[ After all suspicious foodstuff has been removed from the library and is thus in no more danger of contaminating the books, McGillis sets out to find one WJM.
[ the door's unlocked. when mcgillis enters, he'll see william doing the scholarly thing. there's papers with a lot of writing strewn all over his bed, because there's no desk. ]
[ What chaos... but he can't begrudge it. McGillis gives the papers a cursory glance when he steps inside, but doesn't make any attempt at reading further. ]
Good afternoon. I'm here to forewarn you a little. We have new ominous letters so there's going to be a meeting tomorrow - and it might end up calling your person into question.
[ it's probably not the reaction that mcgillis is expecting, but there's a sudden sharpness, a glint that looks almost predatory in william's eyes, and for a moment, mcgillis will probably feel like he's being observed very closely-- ]
[ If McGillis is unsettled by any of Moriarty's behaviour, there is no indication of such. He's dealt with all kinds of unsavory types in his life and a little unexpected behaviour doesn't faze him. Moriarty will simply get the impression that he's being studied in turn. ]
One of our anonymous letter writers seems to feel very strongly about whatever change you have hidden from us, yes. One might go so far as call it threatening, even without an actual threat present.
You wouldn't happen to have a good explanation as to why you did that?
Of course I do. I don't do things by halves. Would you like to see the originals?
[ it's said, without missing a beat. he's definitely more interested now that the game is afoot. there's no harm in showing his cards now, now that the other side has done so, and in such a public manner-- ]
An exchange, then. May I see said threatening letter?
[ and william looks more than a little thoughtful at the banner of accusation - because while it's technically not wrong-- ]
A flair for the theatrics-- from the same person, I suppose, the contents of the message is similar-- [ his eyes will flicker for a moment to the mirror in his room, which is still covered by a length of cloth pilfered over from the tailor. ] Curiouser and curiouser. Someone who watches, or knows, whether supernaturally or not-- no, possibly,
[ he's absolutely sounding like he's muttering to himself and trying to connect the dots together. but when he's done, this is more directed towards mcgillis ]
I would prefer if it wasn't displayed publicly, if possible, and you will see why in a moment.
[ he'll get up from where he's seated and make his way over to one of the drawers on the dresser, retrieving two notes - mcgillis will be able to tell that they're the fountain notes from last week, but william will only hand over one of the notes to mcgillis.
and then he'll wait.
he'll wait because he's observed mcgillis enough to know that he's not stupid - that he'll be able to pick out what exactly he altered, and the probable reason why william made that alteration. ]
[ No sugarcoating that. The last trial has already kickstarted it and now it will only accelerate. ]
These notes are inflammatory in content to a degree that made me consider hiding them altogether - but there are enough people who saw them being found that such a thing would be immediately suspicious.
And likewise, no offense meant, but I am not too keen on protecting you from the impact of your own lies. Not when your voice holds a lot of sway over the group at large.
Alter the contents, if you can't hide the fact that these were found.
[ it's blunt. what, did you expect him not to suggest that? like. what he did. ]
You mentioned notes. Plural. Not just this one, then? [ gestures at the cloth ] Who else has seen them?
Someone is watching our every move, McGillis, and it doesn't seem to be our dear host - there is something much bigger than what we are aware of, and in a choice of preserving our fractured alliance by withholding some information from our compatriots and watching them suspect and doubt each other over inflammatory notes that want to pit us against each other seems, the choice is obvious to me.
I suppose that's the reason why those letters were dropped in a place as public as it usually were, rather than given to specific people. Too public to deny that there are messages being passed to us - and not a coincidence that these only surfaced after we started finding people dead. These are messages from the grave, McGillis, the evidence seems to point to it as unbelievable as it sounds.
Our dear host has confirmed that there are double agents working against us, and I strongly suspect that some of these notes that we've found are from these double agents. I want to know who. We do not need to make their job easier by fanning the inflammatory embers.
[ there's a slight pause, after that, because surprise, he doesn't look happy at realising that he... actually does hold a lot of sway over the group. oh, when you're realising you're suddenly becoming a cult leader against your will for the second time in a row now--
he does not like that. ]
None taken.
I would abhor being portrayed as infallible. And if it paints a target on my back instead, I suppose that's preferable - I'd rather it be me than one of the younger ones.
[ because yeah. riku's death? absolutely do not want a repeat of that happening with the other kids, nope nope nope ]
[ McGillis listens to it all quietly. He's seen Moriarty speak a lot, they all have, but this feels the most candid moment yet. No wonder, they are behind closed doors after all.
