camppetoskey | WEEK 5

WEEK 5 - TRIAL

TRIAL

It takes a full day after finding the body, but on Saturday, the counselors call you all to the campfire, the bonfire already roaring away as everyone finds their seats. Stan and Red are seated there, with Stan holding a box saying 'VOTES' written on it.

It looks like you're here to find the killer.

And just like before, you know you'll be forced to vote before the night's over...

And condemn someone to a grisly fate.

VICTIM: Usagi Tsukino
CAMPERS REMAINING: 15

((Remember that Everyone must vote and that Votes are due by 6pm EST!))

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[Damn it.

He isn't oblivious. He knew from the start that Boa was the most obvious option - he was on the beach, something people had blessedly seemed to forget about early. So--]

Boa.

[Don't do this.]

[ Boa can't look at Mitsuru. Even known Mitsuru is seeing him, seeing this, makes the shame burn through his skin into his very soul. The one person who should never see him like this, never ever ever ever ever ever.

He doesn't know how to face him. There's nothing he can say to preserve that precious something they had before, he's so sure of it. ]

Boa...

[They could have thrown their votes at Chuuta. They could have been rid of him instead--

He makes a frustrated sound, moving to Boa, placing a hand on his shoulder - trying to ground him. Face close, come on, focus.]

[ Mitsuru is touching him... He's... despite everything, he's right here.

It does get Boa to look up and meeting Mitsuru's eyes is almost too much. ]

... I'm sorry. I'm so sorry...

[He's still frowning, a weariness at the edges of his eyes, loss--

Today of all days. It had to be today, didn't it?]

We were supposed to leave here together.

[He's not angry with Boa. He doesn't miss Usagi one bit. He's just angry that Boa's going to die because of that girl.]

[ This is too much. Boa doesn't think he's ever been this pathetic in his life. He's never felt smaller or dirtier.

They made this promise. They promised.

And he's been too much of a fool to keep it. He could've let Chuuta die in his place, but the eyes of the others... The looks they gave him. Friends make you weaker. They'd told him in the Snake Pit. He'd known that.

And now he's going to die because he had friends. And he won't be able to keep his promise to the strongest boy he's ever known, to the person who made him feel so safe that his heart could almost burst.

This isn't how it was meant to go. This isn't what his life should be like.

But if he's going to die here and now and if he's already disgraced himself too much to ever return from it then... then he doesn't have to fight it when his body wants nothing more than to fall forward and rest his forehead on Mitsuru's shoulder. ]

I wanted to... I wanted to so badly...

[There's only a momentary pause when Boa's head meets his shoulder before he moves to embrace the other boy, expression solemn.

He's cold and cruel and his concern for the lives of others is low at best. Ruthlessness is what leads him towards his goal, his wish, to bring back the family he lost on this day, years ago.

Boa, too, is someone he would wish for now, if he could. He accused Wataru of being soft, but in the end, there was a degree of softness that drove him, gave his entire life meaning.

He doesn't want Boa to die.]

If Red hadn't separated us, we would have been safe. But she needed sacrifices--

She threw us to the wolves, knowing full well something like this would happen.

[ Boa gasps in surprise when Mitsuru actually lets him rest against him, even welcomes the touch by wrapping him in his arms. But once he has processed what is happening, he moves to hold on to Mitsuru for dear life, hands clinging into the fabric of the clothes on his back.

Just a bit... just a bit longer... He doesn't want to let go of Mitsuru and face the inevitable, he wants to stay where it's safe. Eddie and Richie have abandoned him, as he saw coming, but Mitsuru... he thought Mitsuru would turn away from a creature as pathetic and weak as he is. For sure, Mitsuru would see that Boa is a lost cause and scorn him now rather than later. But he's here, he's right here, warm and safe, so so safe.

On another day, in another scenario, maybe Boa would have turned from him for tolerating weakness this way. But now his own weakness is being tolerated and he's never known how much he wanted this. This stupid, weak thing.

I really have been lying to myself my whole life, huh? I really just am a huge idiot...

He has to think it to himself, but nothing can make him get his act together now. Just a little bit longer... ]

I'm sorry.... [ He said that already, but it can't be said enough. ] I wanted to stay with you until the end...

...I did, too.

[In response to that, he'll hold Boa all the tighter.

Maybe this day is cursed. Maybe he's the one who's cursed. It's hard to say, but it's easy enough to understand that for the second time in his short, short life, someone who cared enough to try to celebrate his birthday is dying so soon after, and once again, he's powerless to stop any of it.

A wish to change fate is what he seeks, what he's fought for all this time, but he only gets one. And he knows in his heart that even if he does get it, there's no possible way he could stretch it to save Boa, and his heart trembles at the thought.

