week 6, sunday

[vigilantics]

[ it's a couple of hours after the execution, mostly since otherwise steph would be too much of a mess to properly interact with anyone other than who she ran off with.

it'll probably be better to wait longer, but there's still some people she wants to talk to before the new week starts. so steph checks out the most stereotypical spot for sanji. ]

There you are.

Comments

[vigilantics]

[ the answer is vague enough that it actually answers the question pretty well.

she nods. ]

I'm sorry about your partner.

[concasse]

[...]

We weren't surprised.

[A shrug. He fiddles with the cloak half-wrapped around the alcohol bottles.]

People didn't like him. Even when he was right about a lot of shit, or innocent, people prefer assholes dead.

[And he was an asshole, make no mistake.

Just... one Sanji cared about.

Well. Regardless. His shoulders straighten as if to say "OH WELL."]

It's done with, no use crying over shit.

[vigilantics]

He was innocent this week at least .

[ still. getting caught up in that kind of thing this late in the game is a little pointless. it's kind of difficult to blame someone for murdering against their will; the real injury is just when it's someone you were particularly close to.

it's horrible that it's gotten to this point. ]

It's fine to cry about it though. As long as you keep moving too.

[concasse]

[...]

You guys don't need me anymore.

[Speaking the truth the way he sees it. Sanji glances at her face, then looks away.]

I'm a Hero, to start. We gotta weed some of us down, yeah? And I don't mind if anyone kills me.

[He never did, really.]

Don't know how I lasted this long, actually.

[vigilantics]

I think that a lot of people would be very upset if you died.

[ it's been obvious for a while that a lot of people think highly of him. ]

[concasse]

[A huff of a laugh. He leans against the counter.]

Heh. So I should survive to the very end, you think?

[vigilantics]

I think you should survive as long as you can.

[ regardless if that means until the end or not. ]

[concasse]

[...]

And you'll be doing the same, right?

[...]

I know Varian would want that. [A quiet sigh] He told me to trust you and Veronica-chan.

[Not that Sanji had been doing anything but that]

[vigilantics]

Mm. Varian is one of my best friends here.

[ is, because he's still out there. they're going to bring him back. ]

And yeah, of course. If I die, then I die, but there's no point in being surprised I lasted this long.

[concasse]

[He appreciates the way she said that, to be honest. It gets a smile out of him, genuine.

Though while they're on the subject]

Did you know how hard of a time he was having? ... I know he made his own choices, but I still kinda wish we could've done something for him in the moment.

[he didn't deserve what happened to him.]

[vigilantics]

... I knew about what happened to his dad, and how Rapunzel and her family didn't help him.

[ she doesn't know if she should say more about that, mostly since she doesn't know how much sanji knows about him. ]

It's how I ended up figuring out he was involved, before Eichi said anything. When he started saying that it wasn't his fault, it was... the same thing he said to me when I found out about that stuff.

[concasse]

[Sanji seems to know enough that he nods along, looking unsurprised by the entire affair.]

He had it rough.

[And there hadn't been much they could do. Even Sanji had failed at the last inning--

... Ah, right. Glancing to Stephanie, expression masked. Then he goes to staring at the floor]

I wanted him to save himself. He had a way. But he wouldn't take it.

[vigilantics]

[ at that, she actually looks apologetic. ]

I know. He wouldn't out you.

[concasse]

[oooh he is freezing in place, looking like he's stuck in headlights]

-- Wait.

You know about...?

[vigilantics]

You and Zelos? Yeah.

[ it's said with a shrug. ]

[concasse]

[...]





You don't hate me...?

[He is so confused]

[vigilantics]

[ her expression softens. ]

You're just as stuck in this game as the rest of us, Sanji. It's... not really your fault that you ended up with the worst job.

[concasse]

[Well, this is... humbling. Sanji's expression shifts and falls until he looks seconds away from crying, honestly, but he swallows it back, staring down into the floor.]

... I'm sorry.

[Even if he got roped into it, he still feels it's only fair that he apologize for the hurt he's caused]

If I thought getting rid of myself would've made a difference, I would've done it by now. But in the beginning they said they'd get someone else to fill my shoes if I didn't want it.

[And he could not bear the idea of the kids getting roped into the position, so.]

[vigilantics]

[ ... that she can get. the only thing worse than getting trapped in this position is someone else. she can't say that she wouldn't have made the same choice if someone like kyouka or varian might have gotten it if she refused. ]

They wouldn't make it that easy to back out, I understand.

[concasse]

Something about my world getting destroyed.

[So y'know.

No pressure.]

But there's no danger of that anymore. And we're almost done.

[vigilantics]

Yeah, one way or another, this will be over soon.

[ if not next week then the week after, at least. ]

I just wish we found a different way.

[concasse]

Same here.

I tried a couple of times to get them to a compromise, but they're set in their ways.

[vigilantics]

I'm not that surprised, really. They've been at this for a really long time, and they've dealt with who knows how many other Narrators. The only real difference between us and them is that we're supposedly the last bunch.