McGillis glances over at the covered mirror when Moriarty speaks about being watched and nods to himself. It's a thought he's also had before. ]
There are more notes, the rest were on paper and a lot calmer - just no less explosive in content. Jack and I found them in the Archives. There were a few people around, but they were largely distracted by the candy that came along with the notes and haven't read them.
The notes are instructing us that our 'leaders' are not as they seem. Franky, I am not sure who precisely our leaders are meant to be but you are among them. Our friends from the netherworld have it out for you.
Franky, as far I am concerned, nobody here is to be trusted. It is all a matter of finding the most reasonable arguments so that we can be at ease with our individual judgments in the end. And that's precisely why I want to display the notes as they are - if there is somebody among us who isn't trustworthy, as you say, I don't want to let everyone else walk into the knife in the name of keeping harmony.
No, I think our friends from the netherworld do want to help - whoever it is that is addressing this letter to me is clearly among the currently living.
[ is he going to provide an explanation? maybe? no? yes? only if mcgillis asks?? ]
I hardly consider myself a leader, in any case.
[ HE WILL TAKE OFFENCE TO THAT PART!!! and only that part. all he wants to do is to solve puzzles and maybe a murder or two, which, you know, two out of three. so far. ]
There were two last week. How many did you and Jack find just now?
[ data!! he needs data!!
mcgillis's words at the end do end up pulling a small quirk of his lips upwards on william's features, even if it's not quite like a smile. ]
Is this the pragmatism that would come from your military background, McGillis? My brother would have said the same thing. [ william, however, is definitely more jaded on whether anyone's individual judgments-- glances at the Betrayals (tm) that happened over the past weekend. a soft chuckle, and-- ] And yet you would have no qualms letting me walk into the knife in this instance.
Enough qualms to warn you ahead of time. Not enough not to do it. It is the consequence of your lies, unfortunately, however well-intentioned.
[ McGillis has no trouble meeting Moriarty's eyes saying that either. The reasoning for the omission turned out to be much more benign than it could have been, but it is still Moriarty's own decision and he will have to reap what he sowed. At least, the others are likely to be sympathetic to his explanation. ]
There were four notes on paper as well as the cloth I just showed you. What makes you think the cloth is of separate origin even though they were found together?
I don't disagree with the notion that some of us may be working against the whole, I am just curious about the reasoning in this specific instance.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Week 3 - Wednesday
Knock knock, Moriarty, are you in your room? ]
no subject
Come in.
[ the door's unlocked. when mcgillis enters, he'll see william doing the scholarly thing. there's papers with a lot of writing strewn all over his bed, because there's no desk. ]
no subject
Good afternoon. I'm here to forewarn you a little. We have new ominous letters so there's going to be a meeting tomorrow - and it might end up calling your person into question.
1/3
2/3
3/3 ok done
Oh, are they making their move already? Interesting.
[ his smile, when it's directed at mcgillis again, is a little bit less sharp. ]
I appreciate the warning. Let me guess. The new ominous letters you have found somehow relate to my... tampering, of certain objects.
no subject
One of our anonymous letter writers seems to feel very strongly about whatever change you have hidden from us, yes. One might go so far as call it threatening, even without an actual threat present.
You wouldn't happen to have a good explanation as to why you did that?
no subject
[ it's said, without missing a beat. he's definitely more interested now that the game is afoot. there's no harm in showing his cards now, now that the other side has done so, and in such a public manner-- ]
An exchange, then. May I see said threatening letter?
no subject
[ And he'll unfold the cloth so the big splotchy message is in the front, a banner of accusation. McGillis smiles thinly. ]
There's more on the other side, but I figured you'd like to see the most relevant part first.
no subject
A flair for the theatrics-- from the same person, I suppose, the contents of the message is similar-- [ his eyes will flicker for a moment to the mirror in his room, which is still covered by a length of cloth pilfered over from the tailor. ] Curiouser and curiouser. Someone who watches, or knows, whether supernaturally or not-- no, possibly,
[ he's absolutely sounding like he's muttering to himself and trying to connect the dots together. but when he's done, this is more directed towards mcgillis ]
I would prefer if it wasn't displayed publicly, if possible, and you will see why in a moment.
[ he'll get up from where he's seated and make his way over to one of the drawers on the dresser, retrieving two notes - mcgillis will be able to tell that they're the fountain notes from last week, but william will only hand over one of the notes to mcgillis.
and then he'll wait.
he'll wait because he's observed mcgillis enough to know that he's not stupid - that he'll be able to pick out what exactly he altered, and the probable reason why william made that alteration. ]
no subject
Well.
