Belph

[concasse]

Will put in some meme here later

Comments

[axilium]

Fantastic. At least we're no strangers to getting it wrong.

[concasse]

... You were right. I didn't need to worry about taking him off the chess board. Idiot gift-wrapped himself into it.

[axilium]

Can't say I'm thrilled about being right, but... it is what it is. For all intents and purposes, these things are popularity contests.

[concasse]

Exactly. And everyone would've felt worse if we'd sent Escha-chan to her death but she was innocent.

[Folding his arms]

... Speaking of her, do you think she did it?

[axilium]

... I honestly don't know where to start with this entire thing, Sanji. Though, just to check—you didn't use your ability at all, right?

[concasse]

Nope.

[HIS SOUL WAS DYING DURING TRIAL, THOUGH]

It doesn't work the way the shitheads think it does. I can't use it during or after a crime, so a lot of its use is luck-based.

[axilium]

[he nods.]

That's what I thought, based on what you told me before. [...] The idea of fake evidence is probably going to come up a lot in future trials, though.

[concasse]

Trust me, I know.

[...]

I'll let you know if I use my power, but unless I come to you, assume it's not me.

... And I guess I better verify with one of the counselors if someone's got a power similar to me.

[axilium]

Got it.

... I can try and lead people away from that line of thinking if it ever comes up again, though it's not going to be easy doing it discreetly.

[concasse]

I'll try and lend a hand. The only reason I didn't speak up is I wasn't sure if maybe someone else has got a similar ability.

[Huffs]

But assuming it's just me with that ability, everything in the trial was legit.

[axilium]

Yeah. Or faked through mundane methods, which was a point of contention towards the end there. But it's hard to say.

[concasse]

If shit was faked through normal methods, they we've got someone really damned methodical on the loose.

We don't even know why they killed, either.

[axilium]

Yeah. We're no closer to the truth than we were at the start of the week, and... as cold as it sounds, from a purely practical perspective, that's the worst part of not catching the killer.

We can work out a way to undo these deaths. But to do that, we need info.

[concasse]

... Well. Let's get methodical, then.

[Folding his arms -- actually, scratch that. He wants a cigarette]

Who have you been in contact with so far? I don't need abilities or shit like that, but I'm sure both of us are sniffing around.

[axilium]

Sanji, you severely underestimate how unlikable I am. I cheated a lot last time using role abilities.

[concasse]

... You're not that bad.

[Heck, Belph doesn't even break into "bad" category, so Sanji is confused]

Are people here really giving you shit?

[axilium]

Well, I wouldn't say that. But I'm definitely far from people's first option to chat with, let alone talk about anything important.

I guess I have some semblance of an info alliance with Akira, but that's pretty much it.

[concasse]

... Right. Well.

[A pause]

I'm in contact with the people from the castle, of course. Anaido is... he's pretty damn sensible, so sometimes I'll trade information with him. Same with Lili.

Tonbo and I have traded teams. I'll get Percy's this week, or Minako-chan's.

[picking off names in his mental list] Giyuu, Jason, 45, and Asch I'm working on. Don't know if I'll actually offer info to them, I know they've got their own alliances, but we're in contact. Same with Phoenix, Dimitri, and Wu Wexian.

[So. He's. Making attempts!!]

[axilium]

[he smiles.]

You always were a popular guy.

[back in the castle, and here now.

there's a reason why belph, on the other hand, associated primarily with the likes of akechi and shirasu back then; alliances where he expected them to backstab him sooner or later, once he stopped being useful to them. he's never been good at forming connections.]

... You don't have to answer this if you don't want to, but I'm curious about a theory of mine. Is Tonbokiri with Black Shadows?

[concasse]

[Ha... Well. Sanji merely turns his head away, feeling a sting of guilt. Belph knows how he is -- how casting himself as a villain was the only way he got through Grimm -- and it twists his stomach knowing he's chasing after half of these people in the hopes they give him information.

But it is what it is. That's how the game is played. He rubs at his neck, sighs, and then shakes his head]

Can't tell you what team he is because I don't know who he's told yet, but assuming he didn't lie, he's not with Shadow.

[A pause] Why?

[axilium]

... Do you know where he got the harmonica from?

[concasse]

No, I hadn't thought to ask...

[A pause, and then:]

Should I?

[Because he will if Belph tells him to]

[axilium]

Sure, if you think he might tell you.

[...]

According to the rules, the team with the highest score at the end of the week receives a prize. I suspect said prizes are pink-coloured, so I was wondering.

Though it's possible that even if I'm not wrong, multiple teams won last week.

[concasse]

He's straightforward enough that if I'm careful in how I ask, I should be fine.

[And, hm.]

Right, I forgot about the prizes. I've been slacking on the tasks, won't lie. [Folding his arms]

The first week, I got a kazoo as well. Pink, too. But it was a shitty consolation prize, not anything useful.

[axilium]

... Then, it's possible that only the winning team got something useful, while the others got consolation prizes.

[he reaches up to his ponytail and under the scrunchie he uses to tie it up, before he slides out a bracelet.]

This lets me nullify any curse or effect for fifteen minutes. One time only, of course. But let me know if you think you'll need it for whatever reason.