Office Hours

[adminus]

[Compared to the other two, Oswald is much more difficult to get time with. He only appears on school grounds on Tuesdays and Sundays.

Nonetheless if you're determined... he can be found. Most of that time is spent hovering around the Faculty Office. It's almost like the Entrance Exam made him anxious of just walking around freely or something...]

Comments

[preconstruction]

I haven't known you to be selfish. I know that you're trying to save your world, and that you think this is the only way to save everyone. You've had to make the kinds of difficult decisions that people will never understand. You have to become a villain, to save your world.

That's not something selfish.

[adminus]

That is the truth.

...yet it is only a portion of my truth.

[preconstruction]

Humans are multifaceted.

[ he shrugs ]

No human is all good or all bad. A portion of your truth is that you're not selfish. Maybe a portion of your truth is that you are. But neither of them is a summary of everything. I've seen you have feelings, Oswald.

Who the fuck told you I have feelings OFF WITH THEIR HEADS

[adminus]

...hahaha. You sound a lot like him.

[Whether that is a good or bad thing is hard to tell. The look on Oswald’s face is bittersweet.]

he saw them with his own eyes

[preconstruction]

[ .... ]

Like Jules?

[adminus]

....very astute of you.

[He takes a deep breath like it burns his throat and closes his eyes.]



Yes. Like Jules.

[preconstruction]

What happened to him?

[adminus]

[talking about it clearly hurts him, and yet he doesn’t shut down the conversation. he travels it carefully, letting the wounds re-open themselves.]

...I’m not sure one could say that the person known as “Jules” exists anymore.

[preconstruction]

Was he an android?

[ i mean come on you have to ask at this point. ]

[adminus]

No, he was a human. But— he was incredible. You might have thought his brain was a processor. He had so much potential.

[preconstruction]

[ connor smiles, happy to hear him talking about it. it's nice. ]

It sounds like you really cared about him.

[adminus]

[painful as it is maybe there will be some good to come out of facing it.]

Very much so. More than anyone.

[preconstruction]

Did he get sick?

[adminus]

He is. Sick. In a sense.

As Han would put it, he was Hijacked. But it was a very unusual case for him.

He was neither strong enough to fight it off, nor weak enough for it to take over him.

So now he rests in what may be an eternal coma. Unless an answer can be found.

[preconstruction]

I'm sorry to hear that.

[ he looks sad; hearing that - it's terrifying. the hijacking that had happened when they climbed the wall had sounded awful too. he hates the idea that someone could take over someone's body. that they could be hopeless. ]

I hope that you -- I hope you're able to save him.

[adminus]

...thank you. Truly. From the bottom of my heart.

[There could be no greater wish wasted on him than that one.]

[preconstruction]

There are others here who have those kinds of bonds with people. Who have people they love and want to see again.

[adminus]

I am aware. And... I do hope that they’ll pass and be able to do so.

But I cannot give that to them. Name me a villain and curse my name, but I cannot— not until this is over.

[preconstruction]

There might be a better way.

[adminus]

I’ve looked a long time, just to get this far.

And I’ll throw away everything I have; my dignity, my sanity or my life— for this chance.

[preconstruction]

Who would be left for Jules to come home to?

[adminus]

I told you. Selfish. He deserves his life.

I... no longer deserve mine. And that’s fine. As long as I can finish this first.

[preconstruction]

I doubt he would want it, alone.

[ he has had feelings for like four days but he knows he wouldn't want to live without the people he cares about. ]

[adminus]

I’m not the same person he remembers. He may not want “me” at his side anymore. He wouldn’t... have wanted any of this.

But he can start fresh. If I can give him that... it’s enough.

[preconstruction]

[ connor looks down at his hands. he looks sad. but he doesn't have much left in him today to keep arguing. he doesn't know jules and he doesn't have the upper hand, and the feelings he has he cannot even talk about because they are all wrapped up in all of the awful things that have happened today. he has spent all day trying to be a machine, trying to go back. it hasn't worked.

he can't keep doing this. ]

I apologize, I didn't come here to argue philosophy with you. I obviously don't understand the nature of your relationship with him, I shouldn't speculate.

[ he doesn't sound sarcastic, just defeated. ]