week 5, wednesday

[ninjay]

[ in the late evening, jay is going to summon the scooby gang to all meet up in room 112. shit has gone down?

as soon as the door locks behind them, he will waste no time before just getting to the point. ]

Andersen told everyone about our plan.

Comments

[nowyouseeit]

[um]

What?

[he asks, frozen in place, like maybe he hadn't heard correctly]

[ninjay]

[ he snorts at kaito's reaction, but his expression is pretty clear that he doesn't think this is funny. ]

The best part is that he seems to have omitted a lot of facts in the story to make it seem like we all just decided to go on a murder spree for no reason.

[nowyouseeit]

[sorry, he. needs a moment to process this. although the look of pained betrayal, like he had just been slapped in the face, is obvious]

[when he speaks next, his voice is quiet]

. . .

The hell is he saying?

[ninjay]

From what the twins told me, it seems like he's just telling everyone that we teamed up with the Prophets to kill everyone. They had no idea about the caveat until I told them. He's even telling everyone that we came up with some of his ideas, like killing Jake to make Dirk an easier target.

[ considering jake is jay's roommate, and he is honestly fond of him, jay doesn't look happy. ]

So, you know, he's basically guaranteeing it so that we all get killed during the trial.

[nowyouseeit]

[. . . . . . .]

[he]

[doesn't know what to say. his wide eyes, slack expression, and open mouth peobably say a lot more than word ever could. . . he's never looked so open before, so deeply and utterly wounded, not even when Fluffy impaled his shoulder]

[he seems to realize his vulnerability, because he ducks his head, bangs shading his expression, before he just]

[swivels to the wall and slams the fist of his good hand against it]

Damn it. . .

This is my fault. I wanted to tell him because I-- trusted him.

[thawedheart]

...we trusted him too. That's why we didn't tell you not to.

[Yukina's hands are shaking. Though this time, it's not with fear - it's with anger.]

I'm sure he must have his reasons, but... Doing it the way he is, he's sure to get us killed along with Girge-san and Tsurugi-san. Why would he put everyone who's already died at risk like this?

[nowyouseeit]

[his shoulders are shaking with anger too, and even as Yukina speaks he doesn't look at her]

Obviously his aim wasn't to tell people the truth, since he omitted parts of it.

[he snaps bitterly]

Is it to get us all killed? Because that sure as hell is looking more and more like a possibility now. But if we die. . .

Then who the hell does he expect to take the deal and send everyone home?

[disinterested]

... It's possible that he has no interest in the deal, and is trying to break the ritual.

[Why that'd require screwing a of them over is something else, though.]

That or he wants all of you dead so that he can take the deal himself.

[nowyouseeit]

Yeah, and breaking the ritual condemns the sixteen people who are already dead, so if that's he case he's an asshole.

[lol. there's no more fondness here]

If we die and he intends to take the deal himself, then he'll have to kill everyone else here himself until he's one of three survivors.

Surely he's not stupid enough to think he can do that alone.

[disinterested]

We talked it about in our last meeting, briefly. He made it clear that he was willing to sacrifice everyone here if need be.

[He shrugs. He doesn't know.]

[nowyouseeit]

. . . for what goal?

[he sounds so tired]

[disinterested]

To end this ritual entirely and make this the final cycle.

Not that there seems to be a way to accomplish that, unless he knows something we don't.

[thawedheart]

...there are people here who want to break it, but I'm not convinced that's... possible.

[If there was a way, she would be all for it, but they've found no indication whatsoever that there is.]

He may be aiming to take it himself, but if that's the case, wouldn't it be simpler for him to let us do our work and turn on us at the end? We had already included him in our plans...

[disinterested]

I don't know how he thinks. Who knows—maybe he'd rather not see you murder others either.

[thawedheart]

He has a funny way of showing it. At this point, it's either kill or let everyone else suffer for eternity, because he's not even spreading the whole truth.

[disinterested]

[...]

I don't know if it's related—or even the truth—but last night, he told me that he disapproved of you three using me and Tsurugi as scapegoats.

... Don't get me wrong: I didn't mind. [Looks like it doesn't matter anymore, though.] But that happened.

[He doesn't know if he can bring himself to Kaito's level of hurt, having lost faith in people a long time ago, but...

Really, in regards to Andersen, Girge doesn't know what to believe anymore.]

[nowyouseeit]

[still quiet, not looking at anyone now, just. slumped against the wall]

It was a cruel plan. [he says a bit dully] We all knew that.

But neither you nor Tsurugi wanted to take the deal, so in the end. . . if we were aiming for Jay 'n me 'n Yukina for the final three, you two would have to die eventually.

[disinterested]

Yeah. And he should be smart enough to understand that, so I don't really know what the issue was.

In any case, it might've all been nonsense, seeing as how Tsurugi and I are as likely to be lynched as you are.

[nowyouseeit]

I don't understand anything about him anymore.

[all of Andersen's encouragement, his support, his help, his trust. . . it feels pretty empty now. Kaito squares his shoulders and shakes his head]

I don't know what his goal is. All five of us are on the chopping block now. Who does he expect to rescue the dead if we all kick it this weekend?

[disinterested]

[Likewise, Girge recalls the support and the friendship Andersen offered, down to wanting to protect Girge even if Girge himself hadn't wanted it—and now he's left to wonder if it was all a ruse to gain his trust.]

Maybe we should get the answer from the traitor himself.

[nowyouseeit]

[and if it was all a ruse. . . then what the hell was Andersen trying to accomplish?]

Maybe, but I get the feeling we wouldn't be able to trust a single word that comes outta his mouth.

[ninjay]

We're going to have to to talk to him either way. We're already at a major disadvantage here because of him.

[ even if andersen does lie, jay wants to hear his excuse. ]

[nowyouseeit]

[mmmm. Jay has a point. but right now? Kaito can't think of much else except how much of an idiot he was]

Yeah.

[you fucked up, Kuroba]

But more importantly: what're we gonna do about Saturday?

[disinterested]

[He smiles mirthlessly.]

... Yeah, that's true.

[thawedheart]

...I'll try talking to him, regardless. If he won't talk, then he won't talk. But if he does... even if what he's saying is a lie, it's better that we hear it from him.

It will at least give us some idea of what to expect.