squirt | pc: sleep to frog communication..... 2

[ its really not that he believes his world has more worth. it's that if its erased, every other world is going with it. its the kill switch. the end of all stories, the death of the author. oblivion. ]

When I acted last week, I told no one. Not even Ylfa or Haru. And I think that was a mistake. The only reason-- Well. The only reason we've caught others is they either couldn't or didn't want to trust their own team. Buzen and Matsui couldn't live with it, and Sweet Theory buckled when pressed. So maybe we should have told you, but we didn't want to force you to accept it or to cover for us.

I think we did our best to tell you now. But you're right. I'm sorry for keeping it from you even this long.

[If he's fully honest, Kaveh--well, it's not that he doesn't care about Sweet Theory at all, but. In his mind, they're still responsible for the erasure of BDSM team. He doesn't like thinking about them--his mind skitters around the idea of their team, as though the words themselves have sharp edges.

...]

Do you have numbers?

[How many points they have, how many they'll need.]

No, they couldn't say exactly. But I spoke to Aika about it. I was trying to figure out a way-- She said that we've probably waited too long. That it was expensive already just to bring our team back, and that getting all 40 people home is ... we should prepare ourselves for the possibility.

I spoke to them though, about some other options. There are people - apparently quite a few - who have no desire to go home, or return to life. There might be a way to convince the people in charge that they could be, I don't know. Reapers themselves. It's not ideal. And it might not work. It's normally a choice given to the winners, but-- it's an idea. There might be other ideas.

[He nods slowly, taking that in. It's easier this way, a little--he's always been good with numbers. Focusing on that, on the structure, the framework--it gives him a minute to breathe.]

What about transferring points?

You can't. I asked early on - I thought maybe I could get enough points for everybody and share them.

[He frowns, looking quietly devastated before he pushes it back, trying to focus.]

And we can't do extra tasks on request, can we?

[Because at this point, it really is just--their team or nothing, it seems. And if that's the case, then they need to do whatever they can to get them as many points as possible.]

I don't know, but killing people is a lot more points than any of the tasks. Aika told me that bringing one person back, bringing back Rin, wouldn't be possible without killing at least one person.

[He presses a hand to his mouth, taking that in.]

...So it's possible that for every person you want to bring back, you'll have to kill someone else.

[And maybe, as the winning team, they'd be able to grab one more on top of that. More if they're lucky, but he doesn't want to put his faith in luck.]

We can earn extra points if we go about it right. [ "right." aka not getting caught, etc. ] Hopefully that'll add up. Gerard's idea of some people staying as Reapers is good, too. I wouldn't mind that for myself, as long as we get Rin back.

[ only one of them really has to win to save their world anyway. ]

[haru you didn't even want to commit to college...]

[ this way he never has to think about college again... ]

[ he thinks haru staying and becoming a reaper is something he's not going to let happen because thats ridiculous haru theres no australia here but he won't say that outloud either. ]

We'll still need to see if it's even a real idea. Aika said normally only winners are allowed the choice.

[ though it might require people being willing to fight to save themselves. ]

[ sometimes you have to sacrifice going to australia to save people gerard ]

But if we win, then that's a choice we could have. You and Ylfa have to go home to save the world. Rin too. I don't.

[This is not his conversation but he gently squeezes Haru's arm anyway, comforting.]

...It's okay. I'm fine anywhere, as long as there's water.

[ as long as the reapers get a pool? ]

Actually, I already asked Ruby about this. Reapers can go home sometimes.

So I’ll go back and save the world and then I’ll come be a Reaper with you.