WEEK 5 - POST-TRIAL, IN GRAVEYARD

[crushcard]

[ of course the first people that he seeks out among the masses of new arrivals are them - an alliance cut short too early,an alliance that could have done so much more if not for his unfortunate death.

he knows he should be angry at them. should have been furious, when he found out about their betrayal from Dave in the middle of the week, but. it's mainly because the anger has simmered, but it's also because he knows that forced into that exact same situation, he would have done the same.

Except for the part where they unintentionally, one way or another, sent Tsurugi after Emily. Some things he can't forgive.

So there's no judgment on his part, and for a moment he just. looks at them. they look tired. he's not surprised.

Then he breaks the silence. ]

... that was a stupidly noble thing for you all to do.

[ and way too shounen. ]

Comments

[thawedheart]

...I'm sorry...

[She's expecting anger, honestly. Between what happened at the trial, and Omega's outburst, she doesn't expect for them to have many friends left. Especially since Kaiba would have been able to witness all of that.]

[nowyouseeit]

[. . . honestly? at this point, any anger directed at him is just being met with a tired nod]

Yeah.

But all I care about now is the fact that it all worked out in the end.

[ninjay]

We did say from the beginning that we just wanted to send everyone home.

[ he's the same as the others, and not getting met with a violent backlash is baffling, really. he's exhausted. ]

[godly]

[Light's not only tired, but he's Done with his act for now. What was the point? So his expression is severe despite all that's happened. Or maybe because of all that's happened.

He just stares for a second, arms crossed as usual.]

Noble...

[His lips twist into a grin and he actually laughs.]

An embarrassingly clumsy end for all of us, you mean. Stop parsing words, Kaiba. The only saving grace is that we can return home soon.

[crushcard]

[ It's Yukina's expression that probably gets him to soften just a little bit, before he relaxes his stance. ]

I just need to know - did you all know who killed me and was I an assigned kill?

[ Because you know. After finding out about the Tsurugi/Emily thing and then the whole not finding his murderer at trial thing, he. Can't help but wonder.

......... but anyway he's going to give Light a Look and then another exasperated sigh because. He should have figured this was coming but now of all times??? ]

Couldn't you have at least waited?

[ At least, you know, waited for him to get the sentimentality out of the way before you have your villainous breakdown or whatever you're calling it. ]

... but yes, I'm going to have to actually agree on this one. What on earth were you all thinking?

[thawedheart]

[She shakes her head slowly.]

...I don't know. We didn't tell them we'd decided that we would be willing to kill to save everyone until after you were found dead, Kaiba-san.

[But it had definitely been a contributing factor in how they'd handled... uh, Light. And speaking of him, she looks to him with deep concern. Yikes.]

...Light-san... I'm sorry.

[nowyouseeit]

[LIGHT. . . kind of casts him an uneasy look mixed with some concern, before he gives Kaiba a small nod]

We did know. . . who your killer was. Only because we met with him on Friday, after the investigation. S'when we found the second Prophet, too.

[a deep exhale, and he rubs the back of his neck]

We didn't exactly, uh. . . do things the smoothest way, after we learned the truth. A lot of things were going through our mind, and a lot of those thoughts lead to the choices we made.

Now that everything is about to end-- does any of it matter?

[ninjay]

[ he kind of just stares at light, frowning. while everyone else's looks are mixed with concern, his is just apprehensive. ]

I'm sure there are people who still think it matters, and they'll probably hold a grudge. They'll have to get over it though. We're all going our separate ways soon.

[godly]

[He shoots a sharp glance at Kaiba in the meanwhile as everyone speaks.]

Who was it? Who left you dead with your brain practically splattered on the ground, Kaiba? Which Prophet.

[But Jay's right. It won't matter soon.]

Still, I'm disappointed. You all should've come to me after this grand change of plans -- I would've been more helpful than you initially realized.

Oh well. Is this the time for heartfelt goodbyes, then?

[crushcard]

Girge.

[ It's not a question, and he doesn't look towards the Hunters for confirmation - he doesn't need to. He's guessed most of it himself, and he's fairly certain that he's correct as to the identity of his murderer.

Not everyone here knows how to use a fucking rifle, after all.

Besides, if he's wrong, he's fairly certain that he'll be corrected. ]

Not the way I expected to go, to be honest. My only regret is that he killed me before I had a chance to kill him. Or Tsurugi.

