Day 2

[punchestumors]

[At some point during the cruise, Leorio takes an opportunity to chat with Axel in a spot below deck, away from listening ears. Maybe over some cards, depending on his preference, but anyway he'll eventually slip into the conversation.]

So hey, how about that long term strategy thing you were talking about last trial? You make any headway with it?

Comments

[exfired]

[hell yeah he'll play cards he was a regular at poker night. that was a thing. the long term strategy bit does make him sigh a little, though]

Honest truth? Nooooope. Did figure out today the current pattern for the spies seems to be they're kicking out some creeps, so, hey, there's that.

[he sure sounds excited about that. woo.]

[punchestumors]

She was the one that asked the MC if the murder part was optional, right? Yeah, not the most personable of the bunch.

[and that was an understatement. Poker things go on in the meanwhile.]

What do you think about Ema's theory about the superheroes, then? It didn't fly with the group but, I noticed you two talking a lot at the trial. Did she tell you anything else interesting?

[exfired]

[he blinks a little at that and scratches at his cheek as if thinking] Ehh... not really? She was pretty gung-ho about Hibiki for some reason, an' she got a bit insecure about the whole people lookin' to her for answers--basic kid stuff.

But the whole superhero shtick might have its merits. Spy-wise, you're prolly looking for someone with pretty good morals, to go for a devil-type an' a murderous type right off the bat when a few of us were out there painting targets on our backs.

[punchestumors]

Yeah... Ryougi was really quiet. I can't imagine there was much strategy behind that choice. Unless framing the justice types is their strategy. Maybe they ran with her theory.

Then again, if you think about it, the legal types would also fit that profile, which they conveniently didn't acknowledge...

[exfired]

Most of the kids here don't seem much for the long-haul planning, but it seems pretty suspicious that they'd keep up a pattern that was pointed out after the one bit. I mentioned it last night, an' framing someone else in this kinda crowd'd be easy, but: there's no guarantee that's what's happening either way. We'll prolly have to put off voting for another night, which really ain't my favorite plan.

[punchestumors]

No, not mine either. It really stinks!

[Leorio sighs. These early rounds, it really feels like there's nothing you can do. Still... he contemplates the cards in his hand, and squints back up over them.]

.... But, what if I told you it was more likely than you think?

[exfired]

[axel pauses from his own card observing to stare at Leorio with, appropriately, a poker-face]

...I'm listening. What've you got?

[punchestumors]

[Leorio's poker face is ... not very good, and he knows it. So he's just going to come out and be honest, setting his cards down for a second (but face down, he's not that cheesy.) He speaks, then, a bit flat voiced.]

... Detective results.

[He takes a breath. When he speaks again, he's a little more excited.]

Last night, I looked at Tsuruya, Hisoka, and Skye - out of those three, I got spy, and detective. The first bunch I looked at was you, Meryl Stryfe, and Wirt - all villagers. If I run one of them against two of you as a sort of litmus test, I think I have damn good odds of bagging us a spy detective!

[but this is a huge claim, he realizes, so he's just going to try to explain a bit more...]

I didn't want to tell anyone my identity until I'd actually found a spy. But if it is Skye... she's already getting a bunch of people in her pocket to start with. I don't want her leading us around by the nose in the next trial. But I want the spies to think I'm just kind of a loud useless jackass? ...So I'm REALLY hoping it wasn't actually Hisoka, but anyway, this is ridiculous luck so I decided I need at least one co-conspirator today. I figured you would be the right choice if anyone. Wirt's already tight with Skye, which could be tough for me, and I haven't seen Stryfe around.

[exfired]

[Axel stays quiet for a little bit before he bursts out into laughter. after a few seconds, he stops, though the smile on his face is a bit smug]

Y'know, that's the second time today I get a conversation like this.

[yes, he is saying what you think he's saying. YOU GUYS ARE SO GODDAMN LUCKY AXEL ISN'T A SPY, JESUS CHRIST]

[punchestumors]

[To be met with laughter stuns him momentarily and makes him nervous - at first he thinks Axel doesn't believe him, which might still be true. But that's kind of an amazing coincidence. He sits in stunned silence before speaking again.]

....Well shit, I hate to be a broken record. What parts? All of it?

[with the double agent gone it was basically a guarantee that he wasn't a spy, but if axel found the other detective i stg]

[exfired]

A pretty big chunk, honestly. You're a bit off on your guesswork, though, so I think the other one's got one up on you. Little miss detective? Actual game detective, whaddaya know.

[YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP]

[punchestumors]

... Huh.

[It was definitely something he'd considered, that it could just be A Spy and A Detective. Though given the circumstances, that possibility was both exciting and kind of disappointing!]

So, if she told you, that must mean she found a spy herself, right? Though from what you're saying, I'm guessing she looked at the same basic people as me...

[Amazing, if true.]

[exfired]

Actually, she came to me for a co-conspirator herself. Buuut, her possible spy group was Tsuruya, Hibiki and Iori. See anything in common with yours in there?

[yes there is, so axel is just gonna skip ahead]

A-ok confirmed villagers so far, from both of you, are Meryl, Greg, Wirt an' me. With you two, that gives us a total of six, which ain't enough to sway votes yet. But, if we play our cards right an' don't get eliminated in the next few nights, that can change pretty quick.

[punchestumors]

Well, well, well. If two detectives scanned Tsuruya at once, that pretty much confirms it, doesn't it? It'd be great if we could manage to get her out tonight... that'd prove both of us are legit, too. If we can work together starting from this early in the game, that's an enormous advantage.

[Though that's only if it's proven, if you catch his drift from the slight air of doubt in his voice. This is like. Too good to be true. How could this happen??]

[exfired]

[a heck of a lot of luck?? axel hears the doubt though so:]

Yeah, I couldn't believe it myself when you started talkin', but then... Y'know, the only bad luck I can see is that the both of you have got bad poker faces an' Ema practically planted a "kick me" sign on her own back. If you're both pushing for Tsuruya at the same time all of a sudden... I doubt even the kids in this game are that slow. But, with the double-agent kicked out of the game, y'can pretty much start our own villager club. Catch my drift?