Catch-All for Julius

[specialdog]

Comments

Week 1 | Wednesday Morning

[specialdog]

[ Sometime before chucking a puzzle box at Julius's head, Akane spots him out and about... Somewhere... I should have asked and didn't. Oh well! They haven't really talked since their first day here, when they were joking about what sort of situation they're in. So she figures she may as well just pick up, there. ]

So it's like an And Then There Were None situation.

[autocatalysis]

[ It's a shame the reference goes right over his head because... JRPG world, who's Agatha Christie. Though who knows. Anyway um. Um. We can say it's the library through the gateway or the casino. ]

I... Don't think I'm familiar with that particular work, I'm afraid, but I think I understand what its premise might be, considering.

[ Hell yeah context clues. ]

[specialdog]

It's like a classic. [ she hasn't read it. ] I bet it's in the library.

But... A group of people are killed off, one by one. That kind of thing.

[autocatalysis]

I haven't bothered much with the fiction sections here. [ But then again, the nonfiction sections are also somewhat unhelpful sometimes, so maybe he might as well read a novel or two while here. ] And I'm assuming it was never written on my world, because I've never heard of the title, let alone it being a classic.

It sounds fairly on the nose, though. [ ... ] I suppose they do end up dwindling to none in the end?

w1 Friday; post-announcement

[autocatalysis]

[ hey akane wherever you're at, surprise. it's this guy again. he looks as if he's debating on whether or not to ask her something, but- ]

... A game, you said?

[ yeah he heard that. ]

[specialdog]

[ She's out and about, probably just around the shrine or whatever. She looks up from her cell phone that she's been staring at. Even though it's clearly dead.

... She's coping well. ]

Mm. An escape room.

[autocatalysis]

[ he's also fine! ... if you somehow miss or ignore the scent of ozone that follows him around. though jury's out on whether or not he'll stay that way, given that he and the atmosphere of the shrine don't get along. ]

In the mansion we were at this week? ... What, behind one of the locked doors?

[specialdog]

[ Akane nods. ] We--Nana, North, Four and I--were brought there.

We had to purify the corruption, or whatever.

[ Her voice is a bit flat. Mostly because she's deeply uncomfortable remembering it, but wants to sound casual, and isn't doing a great job of it. ]

Week 2 | Saturday Post-Trial

[autocatalysis]

[ gee Akane, you sure say lots of things. ]

You really keep yourself busy around this place, don't you?

[specialdog]

[ Gotta stick her nose in everyone's business! Gotta! ]

It's tiiiiring. I don't want to be doing all this work!

[autocatalysis]

Have you ever considered: delegating? I hear it's a useful tactic when you have a bunch of work you don't want to do yourself.

[specialdog]

Hmm... Trusting each other is pretty dangerous, so it's safer to just do as much as I can for myself.

Week 5 | monday

[specialdog]

[ Hello Julius! Akane is approaching him in the air temple, bouncing up into his line of sight and then leaning in close again. ]

Juuuulius...! ♪ [ Did she used to use -kun? Because she doesn't anymore. ]

I have a bunch of confetti and glitter in my hair! Will you help me get it out? [ this week's gateway is a menace. ]

[autocatalysis]

[ Has she even used his name before this, I legitimately cannot remember. Neither can he. ]

-Hm? [ And there she is, leaning in, and there he is, not pulling away, just huffing out a breath that sounds more like a small laugh than a sigh. ]

Honestly, I'm not sure why you think I'd have any more luck than you in knowing what to do with all of this. [ Is the glitter magnetic??? Maybe he can try to pull it out that way, but that still does nothing for the confetti... ] Sure, though, I can give it a shot. Is there anything in specific you need me to do?

[specialdog]

[ I don't think she has but that's not important right now!

She ducks her head, then shakes it to show him a small shower of glitter from her hair... ]

Just comb through it for me and get out what you can. I can't see what I'm doing when I try.

[ Finger-comb her hair. Just regular friend stuff. You know. ]

[autocatalysis]

[ Absolutely this is what friends do, right. ]

This would be a lot easier if either of us actually could use air, wouldn't it... [ But he just shakes his head a little, and waves her over to settle comfortably near wherever he is. His hands are gentle as they work through her hair, at least, even if he doesn't necessarily seem entirely sure of what he's doing. ]

You know, there was something obviously off with the last few places we went to, last week notwithstanding. Things like the drenched mansion, the traps and monsters everywhere, or the ghosts... but outside of all the glitter everywhere, this gateway seems surprisingly tame.

Week 5 | Post Death Announcement

[specialdog]

[ Akane is very out of it, and wherever Julius is after the announcement, she just. Walks directly into him. Oops. ]

[autocatalysis]

[ where's Julius? as it turns out, looking for her, actually.

albeit a little warily, a little gingerly. gee, wonder why that is.

that said, i'm making the executive decision of them being in the gardens, so if she'll allow it, he's going to guide her into sitting down on a bench if he can. ]

[specialdog]

[ Sure. She's weirdly pliant right now, so she just goes along with it in silence. ]

[autocatalysis]

[ please don't make him play comforter he barely knows how to do that. but he'll also take a seat beside her. close enough to be leaned on, but otherwise giving her some space. ]

... 'Are you all right' is a stupid question to ask, so instead I'll opt for 'how are you feeling,' and 'what will you do, do you think?'

Week 5 | Post Trial

[specialdog]

[ hhhhhhh. yeah that's about all the internal monologue you get right now, Akane is just. Sidling up next to Julius. Today sucks and everything sucks.

Akane opens her mouth like she's going to greet him or say something, but then seems to just realize she doesn't know what to say after all that. ]

[autocatalysis]

[ That's. All right, because neither does he. hhhhhhhhh is a mood.

To that end, he'll probably just. Try to guide them both into sitting down somewhere. He's tired. They can figure out what to say when it happens. ]

[specialdog]

[ Once they're sitting, she stays upright for a moment... Then leans over into his side again. ]

... People voted for you.

[autocatalysis]

[ He just... heaves a sigh, but then shifts his weight and scoots in closer to make for better support. ]

Well. It isn't as if I could really have explained why the top reacted to me. Maybe, it was for keeping your little secret--

[ Akane's impulse control has proven itself better than assumed, but maybe that's just because the two deaths she actually cared about turned up absolutely no useful leads whatsoever. ]

But like I said, it reacted during the beginning of the week, too. And besides. They voted for you too.

Likely for similar reasons.

Week 6 | uhhh frick. well we might as well put the ship(???) on a ship right

[autocatalysis]

[ what they all need, probably, is a distraction, so therefore.

there's gotta be some sailable boats somewhere around here, right. ]

I don't know about you, but between being trapped in the village, being trapped on an island, or wandering around aimlessly at sea, I might actually prefer the latter.

[ they just gotta pack enough supplies and rations??? and water, can't forget that, it's fine? ]