wonderful_logs | WEEK 5, DAY 1: MISSION

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WEEK 5, DAY 1: MISSION

Mission: Get with the Times.
Time Limit: Short
Noise Plane: Solo
Wall Instructions: Key walls around the Times Square. Keywalls must be cleared by presence of a pact, or by fighting noise.
Wall Rewards: Blown Kiss
Reaped Rewards: Frantic
Mission Rewards: Rare Metal

[It looks like things are back to normal, but that seems to only raise as many questions as it solves. What happened to Tatsumi Port? Why did the phones all go dead like that? And why did nobody see the GM the entire last week...?

But it's no matter. It's the start of another week of the Reaper's Game - and the mission seems the same as ever for Day 1. Now just to figure out where the mission is pointing to.]

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[The Professor does a double-take when he sees Ryoji sitting there. He'll go over right away to check on the poor kid, giving him a smile as he does so.]

It seems as though things didn't go quite as badly as you feared.

[Ryoji does look up at the older man, which may give the Professor a bit of a clue that he didn't make it out entirely unscathed, but he doesn't seem too bothered by the fact that he is dead now. He nods.]

As far as I can tell, we all made it out safely. I don't remember if I was pulled out before the Fall occured, though.

[Not that he sounds worried about this possibility.]

[The Professor frowns. There's something threatening to trigger a bit of a headache, something with the Blackest Night, and...no. He can't think too hard on it, because nothing will come and he'll just get distracted from the task at hand.

And a headache. Can't forget the headache. Stupid memory loss entry fee...]

Are you feeling alright?

[There's a slight frown. He's picking up on something not being quite right here.]

[He has to ponder that for a moment. Was he feeling alright? From what he remembers of last week, he feels better than he has in a while. No emotions getting in the way. No regret or guilt. It's not like he was sad, which would be what most people meant when they asked about someone's well-being.

But at the same time, well, there was something obviously off about him, and he could tell too. He knows based on his memories that he should feel sad or guilty, and if not those, then relief when he saw that the others had survived as well, but he didn't feel anything at all. So...]

I guess I'm not, exactly. There's an important part of me that's missing. I can't seem to feel anything... I mean, I can't feel emotions any longer.

[Professor Stein frowns. He hasn't yet pieced together that this is an entry fee. When he speaks, his tone is gentle.]

Son, you're not holding things back because things got so bad back there, are you? That's not healthy.

[Ryoji shakes his head.]

Even if I was, I would feel something inside, wouldn't I? But it seems that all of it is missing.

Missing?

[Wait just a minute there...]

...was that your Entry Fee? They do things like that?

I guess they do. I've only heard of a few entry fees, but I think whatever it is has to be something truly important to the person. Rin was made to sing, and she forgot all the songs she knew. And Xion said she wasn't human, so she lost her human body and became a doll.

[There's a nod and a bit of a troubled frown.]

I know I've forgotten something--possibly someone--important...I just couldn't tell you who or what it is.

[Because knowing would defeat the purpose of being made to forget! The memory issues are getting annoying.]

The people that run this thing are beginning to disgust me...

I think memories may be a common one. A lot of Players don't mention their entry fee, and I'd guess that's because they don't remember what it is. And memories, especially of an important person, are always dear to humans.

I'm sorry they've taken that away from you, though.

Still...at least I can function relatively normally...to take your emotions? That's just cruel.

I don't see why I can't function normally. I can still move around freely, and I can still complete the missions. That is what is important, right?

Well, there's more to it than that...

[Stein pauses and thinks.]

Emotions are...they're one of those things that make life worth living!

That is true. I know I am supposed to compete in this game, but I don't know why I would want to come back to life. I'm not unhappy in this state, so there's not much point in trying, is there?

[And... he's just fine with giving up. He'd normally feel ashamed or frustrated, but he doesn't see why he should be. He'll just let someone who wants to live win the game instead.]

[The Professor generally isn't the violent sort, but...let's face it, he was a superhero. He'd really love to go punch whoever was responsible for this. Superheroic punching solves those problems.]

But you must have wanted to go on at some level to have ended up here again in the first place, right? It's always worth trying for, even if you don't know why. No one else here wants to see you fail!

[Except for maybe that guy in the snakeskin shirt but he's a jerk, okay.]

[Nor is Ryoji, even when he does have his emotions. The only one he's ever shown anger towards is Asakura, and there's some good reasons for that.

He gives the Professor a small nod, though he doesn't look encouraged.]

I feel that with what happened last week, it would be dangerous for me to return to life again. I don't know if I could cause the same problems in a world that wasn't my own, but we shouldn't risk it.

If there's a way to use their dimension hopping powers to go to other worlds at will, you should try my world. There are people there who are experienced in dealing with this sort of thing. And powers can...well, they can fluctuate a bit there. They can come and go.

[He cracks a bit of a rueful smile.]

I used to be a fire elemental, you know. But I died an ordinary human.

A fire elemental? Interesting.

I started out believing I was a normal human, but when I died I was anything but. I think it would be good if my powers were gone, though I'm not sure if I could really exist without them.

Not at first...it's a bit complicated. But for a while there, I left the planet and went exploring through space. That much power can make it difficult to keep in touch with one's humanity...

[And the hows and whys of everything are incredibly full of holes now.]

I'm sure there's a way to separate you from them somehow, if that's what you wanted. Some of the people back home...it's like they make it their business to specialize in the impossible.

Exploring space...

[Now that sounds familiar. He isn't quite sure what it is, but after a bit of pondering, he remembers.]

Nyx explored space herself for many years, after she was created. I seem to remember those times... it's comforting, in a way. I used to be so afraid of those memories.

That's why I wanted to be separate from that part of me, but I don't remember why I felt so strongly about it. Besides, as a part of Nyx, I can only be part of the larger whole. I could not live without the thing that gave me existence.

Space...space can sort of burn those emotions away if you wander it alone for long enough...

[Yeah, he knows that feel.]

I think I see what you're saying. When I had my abilities as an elemental, I was part of something known as the Firestorm Matrix. Even after I lost them, I still maintained that connection. But it's always been more of a force of life, so breaking free was never an issue...I'd imagine it would be possible somehow, though. You might be the same way with this Nyx.

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WEEK 5, DAY 1: MISSION

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