craven castle: private conversation, week 7, trial day 1

[lullabytes]

WHO: Nanami & Kuzuryuu.
WHEN: Week 7, during day 1 of the trial.
WHAT: KUZURYUU IS BEING AN ANGSTY UNHELPFUL IDIOT so Nanami is trying to figure out what the hell he's doing with his life.

[ And after dragging Kuzuryuu away to Dragon Wing and the privacy of a locked room: ]

...All right, why are you so focused on Austria? That's why...you're being weird, right?

Comments

[impheired]

Because I think she might've done it, of course! And I don't...if I'm right, I don't...

[He doesn't want to help catch her, basically.]

Because if she did do it then it's...it's not because of the fuckin' nightmares...

[lullabytes]

[ .................kuzuryuu-kun. ]

...Why do you think she would have killed the man she was in love with?

[ is this what morbid curiosity feels like

it is, isn't it ]

And if not for the incentive...then what reason would she have had to kill? Whoever killed definitely killed for the incentive, this time. We know that, since we didn't go.

[impheired]

Because it was him or a sixteen year old girl. Which one do you think Austria would go for?

[Nanami, you...you really should not give into this morbid curiosity. You really don't want a peek into how Kuzuryuu's mind works in this case, it's terrible.]

But she...she wants to help us. You saw how she reacted to Michaelis's report. On Monday she invited me over to her room for a bit, we got to talking about shit and she ended up askin' me if I failed trivia on purpose. I told her that was stupid, of course I wouldn'tve done something like that and she told me that...she wished she could have assisted me. Somehow, with what I struggle with. And I don't...I don't think she was talkin' about that test when she was referring to "what I struggle with."

[lullabytes]

...That wouldn't help us at all. It would just delay any of you having to go. And since Austria-san doesn't know when this game will end more than anyone else, she would have realized that.

[ She's...she's staring at him. ]

...If Austria-san genuinely wanted to help us - and I believe she does - she would help everyone to find a way to beat the game, not play into it only to die that week.

I think it was Iceland.

[impheired]

She doesn't but...she must at least know that if nobody else went, one of us would have to. And if once of us showed up on the suspect list this week, we'd be caught for sure... Hell, they might not have even tried solving it, if people like Michaelis were loud enough and only one of us showed up on the suspect list...

[SHOULDA SCAPEGOATED HIM WHEN WE HAD THE CHANCE.]

And...she had the best opportunity to poison both Spain and herself. I want to think it's Iceland, I really do, but...

[lullabytes]

It's not a matter of "wanting to think it". Were you listening to that suggestion about breaking down all the doors to check all the empty rooms? What did that sound like to you...? To me, it sounded like something we'd encourage if we wanted the trial to stall out, for everyone to run out of time. To me, it sounded like something he would almost never encourage on a usual trial day.

And I think...it was about the nightmares. His nightmare, I don't think he lied about it. His country, his family...what would he do to protect those things?

...And in this case...I think Iceland has equal if not better opportunities. Poisoning herself...I just don't think it feels like something Austria-san would have done. She wants to help us, and she wants us all to get out: the best way to do that is to refuse to play the game, and to find a new route.

[impheired]

But what about the person who met with him in his room? Why the fuck wouldn't Spain have mentioned that when he was talking about Iceland the first time? Like I get he was fucking dying and not thinking straight but...

The person who was with him during his unaccounted time had to've done it, right? Because they're not coming forward to admit to being with him at that time...

[lullabytes]

We can't just assume the person in his room was Austria. Kuzuryuu-kun...is it your instincts saying it's Austria-san? In that case, our instincts are disagreeing.

Only one of us can be right about it, but even if it's not me...rather, if it is me, then you're not helping at all. We have to prove Austria-san is innocent. Okay? And if she isn't innocent...if she isn't innocent...

