survivaltricks | [catch all for yin yu!]

[ a nod. ]

Did you learn something else about it?

[HOW DID I LOSE THIS TAG??]

[Akira nods. and then, a bit sheepishly. . .]

Yeah, that was me.

[oh]

[ . . .

he just closes his eyes for a long minute. ]

[yes]

[that is what he expected]

I really wanted to tell the both of you as soon as we woke up, but. . .

Uh. I had already told two other people, ssssso. . .

[HE TRAILS OFF. GUILTILY. HE LOOKS SO GUILTY]

[ gray hair count: 7 ]

And one was Lady Lili.

. . . yes.

[ssssso sheepish]

The other was Chuuya. So I could only tell you or Dick, and-- well. . . I thought it was better for me to tell Dick, since he was the one hit with the power.

[S-SO]

Lili covered for me and I appreciated that, but. . . I wanted to tell you as soon as I was able to.

It's the least I could do for keeping you in the dark over the weekend.

[ gods he's so tired. you can just feel it emanating off of his very existence. ]

...thank you for telling me. [ EVENTUALLY. akira's reasoning makes sense, but also. also. yin yu is extraordinarily polite no matter how much he stares into the void, i guess. ] Perhaps now you won't spare me any of the details.

[ that's the least you could do!!!! ]

[he shoots Yin Yu an apologetic look and nods]

Mmm, well. . . the people who guessed that whoever used their power on Dick was trying to protect him are right. It's not a power that prevents him from being targeted, but it'd keep him from being affected by someone's power if they tried to kill him, you know?

[he breathes out a little, a tiny sigh]

I didn't think to make it end right when we woke up in the morning, though. For some reason. . . the fact that it'd negate curfew effects slipped my mind.

[ immunity... what a useful power. ]

So in essence, it was a well-intentioned mistake. [ goodness. well, at any rate, he hadn't put his trust anywhere bad. accidentally, somehow, he'd become quite loyal to these cabinmates of his... these children... ]

...There's no harm done, at least this time. I'm glad that nothing terrible came to light. At any rate, just... be more careful. [ that's a teacher's lecturing voice, right there. ]

Hah. Yeah, I'm glad. I was really worried he might get voted out when he was completely innocent.

[. . . though. a flicker of guilt appears on his expression as he looks away]

Not that scapegoating Ogata was any better.

[ .... ]

Mm. [ yeah. it sure wasn't, was it. ] You weren't the only one who used your power this week, but someone else for a far more nefarious reason. I think that much is obvious.

[ this power thing sucks. ]

[Akira's expression darkens]

[. . .]

Yeah. [his tone is purposefully neutral] . . . and I hate that we couldn't figure it out.

I hate that someone else had to take the fall for our mistakes.

As do I.

[ ogata may not have been the most pleasant person in the world, but, he did not deserve the fate that awaited him. they have to do better: one mistake at the beginning is already too costly. it's best not to bring it up, because he's sure they're thinking along the same lines. ]

This has already gone on longer than my time on the island. The longer it goes, the worse I can imagine things will only become. It will be important to be on our toes.

[they absolutely are, especially because this mistake makes him think of the mistake they made back at the house. . . and how Asch had to suffer for it]

. . . we'll do better next week. [the neutrality in his voice gives way to raw determination] No matter what, we will.

[don't make promises you aren't sure you can keep, Akira]

[ he nods. sometimes... akira reminds him of hua chengzhu, just a bit, and it's not just the red and black color scheme. that same steadfast determination, the light in his eyes that's the mark of someone who is, or will become, a leader.

it's familiar. ] The only way to go will be forward. [ in other words: that was bad enough to be near rock bottom. ] If there's any way I can assist, it will be my honor.

The only thing I know we can do now is keep talking to the directors.

[they're getting information from them piece by piece, even if it's a slow trickle and not a waterfall]

That, and doing our best at trials. I'd like to think that no one will die this weekend, but. . .

[lol he knows better]

[ ...but unfortunately, yeah, they both know better. ]

I wonder what has begun to motivate those among us to participate. [ short of compulsion. here, it doesn't seem like that's the case. it's impossible to really know...and disheartening to know that someone walks among them who got away with it, without that. ]

I agree with you, though. It would be helpful to find that fourth character, as well. [ he's been thinking a lot about his name twin.... though the being didn't seem to have a name. ] I've been looking for signs of them since the first time they appeared, but I have not been successful.

[well, at this point he actually has a theory about that]

Lili told me after the trial that if no one murders on the weekend, then it counts as a "forfeit" and we all die. It's possible the person who killed Yu knew that.

[but. . . anyway]

They didn't show up at all last week, did they? Then maybe they'll make an appearance this week?

[ wow, don't like that. ] I suppose that's one way of coercion as any other.

[ ugh. just more weight to consider.... with all of this mystery on top of it, compared to the island, this place does feel like some sort of twisted "game". he has never participated in the bloody battle of mt tonglu, and has no intentions of ever doing so...and yet.

anyway is right. ] There's no way to be sure, but it would make sense. If they show, I will track them down as unobtrusively as possible. [ ....which is pretty unobtrusive. ] I'll let you know if I find anything.

You might not even need to track them. They're up for conversation so long as you keep your distance.

[ yin yu's mouth twitches into a smile, and he comments, wryly: ]

....Then, perhaps, in that case, it should be quite easy for me.

[ the ironic similarities between him and this jade mask are not lost on him for even a second. don't worry. ]

[a lightly amused laugh]

It might be. You two are pretty similar, after all.

[catch all for yin yu!]

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