week 4, monday

[reapertoire]

[ Between one blink and the next, Akira will suddenly find himself in a greenhouse. If he tries looking outside its glass windows, he'll notice that there is a strange haze that makes it impossible to tell the exact location, but the interior of the greenhouse is fairly bright, as if sunlight was shining through.

Everything in it seems fairly normal. There is a variety of plants, but primarily roses, as well as a small outside garden table. Still, strangely enough, there's also a... kotatsu? Well. Okay. ]

Comments

[rosemance]

[ oh, right. another thing he'll probably notice is anthy, dutifully watering the flowers.

huh. ]

[purrtagonist]

[considering the suddenness of the shift in his surroundings? Akira is naturally disoriented for the first few seconds. when he regains his bearings, steadying himself on a counter of potted flowers, his gaze flickers about before settling on Anthy]

[ah]

[ah]

Hime--

[no]

. . . Composer-san.

[rosemance]

[ she turns around as soon as she hears his voice and smiles. ]

Hello again. It's been a few weeks since we last spoke, hasn't it?

[purrtagonist]

[a pause. his hands slip into his pockets, demeanor neutral. and then. . .]

[his mouth twitches into the faintest ghost of a smile, too]

A busy, tiring few weeks. You've got quite the setup, here.

[rosemance]

It's designed to remind me of why I am here.

[ she won't go into that. there are other matters to discuss. ]

You are free to take a seat if you like.

[purrtagonist]

[he wants to ask, but. . . mmmm. he takes a seat at the garden table]

Thanks.

. . . it's beautiful here.

[rosemance]

I don't get many visitors, so I have a lot of free time to take care of it.

[ she sets the watering can down on the floor before joining him at the table. ]

So, then. I'm sure you have more to comment on than just my roses.

[purrtagonist]

. . . yes. I do.

[a deep breath. he's thought about this a lot, but now that he's here, he can't seem to remember what he wants to ask]

[so he starts off strong]

Am I right? To save the Erased, for everyone to get a second chance, do we need to achieve a neutral ending?

[rosemance]

I wouldn't call it neutral, personally.

[ of course she'd be picky about the word choice, since she has been with every question so far asked. ]

But I will say that communication is very important for this Game's success.

[purrtagonist]

Four weeks in, and that communication is only just beginning.

[and the Players are questioning the notes left by him and Setz, which is. . . concerning]

If you wouldn't call a three-way tie neutral, then what would you call it?

[rosemance]

I would call it an ending.

[purrtagonist]

[. . . Anthy. . .]

One that doesn't benefit the "beneficiaries" placing wagers on our teams?

[he knows it's just an analogy but it's been working for him]

[rosemance]

Why do you think that?

[ is akira tired of npcs asking him questions as answers to his own questions yet. ]

[purrtagonist]

[yes, god damn it]

I. . . think that based on what Max told me. About people other than you benefiting from this Game.

[. . .]

Unless there's another beneficiary betting on the three-way tie.

[rosemance]

Hm.

[ for a moment, that seems like all she's going to say, until, ]

What do you think my bet is?

[purrtagonist]

[a lengthy pause follows, silence that's heavy with tension, as he considers everything he knows. everything he's learned. everything he's surmised from Maya and Max]

[. . .]

You're betting on the fourth ending. The time limit. Is that right?

But then who are you betting against? Maya? Even though she told me you both want the same thing, despite your different methods?

[rosemance]

[ she doesn't say yes or no to the first question, but her smile does appear more... genuine? at it. ]

She said that? That's what I told one of the other Reapers as well, but I'm not sure what they took from it.

[purrtagonist]

. . . you made it sound like she didn't want anyone to be revived. If what I heard is correct.

[. . .]

I don't understand that part.

[rosemance]

Oh. I lied. Much like how she lied regarding how she became Conductor.

[ at least that's one direct answer. ]

[purrtagonist]

[oh my god]

You two. . .

[slips a hand under his glasses, rubbing at his eyes tiredly]

. . . so you're both betting on the fourth option. But again, against who?

And what is the exact nature of your conflict?

[rosemance]

I'm afraid that, at this point, that is information I cannot give.

[ he can probably hear max's voice echoing, "ask again later," in the distance... ]

[purrtagonist]

[hhhah]

Ask again later. . .?

[rosemance]

I know it must be annoying when we say that, but even we must work according to our own rules.

[purrtagonist]

[mmmm]

Then does this mean we'll be able to meet like this again?

[rosemance]

If you put in another request for it, yes. I believe Undine also wanted to have a meeting with me, but she failed to hand over her own letter to Maya. Maya wanted me to invite her here anyway, but I'm afraid this is one thing we do have to be very strict about.

[ especially now that the players are aware that killing the composer is, you know, possible. ]