[031. I can take so much. 'Til I've had enough.]

[lydiascreams]

[Open Video]

[Lydia took a break from sitting with Stiles and Kira, watching Scott as he slowly recovers from the death toll. She took Prada for a walk, showered, then got ready to go back to Kira's. But before, she wants to throw a topic out there. It's something that has been on her mind for a while now.

And after her talk with Kira about who hurt Scott and with Steve about who hurt him, after seeing what happened to Souji. After hearing about what Arthas did, she doesn't feel like they can wait any longer.]

I know everyone is still settling back in after the port. That a lot of you are still recovering from deaths and injuries, but I want to open a subject up for discussion.

I feel like there have been a lot more deaths on the barge lately. Both from inmates and wardens. And caused by inmates and wardens. I know a while back someone brought up taking the death toll for granted, and I don't remember what led to that discussion, but I agree.

We're all taking it for granted. If we die, we think we're guaranteed to come back. What if it stops working?

But even more importantly: why are we allowing ourselves to kill each other? Why are we dealing with murder as if there were no consequences?

I understand we don't always have control over our actions, I understand floods happen and we become affected. Infected. We become other people. But they are rare occasions when we're all out of control.

There is always someone around who can see things clearly. There's always someone who can take control and stop the people who are affected from hurting each other.

My suggestion -- and I would love to hear what the Admiral has to say about this -- is for us to find a system, an emergency system, where we can cap everyone's abilities -- human or otherwise, Inmates and Wardens alike -- if they become a threat to anyone. At any given time.

And I'd like to hear opinions everyone else might have on this.

Comments

[lydiascreams]

Yeah, I've heard a few complaints about too many of us before. [And it pisses her off. Their age doesn't mean they don't know what they're doing. She remembers surprising Blight a few times when he was still around. And Vergil, too.]

Boredom at least is something I've been trying to work against. But I can't throw parties every week. They'd get boring, anyway.

[chlorophylliac]

I don't judge on the basis of age.

But if that's your solution then I think you've surrendered the right to complain about accusations of immaturity.

[lydiascreams]

[Well, she can see how that sounded, so she'll fix it.]

It's not about the parties themselves. It's about helping people socialize and create bonds with other people. So many of the inmates are the way they are because they're alone, because they didn't have anyone to help them when they started down this path.

I started with the events because of my former inmate. I figured I could help him and help others while I did.

[chlorophylliac]

I'm aware of the alleged therapeutic value of inmate playdates.

[This isn't at all acerbic, just with the tired bemusement of someone who's been institutionalized outside the Barge, and in worse circumstances.]

[lydiascreams]

It's not alleged. But I know it's not for everyone.

[She looks like someone who'd enjoy them, though, or at least like someone who isn't socially awkward.]

[chlorophylliac]

[Ivy isn't socially awkward. She just hates people.]

Sporadic therapeutic value, then. Though in my experience when you put a room full of trapped, violent people in a room together, that bonding is beneficial for them and detrimental to everyone else.

[lydiascreams]

That hasn't been my experience at the Barge. People seem to be able to understand when we're trying to do something that is both nice and beneficial for everyone.

[At least, all the parties they had so far were peaceful. Even the one where stupid Jerry the Vampire decided to show up. At least he didn't create issues.]