[falling into step at his side, fingers dipping into pockets as they walk]
I talked to Yu about it in depth right after we arrived.
[so he has a head start!]
Pantheon of gods, they were arguing about which one would be in charge, they decided to run a game to determine their leader. . . [a beat. and then, evenly] Participation and murder were both. . . voluntary.
Yeah, Yu was correct. All of us were deliberatly asked before we ever arrived. Though we didn't know it would result in death, we were told it would involve some level of risk. I think I told you as much about the bloodshed as well.
It puts the three of us from the temple in an interesting position. I don't think anyone else here is from a situation where both of those actions were by choice.
[he appreciates how forthcoming Yu and Guy have been about their whole ordeal, actually]
. . . and I suppose that interesting position is why I wanted to speak with you.
[tilting his head towards Guy, expression carefully neutral]
Not because I'm worried any of you from the temple would hurt someone. [guy and yu and majima all seem like good people!!] But because you can offer some insight on the rewards that were offered to those who did kill.
There's no surprise from Guy at the revelation. Just a pause, a flicker of something complicated and tired across an expression that stays remarkably unchanged otherwise.
A tired chuckle slips out, humorless.]
I figured one or the other would start talking about it eventually. Honestly, I'm a little surprised it took this long.
Man, zero for two. He's probably gonna wring my neck. I promise I trust the kid, I really do.
Anyway. When things started to get bad - really bad - some of the gods themselves started being killed. When a god no longer had followers, they were no longer powerful, and people caught on that limiting the playing field could grant them their wishes. A few of the gods started reaching out to bribe or beg people into switching sides or take more extreme actions, either for themselves or another god.
I got a few of those, in varying degrees. Considering my best friend was in the game and that I also personally knew one of the gods, that... that got used a lot as incentive, unfortunately. "Switch sides, and you can save another player from a death, Guy. Kill someone, and you can keep a god from losing a follower unfairly for the rest of the game, Guy. We can't act unless you act, Guy."
[his expression hardens into something unreadable. it's difficult to tell what's going through his mind, but his gaze remains locked on Guys' expression, completely unwavering]
[. . . he doesn't know if it's the choice of words (don't approve of me being here) or what, but that stony expression falls just the slightest bit. he has never been one to condone murder-- and he never will be-- but]
[. . .]
[things were more complicated in the mansion than any of them have been telling the others, weren't they? they may have been turned into monsters, but some of them rose their weapons against each other for other, more selfish reasons]
[. . .]
[the world isn't black and white. is it fair of him to pass judgment on someone when he wasn't even a participant in their game?]
. . . I don't think I could ever approve of someone taking another life. I don't think. . . I could ever agree that killing someone is ever the right thing to do.
But-- [chuuya. babo kim. ayabe. akechi]
Can you tell me why you accepted those tasks? Was it just to protect people you cared about?
That's what I told myself, yeah. [ooooooof he had hoped that he would have a little more time before discussing this. But, yknow. Can't just laugh it off now.]
Both of them - the god, Ion, and my best friend, Luke - they've both been dead for a while. Even though we were on different teams until the end, Luke and I were both playing for the same wish... and that was for him to come back home alive.
About a month in, Ion had ended up with only one follower. Another of the gods, Ambition, was very close with Ion and was worried that someone would remove Ion's remaining follower - Luke - either through a power granted from allegiance with Ambition to force a switch of alignments... or by killing Luke and slaughtering Ion afterwards to make the competition easier to win.
I had already switched alliances for a protection boon for Luke, so that option was covered. But not the other. Ambition couldn't control who had which power or how they used it, but she could provide a work around.
In exchange for eliminating two players, she could guarantee that Luke and Ion would not be separated by force for the rest of the competition, and that, in the event of my death, my protection boon would be passed on to one of Ambition's followers, who would have a mandatory obligation to kill someone else in Luke's place, should he ever be targetted.
Edited (I am writing this from my phone can u tell) 2020-06-09 23:51 (UTC)
[and Akira is quiet as he listens. most of these names are not at all familiar to him, but he doesn't need to know the people involved to understand the gist of what happened. he was offered the chance to protect two friends from home in exchange for two other lives. . . and he took it]
[. . .]
[Akira thinks back to Chuuya, who killed Four for Ayabe's sake during the week their loved ones were threatened. he thinks back to Babo Kim, who killed Meltryllis when he found out she was the only monster who got away]
[he thinks back to Akechi, who had killed countless other people-- including the parents of his friends-- for reasons far more selfish than any of those listed so far]
[. . .]
[a deep. . . long exhale]
Was it worth it? To you. To. . . cross that line to protect your friends?
