andascholar | Day 10

[Oh he would normally love to make a crude joke about invitations to dressing rooms, but maybe now's a bad time.]

[Instead he's subdued as he comes in carrying a drink caddy with several items from the fast food menu. Iced tea, mango pineapple smoothie, coffee, caramel mocha, oreo mcflurry, etc...]

[The first thing he says is an apology.]

I'm sorry.

[Niles this is awful you're going to make her cry again. Zelda looks away from him sharply, taking a deep breath and pressing her hand against her eyes before looking back. Her eyes are still slightly red, but other than that she looks entirely composed.]

Thank you. I do not intend to let this stand.

Edited 2017-05-25 12:27 (UTC)

Drink something. I bet you're thirsty.

[Takes an iced tea for himself and sits on the floor.]

[Zelda nods and opts for the iced tea, because it's cold and has a straw which is good when she still has difficulty with her hands.]

It has been a long day. But it's not over. I... I heard, there were to be two hotel passes this round. I saw Ene's sacrifice, but, have we seen anything of the other? I'm afraid I've been...
distracted.

Poison gas.

One of the sets is sealed off now. It seems the victims are being taken care of... likely by more capable hands than mine...

[Looks up at him sharply, her mind racing at a mile a minute over everything - more attacks on people's rooms, who was hurt this time, they have to stop this, she doesn't have Link to help her anymore and she's struggling to do much on her own Niles would be able to help Corrin too how do they find out who did this they need to stop them she needs to talk to McDonald she needs to find clues it's one of the zero voters go through your most likely suspects - but there's something about that sentence she has to address right now.]

It wasn't your fault, Niles.

I'm just not the healer I wanted to be.

[Not really meeting Zelda's stare.]

Anyway. I don't think whoever did that wanted to kill people. The victims are in pain, but they're not coughing blood at least. Mari and Rosa... their rescuers might have sucked in some of it, too.

You healed me well enough. I'm alive thanks to your efforts.

[Right. Right also time to deal with. All that.]

...It does not matter, if they intended to kill or not. They put lives at risk. It is becoming the norm, and someone is already dead. I intend to put a stop to it.

But I cannot do it alone, not like this.

[Since Corrin doesn't trust anyone else to handle this matter with any dignity that Link deserved, he took it upon himself to take care of Link's body. He even handled the fire better far better than the last time they burned a body.

So after this task, that took time, he approaches the room. He still felt unsure of what to say about all of this...]

I'm sorry for the wait, Zelda... But I promise that it's been handled with the dignity that he deserved.

It does matter. It's a clue. If you want to find who holds that pass, it's probably someone who can't bear to take a life.

[Zelda clenches her fists. At first, she'd wanted to keep his body preserved so they could at least try the shrine of resurrection, but she knew in her heart that wouldn't work. It would be far too late, by the time they escaped and managed to make it there, Link would have been too far gone for the shrine to heal him at all. And it would be too late to stop Ganon. No, the best course of action is to make a deal with McDonald about her grand prize.

She'd said some prayers over Link before she left, Zelda felt bad for not being with him until the end but she just couldn't bear to watch him burn again. She feels her eyes stinging at the thought and blinks back tears, glancing away for a moment to compose herself. No more crying.]

Thank you Corrin. I... I'm sorry, I couldn't have been of more help. Thank you for taking care of him.

...I have a few suspects.

Of the zero voters, we have Charlie, Dee, Mac, Clover, Junpei, Snake, Ene, Ib, Mary, Nijimura and myself.

I believe we can rule out Ene as we saw her... bid, already. Ib was advocating to minimise the damage, and I doubt she would come up with it. Charlie, Dee, Mary and Snake were the ones left without a vote at the time, making them the most likely to try something desperate, but we cannot rule the others out.

Dee is a previous contestant here, and I believe she would have had to do drastic things in the previous cycle in order to survive. I would not put it past her, but as you said, I think she'd be willing to kill.

I asked Lotus why she had not cast a vote for Snake, and she said it was because she was waiting to see what he wanted. I'm suspicious that this means he was angling for the hotel pass.

A shame I can't use my old contacts to check their backgrounds.

[Finishes his iced tea quickly and grabs the smoothie.]

So this is what you meant by not doing this alone. Well, you may be on to something. But then what? If you find out who is responsible, what will you do?

Right now I want to behead them and stick their head on a pike to send a message to anyone else that plans to make such extreme bids in the future.

But my best friend did just die, and I recognise that my decision making may not be at it's most rational.

[STILL THO. WOULD LIKE.]

[Nods and grips his hands around the smoothie cup.]

Yes. If something were to happen to Lord Corrin, I would do... unforgivable things. And then......

[He stops there, and glances up at Zelda.]

Are you still planning on making it through to the end on this?

[Stares back at him, trying to breathe evenly. Getting each other worked up will not do any good. They both understand the situation.]

Yes. There is no other choice now.

Before... Before the attack, Link and I discussed forming an alliance with you and Corrin.

Did you. I bet you weren't too happy with the thought of working alongside me.

Lord Corrin, though... he is someone that can be believed in more than anyone.

[Small, wry smile]

I was the one who suggested your name, actually. Your devotion to Corrin seemed true enough to warrant trusting you both.

...Can I tell you something private?

It's not vile, I swear.

Oh? Very well. Let's have your first test of trust.

[Fishes something out of his pocket and holds out his hand to show it. There's a ring laying on his palm.]

I know he's a higher rank than me... and that our futures are uncertain... still, I've really fallen for him...

...I want to ask him to marry me.

Edited 2017-05-25 16:59 (UTC)

[He looks a bit tired himself. He might have cried a bit while he was alone too, but he mustn't worry her! Stay composed, prince. He laid a hand on Zelda's shoulder gently, to avoid aggressivating burns, before taking it back. ]

It's alright. I could not find it in me to ask you to do such a thing, even if you were able to. If anything, I should apologize to you. This was the least I could do to hope you could forgive Niles and I. [We could have done more...]

[...Oh! Oh!!!]

Speaking as someone from Corrin's rank, I think you two would be well matched together.

[Zelda looks up at him, holding his gaze, and reaches to clasp the hand that he pulls away. She cannot do it very firmly, her hands are still burned beyond proper use, but she trusts he won't try to pull away.]

You have done nothing to apologise for. It's thanks to you and Niles, your treatment and your portection, that I'm alive and able to talk to you now. I'm grateful, and I know Link would be too. His injuries were just... too severe.

I hope so.

I may ask him tomorrow, if the situation allows.

Day 10

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject