[Week 0, Sunday post-execution: Max]

[purrtagonist]

[this is the last fucking PC I'm making for Sunday I swear to god]

[ANYWAY 'SUP MAX, someone is knocking on your hotel room door! normally, at least. he isn't trying to be obnoxious]

[yet]

Comments

[purrtagonist]

[DANG]

That kind of ruins the dramatic impact of me sharing with you by oh-so tragic backstory.

[so wry]

[concertmaster]

Yeah, sorry. I mean. Thanks for sharing?

[aw he actually looks like he feels a bit awkward about it]

[purrtagonist]

[aw, Max]

I made an effort. I think that counts.

[concertmaster]

For what? Pity points?

[purrtagonist]

Hell no.

I was just going to pay you back for some of the information you've given me, that's all.

[read, also: bonding]

[concertmaster]

Sharing info is literally my entire job. I don't need to do tradesies for it.

[purrtagonist]

I know you don't "need" to.

I just like to repay my debts. It keeps me even.

[concertmaster]

You don't owe me shit. I haven't done you any favors.

[purrtagonist]

You've done your job, sure. But has anyone else ever tried to pay you for it?

[child labor is against the law]

[concertmaster]

[there are no laws when you're dead]

No, because it'd be fucking weird. It's not like you guys get paid for this Reaper bullshit.

[purrtagonist]

[someone needs to make dead laws]

No, but that just makes it sound like we need our own union.

[concertmaster]

Good luck recommending that to any Composer. You know the usual Reaper path ends in Erasure, right?

[purrtagonist]

[GOD]

[NEXT TIME HE'S READING THE DAMN FIND PRINT]

Yeah, unsurprising, considering. . . [gestures]

This whole game.

[concertmaster]

Nah, this Game's unusual. I'll give you that one. But the easiest path to promotion with Reapers is by taking out the guy above you.

[a beat]

Which probably isn't that fucking different from getting a job anywhere else, now that I think about it.

[purrtagonist]

[Max looks like he just figured out how the entire world works]

Good thing I'm so new I'm not anywhere near being above anyone yet.

[support reaper for life?]

[concertmaster]

... Well, in that case, you'll probably be fine so long as no one offs your Composer and decides to wipe the state clean and start all over. That is, if you make it out of this Game at all.

Good luck with that.

[purrtagonist]

[HE SAYS THAT LIKE AKIRA'S REALLY GOING TO NEED IT. . .]

[. . .]

Hey, Max.

[he's curious again]

What can you tell me about the Composer?

[concertmaster]

[hmmm. he chinhands]

Well... They're similar to most Composers. Secretive, kind of an asshole, control freak, likes to pretend they're being benevolent and generous even though it's the bare fucking minimum, full of themselves. The usual.

[but?]

... But they genuinely do believe this Game has to be the way it is for the benefit of everyone. Whatever the hell that means.

[purrtagonist]

[. . . hm. that can mean a lot of things. "genuinely believe," like are they just that twisted that they think murder is the best way to test a person's character, or. . .?]

Do you trust them?

[concertmaster]

To do their job? Sure.

[what else is there, clearly]

[purrtagonist]

No. That isn't my question.

Do you trust them, as an individual, to do what is really best for their Players? Even if you can't understand their methods?

[this is Important]

[concertmaster]

[there is a long pause]

I don't know them as an individual that much. Like I said. They think they're doing what's best for everyone. I'm... a neutral party.

[whatever that means, he doesn't look like he wants to expand on it]

[purrtagonist]

[. . .]

Do you want to be more than just a neutral party?

[concertmaster]

Nope. Neutral's just fine for me.

[:/]

I mean, except for this entire job thing, but there's downsides to everything.

[purrtagonist]

No job is perfect.

[there's something there, just out of reach. he doesn't know how to get to it yet]

If you ever need to complain, I've been told I'm a great listener.