Security’s intervention leaves the hospital confrontation unfinished. Santana returns to the rehearsal space with his guitar, accompanied by Keiji, Eric, Mu-shi, Cass, Kalista, and Stella; Brent is gone with Jesse.
The familiar room receives them with coiled cables, scuffed cases, and silent monitors. No one claims the center of the space; the hurt feelings came back with them.
Santana’s phone vibrates against the guitar’s body. The message is from Yuki, still in the consultation room with Gideon and Marisol, while the documents remain under her control.
Yuki Takamora
Before any recording review, please discuss who can be trusted. I need your honest answers, not automatic loyalty.
Keiji reads the message over Santana’s shoulder, then looks toward Eric. Eric’s jaw tightens; Cass studies the floor, while Kalista and Stella exchange a quieter glance.
Keiji Shinoda
That is not a small question, and nobody gets to answer it by pretending the hospital went well.
The rehearsal room stays private and still. Santana’s phone remains lit in his hand, Yuki’s request waiting between the band members and the silence they have not yet learned to cross.
✓ Quest Accepted
Establish a shared trust boundary that Yuki accepts
“I propose we send Yuki our honest answers before any review.”
SUCCESS (Legendary Persuasion, rolled +1)
Santana
Let us send Yuki our honest answers before any review. She asked who can be trusted, and she deserves to hear us plainly.
Santana turns the lit phone so everyone can see it. The proposal settles over the rehearsal room, giving the band a shared task instead of another accusation.
Eric Greyman
I can answer. I trust the people who stay when things get frightening, but I do not trust pressure disguised as help.
Cass
I trust Yuki to decide what happens to her own recording. Revolutionary concept, apparently.
Kalista Mercer
I trust people who listen when someone says stop. I do not trust anyone who treats consent like a formality.
Stella
I trust honesty that leaves room for uncertainty. Anyone claiming perfect certainty about that recording worries me.
Keiji nods and begins organizing the replies while Mu-shi quietly adds his own written answer. The message goes to Yuki with each response intact, before anyone reviews the recording.
“Ask Yuki whether our answers meet her trust boundary”
FAILURE (Legendary Persuasion, rolled -3)
“Ask Yuki whether our answers meet her trust boundary”
SUCCESS (Legendary Persuasion, rolled +2)
Santana
Yuki, do our answers meet your trust boundary?
Santana sends the question through the lit phone. The rehearsal room quiets around him, while the band waits without adding pressure to Yuki’s decision.
Yuki Takamora
Yes. They meet it, because nobody answered with blind loyalty. You gave me specific reasons, limits, and room to decide for myself.
A second message appears before the room can celebrate. Yuki’s wording is careful, but the boundary she asked them to examine now has a clear answer.
Keiji Shinoda
Then we keep those answers intact. No one turns trust into permission to decide for her.
Cass
Amazing. We managed honesty without appointing ourselves as her guardians.
Mu-shi adds a quiet confirmation to the message, and Stella nods. The phone remains with Santana as the group accepts Yuki’s boundary instead of testing it.
Quest Complete
Establish a shared trust boundary that Yuki accepts
Skill Upgrade: Psychology Fair→Good