shamen | (no subject)

[That's good, she thinks, that he was only startled and not hurt. Nikaidou seems embarrassed by that memory, so Mio elects to just move forward.

Is that the right way to go about it...? They both still know what happened, but the memory is just one part of it all.]

You can't expect everyone to feel the same way, but... Yes, I believe we should strive for that. [After what happened with Dongrang - even after what happened with Sora - it's not only unexpected but unlikely that everyone will be on the same page now. This, she's sure, is by design. Put an enemy in front of someone and they will want them dead.] I haven't given up hope...that we'll someday find our way to escape this place.

We probably will given the conditions.

[Though what that means exactly, he isn't sure anymore. Something Adela said didn't sit too well for him, but no need to worry her there.]

I actually wanted to propose a truce for our farms.

[Given the conditions... After everything that happened today, her stomach is a pit. The conditions aren't ones she wants to fulfill, and they aren't ones she wants fulfilled for her. If her escape comes at the hands of others indulging their bloodlust, that would be just as difficult to accept as living out the rest of her days in this town.]

What kind of a truce? I'm just one person, but I'm listening.

It's a simple one. We just don't try to harm each other's housemates. Since the possibility is about half regarding someone attempting something, it would at least be nice to assume you have one less enemy around.

[And honestly, her hotheadedness is the main reason he was asking her. She seemed honest without being easily pushed around.]

[Would this have been any help a week ago? Two? When their household was still whole, would making as many truces as possible have built a wall around Corpse Flower farm and led to a different outcome? If she could do it all again, would Mio have made different choices? She doesn't know if Sora ever could have been swayed from his path, or if Dongrang could have been convinced otherwise. Maybe there were things no amount of agreements could have forestalled.

Even if it can only be for Nine's sake, now, she doesn't have to think hard about her answer, even though she waits a moment before responding. She makes it seem she's weighing her options.]

I'm listening. There are a lot of people there still, aren't there? It'd be foolish if I made an enemy out of them.

There are, but they aren't the type to pick a fight. They'd defend anyone who harms the people there, but they don't pick fights.

[He had to emphasize that, and partly, he thinks it's obvious why.]

But I'm saying it because I don't know who would hold any ill feelings towards Shinobu, when she's only doing her best to protect us. I don't want to make enemies when we all just want to survive.