WEEK 2 DAY 1: MISSION

[wonderful_mods]

Mission: "Reach the Házsongárdi Cemetery."
Time Limit: Medium
Noise Plane: Solo
Wall Instructions: Key walls on any route between Cluj-Napoca Railway and Házsongárdi Cemetery.
Wall Rewards: Creepy Weepy Barrier
Reaped Rewards: Natural Magnum
Mission Rewards: 500 leu



[While just yesterday the number of Players had dwindled to less than 10, there are now a new bunch to take their place. For Reapers, it's a great chance to rack up your points! For Players... just hope they get erased and not you as you rush to the goal! At least they were clear about where it is this time, though you still must deal with the cliche of lurking around a graveyard while you're a ghost.]

Comments

[tamedhollow]

[Ichigo is, however, surprised to see her again. And this time, it's not because of "What a talking zebra WHAT".]

Zecora! You... you're playing again? But you did so well. Didn't you and Sasuke defeat the GM?

[zebrarhyme_everytime]

[She gives him a looks somewhere between wry and bitter.]

It seems there is a little surprise --
They did not reverse our demise.
I play again, with no delight.
May I pass, or must we fight?

[tamedhollow]

[Ichigo lets out a huff] Unbelievable. That's... not fair at all. [he frowns and looks at her] Well, it's just the first day. I'm not going to make you fight. But I'm freezing my tail off. Bring me something warm to drink and you can pass. Maybe some cocoa?

[zebrarhyme_everytime]

If life was fair, I wouldn't be dead.
And yet here I am instead.

[She starts to turn, then pauses, looking back at him.]

There is something I need to know.
Is there a price I could pay for that? Or no?

[tamedhollow]

Pay for what? Getting me cocoa? No. It's not a trick or anything. I'm too cold for tricks. [and too cold for his brain to work properly, so he may not be understanding your message]

[zebrarhyme_everytime]

The question that I'd ask today
Is one about the Reaper's way.
For an answer, I'd need a fee-
Unless you would tell me for free.

[tamedhollow]

Tell you what. Make it a jumbo hot cocoa with whipped cream, and you can ask any question you want AND I'll clear the wall.

[zebrarhyme_everytime]

I will be back in a flash
As soon as I find a place to spend cash.

[She nods, then turns to find a shop that can see her. With 10,000 yen -- or whatever -- in her pocket from the last day alone, money isn't going to be much of a problem in this respect.]

[tamedhollow]

[Ichigo gives er a wave, then curls back up into his warm clothes to wait. Pouting. Because it's cold. Have I mentioned it's cold? Because it's cold. And it's literally all Ichigo can think about]

[zebrarhyme_everytime]

[It takes longer for Zecora to get back than she'd prepared for. There were... complications. Several of them. Almost all of them centering around the fact that she's a zebra. When she does return, the requested drink is in a drink carrier which in turn is in her teeth, and she's looking irritated enough for ten zebras.]

[tamedhollow]

[it must be hard to have no thumbs. Ichigo jumps down from his wall and takes the drink carrier out out of her mouth. He opens the lid and grins down at the contents; steaming hot chocolate covered in whipped cream with chocolate shavings on top. Just what he was after. He takes a sip and it warms him up from the inside-out]

Sorry, if you had any trouble... it's really good, though. ... So uh, what was your question?

[zebrarhyme_everytime]

[The statement earns him the briefest of wry looks before she adopts a much more serious tone.]

What is the penalty a Reaper must face
If he or she chooses not to Erase?

[tamedhollow]

[a pause. Ichigo abruptly stops drinking his cocoa and looks away for a moment before meeting Zecora's eyes]

Erasure. Reapers get these stupid arbitrary "points" depending on how many Players we harass or Erase, and the amount of points we have determines how long we continue to exist. If you just... totally refused, the higher-ups would probably Erase you on the spot. It's literally kill or be killed. [and he seems none too happy about it]

[zebrarhyme_everytime]

[The zebra nods grimly.]

That is what I had suspected
From the hints that I've detected.
Just as I thought, there is no gain.
To become a Reaper would be in vain.

[tamedhollow]

Yeah... [Ichigo stirs his cocoa with a claw, looking just as grim]

It sucks. This whole game sucks. There's no way to really "win". I have to move up. I can't change anything down here. ... Oh uh... Wall clear. [the wall vanishes, and Ichigo takes a pin out of his pocket, pinning it to Zecora's cloak] This is a useful pin. It creates a barrier that heals you a bit and hurts Noise that touch it. You'll need it, because I have to step up my game to get higher up. [he smiles at her, then gets back up on his wall] I know you can handle it, and it'll look good for both of us.

[zebrarhyme_everytime]

[She glances briefly down at the pin, taking a moment to assimilate its capabilities, then taps it with a hoof to assign it to her Deck. She's satisfied with its state now.]

[She steps past the Wall's boundary, then looks over her shoulder at him.]

If people say changing the rules
Is a quest only for fools
Then I say we need that 'foolish' sort
And I will give you my support.

[tamedhollow]

[he seems a bit surprised, but then he smiles at her, genuinely, thankfully. The smile says it all, really.]

I'll see you around, Zecora.