1 ♔ butterflies exist, prove me wrong

[bitchcrafts.livejournal.com]

[ Pretend this post takes place just as it's turning night! Man, it's beautiful out, isn't it? Especially since the island's decorated the path you're walking through with hundreds upon hundreds of glowing, golden butterflies.

...

Who, if you're paying attention, seem to be following you. Or just happen to be going the same direction as you. Which is it? ]

[ ooc; People with soul/person sensing abilities will be able to tell the butterflies are in fact a person! Otherwise, enjoy your general eerie feeling. Beato'll take on her usual appearance in the thread eventually. ]

Comments

[bitchcrafts.livejournal.com]

Indeed. You're smart for a kid, aren't you? But age is worthless. I know that much. Relying on Clarke's mindset would be unhealthy in a place like this, though. It might send you a little too far upstream in a river in Egypt, so to speak.

-- My, and here I'm getting lectured on my laugh, too? Ronove would be annoyed to hear someone's taking up his lines. [ nonetheless, that earns a (slightly more subdued) laugh ] ...Certainly, it's tempting. I could prove myself right away, if I wanted. As I said, I have little patience.

... but you're the first of all I've met this evening to outright deny me. This is something I should take my time with. Be honored. I won't rush to prove my existence. I'll get a better feel for this game board first. Now, do you have a name, or do you introduce yourself to everyone as 'detective'?

[17-going-on-8.livejournal.com]

Such a silly pun isn't befitting someone who should be creative as a magician, neesan.

And yes, the laugh needs some work. I usually hear it from murderers who've lost it or break down after they've been caught by Uncle. [It was disturbing, really.]

Edogawa Conan. I don't usually add the detective, but it's better than being called a critic or a skeptic. There's a bit more to it than that.

[bitchcrafts.livejournal.com]

I already told you, I'm not a magician. It'd be quite the paradox, really, as I don't exist to entertain others.

-- Hmmhmhmhm! I'm afraid getting caught and breaking down doesn't apply to me. Really, I'm used to it being called undignified, but I hardly believe it needs work. Laughter is something you only do for yourself.

I am Beatrice the Golden. I could add a rather long title afterward, but I suppose you'll have none of it, detective.

[17-going-on-8.livejournal.com]

Ah, so it's just the title that's the problem? You just like messing with people then with tricks?

That's why it's worrying when it sounds manic like that. The sound like laughter can say a lot about how the person is.

Actually, I'd prefer if you did give the title.

[bitchcrafts.livejournal.com]

No, the problem is I have a title. You just choose not to use it.

Really? Then I hope you'll learn plenty from mine in the future. I won't miss an opportunity to teach.

If you insist... Beatrice the Golden, Alchemy Counselor of the Ushiromiya House and Golden Witch of a Thousand Years. You can fit 'Witch of Endless' somewhere in there as well.

[17-going-on-8.livejournal.com]

Wouldn't it be insulting to call you something that doesn't exist?

I probably will. Which is why you should be careful that you don't become too manic, Beatrice-neesan.

Quite the title. I'll give you points for details. Not many would think that far ahead.

[bitchcrafts.livejournal.com]

Isn't it even more insulting to deny what I am?

If you insist. But if you tell me something truly funny, I might not be able to resist. Consider that fair warning.

'Think that far ahead'? If I've had a thousand years, I'd say that's more than enough time to be granted something so simple as a title.

[17-going-on-8.livejournal.com]

Maybe, but since witches don't exist, it's not.

Laughing is fine. Just that manic laughter is worrying.

People can't live that long. Especially when they look between a neesan and a obasan. Unless you want to be called Beatrice-obaasan?

[bitchcrafts.livejournal.com]

If I'm here and speaking with you, I must exist, right?

And here I thought it was endearing! Oh well.

-- Hoh! [ behold, the first sign of her looking ruffled and it isn't even over a magic debate yet ] You can drop all the neesans and obaasans. Simply Beatrice is fine-- but yes, I've lived that long. I did say age means little.

[17-going-on-8.livejournal.com]

It just means you're not a witch.

No, not really. The calmer laugh might be, but not that cackle.

If age means little, then Beatrice-obaasan should be fine, right?

[bitchcrafts.livejournal.com]

Or you could use a little broader spectrum of belief.

It's suitable, and that's all that matters to me.

... [ HMPH ] Call me what you will, detective. It doesn't matter to me as long as I eventually get you to call me a witch as well.

[17-going-on-8.livejournal.com]

I have my spectrum of belief as wide as it needs to be, to not let my eyes be deceived.

All it really suits is your story, if you want to say the witch's cackle from TV shows and the like is how they would all be, if they existed.

[Smirks.] I will never believe a story like that.

[bitchcrafts.livejournal.com]

Ahaha! Perhaps you've got more in common with that crafty Battler than I cared to acknowledge.

