week 0; friday ( akechi )

[axilium]

[so that all sure just happened.

... honestly, it's not like he knew gi-gan that well, or her partner, or jae-ha, but...

well, whatever. when he sees akechi, his expression is empty.]

Ready to get to work, detective?

Comments

[doublecrows]

[it's easy for Akechi to remain detached. he doesn't make connections very well anyway, and he hardly knew Gi-Gan outside of a single conversation they had at the festival. he can approach this with a logical, unbiased mind. from a place where emotion won't cloud his judgment]

[just as he likes it]

[his smile is pleasant, if purposefully rueful when Belph approaches]

I am.

I suppose it was too hopeful of me to think that no one had given into temptation after all, when we found Evans alive.

[axilium]

... Hopefully we can catch the culprit and get out of them why.

[doublecrows]

Will the "why" really matter?

[said quietly, pensively]

[axilium]

It's better than not understanding.

[doublecrows]

You are right about that. Even if understanding won't bring that poor woman back to life, nor erase the crime our culprit committed.

[he frowns, brows furrowed]

. . . we must not let her death go unpunished.

[axilium]

So we kill the killer?

[their rulebook, after all, mentions being executed.]

[doublecrows]

[. . .]

And what makes you think that death is the punishment that awaits our culprit?

[it does, but vaguely so. in Akechi's opinion, it leaves a lot of room for interpretation. even though. . . he doubts that Belph is wrong about this]

[axilium]

I don't know how executions work in your world, but I'm pretty sure that historically, they involved—

[he makes the finger across neck motion.]

Besides, why else mention it as part of the "follow your partner into death" clause?

[doublecrows]

[Akechi nods, satisfied with that response]

It's a fair deduction. Though I wish they had been more clear about same in the rule book, so we know exactly what will happen to the culprit if we out them at the trial.

[axilium]

The ambiguity is probably to add to the creepy atmosphere.

[doublecrows]

Naturally. And, of course, they can't give us all the answers from the very beginning.

[axilium]

You still going to do your best even with these disadvantages?

[doublecrows]

I am.

A detective should always be determined, even in the face of adversity. I seek the truth, and I seek justice. I won't let these disadvantages hold me back.

[axilium]

... Heh. Well said! I hope, then, that whatever gift you have is conducive to solving murders here.

[doublecrows]

Rest assured I don't need a gift for that.

[he just needs BRAIN POWER]

[axilium]

You should be careful with saying something like that. Now you have to get it right.

[doublecrows]

Getting it wrong was never an option. If you're right about whomever we decide is guilty being executed afterwards, we'd be killing an innocent person.

[axilium]

We'd be killing the culprit's partner, regardless.

[doublecrows]

Will we?

[he says, tone thoughtful]

[axilium]

Hoping to break the rules, detective?

[doublecrows]

Not at all. But didn't our rule book say that partnerships could be broken by specific mean?

[axilium]

Got any idea as to what that is, though?

[doublecrows]

Absolutely none at all.

[he says so cheerily]

But I can't help but wonder if we'll see it first hand for ourselves whenever the victim's partner is supposed to be killed.

[axilium]

... So we wait again, huh?

[doublecrows]

And again, we're essentially told that "patience is a virtue."

[axilium]

[he sighs.]

I ain't exactly a virtuous person.

[doublecrows]

For the sake of approaching this "war game" with a level head, you may have to at least pretend that you are.

[axilium]

Fine, fine. Not like I have much of a choice, huh?

[doublecrows]

None of us do.

[a wry smile]

. . . all that aside, Belph-san, I'd like to ask you a question.

[axilium]

Shoot.

[doublecrows]

You were so certain that someone was dead this morning, after we discovered Evans was alive.

Why?

[axilium]

[he blinks.]

Are you accusing me, detective?

[doublecrows]

[a pleasant smile]

Not at all. I have no reason to believe you're involved.

I merely found your certainty to be. . . interesting.

[axilium]

The rulebook does state that at least one person will be killed. I'll admit I wasn't sure at first if it'd really happen, but then I thought Sharpay was the first victim.

[he shrugs.]

It was a pleasant surprise that she wasn't, but it's a little hard to snap back to the mindset of "oh, maybe no one's dead!" after a scare like that.

1/2

[doublecrows]

The rule book doesn't specify when.

[. . .]

But considering curfew is implemented on Thursday nights, I suppose it's a fair deduction to presume they would occur then. That, coupled with stumbling upon Evans's still body, does provide enough basis for that assumption. Still. . .

[for a moment, he looks pensive]

[doublecrows]

[a sigh, and a sheepish, awkward chuckle]

I believe I may be thinking too hard, after all of the excitement from today.

[axilium]

[he raises an eyebrow, because that sure comes close to an accusation and he doesn't quite buy that akechi has dropped it, but.]

I mean, I also had this weirdass ominous feeling that morning, but I don't know if it was just me.

Anyway, better to think too hard than to not think at all.

[doublecrows]

Oh no, that wasn't just you. I felt it, too.

Unpleasant, wasn't it?

[axilium]

That's one way of putting it. I hope you don't feel like that normally every time you walk onto a crime scene.

[doublecrows]

Fortunately, no. That'd make any investigation far more unpleasant than it already is.