week 5, saturday

[seaclipsed]

[ it's been hours since the trial ended. it's... weird to think about, since it also means the actual game is going to end. the chiefs had originally said two months, but they barely went over a single one.

she's not complaining about that.

after walking around the island, katara finds her way at the bonfire. she's not surprised to see someone there, but she does slow down when she sees who it is. ]

Vriska.

Comments

[hypertoxic]

[ Vriska is curled up in a beach chair drawn up to the fire. She may even seem to be dozing until Katara calls her name, and then it becomes clear she was not asleep; she opens her eyes, glancing over at the girl who called her name. ]

... Katara.

[ A faint smile, and contained within it is five weeks of stress and exhaustion. ]

Still awake?

[seaclipsed]

It's a little difficult to sleep.

[ she feels like she's been saying that repeatedly after every trial at this point. it definitely means something different now though. ]

Why were you so mad at them?

[hypertoxic]

What, like, everybody?

[ ... ]

I had a plan, Katara. I killed Yona in order to frame myself for her murder. That's why my arms are all scratched up. I did that to myself, so there would be undeniable evidence that even the most trusting, loyal idiot couldn't mistake for obvious signs of murder. I was going to finally convince you all to kill me, and end this stupid game once and for all.

And then Jinah goes and slits her wrists! Incredible! And of course that was my fault. Of course it was. And once she died I knew I'd be off limits for the trial! I was just so... upset? That sounds stupid, but I have been working very hard for weeks to finally end this game in a way I could be certain would save everyone's lives. It just felt like a slap in the face to have that thrown back at me so late in the game. I don't know if I was really mad at them so much as I was mad at myself, if I'm honest.

[seaclipsed]

I think that a lot of what happened in the game was just... beyond planning, I guess. [ ... ] I'm just sorry I didn't really get to help much, in the overall picture. Everyone else knew so much more than I did.

[ it's a terrible feeling, like you didn't contribute enough to keep everyone alive. ]

All of that shouldn't have been put on you. Especially... Vriska, you're just a kid.

[hypertoxic]

[ That just gets a long look. ]

To a human, maybe. Trolls are drafted into the Empress's armies when we're the 8 sweeps old. 16, in human years. We grow up in a brutal, violent culture that prizes strength above all else, and the weak are weeded out. I've been killing since I was a little kid. It was just the life I had to lead.

Don't blame how I acted on my age or the pressure I was under. I knew what I was doing.

[seaclipsed]

I'm not blaming how you acted on your age, Vriska. My friend is twelve and he's supposed to do the responsibilities that it took people two or three times his age to accomplish. I'm fighting in a war back home.

That just doesn't make it less sad.

[hypertoxic]

[ Vriska's brow settles low, and she frowns a little, faintly annoyed. Sad? ]

I don't need your pity, either.

[seaclipsed]

Vriska, I'm honestly just talking to you as one kid who has gone through some stuff to another kid who has gone through some stuff.