catraclysm | week 4 post trial

[stop making me laugh this is SERIOUS people are DEAD]

Yep, you got me. Have any guesses on the third?

[He takes a seat at the piano.]

The only killer unaccounted for is the one from last week, so... Fortune, Hector or Blackfire. And since you went after Ruin...

[ she shrugs ]

I didn't kill Fortune, I'll tell you that.

[His expression darkens briefly.]

Whatever happened to her was a shame. If I knew who did it, I'd tell you.

[He runs his fingers along the keys, and then starts playing.]

Hector. Sort of. Technically, he killed himself. Which, I didn't force him to do that, by the way.

[ both of those statements throw her for a little loop, and her ears are pinned backwards ]

What, you cared about Fortune but still went after Ruin? That's a little backwards.

[ and... ]

Why did he do it, then?

Ruin's death was meant to be quick, but plans changed. Fortune was nice, you know? Ruin would've been on my ass for the rest of the game if I hadn't killed her.

[He sighs, tired. At least he seems truthful.

but i mean he has all game apparently so take from that what you will.]

As for Hector... Guilt, I guess? I never quite got a straight answer out of him. I'd set up a trap to take him out—another necessary thing, nothing personal. I had to get him out of the way to get at Ruin. But I found him burying Blackfire's body, and he agreed to let me kill him.

You really didn't get along with Ruin, huh.

[ willing to kill hector for it... but. also. ]

Guilt? No one's even permanently dead in this place.

Well, you met her. Would you have wanted to deal with her after defecting?

[like, she challenged him to be her chair for the day???]

That said, it really wasn't personal. She was never going to win, that much was clear from the get-go, and I was trying to cover my ass. That worked out, huh?

[He laughs, shaking his head.]

I know, right? But I guess he didn't see himself as deserving of a wish after killing a teenager.

[His face goes dark for a half-second.]

Though I can't say I disagree with him.

If you'd just bid your time, someone else would've gone after her. Between that and carving onto yourself to taunt everyone, your cover was a mess.

[ she sounds pretty sure about that first part, but she's got a pretty bad opinion of people and has been open about it this entire game. speaking of, she points out: ]

You just admitted to killing a teen yourself. What, did she walk in on you and Ruin?

Maybe, maybe not. I don't like to hedge bets. Besides, I'd already set things up so nicely. As if I'd just sit back and let someone else reap that reward.

[He tips his head to the side.]

A mess, sure, but a calculated one. You all played right into my hand every step of the way until Ray caught me in a lie. Everything I wanted you to believe, you did.

[But, that aside...]

Someone asked me to kill Ai. It was a favor, I guess. A deal. I didn't like it, but sometimes you have to suck it up.

Right into your hands, huh... Entrapta included?

[ she's sounded pretty bored or mildly interested most of the conversation, but there's a touch of anger at that one. hm. anyway: ]

Any chance you'd be willing to share who asked you? It's not like she was much of a threat to anyone.

[Oh, that gets him to pause. He looks away, bites his lip.]

You and Entrapta—you're both smart, you know? Smarter than you give yourselves credit for. You especially. You're one of the only people around here with any damned sense.

[...]

Luna.

[ that gets her to smile, somehow. it's... not a nice one. ]

Oh, believe me. I give myself plenty of credit.

[ that's all she says on that first part. as for the second... ]

... Huh. [ she sounds more interested than shocked. ] She tell you why?

Nothing about her reasoning made sense. I think the intent was to stir up chaos. She'd told Ai earlier in the week that Ruin's follower would've been targeting, so I'm assuming she intended to pin her death and Fortune's on, well, me.

And you were okay with that?

[He shrugs.]

I had taken steps to do the same already. I managed to slide through almost a month without anyone pegging me as Ruin's follower, so between that and all the numbers changing last week, it wasn't like anyone could trace my path.

Is anyone even trying to figure that stuff out unless we're in the middle of a trial and they're trying to determine who to vote for?

[ she's being a tad judgmental, because it's not like she is either, but. hey. ]

Were you sold on Disorder if you got away with it again?

