i want final.

nohrian knight emiko alive | dead afflitated with ll+

[feudalenflamedfates]

i just can't decide what i'm running from • emiko • re: junpei, lowell

Emiko had suddenly become very aware of her place in the trial room. 

Not her podium; not the one she’d left empty since the start of their second debate. No, while Emiko had held a heightened awareness for Junpei’s presence at her side for a good while, now she was even more aware of the boy on her right. 

Actually, perhaps not even Junpei himself for once. More the fact that she was standing so close to their discovered mastermind, had been ever since minute one of their second debate really, and so surely anyone who looked over to Junpei - and who wouldn’t at this point, honestly? - would almost certainly take note of her too, she felt. She would certainly remember someone who had been playing such a passionate defender only to be made a fool out of come results; someone still stubbornly standing by him even after everything they had shouted and screamed for him. What a fool, right?

(’A-are they laughin’ at us?’)

But still she didn’t return to her own podium. 

Junpei was starting to let the remaining class know exactly what he thought about all of them, but it seemed Emiko had spent all of her possible reactions even as she found herself dragged into the slander. Her head still hung slightly, pigtails doing what little they could to cover her face, eyes giving away nothing due to the fact she’d closed them the moment Junpei hit his podium. In a vast comparison to earlier the only semblances of reaction, emotion that Emiko showed was her hands clenching into shaking fists by her side now, and her mouth twisting into the kind of gritted teeth grimace that makes it obvious someone is only just managing to hold back whatever they want to say. There was nothing actually casting a large dark shadow over her face, but it wasn’t too hard to imagine.

(Ha! They’d switched! What another piece of hilarity to add to this!)

It was in line with her blank look that all she had to offer in reaction to Junpei’s words was a curt nod when he stated he was happy, and then another one a little while later in his speech that seemed more like an dazed instinct or a reflex than anything else. Nothing more, nothing less. If Junpei intended his words to be barbs they did nothing much more to visibly dig into Emiko, bouncing right off her no matter how much venom dripped from them or how much they sounded like they should sting.

(Or maybe she was just deflecting them deliberately, to try delay the sense of loneliness creeping in.)

(Huh. Delay? She hadn’t even noticed it. Until it was a threat.)

“…Y'kinda just did respond to him, though…”

Her somewhat sarcastic comment upon Lowell’s outburst finishing was really wasted: it came out as a mutter that would only grace the ears of those immediately nearby her. 

Still, that slip of a comment seemed to spur her back into action: Emiko half turned to Junpei, finally lifting her gaze to meet where she knew his eyes were. There were some extra seconds put into her watching of him, as though Emiko was trying to will Junpei to mentally pick up on all that she wanted to say rather than force her to spit out something, anything… but, ultimately:

“…Sorry it all wound up like. This." 

A single blunt statement. How very Emiko.

(Didn’t communicate much, if anything that she wanted. How very not Emiko.)

It seemed like the perfect moment to leave Junpei behind; to turn her back on him a final time and go back to her own side with an air of finality. But still Emiko stayed at the podium next to him. Only keeping her gaze on him for a second or two more before looking back out to the trial room with a frustrated sounding huff, but still just… staying right where she was.

(’Nah. Let ‘em fuckin' try, though.’)

[feudalenflamedfates]

fool me once • emiko • re: Ha Ha

‘You’ve got that wrong!’

For a moment Emiko had the most fleeting of hopes– 

But then, finally, everything stopped.

It was an equal split between correct and incorrect, right and wrong to whatever degree, and yet Emiko was focused heavily on one side in particular. No, even that description wasn’t really correct. Emiko was splitting the divide further, cutting through the correct side to focus on just one of them: not Miyu, who Emiko harbored nothing but grim feelings towards, not Yuna, who they’d thrown all suspicion onto without hesitation in the end, not Katsunosuke, the only other correct one here now making the farewell rounds–

Who else would it be but the boy at her side? 

“Jun…pei..?”

