▌ ENTRY: week 0. monday. monika.

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[ we backdatin this bc it would make sense for this to happen immediately after the mechanics reveals, let us live

in the spirit of conducting recon, 2b gets to the dorm as soon as it's open. she quickly tracks down the room she's been assigned to. when monika decides to come check things out, 2b is standing next to the bed, the mysterious scroll containing the rules of this castle unfurled in her hand. she looks up to see the arrival of her partner, then hands the scroll to her pod and has the machine float over and bring it to the other girl. ]

Monika. Read this.

[ she is all about business, baby. ]

Comments

[recoda]

[ YEAH PRETTY MUCH look it's fine no one will judge us. it's not like anyone is reading this but us two.

AAAAAANYWAY

Thankfully(??), Monika is not far behind 2B. She too wants to know what is going on here, and she wakes early each morning anyway, usually around 5 AM. So she's been up for some time when the dorms unlock, and is only a few minutes slow to beating 2B to the punch.

She doesn't even get a chance to utter a question, or say anything, before she's being issued a command. Monika blinks once or twice, and then wordlessly takes the scroll and reads it through.

Nothing remarkable happens in her expression, but her hands shake very slightly before she can steady herself. Carefully she rolls the scroll back up and is quiet for a moment, pressing loose fingers to her mouth as she thinks hard. ]

... it really is a game, [ she says, low and slow. ] Just ... some game we're playing for them.

[ Very carefully she'll set the scroll on their shared bed. Her hands tremble again. ]

They really should take us more seriously, [ she says next, and her voice is a little more brittle now. ] These are real lives they're playing with!

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[ it's always hard to tell what 2b is thinking, whether it's due to her status as an android, her insistence on wearing her visor, or something else entirely. whatever the case, she doesn't seem to do anything to reassure or comfort monika. sorry, bb. she stays where she is, arms crossed and voice even. ]

Do you have any way of protecting yourself?

[ she can't remember anything of the sort on monika's profile, but there's a chance maybe something just didn't make it onto the tapestry. ]

[recoda]

Of course I don't, [ Monika sighs, sounding suddenly exhausted as she takes a seat on the bed. She leans forward, resting her face in her hands. ] Why would I know something like that? I'm just a normal schoolgirl.

[ Her fingernails are digging into her skin. ]

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[ ... hm. she notes monika's reaction, but does not comment on it. ]

Then that means I'm responsible for the both of us.

[recoda]

[ Monika abruptly sits up straight, taking a gulping breath. Her hands clutch her knees, her knuckles white. Her eyes are red, but she is not crying. Her facial expression is for a moment stony until she looks at 2B and smiles.

It's the face a doll would make. The expression looks real, should be real, but simply from looking at it you know there is only emptiness behind it. ]

Seems that way! I'll be relying on you, 2B.

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[ monika's actions are paradoxical, so much so that 2b doesn't even know where to start. is she trying to be strong, even though she's just plainly admitted she's not? is she doing this for 2b's sake, her own, or some other reason?

... she chooses remains neutral. ]

You're... calmer about this than I would expect. You don't even know me.

[recoda]

Calm? Ahah.... I guess you could say that. It's more that there's clearly no other alternative, so it's better to cope with the situation as it is and figure out how to proceed! Freaking out won't save me, you know?

[ her fingers curl, fingernails scraping white lines into the skin of her knees.

2B may notice she wears floor-length gowns for the rest of the week, after this morning. ]

Besides, I'm not a total slouch, you know! I can't fight or anything, but if there's one thing I know, it's getting into people's heads! Ahaha.

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[ though monika can't hear it, a light on the pod begins to blink. luckily, it still has 2b to speak for it, and she's just as blunt in her own assessment. ]

I was wrong. You're stressed.

[recoda]

Well, that's only natural, right? If anything, you're the one here who's unnaturally calm.

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For YoRHa androids, emotions are prohibited. Experiencing them would be detrimental to our missions.

