allmyfriendsaredead | DAZAI CATCH ALL

[She just fixes him with a sad look, holding out a hand for his.]

Before I came here, I was able to keep my head down. I followed orders, even when that meant people died.

[And she hated every moment of it. In some ways, it was no better than the Board of Education, or any of the adults who simply watched as children were taken away to be eliminated.

They were all complicit.]

But right now, I don't think I can afford to do that anymore.

Because you're changing, aren't you?

[He can undertand that, he's changed a lot since he joined the Foundation as well. If only he could tell her about all of that.]

What are you going to do?

More like I just can't stand doing the exact thing I hate anymore.

[She flashes him a weak smile as she starts applying the gel to his hand.]

I already told you. I'm going to keep looking for a way to avoid any deaths. If I just stood around while people were eliminated, that would just make me a hypocrite.

[She faced down the Board of Education once, when she was fourteen. She nearly died for it.

Maybe it's time to go back to that, just a little. Enough to keep fighting for the people she's come to care so much about.]

Is that so...

[Dazai sounds pleased with that plan.]

I'll have to make my games harder in coming weeks, but there will always be a way to get out of them with no deaths. So if you're looking, there will always be a way.

[She nods, gaze going to his hand to make sure she actually gets this applied properly without missing anything.]

What about you? If we keep getting out of killing anyone, will you be okay?

I'll be fine. They're not punishing me for you guys not dying, they're punishing me because the challenges were too easy. I just have to make them harder, that's all.

Still...

You said something about a sacrifice for the hints? Ah- turn your head, too.

[Gotta get that ear now.]

[He turns his head slightly, so she can see his ear.]

Pretty clever, isn't it? Offering a sadistic choice to harm yourself to make something easier for someone else. Moral choices like that make for great ratings. And because it torments all of you, the higher-ups approved it.

[He winks when he says that. Or...blinks, I guess, since only one eye visible. The point is, there's a reason for the sacrifice thing.]

[She frowns, gently applying the gel to his ear now.]

So was that part of the reason you were electrocuted?

No, it's because the games were too easy. You all solved them immediately without struggling. If it had taken some effort, I probably wouldn't have been in trouble.

So there's no punishment for you giving us hints?

[That's a relief, even if the rest of this is still awful.

Aaaand there, all done. She pats him lightly on the head before taking a step back again.]

Not yet, at least.

[Which means there might be later, and Dazai will have to decide if it's worth it or not.]

Thank you for bandaging me up, Saki-san.

...

"The only way to survive is by working together"

That includes you.

[...oh.]

Ha! I suppose you're right there. It's too bad that I'm difficult to work with.

Excuses already?

I'm not saying no. Just that I'll be difficult to work with.

[She fixes him with a Look because that doesn't sound at all what he was saying, but it seems she'll let it slide for now.]

Well, since you're sort of on this side, can I ask you a little more about yourself?

I realized I've spent most of this time trying to convince you to help us when I didn't even need to.