It was impossible to tell if her voice was shaking in upset or in anger, and even less obvious in her eyes. Her gaze hadn’t quite made it round to Junpei from watching their caretakers, but he would have seen nothing really in her eyes anyway. Just blankness; the hollowness that’s really just a placeholder for the sheer realisation that’s to come.

(All her mind could show her now was a blow by blow account of every instance that Junpei or the mastermind had been around or come up; a film reel that insisted on rolling through to let her look with hindsight, pick out all the shots at the asshole with a point to prove or the fucker behind all this that had felt free and easy at the time, replay moments to try and spot something, anything over and over and over–)

(This whole time- this whole time–!)

She was distinctly aware of her heart beating. On and off, really, the motion occasionally fluttering as her stomach flipped with nerves, but there was certainly no joy to suggest it was just lighthearted skipping of beats. It was the worst kind of adrenaline, all the tenseness that had drained away from her shoulders and fists now fueling every painful thud instead. Trying to hammer in the point. 

(Junpei is the mastermind. Junpei is a mastermind. What was he trying to pull?)

( … )

(…She didn’t, couldn’t have an answer, and somehow that felt worse than the alternative.)

But somehow, through all of this, Emiko then did something unexpected. 

She laughed. 

Ironically the noise was akin to Junpei’s earlier laugh: a noise that sounded eerily strange in any current context, fueled with many things but humour certainly not being one of them. It started as a small splutter, then a cough around her still-sore throat, then a choking noise that sounded more painful than anything else. Especially when finally, Emiko started to speak again. 

“God… dammit, Junpei…" 

Her arms, sporting hands so red and grooved now from gripping her stolen podium for so long and so tightly as she’d yelled on his behalf, folded over her stomach as though clutching it in a huge bout of laughter.

Or defending herself after being punched in the gut, maybe. 

"This whole time? This… this whole time, you… you knew… everythin’, I’ve… I’ve been…”

There was no real rhyme nor reason to her words, Emiko’s head hanging over the podium now as she coughed out words inbetween breaths that were maybe still supposed to be laughs. 

(And it was frustrating- there was so much she thought, knew she should say come this reveal, but she couldn’t find or organise the right words to or it wouldn’t be right or she just couldn’t get over-!)

Eventually, her breathless noises stopped. And Emiko was the quietest she’d been in a very long time. 

But then, in a voice so flat and body language devoid of any other hints, she said something that would perhaps go forever without context or known recipient:

“I hope you’re happy.”

[feudalenflamedfates]

"..By sheer elimination. Mastermind vote for Yuna. As the SHSL Street BMX Rider. I guess."

[feudalenflamedfates]

please say everything is okay • emiko • re: lowell, junpei

God. Emiko was already gaining more than a few sour notes at backing down from throwing suspicion on Rowan, did Lowell really have to start pushing the point more? Alright! He’d proved her incorrect! What more was needed?

Still. He hadn’t started screaming at her again, and for all her still-simmering anger and reckless tendencies, Emiko’s desire to not give people what they didn’t deserve won out. 

Alright, there was a little bit of impatience in her tone. 

“Pretty sure Junpei-san was claimin’ fashion designer. Mentioned bein’ surprised when Ajaya died, didn’t he. Fashion designer there, right?” She let out a frustrated sigh. “That’s… all I can interpret. Not like us two played musical chairs too or he gave me a written reference or anythin’. But I wouldn’t be able to go into why I’m believin’ him without sendin’ this trial straight down the shitter again.”

She only just stopped her gaze flicking to Lowell. 

Speaking of Junpei, though. 

…

…What was he doing? 

…

He’s giving in.

(Then she’d have to keep fighting for him.)

Odds are against you.

(What’s new?)

What if he just wants to take it? In some strange kind of help? Stubbornness? Pettiness? Or–

…

Sorry, Junpei-san.

“Junpei-san… no offence, but… what the fuck are you doin’?!”

Frustration was plaguing many parts of her body, showcasing itself in her tightened fists on the podium, her words coming through gritted teeth, the pricking at the corners of her eyes but now it all converged to drag her voice right back up in strength again. Emiko turned to Junpei, voice raising in volume like she was going to start shouting against despite the ache still in her throat, but if one were to actually listen closely to her words… she wasn’t really yelling at him.

