[ Clover's still inside trying to put together everything she knows in notes, so good timing, Simon! It doesn't take her long to show up at the entrance after a muffled "gimme a moment". ]
Oh, morning. What's up? Head okay?
[ She does in fact mean "is your head injury okay", but it sure sounds like it could swing either way. ]
We can look at the map again. [ That's when she realizes she just kinda glossed over the ghost honk thing. ]
Oh yeah, so Fujino and I were talking about horror early yesterday. And I was thinking, what if there's a clown killer honking around at night? And might actually be a ghost? So once nighttime hit, I was listening for anything that could sound like a killer clown on the loose. Like honks. But I didn't hear anything like that.
...W-well, that's... good... I dunno if some mystery killer clown ghost would really fit the bill for what they're looking for here, though, so, um, hopefully that's one thing we won't actually have to worry about?
[ ...anyway, yeah, let's look at the map!! ]
The layout of this place is pretty weird. Like, why would there be a gift shop right by the crew's tents, you know?
It looks like they tried to put anything important for amenities close by, but it means most of the traffic would be concentrated here in the mornings and nighttime.
[ He kind of smiles at the bad pun anyway, even though the reaction is a little delayed. ]
Mm... yeah, I guess... but like, usually it's not like the crew would be using a gift shop for much of anything. So it just kinda makes it extra obvious that this was never set up to be a normal circus. ...Plus the training tent's way on the other side and everything.
Yeah, you got a point there... I don't really get the feeling those two just straight-up stole an actual circus and their setup. Which means this is probably for the sake of those Acts they want.
Does stuff like that really exist, though? I mean, I work with some magicians, so I see a lot of pretty fancy illusions, but I'm pretty sure I've never seen any, um, actual magic.
Well, we don't really seem to know the same things? Like how Catman was acting a basement dweller with the whole "disease that affects girls" thing, even though he doesn't seem like a jerkwad. Maybe it's just something that's normal in other places.
Nothing personal. You announced to everyone on the first day that you could write in braille, and your tent and hers were both right next to mine. Couldn't have asked for a more convenient setup than that.
He considers this briefly; he's never had any interest in sharing his feelings with anyone — Knightley had gone eighteen years without ever knowing how he really felt — and he sure isn't starting now. But if he's dying tomorrow anyway... well, fuck it.
He motions to the candy seahorse on the table. ]
My father used to make things like that when I was a kid.
I don't remember anything from back then, not even my name. But I recognized it when they put it in my pocket here.
[ Almost on reflex, she starts to reach for the dice in her pocket before consciously stopping herself. ]
Then the feelings brought up by it must be really strong.
[ By design maybe, but if her dice is any indication, that doesn't make it any less real. Not that the thought is any comfort. She takes a closer look at the seahorse, half to run away from the thought. ]
...It's pretty adorable. The sort of thing I'd see from a pâtisserie.
He was a pastry chef... I think. All I really remembered was that he never came to save me. It wasn't until years later that I found out it was because he'd been murdered.
[ He glances briefly at a plushie across the room, face-down on the floor with the light outline of a footprint on its back, then looks away again. ]
It seemed like someone behind this knew my old memories better than I did, so I figured if I played along... actually bringing him back like they're promising sounds like bullshit to me, but I thought maybe I'd at least get my memories back.
[ The worst part is he's not even right about that, he just made the assumption that his dad was the victim in that case and then made a lot of bad decisions based on it. ]
Don't get me wrong, it's really not answers I'm looking for. I want to make everyone who had a hand in making my life a living hell pay for it, and I want to take back what they took from me — including my father and my memories.
[ She thinks of the many notes in her tent, the realizations she stumbled upon days later. How part of the reason she went out Thursday night was to cool her head. ]
I hate this. I hate that I can understand that, even at Fujino's expense. [ And she likes Fujino. ] It's just...I want answers. I really do. But if I could see certain people dead... If I knew who to get back at...
[ He definitely catches that, and there's a beat after she asks her diversion question... which he goes ahead and answers, though with minimal detail. ]
Yeah. That friend I've been referring to — his father killed mine eighteen years ago. Over some stupid competition.
