Let's end this spiral down, pick ourselves off the ground [W5, Sunday]

[hydrokinetics]

[It's early evening when the Bounty group gathers again. There's more to discuss now that they've had time to cope and pick themselves up again, ready to get back to work. Time is still marching on and it's nothing that they can waste.

Together again, they settle. The room is quiet for a time as they all gather their thoughts. With everything that came up this weekend? They need a new plan of action.]

Comments

[elemancy]

I... yeah.

[he was a bit concerned, but only a bit.]

But that doesn't really solve the problem of what to do. Not completely.

[though milla probably already has an idea of what noct is thinking and may suggest for a worst case scenario.]

[thatsthespirit]

[she does. SHE REMEMBERS THEIR CONVERSATION LAST NIGHT NOCTIS!!]

. . .

I will say. . . I believe it important that everyone in this room remain alive. But beyond that, I don't want to tell people what I think they should do.

[she's big on "follow your own heart," and all that, which would've come through pretty clearly to Noctis last night WHEN I TAG THAT AGAIN]

[elemancy]

[IT'S FINE]

I think so too, but... I think we need to have our own failsafe. Something to get around what they want without breaking the rules. We don't know what's going to happen, but you know as well as I do how likely it is to happen now.

Our numbers are thinning too fast to not plan for it.

[thatsthespirit]

[yeah. . . yeah. she is like 90% sure someone from this group will either be a killer or a victim next week, although she is hoping to Origin that she is wrong]

Did you have a particular failsafe in mind?

[elemancy]

It's the one you won't like.

[he's still working up the nerve to say it aloud, since... he's thought on it even more from when they talked and how to make it work in two directions.]

[thatsthespirit]

[well]

[okay]

[she'll say it]

If you're chosen as a Bandit and refuse to kill, you realize that either Shinnosuke, Damian or myself will be asked to kill you instead.

[elemancy]

...Yeah.

[and.]

And if you guys are chosen... you can pick me to kill instead of someone innocent.

[thatsthespirit]

[NOCTIS. . .]

[exhales sharply, which hurts her ribs, although she suppresses the instinctive wince]

If I'm chosen as a Bandit, I won't choose you as my victim. [simple as that]

. . . however, if you are chosen and refuse to follow through, then I will-- [mrrrrgh stay strong, Maxwell] I will respect the choice you make and do the duty that is required of me.

[elemancy]

[milla, please don't cause him extra worry by exacerbating your injuries! even if it's kind of his fault for being a punk and suggesting it.]

I can't make you. I just... want everyone to know it's an option. If it's what we need to do to carry on—

[he draws in an uneven breath of his own. it's not like he wants this either, not even a little bit.] I trust you guys.

[thatsthespirit]

[NOCTIS THE BUTTHEAD]

[she feels that pang of fear again, that fear of loss that she felt the week of Yuna's death. this time, she quashes it quickly. this is his choice, she can't take it from him]

[she made a similar decision once herself, after all]

If you trust us that much, then if you die, we'll make sure we can bring you back so your country-- your world-- doesn't fall apart without you.

[he's needed, and even if he isn't driven by duty the same way she is, she won't betray that trust he's placed in them]

[elemancy]

[HE'S SORRY, MILLA. he really is, he doesn't want to upset her any, either. it's not like he feels good about it.

but yeah, he's a butthead.

either way, he lets out a bit of a weak, hollow laugh.]

Isn't that exactly why I trust you? [because he sincerely believes in their efforts, should it come to that.]

[insincerely]

...

[Shinnosuke doesn't say anything, since Milla's saying enough for the both of them, but...

Damn it, this sucks.]

[elemancy]

[it does. he hates it too—he hates it so much, but it's the only option he can come up with that will save them for at least a little longer.

besides, he'd try to help from the grave if he could.]

[hydrokinetics]

[...on the other hand.]

Wouldn't it be better to pick me since I don't have a huge part in any of this?

[thatsthespirit]

[WHY ARE YOU ALL SO WILLING TO DIE]

That's not true, is it? After all, you're the main reason I found Damian and Noctis.

[remember what she said about you being a compass, Percy!!]

[impulsiveness]

[Oh. Guess who didn't know about the failsafe??? GIVING THEM THE MOST ALARMED LOOK. WHAT THE FUCK.]

[elemancy]

[HI JASON

:):):):):)]

[thatsthespirit]

[OH YEAH UH]

[SORRY]

. . . ah.

I didn't mention it up until now because I didn't want to worry anyone.

I apologize for that oversight.

[insincerely]

... Well, this is an awkward thing to have not told Jason.

[o o p s

he's assuming it's jason anyway]

[thatsthespirit]

[the silence probably gives it away]

Just a little bit.

[but she didn't bring it up purposefully so uh YOU KNOW. this is partially her fault]

[insincerely]

... Surprise, Jason, we're the ones who get to kill you if you refuse the job?

[ :') ]

[robitussin]

Yikes.

[guess?? who also didn't know this??]

[thatsthespirit]

[oh damn it]

[this is what you get for deciding to remain purposefully silent until now, Milla]

. . . that's the other half of our role. To dispose of non-cooperative Bandits. I haven't yet been called on for that duty. And since it doesn't seem like any of our previous victims were Bandits, I don't think the others have been asked to kill either.

[THANK GOD]

[impulsiveness]

Seriously?
If we're talking about TRUST, I think that's one of the first things you should bring up. Fucking HELL.

[thatsthespirit]

[OKAY. . . OKAY YEAH SHE DESERVED THAT]

That's valid. But at any rate, it's out there now.