“Don’t just- don’t just take this because it's easier! Alright, you could be claimin’ anythin’, but- but so could any of us! We’ve just been talkin’! It- it ain’t you behind this, I’m sure, nothin’ is fittin’ together despite- d-despite everythin’ we’ve all found, somethin’ is still wrong, don’t- don’t let it just get pinned on–”

A shuddering breath, a cough around the pain in her throat. Her voice dropped to actually speak to Junpei, quiet enough that only those immediately nearby could catch it unless the sudden quiet wasn’t ringing that loudly in their ears.

“You… you wanna go home, right? ‘N you’re… too good to be stuck in this shit, ’s what I think, what if- what if the person who gets voted for mastermind gets punished anyway?! You- you probably don’t care, but–”

Her throat constricted again, doubling the pain rubbing it raw. Still somehow Emiko managed to punctuate with a harsh laugh that was more a choke than anything, shaking out a 'What the fuck’ before slumping on the podium and burying her face in her hands.

[feudalenflamedfates]

can you help me go on • emiko • re: lowell, rowan

“Long as I can remember talkin’ to you that wasn’t that first day you've obviously been doin’ a lot to find these fuckers. ’S… really somethin’.” Guess that was the closest Emiko could get to an outright compliment, huh. “But I could guess some certain people wouldn’t be as appreciative. Would want to see what you’re findin’ to combat it. Or stop you." 

Certainly compared to earlier if not just in general Emiko’s words were now obviously lacking steam; still harsh in tone, that was for sure, but lacking a certain confidence even if she did start with batting accusing words right back at Lowell.

”Look. You’ve been sayin’ a lot, okay. Forgive me for missin’ a fact or two. See somethin’ big and obvious, I’m gonna fuckin' go for it. ‘Specially in this uncertainty.“ However, a sigh soon followed. "But alright. Guess I did forget the flip thing. Must have forgotten in assumin’ ridin’ was just…a straight line, y'know. I… I concede on the flip thing.”

Even if backing down did leave a very sour taste in her mouth, which was why no apology was offered to Rowan after all that. Probably. A small bow of her head in his direction occurred at least, but nothing more. 

(Props to him for being reasonable in his rebuttal at least. Emiko wasn’t sure how much more she could take being lobbed at her, and admittedly, her throat hurt a little.)

“…Am I missin’ somethin’? Why did we just suddenly rule out every other musical talent in favour of the one that we ain’t even sure is music related? I can understand bassist. Hal was a Nohrian retainer. Gather we’re runnin’ out of royals at this point unless one is tryin’ to pull a fast one and succedin’, but from all I’ve been hearin’, I’m still convinced it’s one of them. But with all these things still floatin’ around…”

A heavy sigh. 

“I know you’re probably thinkin’ oh, here she goes again! Don’t even bother tryin’ to start shit, on that note. But I’m hearin' nothin’- and sorry, I didn’t come across anythin’ more specific. Sure. We got a Hoshidan coloured seal with a music note on. A musical bird, or somethin’. But there’s at least some definite obvious music talents, and we’ve suddenly skipped to Uta-whatever? Which Junpei… apparently ain’t..?”

(Her voice rose dangerously higher into questioning, pleading territory there.)

She paused for a while after her potential daft question. Drummed her fingers on the podium before her in the rhythm of the two surnames Rowan had just announced. And then–

“Maybe the horse did a sick… kickflip off the prison bench.”

Amazingly unhelpful, really. But the closest she would allow herself to stray to the laughter her more childish side was itching to provoke. 

(And try drag her tone back down.)

[feudalenflamedfates]

can we go back again? • emiko • re: pretty much everything

“I’m… fine, Junpei-san.”

She gave him a sharp nod, the corner of her mouth twitching in what was presumably a quick smile. The look in her eyes was a little too tired, too hollow to be considered reassuring though, and she seemed to know that by how quickly the endeavour was given up.