Witches are as varied as humans. We don't all share the same laugh, and what you see on TV is merely what humans perceive us as.

[ smirks right back ] Now, if only you could repeat it in red, then I would believe you without question. However, the words of humans are ever-changing. Sometimes, they're easily swayed, and sometimes, they aren't. Promise me, alriiiight? Promise me you'll try to deny every trick I show you and write it off with human methods. That way, when I get you to believe, it'll be a most worthy victory.

[17-going-on-8.livejournal.com]

Would he be your other skeptic?

Then that laugh would not suit you at all if your story was true, unless witches were all the same and matched human perceptions.

I'm afraid I don't have a projector, Beatrice-obaasan. But it's not something I need to promise, because it's fact. There is only one truth in the world, and I won't acknowledge anything less in any deduction I make.

[bitchcrafts.livejournal.com]

My opponent, actually.

-- Now, now. Just because one thing lines up with how you view us doesn't mean the rest does! I can't simply be defined by a laugh.

Good! If that's your belief, I'll accept it. After all, all it will do is lead you to the truth of what I am. How can I complain about a method that will lead to you acknowledging me? [ cackle! ]

[17-going-on-8.livejournal.com]

Opponent? A game, then? Or a rivalry?

Any other person suited to that sort of laugh isn't very flattering, neesan.

It's the reason why I won't acknowledge you as a witch.

[bitchcrafts.livejournal.com]

My opponent on the game board of Rokkenjima. Tell me, as a detective, does that name ring any bells?

A laugh isn't done to flatter oneself. It's done because it's enjoyable.

You'll only acknowledge the one truth, right? The one truth is that I'm a witch. Seek out as many other explanations as you wish, and entertain me with your theories.

[17-going-on-8.livejournal.com]

Rokkenjima? [He had to think about that.] ...no, not in particular. What sort of game is it?

So it suits your tastes?

Only the one truth. A witch cannot be a part of that. They never have been before and that won't change now.

[bitchcrafts.livejournal.com]

The kind of game you see in newspaper clippings. The kind of game that gets shuffled away in police files until they're forgotten. What year is it? It might shed some light on why you might not know.

Quite. Haven't I been saying that?

An answer I expected. Just remember that you're on a new game board too. The rules haven't just changed for me.

[17-going-on-8.livejournal.com]

[For a moment, he seems to be thinking on that.

And then the smirk is gone, his look more serious. And when he speaks, his voice holds absolutely nothing, but the up most seriousness.]

Then it's not a game you play. The fact you see it as such would say your laugh suits your personality.

Is the scenario of Rokkenjima the one that involves bloodshed?

[bitchcrafts.livejournal.com]

[ just a smile at that ]

Jumping so far ahead, and I only gave you two clues. Perhaps my nature really does give away far too much.

... and really, telling you anything right now would be giving away far too much! I'm sure Battler would sneer at me for gloating about our game board when he's not here to take up his position. Bloodshed? It's easy to see where your mind is going. "I'm a killer who fancies herself as a witch, and whatever happened on Rokkenjima is a 'game' to me." It's much, much more complicated than that.

[17-going-on-8.livejournal.com]

You've given me plenty of clues. The fact I don't know Rokkenjima means the location is small. Yet you think it might be something I've heard of. Which means it's big news, big enough to go beyond the local paper. Yet it's also something that would get lost in a police report.

Then you say it's something of a game. Then it's the question of what crimes are there that can allow for a rivalry, yet be big news?

Theft could be a competition. However, for a small town to get publicity from rampant thefts would only happen if there was some famous thing stolen. But then the competition ends rather quickly. The same for anything drug related, baring perhaps a big bust, but then the game would be over.

When people die though, that always gains attention. And if it's a game, then more than one person died and that would more than likely appear in the newspaper. The fact it's lost in the police reports support that because it means the killer hasn't been caught and that will only gain more attention.

So, even if it's more 'complicated' does your 'game' entail people die?

[bitchcrafts.livejournal.com]

Yes.

[ and after a moment, she continues ] And my opponent's entire goal is to disprove any involvement I had with such a thing.

I would continue, but the more I go on about the nature of the game board, the less likely you are to believe me, and that's if I speak honestly. Why bother? If you've never heard of it, it's unimportant. Perhaps it doesn't even exist in your kakera, detective. If that's the case, why waste my breath...?

[17-going-on-8.livejournal.com]

[Disprove?]

You want to be accused of murder?

[He was more concerned about people dying then pointing out that he's probably just not heard the news yet.]

[bitchcrafts.livejournal.com]

'A witch committed the crimes through magic methods.'

'Humans committed the crimes through elaborate methods that one could pass off as nearly magic.'

Guess which side Battler is trying to prove.