[Day 2]

[golden_roulette]

[if Rudolf would come with her, Beatrice would invite him, peacefully enough, back to her dressing room]

Are you enjoying the game, Ushiromiya Rudolf...?

Comments

[gunsgoldgirls]

[All he can do is bark a laugh and shrug his shoulders. He doesn't want to be like Battler and Kinzo, but, at least deep down he knows it's true, they're all alike.]

Figured you might want to knock me off early?

[golden_roulette]

Oh~? Then you step quietly and passively to your own death...? Ahahaha!! Your weakness for women isn't that literal, is it, Ushiromiya Ruuuudolf?

[she'd cackle a bit more, hopefully the walls were thick enough to withstand that.]

I think not. ...You are aware you wield a considerable amount of power at the moment, aren't you?

[gunsgoldgirls]

For someone who acts like she knows a lot about me, you must not see all that much.

[Anyone with self-preservation would not cheat on Kyrie tbh]

You think so? I've only got two votes, it's not that impressive.

[golden_roulette]

I am a witch that has lived for a thousand years. I see and have seen everything that happens on Rokkenjima... it is impossible to hide anything from me.

[but now wasn't the time to show off her entire playbook when a little showmanship would accomplish her purposes]

No. Not that. Perhaps your votes will do you some good against the people selfishly competing for the game... but it is not that power I am interested in.

[gunsgoldgirls]

Then I'm not too sure what other power I've got right now.

[golden_roulette]

You haven't realized...? It is the power any Father has over their offspring. The ability to acquire debt, and then pass it off to your children. "Sins of the father," one might say. Yes, Kinzo was very familiar with that power, indeed. You could say he earned his entire livelihood from that alone.

[she laughs a more subdued cackle at that]

[gunsgoldgirls]

[This was all well and good, until she said that. The moment he hears what seems to suggest abuse of his influence over his children, he bristles.]

Obviously I want to work together with them, but if you think you're going to cut some kind of deal with me to use them, we've got nothing to talk about. My old man's a bastard, and I don't plan to follow in his footsteps when it comes to child-rearing.

[golden_roulette]

Is that so...? Perhaps you'll change your mind when you actually hear more intricately what I have to propose to you.

You may or may not be aware. Ushiromiya Battler and Ushiromiya Ange and I already have an established relationship... one very different from the rest of the family. While I gladly extended an invitation to the Golden Land to all, for their own reasons, both of them refused.

[Although Ange had 'refused' by default when she was left home that fateful few days.]

You and I have interacted many times, but this is the first time I have revealed myself to you in all of my glory Ushiromiya Rudolf. That puts you in a very interesting situation. 'As the Father goes, so goes the Family,' as it is.

My request is this... do nothing that would change their opinion of the Endless, Golden Witch Beatrice.

[gunsgoldgirls]

[That makes him raise his eyebrows and listen, at least.]

What's that supposed to mean? For one, I'm not aware of any established relationship. Second, I'm going to go out on a limb and guess they hate your guts, if anything, so what reason would I have to try to change their opinions? I'm sure you're aware I don't even trust you as far as I could throw you.

[golden_roulette]

Is that so? I suppose they are not so eager to talk your ear off with all the sordid details. Well, no matter.

Are you aware of the contradiction? ...Sometimes to ensure that nothing happens, one must make many actions, indeed.

That is what I may call upon you to do... in the future. --Of course, I am not so delusional that I think I could encourage you to harm your own kin.

[You'd do that on your own, she couldn't help but think.]

[gunsgoldgirls]

So just what are you getting at? As this goes on we might need to work together, so even if we become best friends I shouldn't try to make them like you? You've got to speak more plainly, lady, it all sounds like a riddle. If you've got something to say, you might as well just say it.

[golden_roulette]

Ahahaha! I refuse.

[to the contrary, it was probably better that she let him reach his own conclusions for now]

Though perhaps you could understand it like this? I'll use a metaphor that is easy for you.

