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

[adminus]

I had no idea I was such a popular target.

[He hasn't slept in probably three days he has no effort to spend on pretending he's fine right now. It's fine.]

Most certainly. Ask away.

[throwabookatit]

Why are they doing this? Your superiors. What's sparked something...like this?

[ She raises her arms, gesturing around them. It should be obvious what she's asking about. ]

[adminus]

In all confidence I offer you the idea that they're out of their damned minds.

[He's a little biased because he hates this almost more than death itself.]

...I understand the positive intention they claimed but it clearly doesn't work that way.

[throwabookatit]

[ She scoffs. ]

If you took that at face value, you're a fool. Don't you have any sway with them? Can you, I don't know, as the man in charge of this exercise, put a stop to this before it gets too out of hand?

[adminus]

"In charge?" Exactly who do you think I am? If I were in charge I wouldn't be here living through this... this!

[Oswald breathe....]

I'm more expendable than any of you. All I can do is attempt to minimize the mistake that idiot makes and try to keep this program from becoming a total disaster.

[throwabookatit]

I think you're the highest person on the ladder we've got to talk to, and if this damn thing is so important as you people keep telling us, then I'd imagine that person - that you - is at least some amount of trustworthy for whoever's at the bloody top of this place!

[ Well, Rebecca certainly isn't breathing either. ]

[adminus]

They trust me to do what I'm told and not a bit more. They know I don't have a damn choice if I want to get the results. I can't make this stop, and they don't care if I suffer doing it!

If I become too much trouble for them, they'll just get rid of me and find someone else who will do it.

[No one's breathing and that's f i n e.]

[throwabookatit]

[ Just screaming at the faculty office, normal things ]

So we're all just supposed to sit here, and suffer, and lose our damn minds, for your bloody cause, and you can't do anything? We're all just some...subjects in a twisted test, is that it?! What- what good even are you?!

[adminus]

None! I'm sorry you were led to think any differently. I've never been any use to anyone.

Now if you don't have any more questions...

[throwabookatit]

[ It steals her thunder, but, she's not done. ]

Then what...what can you do here?! If you're not happy with the state of this- why don't you do something?!

[adminus]

...

[He never thought anyone would ever truly bother to ask him. Well... that's not something he can exactly ignore.]

...trust me, that idiot Headmaster will be listening to every ounce of feedback I have about this stupid idea of his. I can't promise he'll change, but I can promise that his ears will bleed for all the misfortune he's caused.

Going forward... Han, Satou and I will work together on the next lecture and do our best to spread the message that was intended all along.

[throwabookatit]

And what about for us? Are we just stuck here, while you're telling us...telling us to work together but encouraging us to turn against one another?

Are we just going to be caught in the crossfire?

[adminus]

None of us here have ever encouraged you to turn against one another. In fact, at least the other two have done everything in their power to try and prevent that.

And we don't want that to be the case in the future either. But if you all continue to refuse to trust and work together, what we do won't matter. We can't make that choice for you.

[throwabookatit]

Really? You say that, but the...the withholding information, the lies? That damn offer last week? Everything you're saying and everything you're doing are in opposition.

[ She raises a finger and pokes it, towards his chest. ]

And I am sick of you people...you acting like we don't have the right to be mad about it! About us being kidnapped!! And told one thing, and then...that stupid trial, and public execution! And our bloody memories!

[adminus]

When have I lied to you? Withholding information... yes, I did know about Satou’s insubordinatation. But that was for her safety.

The lessons are designed by the Headmaster. With the goal of making you all stronger. Failure isn’t something we want. We all have high hopes for you.

But I never said you shouldn’t be mad. It hasn’t affected your worlds yet— in truth this is not your responsibility. We know that full well. We made the decision to bring you anyway. You have every right to hate that— hate this. Hate us.

But I will also inform you that your failing memories were not anyone here’s doing. I’ve hired a doctor to examine you all. She’s not affiliated in any way with our group. Hopefully she will be able to help you— or at least provide you with answers you can be satisfied with.

[throwabookatit]

When have you lied to us? Ha! Lying by omission is still lying. [ She's known Ashton long enough to be able to pick those out. ] That you just want us here to save your world from that...that thing, but not telling us about it. Not telling us about the wall, why it's dangerous. Not saying if you just bloody don't know. Or, I don't know, how about the future of the program? We had to find out, individually, from the others who you were holding in that house, for months, against their will.

[ Another poke, another point. ]

Don't even try and say, after how things went last time, you didn't know it was a possibility that your superiors would want to...to strengthen us by forcing us against each other.

I'll tell you something I told Mister Young. Every single time you expect us to go along with your rules, without telling us why they're in place, every time we question and you get frustrated: That is when you're saying we shouldn't hate you. When you just expect respect.

[ Her anger...starts to deflate, because out of the corner of her eye, there's a flash of a familiar shade of hair, a grieving man. ]

If you really were a professor, you should know that's never just given. It's earned. And you've done nothing, nothing to earn any of ours.

[adminus]

[That quiets him for a good long moment. He punches the bridge of his nose and sighs.]

You are correct. But what you are asking is a lot. Nonetheless if you have the time to listen, I will tell you everything I know. Don’t ask me about the other two, however— if you want their stories then ask them personally. But I can tell you as much as I know. It’s not as much as the Headmaster, but maybe it will help you.

[throwabookatit]

[ ...She. Wasn't really expecting that, honestly. Maybe the people here...do have an investment in education.

However, she shuts her eyes tight and looks away. It's not because of him, but...what she's seeing. ]

If you really feel this way...then let me take a rain check on it, when I'm not...hallucinating. It makes it hard to concentrate, as I'm sure you can imagine.

[ ...i also need an excuse for her not to know Everything at the meeting so like- ]