15S R7 Week 2 Tuesday

[yesorwoof]

[Makima is chilling in the lounge with a book as you do. At some point it happens that she and Kira are alone in the room. After a little silence, she finds herself aware of him.]

You know, I might not have mentioned to you that I've lost memories of my own as well. Is there anything bothering you that you would like to talk about with me?

Comments

[onychomance]

Ah, the Kurashiki siblings...

[Kira's expression is cooly placid, but not exactly pleasant. His encounters with them... have been strange. By now he's come to realize Akane is the one girl who caught him in the middle of his panic attack. And Aoi is just a weirdo all around.]

I do not like to trouble myself making enemies with people I am forced to be confined with, but given their connection to the past Nonary game as well as each other, it really is surprising they don't get more flak from the others. Are we somehow the only ones they elucidated to? Let alone read the cards in the cabin. I already had to explain it to that Power brat.

But yes, if Zero has taken an interest in their game, then it stands to reason he could give them incentives to act as well. They would know best what to do in this situation. Then again, if the emphasis on trials is meant to provide a veneer of 'fairness', that could make them the last ones who would be offered an important role if one existed.

[yesorwoof]

[Makima managed not to eyetwitch at this mention of Power but it's a near thing.]

We can always bring it up at the next meeting just to be absolutely sure there aren't any special connections or memories that haven't been fully explained.

[She crosses her hands on her knee as she thinks.]

I don't believe that Zero is interpreting fairness in a straightforward way, though. Some of us have offensive powers and others defense or support, for example. And I don't consider the stabbing experiment fair at all. Those with a high physical pain tolerance were at an enormous advantage, and even more so, those with a highly willing partner. The fairest game I can think of is one that had a clearer path to a cooperative outcome like the Prisoner's Dilemma, and the second fairest would have rewarded only one stab per individual, in which case Hermes would have won.

[She takes a breath after saying all that.]

So I don't think Zero would avoid either of them for that reason alone. But even if they were approached, it would be very difficult to prove willing cooperation rather than blackmail. There are several outcasts in our group who would empathize with such a situation. Enemy is a bit of a harsh word.

[onychomance]

Is it so harsh? Accusing a person of subterfuge doesn't typically charm them, whatever reason you assume they have. So no, Yoshikage Kira won't stir shit with them unless there is actual leverage.

[Empathy? He doesn't know her.]

[yesorwoof]

That's an interesting stipulation. Suppose there was evidence that one of them had done something bad - an undeniably suspicious reaction to a recovered memory. And suppose that there was evidence that something suspicious happened on the ship - an unexplained note, for example. Even taken together, it wouldn't necessarily mean that the suspicious person had undertaken the suspicious action.

[It seems that she has scenarios in mind for both of these, though...]

[onychomance]

Well... I can at least try to find out if there are any rifts between them. I just want to keep it friendly so my sleep is undisturbed.

[yesorwoof]

You must work hard to get a lot with a little boy in the house.

[? ? ? ? ? ? ?]

[onychomance]

[Kira looks Makima over with a furrowed brow at the change of topic back to his family. Hard to think she just got bored of her other topic.]

It's not too difficult. The boy spends all his time in his room, and barely even talks to his mother either. It must be his rebellious phase.

Do you mean to insinuate something?

[yesorwoof]

Hm? [She heard him like he had said all he could do and was now thinking about his own feelings again. But there is a reason she seems so capricious.] I'm staying with Akane-chan. I wanted to make sure I kept my own potentially upsetting words to a minimum. She's pleasant enough as a roommate and fellow captive, after all.

[onychomance]

Ah. I see your dilemma.

[But yes, that is all he can do. The truth is that he is thinking about his own feelings 100% of the time.]

[yesorwoof]

It'll work out.

[She gets up and puts away her book.]

We can talk some other time if needed, then.