The Price to Pay (Till)

[strateelgic]

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INTRO | INSTRUCTIONS | CARS | TURN-IN

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[strateelgic]

My apologies. It appears I'm actually a merman who hungers for the flesh of animals.

And also a growing boy.

[untilldeath]

[ . . . The fuck? A mer?]

You seriously don't have to keep growing by this point.

[strateelgic]

Who knows how tall mermen are supposed to be? I've certainly forgotten.

You could always sacrifice your surly attitude.

[untilldeath]

I thought we already established I'm a ray of fucking sunshine.

[strateelgic]

Then we're even on lack of sacrifices, aren't we?

[untilldeath]

Sure seems like it.

[He sighs.]

How many points are we gonna try and go for? The more points used, the less likely it is that we'll eat shit. But that still requires figuring out something important to give up.

[strateelgic]

Alas... if only I remembered more about myself.

How much are you willing to give up?

[untilldeath]

I don't really have anything physical worth giving up. My two most important things are probably my voice or creativity [As an artist and composer], but those are two things I'm kinda real unsure on wanting to sacrifice.

[strateelgic]

Well the bigger the sacrifice, the shorter the time it lasts, right?




I wonder what it would be like to die for a day. Would I see the afterlife in that span of time? Or would it be a boring day of nothingness...?

[untilldeath]

[He lifts a hand to halt him.]

Stop right there. That's not an option, even as a joke. Least of all because it's a shitty idea. Whether it's temporary or not, if you go about pulling something like that, there are people here who are going to be hurt by that decision.

You might not find it a big deal. But others sure as hell will.

[strateelgic]

Oh?

My family is nice and all, but they still hardly know me. And I'm sure Catharine would want to grill me about the experience.

[untilldeath]

It's not an option! I'm not gonna be responsible for letting a kid make a stupid decision anyway.

Besides, Cathrine is a nicer person than that. She might grill you, but she wouldn't like that you went about fucking yourself up for fun to begin with.

[strateelgic]

You're intent on robbing me of this sort of enrichment, I see.

[untilldeath]

Pretty sure you wouldn't have found it as fun and enriching as you're imagining.

[strateelgic]

Well now I'll never know!


So what about a limb? Would we get to see it grow back?

[untilldeath]

. . . What are they teaching you in Forge?

I'm a little concerned.

[strateelgic]

I don't think I've been in Forge long enough for them to have taught me much.

I'm just a curious person.

[untilldeath]

What is something a little less destructive than a limb you can think of?

[strateelgic]

I told you I don't remember much about myself.

[untilldeath]

What about returning to being a vegan for a bit?

[strateelgic]

If that's considered a small sacrifice I'll be stuck undernourished for 5 days. How cruel of you.

[untilldeath]

Only as small as you feel it might be. I feel like craving some meat has got to feel better than an arm getting chopped off. There's veggie proteins, right? Like tofu.

[strateelgic]

Do I look like someone who enjoys tofu?

[untilldeath]

A solid three, then?

[strateelgic]

Hopefully.

[More like a two, really.]

Very well. I'll give it up. And what about you?

[untilldeath]

Man, I'm not sure.

I guess... as long as it's only done for a day, then...

[He frowns.]

I guess I can do my voice.

[strateelgic]

[Something about that gives Tritium a brief pause. There's a memory there somewhere, but he can't recall it and he brushes the thought off right after.]

And then here you go outdoing me. I suppose I'll have to speak for you, then.

[untilldeath]

T-That's... not necessary.

[strateelgic]

Oh but I'd be so good at interpreting your desires!

[No.]

[untilldeath]

By whose definition?

[strateelgic]

Mine, of course.

[untilldeath]

Pass.

[strateelgic]

I'm not sure I'll be giving you the option. Out of a guilty conscience, of course.