WEEK 1 DAY 5: MISSION

[wonderful_mods]

Mission: "Observe from Tocho."
Time Limit: Medium
Noise Plane: Solo
Wall Instructions: Key wall in front of Nishi-Shinjuku. Objective to be met is appropriate dress.
Wall Rewards: Poison Chains
Reaped Rewards: Thunder Pawn
Mission Rewards: 10,000 yen



["Tocho" is a nickname that refers to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, which has two panoramic observation decks. It shouldn't be hard to get there, but what awaits when you arrive?]

Comments

Road to Tocho

[ceiling_cat]

[The stubbly man leaning against a building wall is nearly invisible in the crowd: button-down shirt half undone, black vest and black slacks make him look like a badly groomed waiter taking a smoke break.

He's not smoking, though. He's watching, brown eyes narrowed thoughtfully behind his sunglasses. And what he's watching isn't the hustle and bustle of the Shinjuku crowds. It's the Players dashing and dodging between them.

So: another world, that much he'd expected, but another District isn't what he was expecting at all. He knows Joshua's feelings about Shibuya. What possessed him to aim for this place?

He can't pinpoint the Composer's location without making himself much too obvious, and he'd rather not handle any awkward explanations about certain memos handed down from above. The activity on this road makes it clear that it's the day's route. Boredom should bring his target by sooner or later - he flinches from the word, even mentally, and substitutes Composer. Whatever it is he's bringing Joshua home to, there's no point in being prematurely dispassionate.

Hanekoma indulges himself for a moment in a pang of guilt, and then refocuses on the Players passing by.

Business comes first.]

Re: Road to Tocho

[needsmorezippers]

[Neku really, really doesn't want to harry anymore today- though, in reality, he knows he probably hasn't done it enough to get him out of trouble. He scowls a little at the ground, walking without paying much mind to where he's going, when he sees someone that (to him) pretty much always stands out.

Cue utter bewilderment.]

Mr. H?!

[PAY NO ATTENTION TO THE REAPER WINGS BEHIND THE BOY.]

[ceiling_cat]

[Treasure the split-second of shock on Hanekoma's face as he turns toward you, Neku: it's vanishing almost instantly under the pinch of a tiny frown. Reaper wings?

The Composer's Proxy is a Reaper? In Shinjuku? What's wrong with this world?]

Heyyyy, Phones!

[If this boy recognizes him, then maybe this world's version of him has the same nickname. It's worth a try, at least.]

What're ya doin' out here?

[needsmorezippers]

[Oh you have no idea.

Neku tugs his hair at the nickname, but otherwise looks... kind of relieved. And worried. It's a really mixed up expression.]

..........Harrying. [and boy does he sound miserable when he says it.]

[ceiling_cat]

Harrying? Don't mind me sayin', Phones, but that doesn't seem like your usual line a work.

How long have ya been doin' it?

[needsmorezippers]

Yea, well. Kind of banned from playing at this point, so I didn't get a choice.

[does that scenario sound familiar?]

We've been here five days, so far.

[ceiling_cat]

[Startlingly so. But the time doesn't quite line up - Hanekoma frowns.]

So, you're not from here, huh.

[needsmorezippers]

[That... catches Neku off guard a little. Ok, in hindsight maybe that wasn't obvious, but...]

No. From what I can tell, pretty much everyone involved in this Game has been dragged here. Some people didn't even know what Earth was.

[leggierissimo]

[... well, well! Look who decided to show up. After how many calls and text messages with no response? This is worse service than that time when Minamimoto had so kindly knocked him into a parallel dimension. At least it hadn't gone to voicemail on that call.

The look on Joshua's face is an odd combination of a neutral smile peppered with equal parts relief and annoyance. He approaches nonetheless, hands slid into his pockets, voice cheerful as always once he finally speaks up.

Ignore those rather small Reaper wings on his back, by the way. They're embarrassing.]

It certainly took you long enough.

[ceiling_cat]

There ya --

[And the oddness in Joshua's Frequency hits him before he spots the wings. He stutters into silence, and puts a thoughtful hand on his chin. This world's Kiryu Yoshiya? Maybe -- but that raises the question of just why Josh was waiting for him.]

