Small and Sweet [TWD SI]
- Thread starter StrangerDanger51
- Start date
- Alt. History Horror
Yeah no doubt, two guards who can potentially be overwhelmed just by numbers? It's almost bound to happen especially without the foresight of our great SI. Though they are armed more heavily than canon so maybe a raid won't happen or they're able to stave off the bandits.
StrangerDanger51
Novice Writer
- Location
- New Zealand
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Doug was a really nice guy. No-one had anything bad to say about him, except that he didn't like using the guns.
It hit a lot harder than losing Mark, especially with Carly being involved with him.
Indeed, the deepest wounds are always self-inflicted. At least, emotionally. In their, head, the SI KNOWS they did everything they could, but there's always that 'I KNEW something would happen, then i let down my guard,' kinda thoughts in their head.
Savage Lee and Gunloli Clem, Badass duo. If only Lee was jacked enough for Clem to also be a shoulder-loli.
As per canon, Lee found all the evidence in the campground. He has the video recorder, he just needs to put some new batteries in.
The Save-Lots bandits didn't start assaulting the motel until they'd confirmed the Dairy was destroyed, since there was no reason to risk antagonizing another group if they already had a source of food.
What? Zombies also having a life-detection radar and spawned from nothing? Sounds like They are Billions.
5 days sounds about right. They'd wait for a day, then another assault on the dairy the day after that. Then a day deciding what to do, then trying to find this other group of survivors. Once they found them, a day of recon. Wait, Check, Decide, Search, Scout, Attack. 5 days, and an assault on the sixth day.
Thanks for the idea!
our
A little girls intuition is a amazing thing.
Damn
I am guessing because that finished up alot sooner.
Why is it the MC's fault?
StrangerDanger51
Novice Writer
- Location
- New Zealand
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Thanks!
It's not. They're blaming themself because they had foreknowledge of what the St Johns were like, but didn't say thing other than vague warnings.
@StrangerDanger
You know if they go back to the farm and grab a generator or two and some wiring they could put up a electric fence around the motel! Should cost less gas with less area to cover. Just need to store the generator in a spare room to cover the noise and only turn it on when under attack.
And use the other generator to use the fridge with wild game or what ever necessity requires a generator?
You know if they go back to the farm and grab a generator or two and some wiring they could put up a electric fence around the motel! Should cost less gas with less area to cover. Just need to store the generator in a spare room to cover the noise and only turn it on when under attack.
And use the other generator to use the fridge with wild game or what ever necessity requires a generator?
Lord_Anthrax
Daemon Prince of Nurgle
To be fair the TaB campaign says the population hit 80 BILLION
So they had to start recycling people hive city style
Unfortunately eating your own spices is a bad idea especially on a large scale
StrangerDanger51
Novice Writer
- Location
- New Zealand
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Huh. Lore. I didn't know that stuff. CoolTo be fair the TaB campaign says the population hit 80 BILLION
So they had to start recycling people hive city style
Unfortunately eating your own spices is a bad idea especially on a large scale
Lord_Anthrax
Daemon Prince of Nurgle
Yay they add a campaign a while ago
TheOmnimercurial
Dragon Bard
- Location
- UK
I have to wonder why Lil Gal was not waiting in readiness to shoot to prevent it outright?
- Pronouns
- Male
If she just outright went for murder without a in world reason to it they would ask questions and then we would have problems and our Clem is already not acting like a normal child even by end of the world standards.
StrangerDanger51
Novice Writer
- Location
- New Zealand
- Pronouns
- He/Him
Update: No chapter today. It's about half-written, but I've been banging my head against the screen for hours and keep getting distracted.
I'm gonna take the rest of today to do other stuff. Feel free to discuss what you think's gonna happen!
I'm gonna take the rest of today to do other stuff. Feel free to discuss what you think's gonna happen!
Good idea. Perhaps if they can set it up to off a few dozen before the fight. Additionally they can force some info out of them? No they should already know where the store is.
Something I realized. Thanks to the changes they have enough food to last awhile. This means two things. That the hunger hadn't driven them to be so hangry that they are chomping at the bit on each other. But that they should be more full, less disparate and ready to fight. And with Larry alive his daughter is both not reeling from his loss and more incline to play good cop to his bad cop.
TheOmnimercurial
Dragon Bard
- Location
- UK
Maybe whip up some DIY Chem Warfare?
Mustard Gas
Chlorine is Nasty.....
Mustard Gas
Chlorine is Nasty.....