(At least it sounded better than ‘I said I’d protect you then I’ve dropped you right in it’, or ‘This just feels horrible’ or 'I’m just so

so

confused about you.’)

It was the first thing Emiko had dared to say since she’d heard her voice start to wobble and break, the girl having been mostly stood staring at the surface of Mitsuhiro’s podium since. Minor actions happened - nodding at Ayano when she left Lowell’s side in a surprising show of self preservation, staring at Chifuyu in blank confusion before briefly counting on her fingers - but no more speech until Junpei.

(Cause everything just kept coming back to the boy at her side right now, didn’t it?)

(…Wasn’t a new position.)

“…At the risk of bein’ jumped on for playin’ Designated Devil’s Advocate. Again. Junpei-san’s headed where I was goin’ earlier.”

Her gaze snapped over to Rowan, staring him right in the eye as she picked up her own point again and actually ran with it this time.

“Nohrian. Royal. Talent involvin’ wheels. Really nice attempt to try say anyone could have his talent before it was more or less confirmed by Lowell. And if we really want to push this further, which I gather we fuckin’ do, given the grief so far. He started with a mount, or uses one, if I remember correctly. Gotta wonder how fast he can go too.”

A few more seconds spent staring at Rowan. Just enough to make it uncomfortable.

Then, in the quietest and calmest voice that Emiko had used on him the entire trial so far:

“Forgive me, but… I can’t help but think someone could have just been keepin’ very close tabs on you this whole time, Lowell.”

(In the wake of their fight it seemed so long ago that they’d been fucking around and ranting about the mastermind, and yet somehow… not that long ago either.)

[feudalenflamedfates]

simmer down • emiko • re: lowell, rowan, katsunosuke, junpei

“How ‘bout the fact that we got four Hoshidan royals and at least two music talents said to us so far and we’re just pickin’ on him?!”

Emiko certainly had more to say or shout back to Lowell, the fire started within her still raging perhaps the hardest it ever had with no sign of being extinguished. But enough people were starting to try to move on or outright complain at the two of them, and for all her headstrong desires, deep down she knew that she was being counterproductive. So, admittedly with a sinking heart and the horrible sensation that she was giving in, Emiko channeled the rest of her ranting into a heavy huff and shut up.

“Alright. Fine. I concede there. Pretty solid suggestion for the masterminds still bein’ alive. I mean, Tooru’s dancin’ to music, and we ain’t said why music is Hoshidan explicitly like Ayano said, but…”

Figuring she’d get shot down immediately no matter how she finished her sentence, Emiko left her idea there.

Finally someone who wasn’t Lowell started to speak for an extended period of time, though that didn’t mean that Emiko looked any happier. In fact as Rowan continued to speak she started to look more and more aggravated, though for how pissed off she looked…

“Brave of you to put yourself in the pool, given your… position…”

It was impossible to tell if Emiko’s voice was lowered and trailing off out of mere exhaustion or if she was actually considering more than she was letting on. It didn’t look like she was about to explain herself either; her only followup was another sigh, this time in impatience. 

Then Katsunosuke spoke up.

She’d just been preparing to grit her teeth and suffer in silence when Junpei retaliated. 

“…Yeah. Come on. No offence, Junpei-san, but we can’t even see your eyes. How are we meant to notice them?” A pause. "…Lowell. Or perhaps Rowan, he might not be speakin’ to me. Did those… letters that were mentioned have anythin’ more specific than 'music’? Never saw them myself. Guess you two snatched 'em up, huh.“

Yet another weary sigh, Emiko pinching at her eyes. 

"I… sorry, there’s just a lot… I… I don't understand-!" 

The movement was instant: Emiko uttered the last word and her eyes flew open, hand rushing down from where it pinched to cover her mouth as though to try stuff the sound back in, and no matter how fast she tried to make her expression neutral again what could only be terror lingered on her face long enough to be caught. 

What had caused that, then?

(A sound she hadn’t heard since she was ten years old.)

(Her voice cracking.)

[feudalenflamedfates]

breakdown ! • emiko • re: lowell, nines, katsunosuke

{ c aps.. }

Emiko had never been in this situation before. Yet it felt horribly familiar. 

