[Week 4, Friday: Setz]

[purrtagonist]

[truthfully, Akira had wanted to compare notes with Setz ever since Makoto, Miki, Yusuke and Magnus brought home those damp books. but considering the events of today (EVEN IF THERE'S NO BODY ANNOUNCEMENT YET), Akira is. . . uh. putting that on the back burner]

[for good reason]

[wherever Setz is, Akira is going to reach out to gently place a hand on his shoulder]

. . . hey.

[are you all right? no, he can't ask that. of course Setz isn't okay, and he doesn't need someone asking a question to which there is no real response]

Comments

[subordinacy]

[... Yeah. He told Max that a few more weeks would be bearable, considering the scope of what was at stake, but... in the moment, it's so easy to forget those words.

Inside, a small part of him that he's desperately smothering—it echoes in his mind. I just want to disappear.

But he won't. He can't.]

... Jacopo was the type to work quickly. I wouldn't be surprised if he'd managed to set a plan in motion already.

[purrtagonist]

That's good to hear, but what kind of plan? And does his death mean it's gotten derailed?

[Setz knew Jacopo waaaay better than Akira did, so. . .]

[subordinacy]

I don't know. Even I never understood him that well.

... However, I wouldn't be surprised if he incorporated his potential death into it. I think he's been expecting his erasure for a while.

[purrtagonist]

He was never in any danger from us.

[because it's stupid to approach a group for an alliance and then kill someone from said alliance?? like, that's not how to convince someone you want to be friends??? kind of friends. allies?? people who work together to save souls???]

But whatever his plan was, going forward-- even if we can't understand it fully-- I hope. . . it helps.

[subordinacy]

Was yours Chuuya, then?

[...]

Knowing him, it's probably bound to make either one of us miserable. I think he hated you personally, at any rate.

... I do know that he intended on keeping one of you alive, but he wasn't going to make things any easier for the other in trials.

1/2

[purrtagonist]

[. . . at the question about Chuuya, Akira just. pulls up a bit of a strained smile, tight and tired and extremely rueful]

Mmm. That one wasn't me, though.

[annnnd that's all he'll say about that]

[purrtagonist]

[especially when Setz points out Jacopo hated him]

You know, I got that feeling, but we never actually spoke before. [he just got the stink eye when he was talking to Monika once] What did I do to make him hate me so much?

[subordinacy]

[He won't press—though concern lurks, when he thinks of Shinssin.]

... I have no idea. He was the reason I advised you not to sound too idealistic, though. I honestly thought he'd choose to go the meeting.

[purrtagonist]

[yeah, he'll have something to say about Shinssin in a bit, once they get to that subject]

I can't blame him for not showing up. I halfway expected them all to think my request for a meeting was a trap.

[thank god they didn't think it was, though]

[subordinacy]

I told you—I would've pulled every string I had if they hadn't accepted. And Jacopo, at least, did learn from me that they'd be receiving a note, even if I didn't say what it'd be about. It... came out, when he confronted me about spilling Ichigo's role.

[Read: yelled in his face until Setz panicked a tad.]

Though I'm glad it didn't come down to that.

[purrtagonist]

So am I.

[. . .]

I hope to hear back from the rest of them when the trial is over.

[and he sure hopes it's good news. because while he's acutely aware-- thanks to Setz's second letter-- that the Players are the ones who have to meet the right condition for saving the Erased. . . the least he thinks the Reapers of this game could do is band together to give the Players the chance to meet that condition]

[subordinacy]

... As long as you make it out in one piece.

[purrtagonist]

[. . . . . . . .]

Shin knows I'm a Reaper.

[hm]

[subordinacy]

[Setz stares, frozen.]

... H-How...?

[Both like

how does he know

and how is Akira not dead already.]

[purrtagonist]

I don't know.

[that's]

[an answer to both of those questions???]

I told Yang shortly after I told you, and apparently soon after that, Shin approached her and "outed" me to her. She came to talk to me afterwards.

[. . .]

Something she said kind of worried me. I asked if she thought Shin was a part of the second group of Reapers, and she said that he insisted he wasn't. But he did tell her that "they needed him for messy jobs."