Chapter 8: The Trouble with Bandits
StrangerDanger51
Novice Writer
- Location
- New Zealand
- Pronouns
- He/Him
When we finally got back to the hotel, we were cold, tired, in shock and grieving.
"Where have you been?!" Lilly demanded as we approached the gate. She was up on the balcony, keeping watch. "Dad and I were about to come out and find your asses. The hell took you so.. long..." her voice trailed off when we got close enough for her to see the looks on our faces, and stopped when she saw the sheet-wrapped body on the stretcher. A quick scan of our faces told her all she needed to know.
"What happened?" She asked quietly with an apologetic tone.
"The St John's were Cannibals." I answered from the head of the funeral procession. "It didn't work out."
The next morning, Lee and Kenny started digging a grave behind the motel. Carly and I spent a few hours carving Doug's name, birth and death date, and a message into a wooden cross.
We held a small ceremony, and lowered him into the grave, next to the nameless woman.
We spent the day grieving, coming to terms with what had happened and what we'd done in response.
That night, the adults got piss-drunk.
At least Katja made sure Duck went to bed early.
It was the next day, 94 days since the start of the apocalypse, when we started being productive again.
"We need to prepare." I'd said to the group as we were eating breakfast. Most of the adults were nursing hangovers, and just looked at me, confused.
"There is a whole bandit group set up near Macon, in the Save-Lots outside of town. They were extorting the St John's for food," I continued, getting nods. "We can assume their group is a lot bigger than ours, and if they needed food, then they've already exhausted their own food stores." I waved towards the forest, in the general direction of the dairy.
"They will go back to the dairy, and they will see the St John's were executed, never mind that they saw Mark and... Doug... there." I said.
"They will find us, and we need to be ready."
The first order of business was to make the Motel more defensible. The balcony's rail was hastily reinforced and barriers were made to hide behind. Everyone kept their weapons on them at all times.
On the sixth day post the St John incident, the 13th of November, Ben was killed.
He'd offered to take night watch. I think he felt he needed to prove himself or something, after all the work he'd seen us doing.
The first thing we knew about it was a gunshot in the early hours of the morning.
The moon was in it's first quarter, and it wasn't exactly the brightest night, but we had drilled for this. Guns were loaded and cocked, safeties off in less than twenty seconds. As the ones with the upstairs rooms, Carly, Lee and I all got a great view of Ben crumpled on top of the van, a pool of blood growing around him.
A much more hasty or ill-aimed crossbow bolt hit the reinforced balcony rail and we quickly took cover. As the others emerged, the three of us shot blindly into the trees across the street, providing covering fire.
I really wish we had a way to see them, a floodlight would have made that so much easier.
When Kenny and Larry brought out the heavy machine gun and started lighting up the tree line, well.
Lets just say the attack didn't last much longer.
We'd only known Ben for seven days, but it sent a message.
We didn't know if he'd just been inattentive, fallen asleep, if he'd seen them and was about to shout, but he'd still died to a headshot.
The next day, we buried him with Doug and the woman. We threw the eight bandits we killed into a pile and burned them with all the walkers who'd been drawn to the attack.
We also took their weapons and ammo.
What? You gotta be pragmatic.
Mark and Lee drove to Warner Robins to loot it. Did you know the place wasn't just a military base? It was a whole freaking town, about half as big as Macon. We had more food and medicine, but the bandits must have finished looting the military base, because it was picked clean.
Carly started spending a lot more time with Lee and I.
The bandits raided us another two times, three days apart. All they accomplished was losing more men. After their disastrous first attack, they retreated after one of their own died, but it still wore us down to stay on alert all the time.
On the 21th of November, the day after the third attack, the RV spluttered to life for the first time.
There was much rejoicing, though no one was dumb enough to get drunk, that'd just give the bandits an opportunity.
We'd already packed the RV with some supplies, but with this it started in earnest. Fuel, Food and not much else. If all Ele... Nine... Of us, wanted to get out in this thing, we couldn't take up too much space with supplies. A dozen jerry cans of fuel were stored on the roof, all the cupboards were stuffed with food.
The next day, while we were making our final preparations to leave, the bandits made their final effort to stop us.
Day 107: The 22nd of November
"Kenny! Did you get the-" Katja was interrupted by her husband.
"Yeah, Yeah! I did. It's in the RV." He waves it off, making a final inspection of the RV's engine.
"Clem, you got the walkies?" Carly asked me as we watched the group getting ready from the balcony. Lee, Mark and Lilly were all on watch, looking for the slightest movement.
