psychedelica | (no subject)

(no subject)

-- Belph!!

[ literally as soon as he leaves the tailor and hears the news from the Dragon and Tiger, he's going to find Belph and run up to him, his expression a mixture of alarm and relief.

He was worried - truly. And he still is - especially knowing his partner is dead. There's a sour feeling unraveling in the pit of his stomach like a black snack, but for the moment, he keeps it down. ]

You're still alive... Good.

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[honestly, belph looks exhausted at this point, but he manages a smile when he sees hikage.]

Same goes for you. Your chances of surviving this week weren't great, pal.

[what with civilians being "expendable".]

[ he was distantly aware of that in the back of his mind, but, honestly, he didn't pay much heed to it. He's barely hanging onto his own existence by a thread at this point. Hikage simply shakes his head. ]

If you haven't noticed, I'm bad at dying.

[ ha ha. ]

What happened?

Depends on which part you mean.

[ isn't it obvious, belph... ]

... Your plan. Is it going to work?

[ none of the villains died, so it seems all right so far... but nothing seems to have changed, either. ]

... I don't really have a plan at this point? A bunch of us have compiled our info together, so... we'll see how tomorrow goes.

You don't know how to actually end the game...?

[ Belph seemed like he knew everything to Hikage -- but he supposes that was silly. He just sighs, shaking his head. ]

... If we're lucky, maybe things will actually go our way. This already turned out better than I expected.

I mean, our options are the same as they've always been: three for all factions or a faction wipeout. It's just a matter of cleaning up some loose ends...

So we have to kill two of the heroes.

[ ever so gently, he rests a hand on the pistol at his hip... he won't use it unless he has to. But he has a feeling he might. He doesn't know how many people left are going to be willing to kill an innocent for this.

But he sets that aside for the time being, face becoming a little more serious. ]

... What about you? Shirasu is dead. If we don't end this tomorrow properly, they'll come for you next.

[he shrugs.]

Partnerships are over, remember? I'll be fine, unless someone feels like targeting me for whatever reason.

Besides... I'm pretty sure tomorrow's trial will be our last.

... Right.

[ he's gotten so used to the kills coming in twos. But this also means that they absolutely need to kill at least one hero tomorrow - there's no way around it. ]

It will be. We probably don't even need a trial. [ a beat. ] To be honest, I don't really care who killed who. I just want to get this over with.

[he smiles wryly. francy if you see this i can't believe you didn't know what this meant.]

I'll be surprised if we spend much time on that. At this point... it doesn't really matter.

[ we shame francy in this hosue ]

If nobody is willing, I'll do it. I don't care about getting my hands dirty.

[ if they're lucky, it won't even matter. ]

... I'd rather you not, actually.

[ raising a brow. ]

Why not? If you're worried about preserving my image or something, don't bother. I've killed a lot of people.

... It's not about what anyone else thinks of you.

... Then what is it? Quit being secretive. There's no point anymore.

I'm not being secretive.

[it's just embarrassing!!]

You're keeping a secret from me right now, idiot.

[ NOT HAVING IT ]

Will the person who kills them be killed, themselves? If that's the case, it should definitely be me. I'm already dead, anyway.

[belph just. sighs.]

... You're an idiot.

Don't call me an idiot. You're the idiot.

[ HUFF. ]

I'll probably never see you again, so the least you can do is be straightforward with me.

... I just don't want you to have to kill anymore, okay? There!

[ugh.]

[ ... oh. Belph is right in calling him an idiot, because he definitely wasn't expecting that to be the reasoning. This time, he doesn't have a quick retort - he just stares at Belph in utter surprise for a long handful of seconds. Then, awkwardly, he glances away, looking a little embarrassed, himself.

It's so strange to be cared about. But it's good. ]

... It's too late to save me like that.

[he's not the only one looking away now. even at this stage, honesty leaves belph uncomfortable.]

... Yeah, well. I'm selfish, remember?

Calling yourself selfish for a reason like that... You're ridiculous.

[ but he feels something soft and protective fold around his heart. maybe he should try a little bit... if it's what Belph wants. Hikage wants to be the person his friends think he could be, even if he doesn't think he's that person, himself. He opens his mouth again, to say something, but closes it soon after. There are so many things he wants to say, but he's terrible with words, even now. ]

... If I'd had a friend like you while I was alive, I'm sure I would have been a better person, [ he decides on, eventually. But he keeps going. ] I want you to live... I want you to be happy. If I have to dirty my hands again for that, then you'll just have to let me.

[...

he's quiet for a while, before—]

Your ring—I think I know what it does.

-- Huh?

[ that was obviously not the direction he was expecting this to take. By this point, he actually could have taken it off - but he gave up on trying a while ago, so it's still there. ]

... Most likely, it protects you from being targeted once. Or, it did. Apparently, there's no indication of when it's used, so your one use might already be up.

[a pause.]

In my defence, I didn't specify the item or that it couldn't be removed. That's all on the well.

... That was... Belph, you...

[ to be honest, he'd thought it was a weird prank, or maybe someone's role that he hadn't learned about. He didn't think that much about it at all. With everything else going on, how could he focus on a silly ring that said "bitches" on it?

He certainly didn't imagine it was Belph trying to save his life (or what's left of it.) No one has ever done that for him. Of that, he's certain. Emotion wells up in him, hot and unfamiliar, and he stares at his feet, overcome. ]

[okay, this is way too many feelings in one place, which means belph is immediately turning on the flippancy again.]

... Anyway, yeah. There's your explanation! I have to admit, though, it was pretty funny.

What's with that...

[ that reaction... Belph is as bad as he is at being honest - he just expresses it in a different way. He'd laugh if he wasn't feeling so moved. That's what this feeling is, isn't it? It's one he's been feeling too much lately.

Hikage doesn't know how to convey what he's feeling in the least. Thank you isn't enough - Belph used a wish to protect his worthless existence, because he apparently sees something in him worth protecting, something in him worth keeping from further harm and further sin. Timidly, he reaches out, pinching a bit of Belph's sleeve between his fingers; it's an awkward gesture, and he can't think of anything to say that will go along with it. In the end, he has to go with the insufficient. ]

... Thank you.

[... well, he has absolutely no idea what to do with hikage punching his sleeve!]

Don't worry about it, man. Besides, you're probably the only person who'd be thankful for a reward used from murdering someone.

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