axilium | week 6; friday ( sanji )

I know...!

[Mmmm Belph, you are Belph, and so Sanji keeps the fury angled away from you, but he is pacing around like a tiger on the hunt.]

He said if the Blotters had trouble deciding on a target, his name would be offered up, but I still fuckin hoped they'd leave the kid with a shitty terminal disease alone!

[hmm. well, belph actually has a few important things to say about that, but first:]

... Did you know about his objective?

[...]

No.

He was a Civilian so I never bothered to ask.

[...

pain flickers across belph's face, it's hard to get the words out. honestly, he wouldn't be surprise if sanji decked him for this.]

He had to die in someone's arms.

[This week had been shit from the start, and Sanji had known something was wrong, that Ion was acting too enthusiastic about every little thing, asking for cooking lessons, treating him to a concert, and the fact he'd hugged him on Thursday out of nowhere--

He'd known something was wrong and just didn't pursue it.

Grief and fury bubble into his expression until he feels that urge again, the itch to just keep snapping necks until the war is over and done with--]

[But he can't.

Because Ion would be disappointed in him.

Sanji goes to sit on the nearest surface and just. holds his head in his hands for a bit, covering his eyes.]

[... sorry, sanji, but belph isn't done yet.]

He might come back. [...] I don't know the details, but his killer used a wish to revive him afterwards. They're not sure if it'll work, though...

[and if it does, then, well. numbers.]

-- He could come back?

[Objectively that's probably more a concern than a perk, but Sanji doesn't care, his head snaps up with a desperate sort of need.]

It would only work if he fulfilled his objective, so... I was instructed to get to him as fast as possible to ensure that.

Obviously, we can't know until the moment of reckoning, so to speak, but... I have no reason to believe they're lying to me about this. It's just a matter of how reliable you consider the well.

[in other words, don't get your hopes up.]

... Alright.

[There's a part of him who wants to know who killed Ion, but Sanji is self aware to realize he shouldn't be trusted with that information. Not until the rawness has softened down.]

I'll wait to see... I got a prize from when Cardia-chan and I were in that shipwreck, and I think it can be used to keep a partnerless alive, even if there's no one to pair 'em with.

I was going to give it to Varian, depending on how shit went tomorrow. I already know he's a Villain.

Edited 2018-07-21 03:31 (UTC)

... Yeah, giving it to Varian might be best. He's the one person we know for sure is in danger, at least.

Aa, right.

... I know it's callous, but at least with Waver and Evan both gone, we don't have to worry about pairing anyone up.

[Even still, Sanji frowns. There was no love lost between him or either of those men, and yet...]

Who the fuck would kill those two that way. If it wasn't an objective, it was just fucked up.

[it is callous, but belph can't deny that he was thinking the same thing.]

... I hate to say this, but... is there any chance it would've been your partner?

[There's a moment of Sanji looking grief-stricken.

But not surprised.

... He was thinking the same thing.]

I... I don't know.

[Sanji has murdered like a sixth of the people in this war but he looks tired and guilty, as if these two deaths are his fault, too.]

I told you Evan and I didn't part on good terms, right? He said some shit that... wore on me, a little.

Zelos found out. I've never seen him that mad before.

[...]

But I can't imagine him drawing out a death, either. Even when he's pissed off, he's a lot more humane than people give him credit for.

... Well, we'll see what the evidence has to say. I doubt he'll be able to avoid some suspicion, though—it's not a great look that two victims were people pissed off at him last week.

I know.

[...]

He's not gonna care, one way or another.

[He's trying to stay impartial here, but it's not working. Sanji's expression hangs with grief]

We're probably gonna lose a villain tomorrow.

... Varian and his allies have probably figured out his faction, as they've got most people's by now. They might try to keep him alive for that reason alone.

[he sighs, running a hand through his hair.]

Though to be honest, I've got no idea how people will think tomorrow, or what voting's going to look like.

Enough people hate him that even if they find out he's a Villain, it's likely they'll want to take their chances killing him anyway.

[There's no denying it; Zelos Wilder has pissed a lot of people off]

... Tiger-sama might out me or Zelos tomorrow, too.

I talked with Beauty and apparently that's another reason why he killed her.

