week 1; saturday, post trial with veronica

[alchemenace]

[ so like um. wow. what the fuck ]

So that was... a thing.

[ unsures intensifies ]

Comments

[asswipe]

It... was. It really was a, uh, thing.

[UNSURE TO INFINITY???]

[alchemenace]

Alright, so, all of that... thing... happening aside--

I, I don't think either one of them had those "roles" we learned about.

[asswipe]

... I don't think so, either. But I get the feeling that the person who killed Dave does.

[alchemenace]

Yeah.

[ ... yea ]

Sharpay said she was picked by the Crafters. If we assume Akechi and Ann were picked too, and Dave's killer was one of the roles... What kind of role is that? We already have killers weekly. I don't, I don't understand.

[asswipe]

Maybe... Maybe someone's role is to kill people outside of their "group." Heroes, civilians, or villains. We're in a war, aren't we? Wars only end when there's a clear victor.

[alchemenace]

Maybe, but ... something doesn't add up. Dave was a "civilian". And if we only go by colors-- Dragon's got the villains, and Tiger has the heroes. [ he's not 100% on that but if he has to go with color-coordination as a theory so be it ] That's only two sides.

[asswipe]

Two sides we know of, yes. But have you noticed the designs on the foyer tapestries? They all feature a dragon, a tiger, a beast, and a girl.

[alchemenace]

[ kyuu you fucking KNOW i can't read ]

So... are the roles a fourth side? Or are the sides a lot more mixed up than we think?

[asswipe]

[i know this and i accept you.]

That's what I have no idea about. We don't even know what the special roles are meant to be, and... it's not like we can just ask Tiger or Dragon about it. [a beat.] Or — I think we can't?

[alchemenace]

[ ... ]

... Can't we? What's the worse that can happen if we do it? They tell us no?

[asswipe]

[................]

... I'm already a dead girl walking. It can't be any worse than that? I hope?

[alchemenace]

... [ the dead girl walking thing... ]

Will. Will you be okay tomorrow?

[asswipe]

I... [no.] I don't know yet. Natsuo and Magnus are partnerless, too. I want them to be okay.

[alchemenace]

I... I don't know that anyone heard me when I said it, things were happening all at once, but I think I know how that... partner saving thing worked last time. Sort of. And I... I don't know if we've managed it this time. It depends on individuals.

[ he swallows and gets to the crux of it: ]

I, I don't want you to die, but there's nothing I can do about it. I wish I could help.

[asswipe]

[She chews on her bottom lip, silent for a moment as she... slowly digests that. The thought that not even Natsuo and Magnus might make it out of this mess is nauseating, and she doesn't know what she's going to do if he turns out to be right.]

For once, I hope you're wrong.

[She doesn't want to die. Not really. Not after J.D. had asked her to live — to stick around and try to make things a little better. That doesn't mean she wants the others to die, though. She wants someone to make it out of this alive.]

But... Thank you, Varian. You're a really good friend. [It's the sentiment that counts, honestly.] For what it's worth, the best thing you can do to help is to keep fighting. This war has to be stopped before it's too late.

[alchemenace]

Me too. I... I really hope I'm wrong, too.

[ he's selfish. he wants veronica to live because he knows her, more than natsuo and magnus. but it's not like he wants those two to die, either. Varian looks away at her request, frowning: ]

Do you think... do you really think we can stop it? We're barely managing to keep our heads above water right now. They've got us right where they want us.

[asswipe]

I don't know. But I do know that thinking we can't won't solve anything. [Firmly.

This whole thing sucks and people are already fucking dead, but...]

We have to believe that there's the possibility of a happy ending to this, Varian. There has to be something we can to turn the tides in our favor. [Because right now, there's too little they know about.] Losing hope would be the same as laying down to die.

[alchemenace]

[ there's a bitter twist to his mouth at the words "happy ending", but he sighs and rubs a hand over his face, shaking his head ]

No, no, you, you're right. There's got to be something. I-- I'll try to find it. Even if... No matter what happens.

[asswipe]

There will be. Just... chin up and watch out for yourself, okay? Surviving has to be your first priority, [and throwing back at him:] no matter what happens.

[Don't get shanked trying to Reach Out to the Truth^TM, is what's saying. Trust no castle.]

[alchemenace]

I won't. Believe me, I... really can't afford to die here.

[ and then he got himself shanked in the woods ]

[asswipe]

Good. [and then he totally got himself shanked in the woods ://

but this is too sad, so veronica's adding:]

Don't let our yeti friend have saved our asses in vain, alright?

[alchemenace]

... I won't. And-- you either.

[ if she lives but HE WANTS ]