Week 1, Post-Trial: Shinshin

[withsadness]

Are you gonna be okay?

[Mary's eager to find and talk to Assassin in private, not that he may be in a very good mood to talk. Well, it's fine, because she's a selfish child.]

I mean, I know you'll live, because there's nooo way we aren't saving you, but...

[It's still his partner on the chopping block. It's gotta be hard.]

Comments

[shinssin]

[ Mary's right. Friends shouldn't betray each other. How can a child understand something so easily when the people around her can't do the same? ]

... I don't know. Maybe. But Terra said he couldn't tell me because they'd get rid of him if he did. He said he did it to protect me.

[withsadness]

I just don't think it's very fair or nice of him, but maybe I don't get it.

[She frowns at the idea. How can keeping a secret with your friends get them hurt? That's just what friends do with each other!]

I was just wondering, that's all. I guess you would've still been mad at him for lying even if it was a lie you knew about, huh?

[shinssin]

Can't say I don't share the same sentiment, Mary. But yeah, I would be.

[ They might have been friends at some point, but a lie is betrayal. ]

Liars are bad... but I think people who believe their lies are worse.

[withsadness]

How come?

[The sentiment genuinely surprises her. Maybe not how one can be made at someone who believes in a lie, but how it outranks the liar.]

Because they're stupid?

[shinssin]

Yeah.

A liar is smart. They know just what to say to get what they want. Not all lies are bad, you know? Sometimes a mother tells you you're beautiful because she doesn't want to hurt your feelings. Ah, but I guess we wouldn't know what mothers are like.

On the other hand, someone who believes in a lie is just a fool. If you wanted to know if you were beautiful, you'd just look in the mirror, wouldn't you?

People should look at the facts before they jump to conclusions.

[withsadness]

[Shinshin you are dropping some serious truth bombs right now. Mary nods along emphatically. Clearly, he is one of the smart ones and she should listen real close.]

Yeah, I'd just look in the mirror if I had a mother who told me that. You don't have a mother either, Shinshin?

[She decides to put these two trains of thoughts together.]

Maybe it makes you smarter when you don't have people around you worried about hurting your feelings.

[shinssin]

[Shinshin opens his mouth to refute her logic, but a memory changes his mind.]

I guess it does. Damn.

[The truth bombs won't stop dropping.]

[withsadness]

[Mary beams, and then laughs.]

Oh, we really are going to be such great friends, aren't we? I really like talking with you! I feel like I'm getting smarter and smarter!

[shinssin]

[He's... Really not sure about her logic, but she complimented him so it's fine!]

Haha, I like talking with you too, Mary. I feel a little better now! Thanks for checking on me.

But... how about you?

[withsadness]

What about me?

[She tilts from side to side a little, putting her hands behind her.]

I feel happy! I'm happiest when all of my friends are happy! So if I helped you feel a little better, then there's no way I can be aaaaanything else.

[shinssin]

Hehhh, really? Even after that trial?

[ She was almost accused of murder??? ]

[withsadness]

Well...

[Her smile falters a little, and then she looks down at her shoes.]

I guess I'm worried if a reaper was trying to frame me, it might happen again. But after everyone was so nice to me, I feel safer.

[Her smile falters even more.]

Unless I go from being a target of framing to a victim. Then I'll just be dead.

[shinssin]

Weeeeell, yeah. It'd suck if you died early. But no one would kill a child unless they were crazy, so I'd say you're okay.

[withsadness]

Oh, okay!

[Easy enough. Mary swings back and forth on her heels.]

I'll just hope that nobody's craaaaaaaaaazy!

[Ha ha...ha...]