I mean— we already knew from what happened with both M&M and Taky that these aren't always exactly what they look like, right? And I assume you wouldn't be telling me this if it wasn't bothering you.
[ jeez. but he can guess that reigen probably didn't want danny to have to keep this to himself, and... he probably is better equipped to deal with this than any of the kids are.
...I went to kill him. He tried to talk me out of it, but I wasn't convinced. I didn't want to take a chance on him being wrong. So I...I went intangible, reached into his chest, and pulled out his heart. I phased it--I thought I phased it into the floor, but I must have pushed too hard and pushed it through the ceiling of the floor below. Then I slashed his back to make it look like that's what killed him and went to leave.
Except on my way out, I noticed the heart wasn't hidden. So I had to double back upstairs and try to move him downstairs to make it look like it wasn't obviously my power. I phased us down into the parking garage. That must be what caused all the broken bones.
...it wasn't supposed to get this ugly. It was supposed to be clean and simple and quick.
[ he brings his knees up and wraps his arms around them, hugging himself tightly into a lil ball ]
I...because I need to win this. And there's only two of us left on Tiger, and we just keep falling in the rankings, and--and killing has to be worth a good amount of points, and.
I can't be here for another cycle of this. Or get stuck here thinking I've always lived here, powerless. I can't afford to lose again.
[ well, danny's certainly not the only one who's been feeling that... though datz still isn't sure that's really how points work. ]
Yeah, this is a really shitty situation they put everyone in.
[ ... ]
Did you know about that note that was going around this week? The one that said each team needed to kill someone or else no one would be able to go back?
he leans his head back against the shelf behind him and looks up. ]
Okay. That... you should've heard about that earlier. Sorry.
[ fuck. ]
Did you pick him 'cause it seemed fairer than targeting someone who hadn't had any responsibility in other deaths? Or because he'd be easier to deal with since he didn't have an offensive power, or?
[ he just looks sad and frustrated with this whole thing, honestly, and shakes his head. ]
Nothing. I assume that's why he sent you to me.
I'll probably say something to Temenos so he doesn't waste his time digging for the truth, since I think his reaction would be pretty close to mine, and he seems like he can keep a secret.
Otherwise... if you wanna tell people, that's cool, but I'm not gonna sell you out if you don't feel like you can. I'll just confirm that it's a repeat team but say that Taky didn't wanna reveal who his killer was.
Buddy, I get it, but I'm pretty sure you'd be better off with two of us around to deflect questions and everything. There are people here who don't like me who'd be more willing to listen to him, so you'd be keeping more people off your tail that way. Otherwise they're just gonna keep digging, and they'll come back to the same theory we already looked at today.
He's a cautious guy. When he got some potentially dangerous info before, he told Taky and me and we all discussed the pros and cons of passing it on beyond that. He's not gonna wanna do anything to hurt a scared kid and provoke revenge killings.
Anyway, he knew about Taky before and didn't say anything.
I'll test the waters first by saying I found out who it was without saying it was you, make sure he reacts the way I'm expecting. And remind him I can snap him like a twig if he thinks about saying anything to anybody.
[ he manages a bit of a smile, which he hopes is reassuring. ]
All right? This all really sucks, but we'll get through it.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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[ that's it? he's not going to smite danny down right where he stands? ]
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So you, what--you want to listen to me?
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That's what I'm sayin', yeah. So we can do it with meatballs or without.
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...I don't think I could stomach meatballs right now.
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Yeah, fair enough.
[ puts a hand on his shouder and gives him a little nudge. ]
C'mon, let's just sit down up here then.
[ they can just sit down on the floor against some shelves or something. ]
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...he really did hypnotize me, you know. To tell you afterwards.
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[ jeez. but he can guess that reigen probably didn't want danny to have to keep this to himself, and... he probably is better equipped to deal with this than any of the kids are.
he sighs. ]
So. What happened?
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Except on my way out, I noticed the heart wasn't hidden. So I had to double back upstairs and try to move him downstairs to make it look like it wasn't obviously my power. I phased us down into the parking garage. That must be what caused all the broken bones.
...it wasn't supposed to get this ugly. It was supposed to be clean and simple and quick.
[ instead he traumatized everyone ]
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god this sucks. he kind of hates how much they were on the right track with all of that.
he nods slowly. ]
...Why'd you feel like you had to do that?
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I...because I need to win this. And there's only two of us left on Tiger, and we just keep falling in the rankings, and--and killing has to be worth a good amount of points, and.
I can't be here for another cycle of this. Or get stuck here thinking I've always lived here, powerless. I can't afford to lose again.
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Yeah, this is a really shitty situation they put everyone in.
[ ... ]
Did you know about that note that was going around this week? The one that said each team needed to kill someone or else no one would be able to go back?
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Reigen told me that Tiger didn't need to kill anymore, but I thought he was just bluffing to try and save himself.
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[ that just. makes this so much worse. wow.
he leans his head back against the shelf behind him and looks up. ]
Okay. That... you should've heard about that earlier. Sorry.
[ fuck. ]
Did you pick him 'cause it seemed fairer than targeting someone who hadn't had any responsibility in other deaths? Or because he'd be easier to deal with since he didn't have an offensive power, or?
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I...can't say.
[ peeks over to take a look at datz's face and gauge his expression ]
...what're you gonna do with me?
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Nothing. I assume that's why he sent you to me.
I'll probably say something to Temenos so he doesn't waste his time digging for the truth, since I think his reaction would be pretty close to mine, and he seems like he can keep a secret.
Otherwise... if you wanna tell people, that's cool, but I'm not gonna sell you out if you don't feel like you can. I'll just confirm that it's a repeat team but say that Taky didn't wanna reveal who his killer was.
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Anyway, he knew about Taky before and didn't say anything.
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It's not like I have much choice anyway. Either you tell him and he may or may not rat me out...
...or the truth may or may not come out anyway.
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[ he manages a bit of a smile, which he hopes is reassuring. ]
All right? This all really sucks, but we'll get through it.
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...he told me that no matter what I did, I would always have the next day to choose something other than lean into the worst version of myself.
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Yeah, well...
I don't know that "making a better decision" one day is enough to make up for anything.
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