if you are now interested in a nap, I have a couch in my office that you may use if you would like to lay down for a little while. That is also if you do not mind me passing back and forth from the labs to my office computer.

Well, you're being nice enough to let me stay, so I'd love to help out!

[ flat is rather easy to persuade. just be nice to him and he can be led into doing most things. he immediately goes up to her, a wide smile on his face. ]

What kind of data checking? I'll do my best to help!

Truly? [Emille's eyes widen at Flat's over-eager response. She wasn't really expecting him to take her up on her offer, since work isn't everyone's first choice for something to do, but she's not going to complain. No, she's going to take this opportunity and run with it.

She points towards a glass jar that contains an orange flower on a purple stalk within, and the computer sitting near it.]

I have been compiling data on that flower, to see if it has been able to grow on its own or not. On that computer are daily logs noting several aspects of the flower. If you would be so kind to, please compile the information from the daily logs into one spreadsheet and note any noticeable changes between the daily data amounts.

[She moves over to the computer and begins clicking a few things in order to get it ready for Flat.] Here, the folder titled "Bloom Data" has all of the daily logs within, sorted by date. I have opened a blank spreadsheet for you to transfer this information into. Please highlight any large changes using the highlight tool. [She pauses for a moment, then looks back at Flat.] That is, if you are familiar with such tools? Please let me know if you need assistance.

Oh, absolutely!

[ flat himself seems rather dazzled by the sight of the flower and the vague description of her experiment. while he does pay attention to her directions, his gaze keeps darting back to the plant with great interest.

so once she has given him the necessary instructions, he takes a seat to begin compiling the data onto the spreadsheet. ]

What made you want to start the experiment? What's it for?

[Emille remains pleased at Flat's continued enthusiasm. Now she has to think of a way to keep him interested so he'll come back and help again. Money? Grades? Food? Or just getting him away from those golems...?

Oh, he's asking about the flower. Ahem.]

This particular flower is only found in the Outlands, and this is my last sample. If it is growing on its own, then I will not need to risk any lives by sending a team to find another sample for me. [She walks over to the jar and taps on it.] You see, this flower is deadly. It has been proven to cause a potentially fatal illness in humans. [That's as far as she wants to go in that direction so she doesn't scare Flat off. To bolster that, she adds,] I need this sample to test a potential antidote to counteract that illness. [Yup, perfectly safe! Carry on! ~~No Dragon daemons here!~~]

Aah, I see...

[ flat glances at the flower for a few moments, as if trying to analyze it. then, he goes back to entering data. ] But what made you wanna look for that antidote in the first place? Did someone you know get sick from that flower? Do you think you can find that antidote?

[Emille is silent for a moment. There's no point in sugar-coating or ignoring the issue now. She doesn't know Flat much at all and has no way to gauge how he'll react to the truth, but it has to be said.]

Yes, I have known others who have developed a respiratory illness from this flower, and have watched it lead to their death. [Personally moreso in the labs on experimental non-human subjects than actual humans in real time, but she has heard stories from other Murakumo scientists and soldiers.] In truth, though these flowers are deadly, they are a mere warning sign spread to alert all to the presence of creatures far more deadly than their Bloom spawn -- the breed of daemon known as the Dragons. The Dragons spread these flowers in order to weaken their prey so they can consume all life in an area, for that is how they survive -- through wanton consumption.

[She pauses again, because this is heavy stuff.] I have made it my life's mission to destroy these Dragon daemons, but I am not a warrior. Therefore creating this antidote to assist anyone willing to fight against them without falling victim to the Bloom pollen is one way I can help. I will do everything in my power to succeed in creating this antidote and win this war. [Emille takes a deep breath and exhales slowly, trying not to rouse her anger. Just thinking about those vile monsters makes her blood start to boil.]

Wow...so you're basically fighting them through the power of science.

[ flat doesn't really understand her anger, but he gets that it must be a big motivator in her life. the story doesn't really move him in the slightest, however, aside from only making him more curious about these daemons. ]

Now those "Dragons"...are they like...actual dragons? Like the ones with wings that breathe fire and hoard things? Or are they just named like that? I never knew lizards were smart enough to use tools!

Yes, basically. I am a scientist, so it is only natural that I am contributing through science. [That means she still needs warriors to join her cause, however...]

There are many kinds of Dragon daemons, and relatively few actually resemble the Western stereotype, according to our knowledge. Some do breathe fire, but others use other elemental forces to attack. Many more have no magical powers at all and weaponize their physical strength instead. Some have wings, while many lesser Dragons do not and actually resemble dinosaurs. They are varied, and they are many, and we still have a lot to learn in preparation for their inevitable invasion.

[Tools, huh? Emille sees them more as weapons at the enemy's disposal.] I suppose you could consider the Bloom flowers as tools, just as their physical strength and magical abilities are also tools. Same as the rest of us. [So then, science -- and her Flame powers, she supposes -- are her tools. She's never thought about it that way. Emille looks over Flat with a bit of wonder in her expression. He is an interesting student...]