[ ... ]
You were starting to say a name, right? Who was it?
[ Ultra competitive freaks are lame, and she'd freak if someone did that to her brother. But she can't dwell on that thought when he asks her that. ]
...I was hoping you wouldn't catch that.
[ She sighs, wringing her hands again. Trying to get out of this would be way more trouble than it's worth, maybe. A moment passes before she reluctantly answers. ]
[ He doesn't sound totally sincere, but it's not mocking either. ]
If you think that person's involved... it probably just happened during that kidnapping incident, right? If you were hiding pain that fresh, you're not a bad actress.
[ He pauses and gives her an evaluating look for a moment before continuing. ]
If you want my advice — first, don't ever rely on law enforcement to set things right. They'll manipulate and hide evidence and facts in whatever way benefits them. If your mystery culprits have any kind of connection to someone in power, you're probably out of luck.
Second, revenge is worth it, but there's something to that saying about how it's a dish best served cold. You want time to gather information and formulate your plans, and give them a false sense of security so you can shatter it later.
If you've really done your research and play your cards right with the information you reveal, you can sometimes get your targets to destroy each other without ever getting your own hands dirty or putting yourself in danger. And if you're that committed to looking for answers already, it seems like you should have a pretty good shot at finding something useful.
[ This is wrong. The voice in her head that sounds like her brother tells her no, don't put yourself in danger for me. ]
Yeah, you have a point there. The police wouldn't solve it. They swept our case under the rug years ago. All like it never happened. I can't see them not doing the same now.
[ Even though someone died. It's not like she knew them because of how their group is split, but she has reason to mourn them all the same. ]
I don't really have the power and influence to do anything right now, but...if I head back there... You're right.
[ She rolls the dice around her hand, thinking. ]
I should be able to find evidence that links the culprits to their crimes. Anything I can do after would be based on that. At the very least, I'd be able to do more now than I was able to at 9.
[ Light deserves the world. She'd burn it down to give it to him, but...maybe that's admitting something she'd rather keep shut away. ]
[ He nods... though there's a slight eyebrow raise at "if I head back there" — he's not sure if she means to the place where this incident occurred or if she's not certain about going back to her own world at all. ]
Yeah, that's right.
[ He leans back, lacing his fingers behind his head. ]
The advantages you have are that your revenge matters more to you than what their money or whatever they're in it for does to them... and that when they're so used to relying on their power to make all their problems disappear, never viewing anything as a real threat, they don't bother keeping their minds sharp and are easier to string along than they think they are.
[ Clover did mean back to her own world, but it certainly isn't out of the question for her to make her way back with a burning fury. ]
The good ol' playing the fool card. Classic. But it's classic for a reason, huh... Perception is such a powerful tool.
[ Like how she didn't seriously think Simon could be, well, whatever the hell is now. That's probably the biggest source of frustration to her in this particular situation. ]
...I'll take all that into consideration. It's definitely something to keep in mind no matter what I end up doing. Just need more answers, so I have a better handle on the situation...
[ She sighs after almost muttering all of that. If she weren't so preoccupied with Light, she'd probably be more pissed about the attempted scapegoat...and that she didn't try to initiate it first. She has at least that amount of self-awareness. ]
Thanks for the advice, Simon. Even if you did try to pin it on me.
[ His voice and demeanor change completely for a moment, back to the more familiar version of him. ]
Y-yeah... Make a big show out of how useless you are and how, like, suuuper scary everything is, and they'll think there's just nowaynowaynoway you could ever hurt anyone!!
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
week 0, sunday morning
H-hey... You're still good in there, right?
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Oh, morning. What's up? Head okay?
[ She does in fact mean "is your head injury okay", but it sure sounds like it could swing either way. ]
no subject
Oh, good.
[ ...and he will choose to interpret the question how she meant it! He rubs the back of his head. ]
Yep, just a little bump. A-and I just figured I'd stop by and make sure everything was okay with you. You know, after, um... everything yesterday...
[ the murder stuff........... ]
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[ She'd like to think she'd realize if there was a ruckus outside, but you never know. ]
You didn't see anything weird outside, did you? Or have Money pulling your hair to warn you of misfortune?
