Audience: Endorsi Jahad

[probe]

Comments

[fisherwoman]

He killed Mahito, right?

[probe]

[well, two things happen. first, the cupcakes burst into flames. second, there's a fwoosh sound under the hood.]

I'm not telling you shit.

[fisherwoman]

[she stares for a second.]

...Right. I know you can't. [but, the cupcakes...] Are you and him close?

[probe]

[they just shove the cupcakes into the sink.]

... I like him. [they say, through gritted teeth.]

[fisherwoman]

[after a second:]

You know I'm not doing this to make you upset, right?

[but she sounds a little - maybe hesitant, now.]

[probe]

[there's a shivery little sigh from under the hood.]

I can't - I can't stop you, Endorsi. But please. [...] Not him.

[fisherwoman]

[after a few moments:]

...He killed my friend. He let another friend die after they vouched for him instead of saying something.

[she doesn't know if childe will die yet, but. given how willing everyone has been to organize and get ready to kill culprits should they make it out of the execution arena.]

[probe]

[bitterly:] Your friend killed and helped kill people. You killed someone's friend, too. I don't know if there's any sort of moral bargaining in this place.

[fisherwoman]

...I didn't say that to imply it was moral.

[but they were her friends, and she's awful. after a second:]

Since I mentioned it to you, I'll get punished if I don't follow through, right?

[probe]

No. Only if you have a full plan and intend to go for it, and then back out at the last minute when curfew hits.

[they kick the cabinet doors of the counter violently with the backs of their heels. it leaves burn marks against the wood.]

[fisherwoman]

[...after a second, she shoves a hand through her hair. muttered:]

Dammit, Wrath...

[probe]

[a pause, and then very carefully, they push their hood back.

she's... an elf! her eyes are red around the edges, with black sclera and bright red-orange irises, and there are cracks of fire that spread up her neck and face. her hair is just liquid lava, and it drips occasionally and vanishes.]

Like I said, I can't stop you. I would still have to do what I did last time, and give you things to kill him with. [her voice skips a little there.]

[fisherwoman]

[oh.

she blinks in surprise at the reveal, but. given that reminder, she just kind of - leans her back against the kitchen counter, looking up at the ceiling for a long moment.]

...Why did you pick me for your team, if you knew I would be willing to do this?

[probe]

I didn't really pick you. You got assigned, because wrath works best for you. That's uh, that's not to say I don't like you. Because I do.

[more anxious kicking.] I also didn't anticipate getting attached to any of you.

[fisherwoman]

I don't... Like I said, I'm not trying to hurt you!

[ahhhhhh. she takes a breath.]

I can't just let this go. [...] But I'll be punished if I even tell someone I know he did this, right?

[probe]

Well, it would. [she says, flatly.]

I wouldn't tell other people, no. There's nothing stopping you from doing it but I don't think people will believe you. And you don't know it for sure, I'm not confirming anything for you.

[...] I gave him that mongoose, you know.

[fisherwoman]

[she just kind of slides down until she's sitting on the floor. it's fine.]

I know. He said so.

[probe]

[a sigh. she slides down off the counter, and goes to sit in front of her.]

This place sucks. [she says, finally.] It doesn't feel like we're winning anything at the end of the day. You uh, you come here, and you make connections, and it starts to feel like if someone else dies, you'll die too.

[she sounds like she feels particularly heavy, with this.]

You just gotta decide if you want to hurt more people because you hurt, yourself. That's what it boils down to.

[fisherwoman]

[she - drops her face into her hands for a quick second. not because she's going to cry, but because she doesn't really want wrath to see the expression she makes.

muffled:]

I promised him.

[probe]

[a long pause.]

What are you going to do if it wasn't him? Does it matter?

[fisherwoman]

It was.

[she sighs.]

I know you said you can't tell me anything, but we both know it was him.

[probe]

[she shrugs.]

You're just taking someone's word for it. [...] It's up to you, but I'm telling you right now, and I don't want you to be surprised about it when it happens. I am - upfront, with this much.

If you decide to kill him, I will help. You'll get your boon. That's - that's how it works. [her voice breaks in the middle, but she keeps going.] But I will not speak to you again. You can take it and go.

[fisherwoman]

[she's very quiet for a while. maybe a few minutes? but.]

...I won't.

[wow! it's the first good choice she's made in this game!]

[probe]

[wrath blinks, clearly not expecting that answer.

... a pause, and then she offers her gloved hand.]

[fisherwoman]

[she doesn’t take it, pushing herself up on her own instead.]

...I’m a little tired of making people cry, I guess. It’s a pain to watch.