week 4; wednesday

[selfimmolates]

[so if they didn't see ray get yeeted out of the blue house yesterday evening, chances are they might've heard by now?? but either way, ray's gathering both takaomi and ishikirimaru.]

In the house, Connor, Zoe, and I received a prophecy about the upcoming murders. It was vague to the point of essentially being useless, but it did confirm at least one detail.

Comments

[bakaomi]

[ he wants to make fun of him for being yeeted but this is more important ]

What was it?

[ritualization]

[he's got ishi's immediate attention with that, and he nods, solemn.]

Please, go on.

[selfimmolates]

[he pauses, before citing:]

You shall face a trial of limited time.
You shall seek culprits of multiple crimes.
You shall learn that things are not as they seem.
And you shall scrutinize members of your own team.

... So, relevant to you two, that's confirmation there'll be more than one murderer wandering around on Thursday night.

[bakaomi]

Oh, awesome.

[ he glances at ishi ]

... the rest is pretty ominous though. Vague as shit, but ominous.

[ritualization]

That makes our work more difficult, then, but... I think it's best to do as we already planned, rather than altering it.

[a nod to taka, there, before glancing back to ray.]

It's the last line that concerns me-- do you believe it referred specifically to any of your factions?

[selfimmolates]

Sasuke, Senri, and I will be staying in Beauty's room, for the record. In case Senri hasn't told you yet.

... I'm not sure. I defected this week thanks to Advancement Opportunity, so I don't even know who else is in my current faction. I don't know what Connor's is, either.

[bakaomi]

That just means we won't be able to meet up with you guys after.

[ which only really concerns him because it means they won't be able to verify that they haven't been injured and senri will probably worry ]

I actually know who cursed you with that. They say sorry.

[ritualization]

We'll have to settle for the morning after, then. Make sure you take care of yourselves.

[but also-]

...is that person still among Ambition's followers, or did they move as well?

[selfimmolates]

[his eyebrows shoot up.]

... Well, you know, I'd prefer an apology to my face, but whatever. Why'd they do it?

[bakaomi]

They suspected you after the trial. I cleared some misconceptions, but they might be too embarrassed to go to you themselves...

[ritualization]

[ishi is in the bg just. sighing at that.]

Please convince them to consult with you before using it, next time.

[selfimmolates]

Oh, that's it? No, that's actually pretty smart, beside the fact that I don't know what forcing me to defect was supposed to accomplish.

[ray: i only care if it's DUMB]

Though seriously, I'd prefer it if they could tell me themselves. If that's the reason, then I'm not mad.

[bakaomi]

I think they just wanted to stop you from using a power they were worried you might have. But I told them I'd get back to them, so I can try to convince them to talk to you directly.

[ murdergames are just games of telephone ]

[selfimmolates]

That'd be good, thanks.

... If they still have Advancement Opportunity and need to use it this week thanks to the rule, tell 'em to use it on Madoka or someone like that.

[ritualization]

It'd be a bit of a pain if anyone we're working with were targeted-- or one of us.

Though at least one of them should be unable to use it on her, if what she said was accurate?

[bakaomi]

That rule was made by one of us, right?

... do they want to make trial as hectic as possible...?

[selfimmolates]

Whoever targeted me can use it on her if they want to be not a dick about it. As for the other person, who knows why they targeted her to begin with?

[he sighs.]

Apparently so...

week 4; sunday

[selfimmolates]

[yo.]

I'm likely going to be joining Merriment next week.

[ritualization]

-if you do, are you intending to take the same ability?

[hello ray potentially-welcome to the squad?]

[bakaomi]

He could want to freeze our asses off.

[ please don't ]

[selfimmolates]

Maybe I'm taking Infectious Laughter.

[ritualization]

Ah, you do seem like exactly the sort for that.

[he's smiling slightly, there.]

[bakaomi]

[ he snorts

but then, ]

It's dangerous.

[selfimmolates]

Thanks, Takaomi. That never occurred to me ever.

Why do you think I'm not saying this in front of Senri?

[ritualization]

You are capable enough, at least, that I think you would manage it well.

If you do decide on it, I would not object to having you with us.

[bakaomi]

Mm. You wouldn't have to stick with us if you don't want though.

[ considering the only reason ishi and taka stick together now is because taka kept accidentally witnessing murders by himself, so ]

[selfimmolates]

About that...

[he pulls out two scrolls from his bag.]

I said in a previous trial that I knew someone who used Lucky Charm. They gave me one half of the item as thanks for figuring out its use; I convinced them this weekend to hand over the other half.

These are communication scrolls. Write something on one, and it'll appear on the other.

[if they open up the scrolls, they'll see the chinese character for "hello" written on them. wow, wonder who these could've belonged to.]

[ritualization]

--then we would have a way to separate without being completely out of contact.

[he looks thoroughly impressed, actually- ray really is out here getting things done, isn't he.]

[bakaomi]

That's useful.

[ hm. ]

Is it instantaneous?

[selfimmolates]

[he nods.]

Yeah. It appears on the other scroll in real time.

[ritualization]

It might not allow enough time for intervention, depending on how far either side went... but at the very least, it would also be a way to know what was happening.

[he doesn't want to think of it in those terms, but... you can only get from, say, one wing to the other so quickly.]

[bakaomi]

... it might be useful to figure out codes. If something's going on, I doubt you'd be able to write out what exactly is happening at the same time.

So something short.

[selfimmolates]

Mm. I was thinking something like that.

[ritualization]

Once everything is settled, then, we can work out such a thing-- unless you believe your mind to be made up.

[bakaomi]

[ he looks at ray

like he expects him to have ideas ]

[selfimmolates]

[ignores francy]

It'll be either Merriment or one other god, though I can always switch to them later.

Well, assuming I don't die next week, anyway.

[ritualization]

We will do our best to make sure that doesn't happen. If no gods are vulnerable, I personally think we should keep those we've been working with safe, if possible.

[bakaomi]

... that could be a lot of them...

[ gods love taka i'm sorry ]

[selfimmolates]

Disorder should be safe. Cinque should be her last follower, and Senri seems to think she won't defect.

Can't speak about any of the others, though.