Don't say anything. Just keep calm. We'll get you through this, promise. [ and if she has to put herself in the line of fire to do it, she will. ] Jin Ling's - he's a good kid, but you're right. He's not good at this.
I'm gonna pretend I never heard about any of this, okay? But I'll do my best to redirect. Because - Meltryllis was a revenge kill. She was the monster that killed Nia. So if I can, I'm gonna spin it as we need to figure out who did the monster kill, not the random ones.
Yeah, I'm sure. You know how if you guess all three things when you vote? If you get it right, you get a prize. Even if we all vote for the wrong person.
I don't know if there were two monsters. But I know you were Stefano, and I'm pretty sure Meltryllis got killed by Nic. Maybe Ash. I don't know. Mammon was the monster kill, I'm pretty sure.
Yeah. Look. Look, I gotta sleep. Let me sleep and see if I can think of anything better than what we've got. Okay? And I'll come back and see you tonight.
[ aaaaaand about 8 hours laterish, she comes looking for him again! she's more rested, but she hasn't bothered putting her hair up again. it's a goddamn mess. she's got a bandeau on, all of her gross bug bites and human bites on display because she refuses to wear a shirt. and of course, her stupid shiny green tracksuit pants. ]
[he's more comfortable just saying that, now, frowning up at her; he's probably in like, a pillow and blanket nest on the floor of his room. huaisang has also rested, but he's looking kind of pale.]
[cool, he'll use his good arm to start fixing this MESS her hair has become, he will not stand for her looking like this.]
Oh- young masters Akira and Lio had the same conclusion you did, I think. We found a small trail of water in the garden, and they both mentioned believing there was only one monster left now.
[she was 100% right about people just saying things around him, apparently! literally. they just kind of talked around him on this one.]
They didn't explain to me, but I can only assume that's the case...
[ aw shit, hair brushing!! she's a whiny butt about it, grumbling when he hits snags, but. ]
Told you. [ if you act useless, people don't pay you any mind. ] But - yeah. They were both part of the library crew. We all had a conversation about it.
What-- of course I am, miss Beau, I wouldn't have any reason to-!
[he shakes his head quickly, and she'll pick up on a definite feeling of concern; if she decides he's not being honest, he's pretty sure he's going to die.]
If it were any other situation, why would I ever have admitted to it?
I don't know, to get me on your side. You know I'm part of the strip searches a lot. You know I like you. It'd be really easy to get under my skin.
[ but. she's watching! and she's listening. ]
It's not important in the long run, honestly, you're not turning into a monster and Stefano was a dickhead. I just - I just wanted to see if you were lying to my face.
If I were, then wouldn't it come out sooner or later...?
[a slight shake of his head, as the worried feeling subsides a bit.]
It's as I said before. He tried to kill me-- he stabbed me first, but that skull kept the blow from injuring me, and I took advantage of the chance to surprise him. If I hadn't, he'd certainly have tried again, and I doubt I could have overpowered him. Especially with that gun... I'm probably lucky we aren't both dead.
No, the knife was how he tried to kill me first, but- it didn't leave a wound because of my protection. He shot me after I cut his throat.
[bleeding out doesn't happen immediately! fun.]
The knife is... it's still there, I just- stabbed it into something nearby, I thought if it looked like there was a struggle... I wouldn't be suspected.
[he was extremely tired and recently shot, okay. there's a slight wince as he adds:]
I may have... shot something else in the room to the same effect?
I - okay. [ deep breath. ] Okay, okay, okay. What we're going to do is we're not going to hide this. You're gonna be like Asch, straight up, and you're going to say Stefano tried to kill you. Because if you try to hide it like this, it's gonna look suspicious.
[yeah she immediately gets a feeling of panic, there, and he shakes his head quickly.]
Please, I don't-- if I admit to it, then what if someone else decides to kill me? I'm not protected anymore, I can't... I really don't want anyone else to know.
There's no guarantee it'll come out, either, it may not even be a problem... if they don't realize I'm hurt, do you really think they'll suspect me of anything?
[he snaps his fan open, fanning himself again. he's forgotten about fixing her hair for now.]
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[he exhales slowly, accepting her hand. the skull's been stashed back in his sleeve i just forgot it.]
I really don't know what to say, miss Beau, I-- I don't know what I would do if you weren't.... I couldn't ask this of Jin Ling.
