Week 3, Saturday Night

[zackthekiller]

[Zack dragged his sister's crystalized head back to his room and stayed there all night.

If King walks close enough, he can hear... Well, nothing really. Zack's being pretty quiet tonight. Wanna talk to him?]

Comments

[unwittingking]

[Yeah, he was expecting that kind of reaction.

He holds up a paper.]

Eliza wanted you to hear this. I promised that you would.

[Will he open the door a little more?]

CW: Violence against dolls.

[zackthekiller]

[Well, if it's for Eliza...

He does. As you get a better look in the room, please ignore the concerned Pokemon huddling near Eliza's head, the body pillow shoved in the corner of the bed, and the knife lodged into the chest of a very beat up life size doll.]

... What does it say?

[unwittingking]

[…he...kind of wants to ask, but he'll save that for later.

To answer the question, King just looks down and reads the letter aloud. His voice is steady through all of it, at the cost being a bit hollow.

It's what happens when you have to read a dead girl's words to her older brother, he guesses.]

[zackthekiller]

[Zack leans against the door, listening to the letter being read. It's... Surreal. Getting to hear someone's words post-mortem. The last he got a letter from her after death, they were being sent to them from the afterlife. This, though... This is something else.

"You've been a great big brother. I feel safe around you, no matter what some other people may think. Don't let their insults get you down-no matter what, you're the one I trust the most in this place."

Well... That's wonderful to hear. But what did she mean by that? He can take a few insults... Right?

Then there's that last part. "And don't kill anyone-it's not like there's anyone here for you to safely get revenge on."

If he shouldn't kill, then the what the hell should he do about this crap?]

I... [No, shut up Zack. You have no idea if your sister's haunting the train or whatever. No point in weirding out the dog.

He just... Focuses on the other bit. Not the Pokemon bit, he already got that down.]

... She wants me to look out for... The kid with the glass hands, right?

[unwittingking]

Yup. Glass hands, blue hair...

[He pulls back the letter he read, revealing that it's above another paper. He scans it yet again, before letting out a small, concerned sigh.]

And a couple other people willing to help with watching over him.

[The kid pretty much set off everyone's radar, apparently. Himself, Caleb, Eliza, Ris…he doesn't blame anyone, the kid just seems to do and say concerning things regularly.]

[zackthekiller]

[A smirk tugs at one side of his lips.] Heh! Yeah, considering that guy I ain't that shocked.

[... The smirk fades.]

But why me...? I mean- I can kind of guess why, but I dunno if I'm cut out for that sorta thing.

[unwittingking]

[He thinks for a second.]

Best guess? You'd be able to physically stop him from doing any more stupid things. Ris and I are on the smaller and weaker side of things, and I'm not sure Caleb's really that strong. She...probably trusts you to keep him from shattering his hands again.

[You seem like the strongest person on the train to him, anyway.]

[zackthekiller]

[He may be...]

... Sure, but what if I wind up breaking them instead? I'm not that perfect, ya know.

[More like a bull in a china shop, especially when he's having one of his moments.]

[unwittingking]

Well...maybe she trusts you to...be a bit more gentle. Or you could do what I do and try to grab him by the wrist instead of the hand.

No one said you had to be perfect, though.

[But so long as you don't say something horribly rude or purposely break his hands, he's pretty sure Zack should be in the clear.]

[zackthekiller]

[... Well. Eliza did trust him enough for that...]

... Thanks.

[unwittingking]

It's no problem.

[It really isn't to him. Considering what happened...he feels like they deserve more than this.]

I...I know it probably won't make you feel much better, but...I am sorry that...it had to play out the way it did.

[zackthekiller]

[Zack grimaces at that comment.]

Ergh... Why are you apologizing? Ya didn't tell her to kill anyone, did ya?

[unwittingking]

No, of course not.

[If he'd known what she was planning, he would've done something to stop her. He's not sure what he would've tried, but he'd have to do something.]

It's more like...I wish we could've saved her.

[He's not looking Zack in the eyes when saying that. The he's keeping his eyes trained on the floor.]

[zackthekiller]

[Zack wouldn't have figured it out earlier. Even if she did show up covered in blood, he wouldn't have held it against her. Knowing how she felt about the extended family he suddenly was part of, her motives were a lot better than his reasons for racking up a body count over a good chunk of his life.

Losing her after all of that... That hurt the most.]

Me too, pal... Me too...

[Sigh...]

[unwittingking]

[King still feels terrible. He's tried his best to help the situation, even voting incorrectly, just so there could be a family that wasn't torn apart. But...it wasn't enough, and either way people would've gotten hurt.

He starts to step away, but continues talking.]

I'll...stop wasting your time now and just go to my own room, but...if you think you need my help for something-anything at all-feel free to get me.

[He knows it's unlikely, but he feels like he should at least offer some help. The guy has been through enough as it is. He should get some help through this thing as well.]

[zackthekiller]

[... Whelp. Somehow he kind of expected that response. Kind of.]

Got it... Bye.

[He closes the door and heads back to bed.]