Board Thread:Role Plays/@comment-5999656-20160207063839/@comment-5999656-20160422225610

Respersio's always got his friends' needs in mind, huh?

Automne was braced for battle, and yet her entire body felt... off, as though she shouldn't be doing this at all. Which she shouldn't. Fen was just injured in front of her, Cyzarine proved to be an individual lacking in mental fortitude, and here she was selfishly trying to settle a racist sentiment before it had even been directed towards her. Maybe she'd started the day looking forward to this fight, but she knew for a fact that that was not what she wanted to do anymore. Not anymore. Some things weren't so important just yet.

Automne waited until the oxygen bombs had almost come in contact with her, before bending over backwards so cleanly that it would have made every amateur limbo player jealous. She straightened up immediately after they soared harmlessly overhead, before sheathing her sword in her belt and glancing over at Saria, who made eye contact with her.

It was pointless to fight, anyway. At this distance all Saria needed to do was let rip with his submachine gun, and the fight would be over. And neither of them would have targeted Platinum anyway, they just would have ganged up on Raizel. This was a personal thing. Not a desirable outcome whatsoever. So Automne raised her hands in surrender, and lowered her head.

"Okay, backtrack, backtrack. This was a bad idea. I changed my mind. No one here actually wants to fight, so I'm just gonna give up before we waste our time and our Aura." She let her hands drop to her sides so that the truth in her words could sink in, before coming up to the PRFC duo. Saria drew up beside her, his weapon placed away as well.

"I'm going to ask Cyzarine some questions someplace where we can talk together, just the two of us. because I think I know why she acts so strange. But you guys are pretty shaken up, so i'm going to have to ask you two to leave."

"I'm coming with you," Saria said. "I can't let you be alone with that... with her." Automne turned to face him, and her voice was gentle.

"Saria, the last thing I need is you threateningly cleaning your gun in the corner while I try to ask her some personal questions. I can run faster than her, believe me. Chainsaws aren't light, you know." When this failed to yield a reponse, she added, "You've got to trust me. This is the only thing I can think of that's gonna keep Team PRFC from falling apart." With that she strode over to Cyzarine, whispered a "Let's go," to the girl, and the two departed with no one making any move to stop them. The moment they exited earshot Platinum turned to Raizel and Saria, meeting both of their eyes.

"You guys know what's going to happen now, right?" The silver-haired girl had to vent, had to talk about this. "Once Fen tells her parents about this, they're going to sue the Bluthardts for an attempted murder and sue the school for not maintaining a safe learning environment for their students. And then Beacon's going to investigate, and they're going to learn about last night and realize that Ririo invited us to battle knowing full well how unstable Cyzarine is. At the very least he and Bernie and Automne and you, Saria, are probably going to get suspended for reckless misconduct, and there's going to be a nasty legal battle which no one will win. Do you understand? Team PRFC's going to fall apart once this incident is revealed, and there's nothing any of us are gonna be able to do about it."

Platinum shouldered her gun.

"I'm going after them to make sure Cyzarine doesn't try to cause any more damage than she already has. You guys can go check on Fen." Thus she set off as well. Saria turned to Raizel, with a dark look on his face.

"Are you going to just let her go, or are you going to stop her from ruining Automne's plan?"

____________________________

Automne took Cyzarine to a botanical garden on Beacon's grounds, where flora abounded and wind chimes tinkled in the light winds. It was a calming place, and there were no students around. She set Cyzarine on a wooden bench, and Automne herself sat so that her bottom was on the back of the bench and her feet were resting on the seat, but she was facing the younger girl. She waited a few minutes, collecting her own thoughts. When she spoke, it was very quietly, not aggressive or pointed at all.

"Cyzarine. I can tell that there's some serious lack of understanding between you and the rest of us that's impeding our ability to work together. I'm going to be totally scientific with you: I think there's stuff about you that none of us have realized yet. So what I'm going to do is I'm going to ask you a few yes or no questions about yourself. If it's too personal you can say, "Pass," but the more you can answer the better it'll be for all of us. After that, I'm going to ask you some things that are going to take a few short sentences to explain, alright?"

This was the same strategy Automne's counselor had used on her, all those years before. Establishing rapport and a freedom of communication. Even though she'd never gone into it with her friends, maybe this was someone who would need that connection.

"Are you ready? We'll start simple."

"Look into my eyes, okay? Are you scared of me?"

"Do you feel you can answer my questions truthfully?"

"Do you feel as though my friends and I have wronged you in some way?"

"Do you hate Fen, or want to hurt her?"

"What about Platinum? And Raizel?"

"Are you scared of Fen?"

"When you fought, did you feel as though your wellbeing were placed in serious danger?"

"Do you feel bad about what you just did?"

"Did you realize what you were doing?"

Automne paused.

"Have you been professionally diagnosed with any mental disorders, or intellectual disabilities?"

"Are you aware of what effects these disorders or disabilities may have on your ability to act in a rational way?"