got my whole body shaking, but my soul won't be taken;

[recrypt]

will I find a shitpost for this maybe

Comments

[concasse]

[... So yes, maybe he planned for this to happen, but Sanji is still shocked to find himself awake when everything locks up. The castle hadn't been so kind when curfew hit; either you fell asleep, were up to some bullshit, or were going to die.

He's not afraid to admit he panics a little.

-- But hey, he's in the kitchen, right? Likely in the middle of another mess because the poor room can't stay clean for anything, but that's the least of his worries. Without a pause, Sanji will hunt down whatever knife he can and promptly stuff it into his shirt, mindless of the fact he could just die from a thousand cuts at this rate.

He fuckin dares someone to come at him now.]

[recrypt]

[ from the other? attached? what are we even calling it, room, there comes the sound of someone swearing softly before messing with the door just to make sure that it is, in fact, locked.

it is definitely locked. which has them moving away from the door a bit by the sound of their muttering loudly enough to be heard: ]

Did we really have to bring this with us too?

[concasse]

[oh.

... Is he gonna die by whom he assumed to be a pretty girl? Maybe. And this wouldn't be the worst way he's gone out, either. Sanji still freezes in place, very slowly turning his head in the direction of the voice]

-- Bring what, exactly, Miss?

[DID HE EVER GET A NAME? Well he's busy shoving another knife into his pants pocket, so hell if he can be expected to remember anything.]

FRIDAY MORNING w0, SOMETIME AFTER MINI-INVES;

[recrypt]

[ when the announcement happens, 45 leaves. she's gone for a little while, and after that... comes back, with her smile fixed perfectly in place. ]

So. ♪ I might have some bad news.

[concasse]

... Go on.

[that's the "go on" of a man whose dealt with too much trauma to wear any of it on his face. he just glances up from a plateful of food that he's made steady progress through -- almost too much progress, frankly.]

[recrypt]

There's smudged footprints outside leading away from the mess hall. Can't tell where they go, or who they belong to. Also, no one outside of myself, Ookurikara, and Lili An can currently see them, which, as it turns out, is just like it was in the mansion as well.

[ also she woke up to hunger, but a hunger for what? not food, apparently. gee. wonder what it is. ]

I'm going to be upfront with the two of them, since they already know I was here- but I figured I'd let you know before I mentioned you. Better to talk about it now than have it come out tomorrow at the last minute, or something, making everyone get the wrong idea.

W0 || TRIAL DAY, I'm just making this our PC, can't be stopped!!

[concasse]

[Hey 45, where you at.

Sanji is... not looking for her, especially, so much as when they cross paths, he'll at least nod his head in quiet acknowledgement. The trial seems to have taken some of his energy given how somber he looks]

Oi, how you holdin' up?

extremely valid

[recrypt]

I'm holding up fine. Don't worry about me, haha. ♪

[ it's both somewhat plastic and very natural sounding somehow. just a little too convincingly cheery, maybe, in a situation where everyone should be tired, frustrated, annoyed at best.

anyway she's probably hanging around the bonfire, staring up at the stars. ]

[concasse]

[Maybe it is a little suspicious.

... Sanji's also not the kind of guy whose gonna tell anyone how to process their emotions, if they're upset at all. Instead he will take a seat across from her and glance upward himself, a more realistic smile appearing on his face]

You recognize any of em?

W1 || Tuesday

[concasse]

[Well that sure was A Lot.

And as 45 seems to have accidentally designated herself as the girl Sanji will immediately talk shop to instead of flirt with (FOR NOW), he just offers her a dull wave at her approach, on his cigarette break after Dick's announcement]

Shit just keeps getting better and better around here, eh?

[recrypt]

[ She smiles a little as she waves back, but it's humorless. ]

Not going to tell me I did it too bluntly or carelessly, are you?

[concasse]

[... He looks genuinely confused]

Why would I do that?

SUNDAY, w1 post-execution;

[recrypt]

[ it's the afternoon, or whenever it is that the final trial is playing. she hasn't quite taken a seat, but she's hanging around, leaning forward slightly with her arms propped up on a chair back.

her expression is the same as it always is as she watches with an air caught somewhere between detached and... something else, but she does speak up, without glancing over at them, when she notices someone stopping by: ]

You know... there's no point in seeing these anymore, now that the task is gone, but I think I might understand at least one potential reason for having this here.

