WEEK 4 - POST EXECUTION + WHATEVER THE FUCK THAT WAS

[chaoticlootral]

[ Well!

That was something truly terrible. But there's business to attend to, last requests and all that. Taako has ditched the veil and also most of the length of the skirt so he can actually move, and he and Magnus have somehow cornered Setz somewhere fairly soon after the spectacle.]

Hey, uh, homie, wait up. We've gotta chat.

Comments

[chaoticlootral]

[He's been tasked with - in Magnus' words - preventing him from fucking up, so just sort of, inserting himself between Magnus and Setz. Just in case. It's been a long day, and no one has any patience left.]

Monika, uh, sent us? I guess. Used her referral code.

[subordinacy]

What?

[That cuts through Setz's passiveness. If anything, he actually looks offended now—a rarity for him.

He doesn't move, but he tenses, and it's not from fear.]

Do you think I would've let them do this if I'd known!?

[ruffboi]

We knew. But there was no let. They made up their mind to do it, and they did.

[He's not angry at Setz. It's fine. He's just angry.]

It wasn't the way they made it seem.

[chaoticlootral]

[Taako looks kind of ill again, thinking about it. The way they made it seem.]

It all just happened, uh, kinda fast.

[subordinacy]

[...

Setz calms down—though his hand clenches into a fist—before looking away.]

Neither of them mentioned anything about it to me. What did they tell you?

[ruffboi]

I don't know.

[He'd cared about Monika. Maybe that's why she felt the need to tell them. But Setz obviously cared, too.]

Coulda been because I told her some things, about me. About my family. I couldn't have lived with myself if I thought she really decided to die for him, and I hadn't done anything to help her realize she didn't need to. But I think it was because she wanted us to talk to you.

[He's pulling out of his pocket a cell phone.]

I'm pretty sure you've already heard what's on here. They told us they wanted to, uh, cull the numbers. They said you were making plans.

[chaoticlootral]

[Letting Magnus take the explanation on this one - he isn't good with these types of things. Hard conversations and ugly truths. Pulling his hair around his shoulder to start rebraiding it. Back to business.]

I, uh, don't know why we're apparently trustworthy, but this is a whole last request thing. Can't exactly refuse last requests from someone who's so serious about their plans they'll skip right to ripping hearts outta chests. We'll help.

[subordinacy]

[Setz is quiet for a moment, surprise flickering across his face. Then, he looks grim.]

I don't think I have, actually. Play it for me?

[ruffboi]

Oh. I thought you already knew.

[Hesitating for just a second.]

Monika said she believed in you. And, uh, I believe in you, too. You're a good guy. You were one of the first, to make me think differently about how to handle the Reapers. There's a lot on this tape, though some of it I think Caren gave away, anyway.

[Plays it.]

[chaoticlootral]

You mentioned being, uh, judged. When I talked to [yelled at] Max, he said I was getting there along the same lines: two factions, Computer and Composter [Okay this is just getting confusing now] who are trying to prove something. Might have to do with your answer from the Reaper Creeper. Sharing this is . . . cooperation, right? Should be anyway. We're apparently swearing off this whole underhanded secret keeping thing. Playing it fast and loose from the vest.

[subordinacy]

[Setz listens to the recording—and, well, it probably says something that there isn't a hint of surprise at anything he hears from it. He was telling the truth when he said he hadn't heard the tape specifically, but...]

... Izaya, huh? Ah, that's right—his psych was invisibility. Clever.

[He shakes his head.]

I'm not interested in... "culling the numbers" yet—not until we know that's the best option—so if that's what you're here for, I'll be of no use to you.

[ruffboi]

Jesus! No. We're not here to volunteer to start killing people. I'm actually pretty much ready to swear off killing anyone as a part of this game at all? I don't know if I care what the Casserole wants us to do, or is judging us on.

But we want to help? We're done fucking around. Monika and Izaya weren't trying to die. She was counting on all of us to save her.

[chaoticlootral]

Yeah, what the fuck! No! No killing! Good gods. We just want to help - uh, you know, in a sane plan? Or an insane one, we're not above it. Just not a killing people one.

[Muttering another FUCK under his breath, because he didn't want to come across as! Advocating murder!]

[subordinacy]

[Setz stares at them both for a moment in utter shock, before he buries his face in his hand—namely out of sheer relief.

When he speaks, he just sounds very, very tired.]

Thank you.

[He lifts his head.]

The recording's a little outdated, but you can trust everything Akira said on it. I know you're... not particularly inclined towards the Reapers, but he genuinely wants to save everyone—and as he said, he's willing to die if that's really what it takes.

In any case, I wouldn't be surprised if half the Players know his role by now, so his chances of survival are slim regardless.

[After pausing for a moment, he takes out a longass note (or who knows, maybe it's two notes, we'll see how Zia formats it??) and hands it over.]

... Sorry, but I don't have a plan yet. I did tell you most of everything I know at the trial, barring Reaper identities. However, this is just about everything else—I'm planning on giving it to Max so that he can post it for everyone next week.

[So, uh, please don't damage it and make him write that all over again.]

[ruffboi]

...I've got some info to add to that, Setz.

