week 5; sunday ( hikage & steph )

[axilium]

[today has been... eventful. the execution sucked, but hikage is making the day better, at least? amazing.

in any case, off they go to hikage's and steph's room, since that's where belph's taking him.]

Steph, you better be in there—I've got your boyfriend with me!

Comments

[vigilantics]

Hikage, I am pretty sure I traumatized a fourteen year old over that?

[ listen she knows he doesn't know what they do when he picks them. but why. ]

[psychedelica]

It's not my fault. I have no idea what they do. I've been trying to get clues out of them every week, and they won't tell me anything! [ ... ] The one time I asked for a recommendation, everyone got stab wounds. So I just go with my gut.

[axilium]

Well, good to know your gut wasn't what got us injured...?

[STILL. UGGGGGH.]

So how exactly does your title ability work, then?

[vigilantics]

[ she just nods her head. answer, binch. ]

[psychedelica]

[ he doesn't like it, either.

it shocks him how quickly he answers these questions when they're the ones asking. He trusts them, he realizes. He never trusts anyone. ]

Every Friday, I can request an item to help with the trial on Saturday. [ this one isn't quite as funny. but he doesn't care. if they betray him now, he deserves it for being so foolish. ] ... When Tiger and Dragon bring items into the middle of the trial - those are my requests.

[axilium]

Do you choose, or do the Crafters? Like, did you voluntarily give us dead swans?

[vigilantics]

And is there any particular time you have to do it by?

[psychedelica]

I choose. I can be very specific.

[ his first choice was not killing the swans but it was probably worse... ]

And I can only do it on Friday after the investigation.

[axilium]

[wtf was his first choice.]

So do you get a list of options, or...?

[honestly, there's no point to these questions other than that he's curious.]

[vigilantics]

And do you choose when they actually show up?

[ since it's been at different times... ]

[psychedelica]

No. To both of you.

[ a pause. ]

... My original objective was to identify three culprits, so I used it for that when I could. Now that I've completed that, I can use it for my own whims. I just felt like trying to solve the mystery this week.

[axilium]

[well, hikage mentioned that to him before, so none of that is a surprise. he just smiles wryly.]

Like giving us dead swans.

[vigilantics]

That was so gross...

[ i say as if i was there but steph, in theory, was, ]

[psychedelica]

I thought there might have been evidence inside them.

[ perfectly unapologetic ]

[axilium]

Well, I guess you weren't wrong...

[vigilantics]

I still lost my appetite, but okay.

[ she says that as if she ever had in the first place during murder trials. ]

Thanks though.

[psychedelica]

... For what?

[ the swans were totally useless, weren't they... ]

[axilium]

[well, he'll let steph answer that one.]

[vigilantics]

For helping.

[ it doesn't matter that the swans didn't help them solve the murder. but this is the same person who had announced his desire to make everyone here suffer, so the difference between a couple of weeks is kind of amazing. ]

And for finally realizing we're friends, you dork.

[psychedelica]

[ he... shifts on his feet a little bit, looking genuinely awkward. There's not a doubt in his mind that he's overcome with gladness at this whole situation - that doesn't mean he has the first clue how to express it without hurting his pride. ]

I'm... not used to it. Having friends. [ beat. ] Most people don't pass through the interspace when they die. The ones that do never remember anything, and aren't very attached to their own existence, so they disappear after a few weeks. I was always alone.

[ it seems like he's making an excuse for his behavior towards them - probably the closest he'll get to apologizing for it. ]

[axilium]

Yeah, it's pretty obvious you don't socialize much, Hikage.

[just saying. but since that sounds mean, belph will add—]

Though Steph's probably the only one here used to having a bursting social life?

[vigilantics]

[ in all honesty even before learning their tragic backstories, it was slightly obvious that neither of them had a ton of friends. she is nice enough to not say that out loud though. ]

I do, in fact, know how to hang out with others. [ ... ] That just means I'll have to help make up for lost time. You'll get used to it.

[ she's looking at hikage, but she also glances at belph when she says that last bit. ]

You'll probably get embarrassed and somewhat uncomfortable at times, but you will.

[psychedelica]

[ "slightly obvious" huh ]

I know that. Don't patronize me.

[ a little defensive... even if she's totally in her rights to advise him. Hikage sighs, then plants himself on the side of the bed, giving Steph a generously wide berth. ]

... There's one thing I want to ask. What are you two going to do with the information you get? It doesn't seem like there are any roles you're interested in eliminating.

[ to put it nicely ]

[axilium]

[fuck you steph he had THREE WHOLE FRIENDS back home, even if one of them died, he was forced to betray another, and then he deliberately made the last one hate him all in the span of like a week.............]

I've been collaborating with the other roles to gather info about this game. Murder is kind of the opposite of the goal?

[vigilantics]

I'm not allowed to talk to any of them.

[ the other roles, she means. ]

But every time we correctly identity someone with a role, we can get the Crafters to answer a question for us. So it's mostly just... networking and getting answers?