week 0, sunday

[reapertoire]

[After the (lovely) erasures, Monika might want to take a second to talk to people or do other things with her life!

No, banned. Instead she finds herself in a dark alley behind McDonald's. Was that alley always there? Don't question that. Questioning is also banned. Waiting for her there is Max, carrying a small case with eight pins in it.

Surely... this is normal.]

Comments

[concertmaster]

Monika. Because of your performance this week, you've been chosen by the Composer to pick from one of these [he gestures towards his pin case] to help out you Players for the coming week.

Once you pick one, I'll tell you what it does. Otherwise, all you've got to go off of is their names, because Composer's got a sick sense of humor. This isn't new.

[That said, he starts to gesture at each pin as he names them! The first has a simple design on it with two beams crossing each other to form an X.]

You've got Muramasa. Then there's Olly Olly Oxen Free Barrier. [this one has a cartoon design of a cute little Ox! Aww.] Moving on to Demon's Look. [This pin has a dark background broken by three yellow scratch marks, exposing something red underneath.] Over here is Delightful Beam. [the pin is a pale yellow with cute, pink hearts forming a beam] This one's Lolita Gifts [that pin depicts a gift box with definite gothic tones in the wrapping] and that one's One Chance, One Hope. [it's... a bunch of multicolored swirls with a bright question mark in the middle. okay.] Here's Kleptomania Rulez [six multicolored stars with dark jail bars in front of them] and finally we've got King's Treat. [It has a frozen crown on it!]

I know the names are fucking stupid. If you've got any questions before you pick, go for it. Unfortunately you've gotta pick today, so. Make it fast.

[chr]

Going off what we know of our Composer, I guess that means I was comically good or comically bad this week. Either way, I'd say there's worse names out there. I man, have you heard about Dick Cheney?

[ chained dicks

monika clicks her tongue. ] And I suppose there's no clues here, hm. At least some of these seem straight forward.

I'm an extremist, Max. One Chance, One Hope.

[concertmaster]

The VP who shot a guy in the face? Yeah, I've heard of him. He's just further proof of the sad state of affairs of American politics now and forever.

[why would you make me reference this. anyway, he takes out the pin and shows it to her]

Extremist choice is a pretty good one. One Chance, One Hope... For free next trial, you get to ask for a hint from me to help you guys find the Reaper. One hundred percent legit, no tricks or hangman puzzle. [he hands it over] It's only visible to you or anyone you choose to show it to, but I wouldn't recommend doing that. I'm gonna need it back by Sunday.

[chr]

[ because i want to die. ]

I don't know why the rest of the game insists you're so bad or trying to hurt us. What a useful pin! Thanks. Expect it in your hands once more by the weekend.

[concertmaster]

I am the spawn of Satan, Monika. My soul is dead and darkened and black.

[a beat]

But yeah, fuck if it gets me anything to hurt you guys when that's the literal opposite of my job. People just love to hate on authority.

[max is he biggest anti-authoritarian person in the world but ok]