Week 4, post execution - All Reaper Meeting

[bladeisme]

[Today...

Had been a hell of a thing. He hadn't expected to get an extra execution and go down a member in the same day, but -

It was almost a blessing. Now, they could go all out - and not worry about what would happen next, or leaks from people they worked with. Now, everything was set - and they only had three more weeks to go.

The time for hiding and trying to kill each other had passed. Now? If they wanted the dead to come back, there was only one option available to them.

To work together, and lead the players to the conclusion the Composer wanted.

Ichigo tells everyone to meet up in the Bookstore, a few hours after the execution and everything has settled down. He's sitting on the couch in there, reading - or trying to read and failing - as everyone shuffles in, looking up whenever someone arrives. And when they're all there?

He takes a breath,and closes his book.]

...So.

Let's talk.

Comments

[allsetfree]

[ yeah, Alex's pretenses of normalcy are down today. she usually acts aggressively casual, like things are fine, but. nahhh. they aren't.

so she's just here. quietly enjoying(?) a nice mcflurry. ]

[purrtagonist]

[listen, they all deserve McFlurries]

[anyway, while she broods, Akira is going to come up next to her and gently nudge her shoulder with his]

[allsetfree]

[ she tries to relax. it. doesn't really work. ]

Hey, Akira.

[purrtagonist]

[he understands. it's been a long week, especially for her]

How are you holding up, Alex?

now as a top level whoops

[alchemicalwater]

[I guess it's time for the dramatic reveal then.

Undine is so not ready for this. Like, at all. When she had said 'I'll tell you when you can smile again', she had been meaning quite a few things actually. Some of them can wait, but this? This needs to happen now. They're running out of time.

And yet Undine still hides in the back, buried in the shelves, too nervous to step out.

What if they hate her? What if Alex hates her? What if this is all a huge mistake and it's better off if she keeps hiding? She's pretty much the last unknown reaper at this point. This is a huge risk for her, and she could get killed for it. But somehow, the thought of people hating her is so much worse than the thought of dying.

And she can't afford to delay it any longer.

So she takes in a breath, and she steps out from behind the bookshelf she had been hiding behind. Anyone who's talked to her ever can tell just how nervous she is, she's practically shaking in her boots. But she's there.]

Surprise?

[bladeisme]

[Ichigo smiles at her from the couch - warm and inviting as he motions for her to take a seat.]

I'm glad you agreed to come in the end.

[Honestly, he was going to tell her not to come....and then Izaya and Monika did the thing, and everything got much easier.]

[alchemicalwater]

[YEAH THAT. Made this decision a lot easier.]

It was time. We all really need to work together now, with only five of us left.

[bladeisme]

Five...and three weeks to go.

[Well...]

Two after the one coming up, I guess.

Though...we'd discussed joining you before. After Akira sent the note, I mean.

[allsetfree]

[ seeing who it is actually startles Alex. she was prepared for it to be a lot of people, honestly. but Undine hadn't really ever been on that list. was it just because Alex likes her too much to be suspicious?

but knowing Akira's attitude toward all their duties makes it easy to trust this. it wasn't that Undine has been acting sweet this whole time - that's been real. at least, Alex immediately assumes as much.

her mcflurry almost slips from her hand, and Alex has to hurry to get her grip on it again, and that kind of makes her blurt out, in disbelief: ]

You brat-- [ and then, even though there should be, like, way more important things to ask first, probably? ] Wait, then, your entrance fee? [ if you didn't really lose it then - she must know whether or not she was really alone! pressing matters! ]

[alchemicalwater]

['Brat' is a lot nicer than Undine had been expecting when Ichigo had mentioned this meeting at first, so she'll take that.

Then again, she also expected Jacopo and Izaya to be at this meeting when Ichigo had first mentioned it too. Those were the two she had been expecting to give her a hard time. But she would still take that hard time over them being dead, if she had the choice.

For now, she manages to smile.]

It wasn't entirely a lie, no. There really are some gaps in there.

[But those gaps were related to the magical girl stuff, not her being alone, so.]

But yeah, sorry for fibbing. It was my entry fee the first time around, so it was easy to pretend. I'm not actually that good of a liar, if you can believe that?

[allsetfree]

[ immediately: ] I can. Actually.

