"Alright, let's discuss who's gonna take role of Challenger." Q-taro said. "Once we've settled our opinions, we'll hold a vote at the end."
"Y/N... You is what's up! Show Q-Taro what makes you worth trusting!" "We're counting on you, Y/N." Sara said with a warm smile. I smile back. 'I got this!'
I turn to Q-Taro.
"We gotta have the one we can trust there most be the Challenger, I'm thinkin'. No objections there, right?" Everyone agreed.
"Okay, let's talk about it."
Development
"Straight to the point: I got experience handlin' guns. So leave bein' the Challenger to me."
'He had experience?'
"Is that true?" Me and Joe said in unison.
"Yep, I hate lies. I got real acquainted with shootin' when I went to the US!"
"So you're saying you've had training? I'll keep it simple too. Q-Taro, even if you have experience, I can't trust you." Keiji said.
"Really now.....?"
"Sorry."
"The mood has become tense... Hrm... I am undecided. It pains me to put the responsibility on Miss Y/N.." Kai confronted.
"She'll be fine! Y/N's got a mind of steel! Just call her Steelmind!"
"Steelmind..?"
"Well, Y/N? Can you think of any rebuttals?" Sara asked.
"I'll think about it."
"Ask me and Sara if you're not sure! We'll stress about together!"
'But won't necessarily "settle" it..'
I try to think of rebuttals but I couldn't.
"Well, Y/N? Can you think of any rebuttals? Don't look so nervous! Put on your usual bigshot attitude!"
"Who do you even think Y/N is?"
Joe turns to Sara. "The Godmother of Sonobeno High School!"
"Who's the father?" I ask.
"Sara!"
"Wha?"
I chuckle. "Anyway, I don't know how to object... I feel like everyone's argument are sound. I don't any rebuttals."
"True.. Thinking about it logically, you don't have much ground to stand on, Y/N. In that case! How about you have two people's statements duke it out?!"
"Duke it out..?"
Sara nods in agreement. "Mhm, Pit opposing statements against each other to advance the discussion."
"So both of you are saying that I have to borrow the words of others to get new info and advance the discussion? I'll give it a try!"
I turn to the others. "You guys can start talking."
All of them nod.
Keiji started. "I'll keep it simple too. Q-Taro, even if you do have experience, I can't trust you. We don't have enough trust. Time to bulid trust, that is"
"Precisely. And yet, it appears you are very trusting of Miss Y/N..."
"Oh, you can tell?"
"If I may offer my interpretation... (That is a big word, Kai) Perhaps it's because Y/N, Sara, and Joe are acquainted? (No, it's because she's the protagonist) Because those three can vouch for each other, you concluded they could be trusted, yes?"
"Do I look that calculating? That comes as a real shock. It's just intuition. I'm confident in my eye for people."
"I see... However, there's a piece missing from your story."
"Oh yeah?"
"..."
I turn to Kai.
"Hrm.. I am undecided. It pains me to put the responsibility on Miss Y/N. Though, I am not confident in holding a gun myself. So it's a question of who would want to do so. Of course... There is someone who would be suited to such task.. But for some reason, he is not presenting himself as a candidate."
"..."
"Whatever the case, if he refuses it, I have no desire to ask him. How troubling."
Then I turn to Q-Taro.
"Straight to the point: I got experience handlin' guns. So leave bein' the Challenger to me. Not a lotta people in this country who handle guns. My experience is valuable, ain't it?"
"We don't know what the game entails... But if it requires skill with guns, then yes."
"Right! I ain't thinkin' a single thought about keepin' my own hide safe. I'm jus' considerin' the best way to beat this game."
"I-... I do get what you're saying, but.." Joe got cut off by Q-Taro. "You guys gotta think about it rationally."
"...It's not like we're not thinking either, okay?"
Keiji turns to Q-Taro. "Q-Taro, even if you do have experience, I can't trust you" (YOU SAID THAT LIKE 1,000 TIMES, KEIJI! STOP!) "Whyzat?! Ain't experience important for this?!"
"It's because I can't imagine this game requires skill with a gun."
"Say what?"
"Look at the room. Aren't these dolls curious? I'm betting... they're dummy targets."
"Dummies?" Q-Taro asks.
"Shoot a human, or shoot a doll... That's probably what the game's about." Q-Taro stayed silent. "What's important is a cool head. The targets can't move from the chairs anyhow."
"I'm always cool-headed.. Believe it or not."
"Even when you're pointing a gun at someone?" I ask.
"...!"
"It's an awful thing, when the person you're looking at could die by your hand. You ever experienced that?" Keiji asked.
"I trust someone determined to save everyone more than an amateur with average training." "I get it. Maybe I might not be up for it... But still! I got more to say." "Suppose I'll listen..."
