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Week 0, Friday
[When Akira makes it back to the hotel room, he'll find that -
Well. Ichigo is still asleep, somehow. The pillow's been removed from his head, but he's still pretty soundly snoozing away.
He's entirely missed the body and all of the announcements. Jesus fucking christ.]
Well. Ichigo is still asleep, somehow. The pillow's been removed from his head, but he's still pretty soundly snoozing away.
He's entirely missed the body and all of the announcements. Jesus fucking christ.]
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[it takes him a while to get back, actually. mostly because he took a walk to clear his head after learning about Utena. when he returns, it's with an empty can of soda, pilfered from the vending machine. he pauses in the doorway when he sees that Ichigo is still sprawled out in bed, his mouth quirking into a tiny smile]
[he should probably. . . tell him about what happened]
Ichigo?
[and he walks over, reaching out to gently shake his partner awake]
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Don't-
[But it doesn't take long before the haze of sleep clears, and he realizes he's physically accosting his partner and instantly lets go.]
Shit - Sorry, I...didn't mean to do that.
[Sitting up in bed, Ichigo yawns - and rubs his eyes, still a little sleepy.]
Nnn....What time even is it right now?
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[that's the second time Ichigo has greeted him like this-- straight from being asleep to attacking in .5 seconds flat. one would think Akira learned his lesson the first time around. apparently that is not so]
[Akira leans back, one hand held up, palm facing forward. when Ichigo lets him go, he relaxes, a weak laugh with no humor escaping his lips]
. . . right. I'm sorry.
[note to self: think of a new awy to wake him up next time]
It's mid-morning.
[and boy did Ichigo miss some Stuff]
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[God, that sounds horrible when you say it like that - though it's not like Ichigo can actually remember his father, or the playful intent behind those morning attacks.
Still, he does feel bad - Akira shouldn't have to deal with his own issues, and he shakes his head.]
...Just throw something at me next time - I won't mind.
[But after that moment has passed and Akira tells him the time, he nods - and stretches, getting ready to get up out of bed.]
Mmm, yeah? Sorry for sleeping in, then - but I think I needed it after a few nights on the street, you know?
[He's actually somewhat happier for once, his mood light and even a little cheery - the sleep in an actual bed apparently having done wonders for his general outlook.]
What's up?
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Utena Tenjou is dead.
[he'll get straight to the point, although he does feel a little guilty for ruining Ichigo's first good mood since he arrived in this hellhole]
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What?
[He'd never gotten a chance to talk to her, but - she was dead? But that didn't even make any sense! Sure, there were reapers, but - were they really going to start killing so soon? They weren't even going to give them a week to relax?
He raises a hand to his face, covering his mouth and looking down as his thoughts swirl around in a frenzy.]
She's....That's....I don't -
[He cuts himself off, letting out a harsh, ragged breath.]
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Monika-san was one of the two people who found her body lying near the Bu-- Hachiko statue. Max confirmed her death shortly afterwards.
[a pause, and then a snort]
I call it "death," but Max calls it "erasure," here. But from the way Monika described the crime scene, it's no different than a normal murder.
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[He swallows, lowering his hand from his face as he takes it all in. Utena is dead...and her body was found near the Hachiko statue. An obvious murder -]
...I sure as hell missed a lot, huh.
[His tone is wry, but also a little harsh - blame not aimed at anyone but himself for not getting up in time to go and help find the body with everyone else.]
Do we have any other leads...?
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[he didn't find any evidence, and doesn't know which pictures were submitted and which ones were not]
You know the rules, though. There's going to be a trial tomorrow.
[for them to figure out who killed Utena]
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[He cuts himself off, giving a harsh hiss of breath as he shakes his head.
Things just had to happen so fucking quickly, didn't they. And that also meant -]
...Himemiya...what's going to happen to her now that Utena's dead?
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[not with any sense of certainty. just with what he thinks will happen-- based on the rules, the game mechanics, and questions he overheard other people asking]
[she'll be erased, too]
[he sets his jaw tightly]
Do you think we can find a way to save her?
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[He doesn't want to think about it - but would they even allow them to save the innocent people involved in all of this? The thought makes his head snap up -]
And...we have to find out who did it, don't we? What happens to the person who was the partner of the murderer? Do they...Do they get erased, too?
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"Your Partner is erased? You're erased. This counts even if your Partner was a Reaper."
[. . .]
[he's doing the math in his head. the numbers don't look good]
By those rules, one kill means at least three innocent people die, even if we find the right culprit. The victim, the victim's partner, and the killer's partner.
[jesus]
[he inhales sharply as those words sink in. is this game really designed to elicit the largest amount of bloodshed it can't?]
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[He sees that inhale, and - honestly? He feels the same, despite everything. Despite trying to brace himself for the worst, this just feels -
So utterly, incredibly unfair. To have this system set up so people can die quicker, even those who were innocent of the crime...
It makes him feel sick.]
...And we don't have a choice.
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[Akira shoots back, though it's mostly on instinct. Ichigo says they don't have a choice, and he wants to believe that they do. he just. . . doesn't know what that choice is yet]
Somewhere down the line, there has to be a better option for us than this.