Doesn't seem like it, but they should be. It's more productive to do your homework throughout the week than cramming it all in during a trial.

[He says it like it's sagely advice.]

Are you asking if I would've stuck with her until the end? I like her plenty, but my money was on Ambition to take the gold. I was going to slide into home at the end.

[There's a pause.]

With Disorder's blessing, of course. The two of them and Cunning have a team going. You should get in on it, if you're not already.

[ oh, she definitely outright cackles at that ]

Yeah... I'm betting she will. I've been with Ambition from the start.

[ tee hee ]

[He laughs.]

Hey, same team. In a sense, that is. Good for you. Are you one of the Blame Game crowd? Ambition told me she's been asking you guys to muddy up the trials just in case.

[ yea she's grinning too because she's terrible. this is terrible. stop it. ]

I might've been to blame for a few twists and turns in the past couple weeks. You'd be surprised what you can pull off with that power.

Oh yeah? Which ones?

[proud of u, catra.]

I promise to die with your secrets.

Like I said, I've been busy pretty much every week ... but my first one was Ava's sketchbook.

[ "hey Eli tell us what it means" "I don't know someone made it up" surprise!!!! ]

[He sure does crack up at that.]

Holy hell, no kidding? Man. Thank you for that.

[He chews on his lip for a moment, pondering something. Eh, why not.]

When I went to kill Hector, he was burying Blackfire's body. He said something about wanting to kill before someone targeted him... I figured he was just freaked out by all this, but you know what? I think your little trick may have spooked him. Well done.

[ she, uh. she burst out laughing at that. ]

Oh, wow. Seriously? I thought the freak out everyone got over that fake list was good enough, I didn't think it'd make someone kill. Awesome. I thought it'd just waste a few hours at best while they argued with her, I had no clue she'd be dead. That weekend was hilarious.

[ SHE SHOULD PROBABLY NOT BE SO CASUALLY TERRIBLE BUT. EH!! ]

[Oh, Catra. He's gonna miss you.]

So much for being all indignant about my evil deeds, huh?

[He's poking the bear, maybe, but he's curious.]

Hey, it made you talk, didn't it?

[ it's a casual deadpan ]

Honestly? You were playing the game the way it was meant to be played. But I'm not trying to get everyone on my case.

Oh, I'd've talked regardless. Do you have any idea I've been sitting on all of these secrets? Dying without at least someone appreciating all my hard work would be a terrible waste.

[He grins.]

Good. That's smart. Ambition's lucky to have you, you know. Do you have any nefarious plans of your own? My lips are sealed.

See, stuff like that is why you got caught.

[ but she's got her own grin on as she shrugs ]

I won't say I don't have "nefarious" plans... or that I haven't already acted some of them out. [ she places a hand to her heart ] But I didn't get this far in life by being open about what I want.

[He tips his head down in a bit of a "watch it" gesture, but, well. She's not exactly wrong. She shouldn't say it, though!!]

Tell me this much, then: Are you and Entrapta working together?

[ she smirks and tilts hers up, as if to say "come and get me" ]

Of course we are. I'm not about to leave her behind. She's brilliant.

[There's a laugh. Excellent.]

I was hoping you'd say that. You two are gonna go far, in that case. The others seem to trust both of you, too.

[For some reason?]

Take advantage of that.

They trust her. I doubt it goes that far with me... but I don't need trust to win this thing.

Eh, I'd say you're included in the trust, too. I trust you.

[He shrugs.]

But my word doesn't mean much these days. Anything else you want to know?

[ she looks ... a bit surprised at that, but then just amused ]

I'm fine if it isn't trust so long as they keep underestimating me. [ still: ] I dunno. You got any other deep dark secrets you could share?

I'd say you're a shoo-in there. The key to good acting is not to stray too far from the truth.

[Which... could be taken as insulting, but he's hoping she'll get the meaning.

He pauses, thinking.]

It's getting difficult to remember who I've told what. I doubt any of it's going to be very relevant from this point forward anyway.

[There's another pause as he studies her briefly.]

If anything comes up, I'll keep you in the loop. Assuming I'm able, but I don't see that being a problem.

week 4 post trial

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