You only get one wish.]

I won't... be able to save you.

[But oh, how much he wishes he could.]

[ Somehow... this puts Boa at ease to hear. It's something expected, something he knew all along. Mitsuru has always, always, always kept surprising him. Mitsuru's held on to him so many times when Boa thought he'd have lost it all.

But this... this is obvious. Mitsuru won't be able to save him. Mitsuru won't let go of his own goal. And that is exactly what Boa loves about him so much. ]

I know.

[ His voice is a bit steadier when he says so. ]

You'll survive this. You'll go home and finish your Journey. You will.

[ The same mantra he's always repeated. Mitsuru is strong. There is no way Mitsuru will die. And even if Boa now knows that he won't be able to latch onto that anymore, it is still comforting. ]

[He nods, and Boa should be able to feel it with how tightly he's been embraced.]

...I will. I'll complete my Journey and obtain my wish.

[He... He has to. There's lives riding on this, even if it's not...

His heart races in his chest, knowing their time is so limited now. He wants to keep hope, wants to believe they'll find a way to solve all of this, but - what is the likelihood, at this point? So, so many had already died to this hellish place, and he doubts they sat idly by as they were slowly slaughtered. This operation has been going for at least half a decade, refined to a model that works, and even he's begun to quail at the thought of being able to jump every last hoop in any attempt to undo all the harm done.

Still. He tips his head a little closer to Boa's, voice quiet.]

...If it's as the others say, and there really is a way...

[One last hope. For the road to the land between those horrid teeth.]

If there really is a way... I'll drag you out of there myself.

[It isn't a promise. He can't give that, not honestly.

But if the opportunity were to reveal itself (it's so, so hopeless, so empty, like the lies Boa gave only earlier) - he'll try.

Perhaps it's out of petty spite for everything this place continues to be, continues to do to them. But it's the only thing he can offer, now.]

[ Why? Boa's wanted to ask it before and he wants to ask it again now. Why would you do this for me, who can't even stand on his own anymore? It's incomprehensible. Even if it's just a pretty lie, why would Mitsuru go through the effort of saying it? Saving Boa, as slim as the chances are, is just a waste of time and resource, surely...

But maybe the why isn't important. Maybe it's fine if Boa doesn't understand now or ever. In the end, he knows he'd do the same for Mitsuru. Over and over and over if he had to. He doesn't know why either. Maybe nobody really knows and that's why Boa's always thought friendship is so stupid. It doesn't make sense and he doesn't make sense to himself anymore either and maybe he never will again.

An that's alright because Mitsuru is saying words that sound better than anything he's ever heard in his life and they're magical to him exactly because he can't understand them at all.

Boa's body shakes in a strangled sob, but he fights back the urge to just give in and cry more. He has words to say and very little time to say them. ]

Mitsuru... I'll talk to the stone god. I'll find It. If I... if I really have to die, I'll make it worth it for you.

[ Even if Mitsuru won't be able to save him, it's a wonderful hope to hold on to. It's a reminder that even if he'll die, he won't be gone just yet.

And as long as he's not gone, he's not useless. ]

[Talking with the Stone God, trying to get information even still... Mitsuru already knows exactly what form that will take, and he already dreads it, seeing such an empty-headed look from the one person here he could truly call a friend, knowing what was missing even if it acted otherwise.

One of his hands balls up into a fist at the thought. He can't quite keep the shaking from his voice, fury and sorrow both.]

...Then, I'll see you on Monday.

[A slight emphasis. Please, whatever it takes--

Meet with him, truly.]

... Monday. That's... a promise. This time for real.

[ They've made vague agreements before, but they've never really promised anything. And now... now Boa feels he has to promise it or else he won't have the strength to pull through and do whatever he can possibly do to make this happen.

His strength has crumbled, everything is falling apart... but he still has a small bit of pride left. He won't let a promise fall through, not one he made to Mitsuru.

It's a purpose. Death is just a step on the way that he'll have to face. A stepping stone, but not the end... Please, don't let it be the end. ]

[Another nod.]

Promise.

[How much time until the slips are all turned in? He has no idea, but it can't be long, now. It's funny, how previous weeks seemed to drag on for so long, and yet...

He rests his own head against Boa's shoulder. Red will be able to tear him away to his execution in an instant, he's sure, that's simply the cold reality that surrounds them in this accursed place, where they're made to walk to their deaths for the sake of a ritual, for the sake of buying time.

But for now at least, he can stand with the other just a moment longer.]

[Well I mean.

They can vote for ANYBODY. It's majority vote, even if the vote is wrong.]

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WEEK 5 - TRIAL

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