Progress
"Keiji! Doesn't that mean we should have you be the Challenger?! You must've been in tons of gunfights in your line o' work!" Q-taro said. Keiji stayed silent. "T-That is true..." Joe said.
"Indeed, I was wondering about that myself. Why the policeman, who would be most suitable, is not recommending himself."
"...Guess you would think so, huh..." Keiji said at he looked to the side. "If I'm gonna put my life on the line, I want the most dependable person I can get. If it ain't me, then it's Keiji... you're the only one."
"Keiji... What's the matter..?" Joe asked. Keiji still has his mouth shut. "Keiji?" Sara said. "We won't know if you keep quiet!"
"If you refuse, I wish to know the reason. At this rate, it will prove an issue... We cannot end our discussion in the state." Kai said.
"Keiji sure is acting strange.."
"At this rate, the discussion cant advance.." Sara said.
"When that happens, try talking to people so you can extract new statements to work with! Your clingy questioning might just lead to an important statement!"
"Am I that clingy..?" I ask Joe.
"I-I'm joking! You know that, right...?"
'I was joking too... But it's fun to see him flustered.'
"Ahh! Don't grin at me!"
I giggle as I walked to Keiji. "....." 'His lips are sealed...' "Keiji... Why are you silent..?" "..."
"Keiji!!" I yelled. "Whoa." "We're all being serious! If you don't talk, we won't know!" "...Hahah. Hahahahahaha! What are you, my mom? Hahaha! Wahah... Ahh, that was a good laugh.. All right, I'll explain."
Keiji took a breath. "I shot a person. Since then... I haven't been able to fire a gun."
"Oh...."
"I know it's pathetic. Should've been prepared for that when I became a detective." I look to the side. Poor guy...'
"But.. If something like that happened, wouldn't it make the news?" Sara asked. "Reality's not only what comes to the surface... That's all. It's the truth." 'It seems like I've extracted statement out Keiji..'
I walk to Joe. "Which is exactly the thought process that lets me to extract a new statement already." I say with a smirk. "Wha?! You were just teasing me, Y/N?!"
'Yes and No but, got 'im.'
"...'Zat the truth..?" I look at Q-taro. "Yeah..." "...On the job, right? Did the one you shoot... die...?"
I gave Q-taro a 'What do you freaking think?!' Keiji looks to the side with his hand on his neck. "Traumatic, I bet..." Q-taro said as he pulls his hat down. "Real sorry I can't live up to your expectations. Ever since then, pointing a gun at somebody makes my head go weird. Can't stop sweating."
"Wouldn't wanna make you do it, then. "So then you'll count on Y/N. Right Q-taro?" Sara asked Q-taro. "H-Hold on now! I'm still uneasy!! It's our lives what's on the lines, right?!"
"Q-taro!!" 'I've managed to convince him this much with everyone else's words...'
"Y/N..." '
"Use your words... and prove to me... that you're with trustin'!"
I nod. 'I guess we gotta fight with our words then-'
[WAR OF WORDS]
"Can a high-school kid handle this?!"
"This isn't fun and games!"
"I can't trust somebody who's got no experience with a real gun!"
"Keiji said earlier the skill with a gun is irrelevant here!"
"Urk...!"
"I don't have experience with a real gun, but I can think calmly! And I'm determined to save everyone!"
"...!"
"We should leave it to Keiji!"
"Or Joe! You do it!"
"Kai! How about you?!"
"Keiji's trauma means he isn't even able to point a gun at a person!"
"But.. even still.."
"Would you put your life in the hands of someone who doesn't even trust himself?!"
"Dammit..! That's true.."
"Just havin' the motivation don't, mean nothin'!"
"You guys don't trust me?"
"You really got the confidence?"
"I do! I can say this much loud and clear! I'm confident I can save everyone!"
"...! No value in trustin' yer life to somebody with no confidence. If even this doesn't freak ya, that's nothin' to sneeze at!"
"Are you fine with puttin' everybody on Y/N?!"
"Could be worse games to come!"
"Like with monsters... right?!" (Foreshadowing)
"Sara, Joe, and Keiji have acknowledged me from the start!"
"Grm..."
"And even now, that hasn't been shaken! Q-taro, please, believe in me too!"
"Urghhh..."
"Y/N doesn't trust others!"
"Is there any chance she'll win?!"
"She might even end up shootin' her own two friends!"
"That's exactly why I definitely won't mess this up! Not only Sara and Joe, but Q-taro, Keiji, Kai... I won't let any of your lives be taken! Q-taro, right now... You cant possibly feel a stronger determation then me!"
"...! You got a point there. To me, you're strangers I just met, all of ya. Can I bet on... your desire to save your friends..?"
"Count on me!"
"What a weird-ass high school girl!"
AAAAAAAAAAAAAND IT'S FINALLY FINISHED!! This was 1701 words (Not including this part). Almost 2000 words. Anyway, see you guys next chapter!