[Week 4, Friday: Undine]

[purrtagonist]

[it's late. or extremely early, depending on how you view time. the incident at AMX with Chuuya Nakahara is still fresh on both of their minds. but Akira takes a still shaken up Undine to Spain Hill, helps her scale one of the buildings, and intends to sit there with her until curfew creeps to a close. they still have a few hours before that happens, at least]

. . . how are you feeling?

[he asks, one arm draped over her shoulders, to keep her close]

Comments

[alchemicalwater]

[Undine isn't really a touchy-feely person most of the time, but tonight is different so she appreciates the closeness. Tonight's been one of the worst nights in her entire life and after-life, and she's really shaken up about it. She's tired too, because cleaning up a crime scene and paying respects to a dead person isn't easy when you're injured and bleeding. Thankfully she had thought to make that first-aid kit last week, so she can at least keep her blood inside of herself until the curfew passes and they can go bother Ichigo.

So right now, she's just sitting quietly. Thinking.]

Well, it's not quite as bad as the time I died?

[Just barely. And that's only because she had been crushing on the person she had gotten killed that time.]

[purrtagonist]

[thank god for Ichigo. with Terra gone, they'd be in deep trouble otherwise]

[he interprets her statement as an attempt at lightheartedness, but the huffed laugh he lets out is forced and without any humor]

That's good. We don't really want to clear that bar, do we?

[alchemicalwater]

We really don't.

[The mention of 'bar' brings Undine's mood right back down though. Because Chuuya is an alcoholic so they interacted at a bar.]

...he'll come back too, if we can do this right.

[That's. Supposed to be encouraging okay? The horrible shit she did can be undone if they make it to the time limit at least.]

[purrtagonist]

[it's hard for Akira to think in those same terms. the Erased coming back doesn't completely negate the actions he took in this game. but he can tell Undine is trying to be positive, and while he isn't one for pointless platitudes, what she's saying is technically correct]

He will. They all will.

[. . .]

[softly]

He knew about me.

[alchemicalwater]

He did.

[Since she doesn't know how many people know about Akira already- seriously boy stop giving away your identity so much- she's going to assume the worst.]

They betrayed us. They betrayed you.

[purrtagonist]

[his mouth twitches, smile small and wry, before he wipes it form his features completely]

You think it was the other Reapers.

[not a question. a statement. he doesn't think she's too far off, actually]

. . . Shin knows who I am, too. And I didn't tell him.

[alchemicalwater]

Someone's telling people! And who else knows besides them?

[She's a little paranoid too, because she wasn't exactly eager to put her life in the hands of not-so-trustworthy people either.]

[purrtagonist]

[honestly, the paranoia isn't misplaced]

Remember the Players have a method for checking for Reapers themselves. The boons that Eleanor told Ranpo about. That could be one method.

There are also other Players with advantages that we don't know about. That could also be a factor in both Chuuya and Shin knowing.

. . . but if neither of those are it? Then-- yeah.

One of the other Reapers spilled.

[alchemicalwater]

I guess we need to figure out who Chuuya knows? Then we can find out who told him.

...they might have told him about Ranpo too. Chuuya...he said he barely knew Ranpo. I thought he might be lying, but if they vaguely knew each other AND someone told him Ranpo was a reaper...

[purrtagonist]

Caren.

[that one is a given. partners, you know?]

And Chuuya was definitely lying. He and Ranpo were more than just casual acquaintances.

They were enemies.

[alchemicalwater]

He's...a convincing liar. I figured he would lie about that too.

Still, if he went two weeks without killing Ranpo, maybe a push from someone saying 'he's a reaper' was enough to make him do it?

[purrtagonist]

It's possible.

[he just. . . he just doesn't know. but what he does know is that somehow, Shin and Chuuya had figured out he's a Reaper. and who the heck else knew, beyond those two? Caren, probably. but who else?]

I just don't know, Undine.

[alchemicalwater]

We need to find out.

[Ichigo might have to find out for them.]

Because whoever told Chuuya, I think they're not going to give up just because we stopped him.

[purrtagonist]

You're right. They aren't.

[he sure as shit is going to bring this up with Ichigo, that's for sure]

Chuuya cared about winning. Shin said the other Reapers got him to do dirty jobs for them

I wonder. . . if either of them realize the other group of Reapers isn't on their side?

[alchemicalwater]

Probably not. I don't know if this will wake them up to that fact either.

[purrtagonist]

I doubt it.

[and even if they did realize it, people like Chuuya were far too convinced that ending this game as soon as possible was the best course of action. the Erased be damned]

I'll try to talk to Shin myself. Maybe then, I could convince him that aiming for a pure victory isn't the route we need to take.

[alchemicalwater]

Maybe. But be careful, alright? If I get through the trial then we'll have a bit more protection, but it's still dangerous for you.

[At least Undine can hide behind the fact that nobody knows she's a reaper.]

[purrtagonist]

[heh. still dangerous for him, huh? but isn't this how it usually is? he's done this before-- thrown himself into the spotlight, put a target on his back-- to draw suspicion away from his loved ones. maybe that was the role he was supposed to play here, too]

I still intend to fight for my survival, Undine.

[he says that firmly, with determination]

I won't give up.

[alchemicalwater]

Good. And I won't give up either.

[Not until she can say for sure that at least some of the good people here are alright. She has to keep fighting, for their sake.]

[purrtagonist]

Good.

[atta girl]

For now, we've both survived another Friday night. We just need to get through trial tomorrow.

[alchemicalwater]

That's going to be even harder than today was, I think.

[But they'll make it. They have to.]

[purrtagonist]

Yeah.

[it sure will be. but they have to try]

But there's no turning back now.