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]

... I will say that we did not personally choose you or the other Reapers. We only asked for ones who were good, but the word “good” is subjective. I’ve realized now that all of your respective Composers were thinking of different meanings when they chose each and every one of you.

[ she shifts slightly, like she’s about to move, but then decides against it. ]

This is unfair to you. I won’t lie and say otherwise.

[purrtagonist]

[he honestly looks. . . extremely taken off guard when she says that, like an acknowledgement of the unfairness of the situation wasn't something he expected to hear from her]

Ah. . . [he thinks, maybe, he should be flattered his own Compser thought he was "good" enough for this job. and maybe it is a good thing he's here, with all that he's learned. he's been working his ass off, not for his own sake, but for the sakes of everyone here]

[he just hope it achieves the right results]

[his eyes slip shut. he takes in a deep breath]

What's done is done.

[and they open again, burning with determination]

I intend to survive this, in order to bring this Game to the ending you and Maya want to achieve the most.

[rosemance]

... I really hope you manage it to. But I also hope you won’t have to do it alone.

[ she stands up and picks up the watering can again. ]

I agreed to the reward request last week because I figured it would get the Players to start questioning things a little more. They’ve been seeing this game as too black and white.

[purrtagonist]

[he watches her for a moment, before he stands up as well to help]

They still are. None of them could trust in the validity of those letters, even after I encouraged them to verify the information with Max.

[. . .]

Anthy. . . if I deem it necessary to out myself as a Reaper to the Players as a whole, in order to give them the information I know without the veil of anonymity. . .

Will you Erase me for violating a rule?

[it's probably less her he has to worry about, and more. . . uh. everyone else in the Game. it isn't a strategy he intends to use now, and he'd prefer not to use it at all.]

[but if it's a last ditch effort to get everyone to cooperate? to question their black and white views and biases against Repaers? he'll do it. danger be damned]

[because he has always been the sort to draw dangerous attention to himself to protect others. this? this was no different]

[rosemance]

I'll be honest with you, depending on how that plan goes, I probably wouldn't have to. The Players might do it instead.

[ it's extremely risky. they both know it, and it's not the kind of thing that should be done unless it's a backup of a backup plan. ]

I'll allow it, but only in a specific circumstance. I'm sure you are already aware of what kind of situation I am speaking of.

[ the one he's thinking of. if he feels like there's absolutely no other option left. ]

[purrtagonist]

Okay.

[at least he knows he can use it as a sort of Hail Mary. if. . . if he has to. if the trust he's gained with a certain few people holds]

[if they can believe that he's truly in this for the benefit of the Players and the Erased, and not himself]

I have one more question. Well. . . it may not be my last, depending on your answer.

What will happen if we end the Game by reaching the time limit?

[rosemance]

[ she doesn't reply right away, and instead finally starts to water the flowers again. partly because i also forgot i had her do this.

there's another watering can a couple of feet away on the floor. ]

I cannot give you a definite answer, but I can say that you will have a better chance at achieving what you want the longer the game goes on.

[purrtagonist]

[oh good, he can actually help and not just stand around creepily. brb fetching the watering can, and then sliding up next to her to gently drizzle said water over a rose plant]

And why is that?

[rosemance]

I suppose it's...

[ it always comes down to semantics, doesn't it? ]

Like Max has told everyone, at the end of the game, everyone will be judged based on their actions. This is the start of the fifth week everyone has been playing since arriving in the UG. If the Game were to end right now, do you think there would be a difference between what's being judged versus if it lasted the full eight weeks?

[purrtagonist]

[it sure does. ganbatte, Composer-san]

Yeah. I do. Especially since the Players haven't found any of the other Reapers yet.

So you're saying. . . if we're judged favorably, then we're more likely to succeed in convincing you to revive the Erased?

[rosemance]

It’s less about convincing. Contrary to popular belief, I do not actually want you all to remain dead.

[ she’s fully aware that she’s not popular with the living. ]

But due to the constraints of... you are all calling it a bet, right? Because of the bet, I cannot be as lax as I would be otherwise on revival. So it’s less about convincing and more about everyone managing to do the requirements needed for the judgment to be successful.

[purrtagonist]

. . . I see.

You bound yourself to the same rules by which we're restrained. To make this "bet". . . fair.

[which, he is quickly figuring out, means. . .]

Does this mean if I ask you to let us abstain from killing for the rest of the Game, you'll say no?

[rosemance]

That’s one way to put it.

[ she can practically see the air quotes around the word fair there ]

I allowed a break last week since I feared you would be eliminated far too quickly otherwise, but I am not able to keep doing that.

[purrtagonist]

[there are definitely air quotes]

. . .

I'm going to keep asking every week, you realize. Now that I know I can. Even if you say no every single time.

[until she erases him for being obnoxious :/]

[rosemance]

And you’ll keep being disappointed by my answer.

[ ... ]

I do hope that you’ll be able to keep asking until the end. I’m sure Maya and Max would be sad if you were gone.

[purrtagonist]

[Akira opens his mouth to say something, thinks better of it, and closes it with a click. after a pause, he lets out a deep exhale, eyes slipping shut]

I hope I'll be here until the very end too, Anthy.

[. . .]

[he's not sure how far simple "hope" will get him. but, as always? he has to try. he has to try]

I'll do everything I can do to survive.

[rosemance]

Is there anything else you would like to talk about? Or will that be all?

[ :) ]

[purrtagonist]

[WHY DOES THE SMILEY FACE SCARE ME]

I-- [don't expect a response to this, but] -- want to know what the requirements we have to meet to revive the Erased are.

Can you give me a hint?

[or does he have everything that she can give him at this point in time?]

[rosemance]

If I say “communication” again, would you be frustrated?

[purrtagonist]

Slightly.

[ain't even gonna front]

But I suppose it's a start.

[rosemance]

My position is a frustrating one. I don’t expect to be liked by anyone by the time this is over.

[ she reaches over and plucks out a red rose and hands it to him. ]

But that doesn’t matter. What does matter is that I think you’re smart enough to figure it out eventually.

[purrtagonist]

[he take the rose carefully, making sure not to prick his finger on the thorns]

Thanks. For the vote of confidence.

[I just have to stay alive long enough for that to happen--]

I'll be honest. . . for a while there, I was thinking about killing you.

[AKIRA. . .??]

[rosemance]

Everyone wants to kill me, Akira. That isn’t going to ever change, so it’s fine.

[ if there is one reason why anthy is a good choice to run this particular game, it’s that she’s used to no one liking her. ]

If you ever change your mind, you are free to attempt to kill me. Whether or not that gives you the results you were hoping for is another matter entirely.

[purrtagonist]

[. . . he shakes his head]

No. I was never really completely certain that it was the right answer, anyway. And I think. . . I know now, that it isn't.

[tilts his chin up]

Maya trusts you. And while I still think this Game is bullshit, that's. . . enough for me.

[rosemance]

Your opinion has been noted.

[ is that a joke. who knows. ]

I would say I’ll try not to let you down, but we both know I already have. So instead, I’ll try not to make you doubt Maya’s judgment.