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

[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?

[ninjay]

This trial is going to be very different than all the others. We can either wait for them to accuse us, or we bring it up ourselves.

[ ... ]

I think I'm going to talk to Jake beforehand. Maybe Chie, too. It would probably be best if we get to explain to a few people before the trial, where the tension will be the highest. But only the ones who might listen to us, I think.

[disinterested]

Mabel, at least, still seems to like me.

[For reasons he can't fathom.]

[ninjay]

... The two of them are angry at me, but I think when the time comes, they'd still side with us.

[ so there's... that. ]

[thawedheart]

...even though Andersen-san told me not to try to explain things to Quer-san, I...

[She hesitates.]

I gave her a letter for her to read in case I died. But... there's a chance she may have gotten curious and read it early. ...if she did, then she may have learned about the deal already.

Before... there was any chance that word would get back to us about what he did. That might... keep her from being too mad. If she looks.

[ninjay]

[ he remembers just how angry quer was at him during the trial. she doesn't trust spies, because they operate on lying to others, so he really has no idea how she'd take something like this. ]

Let's hope for the best there.

[nowyouseeit]

. . .

I can talk to Dirk. [maybe?? maybe. . .] I don't think he ever really trusted me, but. . .

[ninjay]

[ he nods his head. ]

Even if you don't, Jake is going to tell him what I said. But it might help if they hear it from the both of us.

[disinterested]

[He smiles mirthlessly.]

... Yeah, that's true.

[nowyouseeit]

[he closes his eyes with a deep exhale]

I think our chances of saving everyone have just gone down the drain.

[disinterested]

... They're not zero. It depends on the populace here, now.

[nowyouseeit]

. . . maybe we need to give them a choice.

[breathes in and out slowly, trying to calm himself. his anger runs cold, concurrent with freshly wounded trust]

Give them the option of killing us, and finding three other people willing to take the deal.

Or. . . trusting us until the very end to save everyone.

[disinterested]

... It's not unlike the choice I gave you back then. [Kill him and bring the ritual closer to an end, or spare him and be one step closer to reviving the dead.] We'll have to see if they're as receptive as you were.

[EXCEPT THE ANSWER IS APPARENTLY NO]

[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.

[nowyouseeit]

[drops his fist from the wall, keeping his fingers curled tightly at his side, knuckles white]

Are you gonna talk to him separately, then?

[thawedheart]

[She nods.]

...you're furious, Kaito-san. I don't think showing up angry will make it a very productive conversation. And even before... he told everyone, he didn't seem to like Jay-san much.

I'm angry too, but... I have a lot of practice ignoring it.

[nowyouseeit]

[inhale, exhale. . .]

I do too.

[but his poker face doesn't handle anger as well as it does other emotions]

Are you sure, though? Because I'm willing to go with you.

[even though he might punch Andersen if he does]

[thawedheart]

I'm sure. I can do this much, at least.

[And to be honest? She'll bring her scalpel, just in case she has to defend herself.]

...I'll be sure to tell you what I've learned first thing tomorrow morning.