week 7

[thecastle]

Week 7

Sunday - Thursday

With the loss of two more warriors, the castle has grown even quieter still. Such a thing was always bound to become a consequence of your stay here, though the actual reality of it may be more unpleasant. There's been little in the way of parties, which isn't too much of a surprise given your dwindling numbers, but it's still better than nothing, correct?

As with every other week, new locations have been unveiled for you all to either explore or use to casually gather within. If you've been keeping an eye on the cherry blossoms, you'll note that they look just about ready to bloom. The important thing is, of course, that they haven't. But it's only a matter of time, now.

SURVIVING WARRIORS: 12

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SUNDAY | MONDAY | TUESDAY | WEDNESDAY | THURSDAY

(OOC: Welcome to Week 7 of Ukimiya! Feel free to comment to the weekly top levels and thread as you like, and redeem coins at the wishing pool.

You can contact the sage with your pendants here, and the teishu here.)

Comments

[irrationalities]

[He stares at Kizakura for a bit before shrugging it off.]

Alright. Besides, if their identity's hidden in the messages, we'll find out sooner or later. That's more productive than just interrogating people.

So, you have any ideas?

[fedorascout]

As matter of fact, I do have an idea: why not to ask them directly? Get them to send the exact name and stop with the riddles. After all, Teishu-san and Sage-san can't stop this way of communication or they'd have done it already, right? It's not like it's subtle this all is about a spy, there's no way those two wouldn't know already.

[buddyoldpal]

I'm thinkin' they woulda done that from the start if they fuckin' could. My guess is Sage-chan allows this shit cause it amuses him or somethin'. The second the info starts gettin' too direct, he'd prolly find a way ta put a stop to it.

[fedorascout]

It's still worth a try, just to see what happens. At this point we can't afford to accuse someone on shaky grounds, if we can get a name then it'd settle the matter without room for doubt.

[And if it doesn't work, well, apparently he's being suspected, so if Teishu or Sage try to stop it, he'd look bad]

[irrationalities]

Then why don't you go for it? It's your head on the chopping block right now, anyways.

[Sighs.]

Not like there'd be a point in killing you even if you were the spy.

[fedorascout]

Of course. Just talking to the pond should be enough, right?

[Kizakura was about to go ahead and do it, getting as far as kneeling in front of the pond, but Nishitani, well...the moment he brings up that this may have consequences for the dead he freezes. That thought never crossed his mind]

...uh...you think something could happen to the dead? I mean, I think we all here are safe from danger, but I never thought the dead could suffer any consequences...

[Yeah, he's not into risking the lives of those who died. Or their afterlife. Whatever they are right now]

[irrationalities]

Who knows. But I'm not gonna stop you if you think it'd be easier to get answers like that.

Otherwise we'll just have to work on this the old-fashioned way.

[Aka let's all have fun solving riddles together]

[fedorascout]

[Kizakura doesn't reply, he just stands up from the grass. He has the feeling even if he tried to talk to the pond, Nishitani would grab him from the neck and drag him away to the castle or something. But yeah, the possibility something will happen to the dead completely dissuaded him.

Why can't anything be simple and straightforward, seriously, jeez]

[irrationalities]

[Because we're actually in a Professor Layton game--

okayno

But Mahiro just kind of lets out a huff at this. He'll scribble down Miyamura's message on a piece of paper and hand it over to Kizakura.]

Here. What do you think he's trying to say here?

[fedorascout]

[the gold coins for the pond were actually picarats. of course!!!]

I'm not that good with riddles but I can give it a try.

[He reads the message a couple times]

I recognize the text. It's from an Agatha Christie novel, one about a dozen or so people trapped in an island with a mysterious killer. There was a song that foreshadowed the deaths, this is a verse of it, but it's modified. I think...

[Kizakura frowns]

I think it's a warning for the spy, that the spy may have made a promise, and that Sage-san and Teishu-san would betray them and not do whatever they promised. Look [He points at the capital letters in middle of the paragraph] There's a S, a P and a Y. This must mean the paragraph must be directed to the spy -- which was already kind of obvious even without that.

[...]

...it also gets my attention this says new third boy. Like there was one before but there isn't one anymore? So maybe it's trying to tell everyone else that making deals with Sage-san and Teishu-san isn't a good idea? Or maybe that they want a second spy, but why'd they want that when this game supposedly is almost over? I don't get that...

[Kizakura gives the paper back to Mahiro, smiling apologetically. He seems to be in better mood now]

That's all I can think. Dunno if it'll be useful, but as I said, I'm not experienced in dealing with riddles.

