reidentify | week 3 ( saturday );

Good job, genius.

[ She's so tired. So, so, so tired.

He'll have caught her on her way down to the beach, and frankly, she doesn't stop walking. She just stares down at the sand. ]

Who told you? Jacopo or Yona?

[... Well, he's glad that she confirmed it so that he doesn't have to play mind games with her now.

He follows along.]

Jacopo told me last week. I was not aware that Yona knew.

Can Jacopo keep his big mouth shut? Like, ever? He is going to get my ass killed with those loose lips of his. He's the one who told Yona. Whatever.

[ Takes a deep breath in, and slowwwwly lets it out. Now she looks at him. ]

Did you just want to confirm my role, or ask me something about it?

He was aware that you would be quite angry—I believe his exact words were that you would kill him—and would in fact not tell me directly that it was you. The hints he gave made it obvious, though.

[...]

I suppose that I wanted to let you know what I said earlier still stands.

[That he wants to help, if he can.]

Honestly, if things had turned out differently, I would probably be super pissed right now, so he wasn't wrong! But after today I just kind of want to get all this gross corpse goo off me and maybe sleep for the first time in like a week.

[ Vriska sighs through her nose. ]

I will need the help. All of you have asked me what you can do, and I spent some time thinking about it. I have an answer, but I'm not sure if I should tell you all separately or just get a group together. Yona doesn't know who else knows.

[ By now they're approaching the ocean. Vriska will walk right into the waves, until they lick up to her knees. ]

... I have told Magilou. [Who's thankfully been confirmed to not have a role. Thanks, Jack.] She has sworn to secrecy, and despite her behaviour, I believe that she means it.

[ gives him the flattest look in history. ]

Why don't we just tell everyone! Everyone can know. That would be great! Ugh. You people. Does a single person on this island have even the remotest concept of working in secrecy?

[ Wades deeper into the water and honestly just starts scrubbing at her gross ass clothes. Some maggots fall off her. Thanks Laura. ]

If we want to stop all of this killing, Lief, we need to shift our focus. I already knew some of the things Battler explained back there when everyone began questioning him, but not all of it. But this is just confirmation that I was right about one thing: there is more to this island than meets the eye.

I don't believe that continued killing is the only way to stop the game. We need to unravel the deeper mystery behind all of this.

Magilou and I made a deal in the beginning of the game to share information. It would be a pointless alliance if I did not keep my end of it.

[... He nods.]

I agree. If it is the only way, then... we are a standstill.

Groan. Forget it. I should have known telling one person would lead to half the island being in on it.

[ Waves a hand at him and then goes back to cleaning off. ]

Don't worry. We are going to figure out a way around this. I have beaten games bigger and harder than this, and I'm going to leave this one in my dust.

[To be fair, if she'd told him directly, he would've honoured any wishes not to tell anyone else?? But instead Jacopo happened.]

I pray that you are right, Vriska. I will not lose hope either.

[He just hopes that he can ensure Prussia doesn't either; he's more concerned for her emotional state than his, at the moment. He can shove down whatever he needs to in order to get the job done.]

No. [ With sudden sharpness, glaring at him, though her anger is not for him. ] No hoping. No praying. No luck. We are making this happen. I will stake my life on it.

[ for whatever it's worth, her determination seems very real. ]

[...]

Very well. I will do the same—as it is, we will all likely die if we cannot succeed, regardless. I will not let this be another failure.

[As he's failed back home. He knows he's not adequate—he's already proven that—but he can't give up, no matter what.]

[ "Another" failure, huh.

Vriska will stop what she's doing, turning to face him as the ocean beats against her legs. The expression on her face eases into something more thoughtful. ]

We will do this together, Lief. Like we should have from the start.

... This game was designed to build walls between us. Overcoming them is our challenge here.

Trust, [ she says, with a nod. ] Believing in each other. All that feel good bullcrap! It turns out to be pretty important when you are facing life and death by way of a knife in your back.