[yeah. . . Akira hadn't exactly expected a response, so he doesn't look too upset that he doesn't get one. his expression finally cracks though, mouth twitching]
"I don't think I would repeat it" is enough.
[because his next question would have been. . . would you do the same thing here?]
[. . .]
Anyway. . . thanks for sharing. [he doesn't really think Guy needs a lecture on how MURDER IS BAD, sooooo he won't even go there] You could have kept that all to yourself and I wouldn't have known any better.
The girl who took my place made me promise to be honest about what happened, were I to somehow survive the execution. If I had known what she was doing...
...
Her blood's on my hands, though, just like the others. I'd be an absolute idiot to ignore that. To forget them, to forget what I've done, or to not keep myself alive now... that's just saying they all died for nothing.
[There's a sharp exhale, a laugh that didn't quite materialize, the smile on his face not even close to reaching his eyes.]
I appreciate it. Can't really tell you how many I've been raked over the coals in the last couple weeks.
It would make me a pretty bad hypocrite, anyway. I've told the same thing to Luke tons of times, but when it comes down to it...
[...]
Akira, I think it goes without saying, but I'd prefer if this didn't get spread around. I'm not about to police Yu or Majima, and if other people find out, I'll tell them. But right now, as far as I'm aware, only one other person really knows besides you. I've already got a big enough target on my back.
[so, y'know.]
That said, if something happens and you think this is worth spilling, then I won't blame you.
[He'll nod, more than eager to get this conversation moving ] He's one of the seven God-Generals for the Oracle Knights, so most people on Auldrant have at least heard of him. To see him here is definitely a surprise.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Have you talked to the other guys about it at all? I can fill in whatever would help, but I'm not sure if you want repeat information.
no subject
I talked to Yu about it in depth right after we arrived.
[so he has a head start!]
Pantheon of gods, they were arguing about which one would be in charge, they decided to run a game to determine their leader. . . [a beat. and then, evenly] Participation and murder were both. . . voluntary.
And not required.
no subject
Yeah, Yu was correct. All of us were deliberatly asked before we ever arrived. Though we didn't know it would result in death, we were told it would involve some level of risk. I think I told you as much about the bloodshed as well.
It puts the three of us from the temple in an interesting position. I don't think anyone else here is from a situation where both of those actions were by choice.
no subject
[he appreciates how forthcoming Yu and Guy have been about their whole ordeal, actually]
. . . and I suppose that interesting position is why I wanted to speak with you.
[tilting his head towards Guy, expression carefully neutral]
Not because I'm worried any of you from the temple would hurt someone. [guy and yu and majima all seem like good people!!] But because you can offer some insight on the rewards that were offered to those who did kill.
no subject
[Mmm.
There's no surprise from Guy at the revelation. Just a pause, a flicker of something complicated and tired across an expression that stays remarkably unchanged otherwise.
A tired chuckle slips out, humorless.]
I figured one or the other would start talking about it eventually. Honestly, I'm a little surprised it took this long.
[A beat, a tilt of blue eyes towards Akira.]
How much did he tell you?
no subject
[and Akira kind of. . . slows to a stop at that, expression furrowed into a confused stare]
Told me what?
[YU DIDN'T SAY SHIT, GUY]
no subject
haha oh no
There's genuine surprise back, though his voice stays even.]
About the requests? I got more than a few of them. Yu was aware, so I guess I figured he might have wanted other people to know just where we all sat.
no subject
[quiet for a moment, still studying Guy's expression carefully. he feels like there is something. . .]
[. . .]
What requests? He didn't mention anything about those.
no subject
Man, zero for two. He's probably gonna wring my neck. I promise I trust the kid, I really do.
Anyway. When things started to get bad - really bad - some of the gods themselves started being killed. When a god no longer had followers, they were no longer powerful, and people caught on that limiting the playing field could grant them their wishes. A few of the gods started reaching out to bribe or beg people into switching sides or take more extreme actions, either for themselves or another god.
I got a few of those, in varying degrees. Considering my best friend was in the game and that I also personally knew one of the gods, that... that got used a lot as incentive, unfortunately. "Switch sides, and you can save another player from a death, Guy. Kill someone, and you can keep a god from losing a follower unfairly for the rest of the game, Guy. We can't act unless you act, Guy."
...You know. Stuff like that.
no subject
[his expression hardens into something unreadable. it's difficult to tell what's going through his mind, but his gaze remains locked on Guys' expression, completely unwavering]
Did you accept any of those requests?
no subject
Yeah. I did.
no subject
. . . is that what you thought Yu had told me?
That you had killed someone in the previous game?
no subject
But he promised. Didn't he?]
He and Majima both have told me they don't exactly approve of me being here. So, honestly? I expected at least one of them to pass it along.
