[ he just walks past and motions for akira to follow him. once he's sure there's no one around, and it really is just them, he leans against one of the walls. ]
I'm not gonna go into details because I don't wanna run into any hidden rules or traps with this. But... is your power something that be used to kill?
[. . . well, okay. Akira follows without another word, leaning himself against the bathroom wall with his arms folded once they get there]
[and then Ash speaks, and his expression flickers]
[incidentally. . . he had spoken to someone else about the nature of the distributed powers earlier today, so. . . that question actually isn't too much of a surprise. or at least, it's not as much of a surprise as it was earlier]
No.
. . . if anything, I think it's more of a defensive power than an offensive one.
Lili said that everyone in her "game" received powers, and figuring out who had what power made solving trials difficult. So I bet she and her friend are collecting as much information as they can on who has what kind of power for--
[a beat]]
[. . . sighs. does he have to acknowledge it!!]
For when we inevitably have to root out a murderer.
Chatterbox said his power was literally meteors, so I'm guessing they must've seen some shit if people were throwing powers like that around week after week.
[ it makes sense. having weird powers is gonna add layers to all this when it kicks off, so yeah--
probably time to acknowledge the elephant in the room. ]
Yeah. Whether it all kicks off immediately or what, if we know what kind of powers we're working with we can narrow culprits down quicker.
Maybe? Maybe not. Without something motivating us, maybe nothing'll happen. I don't think any of us [ and he makes a small circular motion with his hand; us, the lot from the mansion ] would kill, because we know what we all went through and what we had to do to get out of that mansion. And it'd be stupid of me to think that we were the only ones who had to go through that much to get free.
Maybe everyone else is the same. But if there are other conditions -- monster transformations, a curse, or even blackmail or manipulation... [ he shrugs. ] That complicates shit.
Did you think something would freak out Ayabe so much it'd push the shortstack to commit murder?
[yeah. once again, Akira knows that he can't just naively believe that nothing will happen. that they'll be able to stop whatever forces that may drive them to murder]
[he exhales deeply]
. . . you're not wrong. [he admits, though something out his tone is strained] I'm just so frustrated. You know?
[clenching his hands into fists so tight his knuckles are white]
I know. I know. Use my anger as fuel to propel me forward, right? I've lived by that motto for the past year and some change. I will never think my anger is a weakness.
[but. . .?]
I'm tired of being helpless. Of standing around and just watching while people around me drop like flies, killed by those I consider friends.
I will not sit around and be useless at stopping any of this again.
alright. ash just turns enough to reach out and flick akira between the eyes. there's no real power or force behind it though. ]
No taking on all the shit yourself.
We're all here, we've all been through this shit before, and while I'd leave one or two of you at the side of the road if I was biking by, I'm not into the idea of repeating the same crap again.
Talk it out with us. Plan with us. And don't do something reckless and get yourself in trouble we can't drag you out of. Or I'll smack some sense into you, and I don't care if that involves figuring out how to revive you early if you kick the bucket so I can do it.
[a surprised noise, and the flick easily wipes the anger off of his features, melting away into surprise. he lifts a hand to rub his forehead as he blinks at Ash blankly]
[. . .]
[and then he huffs]
All of that goes without saying.
I wouldn't do anything stupid without you right at my side, Ash.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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[giving him a quizzical look??]
They were when I left. Why?
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I'm not gonna go into details because I don't wanna run into any hidden rules or traps with this. But... is your power something that be used to kill?
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[and then Ash speaks, and his expression flickers]
[incidentally. . . he had spoken to someone else about the nature of the distributed powers earlier today, so. . . that question actually isn't too much of a surprise. or at least, it's not as much of a surprise as it was earlier]
No.
. . . if anything, I think it's more of a defensive power than an offensive one.
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Huh.
They probably fall into categories then. Killing, versatile and defensive. Or something along those lines.
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. . . and here I thought all of them were relatively harmless. At least, until Lili asked me about the nature of mine earlier.
[tch]
Did you speak to her, too?