[maddogs]

Maybe there was a spy, but the Sage and Teishu let him get killed. So they're warnin' the current spy not ta let their guard down and let Sage and Teishu do the same.

[irrationalities]

[The whole time Kizakura's going through the riddle, Mahiro just watches on silently. He doesn't show much of a reaction when Kizakura explains his reasoning, although he will nod at the end.]

So you caught on to the significance of those letters too, huh. He was pretty transparent about it.

[...]

I think you missed a couple, though.

[He'll go back to the sheet and underline, like so:

don't be the new third boy, kk? KK.]

Does that look important to you? Kizakura Koichi.

[fedorascout]

[When Kizakura hears that, he takes the sheet back. It does say that alright, huh]

Huh...so Miyamura-kun thinks I'm the spy? I suppose he has his reasons to think that...

[He shrugs]

...but do you think he is correct? Because despite everything, it doesn't mean it's 100% guaranteed to be correct. I insist:

I'm not the spy.

[godinsolitude]

To find out who, that person has some weird dislikes.

[Ayumu quirks a brow, considering.]

Non-Alcoholic beer, Kizakura-san?

[fedorascout]

I like booze strong, Narumi-san. Non-alcoholic beer is horrible.

[buddyoldpal]

Yeah, Naomi-chan thinks that's related ta Teishu-kun, anyway. I don't think everybody up in the ghost world is on the same page here.

[buddyoldpal]

[ Oh........... ]

What'd Sage-chan offer ya? Somethin' nice back home or what?

[ It seems like the only thing to ask at this point tbh. He still doesn't sound convinced. ]

Unless, ya know, Miyamura-kun's fuckin' wrong. We don't know that they're all agreein' back there.

[gyakusatsu]

We don't know how Toranosuke-kun came to his conclusions.

[Though hm. :/]

But if Elliot was right in his interpretation of what Senhime-san said, then that'd be two people who believe it's Kizakura-san. Seems unlikely that they're both messing with him.

But that said.. I thought they were only capable of seeing what we do in the trial room. As far as I'm aware, Kizakura-san hasn't done anything strange during a trial.

[fedorascout]

...

[Kizakura looks away at Hiyono for a moment, but he returns his attention to Nishitani almost immediately]

Well I suppose they must have discussed it, right? But who knows if they all agreed to write the same stuff. Some may think one thing, others may think a completely different one.

[irrationalities]

It'd be one thing if it was just him. But Sen's message also refers to you.

And you've been making a pretty big show of complaining about why they weren't more direct about naming the spy. Is that 'cause you hate riddles that much or you just don't want us to be suspicious if we figure out something that leads to you?

[buddyoldpal]

And risk gettin' our dead pals turned inta ghost dust? No thanks.

[ He address?? The room, I guess?? ]

If you fuckers can hear this, don't risk gettin' yerselves vaporized, ya hear me? We ain't lasted seven fuckin' weeks for ya ta suddenly die again.

[fedorascout]

[You said that just in time, Nishitani. He was already kneeling by the pond, then he drags himself back, getting away from the pond]

...I think I should think it twice, yes?

[buddyoldpal]

Yeah, they been makin' it this far cause of the cryptic shit they been tellin' us. Last thing we want is Sage-chan comin' in like "Oh, I decided this is a rule and the dead are fucked now, bye."

[ The Sage would never say that, not in those words, anyhow. ]

Kizakura-kun, I'll tell ya right now, I don't think yer the spy. Information don't seem like yer top priority, no offense. Yer dead like me -- ya ain't got much ta gain from workin' fer Sage-chan, an' ya clearly don't talk ta him much either.

[ Which would kind of be the big red flag, right...?? ]

[fedorascout]

[Kizakura smiles weakly, he's still a bit shaken up]

...thanks for the vote of confidence [He mumbles, standing up and adjusting his hat] Now that you mention that, does anyone talk often to the Sage? Senhime-san's the only one I know used to do that, but I haven't heard about Sage-san having nightly escapades with anyone. Have you?

[Since Teishu told him about Senhime's dinners with the Sage, he supposes he'd tell if the Sage got friendly with someone else, but he hasn't heard a word about that]

[buddyoldpal]

I know Hiyono-chan talks to 'im. Dunno how often, but shit, even I asked her ta ask 'im shit a couple weeks back cause me an' him don't see eye ta eye an' I usually end up pissin' him off.

[ He chuckles. I mean, he may have well have given a bunch of information to the spy and asked her to keep on doing what she was doing but OK... shit like that happens. ]

Though, heh, if we're bein' honest, I actually did have that date with Sage-chan on Monday. Me an' him had a drink an' had a good time. He ain't so bad fer a sadistic piece of shit.