[ Flat in her room when she gets home from class, unannounced, uninvited, seeming stressed? That's fine. Kind of weird, but fine. She's just going to demonstratively look out the window for golems, because that is also kind of funny. ]

Why, for which direction should I watch out for?

Because it’s the fifteenth and that means that I have to go “do my duty as a Seer” or something weird like that. Also as far as your eyes can see. Can fae-adjacent creatures see better than a Seer?

[ he rolls his eyes. because it was miach and it was her room, he didn’t take much of an effort to hide himself from her. he’s sitting on the bed, cross-legged and miffed. ]

No idea. Should we get eye tests?

[ More of a casual remark than a real idea, though it'd surely at least be kind of funny. She gives the outdoors a good look-over and then moves to lock the door from the inside. As much as she doesn't really think there's golems coming, she does want Flat to feel a little safer. ]

The coast seems clear for now anyhow. What do they want from you?

I’ve gone to enough optometrists as a child, but why not? Maybe they’ll say you need glasses!

[ once she locks the door, flat takes the liberty of laying down on her bed with an overly dramatic sigh. ]

They want to take a digital recording of the visions I’ve had and upload them into the Cassandra, which is something like a database for visions, or something like that. Because they’re “important” for “predicting future danger” or something like that.

[ He is welcome to her bed and all her other belongings. Miach values the concept of privacy highly and would not tolerate anybody else touching her stuff, but from the moment they met, Flat had felt more like an extension of herself than a stranger. ]

Oh that process. I think it's disgusting. Even if the visions are important for predicting Nightfall, they should not force students into literally baring their very minds to them! How invasive!

But where do the golems come in?

They take the students that don't want to participate. Completely against our will, too!

[ flat takes out his phone, opening a mobage. he taps on it a couple times, before deciding that he has neither the attention span or the mood to play and sets it down. ]

Don't you think that it's a little strange? I get forcing students do compulsory tests and homework that are ultimately meaningless, but the Cassandra upload is a whole different level. Many do it willingly because they've been led to believe that it's their 'duty', but I don't want it to be mine. So why do I have to be forced to fall into line with them?

[ This doesn't explain the golems one bit, but that's okay, this is more interesting anyway.

Miach marches over to the bed and sits down next to Flat with no regard for personal space because that's how they roll.]

You don't have to. They're lying, making up needs as it suits them. You're free and you belong only to yourself, no Cassandra or anybody.

They want you to forget that.

Humans are like that, aren't they? 'This is for the greater good' or 'This is in your best interests' or 'We want you to assist the country--no, the world'. Always looking for something to tie themselves down to.

[ flat shifts on the bed, moving to lay down on his stomach. he looks up at miach, no longer smiling and his gaze distant. ]

When my family died, I did everything I could to separate myself from them. I stopped using my full name and I sold most of their assets to whichever institute that wanted them. As 'Flat', I felt as free as I could ever be. Like I was no one at all-- of course, even that was just a lie. I've simply gone from a small cage to a large aviary; if I say I'm an Escardos, they'll all know who I am.

[ he shrugs. being the demon child, the last heir of the family that met a gruesome end...it was something that he had long grown accustomed to, like a pain in his side that would never go away. ]

But when I do that, I feel like it's worse than a cage. Not just because of how cramped it is, mind you! It just feels like they're clipping my wings--temporarily, of course. [ there's a pause, as flat rests his head on his crossed arms. ] I don't like it.

[ She goes quiet for a moment. For once, she doesn't feel like chattering on with the eversame air of. Flat and her are mirror images, the same and yet completely different. His pain, when he shows it, isn't a laughing matter.]

Nobody needs to know who you were born as. Privacy is the most precious treasure of all. Escardos... So what if that's the name you were born under? I wasn't Mihie when I was born. Maybe I wasn't anything, who knows. But now everyone would like to define me as this, it's overwritten the person my parents might have wanted me to be.

You're Flat. That's as simple as it is. You don't owe more than that to anybody, you don't need to give any of your thought to Cassandra, you're you.

If anybody wants to take more from you than you want to give, it's simply a matter of stopping them.

[ You know what, she'll just lay down next to Flat, eye level is nice.]

Whether it's killing you, or them, or simply running as fast as you can...

[ flat listens to miach with close attention, his gaze never leaving her's. what she says is insightful, in a way that makes him feel like he were speaking to a mirror, their reflection talking back to them.

it's funny--they had been so afraid of going about life unable to be understood by others, and daybreak had given him the chance to speak with someone so similar to him. she was like the negative of a photo, reflecting the same picture but in an opposite manner. they would never be able to fully understand each other, but that was alright.

the idea alone brings a sense of comfort to flat. he smiles softly at her. ]

I don't want to kill myself. There's people I don't want to make sad, and there's still a lot of things I want to do still. Maybe I'll start making a bucket list! [ he laughs softly ] As for running... well, that's what I'm doing right now, no? It'll only work until I give up. And as for killing them...