[ He honestly would have killed both. And would not have minded being executed for those murders, if it happened, although knowing the caveat, it would have condemned them all. ]

No matter. In hindsight-- [ And here his lips twist into something a little bit more sardonic, self-depreciating. ] --maybe my death saved you all, since you would have needed to keep one of them alive, in the end.

But everything could have been so much cleaner. Watching you all from beyond the veil of death was trying.

[ MOSTLY BECAUSE THEY WOULDN'T HAVE MADE SO MANY ENEMIES, GOD. That's as close as a scolding as they're going to get because he knows you're all Tired. ]

Depends on how heartfelt you want them to be. [ He shrugs. He doesn't do sentiment, he keeps saying, but look at what he's doing, the hypocrite. ] And your plans for... after.

[ Going home. And stuff. ]

[thawedheart]

[They really should have. How different would things have been, if they'd told Light and Kaiba - well, just Light, really, since Kaiba had already been targeted - about what they'd learned, instead of Andersen?

It makes Yukina a little dizzy just trying to imagine it, so she doesn't.]

...you're right, Light-san. We should have. But... you were a great help.

[She would have had no idea where to cut, without him.]

Thank you for your assistance...

[And then, with a pained look at Kaiba - ]

...I wish you hadn't been killed. I wish... we had been able to do things differently. But I'm just glad that you're going to be safe. ...all of you.

You're... going home after this, right?

[nowyouseeit]

[it was foolish of them, honestly, to think that Light and Kaiba would have turned on them and tried to kill Girge and the other Prophet after learning the truth. foolish of them, to think that Andersen would keep his mouth shut. but maybe. . . maybe, it was for the best that things ended this way]

We're sorry we couldn't live up to your guys's expectations of us. [he says with a small sigh] But. . . thanks. For being willing to help, and helping as you did.

[to Kaiba]

And 'm sorry we didn't go after Girge with everything we had at the trial for your murder. I wanted to, but. . . y'know. Circumstances.

[sheepishly rubs the back of his neck. and then, to Light]

Thanks for helping Yukina. And. . . understanding, too.

[understanding was the most important thing of them all, honestly]

[ninjay]

[ it was kind of stacked against them from the beginning, so jay doesn't even feel as bad as he would have otherwise. the game forces you to distrust others and make decisions that you probably wouldn't have if you were back home. jay is perfectly aware that there are a lot of things he would have done differently if he was never made a hunter; he wouldn't be as close as he is to kaito and yukina, for one.

that's odd to think about. ]

I do wish you all the best. Try not to die immediately after you get home.

[ there's a pause, and then he looks at light. ]

You really have killed people, right?

[ he suspected light was lying, but he also wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt because the missing context for the profile cards really made or broke a lot of them. light's change in demeanor here is more than a little alarming though. ]

[godly]

I was just doing what was necessary.

[In regards to helping Yukina. In the end, it had been beneficial to himself as well, so it was only logical that he assist. For what good it actually did.

He looks at Jay, though, not completely surprised at the question. There's not even a hesitation as he responds.]

I have. Those that deserve it. [More than he can count. More than he cares to remember to count. His smile widens again, but at least he doesn't laugh this time.] I guess you could say that "murder" did belong on my card, in the end; but you understand why I couldn't freely admit to that. Especially in the... environment we all found ourselves in.

slides in here a year late

[crushcard]

[ Yukina will get a brief, almost instant nod. He's definitely going home - there's no doubt about that. He shakes his head at Kaito. He was bitter about it beforehand, actually, immediately after the trial, but after finding out from Dave about the alliance, he'd understood.

He's beaten a chess grandmaster at his own game - sometimes, sacrifice is inevitable. Lose the battle, win the war, and put in their position, he would have done the exact same thing.

The most efficient way of winning. ]

I wasn't pleased with it, initially, but it's over now.

[ Jay's going to just get a small smirk. ]

If I die, Jay, I intend for it to be on my own terms.

[ Definitely not assassinated, duh.

And Light... he's heard this all before already, so when he speaks, it's definitely a little bit more dry, a tad more sarcastic than usual. ]

A fair number of people are surprised that you didn't put that murder skill to use - so consider that your nice-guy act isn't as foolproof as you thought it was.

[ Considering that Kaiba had figured it out since like. Week 1's execution. ]