Gambit - Night Stalker Chapter 9
Oct. 3rd, 2024 03:13 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shivalriesSeason: Winter
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Location: ES Hallway
(A few minutes later, in a corridor at ES)
Leo: ......
Ritsu: All done talking?
You sure took your sweet time. I was starting to get sleepy.
Leo: Sorry about that. Suo~ up and said he wanted to play a chess match, so I ended up burning time playing along with him.
Ritsu: You'd never expect Su~chan to like playing little games like that, but he does. He's kinda socially challenged—I bet he wouldn't know what to do with himself if he didn't play a game while talking or something.
Well, maybe not—while you're playing a game with someone, you're connected to them in a way. Maybe his past experiences with that made him think to bring something as heavy as a chessboard to your meeting.
He really didn't know what to say to you, huh, Tsukipi~.
He probably has no idea what we're thinking right now, after all. He didn't know where to begin, so he relied on a tool to help.
Leo: I totally thought he'd drown me in curses like usual. I mean, from his point of view, we're complete traitors.
I was bracing myself for a tirade, so I might've been a little mean to him.
Ritsu: Oh no, Tsukipi~, how could you? Su-chan was gonna cry~♪ Did you pick up Secchan's hobby of picking on his juniors?
Well, unlike Secchan, you actually do kinda care what other people think about you—it's so Tsukipi~ to turn soft at the very last moment.
You're always taking the short end of the stick, Onii-chan...♪
Leo: You too, though. I'm completely at fault for all this, so I was gonna clean it all up myself, and yet you joined me.
Why did you come over to my side?
Ritsu: Isn't it lonely all by yourself, even if you're playing the bad guy?
The least I can do is take the fall with you.
Leo: Oh... Sorry for the trouble, Rittsu.
Ritsu: Yep, you better be. And the worst part about it is my behavior is exactly like what Anija always does. Ugh.
Leo: Wahaha. Rei likes that, doesn't he? Playing the villain and getting cut down and all that.
What is that, some kinda self-harm? Did it make him feel good to taste defeat as part of the Five Eccentrics?
Ritsu: As if I'd know, I'm not Anija. Besides, wouldn't you get that creature's feelings better than me, Tsukipi~? You tend to make the same choices he does.
Though, ever since I got on my own "Onii-chan" business in Knights, I might've started to understand what that thing is thinking.
My guess is that Anija wants to be validated for what he thinks is right.
Thinking something is wrong, yet everyone around him says, "oh no, that's actually right" got him confused—
He wants somebody to come in and tell him he's wrong and that they'll set him back on the right path.
Leo: D'you think Suo~ can fill that role for us?
Ritsu: Why not? Secchan and Nacchan are with him, and he's always been right... ♪
Ohji: Excuse me, have you finished your talk?
Leo: ......
Ohji: If so, please start preparing for tomorrow.
I can tell you're plotting something... but remember, right now you're members of King Slayer.
If you're going to hold back, don't be surprised when I boot you off the stage.
Ritsu: Oooh, cheeky ♪ Whaddaya think, Tsukipi~? Shall we show this stupid brat the correct way to talk to his seniors?
Leo: Nah... I can understand why he has an issue with us.
If a kid's struggling, you don't curse at them and tell them they're wrong—you should give them a gentle pat on the head.
Ohji: ...I don't need your pity.
I only want one thing from you: atonement.
Criminals must be punished. Is that not what justice means?
The duties I've assigned you are your penal labor, punishment for your crimes.
And for your information: betraying your former allies and joining our forces doesn't mean I'll forgive you.
You're simply next in line for execution.
Maybe you've delayed your turn by selling out your allies, but you're all going to the same place: an empty, inescapable nothingness.
You threw someone I love into that abyss, and I will make sure you join them. You've only postponed your reckoning for as long as you're useful to us.
Ritsu: ......
Ohji: Now, let us go for the kill. Public execution is an idle amusement for commoners.
We shall cut the head from the King's neck, and celebrate the dawn of a new era.
