hydrokinetics | Some people have it other people dont, though the road that we've paved still goes both ways [W5 Th]

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Some people have it other people dont, though the road that we've paved still goes both ways [W5 Th]

[It's starting to wind down around the hotel, and Percy's making himself a sandwich before going on bat-watch. He's in the kitchen and finishing up easily enough before he makes his way out of the kitchen, nearly running into Shinnosuke in the process.

He thinks about what Damian told them and he tilts his head, keeping his tone light and friendly as he sidesteps him.]

Sorry, dude. I didn't know you were there.

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For what it's worth, you can definitely do that in the Underworld where I'm from, too. But there you go, that's exactly what you guys have in common. Good to know.

[He doesn't seem to mind, apparently. Good job, Shinnosuke.]

You've got the Deputy, the Doctor, the Madame, the Bartender, and the Coal Miner. Those are your other ones.

Any details on them? And how'd you find about them, anyway? Aside from the Coal Miner.

[Since, well, the Sheriff kindly gave them all that one.]

If you're asking if I know what they all do, yeah. I know that, too. Got the names from Natalie, she asked Hal. Got the rest from somebody else. Deputy is the asshole locking everybody in the stocks when they could be choosing to protect people in jail for a night instead. Our items are coming from the Doctor. They can also revive one person should they die. Our Madame and Bartender work together out of the saloon, they can cross-check people, find out if they have a role, and send anonymous notes once a week. We know that Yuna's our Bartender. Damian found out yesterday. And to make things even more fun...there's a second Coal Miner out there. Not sure if there's more to it than that, but they exist.

[Mentally taking a note of all that...]

... Yuna, huh? [...] Got any idea how Damian found out?

Pretty sure she told him. I don't know, I'm just going off of what he said. Doesn't seem like the kind of thing Hal would tell him willingly.

Nah, it doesn't. And I guess I can see Yuna confessing that kind of thing... but I'm guessing she didn't admit whom she's cross-checked so far, did she?

[He's desperately hoping that he isn't one of those people.]

Also a Damian question. Like I said, I just recently found out about Yuna myself. We all did. We'll take you to talk to him tomorrow or something, you can ask him for all of the details then. She didn't say who her partner was either.

Yeah... Well, this is great. Now we can all have some big Bounty party plus you, I guess.

[a beat]

... Damn it, why'd you guys have to find me? Now I actually have to associate with people.

I'm going to push you face first into the water. [He's. Probably kidding.] Think of this as safety in numbers, especially since our Deputy already put you in the stocks. We think they have a hint that they're looking for someone young to end the game on their end.

[Rude???]

My one solace is that you guys won't accuse me of anything during trials—I assume, anyway. You might all gang up on me and decide you want me dead anyway.

[Jokes aside...]

... They probably have to kill Damian to win, huh? Frankly, I'm amazed the Bandits didn't off me that week.

The Bounty could probably get by with just three people. [Kidding, again.] Out of the people I'm finding to trust, I'm creating a small enough list. It's something to use at least.

I'm pretty sure that's exactly their objective, yeah. And...I don't know why they didn't off you that week. Guess they really felt like going for Simon instead. [Yikes.]

Good for you. I'd like to still keep that list at zero, if I can help it.

[Poor Simon??]

Well, for all I know, you were one of the Bandits that week and you're just laughing at me inside your head now, but I guess until I know, it'll be a mystery for the ages.

You're going to have to trust of the rest of the Bounty even if you don't trust me. That's kind of the whole point, isn't it?

Also why would I be a Bandit and actively helping you guys? [Please consider that.]

Fine, that list consists of one point five people. Maybe two if I include you. You can all count as half a person.

[He shrugs.]

I was just covering my bases. I don't really think it was you—if I did, I never would've approached you on Sunday.

Though being a Bandit wouldn't exclude you from helping the Bounty. Just kill someone for that week and go back to your life as usual, right? As long as you have an interest in ending this game as soon as possible, you'd help a role that allows for that.

Considering my better half is gone, sure. I can count as half a person. [It's said casually but leaves little room to actually say anything about it.]

That's true. That should count as some form of trust for a half-person. But also being a Bandit wouldn't exclude me from helping the Bounty, but at the same time maybe I should have phrased this differently. Why would I want to? I want to end the game, but killing everybody isn't the answer. Hal even told me there's a route we can take that doesn't end in the last man standing.

Didn't we establish before that anyone would fulfill their role as Bandit with the right threats?

I mean, I'd also rather not have this be a "last man standing" thing [he's been there, done that] but if I were in your shoes, I'd still kill if I was told to and then continue helping the Bounty—ah, I hope you know that when I said "end the game as soon as possible", I meant the condition where if Damian kills the Deputy and pulls it off. Not killing everybody, or whatever you were thinking of.

What's the other route, though?

We did. But I have a failsafe in place for if I ever have to be a Bandit. Someone I trust enough to tell so they know what to do. My point stands.

The other route is to have a group of people that won't backstab each other, won't kill each other or anything like that. If a group can exist without going through with the kills at all, then Hal said the game can end. There's no limit on how big that can be either.

I've lost track of what your point even was, but this is a pointless line of conversation since I don't think that we're actually disagreeing.

[... Okay, Shinnosuke lets out a disbelieving scoff, because he's far too cynical to believe that that can be achieved.]

Ah. I see. That's funny.

We're not. [Probably? Gods, whatever.]

You think it's unbelievable? [He's had his doubts, but he's also trying to be optimistic all the same.]

Hmm... it's a nice dream.

[Which is all that it amounts to, as far as Shinnosuke's concerned.

... It really would be great if they could achieve it, but he's too tired of being let down to make that leap of faith.]

[A heavy sigh.]

Shinnosuke, come on. It's possible if we figure out how to swing it the right way. Everything is possible if you figure out a plan.

[While he's still smiling, he doesn't look very impressed, or as not-very-impressed can be when you're a guy with a blindfold.]

And what's your amazing plan, then? Or the start of it?

The start is to start figuring out who we can trust. That's what this entire game is based on is trusting each other not to kill no matter what. There is a group of people here willing to work together toward that end. If we can keep making that grow, get help from the other side, maybe there's a way.

...not to mention if we rule out the sociopaths still running around, that'll probably help.

[It's honestly hard for him to have faith in that (however much he wants to), considering how prone people are to abandoning one another, even when it defies logic. That's how humanity is, in the end.

The last couple of days have taken a toll on him—Sei's death is just one problem of many. Even if he's kept up his usual attitude, right now he's tired, and he's confused, and it makes him wary of believing in something better when he doesn't know how rational he's currently being or if he's just giving into weakness instead.]

Trusting each other not to kill no matter what? And what's your basis for that trust? Case in point: I know I said I don't kill for sport, but what reason do you have to believe that? There's a reason "murder" is written on my poster. I've admitted as much before.

...I have a lot of reasons for believing this can work. Call it experience. But for you in particular? You could have killed me already. You could have taken that sword and stabbed me out here for knowing too much, left me for dead in the bottom of the bath, nobody would know until tomorrow. But you haven't yet.

Why is this, Shinnosuke? [This is a very dangerous and probably stupid game to play, but he's playing. He's bargaining, trying to make a point, reaching for what he can to make said-point.] You've told me you've killed before. And I still have Annabeth's knife. I have the advantage of sight here. Why did you come to me if you didn't have some sort of trust already?

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