Day 18

[pandatrash]

[Only 13 remain, and the killing night is coming.]

[The tablet has a few things it would like to tell you:

1. Since the snitch already let the cat out of the bag, we'll confirm that Akira Kurusu's prize will be granted at the end of the game. He had a special deal because we thought it would be hilarious if he killed somebody (we were right)! So when all this is over, we'll bring everybody back to life and send them wherever they ask to go.

2. But, hmm, we didn't really mention how we'd bring them back, did we? Or in what state? Or how many legs they would have? Might still be worth your while to live to the end! Just sayin'!

3. Also, that sweet deal is no longer up for grabs: If you want your carrot, you have to kill AND you have to avoid the following execution.

4. But don't worry! We'll remove sticks for anyone who kills OR dies OR makes six friends, without further conditions. We're so generous!

((Trust Sheets - 1/23, 6pm PST
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Comments

[blueeyeswaifudragon]

[have you ever considered crushing someone's dreams. or children's card games, either is just the thing to put a smile on someone's face]

I'm not--

[well, no, actually he is both of those things. but he sniffs, mock(?) insulted]

...I prefer "passionate" and "well-coiffed," myself.

[maege]

[she actually chuckles at that, and waves her hand kind of vaguely dismissively??]

Haha, "annoying" was me, you're fine— [presses a hand to her chest] Really, do I look like the kinda girl who knows how to press buttons? That one's your character trait.

[kinda looks him up and down, judging just how well-coiffed he is]

I'll give that to you if you add "spiny" to the list.

[blueeyeswaifudragon]

I'm pretty sure you can handle a button or two. Sometimes, it's harder not to press buttons. It's often comorbid with the 'annoying' trait.

[from the tone of his voice he is being tongue-in-cheek. though he is not sure what to make of this last]

...Spiny?

[maege]

If I were good at pressing buttons, I can't imagine ever holding myself back. Maybe before we're done here I'll be annoying enough to really be helpful on the button-pressing front.

[with certainty:] Spiny. [pinches and tugs at one of his dumb arm belts??] You're like a porcupine, I swear I'm worried I'm gonna scratch myself on your outfit.

[blueeyeswaifudragon]

The buttons here tend to be connected to something terrible but that's never stopped anyone before.

[which still works on both the mental and physical types of buttons...]

[anyway, he needs those straps to...keep his sleeves up? I...guess???]

...Usually people don't come close enough that it's a legitimate problem.

[maege]

I got a proposal for you, and it's that this is why. [flicks the belt, and pulls her finger back in mock harm, putting her knuckle in her mouth as if it's been wounded, but of course there's a wicked glint in her eye even as she tries to look as if she's been TERRIBLY HURT]

[blueeyeswaifudragon]

Darn, you figured out my deepest secret. Now I'll have to switch to sweatpants and burlap sacks.

[maege]

You know, I feel like there's probably something in between that and living like the human version of a defense fortress? Just saying.

[blueeyeswaifudragon]

--It's not defensive, it's thematic.

[he says, defensively]

Anyway, who cares, what's the difference?

[maege]

Sorry, is the theme "defending my castle from an invading army"? I've seen a lot of castles with that exact look, pal, and you'd fit riiight in.

[blueeyeswaifudragon]

I prefer for people to know what they're getting into if they dare to cross me. Invasions repelled, attackers crushed with the power of a dragon's Burst Stream. So yes, I'll take the compliment.

[maege]

...

Melodrama aside, there's nothing about the phrase "dragon's burst stream" that I like.

[blueeyeswaifudragon]

[!?]

It's the Blue-Eyes White Dragon's most powerful breath attack. It's a pity there's nothing here to cobble into a hologram projector; I tweaked the animations myself to be extra-impressive.

[maege]

I'm sure that's very cool but besides the fact that I know what dragons are and what the color blue is, I understood more or less none of what you just said.

[blueeyeswaifudragon]

[HELLO MA'AM LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT HOMESTUCK YUGIOH]

[seriously though he looks stricken, how could she have gone through puberty and not known about children's card games. you poor soul, he should've done a powerpoint presentation on this two weeks ago. he carefully and lovingly pulls out his deck and of course his dragons are right on top, due to the Heart of the Cards (that he does not believe in) or possibly just bad shuffling, so he flips one out and shows it without letting it go]

...This is the Blue-Eyes White Dragon. It's one of the most powerful cards in the game Duel Monsters. There are only three of them playable in the whole world, and they're mine.

I didn't create the Duel Monsters game, but my company produces state-of-the-art accessories to play it. Play on a Duel Deck with SolidVision technology, the character on each card appears in real life. ...Technically they're just holograms--a three-dimensional image created by bending light--but they look and sound like they're right there with you. The gen 2 disks are going to be even better, we've added AR to display stats and life points while you're on the field, and added a ton of safeguards to prevent fake or stolen cards or tournament records, and it glows and stuff. The public reveal was supposed to be in a couple days, but...

[his enthusiasm trails off]

[maege]

[may the fell god offer her the strength to endure this and may the earth mother offer her the patience to temper it enough that she does not run her sword through him where he stands (sits)

but, uh, she does listen through the whole spiel, and looks appropriately awed about the card (which she does, honestly, think is cool; dragons are neat, and also literally gods where she comes from). she gives him a moment once he's done to make sure he is done and the first thing out of this bitch's fucking mouth is]

Wow, you're a dork.

[FUCKING THANKS]

Wow. I. I only figured out how electricity works like four days ago so I am not about to lie to you about how much I actually understood about that, but—Man.

[buuut she grins and claps him on the back, friendly and sincere]

So things wrap up tomorrow, and you get to start your first day outta hell off right with a big party over this super cool thing you worked your butt off for!

[blueeyeswaifudragon]

["dork," how dare, that's his insult for Yugi and the geek squad??? (though he DID get kinda carried away with his explanation, even though the development cycle on this has been a good 18 months and it looks totally sweet and glows in the dark and if he could only show her she would understand???)]

[but. that's a real nice save.]

[blueeyeswaifudragon]

...Hmph. Of course the launch will go off without a hitch. I'm Seto Kaiba, making things happen is what I do.

[maege]

So are you always this dramatic or is this just an extra special day for you?

[blueeyeswaifudragon]

"Passionate," remember? If this is our last day, I won't waste it moping around like some pitiful sad sack. I'm-- Well. If you're going to be so cheerful, acting normally is the least I can do.

[maege]

[that gets a good and proper grin out of her, maybe the most sincerely peppy she has been in days? definitely in the past twenty four hours that's for sure]

You're doing it well, so keep up the good work! The rest of the group is lucky to have people like us with personality traits like "loud" instead of "awful," huh?

[blueeyeswaifudragon]

Obviously we're the only things keeping this group afloat. ...Aino is holding her own, but the rest are largely disappointments.

[credit where credit is due!]

[maege]

[this is how ulaz solves the puzzle first. mae just spends all this time being a distraction.]

Obviously. What would they do without us?

[vote for will graham, probably, with an amount of stanning and case refocusing out of the way]

I'd better not see you tripping up at the finish line and dumping your share of the work onto us delicate maidens, lemme tell you.

[blueeyeswaifudragon]

I'm the president of my own company. Any work redistribution will be fully intentional.

[maege]

[brightly, sincere but with exactly as much of the expected sass]

Okay, so the drama—sorry, passion applies even when people try to express concern for your well-being. Good to know!