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requiescat-aria · 4 years ago

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just don't deceive me | Voting End / Testimony | Chapter 4

Rather than a cheering crowd, this time, Jim simply claps his hands a few times to get your collective attention.

“My, what a show! I could watch you lot all day, but despite having all the time in the worlds, we don’t have the time at all, haha! Let’s see how you did.”

At the back of the stage, a projector screen slowly lowers from the rafters, and a tally is projected onto it.

Ronny - 7

Default - 4

Abstain - 2

“If I recall correctly, you had seven votes to correctly abstain last ASSESSMENT, right? Funny how these things work out.”

With a hearty chuckle, Jim motions to something or someone you can’t see stage left. Behind him, the audience begins to murmur with feverish excitement.

“Well, you know what happens next. Everyone loves a good cameo, right? And I’m sure you want to say goodbye.”

You hear the sound of something moving, and suddenly, a platform rises center stage. Jim motions a hand towards the back of the audience, up at the balcony, and suddenly two spot lights illuminate the figure standing on it.

Ken’s eyes blink open, and she glances between each remaining member of the group, quickly looking away when her eyes land on those she held dear and never making it to a sole member of the group. Her fists clench at her sides, and she looks away, shoulders stiff as she begins to speak through gritted teeth.

“Fuckin’ figures, don’t it? ‘S jus’ cosmic justice or whatever ya wanna call it. Equalin’ th’scales, karma, what-fuckin’-ever. Tch. It ain’t hafta lemme get brained a second time, though, did it? Couldn’t it have given me somethin’ a lil more unique? No use beggin’ for somethin’ else when yer murderin’ scum o’th’Earth, though, huh?”

She clicks her tongue and shakes her head, letting out a sad laugh.

“I ain’t even remember doin’ it. When I walked int’th’amphitheater, I knew I was meetin’ up with’er t’say somethin’, but I wasn’t even capable o’rememberin’ what I came t’say. ‘S like when ya walk int’a room t’get somethin’ an’ you can’t remember what ya went in there for. I felt like I should’ve remembered, though. Felt like it was real fuckin’ important that it came back t’me, but...it ain’t never come back. Not in time.”

The entire time that you’ve known her, Kennedy Adams is known to not have been one for getting well and truly angry, but, as you stare at her form, it’s easy to see the emotion leak further and further into every fiber of her body. The last place it reaches is her face. Her head had been tilted down, gaze fixed on the floor. Now, it’s raised, and she’s using every single centimeter of her height to glare down at Veronica Castillo.

“I regretted it, I think, after a few weeks o’bein’ here, when I had th’sense t’cool down an’ think ‘bout it all. That’s what really gets me. That I felt bad fer endin’ th’life of th’person who always and constantly ruined mine without a goddamn care in th’world. Sixteen years o’my life I gave ya on that ice. Ten years o’my life, m’heart was yers t’hold an’ treasure, but I ain’t think I really ever got ten seconds o’yer love. Not really.

Y’took, an’ ya took an’ ya took an’ y’ain’t never give nothin’ back t’me, you fuckin’ bitch. YA TOOK TH’DECISION T’CONFESS AWAY FROM ME!!!”

Her voice booms, and she puts a hand to her chest, breathing heavily. The screaming has clearly relieved her stress somewhat, enough that she is able to look around at the people in the room one last time, eyes softening when they land on certain people. She’s uncertain of whether or not she’s really allowed these moments with them, but they’re the last ones she’s ever going to get, so she...she needs to take them.

[♫♫♫]

She refuses to leave without saying goodbye.

First, she smiles at Aki. It’s small and sad, but she’s clearly trying to replicate the infectious joy she usually put out.

“Aki, yer an amazin’ person an’ an even more amazin’ friend. I’m lucky I was able t’call ya my bestie. Sorry I ain’t gon’ be able t’show ya th’ferris wheel. I promise it’s amazin’. An’ skate fer me. I believe in ya. Jus’ keep tryin’, an’ don’t give up b’fore ya even gave it a shot. You’ll be fine. Remember that I’ll always be yer bestie, even if I ain’t there t’remind ya ‘bout that.”