---
< Night Stalker Chapter 8 || Masterlist || Night Stalker Chapter 10 >
---
Location: ES Hallway
(A few minutes later, in a corridor at ES)
Leo: ......
Ritsu: All done talking?
You sure took your sweet time. I was starting to get sleepy.
Leo: Sorry about that. Suo~ up and said he wanted to play a chess match, so I ended up burning time playing along with him.
Ritsu: You'd never expect Su~chan to like playing little games like that, but he does. He's kinda socially challenged—I bet he wouldn't know what to do with himself if he didn't play a game while talking or something.
Well, maybe not—while you're playing a game with someone, you're connected to them in a way. Maybe his past experiences with that made him think to bring something as heavy as a chessboard to your meeting.
He really didn't know what to say to you, huh, Tsukipi~.
He probably has no idea what we're thinking right now, after all. He didn't know where to begin, so he relied on a tool to help.
Leo: I totally thought he'd drown me in curses like usual. I mean, from his point of view, we're complete traitors.
I was bracing myself for a tirade, so I might've been a little mean to him.
Ritsu: Oh no, Tsukipi~, how could you? Su-chan was gonna cry~♪ Did you pick up Secchan's hobby of picking on his juniors?
Well, unlike Secchan, you actually do kinda care what other people think about you—it's so Tsukipi~ to turn soft at the very last moment.
You're always taking the short end of the stick, Onii-chan...♪
Leo: You too, though. I'm completely at fault for all this, so I was gonna clean it all up myself, and yet you joined me.
Why did you come over to my side?
Ritsu: Isn't it lonely all by yourself, even if you're playing the bad guy?
The least I can do is take the fall with you.
Leo: Oh... Sorry for the trouble, Rittsu.
Ritsu: Yep, you better be. And the worst part about it is my behavior is exactly like what Anija always does. Ugh.
Leo: Wahaha. Rei likes that, doesn't he? Playing the villain and getting cut down and all that.
What is that, some kinda self-harm? Did it make him feel good to taste defeat as part of the Five Eccentrics?
Ritsu: As if I'd know, I'm not Anija. Besides, wouldn't you get that creature's feelings better than me, Tsukipi~? You tend to make the same choices he does.
Though, ever since I got on my own "Onii-chan" business in Knights, I might've started to understand what that thing is thinking.
My guess is that Anija wants to be validated for what he thinks is right.
Thinking something is wrong, yet everyone around him says, "oh no, that's actually right" got him confused—
He wants somebody to come in and tell him he's wrong and that they'll set him back on the right path.
Leo: D'you think Suo~ can fill that role for us?
Ritsu: Why not? Secchan and Nacchan are with him, and he's always been right... ♪
Ohji: Excuse me, have you finished your talk?
Leo: ......
Ohji: If so, please start preparing for tomorrow.
I can tell you're plotting something... but remember, right now you're members of King Slayer.
If you're going to hold back, don't be surprised when I boot you off the stage.
Ritsu: Oooh, cheeky ♪ Whaddaya think, Tsukipi~? Shall we show this stupid brat the correct way to talk to his seniors?
Leo: Nah... I can understand why he has an issue with us.
If a kid's struggling, you don't curse at them and tell them they're wrong—you should give them a gentle pat on the head.
Ohji: ...I don't need your pity.
I only want one thing from you: atonement.
Criminals must be punished. Is that not what justice means?
The duties I've assigned you are your penal labor, punishment for your crimes.
And for your information: betraying your former allies and joining our forces doesn't mean I'll forgive you.
You're simply next in line for execution.
Maybe you've delayed your turn by selling out your allies, but you're all going to the same place: an empty, inescapable nothingness.
You threw someone I love into that abyss, and I will make sure you join them. You've only postponed your reckoning for as long as you're useful to us.
Ritsu: ......
Ohji: Now, let us go for the kill. Public execution is an idle amusement for commoners.
We shall cut the head from the King's neck, and celebrate the dawn of a new era.
---
< Night Stalker Chapter 8 || Masterlist || Night Stalker Chapter 10 >
