week 4 - undine - saturday, post-trial

[completelycrazy]

[Undine can find Newt in the Center St. Entrance, sitting on a busted vending machine with his head in his hands. If he notices her approach, he doesn't show it.]

Comments

[alchemicalwater]

It's worth it to me. Even if he was a reaper, everyone deserves closure.

[It's the same thing she said about Ranpo, even.]

Even if nothing happens because of it, just knowing is enough.

[completelycrazy]

How? How is that enough? How can you know something like that and just... I don't know, file it away? Life and death, these things don't come with neutral territory attached.

[alchemicalwater]

I told you before: I save everyone. Everyone.

Because even a person who tortured and murdered a man isn't beyond saving.

[completelycrazy]

[Newt is silent for a long time. His eyes drop and he licks his lips.]

I didn't torture him.

[alchemicalwater]

[Honestly at this point she's not so surprised. At the trial she had been, when Monika had suggested it, but now she's had time for it to sink in. And she's just sad.]

Why cut off his fingers? And the drugs?

[She's not being judgmental here, she honestly wants to understand why.]

[completelycrazy]

His psych. His item was his, um, his ring. I couldn't get it off of him.

[...]

I thought I could get more information. To, I don't know, win the game, I guess. Save everybody. [He laughs. It sounds so stupid now.] I knew he was a Reaper.

[He's quiet for another moment, trying to stop himself from crying again but he's been holding everything back all day. He's too tired. He's breaking.]

I don't... I-I thought I was helping. You have to believe that, okay?

[alchemicalwater]

[...oh.

Oh no.]

...I believe you.

[She does. She does because this is Newt not any of the other half-dozen people she is honestly afraid will kill everyone in this game. He's a goofy scientist who wants to be cool and has a weird relationship with the other scientist. He listened to her fears and told her how to use her mostly-useless powers to protect herself.

He's not a bad person.

She has to believe that he had good intentions.]

I believe you wanted to help, even if it got out of hand. Even if...

[Someone died for it.

And I guess this is the part where sharing happens because she wants Newt to believe that she will keep this secret. She would regardless, but she wants him to KNOW the secret is safe with her.]

...I was doing the same thing too, you know. I was trying to help someone else, and things got out of hand really fast.

[completelycrazy]

[He swallows hard and takes a moment to pull himself together. What she's saying doesn't really click with him, not right away.]

Th-thanks. Um. What do you mean? [He pulls his glasses off and tucks them into his jacket pocket so that he can wipe his eyes on his sleeve.] Like someone from back home?

[He's not putting the pieces together. His brain is fried, and... Well. This is Undine.]

[alchemicalwater]

No, it's-

[She cuts herself off abruptly there and shakes her head. He and Hermann probably talk a lot anyway, so Hermann can fill Newt in later.]

Nevermind.

More importantly, don't worry. I'm not going to tell anyone.

[He trusted her with this, and she's not going to break that trust. Not when he clearly feels remorseful about it.]

Just...learn from this. And be sure not to do it again.

[completelycrazy]

[YES HE AND HERMANN DO TALK A LOT. FUTURE NEWT WILL LOOK BACK ON THIS CONVERSATION AND FEEL LIKE AN IDIOT.

For now, though, blissfully unaware Newt just frowns at her, a bit confused.]

...Okay. I, um, well. I trust you. And whatever you did, I'm sure you had a good reason. [He lets out a hollow laugh.] It's not like I'm in a position to judge anyway, right?

[He sniffs. As horrible as this is, it's a relief to tell the truth after lying point blank to people that genuinely believed in him all trial.]

I won't be doing it again, I swear. Once was too many times already. [A beat.] I'm sorry I lied to you. At the trial. I had to, but...

[He laid it on really thick in that last hour or so. Some of the shit he said to get people to believe him... God.]

[alchemicalwater]

Even though I thought I had a good reason, I'm sure there's people who would say otherwise. But all we can do is learn from our mistakes and try to do better next time.

And I don't hold the lying against you, by the way. You had to, or else you would have been voted for.

[She lied a lot at that trial too, to cover her steps. The hair thing is what nearly got her tbh]