newlydead r2 - day 8 - 6 999s and 3 ushiromiyas

[jinglebros]

[ It's the morning after the Battle of the Bands and time for another meeting. Breakfast is a thing this time as well. Santa's tried to make something pretty decent but it's hard when all you have is shit from fast food places. Still, if you know your hacks, McCrepes are totally possible. So, there's a bunch of those on the conference table this time, accompanied by coffee. ]

Let's do this shit, huh? No squabbling this time, we did enough of that the last go around.

Comments

[keybroad]

What?

[Lotus raises her arms - she's apologetic, alright, if Santa is this upset about it, but immensely confused.]

Okay, fine, sure, Corrin is [with absolutely no conviction whatsoever] literally an angel - but then the weaponmaker is someone else less "sweet"? Think of how that sounds to us! This person doesn't want "Rosa or Lotus" to know what person has been making a weapon? That sounds not entirely unlike "Rosa or Lotus is a possible victim of this weapon".

[jinglebros]

He doesn't care if people know he's making weapons. That's the problem. He's an idiot! I'm trying to protect an idiot!

[ Santa covers his face and shakes his head, then finally says muffledly ]

It's Niles, okay? It's goddamn Niles.

[golden_dream]

... [sighs]

What's so bad about telling us that?

[jinglebros]

Because I don't know what alliances we each have, and if it leaks out he's making weapons, that asshole could get himself killed.

[golden_dream]

How?

[jinglebros]

because he'll look like a threat.

[golden_dream]

Not to point out the obvious, but he already acts like a threat.

[jinglebros]

[ Defensive. ]

Tell me how.

[golden_dream]

[she shrugs] Are you going to pout if I do? ...He offered me a massage and when I warned him not to do anything weird, he made borderline-creepy comments like "I've never heard any complaints once I've finished," and "Maybe you'll feel like moaning instead."

[jinglebros]

[ Santa laughs and then covers his mouth to try to pretend he hadn't. When he removes his hand he's got a straight face. ]

Yeah, okay. That can be creepy if you don't want it, I'll admit.

[golden_dream]

Yes, ha ha, let's all laugh about it now.

Anyway, there are surely bigger threats here, so just take it easy, Santa.

[jinglebros]

I'm pretty sure he'd get in trouble if he continued that behavior, anyway, so you don't have to worry about it anymore. That takes out part of it, right?

I guess I can take it easy.

[keybroad]

Okay. Thank you, Santa. Thank you so much. See, this explains so much. It explains everything! So now I feel so much better. Because we've relied on you to help protect us so far [clearly only part of the protection, but still] and there's only so much protection to go around, you know...? That protection going in an unpredictable direction was really scary...

[Raises her hand.] Now I solemnly swear I will not stab Niles.

[jinglebros]

...if you need more explanation I might as well fucking provide it now that I've spilled parts of the beans. God.

Thanks for promising that.

[keybroad]

[Hands as scales gesture.]

Back when I thought it was Corrin - which I no longer think - even though I didn't trust Corrin himself from knowing him, I trusted your trust in him. So I can trust your trust in Corrin's trust in Niles, or your own trust in Niles, or... I really don't care that much. But if you knew more about how these weapons are gonna get used, I'd appreciate that. This is sharp, Santa. It doesn't look like it's for knocking someone out. What is Niles going to do if he kills someone with one of these? Self defense or not. What if someone doesn't see his side of the story?

[jinglebros]

He made one of these shitty things, solely for me. I don't exactly know what he was making otherwise, though I have my ideas; it had to do with broken wood and strings. What's your guess on that one?

His major priority is ensuring Corrin stays alive, then I come next. He's got this idea he's going to die because people see him as a threat. He's probably decided he's gonna arm us up so we don't die too. That's my fucking guess, anyway.

[meatitfeedson]

A choke wire, maybe? Well, as long as we don't have reason to find out, what's the difference.

[keybroad]

About that first question, dryly:] A violin? Though I don't think a bow [the kind you use on a violin] is made out of any old wood... [Bow and arrows really is not occurring to her, incredible]

He doesn't have the idea that he's going to die because, like, at least ten of us are going to die? Do you really think he means it that protecting Corrin matters more than protecting himself? Because you told us before that someone wanted to die and look where that got us.

[jinglebros]

Who the hell said he wants to die? [ Santa demands, raising his voice a little. HE IS O F F E N D E D and it's absolutely not Lotus' fault. ] That's not what's happening here! Even if that shit was going on, we made him promise to try to get as far as possible! He's just convinced he has a mark on his back! And who can fucking blame him?!

[keybroad]

Okay, that's taking it pretty far. Nobody has written a petition. Didn't Rhys even vote for him? They don't hang out or anything, right? So at least one random person trusts him with their life.

[jinglebros]

I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about his past and I'm talking about the fact he has someone to lose. That's enough to put anyone on edge at this point. We're in a goddamn murder game, for fuck's sake.

I feel the same. I feel like I have a target on my back. I can't blame him for feeling like he has one on his.

[keybroad]

[Her eyebrows go up at his past because she won't push him on that point - probably unproductive - but that just raises so many questions that might get answered later in the game during a truth segment. WHO DOES HE HAVE THAT IN COMMON WITH...]

It doesn't matter how brightly colored the target is if the person aiming at it is sufficiently far away, you know. An arrow won't hit you right now, will it? You have June to vote for you that round. Even if it's also stressing you out that your beloved sister is here... because it is unfortunate.

[jinglebros]

Two words: hotel passes.

[keybroad]

[Actually quite angry and it's mainly the defense mechanism of sarcasm that keeps her from actively shouting]

Oh, no, you'll be suddenly not killed! That's the worst and most terrible fate that I can imagine.

[jinglebros]

Prove to me the hotel is real and not just a cover for another kind of death. Do it somehow.

[ Not put off by her anger at all. ]