"Of course." I replied, "I've got one, Lee's got the other." It was a little entertaining to see everyone double and triple-checking they had everything they needed. "You know that, so why ask?"
Well, it was for a good reason.
"I know, I know. I just..." She paused trying to find the words. "I don't want to lose anyone else" She admitted.
"Losing Doug was... Hard. Ben's death wasn't as bad, as terrible as that sounds. We just... Didn't know him that well." She elaborated, "But loosing Lee, or Kenny, or Mark or... Or one of you kids?" She shivered. "I don't know what I'd do." I smiled sadly, and put an hand on her arm.
"We're going to be fine." I said.
Of course, that's when the assault began.
"Movement!" Mark shouted, getting a crossbow bolt from the bushes as a reply. The bolt slammed into the wall he was kneeling behind, and the battle was joined. The shouted warning gave plenty of time for people to dive for cover.
It was lucky we did, because a couple dozen crossbow bolts, as well as at lest ten guns fired, peppering our defenses.
"RETURN FIRE!" Lilly commanded. As we fired into the tree line, Katja and Duck made a break for the RV. Kenny slammed the hood of the RV shut and joined the defense. After that first volley, the bandits kept up the pressure, firing individually rather than in waves.
Carly and I made our way along the balcony and down the staircase. Another burst of return fire gave us enough breathing room to sprint to cover behind the RV, joining Larry.
Lilly, Mark and Lee, retreated from the peppered walls for the second line of defense.
The bandits, emboldened, burst from the cover of the trees and rushed the motel's walls.
Five died in the process.
A volley of bolts and bullets caused us all to duck. They'd been avoiding firing on the RV, probably hoping they could capture it after they'd dealt with us.
In the next break, Lee made it to the RV. Then Lilly.
Then the screams started.
I don't know why they didn't prep for this, but their rear-guard was set upon by the walkers drawn to the gunfire. The Bandits at the left gate pushed it in, opening a gap for them to get in and take cover behind our own defenses.
Mark, on the right side, was under threat of being flanked.
"Come on, Mark!" I shouted, Waving my hands. "Quickly!"
He took one last shot, before he rushed towards the RV.
The next thing I knew, Mark was face-down on the ground.
He must have tripped.
"Get up, Mark! We need to go!" I repeated. "Mark! C'mon."
"We gotta go, Clem!" Lee said, trying to pull me towards the RV door.
"Wait! Mark's not here yet!"
"WE GOTTA GO!" Kenny shouted, starting the engine.
"MARK!" I screamed as Lee picked me up.
I looked over his shoulder and caught a glimpse of red pooling under Mark's head.
I think I lost a few minutes, because I was suddenly in the RV and the view outside the windows was full of trees, rushing by.
I was still in Lee's arms, facing out the back window. The motel wasn't in sight. Carly was next to us, rubbing my back gently.
My mind caught up with my memories, and I realized. Mark was dead. He hadn't tripped, he'd been shot and died before he's hit the ground.
Okay. I'll be honest.
I blubbered like a baby.
I gripped Lee tight. He and Carly stared whispering gentle, comforting nothings in my ear.
I didn't register, or care about, what they said, but...
It helped.
The others were quiet. Our party of eight.
I...
I couldn't do it.
I saved Mark, but Doug died instead.
Ben was put on watch way before he was ready.
Mark only ran right that moment, because I told him to.
...
Can I actually save anyone? Are they all just gonna die anyway?
Eventually, I ran out of tears. I closed my eyes and lay there on Lee's shoulder. After a certain point, they must have thought I'd gone to sleep.
"Poor Clem." Carly whispered. "I think that's the first time I've seen her really, you know, break down. She's always seemed so... Resilient." I felt Lee shift. He must have nodded.
"She's a tough cookie." He replied, notes of pride in his voice. His next words were said a bit more sadly. "She thinks her parents didn't make it." Carly hummed in agreement.
"Yeah, she mentioned something like that. I tried to reassure her, but I don't think it worked."
"I feel like she's trying to make sure she doesn't lose anyone else." Lee added. I heard Larry snort.
"Stupid. Ouch!" I assume Lilly elbowed him.
"It's not stupid." The military woman insisted. "Mark was a good man. I'm sure that he died how he would have wanted to; saving us."
The RV lapsed into silence. I think I did drift off to sleep at some point. Or at least, I dozed. As far as I'm aware, we passed the rest of the trip in silence.
