purrtagonist | [Week 2, Monday: Max]

[for some reason, that answer gets a weary smile from Akira. because hasn't he pegged Max as the kind of kid who was forced to grow up too quickly? and they have a few minutes until the feature starts, they're still watching advertisements and previews right now, so. . .]

When you put it like that, it's a fair excuse.

[. . .]

[shovels some popcorn into his mouth]

I was 16 when my parents shipped me off to Tokyo by myself. [ah] Older than you, but I was gone for nearly a year.

They never called.

[talking about shitty parents is max's real weakness, why would do this to him. he slouches a bit in his seat, shoving himself further in his hoodie.]

... Yeah. It sucks.

[he actually sounds like he's trying to be comforting when he next adds:]

But you had all those Phantom Thieves and that, uh, coffee guy, right? So. That's something.

Yeah.

[it sucks. no doubt. even now, even after finding a place that actually felt like home for the first time in sixteen years, thinking back on it stings a bit. idly, he tilts the popcorn bowl towards Max in case he wants some]

So I understand "world-weary but inexperienced."

[even if Akira isn't naive and is more experienced in general, he's still a kid, too]

I was pretty lucky to fall into the Phantom Thieves. Lucky that Boss eventually warmed up to me enough to call me family. Without them, I don't know where I'd be.

[miserable and lonely, probably]

. . . I know you said you never had anything like that when you were alive. But you never told me if you found it after death.

[Max grabs some popcorn, but only play with it idly instead of eating it.]

... Not really.

[he starts tearing off bits off of one kernel without looking at Akira]

I dunno. Maybe-- maybe camp could've been that for me. It was a shitty place run by a megalomaniac that only ever cared about making money and not being caught by the feds, but. Some of the other kids weren't bad. [he chucks off the pieces into the empty seats in front of them.] David and Gwen were okay sometimes too. The counselors. [he's mentioned david before, but not gwen, so.]

After-- After... [he trails off] Well, anyway, at some point, David even spouted out bullshit like how I deserved to be happy, and he hoped I could be at camp someday. Can you believe that?

[he shrugs it off]

But then I died. So.

[the broken pieces of popcorn bounce off the seats and onto the ground. Akira watches them, heart twisting against his ribs]

David was right. You deserve to be happy. Back then, and right now.

[mmmmm]

But if you actually thought camp could have been they place for you. . . then why did you really not take your second chance after your first Reaper's Game?

[Makoto mentioned something about Max making a mistake in his last game. this is what Akira is prodding at, because he isn't sure he buys Max's given reasons for declining it]

[his face shuts down and he shrugs]

It's fucking summer camp. It wasn't gonna last.

[but it might not be the full story, considering how quick he is to change the subject:]

Are you the kind of asshole who talks the whole movie? 'Cause we could've done that outside.

Camp doesn't last. But the people you meet there, do.

[what are you not telling him, Max?]

[but Akira sinks a little into his seat as the lights dim and the previews turn into the actual, feature-length film]

Nope. For the next two hours, my lips are sealed.

[except to eat popcorn and milk duds]

Nothing lasts.

[but that's all he says on that until the end of the movie. except riveting commentary like WHY DON'T YOU JUST SHOOT HIM?]

[every time Max yells at the movie screen Akira has to cover his mouth with his hand to avoid cracking up in the middle of the theater. not that his laughter would drown out all of these AWESOME, HIGH-BUDGET, MICHAEL BAY-LIKE EXPLOSIONS]

[it's a good way to alleviate the tension brought upon by the heavy topic they were discussing before it all started, at least?]

[and, as promised, no questions. just two hours of relaxation and cool spies doing cool spy things]

[after a lot of sarcastic and judgmental commentary, max's complaint about akira being an asshole who talks during movies might seem a tad hypocritical,

but also, was he wrong. about any of it.]

They never just shoot the guy.

[HE WAS NOT]

[and as the credits roll, Akira stands up, tossing the now-empty bowl of popcorn from hand to hand]

Of course they don't. Because that would solve everyone's problems within the first five minutes.

[then you wouldn't even need a movie]

[throws his arms up in the air]

Then come up with a plot without such an easy solution, jesus fucking christ! Writers are just lazy assholes.

[@ my own character: hey. hey. rude,]

Hollywood writers aren't lazy, they just like making money. The formula works.

[depositing his trash in the receptacle as they pass, like a good citizen]

I'd go with "barely functions", but that's most of society as we know it. It's passable and mindless at best.

[so does max because he is against global warming. i wish i was joking]

[MAX PLEASE, GLOBAL WARMING IS A SCIENTIFIC FACT]

If you think I'm going to disagree with that, you've read my file. [shooting a god in the face. freeing humanity from the chains of sloth. that sort of thing] But the other side of that coin is the fact that society can be reformed.

By burning it down to the ground, sure. That's about how likely reform is.

Cynical. . .

[even moreso than Akira, geez]

Where do you want to go next, by the way?

[somewhere they can sit while Akira asks his weekly 1083479349 questions]

[he is appalled by this accusation? such falsehoods.]

I told you where I'm going next, I'm raiding the candy section in this place.

[yeah he climbed over the counter in that squirmy way small kids get over everything rip. HE DOESN'T EVEN NEED TO DO THIS]

Ask your shit while I do this, whatever.

[oh, right. in the two hours of that movie, he forgot they were going to raid the concession stand. TIME TO CLIMB OVER THE COUNTER AND HELP]

All right. Buckle in, I've got a lot.

[piling sour patch kids into his jacket pockets as he speaks]

Hume-san was given a favor early last week, where she got to choose a "boon," and said "boon" gave her the ability to check and see if a Player was a Reaper.

What were the other "boons" that she didn't pick?

Fucking give the Players one bit of aid and they immediately tell a Reaper. God. This is why I hate the lot of you.

[is he facepalming? a little bit. and then he shrugs]

Yeah, not happening. I can't even tell the Players that kind of shit. They make their choice, they live with it.

Edited 2018-03-21 05:50 (UTC)

You say that like telling us is a bad thing.

[I mean, Akira is glad to know about it, so??]

Right. That's what I thought. Can you at least tell me what boon was chosen this week?

[not asking for the person since he figures he won't get a name]

Alright. Let me break this down for you. In this scenario, for the purpose of the Game, you are the bad guy. You wanna know so bad? Start networking with Players and hope one of 'em tells you.

[that's a pretty harsh no]

[listen he had to try and ask anyway. . .!]

[there is a pause where he considers this, as he pops open a box of JubJubs for consumption, before he slowly nods]

In the context of this game. . . that's fair.

[to keep the rules perfectly balanced]

Change of pace, then. Have you been writing letters to the Composer?

[Max stops his impression of a raccoon rummaging to look genuinely baffled at Akira]

Why the fuck would I write them a letter?

[h. . . huh]

To complain about entry fees? Or rather, how they were taken for this game?

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