Mm-mm. All of my information came from Virid before he died, about being asked to do it and about something else being out there. I only found out about the monster from the leaders.
[...there's a tentative blip of wariness, but he decides he trusts blanca enough to continue.]
Someone told me that the killers are still out there. They know one of them, but they wouldn't say who it was. Just that the killer knew things that we didn't, and that they might learn more now that they've gotten away with it.
[Sora at least gets some appreciation for the trust. He smiles very briefly before it fades. After a moment of hesitation, he decides to return the favor:]
[...the response is something akin to ???? and !!!!!! and :unamused:]
Not you too! [NO HE WANTED TO HELP BUT NOT LIKE THIS...man...but then he gives way to his own curiosity and looks at blanca quietly.] ...did they at least tell you why?
Killing and voting both. So we really don't have a choice anymore. [it's a very uncomfortable question and thanks to the emotional bubble Blanca can probably tell Sora is uncertain. there's some underlying anger and frustration there, but at its core there's something akin to understanding. ]
Willing isn't the word I would use. I don't want to see anyone else get hurt. But I know that this has to happen this way. People...are going to be hurt before we can find the truth. But as long as we use those answers to find a way to save them...
[mm.] ...it's not okay. But it has to be for now.
[so. in his own way, yes. he'll fight to protect people as long as possible and find the answers to help them, but he understands that pain and loss is part of the journey.]
[His smile is faint, but there, and with it, a sort of understanding fondness.]
You really do remind me of that boy Eiji.
[He tries to give Sora more reassuring smile.]
I'm sorry someone your age has to deal with something as heavy as this, but... perhaps you can give us a different perspective sometimes. So don't give up.
...I think I'd like to meet him someday. [that's probably not possible, but he wonders. it sounds like they'd get along, and there's something akin to happiness even though the subject's terrible. blanca validated his choices and that's that.]
I don't plan on giving up. Not now, not ever. [and the words sound brave, but there's also a kick of determination there.] Honestly? I don't know if I can really be surprised something like this happened.
I am glad someone trusted you enough to tell you what happened though. That's gotta be a good thing, right? We can find more answers if we're working together.
[Thank God for unrelenting optimism sometimes. Blanca doesn't know if he has the energy to keep it up, so someone else has to.]
They said Miss Sharon asked them for a duel because she was fearful of losing pieces of herself.
Afterward, I think they were worried telling everyone would earn them votes of desperation, and I can't say that wouldn't have been wrong... considering we didn't know who to vote for in the last stretch.
I think volunteering is not unreasonable, but a little foolish. They probably thought this a little, too. They did not volunteer because they want to try as hard as they can to continue helping everyone else return home.
[give him a second to make his tiny brain do the work here.]
So Sharon targeted them specifically? Did they get to ask why or anything? [...there's a frown.] I want to say that people would have understood it was self defense, but since the Realm doesn't seem to notice the difference I think you're right. They would have earned the votes and it still would have counted.
But I don't think it's right they let Kano die either. [so it's a two-sided issue.] I don't like the idea of volunteering for something like this because it doesn't actually solve the problem, does it? It's just like putting a bandage over an open wound.
...I guess I can see what they were thinking though. The more they know, the more they can help us.
She thought they would understand why she had to kill to get a piece of herself back. They did, but they also did not want to die.
[It seems like Blanca doesn't judge Sora's confusion and uncertainty on not picking a side, by what he's feeling.]
They did not want Kano to die no more than the rest of us. They wanted us to find Miss Cater's killer; they think that person more than likely killed on purpose. Similar to what Miss Sharon tried to do.
Who does? [casually said, but there's a nervous energy there. unfortunately there are definitely people who volunteered and things have been said to him.
Cater's killer seems like it falls out of the pattern of what we know. Especially if she was baiting them into following her and stuff, and if they knew she was attached to Yona last week.
I thought about asking the leaders if they think more than one of them would ask us to kill, but I don't know if I'll get a real answer. What I do want to know is how none of them ran into each other or saw what was happening.
Could be that the Realm's helping out in a way, too, but I don't know how you'd prove that either. If a person killed someone and then fell asleep, but then another person wakes up to kill someone, you'd think they'd also run into the scene left behind and suspect something.
Especially if we're going to have to keep doing this.
[but there's a very easy to read sense of gratitude even when he grins at blanca once more.]
Thank you for telling me. I think...it helps to understand what happened so we can know what to do next. We should be focused on finding Cater's killer now instead of someone who was only trying to defend themselves.
[killing is still bad but something something lesser of two evils...]
You're welcome. You have just as much opportunity as anyone else to help. Keep being curious, and asking questions. Not only to our leaders, but to the people here, too.
I can tell you if I find out anything. [He laughs a bit.] You might even know before me, at the rate you're headed.
I will. It's the only way we can fix things, isn't it? If we don't talk to each other and we don't understand what we're up against and how people think, we're not gonna get anywhere.
[determination! confidence! and also a little bit of arrogance because that's a nice compliment even if he's not entirely sure that's true.]
We'll see. I get why some people won't share what they know, but it's kind of a pain to have to figure it out myself with barely any leads. But anything else I find out I'll let you know.
[While he wants to laugh, he doesn't, and all Sora gets is a bit of amusement. Sora is... so very teenager. Wow. Oh, to be a young lil teen who doesn't have to be more cautious than brave.]
People are being very secretive, yes. They're probably worried now that others are dying. How about I offer you something extra for your hard work?
[sometimes you are a young teen with zero sense of self-preservation. surely this is fine. he's curious about the amusement but figures it's not important enough.
instead, there's a sense of understanding before there's a sudden surge of excitement. really? that easily?]