(If she lost her focus even for a second she could easily forget who the boy standing next to her was, who she was yelling on behalf of after swearing to protect them, who she was having to defend because of fucking circumstances–)

But whatever she was comparing it to one thing for certain remained obviously similar between the instances, both to her and to anyone in the room: Emiko was fucking pissed.

“You wanna know WHY? Any like for him aside? Lowell, I could fuckin’ despise him and I’d STILL be doin’ this! Because I fuckin’ HATE people startin’ to rip on others for their god- DAMN- CIRCUMSTANCES! Especially if it’s just because they DON’T- FUCKIN’- LIKE THEM!”

It was the loudest she had ever screamed in a trial and the first time she’d gone to efforts to break up what she wanted to make the most emphasis over, having to suck in some more breath before each word to actually be able to fire it how she wanted at Lowell. If her sheer anger hadn’t been so clear in her wild eyes and gritted teeth, her shaking would have been reminiscent of someone crying. 

Still, somehow, she let out a heavy breath and addressed Lowell more civilly. Those closest to that area of the trial room may have caught her muttered apology to Junpei for screaming so close; maybe that was why she was managing to drag herself back down. Or maybe just sheer exhaustion from so much effort. 

“I genuinely don’t wanna fight you. I really want to work on this too. But I will, if it’s comin’ down to that. I’d stop anyone.”

She hadn’t explicitly said so, but it was still clear: Lowell, or anyone else for that matter, was not going to be snapping Emiko out of this without proof. 

Moving on.

“…Nines-san is right. My… thoughts aside, where’s the evidence saying that our mastermind - or… masterminds, I guess we’re runnin’ with - is actually still alive? It’s entirely likely one or even both could have been killed by now. They’re in here with us. We have to account for that possibility. Maybe they even… conflicted with each other.”

A pause. A deep breath. 

“…Why are we lookin’ for music talents right now? I could see where Katsunosuke is goin’ with suspectin’ Mirai, but seein’ as we know their talent and everyone’s huntin’ for music… figured I should ask.”

[feudalenflamedfates]

dig in your heels • emiko • re: lowell, rowan, chifuyu

{ caps }

“OI!”

Ah yes. Just what this emotional, already chaotic trial needed: Emiko overlapping the end of Lowell’s yelling with her own. If looks could kill there surely wouldn’t be much of Lowell left, a fire catching and raging in Emiko’s eyes like never seen before as she gripped her podium, leaned over, and screamed at the accusing Hoshidan. 

(Maybe if Lowell could see through his own anger and upset he’d catch the flash of fear in her eyes before it burnt up–)

“You come punch Junpei right now and I’ll fuckin’ PUNCH YOU RIGHT BACK! If only to knock some GODDAMN SENSE into you! I don’t wanna fight you, Lowell, but if THIS is all for some FUCKIN’ GRUDGE–!”

Thankfully that was all Emiko managed to say before they were all cut off, the desired mastermind trial having been called. It took her a few moments to actually process what was coming next where she was stuck at her podium, remnants of her angry burst sending shivers through her body and her mouth not having quite closed after the last scream as though she was actually baring her teeth at Lowell. 

(They’d been doing so well…)

Eventually Emiko stiffly eased herself up, gaze finally snapping away from Lowell. But it didn’t travel too far: a stare that was still too harsh for her current stance glared at Ayano for a few moments, taking note of how she now desperately clung to an arm that could probably just flex and swat her away, and debated how many shits she gave about her appearance should she follow the same kind of idea.

By the time the mastermind trial was in full swing Emiko had pulled away from her own podium, completely abandoned the Nohrian side, and slipped by what used to be Mitsuhiro’s without a word. 

To her surprise Rowan spoke up first in the new trial rather than Lowell, though perhaps it was for the best; Emiko may have somewhat warmed up to Lowell since their first meeting, tried to work with him in fact, but that didn’t change the fact that currently one wrong word from him could make her snap any second. Or perhaps even just one word. 