[ she's steadfast in her speech, but her grip at her arms tightens just a little. ]

[recoda]

Which really just means you're handling it the best way you know how, right? The same is true for me, too.

[ She stands, sighing and glancing around the room as if none of that just happened. ]

So! Now that's out of the way, this room is pretty amazing, right?

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[ ... once again, what a strange girl. it's far too early to question her, though. it isn't as if 2b has been completely transparent with her feelings, either. ]

I don't get why we've been provided with these accommodations if the point of this "game" is to kill each other.

[recoda]

[ Monika wanders around the room slowly, inspecting things more closely as she goes. ]

I'd say they're trying to lull us into a false sense of security, but if that were really the case, they'd probably be trying to obfuscate the real reason we're here. You know... if I had to guess, I'd say the Crafters just like luxury! As long as we fight their "war," they'll get what they want, so everything else probably isn't too important, and up to a matter of preference.

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Why were you brought here, then?

[ it's a little harsh, but... she feels it's a fair question. for herself, it makes sense. an android soldier is the perfect fit for the "war" the crafters had mentioned the day before. monika, however, admitted she can't fight. ]

[recoda]

[ Monika lapses into silence. She doesn't seem upset, just thoughtful. ]

I wish I knew. [ said softly. ] Thinking that there must be a reason why they chose each of us... I really can't figure it out. I just ran a literature club... I didn't even do a good job of it, either. So why...?

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...

The titles—they're all based on stories, aren't they?

[recoda]

That's right. From fairy tales, like the Brothers Grimm, Charles Perrault, and Hans Christian Andersen would collect, usually from old folk tales that were passed down orally.

[ literature!!!!!!!!! ]

Why?

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Maybe you running a literature club gives you an advantage in trying to figure out what's going on here.

[recoda]

[ She tilts her head. ]

Cinderella, Jack, Aladdin, the Little Mermaid... the Magic Mirror, Puss in Boots, Rumpelstiltskin... the Sea Witch, Jafar, Maleficent...

[ A handful of titles each from the heroes, the civilians, and the villains. ]

I know most of them, and most of the stories behind them, but without a collection it's going to be really hard to remember specific details. I didn't really study fairy tales in particular or anything... most of my focus was on poetry.

But I could probably describe a little bit of the story for just about all of them. The hard part would be relating those stories to the people here, and guessing who got picked for what.

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You still know more than I do.

[ unfortunately, most fairy tales didn't make it into the archives of humanity's existence. ]

...guess we'll just have to wait and see.

[recoda]

I'm The Frog Prince, [ she says, smiling. ] Since we're partners, I feel like you should know that! I don't know if I want to tell you what my objective is just yet, but I don't mind letting you know that it doesn't involve hurting anyone.

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[ ... she's honestly a little surprised monika tells her as much, but... ]

Isn't a prince usually a male?

[ clearly that's the important thing to focus on, here, ]

[recoda]

[ Huffs, briefly puffing out her cheeks. ]

Usually? Try always! It's definitely a little strange, but... [ SHRUG??? ]

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Maybe I'm giving those women more credit than they deserve.

[recoda]

Mm, well... [ A pause. ] I think I can see why they gave it to me, though their reasoning might be pretty cruel, depending on how you look at it.

Anyway, you don't have to tell me yours! I know that this is my choice. If you decide you feel like you can trust me, I'll be here to listen, okay?

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[ ...a curt nod. ]

We'll see what happens.

[ her voice is detached, her arms firmly at her sides. she's honestly about to leave it at that and conclude their impromptu meeting...

but something stops her at the last second, she turns back toward monika. she hesitates for just another moment longer before firmly saying, ]

But I'll make sure nothing happens to us.

[recoda]

[ Monika doesn't seem to take offense. She only smiles warmly.

She, too, is content to let it go at that, and ends up surprised when 2B speaks again. For a moment her expression blanks out into surprise, but when she smiles again, it's a much quieter thing, and more sincere for it. ]

For some reason, I feel like I can believe you when you say that. Thank you, 2B.