doublesmall | [PCs] team trust no bitch aka team hat aka chuuya & caren

[She deftly dumps out a bit more of the container around them, scattering it even into the less accessible nooks. With apologies to the shadow employees who never seem to come to the theater. Perhaps Caren will take the time to sweep it up when they're finished - or call in Assassin to do it.]

A few individuals were indicated to choose...strangely when it came to the reward for whatever challenge they happened to be running. Mary, for instance, was easily talked into choosing the pin that eventually went to Assassin.

But, more intriguing given our previous conversations: Ranpo Edogawa was vocally opposed to receiving a clue for a trial.

...is that so, huh.

[his eyes narrow a bit at that; she definitely has his full attention now, though he thinks about it for a moment before answering.]

Did you hear if he said why? Or did he not bother giving a reason for it?

According to this other individual, he claimed a hint could later be bought, citing economic motivations for making sure individuals had a safeguard against erasure.

[Caren pulls one leg up into the seat with her, looping her arms around it. She looks younger, for once, as she rests her cheek against her knee.]

However... I was watching his behavior closely this Saturday.

You too, huh?

[he can pay attention, alright, especially to people he doesn't like. sure, he has an obvious motive against ranpo to anyone who knows they have history, but also?

he just needs a reason, tbh. fewer people will know if he can't tell.]

You'd think a detective could do something even without perfect evidence-- and seems like we still had what we needed, right? Even if it was a little rough.

[he huffs out a sigh there, shaking his head.]

Honestly, I've been thinking since then that it'd be easy to make him useless if that's enough to make him give up. All people have to do is encourage others to take stupid pictures.

Yes. He addressed his anger at the others in the room, rather than proposing a solution of his own.

Or, as suggested, purchasing a hint that could be done so later.

[She'd cautioned Izaya to wait with the information he gave her. And she, too, had waited. Circumstances over the weekend have just led to a quicker judgment than Caren might otherwise have made.]

His actions seemed like a sleight of hand.

They could be. He might also just be that way, I only really knew him as an enemy.

[there's always the possibility that this really is just his personality. but...]

...it's enough to be fishy, though, if you put both of those together. You think he's suspicious then?

[Caren lifts her head from her knee, faced bathed in the light from a particularly light-flooded scene on the screen in front of them.]

I would need more concrete reasoning than that to level any accusations. Your uncertainty will not convince me.

It seems, however, that his partner was also behaving oddly.

Was he, now. In similar ways, or just... differently from before?

[chuuya's letting her first comment slide, for now-- they can keep discussing just how suspicious this might be once he has that information.]

[She scoffs a little bit through her nose. For someone with a complete lack of personal space, Madara could at least have the decency to be aware of his own inappropriateness.]

I was told he was equally reticent to ask for the hint.

You'd think that'd be pretty valuable, considering. I can get wanting to save someone, but getting a hint could keep us from getting the wrong person erased, too... nevermind that shit's expensive on top of it.

--you think he's the type to want someone indebted to him, if he saved them directly?

[chuuya frowns, there, expression more focused as something comes to mind.]

I ran into him while I was shopping for clothes yesterday, buying collars, of all things. He said it was because Ranpo's been a pain and Assassin owed him a lot, and that he just wanted to irritate them, but...

[he trails off there, fingertips tracing his own choker. it's still a weird way to irritate people? and not one he thinks he really likes, even if he did go along with it.]

[She watches him finger the choker around his own neck wordlessly. it's an action that looks strange, even private, in the dim theater light. So, really, it makes Caren self-satisfied, maybe even a little excited, that she was able to see something like that.]

To my knowledge, no one else has acted as if Assassin owes them anything in particular. His actions continue to surprise me.

You will think it hilarious for me to be the one to point this out, but they seem almost - sadistic.

[that sounds almost lewd, lord

but she's right. chuuya does grin over at her, a hint of laughter in his tone.]

Takes one to know one, isn't that what they say...? But you might be right. The question's what we want to do about it-- 'wait and see' isn't always the best choice, in a game like this.

... and you heard what our host said about needing to trim our numbers, anyway.

I know what you're proposing, Chuuya Nakahara. [She's looking away from him now. Ostensibly that could be to track any popcorn-crunching noises around them, but maybe she needs the moment to think about it without meeting his eyes.]

Would you propose it for the sake of keeping the Reapers at bay or for the sake of winning alone?

Both?

[he shrugs a shoulder, waves a hand.]

Listen, even if we're wrong about this-- Edogawa is a threat. He's the one who would probably have the best shot at trying to frame me, and he could cast suspicion on me by bringing up my life. His partner's less of a problem, but I don't like him anyway, and besides... if we took both, we'd technically be sparing him a public erasure, if he couldn't get a new partner, plus eliminating the competition.

[whether she meets his eyes or not, he's watching her.]

You wouldn't have to participate. I don't want you to have to do it when I don't mind getting more blood on my hands. But if we don't make some kind of move, we're getting nowhere.

You'll kill two other people on your own with no support? With a healer's skill set? Sometimes I forget how brash you are.

[She can't shake the uncertain feeling she has about those two; with no other spiritual means to guide her opinion, Caren only has her gut to go by. And they could easily be hiding darkness under those smiles.]

You were the one who said it made no difference if I planned to kill as a Reaper or not. As far as I am concerned, the circumstances should be no different for a player trying to safeguard his position in the game.

[It's earnest, and maybe that's why she can't quite look at him yet. Finally, expression unreadable, she turns back to face him.]

And if you make a mistake it'll be my neck on the block, too.

I've taken out more than two at a time before, you know...

[but in much different circumstances, and with a more powerful ability on his side. the reminder stings, a bit, and he has to glance away for the moment, only looking back when he catches her turning to face him again out of the corner of his eye.]

--I meant what I said about not wanting to force your hand, alright? If you're willing to help, I'll accept it, but I won't make you harm anyone. There's enough to do besides that.

That was a different time. You cannot confuse life in another place with your existence here. None of us are playing with the same rules anymore.

[Even within their first few days here, Anthy Himemiya had understood it. Caren has tried to understand it, too. Maybe that's the only way she can deal with the wound of her loss, the fact that so many of her actions in life have no meaning for her.

She moves closer to him, head high on her shoulders and determination keeping her tall.]

You would not be forcing my hand. This is something I must ultimately see through for myself, to hopefully know more with certainty.

[PCs] team trust no bitch aka team hat aka chuuya & caren

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