...really? [he has no idea what team is blanca on because again nobody tells sora shit unless he digs really far.] You'd do that?
[I'm crying, you're not wrong on either account. but he looks a little impatient but mostly because surprises are so suspenseful. he's mostly just glad to be getting somewhere.]
I promise! I...don't know what happens if we tell people other people's teams anyway, so I don't want to take a chance. [ in case the realm decided to kill them or something]
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[...there's a tentative blip of wariness, but he decides he trusts blanca enough to continue.]
Someone told me that the killers are still out there. They know one of them, but they wouldn't say who it was. Just that the killer knew things that we didn't, and that they might learn more now that they've gotten away with it.
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[Sora at least gets some appreciation for the trust. He smiles very briefly before it fades. After a moment of hesitation, he decides to return the favor:]
...I also know one of the killers.
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Not you too! [NO HE WANTED TO HELP BUT NOT LIKE THIS...man...but then he gives way to his own curiosity and looks at blanca quietly.] ...did they at least tell you why?
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They did. Supposedly, it was in self-defense. The one involving Miss Sharon.
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Do you think it's true?
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So killing does factor positively into the competition, unfortunately. [He peers at Sora, searching.] I have a hypothetical question for you:
Would you be willing to let someone die if it meant the leaders began to understand more of what's going on and how to help us?
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Willing isn't the word I would use. I don't want to see anyone else get hurt. But I know that this has to happen this way. People...are going to be hurt before we can find the truth. But as long as we use those answers to find a way to save them...
[mm.] ...it's not okay. But it has to be for now.
[so. in his own way, yes. he'll fight to protect people as long as possible and find the answers to help them, but he understands that pain and loss is part of the journey.]
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You really do remind me of that boy Eiji.
[He tries to give Sora more reassuring smile.]
I'm sorry someone your age has to deal with something as heavy as this, but... perhaps you can give us a different perspective sometimes. So don't give up.
I agree, for the record.
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I don't plan on giving up. Not now, not ever. [and the words sound brave, but there's also a kick of determination there.] Honestly? I don't know if I can really be surprised something like this happened.
I am glad someone trusted you enough to tell you what happened though. That's gotta be a good thing, right? We can find more answers if we're working together.
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[Thank God for unrelenting optimism sometimes. Blanca doesn't know if he has the energy to keep it up, so someone else has to.]
They said Miss Sharon asked them for a duel because she was fearful of losing pieces of herself.
Afterward, I think they were worried telling everyone would earn them votes of desperation, and I can't say that wouldn't have been wrong... considering we didn't know who to vote for in the last stretch.
I think volunteering is not unreasonable, but a little foolish. They probably thought this a little, too. They did not volunteer because they want to try as hard as they can to continue helping everyone else return home.
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So Sharon targeted them specifically? Did they get to ask why or anything? [...there's a frown.] I want to say that people would have understood it was self defense, but since the Realm doesn't seem to notice the difference I think you're right. They would have earned the votes and it still would have counted.
But I don't think it's right they let Kano die either. [so it's a two-sided issue.] I don't like the idea of volunteering for something like this because it doesn't actually solve the problem, does it? It's just like putting a bandage over an open wound.
...I guess I can see what they were thinking though. The more they know, the more they can help us.
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[It seems like Blanca doesn't judge Sora's confusion and uncertainty on not picking a side, by what he's feeling.]
They did not want Kano to die no more than the rest of us. They wanted us to find Miss Cater's killer; they think that person more than likely killed on purpose. Similar to what Miss Sharon tried to do.
Or if one of the leaders asked them.
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Cater's killer seems like it falls out of the pattern of what we know. Especially if she was baiting them into following her and stuff, and if they knew she was attached to Yona last week.
I thought about asking the leaders if they think more than one of them would ask us to kill, but I don't know if I'll get a real answer. What I do want to know is how none of them ran into each other or saw what was happening.
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[He glances away for a few moments; whatever he is thinking about, his emotions are fairly guarded. Finally, he looks back.]
It's only a theory, but I believe they may wake up at different times.
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What makes you think so?
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On top of this place being larger when the other way is open to different places.
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That's where I'm getting confused.
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[There's a sense of apologetic feeling from him.]
I guess it's something we'll have to keep looking into. It might not be something to dismiss so quickly.
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[but there's a very easy to read sense of gratitude even when he grins at blanca once more.]
Thank you for telling me. I think...it helps to understand what happened so we can know what to do next. We should be focused on finding Cater's killer now instead of someone who was only trying to defend themselves.
[killing is still bad but something something lesser of two evils...]
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I can tell you if I find out anything. [He laughs a bit.] You might even know before me, at the rate you're headed.
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[determination! confidence! and also a little bit of arrogance because that's a nice compliment even if he's not entirely sure that's true.]
We'll see. I get why some people won't share what they know, but it's kind of a pain to have to figure it out myself with barely any leads. But anything else I find out I'll let you know.
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People are being very secretive, yes. They're probably worried now that others are dying. How about I offer you something extra for your hard work?
I'll tell you my team if you don't already know.
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instead, there's a sense of understanding before there's a sudden surge of excitement. really? that easily?]
...really? [he has no idea what team is blanca on because again nobody tells sora shit unless he digs really far.] You'd do that?
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Sure. As long as you can keep a secret.
[The excitement is very cute. Like a puppy. Sora and Ryuji would shake hands.]
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I promise! I...don't know what happens if we tell people other people's teams anyway, so I don't want to take a chance. [ in case the realm decided to kill them or something]
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