( He won't find Mutsu eating anymore straws at least. He's not about that life anymore, he's free from whatever was compelling him to eat straws last week. )
Hm? ( He'll note Taako being nearby but it looks like the star right now is the big guy, ) What's the matter? Got something on your mind?
Actually, yeah. I've been hearing voices all week, but they're kinda nicer than yours were. [Thinking about it for a second.] And, uh, a little personal. But Max confirmed they're messages from the Erased.
[He doesn't disclose exactly what his message is, but he smiles a little, thinking about it.]
More than that, I thought we should get to talking, since we're both players, right? You can tell me if you're one of the Ducks or Bears, but I think you're a player.
( Well, that sure caught him off guard and it has his mind reeling a bit. Who would it.... His eyes go wide for a half second and he recovers, shaking his head and focusing on the conversation in front of him right now and not something that happened last week, )
Alright, alright, I'm not gonna ask you what you're hearing. But I'll say I haven't heard anything since the week started.
Maybe it will! The stuff you've been saying the past few weeks, about the Reapers - you were more right than me. I didn't trust 'em. But I was wrong about that?
The Reapers are, uh, good people, for the most part. On both sides. We've been talking to some of them. Both sides have been trying to do the right thing, but - I don't think the Reapers are the ones who are supposed to solve this. I think it's the players. So we have to get to talking, right?
I was just lucky... I've been around for a long time so I don't buy into sides anymore just 'cause everyone things they're right. ( Ah... Rubbing the back of his neck. He's a little shy? Because he really was just lucky. ) Everyone always thinks they're doing what's right thing in the moment then history comes around and picks the real winners, heh heh.
I think so too. There're some questionable guys in the mix but I think most of us are just trying to do the right thing. We got our roles and all these rules so we thought we understood... but we've been saying it's all pretty frustrating from the beginning, right? Maybe we gotta keep some of 'em but if we really hate 'em... why keep following 'em exactly?
[Grinning at him a lot, because it turns out he likes the way this weirdo thinks.]
You're talking my language! I ain't accusing you of having any inside info or anything. I just think you had the right line of thinking and I'm mad it took me so long to get here.
So we got our two teams, the Mighty Ducks and the Bad News Bears. Mighty Ducks don't have a choice - they have to kill somebody, and they're down to only two of their scrubs. Bad News Bears could take the championship, but they've been walking the Ducks because they know it's teamwork that's the important thing. In the middle of all this there's us, the players. We need to keep tying up the score. Because what's really important is that we take down the real baddies, Cobra Kai. That's right, the players aren't playing baseball or hockey, we're switching to karate!
( Mutsu is focusing! There are a lot of references here and he doesn't want to miss them. He has the gist for the most part though and he nods in all of the appropriate places, )
I'm following, I'm following! ( He really is?
Except give him a second for all of that to really catch up with him. )
...Not sure. I thought it was the Conductor or the Composer, but now I think it might go higher than them. Maybe it's, uh, the concept of death? I dunno, haven't worked out the kinks. The point is, we only have so much time to learn Karate but we've been washing windows and doing other pointless bullshit for weeks now and I'm ready to punch some a rich kids.
We're still working out the details, but for now the important thing is to protect the Ducks.
We got a problem there, though. (Re: Protecting the ducks.) They gotta kill every week and that means we gotta punish them for what they did or throw some other innocent guy on the chopping block.
Don't take this the wrong way but we got "lucky" this last week when we didn't get the Reaper but that's only 'cause we had more deaths to solve and that's not really something we should be hoping for again.
Yeah. That's, uh. The issue. Even if we did everything perfectly, two people have to die every week. [Thinking about it.] This week, three. Uh. On a normal week, if the Ducks kill one victim, and then we erase their partner, two people died. That's the minimum we can do. This week, if we did it that way, Makoto would also die, since she needs a partner.
[After a second...]
I'm not saying that's how we should do it! I actually kind of fucking hate that idea. But I've been wracking my brain to figure out how we protect the ducks. If we're dead set that the Erased are coming back, two people is the minimum we can do. But people are gonna, uh, feel differently about that.
