week 6, monday

[vigilantics]

[ so, belph might be minding his own business when steph suddenly approaches him... and then immediately drags him away to somewhere private. ]

Dude, what exactly did you say to Varian?

Comments

[axilium]

[well, uh, this is unexpected.]

Varian? Nothing weird, as far as I remember... Why?

[vigilantics]

Because he thinks you are a gigantic asshole who doesn't think any information he has is useful?

[ which, you know, stephanie knows isn't true. but she knows that belph likes to troll people. ]

[axilium]

Wha...?

[oh, wait. now he remembers.]

I... think he might've interpreted what I said in a manner worse than what I meant?

[vigilantics]

Oh my god.

[ she just. sighs. ]

Okay, um. Just... be careful with them? They're very intense on mathing the whole remaining people thing.

[axilium]

... In other words, they're thinking about killing me off.

[vigilantics]

I don't think they would? They know what your faction is because of Akechi, so you're like an endangered species here...

[ she trails off lamely, not really feeling the joke. ]

I'd out myself to them before they ever seriously consider that.

[axilium]

Veronica and Varian are both villains, though. I assume they want to be among the survivors, if it comes down to that. They'd probably want Natsuo to be the third, though I'm not sure if he even counts, considering that his title's all messed up...

[at this point, he's mostly musing out loud.]

I wouldn't be surprised if they want Kyouka to be the third. Either Eichi or Zelos is the final villain, and people are pretty protective of Eichi too...

[...]

Anyway... how did the other two react to the revelation that I'm a "gigantic asshole who doesn't think any information he has is useful"?

[vigilantics]

[ while stephanie does not look happy about his musing, she'll concentrate on everything else first. ]

Um... Ion was just Ion about it. Veronica seemed mad?

[ steph has no idea what belph's relationship with her is, but she knows that belph wasn't super close to ion the last time they brought him up. ]

[axilium]

[... it's too bad, really. he's not surprised, but... it still stings, a little. at least now, he has confirmation of just how much (or rather, how little) faith she has in him.

well, whatever. they were never close, anyway.]

Ha... sounds about right.

[... in the end, elcia hadn't believed in him either, had she...?

he leans against the nearest wall, hand pressed against his temple, eyes downcast. why does this bother him so much? it doesn't mean anything. this is the lie he's built for himself. it's the inevitable outcome.

it shouldn't hurt. it doesn't matter that he's been doing everything he can to save everyone here, and that most people will never have any idea. this is exactly what he wanted—for people to assume the worst about him. so that he wouldn't have to get attached. to believe in people.

(or did he do all that to find out who his real friends are...?)

it doesn't matter. he reminds himself of that. and so, he looks up, lets his hand drop, and smiles.]

Please tell me you weren't reckless enough to valiantly come to my defence. [...] So, what's their next plan of action?

[vigilantics]

We're still trying to figure things out. The jar for objectives was us, obviously. For now they're just trying to broaden their information network, so they're really interested in finding other roles. Akechi seems to trust Varian with getting info out for some reason...

[ she trails off before walking over to him to stand next to him. stephanie slowly reaches up to take his hand; she half expects him to snatch it away from her, but ah well. ]

I didn't defend you since it would have been suspicious. But I wanted to. You're kind of amazing.

[axilium]

[there's definitely a stilted jerk—but the fact that it stops at that suggests he's actually resisting the urge to snatch his hand away.]

Amazing? I think we're talking about two different people here.

[and he feels like this is a topic he wants to move on from, so!! immediately—]

Do they know who any of the Editors are?

[vigilantics]

[ she bites her lip, but accepts the topic change. the fact that he didn't move away already means a lot. ]

No, they have no idea. All of the roles they know are people that we already discovered on our own, so there's no new information there.

[axilium]

Good. Keep it that way. And if they ever find out that you're a Vizier, tell them that only I know an Editor identity—assuming you ever have to talk about that.

[that'll be the one thing, aside from his title, that makes his existence worth anything to them.

ideally, though, they won't have to reveal that bit of info at all.]

[vigilantics]

I'm not going to let them do anything to you.

[ it's said firmly, her gaze hard. ]

And they'll realize that they're wrong.

[axilium]

[he smiles, his expression wry.]

I mean... not likely? I get the feeling Varian's not jumping at the opportunity to talk to me again?

[vigilantics]

He probably will. Even if you made him mad, he wouldn't cut off possible information.

[ she knows varian well enough at this point. ]

[axilium]

If you say so.

[well, steph knows him better. still, at this point, belph's just going to assume everyone hates his guts and wants nothing to do with him??]

[vigilantics]

If it comes down to it, I can explain it was just a misunderstanding. It'll mean outing myself, but...

[ she looks down at their interlocked hands. ]

[axilium]

... It's your decision. I mean, I'm in favour of "no", but...

[...]

If you do intend on telling them, though, let me know. I'd like to talk to Veronica personally before then.

[vigilantics]

I'll give you a heads up, don't worry. I want to see what else they say first before going ahead with it.

[ just in case something comes up during the week that'll make confessing Bad, especially since they still have their meeting tomorrow. ]

[axilium]

... Just be careful.

[belph doesn't really care what happens to himself, though he'd prefer to die on his own terms. steph, though...]

[vigilantics]

Oh, Belph... aren't I always careful?

[ says the most severely person in the castle who isn't dead. ]

[axilium]

Steph, I don't think you want me to answer that.

the word injured was supposed to be there somewhere

[vigilantics]

Wow.

[ rude?

she smiles though. ]

I'll be okay. I've made it this far.

[axilium]

We've all made it this far. That won't stop someone from dying this week.