So tell me, how long have ya been waitin', J?

[leggierissimo]

[It doesn't take much to figure out why that pause is there. Joshua sighs, lifting a hand to brush some hair from his face.]

Five days now. I'm assuming one of my messages went through? Otherwise, you wouldn't be here.

[ceiling_cat]

Messages? Can't say I got any of those. You know, that inter-world satellite service gets a little spotty sometimes.

[Five days? When he hasn't been out of Shibuya that long? Hanekoma's face is still as he thinks frantically.]

Somethin's a little odd here, J.

You left a few days ago when Minamimoto went after ya with that flare of his, didn't ya?

[leggierissimo]

[Ugh. He should have figured. You would think they would make the networks on these things a little more stable...

... but wait. Joshua frowns, tipping his head to the side.]

That happened almost two weeks ago.

[ceiling_cat]

Meanin' you got home in between.

[Two weeks? Then the bet's over.] Mind catchin' me up just a little, J? I think I'm runnin' behind.

[leggierissimo]

And subsequently stolen away shortly after~ A vacation is nice, but this is severely pushing it.

[He glances away, wings shifting behind him in irritation. He's not sure why Sanae is from a point in time so far behind him. Maybe something to do with how people are brought into this place?] Have you been told what's going on here yet?

[carsharkkonishi]

[And Rhyme's just walking out of a store, suddenly in buisness clothing, her normal clothing tucked under her arm. She doesn't notice him, actually looking for her green partner.]

Hey, Grovyle?

[ceiling_cat]

[And another familiar face -- Beat's sister, in the smallest suit he's seen since the last Seven-Five-Three day. Hanekoma considers saying nothing for a moment, but it's worth it to see if she recognizes him too...]

Hey there.

[carsharkkonishi]

[She blinks, turning to see him.

He's not a Reaper, he doesn't have wings....so why can he see her? He seems too old to be a Player, in her mind. So she gapes for a second.]

You can see me?

[ceiling_cat]

[That makes a little more sense. Hanekoma smiles, more relaxed, and shrugs at the girl.] Sure can, kiddo.

So tell me, how long have ya been a Player?

[carsharkkonishi]

About five days. [Wait.]

How do you know I'm a Player? How do you know this even exists?

[ceiling_cat]

As for how I could tell you were a Player... that's simple. [He raises his hand, pointing at the palm. Her sleeves may fall low enough to hide her hands, but they shift as she walks, and the explanation is easy enough to wink at.]

I'm support staff, myself. So what's goin' on here? I never got the full explanation.

[carsharkkonishi]

A Game. I think. We're s'posta "Observe from Tocho", apparently. At least, the Players do.

oops couldn't resist

[tamedhollow]

[the road to Tocho is busy today. Lots of Players, lots of Reapers... lots of Noise. A Player runs by, panting heavily and sweating. On his tail is a small pack of Alternawolves. The poor Player turns to look at the Noise, then at his pins. Why weren't they rebooted?! Then he trips on an imperfection in the concrete. And the wolves are on him in an instant.

The pins the Player had been holding go sliding across the concrete and the wolves vanish. Then the Reaper who had sent the Noise appears, dropping out of the sky, and scooping up the pins using his... tail. Yes, that Reaper has a tail. And claws. And bone-white skin.

All of this happening not ten feet from Hanekoma's position.

Ichigo deposits the pins into his claws and frowns. These were all that was left of that guy. He ran... instead of defending himself. Is that what it meant? Josh had told him they forced the Players to choose.]

/pounces ~

[ceiling_cat]

[Well, there's a Reaper doing his job. Hanekoma watches the Player vanish, eyebrows rising slightly as he spots the oddly shaped Reaper swooping in to collect his prizes from the Erasure.

Different worlds, just like Neku had mentioned.

It's worth approaching; he's looking for any information he can snag now. He raises a hand, and his voice, in greeting.]

Somethin' on your mind?

[tamedhollow]

[Ichigo turns, blinking at Hanekoma with those gold-on-black eyes. He pockets his prizes and looks past the scruffy guy, then points at himself]

Who... me?