[center][h2][color=598527][i]-Ansgar-[/i][/color][/h2][/center]

It seemed that either Senna's sense of humor was as off as his was apparently, or perhaps it was a necessary evil, given the oppressiveness and general dark mood that seemed to be around the place right now. Understandable, given the situation, but certainly a dark mood none the less. Ansgar, lacking the ability to utilize facial expressions to respond, seemed to shrug idly, head cocking slightly to his left with his response following, blank as ever. [color=598527]"Those that lose their ability to laugh, even in the face of grim truth, have lost their ability to fight. To laugh, is to be unbeaten yet. To answer, though, it is a rare humor for a rare situation, no harm assuming no such thing was around."[/color] Whether that was an indirect jab at the sharp exhale from the approaching boy, Sai he suspected the name was if memory served him well, or a more general statement was well and truly up to interpretation. However, things would present a rather interesting train of thought, brought up despite the flirting manner that Senna decided to engage Sai with. While thankful such attention was not on him, distracting as it no doubt was, thought continued none the less.

Both of them brought up good points, in their own regards. Larger group did mean a larger target, to put it in a shorter set of words. Yet, he recalled an old phrase he had heard at one point. United we stand, divided we are conquered. Opposing arguments, pushing for greater purchase in his mind. Certainly, it would be easier to cut and run, go their separate ways and defy the wishes of the dead. Yet, such things, he had this feeling, would not bode well for those defiant in regards to that mentioned wish. So he had his options, run and try to make ends meet on his own, or stand his ground and see what happened. The gangs would be descending soon, intent on scavenging anything worth a damn before leaving the rest to rot. Focusing on the problems of now were good, he could put off his guilt and regret for a more appropriate time. Right now, he needed to focus on a plan. Whether that was stand with the orphans, or cut and run like Senna had suggested, was yet to be seen. He was, as they say, on the fence regarding the matter. Both had their merits, and their flaws, and had to be treated as such.

[color=598527]"Though indirect, she makes a valid point. Not all of those here are team players, and even those that are may prove to be less than useful. Whether we work together well or not, has nothing to do with anything except the will to do it. And that is in dangerously low amounts, Old Man Fritz's passing saw to that. It will take either charisma, or good manipulation."[/color] Ansgar had gone into thinking mode, fully shutting away his emotions now that he had a problem to work with. Part of the reason he held himself so needlessly high in regards to maturity, in comparison to many, was his thinking. Always working, always learning, couldn't be acting like a child then, right? Thinking on those present, having missed their hidden listener due to his own thinking train going far too fast, he could see both Sai and Senna leading. The former, willingness and, possibly, determination enough to see this done. The latter, manipulation, she was a trickster as far as he understood, and decieving and conning people took either talent in charisma, to pull the wool down, or manipulation to make them believe the wool. Both ways would work, and he brought it up idly, as part of his looking at the problem.

[color=598527]"First issue, leadership. Likely needs to be an older orphan, more experience and all that. Two approaches, deception or charisma. Brute force won't work with either, forcing heart broken kids won't be easy. Might make them more easily controlled though, especially if results are accomplished or promised. I would guess either of you two could pull off leading, or if anyone is trying to organize that screaming mess back there, if they succeed, could do it too. Besides that, how we intend to make ends meet. I am not aware of how the Old Man funded this, but we will need to either keep funding this place, or find someplace new to squat."[/color] With the thinking and considerations, Ansgar drummed the handle of his cane with two fingers, tapping out a steady rhythm while he thought. Where it would go, well, it would depend on how the others bothered reacting to his thinking out loud, as it were, and burn the bridges from there.