Week 5; Friday; Milla

[alcobrawlic]

[ It's... not exactly the happiest day she's experienced in a pretty shitty week, but as much as Sara wants to keep to herself and drown in her thoughts until they settle down and stop raging around like a hurricane-- she doesn't. Because another part of her doesn't want to be completely alone, as selfish as that feels... and she also has people she needs to check up on.

So here she is, having wandered down over by the water hole, and there she sees her.

There's one. ]

Milla!

Comments

[thatsthespirit]

[but fronting is how she keeps strong!! most of the time]

[she sighs, a bit defeated. Sara's right. she's exhausted]

I forget how fragile human bodies can be sometimes. It seems as though they break with even the slightest amount of force.

[yes because cannonballs and coyotes are "slight." either way, she feels like this wouldn't have happened if the Four were with her right now]

[alcobrawlic]

The human body's a lot weaker than the human spirit, let's just say that.

[ But she'll actually plop herself down and give the ground a pat. C'mon, Milla. Join her. ]

[thatsthespirit]

[that actually gets her to chuckle as she takes a seat next to Sara. she moves. . . very gingerly, because bending her torso huuuuurts]

I've noticed. But the human spirit can spur the human body to move forward, even when it's past its limits.

[Milla no don't talk like that you're gonna kill yourself one day]

[alcobrawlic]

Yes, but there's a limit to the limit.

[ please stop. ]

[thatsthespirit]

You sound a little bit like The Four.

[huffs! Sara and Barnham both, to be honest. why is she being scolded aaaaah]

. . . but to be fair, you have a point.

[alcobrawlic]

If The Four are good-looking with common sense and wonderful personalities, I'll take that as a compliment.

[ SHE'S THE FUN ONE NORMALLY THIS IS WHAT YOU'VE DONE TO HER, MILLA!! ]

Besides, we've got a full day ahead of us tomorrow.

[thatsthespirit]

They are, although sometimes they feel more like obnoxious in-laws.

[BUT SHE SAYS THAT FONDLY, so!!]

[the amusement in her tone fades pretty quickly when Sara brings up tomorrows trial]

We do. And it won't be easy. [a pause] . . . and before anyone gets caught up in trying to find Yuna's killer, I'll clarify right here and now that it was the coyotes.

[alcobrawlic]

... Well, at least there's that. That's what injured you and Jason, too?

[ IT'S ALWAYS COYOTES. ]

[thatsthespirit]

[GOD DAMN COYOTES]

It is.

[runs her hand over her bandaged arms]

It could have been far worse for us than it was. But that in and of itself is strange, don't you think?

[alcobrawlic]

...? You mean that you didn't die?

[thatsthespirit]

[a nod]

The coyotes seemed very intent on attacking Yuna, not Jason nor I. It was as though they were attempting to take her out. Specifically.

[alcobrawlic]

... Wait a sec, you think the coyotes targeted her and only her? Why??

[thatsthespirit]

[closes her eyes, frustration appearing in lines in her brow]

I don't know.

But Yuna was attacked by coyotes the night she stayed out with Shinnosuke. I wonder if, perhaps, she just finally pushed her luck too far.

WHEN YOU THOUGHT YOU REPLIED

[alcobrawlic]

... Maybe the coyotes are like a warning, to make sure people don't pull sleepovers on Thursday nights.

HDU no j/k i'll backtag forever!!

[thatsthespirit]

[it makes sense, all things considered. it would've been the third time Yuna had attempted to spend the night outside, and only Milla's second time]

If it's against the rules to guard the person in the stocks, then why wouldn't the Sheriff tell us that from the very beginning?

[she knows the answer to that question already, though. the Sheriff hasn't always been the most upfront about important information, even if Milla is pretty sure he's not a liar]

[alcobrawlic]

Given what we already know about our lovely Sheriff, I think you and I both already know that answer.

[thatsthespirit]

I hate to say it, but you're right.

[she doesn't bother masking the annoyance in her words. although "annoyance" feels like too light of a description for her feelings right now]

. . . Yuna didn't deserve what happened to her. She was bright, cheerful, and very kind.

[alcobrawlic]

A lot of people didn't deserve what they've been through.

[ Including Yuna, of course, but Annabeth, Riku, Russell... ]

[thatsthespirit]

No one deserves to be here. Of that I am certain.

[a frustrated noise]

When I first arrived here, I told the Sheriff I intended to kill his employers to prevent them from running a game like this ever again. I'd like to follow through with that promise, but. . .

[how can she when she's still trying to figure out how to stop all this murder and madness?]

[alcobrawlic]

But right now, we've got the immediate problem on our hands.

[ People and killing and killing people and people killing. ]

[thatsthespirit]

[TOO MUCH MURDER]

. . . the four killers from last night.

I imagine two of them were Bandits. [as they usually were] But it's concerning to know we have at least one person here who is content to kill multiple times without the aid of a role.

[alcobrawlic]

Honestly, that just sort of reminds me of home. It takes all types.

[ Except keeping those types away from the innocent was easier back home. ]

[thatsthespirit]

[ah. . . Milla perks up a bit in concern at that]

Home. . .? Does this sort of thing happen frequently where you come from?

[alcobrawlic]

Not frequently... sort of. Usually it's not a bunch of people killing for fun, but they will slaughter entire towns for the money.

[thatsthespirit]

Greed isn't a much better motivator than boredom.

[honestly]

I hope there are people who have dedicated themselves to protecting the towns from these criminals.

[alcobrawlic]

Not all of the civilians can fight, but that's what bracers will do, if the provincial armies don't act, or the Railway Military Police. Bracers are a neutral party that only acts to protect civilians or help maintain the peace.

[thatsthespirit]

Oh! I see. That's good of them, then.

Are you a Bracer, Sara?

[alcobrawlic]

I used to be, until I became an instructor. [ The abridged version. ]

But I'm actually going back to it, whenever I get out of here. Our world's... never really stopped needing them.

[thatsthespirit]

Is there a reason you couldn't do both?

[the jobs don't seem mutually exclusive to Milla]

[alcobrawlic]

Actually, yeah. Bracers travel the country, sometimes the continent, going where they're needed-- instructors tend to stay put, for the most part, where they teach.

[thatsthespirit]

[oh, yeah, that seems fair enough]

I'm sure your students will miss you when you return to your travels. But I'm also sure you'll be an asset in protecting the people from danger.