[There's a little hum in response, tuneless and drifting. He can't say he regrets being guilty of that condemnation - with Sharpay, especially, even if he holds no personal ill will toward her. With Ann, he certainly wishes the vote for Akechi had been stronger, but he'll accept blame for his role regardless, which he holds just by being an active participant.
Still, there are consequences to any given action. In the context of life and death, any person who has taken a life before understands that.]
Even with their choices made, it would be unkind to discount the situation they were likely in. [Or, "yeah they did shitty things but I bet their backs were up against a wall". Still--] It's better than condemning someone for a crime they didn't commit.
[where's kondou to hear that Souji's quiet for a second after, thoughtful.]
It feels like we're playing out a script written for us, doesn't it?
Only the people who live to talk afterward, who aren't the ones who have their hands bloodied past the point of retribution, who can move forward without nightmares - [and he knows, with each qualifier the number gets smaller and smaller] - are the true victors.
None of us will be in that number by the time this game ends, if they have their way.
[It's a little strange. He's always been a piece in someone else's chess game. Acutely aware of that, it's never really bothered him before. He prefers it - being useful, being told "do this", receiving compliments for his hard work and ability to follow orders.
But it's only his dedication to the people giving him orders that makes it so easy to stomach. He's rediscovering that very quickly here.]
Then we find a way to prevent that from happening.
[Big talk, for all the Big Fat Nothing they've managed to accomplish so far. Still, hope dies last.]
[He doesn't ask out of laziness - but out of sincere curiosity. The endless aspects in which he's sought answers haven't worked out well. Maybe someone else has more insight, more information than he possesses.]
[THAT'S a very good question... Souji doesn't look outwardly frustrated, but that sure is the bigass mood of the hour. Day. Week. Last two weeks.]
I wish I could say. [A tiny, tight smile.] To be honest, organizing and planning - I'm not well-suited for things like that. We're looking for answers but no one seems to know where to start.
[And he sure can't help, because if people like Sousei or Hijikata don't know, how the hell would he?]
[Not a leader, but still efficient and smart, able to get things done, able to serve his captain well as a right hand. It's admirable, honestly, and Souji smiles a little.]
She was lucky to have someone like you by her side.
[He can only hope someone will say the same to Hijikata, after he's dead.]
...Well, we have enough intelligent people here that I'm sure we'll be able to start figuring things out once we've found our starting point. That's the first hurdle.
[Though he only mentions that briefly, moving away from that topic as soon as he can.]
That starting point seems to be the issue. The first step being the hardest... is unfortunately quite true. It's hard to say what can be done in order to dismantle the current system when we hardly understand what drives it.
[Souji won't press further, at least, content to slide right along with the subject shift.]
...What do you think of speaking to our hosts? Some seem to think we may get a better idea of what to look for if they're talked to privately, but I can't say I agree.
It would depend on whether or not we can determine them to be a reliable source of information or not. If anyone can lie in this place and get away with it, it would be them.
[ . . . ]
Still, it would leave us at step one if we don't even try.
Then maybe we should look into that. ...Though I don't think it's wise to leave it to one person alone, even if only one person can speak with them at a time.
[Maybe they'll entertain a small group, who knows, HE DOESN'T TRUST THEM EITHER WAY. But at least three people have voiced varying degrees of "maybe we should"s to him by now.]
Well... I suppose we can see what a new day brings.
[if you actually wanna do this just pp the mods, aki, but also we have a new terrible thread not about rebellion so i think we can wrap this one!!]
[Error: Irreparable invalid markup ('<s/mall>') in entry. Owner must fix manually. Raw contents below.]
Well... I suppose we can see what a new day brings.
<small>[if you actually wanna do this just pp the mods, aki, but also we have a new terrible thread not about rebellion so i think we can wrap this one!!]<s/mall>
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... but just a little bit to take the edge off.]
What else could it be?
I think we all need something to take our minds off of... that.
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Except he'll be nursing his very slowly so chances of him drinking too much on his own are pretty slim.]
Fair enough. [They all need 100 years of nap now.] ...I can't say I'm any happier to have that mystery solved - what "happily ever after" means.
[ANN PROBABLY ISN'T EITHER.]
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but jae-ha will instead just falter then, eyes glancing downward back at his cup.]
.... no, it seems even crueler, somehow. I can't imagine what might be so 'happy' about it.
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If it were for someone guilty of being cruel, the term might apply.
[A "happy ending" for those who want revenge, maybe. Certainly not for whoever is being executed.]
...But it's one more thing that we can keep in mind now, moving forward.
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[That they have to keep these things in mind, that they have to be pulled into the game at all.]
It's been two weeks now that we've had to see young women sent off to their deaths, and each of us guilty of condemning them.
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Still, there are consequences to any given action. In the context of life and death, any person who has taken a life before understands that.]
Even with their choices made, it would be unkind to discount the situation they were likely in. [Or, "yeah they did shitty things but I bet their backs were up against a wall". Still--] It's better than condemning someone for a crime they didn't commit.
[
where's kondou to hear thatSouji's quiet for a second after, thoughtful.]It feels like we're playing out a script written for us, doesn't it?
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Only the people who live to talk afterward, who aren't the ones who have their hands bloodied past the point of retribution, who can move forward without nightmares - [and he knows, with each qualifier the number gets smaller and smaller] - are the true victors.
None of us will be in that number by the time this game ends, if they have their way.
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But it's only his dedication to the people giving him orders that makes it so easy to stomach. He's rediscovering that very quickly here.]
Then we find a way to prevent that from happening.
[Big talk, for all the Big Fat Nothing they've managed to accomplish so far. Still, hope dies last.]
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But where do you propose we start?
[He doesn't ask out of laziness - but out of sincere curiosity. The endless aspects in which he's sought answers haven't worked out well. Maybe someone else has more insight, more information than he possesses.]
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I wish I could say. [A tiny, tight smile.] To be honest, organizing and planning - I'm not well-suited for things like that. We're looking for answers but no one seems to know where to start.
[And he sure can't help, because if people like Sousei or Hijikata don't know, how the hell would he?]
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I was the Captain's right hand. Gathering information, delivering it, helping form more specialized plans of attack... that's what I did for her.
But I wasn't the leader, not by any means.
I understand what you mean.
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She was lucky to have someone like you by her side.
[He can only hope someone will say the same to Hijikata, after he's dead.]
...Well, we have enough intelligent people here that I'm sure we'll be able to start figuring things out once we've found our starting point. That's the first hurdle.
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Mm. I intend to make her proud even still.
[Though he only mentions that briefly, moving away from that topic as soon as he can.]
That starting point seems to be the issue. The first step being the hardest... is unfortunately quite true. It's hard to say what can be done in order to dismantle the current system when we hardly understand what drives it.
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...What do you think of speaking to our hosts? Some seem to think we may get a better idea of what to look for if they're talked to privately, but I can't say I agree.
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[ . . . ]
Still, it would leave us at step one if we don't even try.
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[Maybe they'll entertain a small group, who knows, HE DOESN'T TRUST THEM EITHER WAY. But at least three people have voiced varying degrees of "maybe we should"s to him by now.]
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[Less chance of playing telephone that way and messing something up.]
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[if you actually wanna do this just pp the mods, aki, but also we have a new terrible thread not about rebellion so i think we can wrap this one!!]
<small>[if you actually wanna do this just pp the mods, aki, but also we have a new terrible thread not about rebellion so i think we can wrap this one!!]<s/mall>