(no subject)

[unknownrival]

[Action for Diarmuid, morning]

[Issei had almost been getting used to the idea that he would not see Prospero again, not see any of the people he met there again. He hadn't decided how he felt about that by the time that he woke up to his hotel bedroom.

Had he dreamt being home? How long had it been? And were the people he cared for still safe?

The answers to this lied clearly in one place.

Diarmuid would find his door being nearly pounded on.]

[Video, afternoon]

[Issei hesitates to speak.]

I never thought I would regret going home. When I was there, I found myself sorely wishing to be back, just to make sure that the rest of you could also come back safely. It would be unfair for me to be the only one to return.

How have you all been?

Comments

[Video]

[truthsnomiracle]

It isn't a matter of control; in that respect, we managed, albeit primarily because our population plummeted sharply and the losses included the worst among us. Rather, your talent for emotional support, understanding of the majority of us, and -- if I might be so bold -- inspirational presence were missed.

[Video]

[unknownrival]

[He looks a little embarrassed, but recovers quickly.]

I-ignoring the latter part of that, how many people did we lose?

[Video]

[truthsnomiracle]

Roughly two-thirds of our numbers.

[Video]

[unknownrival]

That is bad... or good, in a way. More difficult for those who remain, but those who've gone home are lucky.

[Video]

[truthsnomiracle]

(Presumably, his own experience was of going home if he still refers to his own disappearance in such a way.)

"More difficult" is an understatement. I seem unable to so much as interest anyone new in the idea of a justice system, nor successfully solicit new ideas from those who were already interested and remain. Furthermore, I've seen no sign of any interest in investigation since the situation calmed down sufficiently to allow it once more.

[Video]

[unknownrival]

I'm sorry. What can I do to help?

[Video]

[truthsnomiracle]

You would do well to begin by assessing the capabilities of those who yet remain. You may wish to speak with Miss Nakagawa as well, as she's made an effort to provide us with a new hub of activity in the form of her new teahouse.

[Video]

[unknownrival]

I'll do my best to get reacquainted with those of us still here.

[Video]

[truthsnomiracle]

Thank you. It's an immense relief to have you here once more; in your absence, Mr. Ridgeley and Mr. Kukai believed it somehow appropriate to attempt to force me further into the spotlight amongst kidnappees.

[Video]

[unknownrival]

You are one of the more capable and level-headed among us.

[Video]

[truthsnomiracle]

While that might be the case, my strengths aren't interchangeable with yours.

[Video]

[unknownrival]

We make do with what we can in times of need.

[Video]

[truthsnomiracle]

I understand Mr. Kukai to have experience in politics, and I count him among my few supporters as well. Could he not have acted as a public face himself rather than helping Mr. Ridgeley forcibly remove me from my office, redress me, and bodily carry me to a beach party, of all things?

[Video]

[unknownrival]

...that was excessive.

[Video]

[truthsnomiracle]

To say nothing of being ill-timed. I was working that Saturday precisely because between the extreme wave of crime you may remember prior to your disappearance and the week-long vacation I took immediately thereafter to recover from my own moment of weakness, I had a significant backlog of work to do.

[Video]

[unknownrival]

I'm in favor of being social, but not using force to make others be social. Do you want me to lecture them? I can.

[Video]

[truthsnomiracle]

I leave that to your discretion.

[Video]

[unknownrival]

Very well.

[Video]

[truthsnomiracle]

To return to the subject of the justice system, what most concerns me with regard to that effort is that my attempt to solicit aid primarily resulted in people expressing praise for what I'd already conceived of, not offering ideas concerning how to fill the holes. Furthermore, it caught the attention of no one new who could have offered a fresh perspective. I cannot help but fear that too few of us care for the obstacles before such an effort to be surmountable.

[Video]

[unknownrival]

Well, what are you looking for new ideas in? You'll have to catch me up a little, it's been a while.

[Video]

[truthsnomiracle]

Punishment is perhaps the most difficult challenge we face. I'm lacking in ideas concerning middle ground in that regard, given that incarceration is essentially voluntary for most of us, we still don't know of any way to seal a Persona long-term, and the practice of fining grows questionable in such a minimalistic situation.

[Video]

[unknownrival]

We could take their phones away, I suppose. That's the only thing I can think of that all of the people here use. Then again, it isn't difficult to buy another phone.

We have hackers, though, I think. Atsuro at least. Would it be possible to prevent a specific person's phone from receiving messages on this network? For example, cutting a person off from communication unless they were specifically called? It's not much of a punishment, but perhaps the closest we can get to a quarantine.

[Video]

[truthsnomiracle]

Unfortunately, that seems as though it would do as much harm as good if used for crimes of moderate severity. Phone communication provides distance if nothing else; to take away that method of communication begs the question of what lengths some convicted criminals might go to in order to communicate without them. One must remember that simple face-to-face communication with such a person with no bars in the way could mean the other party is in some degree of danger. That being said, such a punishment might be appropriate for certain misdemeanors.

In addition, concerning Mr. Kihara... he's among our more recent losses. Mr. Ridgeley has taken over maintenance of the Shadow database.

[Video]

[unknownrival]

...Is that so...

[Atsuro had been a good friend of his.]

I'll come up with something else.

[Video]

[truthsnomiracle]

Thank you. Mind you, I'll still take note of your suggestion as something of potential use at the lower end, particularly for crimes involving harassment, misinformation, and the like.