[Day 8] Erika and Dazai Osamu

[very_good_end]

[assuming he'd come with her, Erika would take Dazai back to her dressing room and shut the door.]

Dazai-san.

Thank you for agreeing to meeting me like this.

I have a rather big favor I'd like to ask of you.

Comments

[cw_suicide]

It must be a pretty big favor to break from the "not meeting with people privately" stance you had a few days ago.

[very_good_end]

Oh, that? That condition placed on me has been rescinded. I've met with a number of people privately since then.

... It's the matter of the 'double vote,' Dazai-san.

It goes without saying that Kay Faraday is the one who will be voted away safely.

It also goes without saying that when it comes to the person who will be killed, it will likely be the person posing as Bobby Fulbright.

That puts me in a bit of a predicament. Do you know why?

[cw_suicide]

Could it be that you have been working with the so-called Bobby Fullbright?

[very_good_end]

What? Of course not. I was the one who uncovered the vital clue that exposed him for the fiend he is.

Why would you think I'm working with him?

[cw_suicide]

I didn't. I was just eliminating possibilities. No one's asked me to a private talk like this, so I'm understandably a bit on edge.

... but basically, this means that you're down another murderer. Which means that it only gets harder from here, is that it?

[very_good_end]

There's 'eliminating possibilities,' and then there's letting your thoughts run away with you. --Really, Dazai-san. If anyone compared the two of us, they would say I have more to fear of you than you do of me.

But, no. The problem is this:

I'm the detective. I can't be the culprit.

Therefore, it's impossible for me to put a vote on anyone who is not voted to the safety of the hotel. To do otherwise would be to become a murderer, which would violate the reality of me not being a culprit.

However... everyone is being forced to put forth two votes. That puts an undeniable pressure on me. I had thought perhaps we would be able to achieve a unanimous double vote and therefore two going safely to the hotel, but that sort of wishful thinking was short lived.

In other words, I'm going to be forced to place a vote on someone who isn't Kay Faraday. A vote for someone else is 'attempted murder' certainly. This is putting me on the same level as if I had committed murder with the vote.

But...

I remembered a certain other-sort of detective who talked about his dreams of a peaceful suicide.

I start thinking, perhaps if I place this double vote on Dazai-san, that is not attempted murder, it is just... how do you say it? 'Helping him achieve his dreams'?

[she sighs]

I do not think it likely you will rank second place. Especially with the departure of Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald, no one will have reason to vote you.

Therefore, I would like your permission to cast my second vote on you... not that I want you gone, far from it, but it is very important I distance myself from any culpability of murder.

Your thoughts?

[cw_suicide]

[he's quiet for a moment as he considers things.]

... I have no objections to that scenario, though I'd rather hear what the voting plan is going to be one hundred percent before I give my complete consent.

[very_good_end]

Oh, that? I think it's safe to say that the 'Bobby Fulbright hostage' is a complete bluff.

There's simply no place a 'hostage' could be reasonably held. Not to mention the concept of a person breaking in from outside completely violates everything set up about how the game works. As well as that it's a completely nonsensical action to intrude on this game.

I'll be very surprised if the plan doesn't become 'Vote Kay Faraday and Bobby Fulbright, with a few people placing meaningless votes somewhere else to ensure Bobby Fulbright cannot escape the second rank.'

Of course, please take all the time you need. I won't place it unless I have your direct consent.

[cw_suicide]

Oh, I see it turning out that way as well, but things can change drastically, so I'd like to give it some time to play out.

Beyond that, two questions.

[very_good_end]

Oh? Questions for moi? Absolutely. What would you like to know?

[cw_suicide]

First: "not that I want you gone, far from it"--why is that?

[very_good_end]

[she blinks] Isn't it obvious? I think we have a rather good rapport. That, and you've established yourself to be reliable... at least when it comes to votes.

[cw_suicide]

And second: so that means you're asking me this privately because you're concerned others might have a similar idea?

[very_good_end]

That's a question that needs a multifaceted response.

First, I think it obvious that if anyone is going to be voted out from a deviation to the plan, it's going to be me. I have a list of at least four persons who I believe would vote for me, regardless of if it was to safety or not. Perhaps the plan will become 'those who don't vote for the so-called Bobby Fulbright will vote themselves'? In which case, myself putting a vote on myself would become a dangerous prospect. Of course, as the detective, I can't die, but it should not even be a source of tension.

Second, certain persons would very much like to imagine me as some sort of ogre. That I would secretly conspire to orchestrate the deaths of others, or some such thing. If I talked with you openly about "Oh, Dazai-san, can't I put a vote on you that might kill you since you said you might like to commit suicide?" they might jump to some conclusion to satisfy their emotional states.

...It protects you as well. I can't eliminate the possibility an unscrupulous person or persons would jump on the chance to have you voted out if they knew one vote was guaranteed to be placed on you.

[cw_suicide]

That last part was unnecessary if you're actually going to think of it as assisted suicide if something should go wrong.

But that does clear up a few things.

[very_good_end]

It won't go wrong. There won't be a death, so it won't be an assisted suicide. But neither will it be an attempted murder.

[cw_suicide]

Since you did ask my permission and everything. How sweet. I'd almost think Furudo-meitantei were courting me with such an offer. Alas, for she is too young for even someone as delinquent as I.

[very_good_end]

[she laughs] I'm not that young, monsieur. That being said, no, this is not some courting ritual. You are an associate with whom I share my reasoning and observations, nothing more.