survivaltricks | [catch all for phoenix]

[hah]

Thanks.

[stepping inside and immediately shutting said door behind him]

. . . you're the only one here, right?

Just you and me and this bottle of grape juice.

[ which he takes a sip of. ]

What's up?

[well]

[Akira comes right out and says it, though his tone is a little bland]

Nic-san also received an item for correctly voting for Meltryllis-san.

[SURPRISE: PHOENIX IS NOT THE ONLY ONE]

And he went straight to her to corner her about it, so she knows that there are people in the mansion who are aware of her nature.

Huh. What are the odds.

[ nic and nick... it is kind of a relief to know he's not the only one, though confronting her right away.... yikes. ]

Did he tell you what she said?

[Akira shakes his head]

I haven't spoken to him, actually. Hunter was the one who told me about it, so I assume Hunter was the one who spoke to him.

[. . .]

I don't know why Nic-san confronted her first. I wonder. . . if he thought he could get through to her?

Hunter..... [ interesting. ]

Sounds like something I would have done, back in my youth. [ and gotten fucking tazed over. ]

[ also he and nic are like the same age but whatever ] Can't say it's the wisest of moves.

Mmm. Yeah. Hunter's very reliable.

[one of the most reliable people here in Akira's opinion which clearly means that eventually he has to turn maf and do a MURDER]

Yeah; it really isn't. She might kill him now that she knows he knows. But. . . it was his choice.

My hand did seem to like him.

[ what the fuck does that even mean. ]

It was. Now we have to think about what we'll do.

[ aka it's time for akira to do all the legwork and phoenix to stand there and make vague comments. ]

[PHOENIX]

[it's fine Akira knows what that means]

[. . .]

I talked to Peach-san about the transformations. She said that as far as she knows, the only way to cure someone from them is to. . .

[he trails off]

[PHOENIX KNOWS WHAT HE MEANS]

Hmm. Well, just because it's unknown doesn't mean it's impossible.

[ use that protag shounen. ]

It'd be a little early in the game to give up, wouldn't it?

[. . . huffs a little, and the look he gives Phoenix is wry, even though the corners of his mouth are twitching a bit]

[that sounds. . . more like him. more like what he wants to believe. more like his justice]

You don't think it's irresponsible of us to stand back and do nothing, knowing that she could-- and probably will-- kill someone again on Thursday?

[ this is truly an unjust game...... your chances of winning are almost none. ]

[ .... ]

Do you?

[ what the fuck is a straight answer. ]

[WHY ARE YOU SO CRYPTIC PHOENIX!!]

. . .

Yes. In. . . a way.

[folds his hands in front of him, gaze affixed on the curve of his own fingers, as though following those lines can distract him from the sudden discomfort he feels churning in his stomach]

It isn't just to stand by and watch an injustice occur when you know you could have stopped it. I'm not saying we have to-- to kill her, but. . .

[looking up again, face determined]

We should do something.

[ for his part, he looks as placid and inscrutable as ever. ]

Running in headfirst is likely to get us in the same situation as Asch.

[ just saying. he's done his fair share of confronting the murderer. it doesn't end too well. ]

So, we should be smart about it.

. . . [ha]

You're not wrong.

Getting ourselves killed isn't going to help anyone.

[there's a flicker of gratefulness that appears in his expression when Phoenix says that. because sometimes. . . you have to be reminded to slow down. to not do anything stupid]

So. . . we should come up with a plan.

Neither is putting ourselves in a situation where we could have to kill in self-defense.

[ and still get executed. anyway, he is level-headed??? maybe. ]

We need an ace up our sleeve to take on a dragon.