We stopped eventually, for a reason I knew quite well. I'd played through this section of the game often enough, after all.
"Well, would you look at that." Kenny said. "A whole damn train, right on the road."
"Well, this is a problem we didn't need." Lilly agreed. "What the hell do we do now?"
The train was as ominous as ever. The engine was a behemoth of cold metal, while the derailed carriages snaked behind it, like a... snake. We all piled out. I sat with Katja, Duck and Carly as the other four adults inspected the train.
I saw Lee and Kenny walking up and down the thing, dealing with the walker in the car on the other side, finding the things necessary to get it working.
They tried to talk to me, a bit. It wasn't fair to them, but I didn't say anything.
I had a new strategy.
I'm not gonna say anything.
If I don't say anything, I can't throw off the timeline, but at least I'll be able to predict events with a bit more accuracy.
No one else was gonna die because of what I've done.
And I'm not gonna say a word about it.
AN: Shorter chapter. I mean, I could probably pad it out, but I don't really want to. I think it says what I want it to say. Next chapter will be a bit longer, hopefully.
"Where have you been?!" Lilly demanded as we approached the gate. She was up on the balcony, keeping watch. "Dad and I were about to come out and find your asses. The hell took you so.. long..." her voice trailed off when we got close enough for her to see the looks on our faces, and stopped when she saw the sheet-wrapped body on the stretcher. A quick scan of our faces told her all she needed to know.
"What happened?" She asked quietly with an apologetic tone.
"The St John's were Cannibals." I answered from the head of the funeral procession. "It didn't work out."
---SaS---
The next morning, Lee and Kenny started digging a grave behind the motel. Carly and I spent a few hours carving Doug's name, birth and death date, and a message into a wooden cross.
We held a small ceremony, and lowered him into the grave, next to the nameless woman.
We spent the day grieving, coming to terms with what had happened and what we'd done in response.
That night, the adults got piss-drunk.
At least Katja made sure Duck went to bed early.
It was the next day, 94 days since the start of the apocalypse, when we started being productive again.
"We need to prepare." I'd said to the group as we were eating breakfast. Most of the adults were nursing hangovers, and just looked at me, confused.
"There is a whole bandit group set up near Macon, in the Save-Lots outside of town. They were extorting the St John's for food," I continued, getting nods. "We can assume their group is a lot bigger than ours, and if they needed food, then they've already exhausted their own food stores." I waved towards the forest, in the general direction of the dairy.
"They will go back to the dairy, and they will see the St John's were executed, never mind that they saw Mark and... Doug... there." I said.
"They will find us, and we need to be ready."
---SaS---
The first order of business was to make the Motel more defensible. The balcony's rail was hastily reinforced and barriers were made to hide behind. Everyone kept their weapons on them at all times.
On the sixth day post the St John incident, the 13th of November, Ben was killed.
He'd offered to take night watch. I think he felt he needed to prove himself or something, after all the work he'd seen us doing.
The first thing we knew about it was a gunshot in the early hours of the morning.
The moon was in it's first quarter, and it wasn't exactly the brightest night, but we had drilled for this. Guns were loaded and cocked, safeties off in less than twenty seconds. As the ones with the upstairs rooms, Carly, Lee and I all got a great view of Ben crumpled on top of the van, a pool of blood growing around him.
A much more hasty or ill-aimed crossbow bolt hit the reinforced balcony rail and we quickly took cover. As the others emerged, the three of us shot blindly into the trees across the street, providing covering fire.
I really wish we had a way to see them, a floodlight would have made that so much easier.
When Kenny and Larry brought out the heavy machine gun and started lighting up the tree line, well.
Lets just say the attack didn't last much longer.
We'd only known Ben for seven days, but it sent a message.
We didn't know if he'd just been inattentive, fallen asleep, if he'd seen them and was about to shout, but he'd still died to a headshot.
The next day, we buried him with Doug and the woman. We threw the eight bandits we killed into a pile and burned them with all the walkers who'd been drawn to the attack.
We also took their weapons and ammo.
What? You gotta be pragmatic.
Mark and Lee drove to Warner Robins to loot it. Did you know the place wasn't just a military base? It was a whole freaking town, about half as big as Macon. We had more food and medicine, but the bandits must have finished looting the military base, because it was picked clean.
Carly started spending a lot more time with Lee and I.
The bandits raided us another two times, three days apart. All they accomplished was losing more men. After their disastrous first attack, they retreated after one of their own died, but it still wore us down to stay on alert all the time.
