War Week

[mockmods]

[A week has gone and past, as has the first of your number. The Researcher revealing himself, more or less, by punishing Patches, the Trusty, for pushing an unclear boundary.]

[And yet, routine seems to have returned. The Researcher makes morning and evening announcements as if nothing has happened. Meals are served in the dining hall. The copies of Oregon Trail in the computer lab now have a text-only mode for some reason? Penny has not been seen since Friday, and attempts to access the Security Room have been fruitless.]

[But overall, life in the Facility has remained unchanged. But the atmosphere is getting tenser - sooner or later something is going to break.]

Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday Thursday

Comments

[clandestineideals]

[ His childhood doesn't look particularly noteworthy. If anyone is attentive enough, however, they'll likely notice that in at least most of them, people are sneaking glances at Shinso but not speaking to him, their actions and conversations seemingly conspiratorial in nature. Even if the pictures are just stills.

There are a few in which he is speaking to a few people at his desk, but it appears to be normal conversations and those are hard to discern what there is to be embarrassed or ashamed about, if anything. And yet, there's no reaction. ]

I see someone's grasping for straws in order to have some bloodshed. That was a surprise.

[ So the true purpose of the exercise (obvious to him as ever) is outlined in those short moments. He looks and sounds unimpressed, indicative of some sarcasm seeping into his words some. ]

[mockmods]

Grasping at straws implies this was not always an intended escalation.

If you really wish, I can progress ahead of schedule and offer incentives with much higher stakes.

[clandestineideals]

[ Shinso wonders if he managed to hit a sore spot somehow, either way, even if he wasn't impressed with this villain's tactics, those words have him even more tense than he was a moment ago. ]

...No, that won't be necessary.

[mockmods]

I thought as much.

[The Researcher's tone, as always, is unchanged, but it's hard not to read that as some kind of gloat.]

Your input has been noted, Reserved.

[clandestineideals]

[ ..........

He already didn't like this, but boy.

...Yeah he's pivoting on the heel of his foot and stalking off to his dorm, probably only barely managing to not slam the door shut because screw this guy. ]