WEEK ONE: MONDAY MORNING

[parodeity]

[ so he didn't have time to track her down yesterday in the wake of everything, but first thing monday morning dave will try to track emily down, waving her down when he spots her. ]

Hey, Ems, you have a second or two? [ there's actual concern in his voice and it's probably about the night terrors but it's also because he's not Sure if he's too late for warnings about other things, just yet. he is an idiot and should have thought of this yesterday instead of getting caught up in alternate universe drama. ]

Comments

[empireofrats]

Okay. I'll show you the first drawing. You can help me put it on the refrigerator in the kitchen.

[Her dark eyes lower to the extended pinky. She doesn't really know the gesture, but something about how it's done gives her enough to understand. Like a handshake. She reaches out and hooks her own small finger around Dave's gently. Then she smiles.] Okay. [Her voice lowers as if what she says is a secret:] Even though Corvo is Lord Protector, you can be my Lord Protector here for a little while, okay?

So I'll come get you if something happens.

[parodeity]

Can do, Ems.

[ for all of what she said, but he meant the first part. he shakes their linked fingers, then lowers his own voice to say: ]

I'm a Knight, you know? The Knight of Time. So, while I'm here, I'll be your Knight and Lord Protector for a while, yeah. [ this means he has to try not to die. or at least he has to make dead sure there's other people to watch her if he does. ] Pretty sure Knights are obligated via some kinda code to look out for Empresses, anyway.

[empireofrats]

[The hand she used for promises pulls away and covers her mouth when she giggles.] You're really a knight? I like that. I want to be a knight too. It sounds fun. And then you'd get a sword.

Maybe when I'm older I can be a knight. Or a Lord Protector. I don't really want to be Empress. It's boring. [Sorry Ma.]

What does the Knight of Time do?

[parodeity]

A lot of stuff Seers tell him to do, but basically...I suppose what I mostly do is defend the timeline, like it's supposed to be. Back home things can get a little...weird? And end badly, or how they were not supposed to. I'm supposed to make sure they go how they were meant to.

[ via lots of dying or whatever but ]

If you wanna be a knight or a Lord Protector, I think you definitely can do it. Empresses can decide to do whatever they want, I think, even if what they want is to not be an empress.

[empireofrats]

[She nods in agreement. Hell yeah, Empresses can be whatever they want! Fuck the police! (And the whole kingdom, apparently.)] I'm glad you're a knight, Dave. [She puts her small hand on his shoulder, nods her head again.] I think you're a good knight. Even if this is a funny game in a funny place, and even if people have to die.

I think you'll be a good knight, and you'll protect everyone.

[No pressure.]

[parodeity]

[ oh my god that's the most pressure ever. still, though. ]

I'll do my best. [ he'll try for the little empress who drew him a picture of his sister - sure. ] Hey - do you want to eat breakfast together every day? Just to check in.

[ not like always private convos but lmao he just wants to be sure she's okay daily let him rest ]

[empireofrats]

[Dave: week one kill, dead of a heart attack because of a ten year old girl.]

Yes. I would like that. Then we can make sure we're okay, and we can share secrets without anyone hearing. And maybe if we find some things, we can share them too. If we talk to other people, we can tell each other who is scary and who is nice.

Like Clementine. I stay in a room with her. She seems okay.

[parodeity]

[ emily why would you do this to him, an innocent ]

I like Clem. People're gonna be formin' groups, I think, as they learn who to trust or not trust, although mostly...I think mostly trust is a thing you decide to do, and you hope really hard you ain't wrong.

[ he is just choosing not to think about that too hard right now, with this girl. ]

She's one of the people I want to trust, I think.

[empireofrats]

[Um, wow... no pressure in return. Her, also an innocent, who loves to talk to anyone that will listen. Not be wrong about intent.

Thankfully, she's had some practice, and she seems rather keen on who is sketchy and who isn't. Usually.] Me too. Because she said she doesn't want to stay here any longer than she has to stay.

So she wants to leave. I think if you wanted to be bad, you wouldn't want to leave. So you can keep being bad.

[parodeity]

[ EMILY PLEASE DO NOT TRUST EVERYONE DAVE WILL HAVE A HEART ATTACK ]

She also wants to be in a group with you, I think. You and me? Like, I think she'd be down.

[ why does he not want to be in a group that is not made up of kids. christ. ]

I trust her more because she seems... [ ... ] Relatable. Smart.

[empireofrats]

I think so too. We should include her in our special plans. Maybe ours roles can help each other. Do you think she'd like to eat breakfast with us?

[parodeity]

I think she probably would. [ hmmm. he does want to know what the hell clem can do, because if she has something that can help them - but also, he just likes clementine. ]

We should all maybe talk, as soon as we figure out what it is you got, Ems. Although we'll trade me to her first, 'cause somehow, I think that's how it'll have to work for her. She's cautious like that.

[empireofrats]

Okay. I'll ask her if she wants to eat breakfast with us when we're in our room. Unless you ask her first.

[For a moment, Emily looks thoughtful.] Maybe if we tell her first, she'll tell us. That way, she feels safe.

[parodeity]

She might. I'll trade with her later, maybe, and then we can try to guess together what your picture is come Sunday.

[ since two people going ??? at a drawing is better than one, surely. ]

We could meet up in your guys' room?

[empireofrats]

[Especially a ten year old's drawing. RIP.]

Yes! We could show you our room! And maybe we can make snacks in the kitchen and bring them, too. In case we get hungry when we're talking about important things.

[parodeity]

[ LOOK, DAVE AND CLEMENTINE WILL TRY TO DECIPHER YOUR ROLE FROM THAT I GUESS EMILY? LOOK FORWARD TO IT? ]

Then it's a deal for Sunday, or - whichever day you can do your thing on. Just come grab me whenever and I'll come over. And we can def make snacks, yeah.

[empireofrats]

Okay! I will come get you, and we can all have breakfast together. [She smiles, but then it falters just a little.] Um. Dave, do you think anyone has any bad roles?

[parodeity]

[ like, good question, and he can't sugar coat this one? ]

There are more than forty of us, so I think so. I mean...it's a safe assumption to make, and it's a dangerous assumption in the opposite direction, to just say everyone has good roles. So...I think probably they do. We just have to be really, really careful those people don't find us dangerous.

[ or at least not find emily dangerous, rip ]

But if we stick to a small group until we're sure who else...isn't dangerous, it should be okay.

[ M...AYBE ]

[empireofrats]

Okay. Some people might have bad roles. We should be careful. We should tell Clementine to be careful too. She'll be okay if she's with us.

If something funny happens, I'll tell you, okay?

[parodeity]

Same here, Ems. And yeah - you and Clem focus on bein' careful and I'll...

[ take the risks? um. ]

...Try to feel other people out.