[...

well, in a way, that's convenient, because belph has something to mention—]

... Akechi wants to speak with you. Or rather, an Editor.

[since akechi kind of thinks... sanji is a vizier...]

He says he doesn't want to kill you, though it's up to you if you want to believe that. According to him, he wants to understand your role—to put it in context with his past memories as a Historian.

... I think the number of Historian deaths at this point has shaken him. It's your choice, but if you're willing, I can arrange a meeting.

-- Oh, right.

[Expression smoothing out. He'd be amused if not for how heavy this day has felt.]

He cornered me yesterday and thinks I'm a Vizier for some shitty reason... probably because I know near as much as you. [That dumb, dumb child.]

... I'll think about it. Part of the reason I'm not telling anyone shit is I have no control over who I kill. Being friends with me isn't a benefit.

[Jae-Ha and Natsuo are proof of that.]

So if he's hoping to find a loophole to avoid death, he'll be disappointed. The Crafters are pretty quiet on how they chose their victims.

Yeah, he asked me about that earlier. Kind of had to dance around the subject.

[akechi is trying...]

All right, I'll tell him that. ... Though it might not matter if the Crafters do out you tomorrow.

... No, it doesn't matter.

[...]

You guys got everything you need to complete this war without me, and...

I was thinking... It might be better I just die soon.

[...]

Just imagine if Tiger-sama ordered me to kill a Villain or two. Or a couple of Heroes further in. I could tip the scales too far.

[he doesn't want sanji to die.

... but he knows he can't say that. it's unfair. and so, instead, he says—]

This is going to sound awful... but if you die, Zelos has to go with you. He'll be too much of a loose cannon without you.

[Zelos will kill half the game in a rage if Sanji goes first.

He knows.

He told Belph himself]

That idiot would have to die before me. Anything else and I can't guarantee anyone's safety.

[...]

But I can't, Belph. It's the only selfish thing I got left, but I want him to survive.

[he covers his face]

Whatever you plan with the others... it'll have to be without me. I can't promise I wouldn't sabotage you for own wish.

[...]

But I'll tell you this, in case he survives tomorrow: he's not afraid of death. He's tired, like me. If you approached him with an idea, he'd probably listen to you.

[...]

Got it.

[there isn't really much more he can say about that.]

[Hey, no matter what happens, at least Belph will know Sanji always told the truth]

Neh... no matter what happens, try to be one of the Villains who remain.

Everyone's gonna need you most, I think.

[probably not a great time to mention that he's been volunteering to die to anyone who's brought it up?]

... I've asked a Narrator to pass on a message tomorrow, since I'm not allowed to publicly reveal myself.

I've confirmed all the roles at this point, so I'm owed some info from the Crafters. However, everyone else here will decide to ask. Whatever info we think we might be missing—we need to get it.

Once I figure that out... my job is done. There's nothing left for me to do as a Vizier.

... Maybe, so. But you can still do a job as just yourself.

People trust you, y'know? You did all that legwork and keep everyone updated. It's a comfort to people.

[...]

When my role's revealed, they're gonna hate me for it. So you gotta keep everyone grounded afterwards.

[he smiles mirthlessly.]

Are you forgetting the part where I killed someone?

Oi, half of us has killed by now.

[A light scoff]

And that doesn't change people trust you, and that's something to be proud of.

I'm not sure if it's really trust as so much that I've been maintaining mutually beneficial relationships...

[he's pretty sure akechi would've potentially killed him by now if he weren't useful to him.]

The other Vizier is more popular than I am, you know? I'm considered something of an asshole.

Hn, are they?

[Of course it makes him wonder, but... well. Sanji isn't going to pry.]

About that -- if I don't get my cover blown, you can keep pretending I'm the other Vizier if you want. Shit doesn't make a difference to me.

[...]

But I'm not letting you put your usefulness down! [JUST ACCEPT HIS WISE OBSERVATIONS]

I almost feel bad about how much I've lied to Akechi over the course of this war.

[almost. besides, most of it has been lies by omission or running with akechi's premature assumptions.]

I'm a little surprised you admitted anything to him, though.

[...

at sanji's last remark, he looks surprised for a moment.]

... Wow. You really are a mother hen, aren't you?

[he is most definitely deflecting from the fact that he's a little touched.]

week 6; friday ( sanji )

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