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

[quickpersuader]

It's good.

[But then again, Kino also thinks that chicken seasoned with chili peppers in equal measure is good, so.]

I can take a bite first if you want to make sure it isn't poisoned.

[Because this sure is for you, Sarge.]

[cartesio]

...wait...it's for me?

[He sounds genuinely surprised]

[quickpersuader]

Mm.

[An affirmative sound, and then holding the container out for him.]

I said rations, but it's way better than that.

[cartesio]

[Slowly, he takes the container -- not because he's afraid of poison or because he thinks it's a trap, it's more because he's so freaking confused]

Why did you bring me food?

[Extremely confused]

[quickpersuader]

Because having to stay in one place all the time sounded depressing.

[Which is true.]

The lady who owns the diner was saying you don't get out too much, so I brought her pie to you. You never made friends with the locals?

[cartesio]

[The Sergeant opens the container. Ah, that lemon pie from the diner...]

I don't have a reason to associate with them in any manner.

[That's a rather strong 'no'. The Sergeant sounds rather dismissive, as if talking about any random stray animal]

[quickpersuader]

[Kino settles back to watch, inasmuch as one can watch through those ominous shadows.]

Why not? You're living in the same town... It seems like everyone else is close-knit.

[cartesio]

[The Sergeant breaks the pie into small pieces. When he lifts one to his face, the shadows seem to extend forward, enveloping the pie bit for a moment. Once they retract, it's gone. Not the most pleasant thing to watch]

These people are irrelevant. I have zero interest in taking part of their community. I have no affection towards this town nor a reason to think of it as anything other than the place to keep you all at.

[quickpersuader]

[That's. Something.]

Weren't you born here?

[cartesio]

No.

[Well that was succint]

[quickpersuader]

Then when did you get here?

[cartesio]

I don't know.

[He shrugs. He doesn't seem particularly concerned about that]

I don't know how long ago it was. I just know it was at least six months ago.

[quickpersuader]

The lady at the diner seemed to think you were born here just like everyone else.

[cartesio]

People get attached to their perceptions. Unless something that contradicts their opinions and perceived facts is shown to them and proven without any room for doubts, they'll believe whatever their minds fabricated.

Whether it's true or not is up to interpretation. Whether I tell the truth or not is also up to interpretation. Even what at first sight sounds like the truth may not even be correct.

After all, who says I am correct about what I have said?

[That's...not a good reply, Sergeant]

[quickpersuader]

[Kino merely looks thoughtful at his words.]

It's true, though. Everyone has their own perceptions and filters. If people living in hell believe they're living in paradise, they'll never want to leave. On the other hand, even people living in paradise could believe they're in hell and want to escape.

[The young traveler's voice is musing, clearly thinking back on past times.]

What do you think is true, Sergeant?

[cartesio]

The second. There's no such thing as being happy with what you have.

[No way someone will think anything is paradise]

[quickpersuader]

Really?

I've met many people who would prove you wrong. But does that mean you're really wrong?

[cartesio]

People like who?

[Well he's not dismissing your train of thought. Tell him all, Kino!]

[quickpersuader]

Once, I traveled to a country with no discrimination. Even saying the wrong word could get people angrily scolding you for being a terrible, rude, discriminatory person.

The country was covered in a dome protecting it from everything outside. All of the walls were a bright, bright blue, like the sky.

...I didn't even stay for a full day. The entire country was filthy - everyone dumped all of their waste into the river, and no one was very hygienic. When I spoke with the gatekeepers outside again, they told me that the people who lived in that country did not have a high life expectancy due to how quickly disease spread from the filth.

But none of them ever thought to leave their home. After all, their country was a wonderful land without discrimination. What could possibly be waiting for them outside that would be better than that?

[cartesio]

That's more like burying your head in the sand. The people in that country are idiots.

[The Sergeant nods, as if he had said something very profound instead of an obvious statement]

Fine, I was wrong. Being happy with something as disastrous as that is possible but cowardly. That's no different than giving up without doing anything.

[quickpersuader]

But it's a perception, just like you said.

[A perception that their hellish home was paradise.]

For them, that country is the perfect place to live. I think there's some "truth" to that, too.

[cartesio]

I'm never going to accept that truth.

[He's pretty categorical about that. He understands Kino's point, he knows she has a point, and that it does mesh well enough with his own thoughts, but he refuses to acknowledge it, just out of principle.

He's immensely stubborn about principles. Sorry, Kino]

[quickpersuader]

Why not?

[cartesio]

Being satisfied with a miserable existence goes against everything I believe in, that's why.

[It doesn't seem like he can express that with more depth]

[quickpersuader]

[Huh...]

What about people who are satisfied with a peaceful life?