[ can they hang someone else instead? scapegoat someone for her? nanami can't even suggest this. ]

...if she isn't innocent, I don't think she would try to get away with it like this. Think about what her nightmares were. If she got away with this, she...would be walking ever closer to those things coming true. It might "stop" those nightmares from coming true, but...not really. Not when I think Spain-san dying must have been part of those nightmares as well.

Will you at least try to help? For me?

[impheired]

I know we can't! I don't want to assume it's her but I just...I can't rule out the possibility no matter how I look at it. Because I can't find a single thing to rule her out for sure beyond "oh, she wouldn't do something like that because she loved him" or something along those lines. And you know how I feel about that sort of thing...

[He...hates...it........]

Every time I've followed my instincts so far, I've been right. And in this case, I don't want to be right. [There's a glimmer in his eye of something...strange. Maybe glimmer isn't the right word. What would you call an anti-glimmer? Something dark and empty...] But what am I supposed to do instead of following 'em?! I don't want to find out the truth is that she did something like poison herself twice, just to be sure Spain took the poison in a way that would be impossible to trace!

[...Kuzuryuu, just what exactly is your fucking theory here and holy hell, how long have you been stewing in this?]

[lullabytes]

[ Oh. Nanami doesn't like that look in his eyes. She's...also not sure how to banish it. For now, she takes his hand again and leads him to sit down on the bed, where she'll lean her head against his shoulder, keeping his hand in hers. ]

...Explain to me your theory. Step by step. Okay? Let's go through this together.

[impheired]

[That's what happens when you have nightmares about your role in the despair apocalypse for half a week and lose sleep over it. It starts to rub off on you a little bit.]

[And, y'know, Spain dying with Austria being a suspect doesn't exactly help. Really, that's was the breaking point here.]

[He sits down on the bed, taking a deep breath to try and collect himself a little bit.]

I think...she might've poisoned herself with the slow acting poison. Drank it herself and then...kissed Spain while it was still fresh in her mouth. Then at dinner, she took the fast acting poison to entice a scare and get him to use the antidote. It's not like...the antidote would have been selective and cured only one poison over the other, right? It's universal...it probably would have gotten rid of both. And we'd never be able to trace that, no matter how many poison testing kits we have.

[What the actual fuck, Kuzuryuu, it is a good thing you didn't share this theory with everybody. What the fuck is wrong with you.]

1/2

[lullabytes]

[ .......................please hold ]

[lullabytes]

[ this is him. the guy who is her best friend. why is this guy her best friend.

Nanami listens, and while she can admit this...could have happened, she's...still of the opinion it didn't happen, although good lord Kuzuryuu, why was this even a thing that came to mind? ]

...Kuzuryuu-kun. [ Looking up at him from the position of his shoulder, with a small frown. ] I...don't think that's what happened. If that were the case, Austria...would be trying to get away with Spain's murder. You said you thought she was trying to help us. How...would that help us? Even if she went to stop us, doing it like that, it wouldn't. And more than that...

...you...never addressed what I said about Iceland, you know.

[impheired]

[Do you regret your life and your choices yet, Nanami?]

Maybe she...was hoping he didn't have the antidote. Maybe she didn't intend to...live to the trial. [Murder-suicide...] We'd technically have a murder and we might not even have to go through a trial since we'd have a dead person on the suspect list, so...

[...okay. hold up. Now that he's actually said this outloud, he seems to realize that at least part of it is kinda...uh...]

But I guess...you're right. That doesn't really...help anybody, does it? [Okay, but kiss of death is still a perfectly acceptable murder plan, you have to admit. THERE WOULD BE NO EVIDENCE. THE PERFECT CRIME!! Assuming the populars actually...uh...found the antidote.] As for Iceland...you have a point. That...that's basically what we did when Peixes went. And that was...part of why I was so suspicious of Peko...

tmw you say your murder theory aloud and realize you're an idiot: kuzuryuu fuyujiko's life story

[lullabytes]

[ No...she actually genuinely treasures his friendship and company, even when he is a ridiculous overdramatic person. Let's be real, if he didn't come up with something like this at least once or twice, he could not call himself a Dangan.