[ well, Alex can't talk. she basically just completely stopped pretending about her entrance fee this week. to everyone. especially Undine. ]

... Huh. [ still wrapping her head around this. ]

[purrtagonist]

[okay you know what shit sucks and this week sucked and that execution sucked and Akira is Tired so like]

[Akira is already at the bookstore when everyone else arrives, curled up right next to Ichigo's side, head resting on his shoulder. he's cradling what looks like a bottle of chocolate milk in his hands, but if anyone takes a moment to get close, they'll notice the contents smell like. . . coffee. yeah]

[anyway he may or may not be dozing. and by may or may not, I mean, he is dozing, using his partner as a cozy pillow]

[alchemicalwater]

[Akira plz

Undine will just. Take that bottle out of his hand and set it on a table nearby.]

[purrtagonist]

[noooo it's his chocolate milk bottle filled with coffee? she tries to take it away, but his grip just. tightens around it :/ nope nope nope it's his]

[bladeisme]

[There may or may not be a hand running through his hair, then - Because honestly, after everything? He understands Akira needing physical comfort.

Besides, it's not like he hasn't rested in Akira's lap before anyway - when he was high.

Though he's worried about that milk spilling, honestly.]

[purrtagonist]

[IT'S FINE, HE'S GOT THE MILK]

[anyway Ichigo better enjoy the quiet purring he's getting every time his fingers smooth through Akira's hair. he needs this. he needs this so bad]

[withsadness]

[Mary takes her time. She has to process what happened at the execution. To Ichigo, maybe, things are easier now without Izaya throwing a wrench into their plans...but plans aside, Mary had come to care for him in all of his strangeness. He and Monika...there was something about them that made her feel welcome. They were all people who didn't belong in the world they were given.

They weren't supposed to die today. Their team--their family--it wasn't supposed to lose two members this weekend.

Chuchu's resting on top of her head, in a nest formed by her thick blonde waves. He's her responsibility now that Izaya is gone, but even he can't stop her crying for a long time. Not even Chuchu holding a McFlurry!

But eventually, she has to come to the bookstore. She said she'd do it, even if she's scared. So, once she manages to dry her tears, she strides in, squaring her shoulders and putting on her big-girl face.]

I'm late! Sorry!

[alchemicalwater]

Oh!

[Undine had been told about who would be at the meeting, but it's still a bit of a surprise to see Mary there. A welcome surprise, since Mary has been nothing but kind to Undine, but still a surprise.]

Hello there! You're not late, really.

[SURPRISE?]

[withsadness]

[Mary screams? No, okay, she squeals, but it startles Chuchu! Her emotions are very changeable.]

Oh! Ooooohhhh! We can draw together even more than ever! Hello!

[bladeisme]

[Yeah, he'd thought she'd take it hard - regardless of how he felt about Izaya and Jacopo, he did realize that she'd grown close to them. It was one reason why he'd hoped that Izaya would ultimately choose to join their cause, without betraying anyone.

In the end, though....even though his feelings were complicated on the two, he really - didn't want either of them to die...even if what happened today was Izaya's own choice.

So, wordlessly, he just...motions to the side of the couch next to him, his eyes soft and understanding, a gentle yet sad smile on his face.]

...Come sit next to me?

[withsadness]

[Mary's eyes fall down sheepishly to her feet. She knows she's put Ichigo through some headaches and heartaches but...what else would a child do? Chuchu tugs gently at her hair, spurring her forward, and so she gives into the request, crawling onto the side of the couch that isn't occupied by Akira.]

It's a tired day.

[allsetfree]

[ it looks like Ichigo has already offered her a spot, so Alex just gives Mary a soft smile and a greeting nod. things are... not great? things were not great today. and she knows that goes hard for Mary, who was close with Izaya and Jacopo. ]

Hey, Mary.

[withsadness]

Are you feeling any better, Alex?

[She asks even though she's the one who looks like she just cried out a new river. But she knows that Alex was upset, so...it's good to ask! That's what friends do!]

What about Setz?

[purrtagonist]

-- Mary!

[honestly? Akira was aware ahead of time that Mary would be here. even so, when she arrives he perks up from his spot on the couch next to Ichigo to greet her]

How are you feeling?

[withsadness]

Akira!

[She glances at Ichigo. His lack of surprise means some bitch fuckin lied about not being a loose-lipped hoe. But...that's not on Akira, so she reaches over to give him a hug.]

We're on the same team now! So I can't be too sad...I can't be!

[She's really sad.]