On the 21th of November, the day after the third attack, the RV spluttered to life for the first time.
There was much rejoicing, though no one was dumb enough to get drunk, that'd just give the bandits an opportunity.
We'd already packed the RV with some supplies, but with this it started in earnest. Fuel, Food and not much else. If all Ele... Nine... Of us, wanted to get out in this thing, we couldn't take up too much space with supplies. A dozen jerry cans of fuel were stored on the roof, all the cupboards were stuffed with food.
The next day, while we were making our final preparations to leave, the bandits made their final effort to stop us.
---SaS---
Day 107: The 22nd of November
"Kenny! Did you get the-" Katja was interrupted by her husband.
"Yeah, Yeah! I did. It's in the RV." He waves it off, making a final inspection of the RV's engine.
"Clem, you got the walkies?" Carly asked me as we watched the group getting ready from the balcony. Lee, Mark and Lilly were all on watch, looking for the slightest movement.
"Of course." I replied, "I've got one, Lee's got the other." It was a little entertaining to see everyone double and triple-checking they had everything they needed. "You know that, so why ask?"
Well, it was for a good reason.
"I know, I know. I just..." She paused trying to find the words. "I don't want to lose anyone else" She admitted.
"Losing Doug was... Hard. Ben's death wasn't as bad, as terrible as that sounds. We just... Didn't know him that well." She elaborated, "But loosing Lee, or Kenny, or Mark or... Or one of you kids?" She shivered. "I don't know what I'd do." I smiled sadly, and put an hand on her arm.
"We're going to be fine." I said.
Of course, that's when the assault began.
"Movement!" Mark shouted, getting a crossbow bolt from the bushes as a reply. The bolt slammed into the wall he was kneeling behind, and the battle was joined. The shouted warning gave plenty of time for people to dive for cover.
It was lucky we did, because a couple dozen crossbow bolts, as well as at lest ten guns fired, peppering our defenses.
"RETURN FIRE!" Lilly commanded. As we fired into the tree line, Katja and Duck made a break for the RV. Kenny slammed the hood of the RV shut and joined the defense. After that first volley, the bandits kept up the pressure, firing individually rather than in waves.
Carly and I made our way along the balcony and down the staircase. Another burst of return fire gave us enough breathing room to sprint to cover behind the RV, joining Larry.
Lilly, Mark and Lee, retreated from the peppered walls for the second line of defense.
The bandits, emboldened, burst from the cover of the trees and rushed the motel's walls.
Five died in the process.
A volley of bolts and bullets caused us all to duck. They'd been avoiding firing on the RV, probably hoping they could capture it after they'd dealt with us.
In the next break, Lee made it to the RV. Then Lilly.
Then the screams started.
I don't know why they didn't prep for this, but their rear-guard was set upon by the walkers drawn to the gunfire. The Bandits at the left gate pushed it in, opening a gap for them to get in and take cover behind our own defenses.
Mark, on the right side, was under threat of being flanked.
"Come on, Mark!" I shouted, Waving my hands. "Quickly!"
He took one last shot, before he rushed towards the RV.
The next thing I knew, Mark was face-down on the ground.
He must have tripped.
"Get up, Mark! We need to go!" I repeated. "Mark! C'mon."
"We gotta go, Clem!" Lee said, trying to pull me towards the RV door.
"Wait! Mark's not here yet!"
"WE GOTTA GO!" Kenny shouted, starting the engine.
"MARK!" I screamed as Lee picked me up.
I looked over his shoulder and caught a glimpse of red pooling under Mark's head.
---SaS---
I think I lost a few minutes, because I was suddenly in the RV and the view outside the windows was full of trees, rushing by.
I was still in Lee's arms, facing out the back window. The motel wasn't in sight. Carly was next to us, rubbing my back gently.
My mind caught up with my memories, and I realized. Mark was dead. He hadn't tripped, he'd been shot and died before he's hit the ground.
Okay. I'll be honest.
I blubbered like a baby.
I gripped Lee tight. He and Carly stared whispering gentle, comforting nothings in my ear.
I didn't register, or care about, what they said, but...
It helped.
The others were quiet. Our party of eight.
I...
I couldn't do it.
I saved Mark, but Doug died instead.
Ben was put on watch way before he was ready.
Mark only ran right that moment, because I told him to.
...
Can I actually save anyone? Are they all just gonna die anyway?
