♫ contractors

[falsehymn]

❝But I tell you, do not swear
an oath at all:
either by Heaven, for it is God’s throne;
or by the earth,
for it is His footstool;
or by Jerusalem, for it is the
city of the Great King.
And do not swear by your head,
for you cannot make even
one hair white
or black.
All you need to say is simply 'Yes' or 'No';
anything beyond this comes from
the evil one.
—Matthew 5:34-37

Comments

[impacter]

And we also have a ruleset still hanging over our heads.

Like it or not, their game will still continue, no matter our feelings. We may not be innocent any longer, but at least we can try to do what we can for the rest.

I would not see them sent to slaughter.

[legendofthelion]

What do you mean "not be innocent any longer"? [Obviously Dehya was going to keep doing what she could for the troupe. Sika's asked, but hasn't yet forced their hand--and there's still the concern that anyone without a contract will still kill each other.]

You think Noelle and Gabimaru had deals too?

[impacter]

Mm, speaking out of turn, perhaps. [A little wave of his hand.] It depends how much Sika has told you about what's really going on, after all.

But no, I don't believe either of them did. What they chose was of their own desperation, not from Sika.

[legendofthelion]

... So are you going to explain?

[She knows details Sika themselves maybe didn't want her to, thanks to Lavi and the chorus, so she has some guesses but Solomon makes it sound like it's something more than just Sika being insane and desperate.]

Is it about Father?

[impacter]

In piecemeal, perhaps. [There's a careful look at his eyes towards her. Not here.]

But it would be best to hear it from them, and to make your own decision. I'm not here to make that for you.

[legendofthelion]

[A beat. Then maybe what Solomon knows is also something that Sika didn't tell him, either.]

Wouldn't let you make a decision for me anyway. [She can make her own bad decisions, thank you.]

[impacter]

That's what I like to hear.

[He turns briefly, to look towards the bar. The inky spread against the back of his neck sticks out like a sore thumb, like a plague spreading to wrap a noose around his neck.]

We can talk later. Alright?

[legendofthelion]

[... Well, that's alarming. Dehya thought disappearing into the shadows was getting to be weird enough, though it's less noticeable when she's actually in the light.

She almost asks if he can feel that, but. Maybe not in a crowd.] Okay, but not too late because I have something I need to do this evening. I probably won't stay here too long either way.

[Come, meet the people she didn't already know had a contract, and go.]

[impacter]

Where we last met, perhaps? I'll be conscientious of your time.

[He's probably going to be in and out of here all night, but he can spare a few for her.]

[legendofthelion]

Sure, see you there after lunch. [At waves hands vaguely. Some time.]