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I am putting a lot of faith into everyone else's reaction times, yes.
[sometimes if you project wild confidence it works out.]
On the station, there was a killer who started to threaten me. The second it happened, he was under control.
[sometimes if you project wild confidence it works out.]
On the station, there was a killer who started to threaten me. The second it happened, he was under control.
[ it sure never worked out for him... ]
Huh...
[ he has a hard time imagining what it would be like for anyone to want to keep him alive that badly. ]
W-well, as long as you're sure you wouldn't be in real danger, then... okay, I'll keep that in mind for next time.
...Thanks.
Huh...
[ he has a hard time imagining what it would be like for anyone to want to keep him alive that badly. ]
W-well, as long as you're sure you wouldn't be in real danger, then... okay, I'll keep that in mind for next time.
...Thanks.
You are welcome. I do consider it to our advantage to work together. Asking questions and pushing those who are suspicious, as a prosecutor would, is only going to better our circumstances.
[harrow can't look at a person and tell they're aesthetically definitely evil because of the entire vibes of the civilization she's from being aesthetically definitely evil. but she can tell, sort of, a shitty, condescending person.]
That's your father?
That's your father?
[ he nods, and after a second, forces a smile. as much as he sincerely adores and admires his father, he at least has enough awareness of how this might look to feel like he needs to defend him and gloss over this whole thing. ]
H-he's really awesome! He used to be the Chief Prosecutor, and now he's the Chairman of the Prosecutorial Investigation Committee!
H-he's really awesome! He used to be the Chief Prosecutor, and now he's the Chairman of the Prosecutorial Investigation Committee!
I don't know what any of that means, exactly, but I'm certain it is quite impressive.
[listen, it's not her place to judge people's parents.]
[listen, it's not her place to judge people's parents.]
I suppose he must have high expectations of you as a result.
[she's so not the person to have this conversation, but...]
I find it is less helpful, to receive lessons that are so disparaging. Having a teacher who often belittles one's capabilities is...unpleasant.
I find it is less helpful, to receive lessons that are so disparaging. Having a teacher who often belittles one's capabilities is...unpleasant.
[ sebastian is probably not straying too far from the rooms today, but wherever he sees harrow, he will, as usual make a vain attempt to hide how much he's been crying.
hastily-wiped-away tears aside, he looks a lot better than he did yesterday, but he's still banged up pretty badly. ]
...Hey.
[ ... ]
It's... gonna be a lot tomorrow, huh?
hastily-wiped-away tears aside, he looks a lot better than he did yesterday, but he's still banged up pretty badly. ]
...Hey.
[ ... ]
It's... gonna be a lot tomorrow, huh?
[oh. she doesn't acknowledge the tears, at least; she looks sad herself.]
It is. I didn't expect such a rapid escalation.
It is. I didn't expect such a rapid escalation.
We had three every week in the thing I was in before, but...
[ at least spread out over two days... and they hadn't known each other long enough for it to hurt this bad. ]
...It has to have been more than one killer, right? 'Cause there's no reason to kill more than one...
[ at least spread out over two days... and they hadn't known each other long enough for it to hurt this bad. ]
...It has to have been more than one killer, right? 'Cause there's no reason to kill more than one...
I think so. I'm not sure the contracts would even permit this much death otherwise.
No. I think not. At most, two shadows. One that fled last week's culprit, and one that's new.
At least one, possibly two acted on their own.
At least one, possibly two acted on their own.
[ oh, as much as he already hates the idea of someone doing this without being under a shadow's influence, he hadn't even really thought about that first part. ]
You think that's how it works? S-so any time we get it wrong, then the next week, there'll be an extra victim?
You think that's how it works? S-so any time we get it wrong, then the next week, there'll be an extra victim?
[she's wandering the halls after the trial, exhausted, her expression with a frown deeply creased in her paint.]
...What was that, exactly?
...What was that, exactly?
Me being a worthless idiot again, apparently!
[ tears are streaming down his face, and he quickly looks away. ]
I really— I thought he was telling the truth! And a lot of the evidence fit Claude, and he was being kind of weird all day, and there were still two other murders that he could have done, and I thought maybe we just didn't sort all the evidence between cases right, and...
I just didn't want it to turn out like it did with Bucky again... He's my best friend...
[ tears are streaming down his face, and he quickly looks away. ]
I really— I thought he was telling the truth! And a lot of the evidence fit Claude, and he was being kind of weird all day, and there were still two other murders that he could have done, and I thought maybe we just didn't sort all the evidence between cases right, and...
I just didn't want it to turn out like it did with Bucky again... He's my best friend...
[this actually does tug at her heartstrings, but she's a very awkward and terrible person who can't tell what she should do in this situation. she just looks at him with an expression somewhere between sympathy and badly wanting to leave.]
There, there...
[thanks, harrow.]
You aren't a worthless idiot. There are people who don't bother to put any effort in, and simply vote for whoever seems likely to get the most votes. You ought not to be ashamed that you are trying but have come to incorrect conclusions.
There, there...
[thanks, harrow.]
You aren't a worthless idiot. There are people who don't bother to put any effort in, and simply vote for whoever seems likely to get the most votes. You ought not to be ashamed that you are trying but have come to incorrect conclusions.
[ he looks genuinely surprised to hear this, turning back to her with wide red-rimmed eyes. he'd been sure she was going to say she regretted standing up for him back then, and he wouldn't have blamed her; he figures at least a few of them are probably questioning her judgment for wanting to let him talk. ]
...Thanks.
[ tears are still welling up, if for at least a slightly different reason now, and he pulls his handkerchief out of his pocket to try to wipe them away. ]
I-I'm sorry, though... for being wrong after you spoke up for me like that. I... it meant a lot.
...Thanks.
[ tears are still welling up, if for at least a slightly different reason now, and he pulls his handkerchief out of his pocket to try to wipe them away. ]
I-I'm sorry, though... for being wrong after you spoke up for me like that. I... it meant a lot.
Don't apologize. I was fairly certain you were wrong when I did.
[she crosses her arms, slightly awkward.]
It isn't as though any one of us is correct all the time.
[she crosses her arms, slightly awkward.]
It isn't as though any one of us is correct all the time.
[ there's some stardust and a very quick flash of a memory again, but he just closes his eyes for a few seconds and ignores it. ]
...You'll still try to get them to listen to what I have to say next week? Even if everybody takes me even less seriously than they already did?
...You'll still try to get them to listen to what I have to say next week? Even if everybody takes me even less seriously than they already did?
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