linkingup | FOR THOSE WE HAVE LOST

[He's an expy for every ~merchant~ he's had a run-in with when he was a Little Guy himself, don't worry about it--

But the want/need line is something he can follow up on! Probably! So he is very much nodding along in agreement that of course they needed... whatever's in the crates.]

And what do you all need so much that you had to take such a big, brave risk, hm?

[ Oh, this is a sort of charisma that Rutile has no mastery over (it is very Western?), so he keeps himself in check and watches Celeste work the little guys.

He'll scold them later— ]

[ Walks in late with Starbucks but hello, Yoon is going to observe with Rutile. Go Celeste! Go!!! ]

[The general consensus seems to be "we wanted it, so we took it" though some say that they needed it, or that they want to sell it. Do the Little Guys even know what's in the crates? Hmm. Regardless, they sure are proud of their acquisition!

They also have notably not overheard Rutile and McGillis, so they're relaxing quite a bit around the three of you now.]

[So he may be getting a sneaking suspicion that these particular Little Guys aren't quite as In Need as immediately assumed.

...But that will certainly depend entirely on what is in the crates, considering he does remember how bloody they looked on the window that threw them all into the scene.

So. Time to put that good will to use and try to approach said crates to try and see what's in them.]

[ McGillis sees what Celeste is doing and decides to likewise crouch down and talk to some little guys. Distraction maneuvers! ]

Does it go for much? Market sales these days aren't what they used to be...

[ Not that the answer would matter to him much, he's just buying Celeste some less eyes on him. ]

[Good call, McGillis. In fact, it's such a good call that they will go off on wild tangents about how the people in La Noscea just do not recognize how much things are worth! People these days! Can't even buy raw eggs for the same price you used to! Seven whole gold instead of six per egg? An absolute robbery!

Celeste meanwhile will be able to get a sneak peak into one of the crates. It looks like the majority of the contents are goods to be sold - fine cloth and clothing gently swaddles many variations of seeds as well, though those obviously need to be planted and grown with care. All of this certainly looks like Typical Merchant Goods, but there's strangely no blood anywhere! Huh.

You'll find yourself becoming more annoyed by this entire situation. The Little Guys, the merchant, the fact that you were sent on this dumb fetch quest to begin with...]

[This is all so... very, very mundane, for a palace. Obviously, for it to be here, Fray must have endured some similar scenario, but...

For it to be here, there must be some sort of catch, right? Is it the grey morality of helping the merchant, when the Little Guys actually needed these goods? Is it that the Little Guys aren't actually as needy as thievery would indicate they are? Is the Irritation growing more at the ambiguity of it? Yes, very much so.]

...What do you need from these crates, and what are you planning to sell?

[The Little Guys look over, squawking and fussing about Celeste going through "their" things. The answers seem to be all over the place - some of the Little Guys are looking curiously through the boxes now that Celeste has it open, some are trying to claim that they need these goods to make money, some are insisting that these items are necessary for... some reason... and some are saying it's none of Celeste's business. Regardless, they're getting annoyed as well, from the sound of it, and the agitation is quickly spreading through them.]

... we're getting nowhere here, and these guys aren't even real.

[ Thanks to the building agitation, McGillis has hit his threshold of goodwill here. If these were real people then maybe he would hesitate for longer, but... they're not, they're fragments of Fray's mind and Fray's mind wants them to move the narrative forward.

So McGillis is just going to go and pick up a crate. To carry back to the mysterious merchant.

... that will surely go fine. ]

[McGillis won't have any problem picking it up - it's bulky, but not super heavy. The Little Guys, on the other hand, will absolutely swarm around him, yapping away at how he needs to give it back, that he's stealing. How dare he!!

Regardless, he can take the crate back to the town and the merchant, if he'd like. Or toss it in the ocean or something, I'm not the boss of you.]

[ McGillis is very strong and very tall and these guys are very very tiny.