... Indeed. [A little bitterness leaks into his voice; he's been betrayed a number of times.] ... I am glad to be able to trust you, Vriska. And I will try and be worthy of whatever faith you place in me.

[ ..... ]

God fucking dammit, Lief, [ Vriska will hiss, quietly, turning partially away as she scrubs her eyes. ]

Can I trust you? Actually trust you? With my life?

As long as I can trust you with mine, yes.

[...]

I have no role—I swear it. And there are things I cannot tell you or anyone, for the safety of those who have entrusted me with them.

But my goal is the same as yours. I want nothing more than the well-being of all those on this island—barring those who might hold malice towards the rest of us—and for everyone to return home safely.

[ Turning completely away, Vriska will wrap her arms around herself and duck her head. ]

I really hope you actually believe that's what I want, [ she says, her voice quiet. Finally she will turn to face him fully, her hands falling to her sides to ball into loose fists. ] That I want to save everyone. Because that is the truth of what I want. Nothing more, nothing less.

I am not the item role, Lief. I am a Siren. I was the one who killed Lelouch.

[...

His blood runs cold for a moment, his eyes widening, before he forces himself to calm down. It takes a few moments until he's able to find his voice again.]

Is—is that the truth? Or are you testing me right now?

It's true. That is the real reason Battler was staying in my hut Thursday night. To act as my alibi.

[ She won't move towards him, or away, but her jaw is tight. ]

This was the only way we knew to save everyone.

[ Another beat, and she slowly lifts a hand in what is meant to be a placating gesture. ]

I need you to stay calm. I'm not going to hurt you, and I was sincere about wanting to trust and work with you.

[... From the way Vriska spoke earlier, he figured that she knew about Battler's role already. Looking at it now, perhaps she did seem oddly close to him.

A part of him is still waiting for this to be a trick—to test to see if he's a Siren—but...]

I-I believe you did not lie about that.

[Blood is roaring in his ears. This is still a shock that he has to wrap his mind around.]

[ ......

The way she watches him is a little bit like the way a caged animal might watch its captor. Which might seem backwards, but Vriska is aware of the sway Lief has in the village. He could easily rouse everyone else into capturing and killing her. For revenge. To stop the game. Whatever good they think murdering her would do. Right now, her life is in his hands.

Slowly, Vriska will move up through the surf. When the water only comes up to her ankles, she will simply sit down in the ocean, not seeming to mind the way it washes around her hips and waist. She spreads her hands, and they are open, empty. ]

I know this is a shock to you. But I need allies, Lief. Real allies, ones who won't throw me into the village bonfire for a moment's satisfuckingfaction over all the death we've had to go through so far. If all of the Sirens die, we lose the game and everyone stays dead for good. At least one of us has to live. And I am doing everything I can to find another way out.

[...]

If you are telling the truth, the Sirens and the Wickies have been conflicting information on how to bring about the ideal outcome for this game. If we cannot find a third option, it is important that, at least, we determine which one is the truth.

One of them always lies, and one of them always tells the truth, [ Vriska says with some rancor. ] Those fucking Chiefs. I know what the Wickies believed. I personally think it was just to give them drive to find and kill us, but I can't conclusively say our goals were true while theirs aren't.

[ ... ]

There is a spirit in the volcano. If all of the Sirens die, or if there are no deaths in a week, it will become enraged and the volcano will erupt, killing everyone and ending the game in a way that no one will be able to come back. For right now, that is what I know and believe, and it is those rules I'm working under. My only goal from the very beginning has been to save all of these people and send them home. Whatever it took.

I am running out of time. If we don't find a solution before Thursday, we will have to kill again to avoid the worst possible outcome. I also suspect the true item role will likely start to contradict my story this week. Too many people have found out about my "role." Someone is going to figure it out, and when they do, I'm toast. I have no illusions that the rest of the village won't kill me for what I've done.

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