Catch-All for Julius

[specialdog]

Comments

[autocatalysis]

[ why did we decide to app a bunch of friendless losers!!! ]

But now our odds of guessing right are so much better. Aren't you reassured by that?

[ when they both just put their names on the shortlist of people who, if the darkness follows the criteria they said it would, would be the first targets for corruption.

hm, is the humor getting a little black in here or is that just the darkness. ]

What's most likely to happen is that we'll run around all day of any more trials anyway, and only figure out a name by the skin of our teeth in the end.

[specialdog]

[ the real friends were the something something we made along the way.

Akane laughs. It's a little grim, but it was a good joke!! ]

This time it's not that easy. [ Not that 'figuring it out barely barely barely in time' is easy, but. ] The number of partners don't add up. There are going to be innocent sacrifices.

... Unless a whole lot of people helped with the killing. [ you included. ]

[autocatalysis]

[ is this what friendship is like. ]

... What, to clean up loose ends? [ hm, yeah, going to have to explain that one a little, Akane. ] Those would still be innocent sacrifices, wouldn't they? The only thing you're changing is the timing of when it happens.

[specialdog]

I guess so...

It's just rough when we know we can only form one new partnership... Only one person gets to decide, but everyone'll have different ideas about who to save.

But if you think about it, saving someone is only temporary when we're in a situation like this.

[autocatalysis]

It really is. I expect people to start saving people based on how useful they might be in the short term as soon as they realize this. Whether they think they know something, or otherwise just contribute to the group in general.

[ which bodes not-great for him even if we in the future know that everyone's currently fine,,, ]

[specialdog]

And then, the more useful you are, the more likely the corruption is to target you. Don't you think?

[autocatalysis]

Depends on how intelligent the corruption is outside of a host- but yes. Which, of course, makes things incredibly convenient and not messy at all. Do you lie low from friend and foe both and contribute little in order to do so, despite possibly being able to help get this mess solved quicker if you did otherwise-- or do you put yourself out there and wind up in the line of fire?

[specialdog]

It makes it seem like the safest thing to do is to be friendly and well-loved, but stupid and useless. Don't you think?

[autocatalysis]

Ugh. Even if the logic's sound, it says a lot about the kind of person who'd just mooch off of other peoples' good faith like that.

[specialdog]

It says they're smart.

[autocatalysis]

It says they're a leech, and possibly short sighted, depending. How smart can it really be if multiple people have the same idea and we all end up dying because of a lack of collective effort? Safe in the short term doesn't necessarily translate to the best long term results.

[specialdog]

Mm, I guess so... Individual leeching leads to group failure, with such a small group, after all.

[autocatalysis]

Maybe it would have been a more valid tactic if there weren't so few of us to begin with.

[ even though he's not here to carry sandbags... gross ]

[specialdog]

So then what do you think about someone who's sincerely useless? They can't help it. They didn't choose to be here.

But they aren't helping us at all.

[autocatalysis]

I have to wonder what you'd think of such a person, honestly.

[ his smile is both a little sharp and a little wry. sure are asking him a lot of things, huh? ]

[specialdog]

Mmm, as long as they're not annoying, it's fine?

[autocatalysis]

[ honestly it sounds like they're talking about a pet or a mascot or something. the useless cute thing no one can bring themselves to kill. but he shrugs, and agrees: ]

Uselessness doesn't mean they deserve death.

[specialdog]

And it's like--what's the phrase? A broken clock is right twice a day? Even an idiot could be helpful.

[autocatalysis]

Maybe if we point them at a murderer, they'll feel bad and be compelled to confess.

[specialdog]

I doubt a murderer would feel that much guilt at all.

[autocatalysis]

You'd be surprised. But then again, maybe by a certain point it all ceases to actually matter.

[ if it doesn't actually affect behavior, what's the point. ]