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[leadinglady]

Do alarms like that normally happen here? It was quite a wake-up call! I'm glad I wasn't drafted, but...

[ she's pretty concerned about people who are. Platina glances worriedly off to the side, then turns back to the feed. ]

I hope they'll be all right. In the meantime... does anyone know how to make a cake?

[ pointing the camera at her disastrous-looking attempt. yyyyes, wrong canon, but the girl is not a cook! it's her birthday and she wants cake damnit o9" also action is cool for anyone living in pokehouse too. ]

Comments

[captainhornblower]

Supposedly they don't bring us here. They say they want to send us back where we belong.

And, really, it is generosity, I'm afraid. They could provide different housing, no food or supplies, or make us work constantly to earn those things. We are... fortunate, in many ways.

Which by no means we should enjoy our lot in life, but we cannot claim to be criminally treated most of the time.

[leadinglady]

[ clearly the idea had never occurred to her before. she already thought that living in a house instead of a mansion or hotel was pushing it, but worse conditions than that would be... ]

I've never thought of it that way. But even if that were true, we wouldn't deserve that kind of treatment, either.

[captainhornblower]

Even with articles protecting them, prisoners are afforded very few luxuries on the whole, Miss. We are certainly given many luxuries.

[leadinglady]

[ she tends to take luxuries for granted. ]

... Do you really think of us as prisoners?

[captainhornblower]

We... are certainly caged.

[It's not Ferrol. But it's not freedom.]

We have a wide area to explore, but it is still confined. We may not really come and go as we please, and we are at the mercy of those who either brought us here or keep us in this enclosure. If we are not prisoners, we are nearly so.

And, by that measure, we should consider ourselves somewhat fortunate, though that is not to say that I agree with the Malnosso. I simply... understand... that they give us more than they need to.

[leadinglady]

That's... very insightful of you, but I don't think I'd agree. We should be thought of as guests, even if we're unexpected ones, and treated as such!

In my opinion, that is.

[captainhornblower]

I'm afraid, Miss, I must disagree. Guests may choose to leave; we do not have that freedom.

[leadinglady]

That's true, but that's certainly not our fault. We would if we were able to! And, if we're prisoners, the Malnosso should be able to release us like they claim they want to.

[captainhornblower]

Perhaps they can, but they choose not to.

It is... difficult to know what can be believed.

[leadinglady]

... I hope they would be truthful. That's the least they could do, after experiments and drafts and everything else.

[captainhornblower]

You like to believe the best of the world, Miss Berlitz. That is... admirable.

[leadinglady]

Really? I thought it just would be the polite thing to do, but...

[ she's pretty flattered :> ]

[captainhornblower]

It's very refreshing, that optimism.

[Particularly to hear it so understated and humble.]

[leadinglady]

You sound as if you don't know many people who are. Surely it's not that uncommon!

[captainhornblower]

There are... different kinds of optimism, I've found. There are certainly optimists where I'm from, but they view the world a little differently than you seem to. Not a bad thing either way, merely different.

[leadinglady]

I see. I suppose I've never thought about it that way before.

... But I hope that there are things to be truly optimistic about, even in a place like this.

[captainhornblower]

I certainly feel there are, yes.

[leadinglady]

For instance... even if I've messed up this cake, at least there's a bakery nearby.

[ an embarrassing example but hey. ]