Just like last week, the pile of votes appear in front of the Sergeant, who counts them with practiced ease. He stands up as soon as he's done, pausing for only a moment, before making his announcement.
...no one is better suited to this task than I am and you know that.
[Why do you have to make this so difficult for him?]
No one else here deserves that amount of extra blood on their hands. It would affect any of them— even you. Not me. I can do this... and I can help them.
[He’d like to take your damn hand right out of the air... but he’ll settle for holding your other hand instead.]
...I haven’t forgotten. This can’t shake the life I lead now.
Ah-- killing or not killing, it doesn't matter one way or the other. I simply chose a life that saves people because... someone told me that it was "slightly more beautiful".
[Keith listens to this incredulously at first, but there's a fairly obvious moment in which incredulity just turns into annoyance.]
You don't know anything about me or what my life has been like. If you want to kill them? Fine. But don't act like you're doing me a personal favor. You're not.
I mean what I say— but it’s true, my intentions aren’t half as pure as all that. I’ve been on paths that both hurt and have helped people... and it makes no difference to me. My motivations are entirely selfish.
[He is anything but “good” it’s true.]
But I’d still like to help the rest of you if I can.
[Dazai's getting a raised eyebrow. Ultimately the impression Keith's getting here is that the dude is slippery as fuck with words, and that's not a trait he's particularly fond of in people.]
If the most you can do to help is to execute two people who've worn out everyone's patience then I don't think we need your help.
I like to think I’ve done a little more than that— but if you want to do it yourself I can respect that.
[That is— incredibly true of him. He’s very careful about what he lets out. And he certainly can’t blame anyone for disliking his ways. Something says he’s not a fan of it himself.]
[What he wants is for Jughead to have not died at all. Wanting his killers dead is a shitty substitute.]
I just don't appreciate your stated reasoning for volunteering. If you're looking for an excuse to tarnish your own reputation don't call your self destruction heroism.
Are you certain those are the type of people you want to give your life meaning?
Besides. I don't mean to say that you should care about them. They certainly don't mean anything to me. But rather what it is that killing means to you.
...either way you probably shouldn't put too much stock into what I say.
...did you want me to say that I'll kill them for you?
Well. It's not entirely true. I'm not happy that you were put up there. But they never really put you at danger, beyond your association with me. If something happened, it would most likely be because of my presence.
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[It's playful-- but he's very much serious this time. He's not going to back down.]
We can have our spat about my behavior in trial later.
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[ he'll just look away from dazai, feeling unable to stop him from doing anything. instead, he'll just keep his own hand raised. ]
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[Why do you have to make this so difficult for him?]
No one else here deserves that amount of extra blood on their hands. It would affect any of them— even you. Not me. I can do this... and I can help them.
[He’d like to take your damn hand right out of the air... but he’ll settle for holding your other hand instead.]
...I haven’t forgotten. This can’t shake the life I lead now.
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I don't really like to kill. But killing a few more doesn't change things too much for me.
[Just saying.]
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Someone like me-- this is nothing.
[Yikes.]
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I'm not sure if that's a unique trait...
[It. It's pretty telling that she doesn't seem fazed by this.]
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[This isn't too much of a surprise. Because...]
There are a lot of terrible people in the world.
[And Kino's one of them.]
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[They're doing pretty well so far, anyway.]
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If it can be helped, I'd rather the rest of you be able to keep up good appearances. Or at least better than bloodthirsty executioners.
Someone like me, good or evil-- it doesn't matter. So I thought that may be able to help.
[Translation: Y i k e s.]
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You don't know anything about me or what my life has been like. If you want to kill them? Fine. But don't act like you're doing me a personal favor. You're not.
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[For a change he’s not trying to cause trouble. But also it’s a valid interpretation so he won’t argue either.]
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[He is anything but “good” it’s true.]
But I’d still like to help the rest of you if I can.
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If the most you can do to help is to execute two people who've worn out everyone's patience then I don't think we need your help.
[...wow. Sorry, Dazai.]
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[That is— incredibly true of him. He’s very careful about what he lets out. And he certainly can’t blame anyone for disliking his ways. Something says he’s not a fan of it himself.]
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[What he wants is for Jughead to have not died at all. Wanting his killers dead is a shitty substitute.]
I just don't appreciate your stated reasoning for volunteering. If you're looking for an excuse to tarnish your own reputation don't call your self destruction heroism.
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But if you don't want to value it, I suppose I can't argue--
[His sets of values are very. Mm.]
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Besides. I don't mean to say that you should care about them. They certainly don't mean anything to me. But rather what it is that killing means to you.
...either way you probably shouldn't put too much stock into what I say.
[wHAT IS THE POINT DAZAI.]
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[He doesn't get old people, and their riddles.]
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[ oda frowns, but doesn’t pull the hand away. not yet. ]
If you want to kill them, then do it for the real reason.
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Well. It's not entirely true. I'm not happy that you were put up there. But they never really put you at danger, beyond your association with me. If something happened, it would most likely be because of my presence.
But there is something else.
[He gives Oda this look that says don't ask.]