[ch. 6] post-trial, ion & steph

[asswipe]

[... Wherever they end up meeting after this mess of a trial, Veronica is going to promptly slump against the wall and slide down until she's sitting on the floor. She then covers her face with her hands.]

What now?

Comments

[fonlines]

... Souji and I were discussing switching, come tomorrow.

[ he's tired, he needs to sort things. ]

[vigilantics]

At least one of you have to, even if it's not both.

[ she's just... slowly pacing. ]

[asswipe]

... I spoke to him. He said you were going to declare your factions tomorrow and your intentions to switch.

[She doesn't think it's a good idea, but. She's tired.]

[fonlines]

We'll reconvene after we speak with several others to discuss our options, but yes, if it was necessary- we would declare it publicly.

No more of this killing the wrong faction by simple happenstance.

[ he's not committed to the idea, but it's on the table. ]

[vigilantics]

Some good news is that we don't have to be completely equal in terms of objectives. Just hitting seven was enough.

[ so, they're not completely screwed. ]

[asswipe]

So I heard.

[well. they're still a little screwed.]

The bad news is that, um... We still need to get our numbers down to nine. So you and Souji may want to hold off on making the switch, Ion.

[fonlines]

[ ... ]

Then we are eliminating heroes and civilians next week?

[vigilantics]

It'll be easier if we knew who the Blotter picks will be.

[ then they could try to coordinate. ]

[asswipe]

... Belph told me that everyone's factions will be outed tomorrow, so maybe next week's Blotters will know how to get their shit together.

[maybe.]

[fonlines]

[ well, that's something. but... ]

Miss Stephanie, Veronica.

This was discussed somewhat during the trial, and it may have been acted on given your role, Stephanie- but it may be prudent to revisit now.

If you could ask the Crafters anything pertinent to the game, at this point...

What would it be?

[vigilantics]

If I knew the answer to that question then Belph and I wouldn't have asked it.

[ she truly cannot describe how stumped the two of them were getting in their meetings. ]

Knowing more about the war in general would be nice, but...

[asswipe]

... I'd like to know more about the war in general, too. Why it started, why Tiger and Dragon are trapped in their roles... but...

[Echoing Steph on that "but." It's a big one.]

To be honest, I'd just like to know something that would help us. But I don't know what that would be.

[fonlines]

That was my thought too, at the beginning of the week. To perhaps know their stories...

[ ... a quiet sigh. ]

I thought that after a week of deliberation I would have an answer for myself. Apparently not, it seems.

[vigilantics]

... I think at this point we just want to get everyone back in the best way possible.

[ and if there are no other ways besides the ones already supplied to them, then... ]

[asswipe]

[She sighs, rubbing at her face.]

I don't know if there's anything new we could learn that would help us. We're... close enough to evening out the numbers, anyway. All that's left is to get our friends back and go home.

[fonlines]

... I suppose that is what I will end up asking them, in the end. About the war, why it exists at all...

[ his shoulders slump. ]

I just hope we're not missing anything important. According to Akechi, the concept of a saboteur has been debunked; Sousei was mistaken, and... the late Lord El-Melloi II lying?

[ his expression darkens slightly. ]

Although I have no idea what he would gain from such an action.

[vigilantics]

He could have just understood things incorrectly. It wouldn't be the first time.

[ certain people have been running on wrong assumptions.

including them, honestly, but some more than others. ]

[asswipe]

... I wouldn't be surprised. A lot of this stuff is— Um, a lot to process. He could have just jumped the gun on something he learned, the same way that we assumed we needed to match the objectives.

[Which she slapped Akechi over, but!! It's fine. She has zero regrets over that.]