Ashlyn

[undread]

Comments

[killies]

Anything that gives us a leg up seems good, but being responsible for someone else's life is risky.

Obviously we all plan on making it out of here alive, so it should be fine, but...

[undread]

Yes. I don't plan to die here, or let anyone else die, but no one wants to feel like an anchor.

[killies]

It's a heavy choice, and I don't think there's a right or wrong answer.

[undread]

...Mm. I suppose it would be nice to have an ally, too. It would depend on who it is.

[killies]

Yeah. There are some people I'd rather not be tied to... Or at least, I think.

... But we should all be allies, in the end. We all have the same goal.

[undread]

To get out of here in one piece...

But having the same goal and being able to agree on how to approach it isn't quite the same.

[killies]

True. Even if we put things to a vote as a group, with this many people... a lot of people could get outvoted and be upset enough to really fight it.

If you see eye-to-eye with your partner, at least you'd only have to worry about each other.

[undread]

I've never found it easy for a group to all agree on everything together. Even a much smaller group. It devolves into arguing and personalities clashing.

[killies]

I think it's always like that at first. My friends and I used to fight over everything, even when we voted. Even when we ended up doing what the winning side wanted, they'd still end up starting fights about it.

... We got better, but I doubt this many people will adapt as well as a small group would.

[undread]

[so you do have friends, you weirdo.]

Mine too... it's always bickering. I'm not sure it has gotten better over time, either. It made me realize how important it is to make decisions for yourself, instead of trying to appease other people.

[whether or not this is related to her sadly talking about how all her friendships might be over, who can say.]

[killies]

[ teehee? :3c

anyway no ash is sure that she's right and any social collapse is just everyone else being wrong probably. ]

That's what a leader is for. They step in and make the final decision, whether everyone likes it or not.

... But that requires everyone listening to them, so.

[undread]

[she listens to this like she's hearing someone very wise.]

Whether they listen or not, if the leader makes the decision, then that's how it has to be. It's only when everyone listens to someone who hasn't earned the right to decide that there's a problem.

[killies]

Right... A bad call can be pretty disastrous. Then you would really regret who you put your faith in.

[undread]

Yes.

[ash is clearly talking about her own regrets but she's too lost in the sauce.]

For us, it's Orym. Everyone always listens to Orym, so he thinks he can do whatever he wants. Even carry around a cursed sword that was used to kill some of us.

[killies]

[ she's nodding along like uh huh that sounds annoying—sorry what. ]

What? Why would anyone keep listening to him, then?

[undread]

[this is definitely exactly what happened.]

He's changed recently. He wasn't always so stubborn.

[killies]

[ she trusts you implictly ]

So like you used to be able to kind of take votes, but now he just does things without input?

[undread]

Yes. He didn't think he needed to consult us, and I'm the one expected to apologize for minding it.

[killies]

That's not right. A team only works if you all hear each other out and voice your problems.

[undread]

...Mmm.

[she goes a little quiet at that.]

Do you think so? I don't really like conflict. I hate it when people are angry at me.

[killies]

There should be a way to tell each other what you're worried about without lashing out. Trying to bottle it up will just make people snap at each other and get angrier when they do finally speak up.

And no one likes to be disagreed with or to have people mad at them, but—I think that's part of being a leader.

[undread]

[she suddenly looks very sad, the more ash is talking.]

...Orym is very kind.

[maybe she just got angry with him without giving him the chance to talk. he still tried to.]

[killies]

[ oh no ]

I mean... It probably varies from group to group though.

[undread]

Maybe.

[but she thinks ash was probably right.]

...I don't want them to hate me, but I don't think they understand.

[killies]

But how you feel won't change. And you can only deal with it properly if you talk it through.

Otherwise you're all just going to be upset by yourselves.