Our note-writing entity is at the least very dedicated to... a certain persona.
[ One might even say 'pretending to be a certain person'. ]
no subject
[ because he's fairly certain he's not the only one playing up a persona. ]
You understand, don't you? I don't like speaking ill of the dead. And given how some of our number were reacting to her passing--
--telling them that their tears were unworthy seems a little bit too cruel, don't you think? It would have sowed more division than anything.
You are a military man - I'm certain you understand what emotions can do to an already crumbling alliance.
no subject
[ No sugarcoating that. The last trial has already kickstarted it and now it will only accelerate. ]
These notes are inflammatory in content to a degree that made me consider hiding them altogether - but there are enough people who saw them being found that such a thing would be immediately suspicious.
And likewise, no offense meant, but I am not too keen on protecting you from the impact of your own lies. Not when your voice holds a lot of sway over the group at large.
wow this tag got long i'm sorry
[ it's blunt. what, did you expect him not to suggest that? like. what he did. ]
You mentioned notes. Plural. Not just this one, then? [ gestures at the cloth ] Who else has seen them?
Someone is watching our every move, McGillis, and it doesn't seem to be our dear host - there is something much bigger than what we are aware of, and in a choice of preserving our fractured alliance by withholding some information from our compatriots and watching them suspect and doubt each other over inflammatory notes that want to pit us against each other seems, the choice is obvious to me.
I suppose that's the reason why those letters were dropped in a place as public as it usually were, rather than given to specific people. Too public to deny that there are messages being passed to us - and not a coincidence that these only surfaced after we started finding people dead. These are messages from the grave, McGillis, the evidence seems to point to it as unbelievable as it sounds.
Our dear host has confirmed that there are double agents working against us, and I strongly suspect that some of these notes that we've found are from these double agents. I want to know who. We do not need to make their job easier by fanning the inflammatory embers.
[ there's a slight pause, after that, because surprise, he doesn't look happy at realising that he... actually does hold a lot of sway over the group. oh, when you're realising you're suddenly becoming a
cultleader against your will for the second time in a row now--he does not like that. ]
None taken.
I would abhor being portrayed as infallible. And if it paints a target on my back instead, I suppose that's preferable - I'd rather it be me than one of the younger ones.
[ because yeah. riku's death? absolutely do not want a repeat of that happening with the other kids, nope nope nope ]
DELICIOUS TLDR
McGillis glances over at the covered mirror when Moriarty speaks about being watched and nods to himself. It's a thought he's also had before. ]
There are more notes, the rest were on paper and a lot calmer - just no less explosive in content. Jack and I found them in the Archives. There were a few people around, but they were largely distracted by the candy that came along with the notes and haven't read them.
The notes are instructing us that our 'leaders' are not as they seem. Franky, I am not sure who precisely our leaders are meant to be but you are among them. Our friends from the netherworld have it out for you.
Franky, as far I am concerned, nobody here is to be trusted. It is all a matter of finding the most reasonable arguments so that we can be at ease with our individual judgments in the end. And that's precisely why I want to display the notes as they are - if there is somebody among us who isn't trustworthy, as you say, I don't want to let everyone else walk into the knife in the name of keeping harmony.
no subject
[ is he going to provide an explanation? maybe? no? yes? only if mcgillis asks?? ]
I hardly consider myself a leader, in any case.
[ HE WILL TAKE OFFENCE TO THAT PART!!! and only that part. all he wants to do is to solve puzzles and maybe a murder or two, which, you know, two out of three. so far. ]
There were two last week. How many did you and Jack find just now?
[ data!! he needs data!!
mcgillis's words at the end do end up pulling a small quirk of his lips upwards on william's features, even if it's not quite like a smile. ]
Is this the pragmatism that would come from your military background, McGillis? My brother would have said the same thing. [ william, however, is definitely more jaded on whether anyone's individual judgments-- glances at the Betrayals (tm) that happened over the past weekend. a soft chuckle, and-- ] And yet you would have no qualms letting me walk into the knife in this instance.
no subject
[ McGillis has no trouble meeting Moriarty's eyes saying that either. The reasoning for the omission turned out to be much more benign than it could have been, but it is still Moriarty's own decision and he will have to reap what he sowed. At least, the others are likely to be sympathetic to his explanation. ]
There were four notes on paper as well as the cloth I just showed you. What makes you think the cloth is of separate origin even though they were found together?
I don't disagree with the notion that some of us may be working against the whole, I am just curious about the reasoning in this specific instance.