SERGEANT NPC CONTACT

[cartesio]

The Lodge is located on the hills near the town, large and strange. It contrasts a lot when compared to the rest of the town -- its gray and white walls are quite the change from the vibrant and colorful Cartesio, the plants and bushes that are planted on the lower levels of the Lodge only make the contrast more obvious. There are many windows, but no matter how much you look you don't see anyone passing behind them. If you didn't know better you'd think it was completely empty.

But it isn't empty. The Sergeant is there.

You won't get too far into the Lodge before you encounter the Sergeant. There he is in the lobby, standing in front of a door that leads deeper into the building. No matter at what time you come or what you do, he'll always be there, reading self-help books, or with a mirror, practicing his next speech/confrontation. When he's not facing all of you at once, he seems to be easier to talk with.

Want to bother him?

Comments

[cartesio]

Do you think that will work?

[He almost sounds eager to see how that goes]

[robitussin]

Why wouldn't it? Sakura and Gant stayed outside last time, and they didn't break anything or ruin anything, or... They didn't make anyone hate us any more than they already do! They were fine!

[cartesio]

We'll see. I wish you good luck -- because you're supposing it'll be that simple.

[It won't be. A certain mod is looking forward to the future events, haha!]

[robitussin]

What are you even... Why am I vital or whatever? What did I do, or what do you think I'm going to do, or...

[She sounds frantic, but she takes a breath.]

Is it all the questions? Is it the mausoleum thing? I...

[cartesio]

[He mimes zipping his lips. Somehow despite having no face. Welp]

[robitussin]

Come on, just...

[A pause, frowning.]

What if one of the people you thought was vital gets killed? You can't predict the future.

[cartesio]

...it already happened.

[That seems to deflate him a little]

It was 100% unavoidable, from a numbers standpoint, but it's something we knew we had to deal with. That's just how this goes.

[Not telling which one or which ones among the dead he's referring to, though]

[robitussin]

...Wait.

[She pauses, forming another thought.]

Is that why... You sounded different after Bakugou died?

[cartesio]

[The shadows over his face flare up, like they're threatening to extend further]

That complete idiot was more bark than bite!

[...hum...he calms down, fearing he had shown too much of his feelings]

...also no, it wasn't that.

[He had his reasons to be upset, but not really because of that, it seems]

[robitussin]

Fuck you. He wasn’t an idiot.

[...]

It wouldn’t hurt to tell me who it was if they’re already dead, would it?

[cartesio]

If he wasn't an idiot he wouldn't have marched in here to brag about how he was going to survive, just to die that same night.

[The Sergeant had believed that was true but lo and behold Katsuki died]

It would hurt. Patterns can be discovered easier than you think.

[robitussin]

Stop talking about him like that! That only happened to him because of you, you piece of shit!

[She takes a breath in, then out.]

...So there’s a pattern. Thanks for that.

[cartesio]

Yes, I admit it's partially my fault. Still...

[He's not going to pretend he had nothing to do with it, at least]

.....oops.

[WELP]

[robitussin]

I just need to savor that “oops” for a second before we move on. Give me a minute.

[cartesio]

Now it's your turn to get shouted at -- which I won't do because I have manners.

[He totally doesn't, the jackass]

[robitussin]

Oh, fuck off. You want to us to get killed, you don't get to claim any kind of high ground here.

[cartesio]

I'm not petty -- unlike other people whose name I won't reveal.

[He's so claiming the high ground, even if it's undeserved]

[robitussin]

...Whatever. I’m not wasting my time arguing with you. If I ask more questions are you going to disappear behind your stupid door?

[cartesio]

Depends on what question it is. What is it?

[robitussin]

How do you choose the offers you give us every week?

[cartesio]

Do you mean the incentives?

[He thinks that's what she means, at least]

[robitussin]

[She nods.]

Yeah, that’s what I mean.

[cartesio]

...I don't...really have a specific protocol for that. [He looks away] Targeting the people you care about was to be expected, so I went for that first. Since then I'm just...going for whatever I think you people would want.

Sociology is more about communities, not about individual people. I'm having a harder time with that part.