Week 4, Friday

[foundationmods]

Another Thursday night comes, and everyone seems to know what that means. Even with the failure of last week, several people are out on patrol, trying to make sure no murders occur tonight. That motive had been tempting, after all, and keeping people in check when there's the promise of 'going home' on the line is difficult at best.

Moriarty, at least, seems intent on taking advantage of that motive. After slipping out of his room, he walks briskly towards the back yard. His intended target is out there, he knows it, and he wants to get this done quickly before anyone notices he's missing. The stipulation of 'don't get caught' has made this week's motive all the harder to obtain, and he has no intentions of letting anyone get the best of him.

However, Oda is not alone this week. Several people have decided to patrol with him, making for many witnesses to any possible crime. A fact that Moriarty sees instantly as soon as he steps outside.

For a moment, Oda and Moriarty's eyes meet. Oda frowns, because he can figure out exactly what Moriarty is doing out and about at this hour. But he can't say anything, not with the people around him. The goal is to avoid deaths, after all, and speaking up now will just result in Moriarty's death instead of his own. And since Oda won't attack with other people right there to get caught in a firefight and possibly die, he does nothing against this obvious threat.

Karen looks over the edge and sees Moriarty too. In turn, Moriarty smiles and waves up at the group, acting as if nothing bad had been about to happen. Karen waves in return, suspecting nothing. The exchange just makes Oda's frown deepen, but he still says nothing.

Then, once that pleasant exchange is made, Moriarty ducks back inside, heading back to his room before anyone can miss him.

The night passes with no deaths.

Comments

[allmyfriendsaredead]

[Her head snaps up when she hears Oda, and she's already murmuring under her breath, blocking the movement of the trigger.]

Stop this. We aren't fighting again here!

[hatesdeerstalkers]

Protecting, hm? ....Then what are you doing right now?

[He sees the trigger being blocked - and merely moves towards Oda, almost in his personal space, reaching up to grab the barrel of the gun.]

Are you that certain I'll murder now, that you would be willing to take me out before I even finish my speech?

...Perhaps I should have lured you out, after all. But I wanted to respect their efforts, the way they loved and trusted you.
'
I am a villain, and I stain my hands in blood and Evil with no regrets. But you -

[He leans in, his gaze sharp and almost piercing, seeming to see down into him as he suddenly yanks the barrel down, aiming it squarely at his chest.]

- will you discard everything they have worked for?

[odasaku]

Are you that eager to die, Moriarty?

[ oda does something that even he has a hard time believing from himself.

he lets go of the gun. ]

If you want to die, then find a peaceful way to do it, without troubling them or the audience. Don't bring anyone else into whatever stupid plan you made for yourself.

[ with both hands freed, he grabs moriarty by the front of his clothes, and slams his forehead against his. ]

[hatesdeerstalkers]

You-!

[But that's all he gets before the headbutt happens, and he reels back, placing a gloved hand to his head and giving a pained cry, snapping his gaze back up and...

....What's that look?

It's not cold, nor is it threatening.

No...for once, just like when Akechi died...it's a complicated mix of emotions, flashing for just a moment.

Sorrow, rage....shock and perhaps, buried under it all, something else much more self-loathing.

But it vanishes, as he drops the gun on the floor, gritting his teeth.]

...

[odasaku]

...I'm sorry.

[ his vision is swimming and his head is in pain, but oda still reaches down to grab the gun that fell on the floor.

this time, he stores it. ]

It's hard not to see myself as expendable, which is why I was willing to actually fulfill this. But, well. [ hm. ] I guess what I told Dazai still applies. Even the worst villain still has people that care about them. Apparently that also goes for third-rate detectives like me.

[ he shrugs. ]

Do as you like. But don't harm a hair on anyone's head. Keep your evil plans for someone else that actually matters.

Cutscene over y'all, you can react now.

[hatesdeerstalkers]

[And Moriarty just -

laughs.

But it's not the normal, trumphant laugh - nor is it Evil, with his back up to the wall.

It's just...the laugh of someone who is very, very tired - and has been trying so desperately from keeping it from showing, for the benefit of everyone around him.]

...Someone else who matters? Ha...hahahaha....

[He lifts a hand, squeezing his eyes shut, even though the pain is beginning to recede.]

If only it could ever be that simple, that easy...I am someone who has sent countless men to their deaths for the mere crime of failing me, or getting in my way. Yet, even then....even knowing I am the Napoleon of Crime, a scumbag, a devil, a monster...!

To have a detective,, even if you are third rate, pity me...!

[Placing that hand over his eyes, he makes a pained noise again - and slams his hand on the wall, though it's obviously weak and the House itself doesn't even feel it - and then steps away.]