So he's just going to push through them and carry the crate back to the merchant unless something stops him on the way. ]

[It's true, they are really helpless against McGillis here. A few of them even try to fire off attacks but... the poor Little Guys just are no match for you. McGillis can return to the merchant without a problem!

The merchant is a pretty nondescript man. Very generic, very average, and very unhappy that his crates have been opened. He doesn't even thank McGillis before going through the crate looking through the goods within.]

This isn't everything! Where's the rest? I need all of my crates!

[Sheesh. Are you going to go back for the others?]

And you might be better off going to get them yourself, at this rate.

[ He is so. fucking. irritated.

But he will go back for the rest of the crates and potentially recruit the others to help him carry. ]

[He can be recruited in the help carry effort... and will be irritated at the merchant being ungrateful, too, as if he expected anything different.]

[That's why this is the irritation window, babey!!!

Anyway, the Little Guys continue to try to persuade you guys to give up, but... well. They know a losing battle when they see one. You'll be able to claim both of the other crates and return them with ease!

The merchant complains under his breath about how late he's going to be, but at the very least he has his goods. And they do all seem to be there now, so he's settled a bit.

Then suddenly, everything goes still. The merchant stops moving and responding, the people walking by are frozen in place. Then one by one, they blink out of existence.

A voice rings out, sounding both familiar yet unfamiliar at the same time. You recognize it as belonging to those you care for... but you also cannot place it as exactly one person.]

An interesting and different outcome. Will you continue to fight for everyone, knowing they will use you?

[Do you answer honestly?]

[ What a question... There might be a correct answer here, one that a good person would give. But McGillis isn't a good person - a person with good goals, maybe. He does think the world he was once aiming for would have been for the better of all.

But his personality, he plays dirty and he'll use all he can get. He's not good, not kind. And he's spent a long life working for those who would only use him - with the intent to overthrow, but still. He's tired of it. ]

I won't.

[What a question.

There are matters to consider before even examining it in regards to himself - how would Fray answer? Likely that he would. How would Fray's shadow want them to answer? Is there even a correct answer at all?

And then... how would he answer?

So much has changed in his time here, and yet... so much has still remained the same. Had he not experienced his own possession of sorts, he'd answer that he would. That knowing he was being used made it easier. But now?

If he's fighting for someone, they're not using him. So his answer is simple.]

I won't.

[There is no response from the voice. The world around them begins to fade to white, and when they blink, they'll find themselves back in the Vault, in front of the now shattered stained glass window. Four more remain.]

[ What a question x3.

The answer is easy for him. He's aware that he's easy to use, easy to take advantage of because of his kindness - some may view this as weakness. That's okay. He won't try to change their minds. Yoon is simply a person who wants to heal others and keep people safe, even if it may not always be the right thing to do.

He has yet to claim to know he knows exactly what's right and wrong, anyway. Maybe that's okay, too.

His answer is different from the others', but there is no judgment. Everyone has their reasons, and he isn't ashamed to say his response regardless. ]

I will.

[ What a question (what a question (what a question (what a question...)...)...)...

The voices tug at Rutile's heart strings, and they do a wonderful job of freezing him as the scenery does around him.

Use him? It's something he's never thought of before. He thinks of the elderly couple whose roof was destroyed in a storm and the way they ask him to fix it, and he does without question. He thinks of the people suffering from the aftereffects of the calamity who plea for their help, and he gives it without question. He thinks of the man whose life rests on his, and he thinks and acts for his sake. Is this being used?

...He doesn't think so. Even if it is, it's not a terrible thing if he's helping, is it?

So, boldly, with unwavering magnanimity and a spark in his eye, he replies: ]

Of course I will.

[ belated but needs to be said—

Little guys yell and Rutile yells back: ]

No, what you did was stealing!

[ he's probably muzzled somewhere this doesn't cause a problem, ]

FOR THOSE WE HAVE LOST | FRAY'S PALACE

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