IC Contact/Voicemail

[ardent]

[VOICE/TEXT/VIDEO; OPEN TO ALL]

"You've reached Kiyotaka Ishimaru; I seem to have missed you! My sincerest apologies for that - but if you leave your name and state your business, firmly and concisely, I'll return your contact as soon as I can!

Until then, I look forward to speaking to you; do what you can to make your day pleasant and productive, and be sure to keep your head up!"

[Please state in the subject line if OOC planning is preferred and we can handwave like the wind, but otherwise IC will be assumed!]

Comments

[ardent]

I see... What sort of problems is she thinking he'll cause?

Saionji-kun told me a few things about him while she was here, but I don't know how reliable she is.

SDR2 SPOILERS DO I NEED TO WARN FOR THOSE MAYBE?

[freshprints]

...He's the one who ensured her death.

It's complicated, and I'm intentionally being vague in the interest of not breaking her confidence as to those personal matters. However, she gave me the indication that he's...difficult, and that her class almost universally disliked him for his behaviors.

From the way it sounded, he may have been unusually enthusiastic about the prospect of playing a killing game pitting 'hope' against 'despair'.

[ardent]

Understood. He was frustrating when I spoke to him, but from what I understood he has many reasons for being that way. I didn't get the impression that he would do...that, though.

Are we keeping him away from Nanami-kun?

[freshprints]

I don't think so. Even despite what happened, it's her desire to stay connected with her friends from her class — even him. She's simply anticipating difficulty between him and some of those other members of her class.

...I'll elaborate further on why I said he'd "ensured her death" as opposed to a different phrasing, but first I need to ask something about your discussion with him. Did he mention anything to do with 'luck'?

[ardent]

[...uh.]

He told me his title, and he made a really backhanded comment toward Naegi-kun when he did it, but I think that last part was accidental.

[freshprints]

...What did he say about Naegi-kun?

[the fuck did he say about Naegi-kun]

[ardent]

He said something about how the people who get into Hope's Peak via lottery are worthless. It was part of a very confusing argument we were having at the moment.

[freshprints]

'Super High School Level Good Luck'. If that's really the case...

...Then he's not like Naegi-kun at all. Unless he...

[Kirigiri, you were going to try really hard not to be needlessly cryptic here, remember, don't lose your stride now.]

Ignore that. What I should say is: that would confirm how the circumstances appear to have played out. If it's true that Komaeda-kun's talent is good luck, then he's also someone willing to use that good luck to achieve an end he desires. In a sense, it could be said that he weaponized his luck.

...I'm still not sure what the overall point was, but it seems that there was someone that Komaeda-kun wanted to die, so he arranged a set of circumstances that, if he was lucky, would cause that person to be the one to kill him. Because Nanami-san was that person, his luck prevailed, and he ensured that she would have to be executed for what she'd done, even if it was performed inadvertently.

If that's the sort of person he is, I can see why he might be considered dangerous.

[ardent]

[Damn it.]

I don't understand why he would target Nanami-kun, but I see your point.

Is there anything we should avoid discussing with him that you know of? Something that might set him off, or cause something we don't want to happen?

[freshprints]

...If I had to guess, it might be because of her nature as an artificial intelligence created by Fujisaki-kun. While I recall you were skeptical of the possibility the last time it was discussed...if Komaeda-kun's attempt was something along the lines of "kill the person who isn't like the rest of us", that may be how she was singled out.

As for the topics of discussion, I asked Nanami-san about that as well. She's unsure of any specific topic, but discussions of the killing game, and of the topics of 'hope' and 'despair', are probably more likely than others to provoke a reaction.

...Also, it sounds as though he's the sort of person who will needle at people for the sake of seeing how they'll react.

[ardent]

[...right. So just don't talk to him about all of the shit he's already talked to him about, got it.]

He already knows about our class; I don't know who told him about it, but someone seems to have. I asked him if he knew and he told me that he did.

We also discussed a few things that were more personal in nature, with regards to that. He didn't seem to have too adverse a reaction, though.

[freshprints]

I haven't yet looked to see who he's been talking to. However, if he's going to have a reaction, it may be best that he has it now, when he's relatively isolated in New Bark and lacking the resources that most of the rest of us already have.

[...Kirigiri, that's mercenary as shit.]

If he didn't react to those topics, though, that may be reason for optimism. It could be that whatever provokes him is something inherent to his class's killing game. If that's so, then it's unlikely any of us will set him off.

[ardent]

[Well, it is a valid point.]

He's...strange, definitely, but he didn't seem to be on the verge of having some sort of episode. I have reason to think that he may be less reckless with himself here, too, but that isn't something I can elaborate on right now.

[freshprints]

[...

> clear hinting at deets
> clear withholding of deets
> ..........

> GONNA...LET...THAT GO...FOR RIGHT NOW...

> ...

> MIGHTILY...]

...In your opinion, would it be for the best if we attempted to keep Fujisaki-kun away from him?

I'm asking because I want to see if your independent opinion concurs with my own.

[ardent]

[...SORRY

LOOK HE'S NOT TRYING TO BE AN ASSHOLE, THAT WAS PURE SOCIAL INCOMPETENCE ON HIS PART]

...Yes, because I don't think Fujisaki-kun would handle the way he tends to talk very well. And after what you said with regards to the AI...

[freshprints]

[LOOK AT ALL THIS CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT THOUGH

MUCH RESTRAINT SO NUNCHI WOW]

Bear in mind that that's only a guess. I'm also not sure whether or not her classmates are aware of that nature of hers; I would suspect it's not something she's told them. I'm sure it's understandable that she has very good reasons for not telling them.

Suffice to say, I'm concerned for Fujisaki-kun, Naegi-kun, and Nanami-san. I would imagine the others are reasonably likely to be able to handle themselves.

[ardent]

I don't think they're explicitly in any kind of danger here, though - even considering what happened during his game, that would be like assuming several of our classmates were going to try to kill again, isn't it?

[freshprints]

Neither Kuwata-kun nor Maizono-san are likely to try to kill each other again here, either, but I'd still be concerned about bringing them into contact with each other.

[ardent]

...A large part of my concern is that I wouldn't put it past Kuwata-kun to hit her and actually do damage, while Komaeda-kun looks like he'd snap his wrist if he tried.

Either way, we'll keep an eye on it, certainly - I assume you're concerned about Naegi-kun because of the nature of the...'hope' versus 'despair' game, was it?

[freshprints]

That, and because they share the title of Super High School Level Good Luck. I'm concerned Komaeda-kun may develop the desire to see whose 'Good Luck' is superior, and Naegi-kun isn't always the best at refusing demands.

Simply put, I think he'll make Fujisaki-kun cry, he'll take advantage of Naegi-kun, and the concern for Nanami-san should go without saying.

[ardent]

...I understand.

Naegi-kun is going to want to befriend him, if he hasn't tried already. You know how he is.

[freshprints]

...If you're correct, and there really is no danger, maybe it will do some good. Either way it's not my right to dictate who Naegi-kun makes friends with.

But it's worth keeping an eye on.

[ardent]

I won't disagree with that; Naegi-kun still has a tendency to be too generous for his own good.

Have you discussed Maizono-kun with him, incidentally?

[freshprints]

I have. To some extent, anyway.

He's eager to see her again.

[ardent]

...Good. It's good to know that.

Hopefully it goes well for him.