week 1, monday

[seaclipsed]

[ katara had been gathering up fruit near the edge of the jungle in the morning. it's a little tricky, considering she's not entirely sure of what items aren't safe to eat, but she figures she'll manage somehow.

it's while she's walking back to her hut with the goods that she spots lelouch. she remembers talking to him after they arrived, and also his, you know, profile. ]

... Hey. Lelouch?

Comments

[seaclipsed]

I was wondering about your profile.

[ it's best to get straight to the point. but there are a lot of... well, things, on his, so she'll go with the simplest question then. ]

You're an emperor?

[chessking]

[ ... goddamnit.

he should have known this was going to happen, that's why he specifically held off from identifying himself as royalty. although, based on what he's overheard, there's a few other royals in this group, too. ]

Yes. [ NO POINT IN HIDING IT NOW. ] 99th Emperor of the Holy Britannian Empire.

Why, are you surprised?

[seaclipsed]

It make sense why they'd kidnap you, at least.

[ she's met royalty before. technically, she's here with one, since zuko is still the prince of the fire nation even if he was banished. ]

But everything else on your profile? Did you actually do all of it?

[chessking]

[ he'll stop. give her a careful, even look, like he's assessing her. he's cautious. paranoid, even, mostly because Lelouch vi Britannia knows better than anyone that trust freely given is dangerous, and he hasn't gotten this far by blindly trusting people.

eventually, he'll ask: ]

What do you think? Is it possible that I did everything on my profile, to the letter?

[ there's a slight hint of a challenge in his tone, daring Katara to give her opinion, to make her judgment. ]

[seaclipsed]

The only way it'll really all make sense, when put together like that, is that you were in some kind of war. It said stuff like... overthrowing the empire, and revolutionary activities. So you probably became the emperor by force?

[ the only reason she's even jumping so quickly to this conclusion is because she's in the middle of her own war that she's trying to end. ]

[chessking]

[ he actually looks mildly surprised at that, although it's a quick flicker that fades back into cool neutrality.

there's a slight pause, and then he nods. he'll give her credit for her deductions by not lying, at least regarding what she's already figured out. ]

Close enough. My father was the previous Emperor.

[seaclipsed]

So you... overthrew him, then?

[ she's quiet after that.

murder isn't a thing she approves of, at all, but she understands that there are circumstances that you cannot avoid. she doesn't know lelouch or where he's from well enough to truly know if his actions were justified. even if it were, she can't really approve of killing that many peopl.

but still, she does understand. ]

[chessking]

[ a raised brow, but there's nothing defensive there. in fact, he looks almost ambivalent about it. ]

And what of it, if I did? A monarch's rule isn't absolute. Even my own rule will come to an end, someday.

[ there's nothing stopping people from declaring a new emperor, now that he's stuck here on murder island. he's not about to give himself false hope, there's a high chance that he won't make it out alive. ]

[seaclipsed]

Anyone would be curious about it, considering the circumstances. A couple of people have things related to murder on their profiles, and people are more likely to suspect them more easily if someone does kill.

[ or when. she really hopes it's not "when," but she knows that they have to be prepared for the possibility that someone will actually go through with it. ]

[chessking]

"If", and not "when"? [ there's a wry smile on his features. ] I'm fairly certain that someone will crack by the end of the week, if not earlier.

[ he folds his arms across his chest, keeping his stance neutral for now. ]

Anyone can be pushed to murder in the right circumstances. I know I'm capable of killing, if push comes to shove. But even I detest the abuse of power that comes with senseless murder, the act of killing for the sake of killing.

[ he narrows his eyes. ]

After all, the only ones who should kill are those who are prepared to be killed.

[seaclipsed]

I don't think it'll be earlier. There's a rule about it.

[ she sounds not very pleased about reciting the rules. ]

I guess the point is to kill people and attempt to get away with it.

[chessking]

Ah, but you have the make the decision and any plans early. The chief said he had to be consulted before a murder takes place, no?

[ casual shrug. he has no particular opinions about reciting the rules, so.

but he'll make a noise that sounds like vague displeasure when Katara mentions about getting away with murder.

that's just. even as Zero, he'd always owned his murders. accepted responsibility for them. but well, if he has to play by the rules of the game..... ]

Two ways. Either you hide your tracks well enough that no one notices, or.

[ ANOTHER DRAMATIC PAUSE. ]

You frame someone.

[seaclipsed]

No way! Framing someone is-- despicable!

[ purposely setting someone up just makes it all so much worse? she doesn't know if hal would get mad if they flat out admit their guilt, but she figures he probably would since it goes against what the game seems to be about.

but. ]

This is all so... stupid!

[chessking]

Is it really? [ his gaze narrows. in all honesty, if the chiefs are gunning for entertainment, right out admitting their guilt probably isn't the way to go. ]

No more despicable than actually killing someone first.

[ can't have one without the other, right? ]

I'm fairly certain you're not the only one with the same sentiments, but not everyone would share them.

[ for the record? he does, he's just more used to playing devil's advocate. ]

[seaclipsed]

I know that... there are some cases where killing is unavoidable.

[ she doesn't sound happy about it, but she's not naive enough to think otherwise. while katara may prefer non-violent means, she isn't as much of a pacifist as the avatar is. ]

If you're going to be that awful, you should own up to it.

[chessking]

Where do you draw the line, Katara?

[ it's quiet. ]

If the only way home was for you to kill someone here, would you do it? Does that count as an unavoidable case?

[ his lips curl slightly, before they're back to being neutral. ish. ]

Would you own up to it?

[seaclipsed]

Whoever you kill would need to go home to. I still have work to do back home, but I'm not actually needed for that work to be finished.

[ she knows her friends would be devastated, but... ]

You shouldn't take a life. But I know there have been instances where if you kill just one person, you could save millions more. [ she frowns, looking down at the floor before returning her gaze to lelouch. ] So you have to decide if there are other ways to stop them or not. If there are, you should take them.

[ but if there aren't... ]

And yes. I would own up to it. Although... would we be allowed to just confess like that? If this is supposed to be a game, then would it be fun for the hosts if everyone just immediately said they did it.