[ flat puts a finger to his chin, thinking. ]

Trying to destroy the Cassandra system would be a big deal to the school. It's probably what they consider as most precious. Therefore trying to destroy it...that would also be a big deal, huh? Both their reaction and trying to do it in the first place.

[ he is not saying no, ]

It would be interesting... As it stands, we're all saving the world because we're mandated to do it. "The only neat thing to do" to put it with James Tiptree Jr. But unlike her short stories protagonist, this isn't something we're deciding from within. It is told to everyone, it's a grand narration we're meant to fit.

[ She pauses, because she increasingly enjoys this thought now that she puts her mind to it further. ]

Would we all independently decide to stop Nightfall? Is it really the only neat thing to do? Without all-knowing Cassandra dictating our very moves, would we still stand united...? What is it that people want, what is the true desire of everyone's heart?

We could get to see it.

[ her excitement is oddly contagious, and even flat finds himself grinning a bit despite himself. ]

Seeing into the future has always been a fancy cheat code, or like looking at spoilers before reading or watching the actual thing. It takes the fun out of it, you know?

[ he rests his head on his arms, watching her closely. ]

Would you want to stop Nightfall? If you hadn't been enrolled in this school, if someone came up to you and asked for your help in doing that, what would you say?

[ She hums a little, thoughtful. ]

I don't think I would help them. I don't think I particularly want to stop Nightfall now either. This world that has tried to suffocate me and you, is it really worth saving? It isn't. But if it can save itself, I'll be there to watch.

[ It's like they talked about in their very first meeting. Humans are inconvenient, shallow and inefficient. ]

Maybe if they'd offered me revenge on the people who hurt me in the Outlands... Maybe I'd have some interest in exploring the simple desire of revenge.

Edited (typo spotted) 2020-03-01 00:22 (UTC)

Revenge? Really?

[ the way that flat's eyes widen, the way that his voice raises in an inquisitive manner is a sign of how surprised he is to hear that.

but he's not put off. if anything, it only makes him think a little more about his own ambitions. ]

I guess I could see you as someone that exacts revenge--like Edmond Dantes? [ he laughs a little at the idea, but it's one that he finds greatly interesting. ] I don't know if I want to get revenge...my feelings about humanity are so weird, that I'm not sure if I could understand them myself.

[ what could he do with vengeance? nothing. even if his family were alive, it would mean the same to him whether they continued to live or if he killed them all himself. ]

I think that, if I had the power to do it, I'd like to remake humanity. I'd make them into something better, more efficient. But that's pretty silly, isn't it? No one can just wipe out an entire race and start it over like that.

[ Miach just shrugs lightly at his surprise regarding the revenge situation. She thinks about it daily; how she was treated, what she endured... It won't be undone by revenge, it won't make her think of it any less... But maybe it'd be fun, just a little, to inflict this pain on the very perpetrators of the crime. She's curious enough to try it if given the chance, if nothing else.

But what Flat is saying next is already way more interesting than any such considerations, so she just watches him. ]

Say you could. How would the world look, in your future?

If I could...then the world....

[ flat's voice trails off when she asks him that, his gaze shifting to the side in order to think. it's like grasping the remnants of the previous night's dream, hazy and without a definite form. like having a wish but being unable to put it into words.

a world with a new humanity...what would he look for? ]

Humanity--including those that would not be considered "Humans"--is quickly reaching its end. It'll eventually self-destruct, with or without Nightfall to push it there. I suppose that it'd be an advanced world. One where there's no distinction between the Outlands and the "Human" world. It sounds--and is--idealistic, but if you take away the root of their inefficiency, then it becomes possible.

A world in which neither of us are monsters, you mean?

[ In which Flat can't be abandoned for being presumed other, a world in which what Miach is isn't other either... She can't quite picture it. It seems idealistic and a little terrifying in just how boring it might end up being. ]

[Well, Flat has run into his favorite professor! Who's completely run into his apartment while he's on his couch, grading tests.

And he blinks, before tilting his head.]

Golems? What....ah.

[He gives a small chuckle.]

The seer gathering, I assume?

Yes!

[ flat looks rather concerned, too, slamming the door shut behind him. ]

Can I hide here? Please!

That's most likely a terrible idea - they'll note down the seers that do not participate, you know.

[Still, he's not exactly moving to kick Flat out....]

But...well, I suppose I could turn a blind eye just this once. Yes, you may - but if a golem attempts to break down my door, you must fend for yourself! Wahaha!

Well, I don't want to participate! That's why I'm here!

[ he'll just...hide in the kitchen thanks. and maybe serve himself some water because he needs to cool his nerves down. god he hates the fifteenth. ]

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