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...A-anyway, I haven't noticed anything weird. Um, besides everything that was already weird.
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[ Hopefully exploration yields more answers today than yesterday. ]
But at least there was no honking last night. I wouldn't have slept a wink if ghost honks were actually a thing.
[ That was a legit mild fear going into the night. ]
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[ ... ]
G...ghost honks...?
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Oh yeah, so Fujino and I were talking about horror early yesterday. And I was thinking, what if there's a clown killer honking around at night? And might actually be a ghost? So once nighttime hit, I was listening for anything that could sound like a killer clown on the loose. Like honks. But I didn't hear anything like that.
[ And that's the lore behind ghost honks. ]
no subject
[ ...anyway, yeah, let's look at the map!! ]
The layout of this place is pretty weird. Like, why would there be a gift shop right by the crew's tents, you know?
no subject
[ Okay, that pun was kinda bad. ]
It looks like they tried to put anything important for amenities close by, but it means most of the traffic would be concentrated here in the mornings and nighttime.
no subject
Mm... yeah, I guess... but like, usually it's not like the crew would be using a gift shop for much of anything. So it just kinda makes it extra obvious that this was never set up to be a normal circus. ...Plus the training tent's way on the other side and everything.
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Y-you said maybe it was some kind of occult thing, didn't you?
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[ She wasn't even all that keen on the occult before all this. ]
Even for an elaborate hoax, that's going way too far. I mean, it could still be one, but I find it hard to believe Vampy would cooperate with them.
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Does stuff like that really exist, though? I mean, I work with some magicians, so I see a lot of pretty fancy illusions, but I'm pretty sure I've never seen any, um, actual magic.
no subject
Well, we don't really seem to know the same things? Like how Catman was acting a basement dweller with the whole "disease that affects girls" thing, even though he doesn't seem like a jerkwad. Maybe it's just something that's normal in other places.
week 1, post-trial
Hey, Simon, can we talk?
[ Hey, at least she asked first. ]
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Sure. Not like I've got anywhere to be.
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So.
[ She doesn't take more than a few steps in before stopping and crossing her arms. ]
What was up with all that?
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Nothing personal. You announced to everyone on the first day that you could write in braille, and your tent and hers were both right next to mine. Couldn't have asked for a more convenient setup than that.
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[ She takes a moment to think it over. ]
Well, not really. Understandable, I guess? Not that I know your reasons for finally trying for the deal.
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[ This could all just not matter in the long run. ]
But I think it matters to me. So...why?
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He considers this briefly; he's never had any interest in sharing his feelings with anyone — Knightley had gone eighteen years without ever knowing how he really felt — and he sure isn't starting now. But if he's dying tomorrow anyway... well, fuck it.
He motions to the candy seahorse on the table. ]
My father used to make things like that when I was a kid.
I don't remember anything from back then, not even my name. But I recognized it when they put it in my pocket here.
no subject
Then the feelings brought up by it must be really strong.
[ By design maybe, but if her dice is any indication, that doesn't make it any less real. Not that the thought is any comfort. She takes a closer look at the seahorse, half to run away from the thought. ]
...It's pretty adorable. The sort of thing I'd see from a pâtisserie.
no subject
[ He glances briefly at a plushie across the room, face-down on the floor with the light outline of a footprint on its back, then looks away again. ]
It seemed like someone behind this knew my old memories better than I did, so I figured if I played along... actually bringing him back like they're promising sounds like bullshit to me, but I thought maybe I'd at least get my memories back.
no subject
Not until years later... That's...messed up.
[ After a moment, Clover finally takes out her dice and starts fiddling with it as she continues talking. ]
Does that mean the answers you seek could be in your memories after all?
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Don't get me wrong, it's really not answers I'm looking for. I want to make everyone who had a hand in making my life a living hell pay for it, and I want to take back what they took from me — including my father and my memories.
no subject
[ She thinks of the many notes in her tent, the realizations she stumbled upon days later. How part of the reason she went out Thursday night was to cool her head. ]
I hate this. I hate that I can understand that, even at Fujino's expense. [ And she likes Fujino. ] It's just...I want answers. I really do. But if I could see certain people dead... If I knew who to get back at...