When the curfew comes, we'll all fall asleep. There won't be anything we can do to stop anyone unless you plan on killing someone to stay awake.
People are gonna die 'cause that's how this game works. That's how it always works. Our mission's to play this game in a way that brings everyone back to life and if that means protecting some Ducks then that's our job now too.
[Mutsu??? Ominous?? He’s been pretty quiet, because he’s agree with everything thus far, but this conversation has taken an interesting turn. Wandering over, crossing his ankles together and leaning on Magnus like he’s a wall.]
Would prefer the minimum number of people dying in a game where, uh, numbers matter though. Extra murders just hurt us, my dude.
[Looking at Taako when he comes over. He looks a little like he was going to say something, but he's unsure.]
Yeah. I think we're generally on the same page here, but every extra person who gets killed, the harder it's gonna be. So I think...I'm not ready to accept there's no way to happen Thursday night before it's even Thursday night. There might be a way.
( Mutsu is unfazed, even in front of a big guy like Magnus and with two against one here. He looks directly ahead at both of them and holds up three fingers-- one for each point he makes. One, )
Last eight weeks. ( Two, ) Make sure the number of Ducks doesn't outnumber the Players. Since that's not gonna happen at this rate: ( three, ) make sure at least one Duck lives.
Those are the numbers that matter.
It's the middle of the week and it's already on a course whether we like it or not-- and I don't. ( In case his attitude right now isn't carrying that across. ) But if we end up with someone else to go after, we can let a Reaper go. So we gotta try to set next week and every week after this one 'til the end.
Get everyone on the same page as us so we can stop the extra kills... and find out who's willing to make some sacrifices.
You’re, uh, right, except on the whole just one Duck to live thing. That’s just not good odds, right? We don’t want to be around with one Reaper, hanging in the balance between someone making one dumb mistake and offing them out of some misguided attempt to do the right thing, and then suddenly we’re all fucked.
. . . Think you’re right on the having someone else to go after though. [Fuckin’ sucks though!!!! Looking up at Magnus.] If it takes the heat off the Reapers, it’s totally garbage, but it’s kind of what we have to do. At least for this week. I don’t think we can do it again. We lose too many people every friggin’ time.
[Sighing out though, tugging on the end of his braid.]
They offer players deals, right? If they kill. That’s the appeal, but it’s about, uh, making sure no one is tempted by it. If they’re willing to make us do this shit to each other, why do they think they’re going to fulfill a promise like that?
Yeah. Someone else has to go, eventually. We're not always gonna have easy choices to make. But I do think there are ways, to make it harder for someone to get away with killing. So if you know someone who's gonna try, tell us. We might be able to stop them for their own sake.
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Hm? ( He'll note Taako being nearby but it looks like the star right now is the big guy, ) What's the matter? Got something on your mind?
( ...
Ok but in light of last week??? )
... Seriously, d'ya?
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[He doesn't disclose exactly what his message is, but he smiles a little, thinking about it.]
More than that, I thought we should get to talking, since we're both players, right? You can tell me if you're one of the Ducks or Bears, but I think you're a player.
1/2
( Well, that sure caught him off guard and it has his mind reeling a bit. Who would it.... His eyes go wide for a half second and he recovers, shaking his head and focusing on the conversation in front of him right now and not something that happened last week, )
Alright, alright, I'm not gonna ask you what you're hearing. But I'll say I haven't heard anything since the week started.
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Mm! I'm just an ordinary player~ .... But I don't think ordinary's really gonna cut it anymore.
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The Reapers are, uh, good people, for the most part. On both sides. We've been talking to some of them. Both sides have been trying to do the right thing, but - I don't think the Reapers are the ones who are supposed to solve this. I think it's the players. So we have to get to talking, right?
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( Ah... Rubbing the back of his neck. He's a little shy? Because he really was just lucky. ) Everyone always thinks they're doing what's right thing in the moment then history comes around and picks the real winners, heh heh.
