[Day 14, afternoon: Futayo]

[purrtagonist]

[DID YOU SERIOUSLY MAKE THIS INJURED KID WALK UP LIKE FOUR FLIGHTS OF STAIRS TO FIND YOU IN THE AQUARIUM TUNNEL, FUTAYO]

[he's wheezing by the time he gets there, leaning heavily against the wall]

Fut-- [GASP] -- yo. . .

G-got a minute?

Comments

[purrtagonist]

[???]

And how does voting for yourself accomplish that?

[cluelesscavewoman]

Because you are supposed to vote for the people who killed someone else... I do not know who killed the others though.

[She's missed like 90% of this investigation.]

[purrtagonist]

[. . . . . . . . . .]

That's. . . what we're trying to figure out.

[cluelesscavewoman]

I am not very good at this, so I cannot help.

[Hence the staying here all day.]

[purrtagonist]

. . . but you still put in a vote for yourself.

Knowing that people are supposed to put in votes for someone who killed another person.

[once again, subtly, asking her if she was the one who killed Maki]

[cluelesscavewoman]

Judge.

[You should know by now, subtle won't work.]

[purrtagonist]

[GOD FINE]

[he hates to ask this question. he hates it. he likes Futayo a lot. she is a friend. but--]

Did you kill Maki, Futayo?

[cluelesscavewoman]

Judgement...

[She even nods.]

[purrtagonist]

. . . . . . . . . . [is]

[that]

[uh]

Are you-- confessing to a murder?

[cluelesscavewoman]

Jud...

[She doesn't seem too bothered. About, well, anything really. Her profile does say 'what is fear' after all. She just takes another swig of wine.]

[purrtagonist]

. . .

Are you confessing to a murder to protect someone?

[TRYING TO. . . STAY CALM. STAY EVEN. STAY NEUTRAL. he's stuck on the "Erika goaded Futayo into killing for her" theory, but. . .]

[cluelesscavewoman]

Jud?

[Head tilts? She's not really sure what he's getting at now.]

[purrtagonist]

. . .

Did Erika kill Maki, and then ask you to take the fall for her?

[cluelesscavewoman]

The raccoons locked Erika-dono in her room...

[purrtagonist]

[nnnnngh. . . nnnnnngh. . .]

Futayo--

What was your motive? Your "carrot" and your "stick?"

[cluelesscavewoman]

...They said that Masazumi would have an accident and not be able to make it to peace conference. The others need Masazumi...

[purrtagonist]

[just]

[closes his eyes]

[draws the knee of his uninjured leg up]

[rests his forehead against it]

[and says nothing]

[cluelesscavewoman]

[Goes back to looking at her fish. oh god Dazai's just floated back into view time to turn around.

She just mimics Akira's position again.]

...Pbbfft-

1/2

[purrtagonist]

[ah. . .]

[he lifts his head at that noise, blinking at Futayo blearily, trying to ignore the faint sting in the corners of his eyes, the way his chest tightens, the way his throat threatens to close up--]

[purrtagonist]

[. . .]






[he presses the heel of his palm against one eye, and laughs. it's a desperate, defeated sound]

[cluelesscavewoman]

[There we go, that gets her to smile back.]

[purrtagonist]

[h-heh. . . hehehehee]

[he scrubs at his eyes. takes in a deep, shaky breath, and tries his best to keep his smile]

Futayo, I'm-- . . . I'm going to. . . put in my vote for you.

Is that. . . is that okay?

[cluelesscavewoman]

Judge, I have already placed my vote.

[She's already said that, but she's calm. She'd already excepted it. Then she almost looks sad? It's the closest to sad she's looked so far.]

...Father and Kazuno will be disappointed to see me so soon.

[purrtagonist]

. . .

[honestly, he's just. going to pitch forward and slide an arm around her, drawing her into a hug. SHE JUST KILLED A GIRL, AKIRA. . .]

[cluelesscavewoman]

[Don't worry he's safe, because he's a friend. Even if she doesn't really react, over than slumping over.

...Coincidentally Erika also would have been safe. A shame they got separated.]