[ AUDIENCE: TAICHI YAGAMI ]

[dormheads]

Comments

[departea]

Pretty much. Obviously I can confirm I have it and that I know it's there, but...

Well, whatever. Just know that my opinion is that it's weird.

[goalsides]

[ugggh.]

I'll see if I can find somebody to buy it off of you, and if not then maybe I'll just buy it again myself so you can talk about it.

But that's what I wanted to know. It's really weird, isn't it? I've been reading them and talking to people but nobody can come to any other conclusion than the straightforward answer.

I guess I'm just more curious why it showed up on your list of stuff you can sell us. Chad told me about that.

[departea]

No idea, really. I mean, in general it just showing up isn't that out there. We just notices on price changes and the like all the time. Even the auction was something that just popped up.

It's just... the content. That's strange.

[goalsides]

And because those items just showed up that's why we have to buy them ourselves instead of just figuring out how to earn them. I guess it's just a little weird. The timing, I mean.

[...]

You saw the marquee, didn't you? Did it ever used to work before now?

[departea]

Oh, it worked fine last year. It did school announcements and things, like sports games scores. I figured it just broke.

[ their shitty it department ]

[goalsides]

It feels like everything on this campus is broken somehow. [sigh.] So who would I talk to about the messages being broadcasted? Any ideas?

[departea]

I would think... whoever does the school announcements?

[ this is clearly the face of someone who never bothered to pay attention to those things ]

[goalsides]

[she's fair and valid.]

If it's working now we'll probably see more announcements later. Maybe a few that're less foreboding considering what the papers say?

[departea]

Well, the keysmash was odd.

[ just. why. ]

[goalsides]

I thought it was the bear, but the rest of the sentence was pretty clear before that. So maybe something else? You'd think if it was meant for the whole school to see there wouldn't be a keysmash.

[departea]

Unless it was sent before it was ready?

[goalsides]

Like what, they ran out of time before it had to go live? Maybe. It's just weird.

[...]

You've been here a while, right? Were there dorm heads before you guys?

[departea]

Oh, yeah. They hire new ones each year, but it was just like... regular dorms. This year they got all spruced up for the Dorm War and only people participating in them can live here.

There's also off campus dorms and flats. And if the Dorm War thing takes off, they're planning on building more on campus ones so that people who aren't participating can still live at school. But that definitely won't be finished this year.

[goalsides]

Guess that makes sense. I was sort of curious what things were like in the dorms before the Dorm War started. It sounds like this school has a lot of history people don't really talk about.

[sandwich-eating...to stall.] With everything that's happened so far...what do you think? Think the Dorm War's going to take off and continue after this?

[departea]

Well, any school that's been around for a long time has history. There are a few even more prestigious than this around the world that are a lot more famous, but this is the best in this country.

[ but hm... ]

... I think they may need to tweak a few things on how it works. I don't get why they let you all get weapons and things. I know you all hated it, but it was a good idea to take that away from you all. You're not supposed to bring weapons to school.

[goalsides]

...what's the name of the country, exactly? I've only been to a few. [he is not even sure he'll get an answer.]

I've been wondering why some people were allowed to keep their weapons and others weren't. Or what the point of taking everything away was when we could just buy stuff back to give you guys point.

[and then, pointedly:] I don't think you're supposed to murder in school either, but that's still happening.

[departea]

It's the country. [ obviously? ] And the buying back thing was supposed to be a reward for good behavior. You get rewarded for participating in school activities. Do I know why they chose what to reward you all with? No, I'm not like proper staff or anything. But I also wouldn't be surprised if they saw how much everyone complained about getting their stuff taken away, so they decided to give it back that way.

[ a pause. ]

But that's just a theory. And as for the murder... that didn't start happening until this year. You guys were all pretty convinced there's some weird murder party every year or something when I think the last time anyone died here was before even Luke started coming here, and that was like... a dispute between classmates or something? Fairly normal stuff.

[goalsides]

Of course. Why did I ask? [it was obvious!] I don't think it's unreasonable to complain about our stuff going missing. [he reaches into his pocket and pulls out his digivice, holding it in his palm.] This was on me before I woke up here. I'm pretty sure that's called stealing.

[but that aside...]

Chad told me there was an incident that happened at the school but nobody really has details about it. I don't know if I'd call the results normal. Even if it was just a one time thing, it led to the trials and expulsions of people. Everything was already set up.

Not that I'm blaming you for not having answers. [he is Aware.] I was just wondering how the school could explain something like that. Especially when it keeps happening.

[departea]

From what I know, the trial thing started from like... stuff that happened bloody yeeeears ago. Like, the school's founding which was hundreds of years ago. It's so long ago that the exact circumstances of what happened are probably either lost to time or you'll have to dig really deep to find it.

[ she frowns. ]

Principal Bear said it's not a rule he can change, because of whatever politics that happen at a school level. [ she clearly has no idea what that means because her expression is just baffled as she says it. ] The whole thing about old schools is that they really pride themselves on tradition and not wanting to do change. It's why the whole Dorm Wars things got everyone super interested-- it's something new.

[goalsides]

Well it's not like the library helped, so I don't know how much deeper I have to go. If it's hundreds of years ago...I don't know. Traditions are important, sure, but if you've lost the reason why your traditions exist maybe they shouldn't exist? Or something. Especially since you just said it. Something new is more appealing.

[ah well. they can both be clueless.] Chad and Luke were at the trial with us last week and said you and Viola were in meetings. Are we ever going to have another trial with the principal, you think? If this happens again.

[departea]

Oh, I agree. Sometimes it's good to get rid of tradition, but it seems like the politics involved in this one is complicated because of how big of name this school is. It's why I didn't like when you all were so harsh on Principal Bear. It's not like he's the one who made the rules, he just happens to be the guy currently running the place while you're here. And when he quits it'll be someone else.

[ but she hums. ]

I'm not sure. Maybe if we all can't make it again? The only reason he did it the first time was because all four of us weren't there.

[goalsides]

[that all makes sense but it's also a convenient cover, he thinks. but he doesn't say that given the circumstances.]

I'm sure he's trying his best, but...people were angry after so long without answers. You'd think the school would've explained things better, but I guess there's no point arguing about it anymore.

And it still doesn't strike you as weird that all four of you got sick at the same time?

[departea]

Hm, not really. You're underestimating how much time we spent together that first week... it's not that surprising if one of us came down with someone, it'd hit the rest.

[ whispers like covid........... ]

[goalsides]

...with all the same symptoms and lasting the same amount of time?

[stop this.]

[departea]

Yeah... funny how that works, right?

[ it's said in a tone that's like

DAMB.... COINCIDENCES, MAN ]