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[kobes]

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@t.laughlin

[holyposition]

We should compare notes.

[kobes]

Yes. We should.
I haven't
I haven't taken any.

I've been sort of
I



It's harder when you know them. [Harder to help. Harder to compartmentalize.]

[holyposition]

Did you?

[ Tim didn't, really. Not this round. He'd met Rhaenyra, and spoke to Alicent about her at length, and so he mourns with her. As he still mourns for Embry, questions this place, questions everything. The only way to keep himself from going crazy is to run head-first into this, devote his energy to his friend, let his loyalty extend towards her son. ]

I'm sorry. This is all so...
It's so fucked up.

I don't know what to do other than investigate. I think I have some leads. Mostly about Jacaerys, the only one with any evidence.

[kobes]

Erik. He and I

[What? Had a heated entanglement at a party? Koby knows that a true sailor would be careless, carefree about that, would consider it a nice memory and move on. But Koby is Koby, and his heart is tender and easy to nestle into, especially if you're kind to him. He'll remember you forever.]

It is. I have some ideas, but they're all sort of swimming around.
There are a few popular suspects, but there are arguments for and against. I can talk myself into or out of so many theories.

Tell me. Quentin isn't letting me out of his sight, and I'm glad for it, but I can investigate via messages.

[holyposition]

Oh, God

I completely forgot
I’m so
Sorry. I’ll light a candle for him tonight.

It’s been a long few days.

The doctors said two things about Jacaerys - that there was no sign of a struggle, despite having been drowned, which is not an instant death and so there SHOULD be a struggle, and that they found a long blond hair on him.

So, as far as I can figure, there are three possibilities.
1) it was someone that he trusted.
2) he was drugged - his betrothed Baela doesn't believe this is likely because he was meant to meet her after the party rather than linger, but he could have been drugged forcefully.
or 3) some kind of magic.

And so, three potential culprits, at least that I can think of.

1) Daemon. Which sounds completely insane, but he IS completely insane. He murdered his first wife, he’s murdered children, he’s sent assassins at night to target people in their beds. Rhaenyra and Jacaerys both have a claim to the throne he wants. He has motive, ability, is sick in the head, Jacaerys wouldn’t have suspected him, and he has long blond hair. That he can make it look easy to accuse Aemond, all the better for him.

2) Lestat. He likes younger brunettes. Parisa was drained of every drop of blood, so one of the vampires has to be involved and he’s the only blond one. And they have the power to calm people, which would explain the lack of struggle.

3) Alia. Power of mind control, she could force somebody to walk right into the lake and they wouldn’t have a choice. She’s been good to me so I don’t want to accuse her unless I’m completely sure, but she’s very nonchalant about her history of murder, and would have the easiest time of it out of anyone.

[kobes]

We danced, at the party. The night of.
I'd never danced with anyone before.

[Yes, he's spiraling a little bit, when he thinks about that too hard. But he notes down the names, the theories.]

I think the magic is likely. I fell asleep right at midnight and you know I never sleep well alone, but nothing roused me until six. So it stands to reason that this is the fault of the house.
I did some reading too, on the game of Werewolf -- it's a party game, and there are multiple roles besides the wolf. Some of the Straw Hats are other roles, so they can't be wolves -- you only get one.
If any of your list got another text, another role, that's their alibi.

I think of that list, Daemon is the most dangerous. He doesn't have Rhaenyra to keep him in check anymore, whereas Lestat has Louis and the other vampires from his world, and Alia has a brother, I think? We need to be strategic about who is going to have the fewest people watching them and remove that threat.

The crew and I think Alexei is the most likely of the vampires, and the most dangerous. Do you know anything about his world? It's monstrous. Humans are livestock, there.

[holyposition]

Anyone could lie and say they received a role.

All eyes are on everyone, Koby. It's getting crazy out there.

So I've heard. I've talked to him a little. He says he only drinks from the willing, but so do the rest of them.

[kobes]

They wouldn't lie to me. That at least I can trust.

I know. I know, it's terrible. I've never
I didn't think it would be this way. Trying to find justice.
I didn't think it would be easy, but -- simpler, maybe?

Nobody's willing if they're enslaved. That's his view of humans, that has to make some sort of difference.

[holyposition]

I don't mean your crew, I mean. Well, those people I listed. Or Alexei, or any other suspects.

...did you get one?

That's horrible, but...I need to focus on the one with evidence. Jacaerys. For Alicent.

[kobes]

No, you're right. Short of confiscating everyone's phones, we can't know for sure.

[Pause while he actually considers that -- his totalitarian government roots are showing.]

No. I'm just another potential victim, I guess.

There's enough of us, we should be able to divide and address at least two of the culprits. It's not perfect, but it'll have to be enough.

i must have deleted on accident cuz i got notifs on for everything oopsie

[holyposition]

I don't think that's a good idea. The game isn't built to get all the wolves in one round, and in the meantime, they'll go for the helper roles.

If not two real culprits, then a crazy person who thinks he's the devil, apparently. Fine.

[ let's timeskip to the end of the night, yippee. ]

Are you guys okay?

ALL GOOD 2many notifs

[kobes]

[After everything, after Koby's cried and thrown up and cried some more and talked to everyone a billion times:]

I think I'm going to need you to define "okay" in this context.
We're physically unharmed and locked in our room?

[holyposition]

that's...fair.

i don't think we have much time before this starts again. try to get some rest.

I can keep them from retaliating against Quentin. But if we get together again, it might be better if he doesn't come.

[kobes]

Probably not, no. Be sure to eat something, too. And drink something.

I'm not leaving him, Tim. I'll tell you what I know, as I find it out, but I'm not leaving his side until this is over.

[holyposition]

Good.

You shouldn't. Neither of you should. I'll share what I know too, okay? I trust you both completely.

[kobes]

You and Hawk. And tell Alicent again -- I told her, but it's entirely possible she's forgotten.

I know. But if [A beat.] something happens to either or both of us, I'll be keeping notes of everything. I'll leave them where you can find some.
As soon as I figure out how to wear my glasses over my mask.

[holyposition]

I will.

Nothing will happen to you. Besides the...irreparable emotional damage this inflicts on all of us.

I asked the library if it can do something about that. I'll let you know when I get an answer for that, too.

[kobes]

In a way it supports the theory that this place feeds on us. Our energy. Maybe we were too happy and it wanted to spice things up with misery instead.

I'm sorry, that's so grim. I'm not thinking straight.

...clearly, because I was about to turn my glasses into monocles. I didn't even THINK about the library. [That's how you know things are fucked up.]

[holyposition]

Feeding on us to what end?

I'm wearing mine on a string and putting them to my face when I really need them. It's not perfect and I look like my grandmother, but it's good enough for now.

[kobes]

I don't know. Survival, maybe? Or they're building towards something. I haven't decided.




That's the first time I've laughed all week, Tim.
Thank you.

[holyposition]

Hawk won't think I'm sexy anymore if I look like an old man, help :(

[kobes]

Stopppp that I'll wake q
Quentin up!

You're already an old man to me 😌 Twenties already, amazing...

[holyposition]

What does that make him? Elderly? He won't wake up, he's so old he's probably deaf.

[kobes]

That's completely different! He's a SAILOR!

[holyposition]

Sailors age quickly. Too much time in the sun.