voice;

[rosettawall]

[When Alice's voice comes, it is very... quiet. Distant. She doesn't actually sound like she's speaking to anyone in particular, at least at first.]

They're not safe here...

This world is going to make them suffer more and more...

...I need to protect them...

But how do I do that, when I can't stop those things that would hurt them...

[It sounds like just idle musing at this point, as if she's trying to contemplate a real answer to this.]

One way or another, I cannot allow that... No matter what anyone says, I know it will come again...

They won't suffer again. I... there are ways I can make sure of that, I am certain... I know I can stop it, some way...

Comments

[rosettawall]

No. No, it's not pointless!

Rikka-chan could have killed her! She could have eaten her alive! Had that cold been any worse, we could have frozen to death!

We don't have any control... none, none at all...

We can't stop the things being done to us, so all I can do... all I can do is take any means necessary to protect them...!

And I will, too.

Anything, anyone who dares to lay a finger on them... I'll destroy them.

[thethundersaid]

Eaten her? I've actually met Rikka in person, and she didn't seem the type to eat people then.

Anyway, exactly how are you going to destroy who is responsible for things like the cold if nobody knows who, or even what, it is yet?

[rosettawall]

This world changed her. She took Mana-chan's blood. Drank it...

...I will, eventually.

First, I must deal with the more immediate threats...

[thethundersaid]

[That ... must have been the thing that happened before the cold he'd heard about, when people had turned into storybook monsters. It was troubling, inarguably, when a power could change the very nature of people.]

... what more immediate threats are there? I thought you said your ship hasn't been attacked.

[rosettawall]

...a good start would be you, I think.

Someone who can cause what you did assuredly cannot be trusted.

In fact, we had to put ourselves in danger because of that...

They nearly were hurt...

Because of you.

[thethundersaid]

The only one who fought me was Rikka, and she held her own well enough for the amount of time we had.

[But the tone of voice and the sequence of logic here is beginning to be something more than a curiosity -- he's only spoken to her once, but she'd been almost too pleasant then. This is different.]

I may be dangerous, and you don't need to trust me. But I have no interest in hurting you. You're not in my way.

[rosettawall]

And your recklessness attracted the Navy. We had to fight to protect others because of that, and they were nearly harmed in the process.

You are dangerous.

Dangerous things must be removed for their safety...

[thethundersaid]

If you don't want them involved with that sort of thing, you should take it up with them.

I'm not the only one who fought the navy on Isla Empieza. Think logically. Even if you could remove me, how would that benefit you now?

[rosettawall]

[Logically, ahahaha.]

What is to prevent you from doing such terrible things again in the future?

There's only one way for certain, I think.

[thethundersaid]

The pointlessness will. Open violence has been pretty useless so far, and unless we find a better target, it will continue to be useless.

[Not that logically seems to be an easy demand right now.]

What makes you think I'm such a threat now, instead of before?

[rosettawall]

I was foolish and naive...

I see it so much clearer, now.

[thethundersaid]

I wouldn't call it clearer if the conclusion you draw is that you need to waste your energy fighting people who have no interest in harming you.

[rosettawall]

No, you only wish me to think that, do you not?

It would be much easier for you then...

[A small bit of quiet, unhinged laughter.]

I will not fall for your tricks... Mana-chan understands... All I have to do is follow her...

[thethundersaid]

[... that laugh seals it.]

Something's up with you. And your captain, for that matter.

Think clearly. You're sure you haven't been hit by an attack?

[rosettawall]

Don't you dare question her!

No, no, no...

No... We are just doing what is necessary...

I am merely doing what I have to for them...

N- nothing bad will happen, not again, not after I finish...

[And the book shuts. Silence follows.]