...I will not harm anyone, nor will I murder anyone - the death I had planned for both you and I will never come to pass. But I thank you, for reminding what I truly am, in the end - it was....enlightening.

[He says nothing else at that, though he spits out the last word almost bitterly - before finally straightening up and heading for the Yellow Room, though anyone could easily stop him.]

[oceanicbutterfly]

[Karen picks that exact moment to wander in. She got up after her nap just in time, apparently.]

The what?!

[hatesdeerstalkers]

[SORRY KAREN, HE'S STILL HEADING FOR YELLOW - and being absolutely silent.]

[oceanicbutterfly]

[NICE TRY BUT AZURA'S STOPPING HIM

Which... doesn't leave her understanding what the hell just happened any more than she did, but still!]

[prayerwheel]

[ She'd been waiting at the outside door in case she heard fighting noises, and she...sort of did? But when she gets the chance to rush in, Moriarty's already leaving.

Azura runs up the stairs two at a time, skidding around the corner and nearly toppling over. And--he's leaving, and in her panic she can't tell that he's just going back to Yellow room, so she sends out a wave of water to hover in front of him. ]

Please, stop! Fa--

[ it's kind of. involuntary. but she stops herself before she says 'father' ]

[oceanicbutterfly]

[AND NOW YOU'RE CALLING HIM FATHER?! WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON]

[prayerwheel]

[ karen he's been her dad since she met him

this is just the first time she's saying it ]

[hatesdeerstalkers]

[That -

It's the one thing that actually makes him stop, whipping his head around at her, his eyes wide in shock - and also showing that same sense of openness that's not normal for him.

He is genuine in most things, but...also closed off, never letting anyone see beyond the first layer of himself.]

.....

[prayerwheel]

I--

[ Didn't mean to say that? Kind of. It just flew out. But he heard her, even though she only said the beginning of the word; her intent must have been clear.

She waves a hand, and the water dissipates into mist around him, vanishing. There's a few moments where she just forlornly stares at him, looking like someone just kicked her. ]

...I've already lost one father, so please...please don't make me lose another...

[allmyfriendsaredead]

["The death I had planned for both you and I"

Everything happens so quickly, but even still, she catches that much. But before she can react, they suddenly have an audience as just about everyone comes running in.

She holds her tongue this time, gaze dropping sullenly to the floor. Whatever she has left to say won't help at all-

No. She might have just messed up again, really.]

[oceanicbutterfly]

Saki-san--?!

[You're here too! Why are you involved in this? Was Moriarty planning to kill you?!?!?!]

[darkova]

[Ingway doesn't get involved in all the fighting. In fact he is hanging around the bedroom hall- of course it was impossible to not hear what happened]

The one thing worse than being hated: being liked.

[he offers Moriarty one of the bottles of Whiskey as he passes but otherwise let's him be.]

[darkremnants]

[ Truth ]

[hatesdeerstalkers]

[He takes the bottle, nodding once.

This is why he likes you, ingway.]

[odasaku]

[ somehow, oda feels more hurt by this rather than all the commotion he caused or the fact that they were both going to die. it's as if moriarty had unknowingly opened up a can of worms that oda had tried to store away.

he ducks his head, and goes the other way, to whatever open door he finds first. ]

[dereban]

[ walks in here like that pizza meme with supplies for egg — sees how many people are here and who's involved

okay sure she heard this

and she just

walks away. not dealing with this bullshit today, Satan. ]

[houndumb]

[Well then. Nora, out of doggone necessity and sleepiness, managed to miss a good deal of what was going on -- but considering how many people have snuck out at this point and the fact that Silver himself had wandered off after egg times he's finally picked up on something amiss.

Ah.

That's a lot of people and his ears can easily pick up the commotion coming from within the House. He manages to, well, walk in right around the time of the headbutt and while his hackles raise immediately at seeing the confrontation and exactly who's in it -- that's. Sure a lot.

He's caught between just growling instinctively at Moriarty and his stupid face and staring, at least until that very last exchange.]

... WHAT did you just say, you--

[Yeah, the death thing? That gets him moving, and he has his head down like a bull charging as he takes off after the old man Servant. This is going to end well, clearly.]

[hatesdeerstalkers]

[Moriarty does hear him first - how could he not? - But he doesn't even attempt to move out of the way.

Do your worst, Nora - he won't stop you.]

[darkremnants]

[ Does he need to be pulled back? ]

[failsaw]

[Everyone went somewhere, Giriko was curious, and it's just more bullshit.]

This is so fuckin' stupid.

[THE CHAINSAW IS TIRED OF ALL YOU IDIOTS

and going back to work on egg

even more even though the game is over look she has nothing to do shes gonna make invincible egg cage]