week 5; saturday ( stephanie )

[axilium]

[so, steph was probably wondering what the hell was up, when pre-trial, belph pulled her aside and warned her not to focus on jae-ha and sousei's deaths.

...

belph looks absolutely exhausted right now, but they need to talk business.]

Hey.

Comments

[vigilantics]

Hi.

[ she has definitely been wondering, but also she'll wait for belph to talk since she... does not want to rush him after all of that. ]

[axilium]

[...

he'll get to the point.]

Sanji killed them, under orders from the Crafters. Sousei was too disobedient, and he suspects they were worried that Jae-ha would be too unruly without him.

... He broke down crying in front of me and talking about how he deserved to die. It was pretty bad, Steph.

[vigilantics]

[ she honestly cannot imagine what it must be like be given a role like that. it makes her thankful that she was given this one with belph, and the thought makes her feel guilty. ]

When I was talking to him a few weeks ago, he... was really hard on himself. I guess that conversation makes a lot more sense now. [ ... ] This is so shitty.

[axilium]

Yeah. Anyway, he asked not to be thrown under the bus just yet, since he's still trying to save everyone here, so...

[he shrugs.]

Dazai got put on the chopping block instead, I guess.

[vigilantics]

I wouldn't out him anyway.

... I can't believe we went another week like that though.

[ voting for another innocent. ]

[axilium]

... Yeah, it sucks.

[mm.]

In any case, try to keep quiet about him. I'm the only person who knows he's an Editor, so if his role leaks, he'll know it was me.

This includes your newfound alliance, of course.

[vigilantics]

I won't tell anyone.

[ she'll figure out other info to tell them so they won't think it's suspicious that she's so quiet. ]

How are you doing?

[axilium]

[...]

Did you get any new info from the others?

[vigilantics]

[ that answers that. ]

Eichi is the Shield.

[axilium]

[steph has no idea.]

... Makes sense. Sanji seemed protective of the Shield.

How'd you get that?

[vigilantics]

Akechi told Varian after he traded information with him.

[axilium]

... I thought it might be something like that. Akechi told me he knew about the Shield, and that he was in contact with Varian.

[vigilantics]

I guess this means he will have no issue with outing you. I'm. He told him about how the Viziers work. They know there's two of us but they think we're working independently.

[ which is good? ]

[axilium]

[damn it, akechi.]

... In that case, I might have to approach Varian myself. It's better if I control that bit of information, rather than leave it in Akechi's hands.

[vigilantics]

... just be careful, okay?

[ he's been revealing himself to a lot of people. ]

[axilium]

... We'll see how it goes.

[he's quiet for a moment.]

In any case... I feel like my time might be almost up here.

[vigilantics]

No.

[ it's blurted out like the last time. steph is upset about reyna, sousei,and jae-ha-- they were her friends. but the thought of losing belph fills her with fear. ]

[axilium]

... You really have to stop reacting like that, Steph.

[vigilantics]

Sorry.

[ she runs a hand through her hair nervously. ]

I know any of us can get killed. I just... really don't want it to be you.

[axilium]

[...

he almost says something, but thinks better of it. does steph really need to know?]

Well, we'll see. Maybe I'm just being paranoid...

Anyway, keep on working on Varian and the others. I'll be talking to him, so let me know what he says about me.

[vigilantics]

I will. It'll probably be funny.

[ she loves varian but man. it's gonna be something listening to them theorize on vizier stuff. ]

... Belph?

[axilium]

Hmm?

[vigilantics]

I really do love you, you know.

[ whenever she's said it before it's been in the joking sense. but she needs to say it completely seriously, especially if he might die. ]

[axilium]

[...]

You shouldn't.

[vigilantics]

I do a lot of things I shouldn't.

[ much to the aggregation of everyone here. ]

But that's not one of them.

[axilium]

If you and I were from the same place, Steph, we would probably be enemies.

[vigilantics]

It's a good thing we didn't meet in a different place then.

[ there's no point in thinking about it that way. the fact is, this is their lives, not some hypothetical scenario. ]

Anyway, I told you before during our first Vizier meeting. We're Romeo and Juliet except without all that stuff at the end.

[axilium]

I can't say I'm a big fan of Romeo and Juliet.

[vigilantics]

I'm not too big on Shakespeare in general.

[ she's an uncultured peasant. ]

My point is that we don't know what would have happened if we met in different circumstances. What matters is that we're together now.

[axilium]

... How optimistic of you.

[though maybe she's not wrong.]

[vigilantics]

You may call it optimism but I think it's more like our actual reality.

[axilium]

... Well, whatever.

[MOVING ON.]

By the way—sorry, but I cashed in my reward for finding Sanji already. Dragon told me about the other two endings, which are... worse, to be honest.

One is that we might be able to revive everyone, but we don't have enough ink to go home, so we're all stuck here.

And the worst-case scenario—though we've gathered enough ink to avoid this one, apparently—is that we can't revive the dead, we're stuck here, and this castle becomes like the Other Side.

[vigilantics]

[ she pouts slightly at the "whatever" but then her expression turns grim when he gives her the news. ]

Well. At least it won't be completely awful for us then.

[axilium]

Still probably best to avoid that. Sanji and I are hoping we can find an ending that the Tiger and Dragon won't tell us about, since even the Dragon's kind of sucks—and that's assuming she's telling us the complete truth—but I've got no idea how.

[a beat.]

Also, your partner continues to be concerning.

[vigilantics]

No, I agree. If there is any chance we can find something that's better then...

[ it wouldn't hurt to try. ]

... what did he do?

[axilium]

So apparently, if he's ever picked as a Blotter, he'll probably kill Varian because Varian's smart? You might want to hint to him that the guy's a friend of yours.

[vigilantics]

[ her eyes widen. ]

He can't. I promised to protect him.

[axilium]

Yeah, in that case, you might want to tell Hikage that?

[vigilantics]

What, so I just suddenly start talking about how much I like Varian out of nowhere?

[axilium]

... Maybe I should just tell him about me. Hinting didn't get me anywhere.

[vigilantics]

He's kind of dense sometimes.

[ example: truth or dare ]

[axilium]

Yeaaaaah... anyway, I'm pretty sure he doesn't want me dead? So? It should be fine?

[vigilantics]

Considering everything he's told you I'm pretty sure you're like, the last person he wants dead.

[axilium]

I don't know how this happened...

[vigilantics]

He thinks you're a cutie pie.

[ no

or maybe. she doesn't know their relationship :/ ]

[axilium]

Please never say those words again.

[vigilantics]

Eh. You are.

[ but more seriously: ]

You seriously do need to just tell him at this point.

[axilium]

... Yeah, I guess.

[he's not looking forward to the conversation, though, even if he knows it's hypocritical—he's the one who told steph to tell hikage, after all.]

[vigilantics]

He really likes you, so... I'm sure it'll be fine.

[ maybe.

she doesn't think that hikage won't be at least a little upset, but... it'll definitely be worse if he finds out elsewhere. ]