[concasse]

[Sanji initially wasn't going to bother with the theatre at all. Call it an offshoot of his nature, but he's very picky about when he's nosy, and this usually isn't one of the times.

... But, eh. Rules are made to be broken. They've all had a rough couple of days. Before he realizes it, the chef is slowly winding his way through the aisles on a mission to distract himself, even if he's only half-committed to taking a seat.

-- Though admittedly, seeing 45 immediately perks his interest. A grin is already on his face before he stops and turns toward the screen]

Eh? Such as? I find the shitty things kinda invasive...

[recrypt]

Oh, it is.

[ there's a mild, but certainly present, sharpness playing around the edge of her faint smile. ]

But presuming that anyone was inclined towards believing the setup of this farce of a game, it's a reminder. 'Look at this.' 'This is what you have to lose.'

It would certainly fit with the narrative that our snake is trying to set up, it feels.

FRIDAY, w2 post-invests;

[recrypt]

[ eventually, later in the day, she's going to make her way over to the kitchen. she's not wearing the outfit people might've gotten used to seeing her in anymore, instead back in the oversized tie-dye shirt and booty shorts combo from that first weekend, though she's at least in boots rather than sandals. good thing too, considering the rain- which is the reasons she's also in a poncho.

she's not tracking any blood or whatever other stuff was on the three of them into the kitchen, so sanji doesn't have to try to kill her for that, at least. she'll greet him with a smile, but it's wan. ]

...Haha. ♪

I suppose I shouldn't be surprised about finding you here.

[concasse]

[Ugly truth is Sanji's so tired, he probably would have excused the blood if she was still drenched in it. As is, the floor is clean and she's a familiar face besides. His mouth pulls into a smile, equally thin]

Not a lot of people are hungry today, so it's a good place to just relax.

[And hide, frankly]

... How you holdin' up?

W3 || MONDAY

[concasse]

[Time to play that oh-so-fun game of memory Russian Roulette, eh? At least by this point, Sanji is aware of the stakes that come from taking a simple walk to his cabin from the kitchen.

-- Fate's not on his side today, however. Even though he keeps his eyes down, weeks' worth of paranoia means he's still liable to glance up every now and again, and when he accidentally catches 45's gaze, well.

At least he isn't surprised when the scene abruptly changes into something different.

They're in a room -- not a cabin, but the stately, well furnished room of a castle, where a boy is kneeling next to a large bed, gasping for breath through his coughing fit and apologizing.

For all the trouble he's caused. For killing out of self-defense. For always putting the burden on Sanji to take care of him. He'll likely die tomorrow, being hated by the castle for his actions, and there isn't anything he can do.

And the chef's response? Immediate, no-nonsense, and level, as he picks the boy off the floor and leads him to the bed.

"If you're looking for someone to condemn your actions, you won't hear it from me; I'm a pirate, remember? For my crew, I've done plenty of shit other people wouldn't be proud of to admit -- just to keep them safe and alive."

...

"What the world sees as "right" and "wrong" don't mean shit to me. You're one of my own, so I'll protect you tomorrow, as best I can."


Then scene ends with that quiet declaration.]

everyone who asked me for lore is giving me a time,

[recrypt]

[ she stills as the memory begins, casts her gaze away, but it's already too late. they make that brief moment of eye contact, and as one memory ends another starts up immediately after, no time for relief of any sort.

(there's something strange about the memory, though. like an old recording, fuzzy and staticky. not to the point where it's impossible to understand, but.)

you're pinned. you knew this was a hopeless fight from the start, but still, you tried, that single desperate mantra- you have to survive, no matter what, it's what she wanted, it was her last wish- repeating endlessly in your mind. but the gap in ability is too high, your opponent is an elite, and you've only ever been defective, disposable goods. there is one thing you can try, still, but you're not ready yet, you need time--

"any last words, traitor?" says m16, leaning in. you struggle for your gun, uselessly. "you still want to put up a fight, huh?"

