text;

[discutio]

If anyone else felt that, don't be alarmed. We spoke to the student council president, and I believe Etoile and myself now possess this layer's Authority.

We were able to discern that the previous president was the Authority before we arrived, and presumably through this place's stagnation became...well. We'll likely meet her in the underside, let me leave it at that.

It was a complicated situation, but I believe both this layer and the rest of us will be able to move on very soon. Make sure you are all prepared.

Comments

[schardynfreude]

Ah ah ah. You can't use 'I'll sleep when I'm dead' here, you know. [Because that's the implication. He'll rest when the job is done? Really now, and how many more layers is that going to be?

Just because Chiron had come to a realization that sleep was not necessary didn't mean he didn't feel exhaustion from time to time, whether truly physical or simply emotional.]

[discutio]

[He should have known better--anyone else might have taken that to mean 'when we reach the next layer'. Chiron was smarter than that. Or just knew him too well.]

...not yet. We still have work to do in this layer.

[schardynfreude]

You can rest before we fight whatever we're going to face below, you know.

[discutio]

I was given to understand that was what I was doing now.

[It was about as close as he got to 'rest', at least.]

[schardynfreude]

...I quite think I'll never truly understand you. [Said with quite a bit of amusement in his voice.]

[discutio]

I fear the feeling is very mutual.

[schardynfreude]

Indeed! [That's way too cheery--] Do brace yourself for a moment. [Wait why-

Oh we're just picking Phoenix up now are we. Just wholesale lifting a lad, hands on the thighs and everything. Cool cool cool just picking him up and carrying him over to the corner where a teacher's desk has been shoved, generally unneeded for the club activities and all. He sits Phoenix down nice and gently.]

Would you like to talk about it, or merely keep hugging it out?

[discutio]

Wh--excuse me, Chiron--

[what in the astrals are you DOING, sir]

[schardynfreude]

It didn't seem as if you were going to sit of your own volition, so there, now you're sitting, which is going to be slightly more restful than standing there clinging to me.

[discutio]

My legs work fine, you know.

[...but that seemed to be about the length of the argument he was willing or able to put forth today.]

[schardynfreude]

You're welcome. I can always go back to playing chess with myself if you would prefer.

[discutio]

[Phoenix simply sighed, tugging on Chiron's shirt to pull him closer and leaning his head against him again.]

...I saw what happened, in part. We all did; given what you and I found earlier, it must have turned into an utter massacre.

[schardynfreude]

Mm. That was the assumption, from what we found in the gym.

[discutio]

It...was the prior student council president. The stagnation of this layer's time loop must have weighed too heavily on her as the apparent instigator of it.

...I assume we'll be meeting her in the underside, or what's left of her.

[schardynfreude]

She passed it on to the one we met here?

[discutio]

That indeed seems to be the case, and then it was relinquished to the pair of us.

[schardynfreude]

But she had the power, and yet perpetuated the cycle? She could have done whatever she pleased with it, could she not?

[discutio]

...She couldn't make it stop. I don't know if it's because she didn't know how, or that in some measure she didn't want to. She loves this school, and wanted others to find happiness here.

[He took a slow breath, sighing quietly.]

I...can't fault her for that. I don't know why, but I simply can't.

[schardynfreude]

Find happiness going in a circle.

Well. I suppose there's good reason to try and avoid graduation, anyway.

[discutio]

It's over now, all the same. I think she'll be grateful for it, knowing what little of the truth she does now.

[schardynfreude]

I'm more concerned about the beast that tore up the gym that we're going to find down below. Bound to be a rather formidable foe.

[discutio]

Please, Chiron--I've done enough thinking for one day. If I start planning further ahead now, I'm liable to make a mistake.

[schardynfreude]

Let someone else do the thinking. I promise that the rest of us together can perhaps equal half of one of you.

[discutio]

Oh, come now, you're just trying to make me feel better.

[schardynfreude]

Not just. [How about a gentle backrub? Just a hand soothing up and down.]

...You didn't want anyone else to see you. Not even those you experienced this with. [It's not phrased as a question; he can observe those realities right in front of him. But there's a question lingering in the air.]