week 6; saturday ( akechi )

[axilium]

[hi, akechi. we're all exhausted today, aren't we?

anyway, have a surprise visit from belph. don't mind his cloth-wrapped hands as he forces a smile.]

Yo, detective.

Comments

[doublecrows]

[WE SURE ARE]

[he still looks pretty shitty when Belph finds him, his cheek shaded a nice raw and pained red]

Good evening, Vizier.

[. . .]

Your hand?

[axilium]

Just some broken glass.

[...]

Some good news: objectives don't have to be balanced, for anyone who thought that was the case. I don't suppose you know how many villains have completed theirs?

[doublecrows]

[exhales]

I never thought they needed to be. I believed once seven was hit, everything would be fine.

[scrubs at his face with one hand]

You've done two. Veronica-san has done three. Varian-san did one.

I'm only aware of those six.

[axilium]

... Zelos has done at least two.

[doublecrows]

Eight, then.

[he slumps. exhaling a breathy, almost relieved laugh]

. . . then at this point, we're perfectly all right as far as objectives are concerned.

[axilium]

Civilians have done enough, then? I intend on passing this info to Cardia so that she can tell everyone tomorrow.

[doublecrows]

More than enough. I've counted twelve, now knowing that Eichi met his.

. . . in that case, the only thing left is to determine which three individuals will survive in each faction. The Villains are accounted for, but whittling down the Heroes and Civilians is--

[he snaps his mouth shut]

[he laughs, the sound wry]

Even now, we talk about business.

[axilium]

... I mean, do you want to talk about anything else?

[doublecrows]

No particularly.

[loops his arms around the bars, leaning against them casually]

I trust you all to take it from here. And-- [. . .]

Take care of Bunch. Please.

[axilium]

... Everyone needs to stop asking things of me. [first sanji, now akechi...] I'm not a very reliable guy, you know?

[doublecrows]

[arches a brow]

I'm not going to tell you that you're reliable just to contradict you.

[axilium]

I wouldn't want you to.

Well, I don't know if I can keep Rebecca alive, but I'll see what I can do to get people to stop killing. The Editors won't be a problem next week, at the very least.

[doublecrows]

. . . and how do you intend to do that, when we all need to lower our numbers to three?

You know there are people who will take matters into their own hands.

[axilium]

[he throws his hands up in the air.]

I don't know! I'm not a miracle worker, detective! I'm making my plans as best as I can, all right? Why should this all be up to me?

[doublecrows]

[you somehow always wind up in these situations Jan??]

Possibly because you're in the position with the most knowledge on this game and how it works.

[axilium]

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

I'm getting Cardia to make an announcement on my behalf tomorrow. Sanji might be getting Hiro to spam us all with letters. I don't know.

Tomorrow—tomorrow, I'll make sure everyone is on the same page, one way or another. We won't need to freakin' kill one another if we manage that.

[doublecrows]

I wish you luck.

[he says, truthfully]

. . . to be honest, I didn't care much about this "happy ending." I was only doing what I believed my duty was as a Historian.

I suppose I have reason to care, now.

[he sounds. wry]

[axilium]

... Try to make your boyfriend doesn't go on a murder spree, would you?

[doublecrows]

[aha]

He's more bark than bite. He was lashing out because I was in danger.

I don't think he'll actually harm anyone.

[axilium]

If you're sure. If all goes well, then the main issue will be if anyone decides to take matters in their own hands, like you said. The Blotters can't be helped and the Editor and I have a deal, so... we just need to deal with any independent killers.

[...]

On the bright side... actually, I don't know if I should use that adjective, but anyway—the only independent murders this week were for objectives. If we get through to everyone that they can stop killing for objectives, we might not actually need to worry.

[at the very least, even though varian's letter outed the ending condition, no one tried to kill for that reason alone.]

[doublecrows]

You'll be fighting against people's deepest desires. That was. . . part of the reason I killed Hansen.

[he admits, with a small flicker of actual guilt. something that never crossed his expression when he was outed for killing Soo-Won. something that he never thought he'd feel at all]

. . . so good luck.

[axilium]

... Hopefully, with the numbers as precarious as they are, people will think twice. Worst-case scenario, we can have some switch factions...

[...]

Well, however things go, guess you should get some popcorn ready on the Other Side.

[doublecrows]

When I go to the movies, I prefer to order a box of candy to popcorn.

[well, at least he can still make ~charming and witty~ jokes. . . in the face of death]

How can one switch factions? I know why Natsuo's changed-- he became Snow White, after Sandalphon-san revived him-- but. . .

[axilium]

Yeah, sounds like you.

[well, better than doom and gloom.]

There are a few items that'll let a person do so. I know of at least two—one should be in Varian's alliance's hands, and I think the other is with Souji.

[doublecrows]

[huh]

I see.

Preferably, the worst won't come to pass, and no one will need to change factions. But even so, it's good to know that there are safety nets just in case.