[ Her grip on her dice is now white-knuckled. ]
Maybe I would've done the same thing.
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1/2
2/2
...Do you have an idea exactly who's behind what happened to your dad?
[ That was too transparent, and her expression shows she knows it. ]
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Yeah. That friend I've been referring to — his father killed mine eighteen years ago. Over some stupid competition.
[ ... ]
You were starting to say a name, right? Who was it?
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[ Ultra competitive freaks are lame, and she'd freak if someone did that to her brother. But she can't dwell on that thought when he asks her that. ]
...I was hoping you wouldn't catch that.
[ She sighs, wringing her hands again. Trying to get out of this would be way more trouble than it's worth, maybe. A moment passes before she reluctantly answers. ]
Light. My brother's name.
no subject
[ He doesn't sound totally sincere, but it's not mocking either. ]
If you think that person's involved... it probably just happened during that kidnapping incident, right? If you were hiding pain that fresh, you're not a bad actress.
[ He pauses and gives her an evaluating look for a moment before continuing. ]
If you want my advice — first, don't ever rely on law enforcement to set things right. They'll manipulate and hide evidence and facts in whatever way benefits them. If your mystery culprits have any kind of connection to someone in power, you're probably out of luck.
Second, revenge is worth it, but there's something to that saying about how it's a dish best served cold. You want time to gather information and formulate your plans, and give them a false sense of security so you can shatter it later.
If you've really done your research and play your cards right with the information you reveal, you can sometimes get your targets to destroy each other without ever getting your own hands dirty or putting yourself in danger. And if you're that committed to looking for answers already, it seems like you should have a pretty good shot at finding something useful.
no subject
[ This is wrong. The voice in her head that sounds like her brother tells her no, don't put yourself in danger for me. ]
Yeah, you have a point there. The police wouldn't solve it. They swept our case under the rug years ago. All like it never happened. I can't see them not doing the same now.
[ Even though someone died. It's not like she knew them because of how their group is split, but she has reason to mourn them all the same. ]
I don't really have the power and influence to do anything right now, but...if I head back there... You're right.
[ She rolls the dice around her hand, thinking. ]
I should be able to find evidence that links the culprits to their crimes. Anything I can do after would be based on that. At the very least, I'd be able to do more now than I was able to at 9.
[ Light deserves the world. She'd burn it down to give it to him, but...maybe that's admitting something she'd rather keep shut away. ]
So yeah, that's certainly not bad advice.
no subject
Yeah, that's right.
[ He leans back, lacing his fingers behind his head. ]
The advantages you have are that your revenge matters more to you than what their money or whatever they're in it for does to them... and that when they're so used to relying on their power to make all their problems disappear, never viewing anything as a real threat, they don't bother keeping their minds sharp and are easier to string along than they think they are.
That's my two cents.
no subject
The good ol' playing the fool card. Classic. But it's classic for a reason, huh... Perception is such a powerful tool.
[ Like how she didn't seriously think Simon could be, well, whatever the hell is now. That's probably the biggest source of frustration to her in this particular situation. ]
...I'll take all that into consideration. It's definitely something to keep in mind no matter what I end up doing. Just need more answers, so I have a better handle on the situation...
[ She sighs after almost muttering all of that. If she weren't so preoccupied with Light, she'd probably be more pissed about the attempted scapegoat...and that she didn't try to initiate it first. She has at least that amount of self-awareness. ]
Thanks for the advice, Simon. Even if you did try to pin it on me.
1/2
Y-yeah... Make a big show out of how useless you are and how, like, suuuper scary everything is, and they'll think there's just nowaynowaynoway you could ever hurt anyone!!
2/2
But hey, no problem. Like I said, nothing personal. You're a smart, tough kid, and I respect it.
[ That seems as sincere as anything he's said, at least. ]
I'd say you could come back if you needed more advice, but...
[ He shrugs. ]
You know.
[ Gonna be dead and everything, presumably. ]