Nanami squeezes his hand. ]

...No, it doesn't help anyone. And like I said, that's...not something Iceland-san would usually endorse, is it? It's not much to go on, and it's just a feeling, but...I think Austria-san has not done anything suspicious during this trial, and I do think that her murdering someone would not help anyone.

And she was...the one who spoke up loudest about doing something to help everyone. I know they didn't think of anything, but...

[ MURDERING SPAIN HELPS LITERALLY NO ONE. ]

Either of us could be right, but...Kuzuryuu-kun, let's think about it together and try? A suggestion to check every empty room...that's really something we'd only do if we were trying to get people to waste time. ...Well, we'd let them suggest it and then encourage it, but...

look, we all have our off days: an epilogue, also by fuyuhiko kuzuryuu

[impheired]

No it's...it's not. He's usually one of the more focused of the group...

[He frowns a little.]

...how do you think he did it? You've got a theory, right?

although if he's right she will eat her words she still thinks it's not austria!!

[lullabytes]

Sort of. I think that he was the one who poisoned Austria during dinner. I don't think there was a special method to it - but, I think that he could have brought the poison to dinner easily. He always brings his own meal, right? So, him bringing in something extra...would we even have noticed it?

For Spain-san, I think that Iceland-san poisoned him, but I'm not sure how. As to when, there had to be a time...we should chart out the alibis, and figure out where the weak point is. I think Spain-san would actually be...incredibly easy to poison.

[ SHE'S SORRY, SPAIN, BUT YOU WERE KIND OF TRUSTING. ]

Especially for those he was close to. But, while everyone knows that was Austria-san...I think people are forgetting it was also Iceland-san, a little.

HE BETTER NOT BE RIGHT...

[impheired]

No, we wouldn'tve, probably. And you're right, Spain was...too damn trusting for his own good.

[Kuzuryuu falls silent again, thinking. He seems to realize something after a moment though.]

...we...never did find where he hid his damn fingerprinting kit, did we?

[Kuzuryuu what...does that have to do with anything?]

i'll cry if he is tbh...I CHOOSE TO BELIEVE IT'S ICELAND

[lullabytes]

No, but...you and I have never looked.

[ It's obviously somewhere. ]

Why do you ask?

*kuzuryuu* will cry if he's right.

[impheired]

Well it's...think back for a sec. To what Iceland himself and I were talking about before you pulled me in here. We haven't found the containers the poisons were kept in anywhere, have we?

[WHERE IS THAT DAMN KIT.]

What was it he said? Unless they're somewhere that would point to our killer, it probably doesn't matter if we find them? Something like that, anyway, my point is...what if the fact that we can't find them points to our killer?

nanami will hug him. LET'S JUST BE RIGHT ABOUT ICELAND INSTEAD.

[lullabytes]

You mean, what if the containers or whatever are wherever he put the kit?

[ supposedly maya knows! ]

he will cry in private though, WHERE NOBODY CAN SEE HIS TEARS.

[impheired]

No, just the fact that he's really fucking good at hiding shit. I mean, it's possible he hid it in the same place but I think he's a little too cautious for something like that, don't you think?

[Especially since supposedly Maya knows.]

kuzuryuu..........

[lullabytes]

I think he's far too cautious. Didn't he set up traps for people...? Well, I guess a lot of people have been.

[ Nanami hasn't, but she doesn't...have to........... ]

he's not crying, you're crying!!!!

[impheired]

Mm...I mean it obviously doesn't...definitively point to him, but...it's something to keep in mind, I guess.

[He glances up at the clock.]

We should probably head back out there. Before people start getting suspicious or we break the rules...

[lullabytes]

And before we miss anything important in the trial...

[ But she thinks he looks a little better than he did at the start, so now is a good time to go back. Nanami will stand up, nodding. ]

Let's go, then.

[impheired]

[She did do a good job of putting the brakes on the despair train. Gold star for you, Nanami.]

Yeah, that'd be real damn unfortunate wouldn't it?

[And off they go!]