Next, she looks to Ryuji. The smile is brighter now, but it’s clearly harder to keep up and keep her voice level. It wobbles as she speaks--both the smile and her voice.

“Ryuji, ‘m sorry I ain’t gonna be able t’take up yer guitar lessons. I was really lookin’ forward to’em. Thanks fer bein’ a great roomie an’ a greater friend. I meant it when I said y’were one o’th’best guys I ever met, an’ I enjoyed every single second I got t’spend with ya. I...ya were family. An’ I’ll miss ya. A lot. B-But...But go home for me, okay? Go home an’ be safe an’ see yer brother an’ his fiance get married an’--an’ catch th’bouquet for me!! An’...An’ I believe in ya. Yer feelin’s matter, an’ I’m sure...I’m sure things will work out.”

It’s clear now that she’s avoiding looking at the last two members of her patchwork found family the most. One is out of shame, unable to face her after having such personal things revealed to the world in the worst situation. The other is out of a deep ache. Eventually, she looks to Enji. He said he didn’t care about her and how he didn’t want to find love here because it’s dangerous. He had been acting when he said that, but...she’s not sure it was wholly an act. Unlike her other addresses, she’s not able to keep her tears in her eyes, and they roll down her face.

“....I ain’t wanna leave, Mr. Enomoto--”

She needs to take a moment to compose herself as her tears have become stuck in her throat. She loved Ryuji dearly and with the same intensity, but she latched onto Enji from the moment she met him. Even if he was completely different to how she thought he was, he was still...he still...she still saw herself in him. He still cared for her. He comforted her, gave her advice, humored her, let her hold onto him…

Ken still saw him as a father.

“‘M sorry I gotta go, I ain’t want to, please believe me, D-Dad, I ain’t--I ain’t get t’do anythin’ I said I was gonna do. I wanted t’come an’ visit ya on our roadtrip an’ camp outside o’your apartment or whatever an’ go fishin’ with ya an’ tease ya ‘bout bein’ th’manager o’our band a-an’...Please let those things still happen. I-I ain’t gon’ be able t’see it or hold ya to it or nothin’, but please let them happen. Jus’ ‘cuz I ain’t there don’t mean no one else ain’t gonna be. So...So please. Keep an eye on everyone for me. An’ give Poirot an’ Soseki kisses.”

Her eyes finally fall on Jinghei, and she’s full on sobbing now, unable to even keep up the pretense of staying strong and seeing everyone off with a smile. Even diehard optimists have their moments, and speaking to the woman who she was beginning to want to spend every day with, who she made plans for the future with, who she thought she was destined to meet no matter what happened, well, she thought that was a pretty valid reason to start sobbing.

“I wanted t’show it to ya. I wanted t’show so many things to ya an’ try so many things with ya, find myself with you by my side. Y’made me feel safe. Like it was okay t’not know what was goin’ on. I wish we got more time together an’ not just ‘cuz o’what th’bitch spilled that wasn’t hers t’tell. I loved ya as a best friend b’fore I felt anythin’ else, an’ th’rest came later b’cuz of it. Jinghei, please get out and go home to Mingzhu. Find yerself with’em an’ stay safe. Stay who ya are ‘cuz…’cuz I think yer th’most a-meow-zing woman I’ve ever met. We’ll meet again. We’re destined to, remember? A-An’ ask Ricky t’be let int’th’room I shared with Ryuji. Th-There’s somethin’ in there for ya.”

She laughs pathetically at her ill-timed and out of place joke, but she has one last goodbye to make.

The last person her eyes land on is the person who, before that fateful day, she would say she loved most in the world, the woman she would throw her own desires to the wind for, the woman she would do anything to stay with. Well. Would have. Would have once upon a time.

“Veronica Castillo, y’ruined us in life, and now y’ruined us in death. Th’biggest mistake I ever made was lovin’ you for even a moment.”

With her final declaration made, the spot lights cut out, and Ken is suddenly gone.

The audience roars to life with cheers and the sound of crying.

Jim claps, a pleasant smile on his face.

“What a performance! Now, onto the timeline of events.”

#chapter 4 #plot

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