unknownseas | WEEK 4

Another trial, another week, and still you're probably running lower on answers than you'd like. And on people - you lost three since last Sunday. By the end of this week, you'll have been here for nearly a full month, yet still the days crawl on.

You wake up Sunday, again with no memory of Saturday, but this time with a simple message on your devices: You may resume requesting items, if you like. Enjoy. Guess it really was just a stealth motive after all, but at least it's being communicated that it's over! That's something, at least.

And when you leave your rooms on Sunday, there's another new area to explore! This one is... certainly more ambitious in its construction than the last one, to say the least. But hey, you have a pretty neat place to host parties, if you feel so inclined! That's... fun...

Hey, you gotta find the fun in situations like this where you can! Silver linings, right?

SUNDAY | MONDAY | TUESDAY | WEDNESDAY | THURSDAY

[ ooc: Welcome to Week 4! Remember to turn in AC here, threads for regain coins here, and if you feel so inclined you can visit Angel's office hours over here! ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

You think I'm that weak, that I'd need to be rescued? By you?

[ It's a weird, weird mix of emotions that this statement brings up in her. The big bold obvious one is anger and indignation — that Shelley saw her and thought she was so pitiful, so pathetic and in need of help, that she acted on instinct. But Shelley is also demonstrably weaker than her on every level, which doesn't really quell Jasper's instinct to lash out but does make her wonder why her natural response would be to put herself in danger like that. She continues to tread water, watching Shelley drip her way over to the other end of the pool. ]

I'll never understand this planet.

It's not about being weak or not! It's...hard to explain.

[It's not that hard, really, but Shelley seems to be having a bit of a hard time thinking of the right words to use with Jasper]

Does that mean gems wouldn't save each another if they're about to die?

It's not my job to save those who can't protect themselves. If they're not made for fighting, that's one thing.

[ Although all evidence points to her not being a fan of escort duty, so unless they're of higher status than her she's probably absolutely exhausting to be around. ]

But if a soldier lets herself slip so far that she needs to be rescued, she isn't fit for battle. Anything that happens is only what she deserves.

[ an extremely cool and fun statement which in no way is referring directly to herself ]

Wow. How utilitarian. [Is that the word to use? She doesn't know] No exceptions at all, I bet.

Right. [ If she said anything more positive, Shelley might think they're not a purely utilitarian and emotionless society, which would obviously be hugely embarrassing, so her corollary to this is the insanely callous: ] But it's not as if we go out of our way to squander resources. Besides, even the weakest Gem is still more durable than you lot. It's not like it matters if some Ruby has to release her physical form for a while.

[That definitely makes it sound like Gem society is pretty rough]

You bunch are so strange. It's like Gems are all about being stronger than everything around, even than each other.

[She kicks the water with her wet shoes, feeling sorry for the Gems. It must sucks, goodness gracious]

Survival of the fittest!

I guess you could call it that.

[ Honestly it's more a 50-50 ratio of Gem society to "She Is Just Like This", but that's never been how Jasper sees it! She has to be the strongest. She has to be the best. If she can't keep reinforcing the image of herself as just that, feeding her own ego enough to drown out every other voice that clamors in her mind, what would she be?

A failure. A pathetic, posturing failure at everything she was made for. ]

Strength isn't everything for every Gem. But me — it's what I was meant for. It's what I was made for. [ ... ] You know we don't all just look like this.

[Rose Quartz certainly doesn't look like Jasper at all. If there's a definition of strength, Jasper is it, not Rose Quartz. Not that she lacked strength, she revealed that much faaaar then, during the first week]

So what I'm seeing is the result of all the training you have done, all the work you have made. I can already picture it, you turning into the tough Gem I see right here.

[She's also imagining Rose Quartz looking as strong as Jasper does. It's...bizarre.]

I should have known a mere pool wouldn't defeat you.

Edited 2020-05-04 01:09 (UTC)

What? No, you don't have any idea what you're talking about.

[ This seems to irk her way more than any inquiries into her extremely unhealthy alien culture, which might seem strange. Wouldn't someone who's so obviously proud of her physical prowess and tenacity be pleased to hear what Shelley just said? ]

I came out of the ground exactly like this, ready to serve. Honing your natural power is one thing... altering my physical form would be a disgrace. And what does the pool have to do with anything?!

[Shelley is stunned for a moment. Did she say something she shouldn't have?

Still, she doesn't apologize. All she can do is say:]

...wow...

[She's not really sure what she said that was wrong. Shelley is really sociable, but she's not that good at defusing situations.

But really, hearing Jasper came out just like she is right now? That sucks. Gems...they really don't seem like a terribly well-adjusted species]

I'm never going to understand Gems.

[She says that rather bluntly, without even thinking about if she should]

[ Jasper glares and looks like she might say something, but then, abruptly, she decides she's done with treading water, stills her limbs, and quickly sinks back down to the bottom of the pool.

Once her feet hit the bottom, however, she immediately walks to the shallow end, and with her long strides and general height it doesn't take long for her head to crest the surface of the pool. At this point she starts talking again, as if there'd never been a break in the conversation. ]

You can't understand Gems. I don't expect you to.

WEEK 4

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