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Don't say anything. Just keep calm. We'll get you through this, promise. [ and if she has to put herself in the line of fire to do it, she will. ] Jin Ling's - he's a good kid, but you're right. He's not good at this.
I'm gonna pretend I never heard about any of this, okay? But I'll do my best to redirect. Because - Meltryllis was a revenge kill. She was the monster that killed Nia. So if I can, I'm gonna spin it as we need to figure out who did the monster kill, not the random ones.
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[he looks startled at that, though there's... not as much of a feeling of surprise from him as might be expected.]
Are you sure? I- wait, does that mean that the other one was-- do you think there were two monsters alive?
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I don't know if there were two monsters. But I know you were Stefano, and I'm pretty sure Meltryllis got killed by Nic. Maybe Ash. I don't know. Mammon was the monster kill, I'm pretty sure.
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[it's a good position to be in, but they can't outright say why to ignore this one...
well. they'll figure it out.]
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Yeah. Look. Look, I gotta sleep. Let me sleep and see if I can think of anything better than what we've got. Okay? And I'll come back and see you tonight.
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[a slight nod, there; it won't be hard to pass out, at least, after the night he had. god.]
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[he's more comfortable just saying that, now, frowning up at her; he's probably in like, a pillow and blanket nest on the floor of his room. huaisang has also rested, but he's looking kind of pale.]
Bring me a comb?
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Gee, thanks. [ she says wryly. ] Sure, I guess.
[ she'll just head over to flop down next to him... with a comb?? ]
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Oh- young masters Akira and Lio had the same conclusion you did, I think. We found a small trail of water in the garden, and they both mentioned believing there was only one monster left now.
[she was 100% right about people just saying things around him, apparently! literally. they just kind of talked around him on this one.]
They didn't explain to me, but I can only assume that's the case...
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Told you. [ if you act useless, people don't pay you any mind. ] But - yeah. They were both part of the library crew. We all had a conversation about it.
[ A beat. ] Hey, lemme ask you something.
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there's a quiet little hum at that last bit, though, his hand pausing a moment.]
What is it?
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[ she looks over her shoulder at him, expression calm. ] You're telling the truth.
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[he shakes his head quickly, and she'll pick up on a definite feeling of concern; if she decides he's not being honest, he's pretty sure he's going to die.]
If it were any other situation, why would I ever have admitted to it?
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[ but. she's watching! and she's listening. ]
It's not important in the long run, honestly, you're not turning into a monster and Stefano was a dickhead. I just - I just wanted to see if you were lying to my face.
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[a slight shake of his head, as the worried feeling subsides a bit.]
It's as I said before. He tried to kill me-- he stabbed me first, but that skull kept the blow from injuring me, and I took advantage of the chance to surprise him. If I hadn't, he'd certainly have tried again, and I doubt I could have overpowered him. Especially with that gun... I'm probably lucky we aren't both dead.
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[ or did flurry misread that because that's also a possibility ]
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[bleeding out doesn't happen immediately! fun.]
The knife is... it's still there, I just- stabbed it into something nearby, I thought if it looked like there was a struggle... I wouldn't be suspected.
[he was extremely tired and recently shot, okay. there's a slight wince as he adds:]
I may have... shot something else in the room to the same effect?
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she just STARES at him. ]
I - okay. [ deep breath. ] Okay, okay, okay. What we're going to do is we're not going to hide this. You're gonna be like Asch, straight up, and you're going to say Stefano tried to kill you. Because if you try to hide it like this, it's gonna look suspicious.
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[yeah she immediately gets a feeling of panic, there, and he shakes his head quickly.]
Please, I don't-- if I admit to it, then what if someone else decides to kill me? I'm not protected anymore, I can't... I really don't want anyone else to know.
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[ guhhhhh she sighs out heavy. ] We're not gonna let what happened to Asch happen to you.
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[he snaps his fan open, fanning himself again. he's forgotten about fixing her hair for now.]
No one else knows. As long as it's just us--
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Once they figure out a sharp weapon slit his throat they might. [ also - there's a bit of guilt in her, and then: ] I think this is a mistake.
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[unless, you know, she's spilled about the secret fan weapon. he notices the guilt, though, and it sparks a little fear in return.]
Miss Beau-- please. It's not just what happens tomorrow, if they know then I'm afraid someone else will...
[he barely lived this time; he doesn't expect to live twice.]
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