Ashlyn

[undread]

Comments

[killies]

I'm not sure. The power went out around me, and around all the others. Apparently they all sensed it, but—that's all we know.

[ which isn't. a lot. ]

[undread]

So then, if you'd been the one who'd opened it in the first place, you'd likely have noticed.

[she hmms.]

...Is this something that happened shortly before you arrival?

[killies]

Maybe. Unless there's a difference from doing it consciously and unconsciously.

[ she's not willing to dismiss the idea. ]

Yeah. It happened like... a day before we got here. I'd barely gotten to talk to my caretaker since it happened.

[undread]

...Are you worried about it?

[you seem worried about it.]

[killies]

[ a very tense nod. ]

I don't know what I did to those people. I wanted something bad to happen to them.

[undread]

Oh?

[unfortunately, she smiles a little at that, interested. but it's not cruel.]

Who were these people? What did they do to make you feel that way?

[killies]

They kidnapped us. They locked us and our parents up, and they might have been responsible for us getting caught up in the Phantom Dimension from the beginning.

And they made me kill someone.

[undread]

Then it rather sounds as though they got what they deserved.

[she's not against hurting some dangerous people.]

How is it that they made you...?

[killies]

Maybe.

[ that's how she felt in the moment at least. but thoughts like that always scare her afterwards. ]

It's complicated. But he was basically—like a zombie? Like he wasn't in his right mind anymore. All he could do was attack anything in front of him.

They said they wanted me to talk to him. And then they released his restraints. It was a matter of survival.

[undread]

[well. she's an undead, so she supposes she should stand up for zombies, but... she wouldn't fault someone for defending herself.]

Of course it was. I do think part of being a leader is being willing to protect the people relying on you, even if it's painful. You needn't feel ashamed of your instincts to defend yourself and others.

[killies]

If something happens to me, they'll start running the same tests on the others.

[undread]

Exactly. You need to keep yourself safe, too, for the sake of the people relying on you.

[killies]

... It still didn't feel good. Killing someone.

It was too easy.

[undread]

If you don't mind my saying so, it doesn't seem as though it's all that easy for you. The fact that you're struggling with it even now suggests otherwise.

[killies]

Maybe. [ unconvinced. ]

[undread]

[ashlyn...]

Well. It's alright to worry about it. Perhaps I am more used to violence.

[killies]

I'm used to violence when it's against the phantoms.

[undread]

[nodding.]

But I imagine it feels a little different than fighting people.

[killies]

Yeah. They're not people. They're just mindless and always have been, so it doesn't really feel like anything.