"...are you sure."

He considers the question seriously. He already had, he wouldn't have come here with Saskia if he wasn't certain she knew what she was doing, but it is the sort of thing that is worth reconsidering. Just in case.

"Yes," he says, with absolute certainty.

"...hm," she says, in a slightly different tone.

He smiles, a little.

"So. Is there anything you need or would like to have? I don't think I could push for everyone to walk out of here forever tomorrow, but I bet if there are things you'd like to have I can make sure you get them. Whether it be material items or a trip to a place that is not this mountain. Or something."

"I'm not sure you can get me the thing I want."

"Is there a reason not to ask? I might just surprise you."

"It's not pleasant to hope."

"That's fair. If you'd rather not, I understand. But if you ask me for something, I will do my absolute best to get it for you, and I make a habit of doing the impossible."

"...if he doesn't do this to anyone else, that's... enough. I don't think there's much you can do for us."

"All right."

He doesn't precisely agree with that statement, but he thinks he'd rather not push.

"...it's not that there's things you can't do, it's that there aren't things."

He nods.

After a moment she adds, reflectively, "I suppose it's true that you can't kill us, but even if you could, you shouldn't. I don't want the mountain to explode."

"I am trying to avoid the mountain exploding," agrees Veron.

"Good."

"... How are the others here? I uh. Hesitate to go knock on doors and ask. For obvious reasons."

"None of us is okay. Some are better off than others. I'm newest, I have the most - me left."

"Ah."

"I think I could be let go and be okay afterward. The rest of them are probably going to kill themselves as soon as they have the option."

Veron nods, gravely.

"How are you getting him to do anything?"

"I um. Put a letter in his mailbox, and then had a calm and civil discussion with him. It was a bit bizarre, actually."

... ???

"I know! Usually these things involve dramatic confrontations and annoying evil monologues and destruction of important objects or something! But he just explained why he was acting the way he was and what he wanted, and I gave him a possible alternative that worked for him and he agreed to try it!"

...she smiles slightly.