Épisode Treize: A Fork in ze Road

[Hercule Poirot]

I'm approaching M. Peralta, because I think eet ees time zat we 'ad an honest discussion about 'ow things are. 'E ees seen as a Jury threat. I am seen as a Jury threat. I think zat we need each other in zis game, and we 'ave to both understand zat if we are to move forward together.

[Hercule Poirot]

Keeping M. Kennedy 'appy ees of ze utmost importance. Luckily, Mlle Garcia and M. Grouch 'ave no capital at all zere, and I don't think zey would ever work with 'im.

I think zis ees ze round where I 'ave to draw ze line in ze sand and make my choice, and my choice at ze moment ees to work with M. Briscoe, M. Peralta, M. Kennedy, and Mlle Hopps. I'm even comfortable with blindsiding someone like M. Grouch 'ere. I don't think M. Grouch would be 'appy about zat, but I 'ave to do what I 'ave to do.

I think ze best blindside target ees M. Morningstar, because 'e ees nice and appealing to drag along as a goat. But I'm open to options. Eet 'as to be one of zem.

After zis round, zey will know 'ow things stand. Zey are not going to be 'appy with me, but zat ees ze price I 'ave to pay I think.

[Hercule Poirot]

I'm starting to come to terms with my difficulties winning a Jury vote 'ere.

I've kind of played myself into a corner where zis ees going to be a betrayal, but can I 'ope zat people are willing to put ze betrayal aside? I might 'ave to 'ope so.

I'm not even yet sitting in ze end, and I'm a long way away, but I 'ave to be careful with 'ow I approach zis if I want to win.

I think M. Grouch ees my ideal boot 'ere. Zat will sting, but zat will give 'im plenty of time to get over eet and 'e knows 'ow good my game ees more zan anyone, so 'e ees a goos person for me to 'ave on ze Jury. Plus 'e 'as so much dirt on me and will do damage to my spot if 'e does not go.

I think I'm going to push for eet. M. Grouch would be so 'urt if 'e knew, but I'm 'ere to get my 'ands dirty. 'E also literally told me 'e doesn't want to 'ave to face me in ze end.

Of course waiting to see results, 'owever. M. Grouch could always win ze challenge.

[Hercule Poirot]

I've made ze mistake of not killing my closest ally with zat first betraying blow before. Eet ees okay if zere ees a way for you to move forward together regardless, but zat ees not ze case 'ere.

Eet ees going to 'urt, more zan almost any vote I 'ave ever cast because I do not usually betray zis soon, but I will do what I 'ave to do.

I fully expect zis vote to be 5-4.

[Hercule Poirot]

I don't think I won, but I have such a headache from doing this and at least I got one for every sentence.

[Joss Carter]

I hope you enjoyed the fakeout of "In Soviet..." making you think "Oh it must be Vietnam!" only for the sentence to continue "...times,".

[Hercule Poirot]

Hahahaha, mon amie, I did notice zat. I almost typed Vietnam.

[Hercule Poirot]

I'm also trying to figure out what ees to be done about M. Kennedy. 'E ees actually not at all bad at emotional manipulation. Ees eet too dangerous to sit next to 'im at ze end? Or ees eet something I should consider?

I know M. Briscoe wants to go with me, and I'm fine going with 'im. 'E ees clearly a capable player and a bit similar to me, so I worry about us splitting votes, but I think I've tapped into a more emotional space with some of zese voters. Like I think if eet ees M. Briscoe, me, and M. Kennedy, I go in with Mlle Hopps, M. Morningstar, M. Grouch, and Mlle Garcia all leaning in my direction as people who saw much of my game, even if I 'ad to betray some of zem. If people are angry about betrayals, zen I'm probably screwed no matter what, but I 'ave to 'ope zat as long as I 'old myself confidently and explain why zose votes were smart for me, zey will respect eet.

I don't know what ees my ideal endgame, but I do think I should be confident in myself. I don't think I'm dead in ze water in almost any combination, but I will 'ave blood on my 'ands and a lot of explaining to do. But I'm not ze worst at FTC in ze world, and as long as I get zere, I 'ave a chance.

I'm well aware zat I'm thinking way way a'ead. I still do not expect to win zis game, but I'm starting to see ze path. Zere will be some treacherous votes down ze line, though.

[Hercule Poirot]

I feel sick answering M. Grouch's strategic PMs now zat I know what might 'ave to 'appen. I think I was in denial about eet prior to now. Man, eet ees going to 'urt to do though, whether I'm voting for 'im or not.

[Hercule Poirot]

I floated ze idea of voting M. Grouch to Mlle Hopps, and I think she ees going to run with eet and do ze work. Well she'll try to get M. Peralta to run with eet.

I'm really not used to making such a big betrayal so early in ze game, but eet ees kind of exciting.

I'm going to try to keep everything quiet though, both so M. Grouch does not catch wind and realize my betrayal and also so zat 'opefully no idols are successfully played if 'e some'ow 'as one. I don't really think 'e does, but who knows?

[Hercule Poirot]

D'accord, maybe a vote on M. Grouch ees not going to 'appen. I'm worried zat with paranoia about 99 getting targeted, M. Grouch might idol if 'e 'as one, and ze only thing worse zan a pissed-off M. Grouch who I 'ave just blindsided but still 'ave ze numbers over ees a pissed off M. Grouch who just successfully played an idol after I voted for 'im. Zat would be a true nightmare.

[Hercule Poirot]

Maybe zere aren't any idols, and I'm just paranoid. Three ees a decent amount for a game of zis size, although one of zem was much more weak. And zere might be an auction or something of ze sort to distribute items yet.

[Hercule Poirot]

Maybe I am wrong to be pushing for M. Grouch to go 'ome 'ere, and I'd be better off voting off ze person I 'ave less of a relationship with. But M. Grouch knows me so well, and I really do fear 'is wrath after I pulled a move like zis be'ind 'is back and don't send 'im 'ome. I think ze first stab should be on ze person with ze most dirt on you and who might need ze longer time to get over eet. And I do think 'e should be in a position where despite ze backstab, 'e ees still a gettable Jury vote? Maybe not and 'e will 'ate me for all time, we will 'ave to see. But zere ees enough emotion zere on a deeper level zat I think 'e ees still gettable.

Eet ees just bizarre though, I'm not used to voting for ze person who I like most of ze options.

[Hercule Poirot]

I said I was going to betray zis game. Zat was one of my goals. Betray before you get betrayed.

[Hercule Poirot]

If I go 'ome like next round after betraying M. Grouch and eet was not via idol, zen I probably made a mistake 'ere because I don't know if 'e would 'ave targeted me? But at ze same time, 'ow could 'e not after I stabbed 'im like zis? Unless I lied to 'im further and damaged zat relationship more. And 'e actually 'as ammunition against me and knows some of my private thoughts.

M. Cohle and M. Morningstar will, in a way, be easier to maintain something with after zis because I am not committed to zem quite as much. Plus zis gives me a chance to do ze work I can't do with M. Grouch, since I don't think zeir Jury votes are a given. M. Grouch ees not a given either, but I don't think any extra time will 'elp in zat department. I'm at my worst with close allies after betraying zem, because I default back to honesty but I can't be fully honest anymore because zey might use eet against me.