week 7; friday ( souji )

[axilium]

[somewhere that wouldn't require souji to wheeze his way to—

well, in that place, belph smiles once he sees souji. can you tell jan gives up.]

Looks like you made it.

[unless souji's a hallucination, because who even knows anymore.]

Comments

[sanguinairy]

[THANKS BELPH AND ALSO JAN Souji is glad to not fucking die on his way to trial.]

...So it seems.

[He doesn't understand how or why, honestly. HE IS LITERALLY ON DEATH'S DOOR AND NO ONE GAVE HIM THE FINAL PUSH.]

I'm glad that you're alright, too.

[axilium]

... At least everyone paid attention to the whole "don't let the numbers drop below three" warning.

[EVEN IF BELPH PERSONALLY WISHES FOR DEATH,]

Sucks that we had kills outside of the Editor and Blotters... though I suspect one of the victims is a Blotter.

[sanguinairy]

[NOPE BELPH GETS TO BE LOCKED INTO ENDGAME!! SUFFER, JAN SPECIFICALLY.

In any case, Souji is quiet for a second.]

...One of them is, yes. Cardia was a Blotter this week, though she wouldn't tell me who her partner was.

[axilium]

[DAMN IT]

... I thought so. They told Shirasu he was their target, and he told me that he wouldn't make it easy for them.

[so, it was pretty obvious by virtue of who was dead in shirasu's general vicinity...]

I actually thought the other Blotter might be you.

[sanguinairy]

[HE HATES THAT!! Like he can't blame Shirasu, but also, he hates that.

In any case, he shakes his head.]

She wouldn't allow me to take her place. [Because of course he offered that...] She was determined to see it through and had planned to confess, so all I could do was tell her what I knew of killing someone with mercy. [BECAUSE OF COURSE HE OFFERED THAT.]

...She wouldn't tell me her target, either. If I had known it was Shirasu...

[He would have like. Warned them. That Shirasu is a fucking ninja.]

[axilium]

... He tricked them into thinking he would accept his death.

[he smiles a little at that, though it's not quite with mirth.]

Clearly, they didn't know him well enough.

[sanguinairy]

[MMMMMMM SHIRASU!!!!!!! He actually really likes Shirasu since he has terrible taste, but STILL!!]

...Yes. She mentioned to me that she and her partner had worked out an agreement with their target.

[AND HE WAS JUST LIKE "COOL" SINCE HE FIGURED MOST PEOPLE UNDERSTAND!! THAT THEY GOTTA LOSE MORE TO GET DRAGON'S END!! GOD.]

[axilium]

... That was their mistake, I guess.

[SHIRASU ONLY LOOKED OUT FOR HIMSELF, GUYS!!]

By the way, Sanji's going to ask you something, if you two haven't already met up.

[sanguinairy]

[He just makes a soft humming sound in response to that. A BAD... BAD MISTAKE... Y'ALL. GOD. He's so tired. He hates literally all of this.

Though the aside has him blinking curiously.]

Ah, he is? I was planning on speaking with him later.

[axilium]

... He's planning on asking if you, along with him, would be willing to die.

[sanguinairy]

[Ah. There's a pause, and Souji's head dips gently.]

...I had intended to offer myself if need be, to avoid a repeat of last week. [A small, quirking smile.] I don't have much time left.

[So if this is how things are, he doesn't take issue.]

[axilium]

... Not just a really bad cold, huh?

[though that much was obvious.]

[sanguinairy]

Tuberculosis.

[Wow Belph is literally the first person he's... actually said the name of his illness to in this ENTIRE CASTLE. Good work, team.]

I was given a year back home, but that was only if I spent my time resting, eating well, breathing good air...

[Souji estimates he has a couple months to live now but i, aki, was going to kill him off next week for sure.]

[axilium]

[...]

Oh. Uh, that sucks.

[to put it lightly.]

[sanguinairy]

Well, it is what it is.

[YEAH IT SURE DOES SUCK. He hates his TB fate.]

But if I can at least do this much before I die, I'll be glad for it.

[axilium]

... You fought hard up until now. You've got a lot to be proud of.

[sanguinairy]

[RIGHT IN THE ACHILLES HEEL. Souji is truly so weak to kind words and praise that this is probably the closest he's actually come to crying his entire time here, even if he... absolutely does not look like he's going to cry... This is the dry eyes squad.]

...Thank you. [He's not sure he's got a whole lot to be proud of, but he'll take it anyway.] We'll make it through this.

[axilium]

[wtf don't cry souji, belph will feel awkward.]

... We'd better. We've come this far.

[sanguinairy]

[STOP HE WON'T!! He doesn't cry, he made a promise to someone when he was.. nine.... and hasn't cried since... It's fine.]

There's nothing to do but move forward. Just guide them as best you're able.

[He doesn't know how long he's going to be dead okay, even if this is probably The Last Trial. He'll just say his goodbyes like he's going to be drifting through the void for a mysterious amount of time.]

[axilium]

[SOUJI WHAT NO THAT'S NOT HEALTHY]

... Please leave it up to literally anybody but me?

[sanguinairy]

[He is a very unhealthy person. Literally and figuratively.]

You've been doing a good job of it so far, you know? ...But I can imagine how tiring it's been.

[axilium]

Souji, I just want to sleep for all of tomorrow. Seriously.

[sanguinairy]

Imagine how wonderful a nap would feel after we get back to our homes, though.

[JUST ONE MORE TRIAL, BELPH. YOU CAN DO IT.]

[axilium]

... Yeah, I guess.

[things belph probably shouldn't say: that if they don't have enough ink to transport people to others' worlds instead, he doesn't plan on surviving past this game...]

[sanguinairy]

[BELPH IS ALSO NOT HEALTHY. But hey, that is sure a nap.

But, after a beat:]

Are you going to be alright?

[axilium]

[he waves a hand dismissively.]

Don't worry about me.

[sanguinairy]

[A wry smile. That one's for Francy.]

Saying things like that only make people worry about you more, you know.