(just a little more...) "... i wonder which of us is the real traitor?"

your opponent scoffs. "are those your parting words? fine. farewell, UMP45."

it's just enough. now is the only chance you'll get, and--

m16 fires. she misses- which should have been impossible, at the point blank range you were at- and leaves two holes in the ground where you were as a loud and vicious crack resonates through the air. your systems and neural cloud are sent reeling by the simple feedback alone from breaking your own arm in an effort to buy yourself a chance to fight back, even though you've already turned off the pain sensors in your left arm. you whirl and kick away as hard as you can, using the recoil to force yourself closer to your gun and take aim in return as m16 recovers quickly.

"... i didn't expect you to be able to disrupt my fire control system in such a short time. you've done very well for a doll like you."

you don't move an inch. you don't dare. "all those dolls from earlier, in front of the door. they were shot in the back... that must have been your handiwork, right?"

"my mission was to eliminate all traitorous dolls."

a small, distant part of you despairs at the confirmation, while the rest of you goes both icy hot and deathly cold. "so you knew something like this was going to happen. you betrayed us all from the very beginning!"

... m16 doesn't respond.

why? you need to know- why? "have you thought about what will happen to you too, after this? do you think you can avoid being silenced as well?"

all of them sent here today... from the start, none of them were meant to survive. who did this? who was responsible?

but m16 doesn't answer your questions. maybe she doesn't know herself. "you shouldn't be thinking about a question like that. all you need to do is die here."

she fires, but can't land a shot for now. sabotaging her fire control system earlier is the only thing that might be able to save your life now, because your speed is all you have, and you're nearly out of ammunition. but what can you do? someone went to great lengths and efforts to set this mission up, sabotage and compromise it, brush it under the rug, make sure that nothing about it can leak, kill every possible witness. and now you two are the only ones left.

you try anyway. you fight back, as best as you can with only one arm, but even hindered and in pain from an ongoing meltdown, you end up disarmed, grabbed by the collar, pinned underneath her again, scrabbling and clawing desperately at her eye for any possible leverage you can get and breaking your other arm as well in the process, as she pulls a dagger out from her belt and, with both hands, stabs it down at your head.

you tried. you tried, but you'll die here, and everything and everyone who died here will die with you. ]

W3 || Death Day

[concasse]

[For once? Sanji's just in a straight-up foul mood. The kind that's too sharp to be bitter and too hot to be devastated. And so the kitchen is more a warzone for him to work through his aggression, a scowl cut deeply on his face.

So... If 45 wants to book it in the other direction, he wouldn't blame her.]

[recrypt]

[ that's fine, she's just in the midst of collecting as many warm drinks into thermoses and extra insulated foam cups as she can, though her movements are oddly stiff and affected, and she seems... uncharacteristically distracted.

we're all doing great, gang. ]

W4 || TUESDAY (backdated)

[concasse]

[Guess who is not here for sharing and caring week, pt.2?

Everyone in the fuckin camp, even if Sanji likes to think he's at least in the top half. It makes going outside a very dangerous prospect but given that he hadn't been safe last week, the chef decides it's better to continue on with his routine than hide in the Fish Cabin.

... Though he is admittedly surprised to see 45 by the rope course. An eyebrow draws up as he approaches and leans himself into one of the poles]

You gonna run it?

[recrypt]

[ On the bright side, this week doesn't seem to be triggered by anything other than physical touch? So existing in other peoples' general vicinity seems to be fine, which is probably why 45 seems to be a little less cagey this week.

But when he speaks up, she hums a long, low note, and tilts her head as she glances back to look at him. ]

As long as it can support my weight, I think I might. Would hate to get rusty, so to speak.

[ Given that these things should be designed for a good many people, it should be fine if one measly T-Doll tries them out. ]

W6, After Trial

[concasse]

[Surprise, Sanji is in the kitchen like he always is -- not cooking, but just... enjoying the scenery from a seat at the table, like maybe he missed being in his natural element and this is the only time he's got left to savor the atmosphere.

Before they all die horribly tomorrow, ha ha.

Though when 45 enters, he'll lift his head and toss a grin her way]

Hey, 45-chan.

[recrypt]

Ja, ja, hey yourself. Missed being in an actual kitchen, I take it?

[ she heard something about being in a store earlier, which. hm. ]