week 3, monday

[reapertoire]

#REAPER MEET UP

As with last week, the Reapers will wake suddenly, with their IC rulebook in their hand and open to a page in the back -- which contains a note that's only visible to them. "Reapers! Today's meeting will be at Shibu-Q Heads at 7 AM sharp! There's coffee and snacks for everyone, so don't be late!" When they arrive at the chain, at 07:00, they'll find themselves walking into a private area of the party supply store, with a door that closes and locks behind them once everyone is inside. It's roomy and filled with comfortable furniture, as well as various balloons and party decorations. There's an assortment of comfort foods along with with coffee and actual McFlurries this time. For once, Maya is not eating, she has a puppy on her lap and is looking a little more serious than usual. As always, music is on loop forever. "We should probably have another moment of silence for Ranpo and Junko. And--- after that, I've got some news about this week." game info ☠ setting ☠ statuses ☠ ic profiles private conversations ☠ murder proposals ☠ money full nav

Comments

[feytality]

[ maya clears her throat after the moment of silence, offering the puppy out if Undine or Akira need a therapy animal right now. ]

This is Tenko, guys -- if you need a pick me up, he's great for that.

[ he's a fussy excited puppy so he won't be much for therapy, but he will dispense kisses!! ] Aaaaand I've got special orders from the Composer for this week. It's.... do nothing. You guys get a break week.

[ they. probably need it, to be honest. ]

[purrtagonist]

[immediately going for the puppy, holy shit. he flops onto the ground, holding out his arms, letting the eager creature crawl and climb onto his lap without any hesitation whatsoever]

[and at Maya's announcement? his shoulders sag in relief as he exhales a deep breath]

Thank you.

[anyway he is tired]

[feytality]

[ tenko's gonna love all over akira, so get ready for the slobber. ]

They're thinking it's gonna be a gamewide thing --- they wanna evaluate the Players, I think, but yeah. I busted out my puppy eyes! Literally, I used Tenko!

[purrtagonist]

[after this weekend he can handle a li'l bit of slobber]

[the smile he gives Maya is lopsided but warm, exhausted but oh-so-grateful]

Maya, you're the best Conductor a Reaper could ask for. I'm glad the Composer didn't Erase you for asking.

[speaking of asking. . .]

. . . did you deliver my letter?

[feytality]

Ha ha. Well, I'm happy to help.

[ enjoy being slobbered on. ]

Okay, so, good news and bad news --- [ she'll hand the letter over: ]

Akira.

I am afraid that at this current point in time, I cannot meet with you. To borrow a phrase that your lovely Host frequently says, "Ask again later."

That's the bad news. The good news is, I think asking this week does count as later --- we were talking, and the way the Game is going, I can probably help convince them if you want to give it another shot.

[purrtagonist]

[okay okay, down Tenko. Akira plants a hand on the puppy's head to push him down while he takes the letter with the other hand. he's silent for a moment, eyes scanning the piece of paper, before his mouth curves upward]

[he flips the letter over, places the paper flat on the ground, and somehow acquires a pen (IDK I ASSUME MAYA HAS ONE ON HER OR SMTH) to jot down a response]

Then consider this me "asking again later." I'd like to renew my formal request for a meeting, and along with it that offer for a free dinner. Sorry about the sushi shop. That one wasn't my fault.

- Joker

[annnnd once that is done, he folds it up, and hands it back to Maya]

Tell them I eagerly anticipate their reply.

[feytality]

[ tag yourself: akira trying to be dramatic while a puppy is slobbering o him. also, stop godmoding me wow??? anyway, maya takes the letter and tucks it away. ]

I think Mcdonalds kinda was your fault, Ray Repairman --- but, I'll deliver it. Fingers crossed!

[purrtagonist]

McDonald's wasn't shut down, so I have done absolutely nothing wrong.

[yeah, KAREN. he lifts a hand, index and middle finger crossed, to echo her sentiment]

In the meantime, I want to ask you about the other group of Reapers. I got the basic details from Max, but he said he couldn't advise me on a course of action.

I know their job is to sniff us out. But how, exactly, are they doing that?

[he thinks back to the trial, and the single-target focus some people had on Junko. on one hand? it made sense. she was at the scene of Eleanor's death, and she had been acting fairly out there since her arrival. but on the other?]

[he hadn't thought about this during the trial, but it was almost like some people who had pursued her knew she was a Reaper. . .]

[feytality]

Aww, come on, I was only teasing a little. [ there goes her attempt to lighten the mood!!! she sobers up. ]

Um, well -- special job benefit, really. They have meetings kinda like ours, except they answer directly to the Composer instead of down the chain of command like you guys do. So it's a perk of the job.

[ and now she looks a little guilty. ]

... I'm sorry. I wanted to tell you earlier, but.... I couldn't.

[alchemicalwater]

How nice of them.

[That's....not Undine's usual 'faking cheerfulness when upset'. That's her honestly being upset right about now and not even trying to cover it up.]

[feytality]

[ maya's going to offer her a hug, if she'll take it. ]

.... I'm sorry, Undine.

[alchemicalwater]

[She'll accept it, but she's. Kind of limp. Like she doesn't really have the energy for much of anything right now.]

[feytality]

[ Maya rubs her back, letting her take as long as she needs. ]

[alchemicalwater]

[Sorry Maya. She's just really sad and scared right now.]

I want to go home. I want to go back to my own game.

[feytality]

[ maya would never blame her for that. undine can take as long as she needs. ]

.... I know. I'm sorry.

[alchemicalwater]

[She does pull back a little bit so she can actually look at Maya now, though she hasn't let go yet.]

What are we supposed to do? There's still six weeks left, and there's horrible people among the players who are just going to keep killing innocent people! How can we protect the Players if we're erased?

[feytality]

Um, I dunno if it'll help much, but .... it's four weeks. [ roughly a month. which is still long, yikes, but- ]

It's okay, Undine -- just, calm down, take a deep breath. We can make a plan!

AND NOW FOR...all three of them

[alchemicalwater]

This isn't working. We can't just keep killing people and expect to make it anywhere. And honestly? I don't want to just keep killing people indiscriminately.

There's dangerous people in this game. People I think are killing others to have less competition at the end of the game. THOSE should be our targets. We need to protect this town and the people who aren't as bloodthirsty.

[purrtagonist]

[with the puppy still in his lap, licking his chin]

[he sits up straight, leveling his gaze on Undine, frown carved into his features]

Like Nakahara and Hortensia?

[alchemicalwater]

[She hesitates, but she nods.]

I don't know if one of them is a part of these 'other reapers' or not, but they just killed two people and got away with it. AND I know they're going to come after me next, since I was the one who caught Caren.

[purrtagonist]

[. . .]

Undine, did I ever tell you what Edo-- . . . no, Ranpo, said to me the Monday before he died?

It was about Nakahara.

[alchemicalwater]

No? What did he tell you?

[purrtagonist]

To not trust Nakahara.

[simple as that. it was the one thing he couldn't say aloud at trial, but the one thing that had tipped Chuuya's guilt over the edge for Akira. even if he never managed to string the evidence together completely]

They knew each other from home. So even if Ranpo was a Reaper, I doubt Nakahara chose to kill him because of this.

[alchemicalwater]

So...it might have been personal?

[purrtagonist]

Yeah. In fact, I would place bets on it being personal, and not Game-related.

[tch]

Don't get me wrong. . . Enoshima deserved what she got for what she did to Eleanor.

[and that memory is still fresh, still plays against his eyelids when he closes his eyes at night. for a moment, he feels his breath hitch in his throat, before he continues]

But I wish I could have gotten them to at least care about Madara and Ranpo.