I got caught, after all. But I was never executed. Even I really don't understand why.
no subject
[. . . he doesn't know if it's the choice of words (don't approve of me being here) or what, but that stony expression falls just the slightest bit. he has never been one to condone murder-- and he never will be-- but]
[. . .]
[things were more complicated in the mansion than any of them have been telling the others, weren't they? they may have been turned into monsters, but some of them rose their weapons against each other for other, more selfish reasons]
[. . .]
[the world isn't black and white. is it fair of him to pass judgment on someone when he wasn't even a participant in their game?]
. . . I don't think I could ever approve of someone taking another life. I don't think. . . I could ever agree that killing someone is ever the right thing to do.
But-- [chuuya. babo kim. ayabe. akechi]
Can you tell me why you accepted those tasks? Was it just to protect people you cared about?
no subject
Both of them - the god, Ion, and my best friend, Luke - they've both been dead for a while. Even though we were on different teams until the end, Luke and I were both playing for the same wish... and that was for him to come back home alive.
About a month in, Ion had ended up with only one follower. Another of the gods, Ambition, was very close with Ion and was worried that someone would remove Ion's remaining follower - Luke - either through a power granted from allegiance with Ambition to force a switch of alignments... or by killing Luke and slaughtering Ion afterwards to make the competition easier to win.
I had already switched alliances for a protection boon for Luke, so that option was covered. But not the other. Ambition couldn't control who had which power or how they used it, but she could provide a work around.
In exchange for eliminating two players, she could guarantee that Luke and Ion would not be separated by force for the rest of the competition, and that, in the event of my death, my protection boon would be passed on to one of Ambition's followers, who would have a mandatory obligation to kill someone else in Luke's place, should he ever be targetted.
no subject
[. . .]
[Akira thinks back to Chuuya, who killed Four for Ayabe's sake during the week their loved ones were threatened. he thinks back to Babo Kim, who killed Meltryllis when he found out she was the only monster who got away]
[he thinks back to Akechi, who had killed countless other people-- including the parents of his friends-- for reasons far more selfish than any of those listed so far]
[. . .]
[a deep. . . long exhale]
Was it worth it? To you. To. . . cross that line to protect your friends?
no subject
I don't think I would repeat it, knowing how it turned out. Doesn't matter very much right now, though.
Anyway. Was there anything else you wanted to ask?
no subject
"I don't think I would repeat it" is enough.
[because his next question would have been. . . would you do the same thing here?]
[. . .]
Anyway. . . thanks for sharing. [he doesn't really think Guy needs a lecture on how MURDER IS BAD, sooooo he won't even go there] You could have kept that all to yourself and I wouldn't have known any better.
I think that, in and of itself, takes guts.
no subject
Yeah, well.
The girl who took my place made me promise to be honest about what happened, were I to somehow survive the execution. If I had known what she was doing...
...
Her blood's on my hands, though, just like the others. I'd be an absolute idiot to ignore that. To forget them, to forget what I've done, or to not keep myself alive now... that's just saying they all died for nothing.
no subject
Mmm. I agree.
[Akira isn't one to mince words, so. . .]
You've got a chance to things right this time around, too. A chance to makeup for the mistakes that you've made.
That's part of moving forward. Carrying those mistakes with you, learning from them, and being a better person.
[another breathless laugh]
. . . but I'm sure you already knew that. You don't need a lecture from me.
no subject
I appreciate it. Can't really tell you how many I've been raked over the coals in the last couple weeks.
It would make me a pretty bad hypocrite, anyway. I've told the same thing to Luke tons of times, but when it comes down to it...
[...]
Akira, I think it goes without saying, but I'd prefer if this didn't get spread around. I'm not about to police Yu or Majima, and if other people find out, I'll tell them. But right now, as far as I'm aware, only one other person really knows besides you. I've already got a big enough target on my back.
[so, y'know.]
That said, if something happens and you think this is worth spilling, then I won't blame you.
no subject
[he might've, had Guy lied about it or if he thought Guy was dangerous, but. . . somehow? he doesn't think he is]
[. . .]
[(a tiny part of him hopes that doesn't come back to bite him later)]
It goes without saying that I'm hoping this place doesn't devolve into killing games like the other places have. But if it does?
I don't want to be the one to put a target on someone's back. If you're not going to hurt anyone. . . then I have no reason to tell anyone else.
no subject
[Like a flip of a switch, that light tone comes right back, far more comfortable.]
Pretty sure Asch would come strangle me if I started doing anything even remotely fishy, anyway.
no subject
[well, there isn't much more to say on the topic, is there? so when Guy mentions Asch, he moves on with the conversation]
Asch, huh? Do you know him?
no subject
He was in the mansion with you, right?
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