[ ...Well. Anthy had expected that trial to be a miserable experience, but it exceeded her expectations. Even if she hadn't had much of an opinion on the Medic either way, seeing his conversation with his bird after the results had managed to tug at something in her.
Some time later, she ends up sitting at a table in a corner of the restaurant with a cup of tea, playing a subdued game of Go Fish with Chu-Chu with a distant expression. ]
[yeah there was absolutely nothing to do about the guilt that followed both their failure to protect Szayel and Medic's false conviction. Akira spends a good amount of time outside trying to clear his head, which means when he returns to the resort, it's with a red-tipped nose and flushed ears. the obvious next step is to warm himself up with some coffee, but to get to the kitchen he has to pass through the restaurant]
[and that's when he sees Anthy seated at a corner table with Chu-Chu standing on the table opposite. he slows down a bit, hesitates, before stepping towards them both to interrupt their subdued game of cards]
Ask him if he has any threes.
[he mutters in Anthy's direction, one hand pressed against his mouth conspiratorially]
[ Ah... Anthy looks up and blinks for a moment, but then goes along with it. ]
Do you have any threes?
[ Chu-Chu looks momentarily shocked that they got his number like this, and then with a slightly disappointed chuuu..., drops the three of diamonds and the three of clubs onto the table, and slides them across with his tail. ]
Oh, thank you.
[ Look, she just needs spades now and then she'll have all the threes.
Chu-Chu takes a brief break to nibble on a cracker to cope with his losing turn, and Anthy looks back up to Akira. ]
[sorry Chu-Chu. Akira at least gives the monkey an apologetic look before he pulls up a chair and drops into it, leaning backwards and slumping juuuust a little bit when he does so]
[there's a time for coffee, and a time for tea. so he gives Anthy a grateful look, before reaching out to pinch the saucer and tug the cup towards him]
[ Chu-Chu tries to sneak a peek at a card, and Anthy gives him a gentle tap on the head. ]
Well, just be careful. They apparently didn't think you enough of a threat to try to vote for you this time, and I don't think that's something you want to change.
Actually, maybe there's something to be said for your spider challenge after all.
[ Somehow each week really does get more exhausting than the last. Anthy is... actually very pleased with where this one finally ended, all things considered, but the winding path it took to get there was far from pleasant.
There were a few things she'd considered saying to Akira when he'd attempted to make his sacrifice, and... well, there are still things she'd like to say now, even if she still hasn't quite decided what they are.
So. She's here at the door to his room later in the evening when things have cooled down a bit, without Chu-Chu, and after a pause, she gives the door a firm knock.
She really expects Akira will probably be out or busy with someone else at the moment, since she's sure each of his friends wants to give him an earful about now. And if that's the case... that's fine. She'll come back later. Or maybe she won't. It doesn't really matter anyway. ]
[she's right in that he's gotten plenty of earfuls by now, but hey. . . technically he's gotten them after, like. every single trial thus far. but he seems to be at home, and the door opens seconds later]
[ She steps inside, and... pauses for a second as her eyes linger on the knives, but then takes a seat on the edge of the bed, sitting up straight with her hands folded in her lap. ]
...It's not really what I wanted to talk about, but I suppose I'll preface this by saying that I did vote for Niijima-san. You understand now, right? That blind faith doesn't help anyone.
[ Somehow, with the polite wording and almost melancholic tone, it probably doesn't really come off as an "I told you so", even if that's really what it is. ]
[Akira is silent for a moment as he practically collapses into a nearby chair, his expression softening]
. . .
I do.
[he understands that even better now than he did before, actually. because had he known the Barghest had taken a hold of Makoto like it did? he would've voted for her in a heartbeat]
[. . . but he hadn't noticed, because blind faith had. . . well. blinded him]
[ Maybe everything that led up to that conclusion wasn't really such a waste of time and energy for all of them.
And as long as he really will learn from mistakes... ]
...I think it's a little late to advise you against making yourself into a sacrifice, but since you were let off the hook this time and may try it again, it still seemed worth mentioning.
[ She brushes her hair back out of her eye. ]
No one wants to watch you fall on a sword for someone.
Hopefully not. It seems like it's hard to predict how anything here will go, though. If there's anyone who wants to take you out of the game, they might try going about it by targeting him in some way instead now.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
week 1 - post-trial
Some time later, she ends up sitting at a table in a corner of the restaurant with a cup of tea, playing a subdued game of Go Fish with Chu-Chu with a distant expression. ]
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[and that's when he sees Anthy seated at a corner table with Chu-Chu standing on the table opposite. he slows down a bit, hesitates, before stepping towards them both to interrupt their subdued game of cards]
Ask him if he has any threes.
[he mutters in Anthy's direction, one hand pressed against his mouth conspiratorially]
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Do you have any threes?
[ Chu-Chu looks momentarily shocked that they got his number like this, and then with a slightly disappointed chuuu..., drops the three of diamonds and the three of clubs onto the table, and slides them across with his tail. ]
Oh, thank you.
[ Look, she just needs spades now and then she'll have all the threes.
Chu-Chu takes a brief break to nibble on a cracker to cope with his losing turn, and Anthy looks back up to Akira. ]
You look cold.
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Do I?