I think so too. There're some questionable guys in the mix but I think most of us are just trying to do the right thing. We got our roles and all these rules so we thought we understood... but we've been saying it's all pretty frustrating from the beginning, right? Maybe we gotta keep some of 'em but if we really hate 'em... why keep following 'em exactly?
( #RevolutionarySword )
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You're talking my language! I ain't accusing you of having any inside info or anything. I just think you had the right line of thinking and I'm mad it took me so long to get here.
So we got our two teams, the Mighty Ducks and the Bad News Bears. Mighty Ducks don't have a choice - they have to kill somebody, and they're down to only two of their scrubs. Bad News Bears could take the championship, but they've been walking the Ducks because they know it's teamwork that's the important thing. In the middle of all this there's us, the players. We need to keep tying up the score. Because what's really important is that we take down the real baddies, Cobra Kai. That's right, the players aren't playing baseball or hockey, we're switching to karate!
You follow so far?
(only sorta here)
1/2
I'm following, I'm following! ( He really is?
Except give him a second for all of that to really catch up with him. )
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... Who's Cobra Kai here?
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We're still working out the details, but for now the important thing is to protect the Ducks.
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(That they don't really know much about.)
We got a problem there, though. (Re: Protecting the ducks.) They gotta kill every week and that means we gotta punish them for what they did or throw some other innocent guy on the chopping block.
Don't take this the wrong way but we got "lucky" this last week when we didn't get the Reaper but that's only 'cause we had more deaths to solve and that's not really something we should be hoping for again.
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[After a second...]
I'm not saying that's how we should do it! I actually kind of fucking hate that idea. But I've been wracking my brain to figure out how we protect the ducks. If we're dead set that the Erased are coming back, two people is the minimum we can do. But people are gonna, uh, feel differently about that.
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( Seizaburo had mentioned that when Mutsu was discussing things. )
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The way I see it, we're already playing for a chance to begin with so why not take some more? I'm not afraid.
( He frowns, arms crossed and quiet for a moment. Give him a second to think, )
... I don't think it'll matter this week so we got time to decide.
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( So he's not saying anything. )
We'll figure it out when it comes up.
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People are gonna die 'cause that's how this game works. That's how it always works. Our mission's to play this game in a way that brings everyone back to life and if that means protecting some Ducks then that's our job now too.
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Would prefer the minimum number of people dying in a game where, uh, numbers matter though. Extra murders just hurt us, my dude.
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Yeah. I think we're generally on the same page here, but every extra person who gets killed, the harder it's gonna be. So I think...I'm not ready to accept there's no way to happen Thursday night before it's even Thursday night. There might be a way.
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Last eight weeks. ( Two, ) Make sure the number of Ducks doesn't outnumber the Players. Since that's not gonna happen at this rate: ( three, ) make sure at least one Duck lives.
Those are the numbers that matter.
It's the middle of the week and it's already on a course whether we like it or not-- and I don't. ( In case his attitude right now isn't carrying that across. ) But if we end up with someone else to go after, we can let a Reaper go. So we gotta try to set next week and every week after this one 'til the end.
Get everyone on the same page as us so we can stop the extra kills... and find out who's willing to make some sacrifices.
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. . . Think you’re right on the having someone else to go after though. [Fuckin’ sucks though!!!! Looking up at Magnus.] If it takes the heat off the Reapers, it’s totally garbage, but it’s kind of what we have to do. At least for this week. I don’t think we can do it again. We lose too many people every friggin’ time.
[Sighing out though, tugging on the end of his braid.]
They offer players deals, right? If they kill. That’s the appeal, but it’s about, uh, making sure no one is tempted by it. If they’re willing to make us do this shit to each other, why do they think they’re going to fulfill a promise like that?
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( He's thinking about it! He's really thinking about it! His arms are crossed and his mouth is all twisted in thought and hmm, )
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( Yeah. He sure is just going to wave his hand in the air now and smile everything away, )
We got some other people to be talking to if we want things to work out, don't - ya - think~?
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Sure, sure, sure sure sure. [Is he stuck in a loop.] God I’m so friggin’ tired.