[so anyway this has been bugging him all week thanks???]

[subordinacy]

[... Ah.

And then, Setz understands—or at least he thinks he does. Guilt flashes in his face, before he looks away.]

That's... probably my fault. I convinced him of Jacopo's trustworthiness a while back, so he... asked me to pass on a message to Jacopo. That he was on standby and wouldn't kill without new information.

I... I think Jacopo told him about you, in that case.

[As part of his plans this week to stir up drama and motivate the Players into action, most likely.

God.

Setz really just keeps finding new ways to screw up, doesn't he?]

[purrtagonist]

[SETZ NO. . .!]

[Akira. . . makes a face, one of displeasure and frustration. it isn't directed at Setz, or even Jacopo himself, just. . . in general, because he knows he is in the danger zone as far as survival is concerned. he wipes it away pretty quickly though, and tugs at his bangs with a sigh]

Chuuya knew about me as well.

[. . .]

[he can't say too much about that one, though]

I'd bet there are probably several other Players who know who I am, too. It's-- [hesitation]

[and then he shrugs, a bit helplessly. what can he do? if they go after him at the trial, all he can do is defend himself to the best of his ability]

I think there are still some Players who don't think extending the game to eight weeks is the answer. Convincing them that it is should probably be our next priority.

[subordinacy]

[... This really is getting to be a gigantic mess.]

I'm... running out of ideas on how to do that. I don't think my notes have helped at all.

If—if you're outed tomorrow, do you think I should...?

[Reveal himself? Or stay hidden? He doesn't know how he should react to the "revelation" of Akira being a Reaper.]

[purrtagonist]

[IT SURE IS!!]

That's-- up to you, Setz. I'm not going to ask you to do something like that.

[he won't ask Setz to out himself just to keep Akira safe. that isn't fair. Akira is the Reaper here, not Setz. Akira is the one who should be risking his life]

[and in Akira's opinion, Setz needs to stay alive, no matter what]

But I do think out of anyone here, you could be the one to convince the rest of the Players to take the right path.

[because Setz is trustworthy, has put his all into trials and into figuring out the ins and outs of the Game. he thinks the Players would easily fall behind him, if it came down to it. for the good of everyone-- Erased and all]

[. . .]

[quietly, he might think that Setz makes a pretty damn good leader. someone Akira would follow without question, that's for sure]

[subordinacy]

[For a moment, Setz looks at him, surprised.

... It occurs to him, more than ever now that Jacopo is gone, how much he relies on Akira. He's his first real friend in this Game, the first person to encourage and support him; the only person who trusts him utterly with information, and the only person who, in any way, might need him.

Though he's known for a long time now that it could—perhaps inevitably will—happen, Setz doesn't know what he'll do if he loses him.]

I... I don't know about that.

[He's not the student council president here. Here, he's just the boring, socially awkward kid who's sometimes vocal in trials.]

But I'll keep trying.

[purrtagonist]

[with Shin and Caren out there, likely looking for blood? yeah. Akira also feels like his death is an inevitability. but he was so convinced he was going to die this weekend from the moment Setz informed him that the other Reapers were suspicious of him, so that. . . that feeling is just going to persist]

[he can handle it, though]

Have faith in yourself, Setz. You've got great instincts. And since you're obviously a Player, I think. . . people will listen to you.

[better the information coming from a Player than a Reaper]

[subordinacy]

... We'll see. I'm not sure how obvious that is or how much influence I personally have—and I can't say this week has given me great faith in the other Players.

Still, nothing left to do but try.

[purrtagonist]

It isn't like I have much faith in them, either. But we won't get anywhere without effort.

[. . .]

Hey, Setz. Did you read the material Makoto and Miki brought back the other day?

[subordinacy]

... Yeah. I did.

[purrtagonist]

There was a lot of good information in them, honestly. But I think what stuck out to me the most was this part.

[and he starts reciting something from memory]

"To make sure Composers stay on track with their purpose, as well as the continuing well-being of their respective Games, each one is assigned one of our own."