Imagine it is the Old American West. ...You're fond of those stories, aren't you? Your son and I both hold six-shooters and stand back-to-back. We've agreed to take ten paces, then turn, draw, and let the bullets fall where they may. We take our first step...

[she waved her hand, gesturing along with 'step']

...Meanwhile, your daughter is yelling from the sideline that it would be faster if Battler would just turn and fire on me while I still have my back to him. ...Perhaps it would, but it's hardly sporting, is it?

[gunsgoldgirls]

Sure, sure, but where do I come into this? You want me to make sure Battler sticks to proper dueling code? He's more likely to do the opposite of whatever I say.

[golden_roulette]

No. Your role is not to even know that there is a duel going on at all.

...But of course, as you say, you may be called upon to acknowledge it. It is even a surprise you weren't already so enlisted. That is fine, but a witch is very picky about how their game is played. Ahahahaha...

Perhaps Battler will talk about the need to cooperate with the witch. Perhaps Ange will talk about how the witch must be opposed at all cost. ...What would you say in response to either of that? Don't say what you think I would want you to say, say what you really would say.

[gunsgoldgirls]

Well it would have to depend on the situation. That I'm willing to talk with you like this is proof enough that I can at least imagine a situation where we might all work together. But at the same time, obviously I'd be more inclined to say you can't be trusted. I can see how it would be beneficial, potentially, but... Well, Ange's probably the smarter one anyway, I'd have to trust her judgement more.

[golden_roulette]

[she nods, that was about what she expected]

And whyyyy... can't I be trusted...?

[gunsgoldgirls]

You really gotta ask that? First of all, if they've already met you and aren't so keen on you, that's reason enough. And that's not to mention the whole...well, everything about "Beatrice".

[golden_roulette]

... [she can't help wincing, but she turns it into a sigh of exasperation as best as she can]

That's the wrong answer. Try again.

[gunsgoldgirls]

Sorry, that's my answer. It's probably not too far-fetched to assume you don't have a lot of love for Kinzo and by extension, his family. So I don't see any reason you would trust me or want to help me. Because of that, you're not trustworthy to me either. Unless you want to refute that assumption. Like I said, I'm not saying there's absolutely no way, but I don't trust anybody much outside Battler and Ange right about now.

[golden_roulette]

[grits her teeth in trying to force down her frustration]

Not like that! Of course you don't trust me! The wrongness is in your answer as to 'why'!

[gunsgoldgirls]

Yeah? Then explain it to me.

1/2

[golden_roulette]

...

[golden_roulette]

You pig-headed fool. Do you need me to tell you what to think, say, feel, and do, every single second?! Very well! I suppose with Kyrie not present, someone must do so!

[she let forth another cackle]

Auhahayahyahyahayaha!!

sorry it turned out to be 1/3

[golden_roulette]

[then she set down into another grimace]

It is too much to ask one such as you to show proper respect... but perhaps something like 'No one who would claim to be a witch is trustworthy' is enough for one such as you. Yes, there you are! That is your reply! Fill in that blank with that answer and you are sure to get a perfect score! A perfect cheat sheet for you!

Do you have any objectiiiions? Anything at aaaaaall??

[gunsgoldgirls]

See now this is part of it. I don't give a shit if you're a witch or pretending to be one, none of that has anything to do with it. A witch is just as trustworthy as the next person, which is not at all until proven otherwise. It's the way you talk, mood swings and posturing, calling me an idiot for not understanding what the hell it is you even want while giving me no information to work with. Meanwhile from everything I've heard about Beatrice throughout my life, I have to believe that you're either in cahoots with dad or his mortal enemy. Either one sounds pretty bad for me.

[golden_roulette]

...Indeed. Though those positions are hardly mutually exclusive.

[she could work with that, but she forced a frown as if she were still upset]

I see we have nothing more to talk about, then.