[hm]
I guess it is a little chilly outside.
[A LITTLE CHILLY]
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[ She looks at him for a moment before touching a finger to the edge of the saucer beneath her teacup. ]
This is still hot if you want it. It's not coffee, though, so I don't think it would do much besides warm you up.
[ Still has caffeine, sure, but. You know. Not the kind of thing you'd bring into a Palace. ]
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That's okay. I like tea, too.
[there's a time for coffee, and a time for tea. so he gives Anthy a grateful look, before reaching out to pinch the saucer and tug the cup towards him]
Thanks.
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You did a good job today.
[ "Aside from the failed spider challenge attempt" is somehow clearly implied. ]
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Despite trying to fight a giant spider, to no avail?
[but despite her implication, there's amusement in his voice]
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[ ha ]
You did well with the leadership role you took, though. Everyone clearly trusted you.
[ even if they thought you were kind of a dumbass ]
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[that seems to take him by surprise, despite the fact that he's no stranger to being in a leadership role]
I wasn't. . . trying to lead.
[perhaps his air of authority just comes naturally?]
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[ Apparently. Or maybe he's just well-practiced at herding cats because one of his teammates is a literal cat. ]
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Maybe.
[a small sigh, and he lowers his tea cup back to the table, finger tracing the edges]
I just knew that we had to focus. That we had to try to find the Jorogumo, no matter how impossible it seemed.
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Mm...
[ Chu-Chu tries to sneak a peek at a card, and Anthy gives him a gentle tap on the head. ]
Well, just be careful. They apparently didn't think you enough of a threat to try to vote for you this time, and I don't think that's something you want to change.
Actually, maybe there's something to be said for your spider challenge after all.
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So reckless that there's no possible way I'm one of them, you mean?
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I like the way I put it better.
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[ She picks her cards back up and Chu-Chu follows suit. After a slight pause, she looks back to Akira with a smile. ]
If you want to play, it is better with three players than two.
[ And Chu-Chu probably wouldn't have any objections to ditching this round and starting over. ]
We used to play with Utena-sama back home sometimes.
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All right. Deal me in.
[a pause]
Who is Utena?
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The person I'm engaged to.
[ She lets Chu-Chu cut the deck. He gives it a relatively ineffective karate chop. ]
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Congratulations.
[he means that sincerely! but. . . then he has to ask]
How old are you?
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[ h m ]
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You're engaged at age fourteen?
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[ casually deals cards... ]
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Are. . . are you okay with that?
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[ Because if it wasn't it wouldn't make a difference and she doesn't have the energy to waste on that shit.
Anyway, here are your cards! ]
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That doesn't sound very convincing.
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You're not still trying to travel beyond the resort grounds every day, are you?
week 3 - post-trial
There were a few things she'd considered saying to Akira when he'd attempted to make his sacrifice, and... well, there are still things she'd like to say now, even if she still hasn't quite decided what they are.
So. She's here at the door to his room later in the evening when things have cooled down a bit, without Chu-Chu, and after a pause, she gives the door a firm knock.
She really expects Akira will probably be out or busy with someone else at the moment, since she's sure each of his friends wants to give him an earful about now. And if that's the case... that's fine. She'll come back later. Or maybe she won't. It doesn't really matter anyway. ]
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. . . Himemiya-san?
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Hello again, Kurusu-san.
[ They've really seen plenty of each other today already, with how long that all went on, but. She gives one of her well-rehearsed smiles. ]
Would you mind if I came in for a few minutes?
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[steps aside to let her in!]
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[ She steps inside, and... pauses for a second as her eyes linger on the knives, but then takes a seat on the edge of the bed, sitting up straight with her hands folded in her lap. ]
...It's not really what I wanted to talk about, but I suppose I'll preface this by saying that I did vote for Niijima-san. You understand now, right? That blind faith doesn't help anyone.
[ Somehow, with the polite wording and almost melancholic tone, it probably doesn't really come off as an "I told you so", even if that's really what it is. ]
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[Akira is silent for a moment as he practically collapses into a nearby chair, his expression softening]
. . .
I do.
[he understands that even better now than he did before, actually. because had he known the Barghest had taken a hold of Makoto like it did? he would've voted for her in a heartbeat]
[. . . but he hadn't noticed, because blind faith had. . . well. blinded him]
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[ Maybe everything that led up to that conclusion wasn't really such a waste of time and energy for all of them.
And as long as he really will learn from mistakes... ]
...I think it's a little late to advise you against making yourself into a sacrifice, but since you were let off the hook this time and may try it again, it still seemed worth mentioning.
[ She brushes her hair back out of her eye. ]
No one wants to watch you fall on a sword for someone.
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Believe it or not, I'm not eager to fall on a sword myself, either.
[which is probably not so easily believed considering everything he's pulled lately, but. . .]
Circumstances were just-- [. . .] I couldn't stand by and watch.
That's all.
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[ and from more angles than you know. ]
But you're not in the heat of the moment now, so you should take this opportunity to think about how you'll handle it differently next time.
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[knowing that he's not possessed by a monster]
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They'll have to go through me if they want to take him out.
[even though he knows, logically, that he's all talk and no walk. he has no way of protecting Minato, no matter how badly he may want to]