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No, her apparent partner-in-crime. Whatshisname, Something-kara. Chatty guy.
He said his is made for killing, but not easy to use in a fight. Did she tell you about hers?
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Yes. She said hers was a power that could possibly put someone in harm's way if used inappropriately.
I didn't ask her for more details.
[he isn't pressing because he doesn't want anyone to be punished for breaking that rule]
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...
Yeah, that... sounds a bit like mine? Or, rather I'd say mine's versatile. [ it's only fair he offers up a little knowledge, as a treat. ]
Sounds like they're trying to figure out groups, or get an idea of what everyone's working with, maybe?
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Lili said that everyone in her "game" received powers, and figuring out who had what power made solving trials difficult. So I bet she and her friend are collecting as much information as they can on who has what kind of power for--
[a beat]]
[. . . sighs. does he have to acknowledge it!!]
For when we inevitably have to root out a murderer.
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[ it makes sense. having weird powers is gonna add layers to all this when it kicks off, so yeah--
probably time to acknowledge the elephant in the room. ]
Yeah. Whether it all kicks off immediately or what, if we know what kind of powers we're working with we can narrow culprits down quicker.
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[laughs. breathlessly. and tiredly. there's no humor in it]
I hate this part.
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[ ash leans slightly to bump his shoulder against akira's ]
I'm not exactly stoked about it either. We've all been through this before -- whether that'll change anything or not, I don't know...
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I want it to change. I don't want things to turn out like they did back at the mansion, or the castle, or the village, or--
[snaps his mouth shut and pushes away from the wall, raking a hand through his hair]
Everyone is acting like it won't. And it might not, but-- isn't acting like that also a self-fulfilling prophecy?
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[ might as well be frank about it. ]
Maybe? Maybe not. Without something motivating us, maybe nothing'll happen. I don't think any of us [ and he makes a small circular motion with his hand; us, the lot from the mansion ] would kill, because we know what we all went through and what we had to do to get out of that mansion. And it'd be stupid of me to think that we were the only ones who had to go through that much to get free.
Maybe everyone else is the same. But if there are other conditions -- monster transformations, a curse, or even blackmail or manipulation... [ he shrugs. ] That complicates shit.
Did you think something would freak out Ayabe so much it'd push the shortstack to commit murder?
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[yeah. once again, Akira knows that he can't just naively believe that nothing will happen. that they'll be able to stop whatever forces that may drive them to murder]
[he exhales deeply]
. . . you're not wrong. [he admits, though something out his tone is strained] I'm just so frustrated. You know?
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[ c'mon akira. ]
Be frustrated. I'm pissed as hell about this? That's not a damn weakness, or something you gotta jusify.
I really doubt we're the only ones.
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I know. I know. Use my anger as fuel to propel me forward, right? I've lived by that motto for the past year and some change. I will never think my anger is a weakness.
[but. . .?]
I'm tired of being helpless. Of standing around and just watching while people around me drop like flies, killed by those I consider friends.
I will not sit around and be useless at stopping any of this again.
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alright. ash just turns enough to reach out and flick akira between the eyes. there's no real power or force behind it though. ]
No taking on all the shit yourself.
We're all here, we've all been through this shit before, and while I'd leave one or two of you at the side of the road if I was biking by, I'm not into the idea of repeating the same crap again.
Talk it out with us. Plan with us. And don't do something reckless and get yourself in trouble we can't drag you out of. Or I'll smack some sense into you, and I don't care if that involves figuring out how to revive you early if you kick the bucket so I can do it.
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[. . .]
[and then he huffs]
All of that goes without saying.
I wouldn't do anything stupid without you right at my side, Ash.
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I can't even pretend that's not gonna happen.
[ damn. oh well.
he just holds up an arm, hand clenched in a fist. ]
We do this properly, or we cause hell dragging whoever's causing this down with us.
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You're goddamned right we do.
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Might as well cause a little chaos for dealing with all this crap.
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[they need something LOCKED to break into]
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