PRIVATE CONVERSATIONS - AKIRA

[menially]

Comments

[survivaltricks]

[WE ARE ALL SO CLUELESS]

. . . I think I might have an idea. Nothing concrete, but it's. . . something.

You saw what the directors wrote about what happens if no one dies, right?

[menially]

...Yeah. If no one dies, then the game is forfeit. We all lose. [They all die.]

[survivaltricks]

[his expression falls]

I wonder if whoever killed Yu knew that?

[menially]

...You mean that maybe they learned it had to happen and just didn't share with the rest of us?

Why Yu, then?

[survivaltricks]

A crime of opportunity? There might not have been any rhyme or reason for it at all.

[menially]

[His expression darkens.]

Yeah. Guess that happens sometimes.

Hopefully people won't start trying to weed out more from Heart's team. They've lost two now, right?

[survivaltricks]

It does.

[he feels that expression, bro. he really does]

. . . Winter lost one, but the numbers being what they are mean that Heart and Winter have the same amount of people.

Shadows is the team that's ahead of everyone else. [a pause] . . . and I think they've got a few go-getters on their team, because I'm pretty sure they've won two weeks in a row.

[menially]

What makes you say that? They're not exactly announcing it anywhere.

[survivaltricks]

Just a hunch.

[a beat]

Kidding. I've asked around, and that's the conclusion I've come to. A few people have shared their teams with me, so. . .

[a shrug]

[menially]

Lucky guy.

I hope you're careful with that information.

[survivaltricks]

Including you, I've only talked to three people about it.

But I doubt I'm the only one who knows.

. . . if I am right.

[he is confident he is, but. . . well. he won't discount him getting some bad information somewhere]

[menially]

Yeah. Honestly, it just takes knowing one person from each team you aren't on, and seeing what the differences are, if any.

The more the teams get whittled down, the more it stacks for the winning team to keep on winning, too. Less players on the competition's side means that it's easier for your team to conquer by sheer numbers. I'm sure that was done on purpose.

[His fingers tighten against his arms for a moment, before he shrugs it off.]

We need to find a way around this. So long as we don't repeat what happened on Saturday.

[survivaltricks]

. . . yeah. I agree.

[breathes out sharply]

I'm worried about what'll happen this weekend, though. Not for any specific reason, I just. . . [mmm] It's only our third week here.

I don't think we're anywhere near solving things yet.

[menially]

Then we just need to try harder.

[It's surprisingly cold.]

[survivaltricks]

. . . [Guy]

[. . .]

[reaches out to touch his arm. . .?]

[menially]

[Though it doesn't look it, his skin is oddly smooth and cold to the touch. Weird.

He blinks at the touch, the moment gone.]

...Ah, sorry. Between being shoved in the lake and people moving around what I worked on last night, I'm probably not a good person to talk to about this right now.

[survivaltricks]

[a pause]

Who shoved you in the lake? And what did you work on last night. . .?

[menially]

[Holds up a finger.]

Asch.

[Holds up another finger.]

Moving some rocks around.

[survivaltricks]

. . .

You're not the one who put the bloody rocks in front of Evan and Tsuru's statues, are you?

Or put that rock with a line through Heart's symbol in the forest. . .?

[menially]

Yeah. That was me.

[survivaltricks]

. . . whhhhhhhy?

[like]

[he's trying not to judge]

[he just. wants to know??]

[menially]

[Hah.]

Figured a reminder would keep people from wasting half a trial and condemning someone over things that don't matter.

[That cold tone is back, more than a little bitter.]

Apparently people think that the one I set for Yu was some sort of warning or threat to the purple team. Heart already is about ready to rip me to shreds, but I told them to direct anyone else to me. I didn't bothed putting it with his grave, because until we find who killed him, or until we break this place apart, then we've failed him.

...

Selfish gesture, even if it's tasteless. But I'd rather people get mad then get compliant.

[survivaltricks]

[. . .]

[there is something about the coolness in that tone that is oh-so familiar, and Akira isn't sure he likes it. it reminds him of someone else, someone who can be as equally as detached, as angry, as-- . . . foolish]

. . . nobody here is complacent.

[he says quietly, but there's a firmness to his words, too]

And your gesture isn't unwarranted, considering how we failed on Saturday.

But the delivery of your message was. . . [he pauses] . . . well. I can't blame people for misunderstanding.

[menially]

[He shrugs.]

I've gotten the lecture from Heart already, Akira. Sorry, but I'm not going to sit around for another hazing.

People got upset, and that's all that matters to me right now. You say no one is complacent, but I can't agree until I start seeing us act a little more urgently.

If people want to get mad at me for doing something they consider disrespectful, then by all means. But at least I'm doing something.

[survivaltricks]

. . . [a little sharply, possibly unnecessarily defensive, but. . . he can't help it]

You think the rest of us aren't?