Eventually, I ran out of tears. I closed my eyes and lay there on Lee's shoulder. After a certain point, they must have thought I'd gone to sleep.
"Poor Clem." Carly whispered. "I think that's the first time I've seen her really, you know, break down. She's always seemed so... Resilient." I felt Lee shift. He must have nodded.
"She's a tough cookie." He replied, notes of pride in his voice. His next words were said a bit more sadly. "She thinks her parents didn't make it." Carly hummed in agreement.
"Yeah, she mentioned something like that. I tried to reassure her, but I don't think it worked."
"I feel like she's trying to make sure she doesn't lose anyone else." Lee added. I heard Larry snort.
"Stupid. Ouch!" I assume Lilly elbowed him.
"It's not stupid." The military woman insisted. "Mark was a good man. I'm sure that he died how he would have wanted to; saving us."
The RV lapsed into silence. I think I did drift off to sleep at some point. Or at least, I dozed. As far as I'm aware, we passed the rest of the trip in silence.
We stopped eventually, for a reason I knew quite well. I'd played through this section of the game often enough, after all.
"Well, would you look at that." Kenny said. "A whole damn train, right on the road."
"Well, this is a problem we didn't need." Lilly agreed. "What the hell do we do now?"
---SaS---
The train was as ominous as ever. The engine was a behemoth of cold metal, while the derailed carriages snaked behind it, like a... snake. We all piled out. I sat with Katja, Duck and Carly as the other four adults inspected the train.
I saw Lee and Kenny walking up and down the thing, dealing with the walker in the car on the other side, finding the things necessary to get it working.
They tried to talk to me, a bit. It wasn't fair to them, but I didn't say anything.
I had a new strategy.
I'm not gonna say anything.
If I don't say anything, I can't throw off the timeline, but at least I'll be able to predict events with a bit more accuracy.
No one else was gonna die because of what I've done.
And I'm not gonna say a word about it.
---SaS---
AN: Shorter chapter. I mean, I could probably pad it out, but I don't really want to. I think it says what I want it to say. Next chapter will be a bit longer, hopefully.
- Pronouns
- He
at this point it seems clem's just delaying the deaths then actually stopping them.
I'm fine with the way this is going, better to have the mc be affected in a negative way rather than have them be an infallible sue.
I'm really happy that I've found this story since it has everything I would want from a si, that being reincarnation or insertion into a canon character, them making mistakes that cost them, derailing in a way that feels organic. The fact that I like the mc's personality is just icing on the cake.
I'm really happy that I've found this story since it has everything I would want from a si, that being reincarnation or insertion into a canon character, them making mistakes that cost them, derailing in a way that feels organic. The fact that I like the mc's personality is just icing on the cake.
- Location
- LEO
I really don't enjoy characters throwing away agency, partly because I know that it can't last and sometime later the dam is going to break. I want to just skip to where the SI comes clean. It just seems to be a contrived source of drama.
StrangerDanger51
Novice Writer
- Location
- New Zealand
- Pronouns
- He/Him
It's a dangerous world. Shit happens, people die.
I'm not actually throwing dice to decide who lives and dies, but I'm trying to think from a narrative standpoint. We don't really know Mark, and the decisions he'd make, that well. Ben is just a coward, and I don't really like the character or want to write him. Doug, similarly, I don't really like. The others, I know their personalities well enough to make guesses on their decision making and effects.
That's really it. If someone needs to die to advance the story, who is the most expendable/will cause the story to advance in the direction I want it to.
I didn't decide to do it lightly. I thought hard about my own responses, and what I would do:
- First I would try to change as many things as I could for the better.
- Then, faced with the consequences of the changes I'd wrought, I would probably try to change as little as possible, even if the derail was already too far gone.
What would happen from then on? I don't know yet. Let me figure it out.
Thanks! I'm glad you're enjoying it!
This chapter was especially hard to write because I was throwing some serious trauma at my SI, and I don't think many people actually enjoy doing that. (Well, except maybe Shadenight, but he's an exception).
I'm sorry you're not enjoying the decision, but this is the response I would take. Clem isn't just gonna turn into a Sarah-expy though, they're gonna pull themselves together. Might take a shock to pull them out of it though.
I find stories where the SI comes clean too... fix-it-ficy? I mean, honestly, if you come out claiming to know the future, in a world where time travel isn't at least a known quality, you're gonna come off as insane. I find it really unrealistic when people believe the SI straight off the bat. I believe that the 'contrived drama' is a valid part of the story, and helps us get a picture of the SI's personality.