[Pulling a sheet of paper. It's actually a sheet of paper in Magnus' handwriting, so, scratchy, with a few misspellings.]

Makoto has the original. We found it in the treasure chest we got exploring the bookstore. It didn't make any damn sense to me, but now it kinda does, right? It's not that they don't want to revive everybody, it's that they can't. It takes too much energy or something.

[chaoticlootral]

[Yoinking the paper over to read it over again quickly before Setz does, rudely :) Mostly just to fuck with him a little. It's been a long day. ]

This, uh, writing. Kinda sounds like Max, right? Am I just making that shit up? [Waving a hand. Maybe something to ask him about.] Maybe that's why they have to extend the game, and we gotta make it to the end. More time to build up power. Like in Wonderland. Had to extract all they needed from us.

[subordinacy]

[Wow??]

Yeah, it's Max's. [No need to ask him!] We found a report from him in the live house as well, which is how I knew about the Conductor. Thanks for sharing this.

That they need to gather up the energy is a possibility. That, or the bet they're involved in has something to do with it. Where exactly that power comes from is the question...

[He's quiet for another moment, before:]

Earlier this week, I put in a request to meet with the Composer. According to Max, I'll learn on Monday whether or not they've chosen to accept it.

... From what I know, they aren't—or can't be—necessarily forthcoming with answers, but we'll see.

[ruffboi]

Well, shit. Maybe we shouldn't have been sending them envelopes full of old rancid sauces this whole time...?

[They're the worst.]

Maybe they gotta win their bet to afford the cost. I dunno. Your ideas make sense - a game to prove we won't be jackasses to each other no matter how cruel the game is. Uh, but I kinda fucking hate it. You gonna torture people, like with Miki - dangling the chance for her to save the girl she loved, and then taking it away, to see if she's a good person? Fuck that. I haven't killed anyone, but it's not because I'm a better person. If I thought my wife would have wanted that, I'd take the Composer's bullshit deal in a heartbeat.

But if there's a higher authority than the Commuter, guess that's who we have to stop.

[chaoticlootral]

I don't feel at all bad about the sauce, and my Sauce Gun plan still stands, homies. Social experiments are still bullshit even if you have, like, good intentions or what the fuck ever. What they did to Miki and Alex and Jonas is fucking bullshit.

[Get sauced, fucks.]

Yeah, gotta go for the head honcho. Sounds like they're the ones with their hands on the second life tap. There's also the guy - mentioned in trial he'd been getting messages in his head. Worrisome direction. Might want to keep an eye on him, or it's some sort of, uuh, indicator they're messing with us. Could be random, or not.

[subordinacy]

... Why...

[That's, uh, about sending the Composer envelopes full of old rancid sauces. Why would you do that.

Anyhow.]

I don't like it either; however, my first and foremost concern will always be getting everyone out of here.

[Anger can play second fiddle to that.]

... I asked Max about it, and he just said I should try asking around to see if anyone else felt something similar.

If something is messing with us, I wonder why Mutsunokami in particular, though. Nothing about him seems to stand out to me.

[That's mean, Setz.]

[ruffboi]

Okay. I'm angry, but you're not wrong.

[Sighing, fiddling with the cell phone in his hands.]

You talk to the Composer, give us updates. As for me...it sucks, but we have to try and keep Akira alive, don't we? Caren put a target on his back today. I think I should talk to him.

[chaoticlootral]

Maybe it's because his head is kinda empty, acts like a satellite dish.

[SORRY THAT'S MEAN TOO.]

Should do some sort of public call, right? Put a sign out: If you're having weird-ass thoughts, bring 'em here. No point in beating around the bush trying to gently pry it out of these dingdongs. Done with that shit.

As for Akira, I agree. Think the, uh, danger, is if what he's saying is right, then he'll have to kill someone this week. This isn't me volunteering, by the way.

[subordinacy]

You can try that. You two will probably be more persuasive than me, at least.

[Regarding Akira, he nods slowly, looking grim.]

... Mm. I'm not sure if certain Players will even wait for the trial to go after him, but...

[Well, either way.]

If you plan on talking to him, keep in mind that he can't be open about everything—the Reapers seem to have certain restrictions in place, lest they face erasure. With that said, as long as you go with the intention of a civil discussion, he does want to share what he can, if it'll help everyone.

[ruffboi]

Yeah. Someone will try to kill him this week. If not the other Reapers, someone like Miki, or Jonas - a person with a boon they want, but they've thought it would be wrong to try and get it. And then here's a Reaper Caren identified, you get your boon, no harm, no foul. Can't let it happen like that.

[He's starting to get an idea of how to help, though.]

Yeah, yeah, more mysterious bullshit. Speaking of which, Setz, do you know who all the Reapers are? Not just the, uh - okay. We need a better name for these teams than the good Reapers and the bad Reapers. How about if Akira's team is the Bad News Bears, and Jacopo's team is the Mighty Ducks. You know the roster for the Ducks, buddy?

[chaoticlootral]

[Okay, now is probably not an appropriate time to lose his mind giggling, but that's a great bit.]

Yeah, pal, you know the Ducks lineup? At least a push in the right direction. Who's the kid with the killer slapshot?