“…Most of the talents I received we’ve learnt by now. Stylist, Fortune Teller, Fashion Designer, Ice Dancer, Medical Examiner. Honestly I can make a solid guess at one of the two I got that we ain’t learnt yet, but…”

Perhaps it was strange for some, hearing someone normally as sharp and as blunt with words as Emiko was trailing off like that. But she had no idea what to do next- oh for fuck’s SAKE.

“How ‘bout we don’t start slingin’ insults at each other when it’s not about solid proof. Sorry Lowell. Talkin’ to you again. I swear I don’t wanna fight you.”

Thankfully, her volume was self controlled by her proximity to Junpei, and she managed to keep sounding fairly rational afterwards by agreeing with Lowell. Even if it did sound very difficult for her to spit out. 

“Goin’ off what Katsunosuke and Lowell just said, I… I gotta admit. I’ve been thinkin’ about royals too. Maybe my point ain’t as proveable as, say, Katsunosuke’s. But. I know our wonderful caretakers talk a lot of shit, but I’ve been tryin’ to listen closely. Back when the motive was that our royals were going to be injured, they actually sounded… really reluctant to go ahead with that. Considerin’ they’re normally so overjoyed whenever one of us kicks the bucket or fucks up, ha ha Hoshidan scum etcetera, them soundin’ hesitant against ruinin’ a group of us…” She shrugged. “Just kinda. Stuck out to me.”

(And now it was her turn for her eyes to flick back and forth between the trial room and Junpei, face still set in grim determination but her mouth kept opening to try and say something anything and every so often that fire in her eyes would dampen down and show the concern again–)

‘I could give reasoning behind this, but I’d rather.. not’

Just try that shit. 

“Oh NO you fuckin’ DON’T!”

In a nice (?) twist of events Emiko’s yelling was now being fired across at Chifuyu instead of Lowell, her gaze wildly searching in desperate confusion from her new trial room position to seek him out and demand.

“'Not fuckin’ necessary’? You're accusin’ my- you’re accusin’ someone of bein’ the mastermind IN THE MIDDLE OF A TRIAL TO FIND THE MASTERMIND AND IT'S NOT FUCKIN’ NECESSARY?!”

She threw her hands before her in Chifuyu’s direction as though to display him, obviously meant to implore him for an explanation even before she let out a harsh bark of a laugh and continued. 

“Go on! In fact any of you- go ahead! Why’s it Junpei? Why the fuck are you accusin' Junpei? Aside from the fact he’s a Hoshidan royal, of which we have three fuckin’ others!”

[feudalenflamedfates]

Emiko blankly watches the injury check, nods, then votes Katsunosuke for committing both murders anyway. thanks. 'Ain't got a clue how you go callin' a /mastermind/ trial. But if you all want to go ahead with one.. sure. Take my vote for one.'

[feudalenflamedfates]

im being too speedy to think of a good title • emiko • re: lowell attn: katsunosuke

There was a lot Emiko could do, really. Most of it wasn’t really constructive - letting out a growl when Lowell suddenly did a U-Turn and admitted he’d been hiding something, doing her best to play middle ground between him and Junpei when they just started to get petty - but at least she actually knew it, somehow gaining enough self control to only offer a sigh through her teeth and a low comment. 

“Please don’t tell me you’re holdin’ back stuff just ‘cause you don’t like the person askin’, Lowell-san…”

Not that she particularly sounded like there was any life in her words,  but perhaps any hints of that wouldn’t have been… well, Emiko. 

The next time she spoke was very Emiko however, words cutting through the air with harshness that could almost be felt slicing skin.

“If we're really ignorin’ the matchin’ fingerprint. Injury check. He did it before he can do it again. Somethin’ active to see how new or old that apparent huge wound is. Don’t transform though. For all we fuckin’ know that other form gives you more strength than you really have!”

[feudalenflamedfates]

it's been too long • emiko • re: trial, basically

“Ayano’s got a point. Shit logic on the parts of those involved if so. But a point.”

