trustfell | I don't believe in fretting and greiving, why mess around with strife?

I don't believe in fretting and greiving, why mess around with strife?

[In some ways, this trial was simpler. The killer was lacking in remorse, the victim innocent. The lines were clearer. Was that better, or worse?

Either way, Fern and Alex make up something of a green team, preparing a meal in the kitchen. Nothing particularly complicated. Coffee and water for whoever want it is at one end of the dining table. Along the rest of it is a variety of foods. A plate of cheese and crackers, a bowl of salad and carrots for the healthy people, some handy finger sandwiches, and... a big pot of mac and cheese. What they lack in presentation they make up in sheer volume of food. That's a big tub of mac and cheese.

They struggle with the invitations for a bit before eventually coming up with possibly the most awkward phrasing possible. These notes are quietly shoved under doors with little fanfare more than a quick knock.

We got food in eat place. Food is good to eat. Enjoy food with us?

- Fern and Alex

[The dining area is lined up with some appropriate decorations, quick paper streamers and even some doodles that have been taped to the walls.

Its possible too simple. But maybe people need something simple to gorge on after a complicated day.]

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Ooh, war? Like, a real one? [ no, aligula, like a fake one. kimblee's actually from 1984 and we are always at war with someone. ] It's been sooooo long since I got to see one of those! Like, it's totally always violent in the city, but there's a different between that and like... A proper war, you know?

[ There's senseless violence and then there's, uh, senseless violence that people pretend isn't senseless because they stuck a sticker that said "This has a purpose" on it, or something. ]

What's it about?

Ideological differences, primarily - a nation of people that we annexed a while back has had ongoing cultural grievances with us, largely surrounding our usage of alchemy and disagreements over religion and morals. It was relatively peaceful until someone on our side accidentally shot and killed one of their children, at which point protesting began. Protesting quickly turned into rioting, and then it just continued to escalate from there.

That's how lots of fights usually start, right? Sure, people might pretend it's because of stuff like money or land or a show of power, but it's totally because they get convinced they've got the moral high ground or somethin' compared to whoever they're fighting.

[ ... ]

Accident or not, I guess! How's it going? Got an end in sight, or do you think it's gonna last, like, dozens of years? That happens sometimes!

It lasted for seven years before the State Alchemists got involved.

[...]

And then we ended it in a matter of months. Take that as you will.

[they razed the place to the fucking ground, aligula]

[ ...oh. oh she's got you, bud, she's got you. ]

You guys had fun, didn't you~? [ FUN'S THE WORD WE WANT TO USE HERE, YES, jesus. ] Why didn't you guys get involved before? You sound like, super useful!

Presumably because most people prefer that there be at least a few people still alive on the other side after a war ends.

[WOW.]

[ be still her beating heart and etc. wait i think the last time i joked about this we ended up in a ship, never mind ]

I guess so, but... If there's like, less people on the other side, then it's totally easier to keep 'em under your thumb and stop stuff like protests and riots from breaking out in the first place, right?

Well, it's hardly an issue now, either way.

[...And it will be even less of an issue after a few memory regains. Um.]

[ That's always an exciting sentence. ]

Guess so! Actually, this kinda reminds me of something I was talking about with Dynamic last week... [ That makes it sounds way worse than it actually is— ] See, the same thing could totally apply to here, right? The less people we have, the less people you gotta convince you didn't kill someone. I mean, it totally goes the other way too, where less people means you've got a bigger chance of being found out since there's less people to pin it on, buuut...

What iiiiif you totally just did something to get rid of everyone? Then you're the only one left, and there's no one to say if you did it or not, much less like, have a trial or something. There's nothing in the rules saying you can't either.

[ no, never mind, it was just as bad as it could've been. She's at least neglecting to mention that this came out of a talk of poisoning people because they chatted about how cookie dough can make you sick though. ]

Perhaps...? I'd argue that the wording of Rule Seven implies the necessity of the chance to be discovered, however.

That's a really good point, but you couldn't do it with one other person either, since obviously they'd vote for you and you'd vote for them... So at least two other people have to be alive?

[ ... ]

I think the risk's way too high in a situation like that.

Not if you're working with one of them.

[...we cannot go one round

one round

without my asshole of a character suggesting this

i am so sorry.]

[ don't be sorry

this is the best idea she's ever heard. ]

They'd die if they voted wrong though, so why would they ever... [ ...hold on, wait. ] Unnnnnless you both kill people, right? Then that unlucky third person would have to vote for one of you or the other, or both of you, but it wouldn't matter because you and your accomplice would totally vote that third person out!

...Right? [ that's a lot of words but right?? ]

That's it exactly.

Hmmm... What if at the last second, your partner-in-crime decides, "Screw it, I'm the only one leaving here!" and totally votes against you with the third person?

Then that would be an incomplete vote, wouldn't it? They technically wouldn't have voted for all culprits in that case, so it would still be incorrect, in essence.

So you should technically both still walk free, should that happen. There's no benefit to betraying unless you plan on voting for yourself as well, which renders the whole thing impressively pointless.

[ ...sounds about right, tbh, she's nodding after a bit. ]

Who would you pick as your murder partner and who would you pick to scapegoat for you two? If you were like, interested in doing this kinda thing.

[ this is like a really bad version of fuck-marry-kill ]

That's a bit of a vulgar question, isn't it?

[It's said easily, however; the sort of thing with an implied "aren't we terrible" built into it.]

Mr. Terumi would likely be my first choice in those to work with, however... As for the scapegoat, Miss Estelle.

[ No better time to ask it though, while they're off being terrible over here. ]

Noble I can get, but... why Tenacious? [ ...She doesn't sound offended that she wasn't picked, it's not like she'd pick Kimblee to be her partner either so. ] I mean, like, not an awful pick, since he seemed like he totally enjoyed what happened Meteoric so I bet he wouldn't be against the whole killing thing.

Do I need more of a reason...? He seems as though he would be entertaining.

Oh, no, that's like, totally a good enough reason! [ Probably the best reason tbh— ] I'd probably go with Attentive. She's got an eye for detail, aaaaaand she's turned out to be pretty good company, too! I like her.

[ that's not really a good thing but whatever. as long as she doesn't die aligula has no reason to hate her post-mortem!! ]

I'm not like, really into the whole scapegoat scene, buuuut... Hmm. Nurturing, I guess? I'm not into despair like a couple of tryhards I know, but I think I'd like to see how she argues her way to victory when one of the killers is just a kid.

[ She's been getting a little overbearing on the kid front. Just a little. ]

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I don't believe in fretting and greiving, why mess around with strife?

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