Emiko had been quiet. Too quiet, in fact, though one could argue that she was amplified (maybe scarily) enough by what little she did have to add. The most notable was an incredibly loud slam when Lowell brought up the potential of not one, but two masterminds; even if one had missed the powerful but very quick action, the way she was trying to casually clutch her fist afterwards made it obvious what had happened. 

But now it seemed she was ready to contribute to the actual trial at hand, arms folded and staring impassively out into the middle of the emptier trial room. 

“I wasn’t the one lookin’ at the wounds here - ain’t my thing - but goin’ with one of them killin’ the other. Our current culprit probably then did come in after seein’ the murder. Whether it was because they got angry at seein’ it or they had to… defend against bein’ killed off as a witness. Or somethin’. She’s also right in that bein’ how vulnaries work. The wounds are still there, but the pain stops.”

It was clear from body language that got stiffer and stiffer as her words continued that Emiko was getting royally pissed off at all the concepts she was describing, which was perhaps why she tried to calm herself down by changing tack completely. 

(It only semi worked- internally Emiko’s heart was torn between tightening in anger and outright sinking; seething at all the concepts being discussed and just being… downright tired.)

(Please. Why was she even mildly surprised? She had expected nothing since day one of this shit.)

Unfortunately, given that this was Emiko’s special brand of annoyance, her attempt didn’t go very far at all. 

“Anyway. Why the fuck are we talkin’ about which way round things could have been? We got a fuckin' fingerprint! Unless someone found that and compared it with the bodies to find that it matched one of them, why the hell ain’t we checkin’ people here right now?!”

Of course, it was entirely possible that such an act had been completed under her noise while she seethed and started to shout. But was Emiko going to take much note?

Apparently not, judging by her exasperated huff.

[feudalenflamedfates]

EVIDENCE FOUND

After letting yourself into the Nohrian Records Hall, you note that there seems to be a vulnerary in the trash can. It seems empty.

Found by: Emiko & Junpei.

[feudalenflamedfates]

EVIDENCE FOUND

Next to Sachihiro’s corpse, you note that the door to the Nohrian Records Hall is open.

Found by: Emiko.

[feudalenflamedfates]

EVIDENCE FOUND

Nearby Sachihiro’s body (nearby being used loosely– it’s quite the amount of steps away, actually) there seems to be a blood trail. These are not just drips however– it’s quite a decent amount of blood!

Found by: Emiko & Rowan.

[feudalenflamedfates]

a shift in the world • emiko • re: motive

It was quiet. 

Really quiet. 

At least Emiko had been finally getting used to long periods of inactive time alone here. But it was still something of a pain, if not just straight up unnerving due to the felt absence of their caretakers. 

(She also still wasn’t quite used to that space by her side, admittedly, even if there was bittersweet relief there too.)

As a result it was almost a relief when she found herself whisked away to once again join the others, or what remained of them now anyway. Almost, of course, because gatherings and summons like this… they generally only meant one thing. Emiko might have long since reached a dull acceptance that this was just how events were going to play out and repeat in this world, but that didn’t mean she harboured any positive emotions towards the cycle. 

(Accepting things but barely, if at all, happily enjoying them. Now there was a nice summary of some life choices)

A mastermind clue this time, huh?

Maybe Emiko would have mused on that more, perhaps aired her less than optimistic thoughts on this situation, had she not fallen into the trap of focusing on something completely different to Akihiro’s main point. 

“…’People’?" 

It was just one single word; one simple reaction to their latest incentive to kill. But thanks to how angrily strained it was, Emiko still did a very good job at showing off exactly how she felt right now. Her gaze started to slowly creep to seek out any more Hoshidan populated area of their remaining number, but after two seconds of staring a little wide eyed at Lowell… she realised she couldn’t communicate anything this way.

In fact, she probably couldn’t rationally communicate anything at all. Though she left the gathering almost instantly after that moment, turning on her heel and storming off with her angry aura almost visible, she didn't quite get far enough to avoid her yell being heard by anyone who remained.

Really though… it would have had to have been something of a large distance. 

”Fucking HELL!“

Eloquent. 

(Better brace herself though, she managed to think through her disbelief and suspicions. If she’d scoffed at previous motives before, this was the complete opposite situation.)

[feudalenflamedfates]

Lionvel Up! | Lowell | Chapter 5 | ATTN: Emiko

[lowellaquaregia]

Although Emiko didn’t finish her sentence, Lowell could already guess what she meant. After all, he was among the first to have lost a squad member - sure, he still had Katsunosuke, but you can’t deny that things get quieter if someone is gone. There’s always this silence that thickens around the deceased’s room. So he definitely could relate in wanting to be more outside than inside - he was the same.

“I’m actually curious why the times are changing now. You think that soon enough, Hoshido will be at night while Nohr is going to be stuck with the day? I wonder if there’s any significance to that…”

Maybe he was grasping at straws, but you wouldn’t get far if you didn’t start to question everything, right?

Emiko did the same by subjugating herself to listening to the caretaker’s banter. Neither knew if what they were thinking off did actually mean much by the end, but either you were starting off somewhere or… you’d never get anywhere.

Well, her next course of action certainly surprised Lowell. He’d expected her to merely dully note what he’d said or be suspicious and ask him questions - certainly not a playful nudge. The blacksmith’s eyes widened, then he rubbed his neck and looked away in a sheepish manner.

“I, uh… Y-Yeah? ’S not like I wanna see any more people die and s-sure, I know you can take care of yourself… but it doesn’t hurt to warn you, right? You can never know what happens next…”

You really couldn’t. He thought that Haruna would never end up killing someone, but she had to in self-defense. Or that Mitsuhiro and Hal both agreed to get killed in order to spare Yuna from some serious injuries… Or their newest murder, where one friend killed another.

He watched Emiko trying out the hero mask at the end… which actually kinda suited her. At the mention of the towel, Lowell couldn’t help but chuckle as well. It also wasn’t one of his usual ‘eat shit’ giggles, but a much more softer one. Felt more… natural, as weird as it sounded.

“Nah, I think I’ll stick to this mask. Goes well with my hair, unlike that towel over there. Seriously, why did they think a towel would make for a good accessory…”

[opposedblessing]

Truthfully, Emiko was pretty grateful that Lowell didn’t press her any further about how it felt now being the sole occupant of her hall, if only because she... really didn’t have any idea about how she’d actually respond. Normally she felt she knew herself, trusted herself if only for her own sanity in the world, but if one wasn’t really sure of their feelings just thinking about something, where might her words take her? 

Anyway. Now Lowell was getting paranoid about the sky, which was perhaps a nice example to sum up how their exchanging of information conversation was going. 

“Maybe? Hard to tell. Ain’t ever been the type to pay attention to that kind of subject, was never the best at school shit. But maybe it’s just... how this place works. Wherever the fuck we even are. What kind of thing would that even mean? Hoshido’s getting pissed off?”

Because dark nighttime equated to being angry, yes. Good logic. 

Sadly the instant that Lowell didn’t really play along somehow like she’d expected but instead got embarrassed really threw Emiko off. She somehow managed a scoff of amused surprise, at least, though she wasn’t even really joking.

(This conversation sure was making her doubt her emotions, wasn’t it?)

“Heh. Would never have thought it. Fair enough, though. Appreciate it.” She flashed a smile, before settling right back into that natural frown. “Think I can do just fine though. Mhm... why us this time though? Just cause one of you guys died first last time? Wouldn’t be surprised...”

Her words trailed off developing a fair amount of venom, obviously now being filtered through gritted teeth by how strained they sounded. But a few moments later she pulled herself together, and also evidently forgot that she’d put the hero mask on despite her disdain for it, as it remained on her face when she spoke up.

“You never know. Could tie one round your head. Or make a sick bandanna. Somehow. Guess you could say that a lot about shit in here though.” A pause, Emiko casting her gaze over the incredible range available to them. “Like, woooooould you rather... have to wear the towel somehow or have to wear that super long hat with a puffball on the end of it? Fuck. Are these seriously for battle or whatever the hell it is we’re meant to be doin’?”