Week 6, Post-Trial: Max

[withsadness]

[Mary sighs as she comes to sit down next to Max. I'm just gonna say he's still by the switch even if he's not playing because I don't know where else to put them. Look, it's fine. Anyway her wings are out now, since all that's been revealed so there's no point in hiding anymore.]

Did it hurt pretty bad?

[She gestures toward his arm. And any of his other misc. injuries.]

You know...

[Don't say it, Mary. Please.]

When you fell from Heaven?

Comments

[concertmaster]

[ ...

oh my god ]

It hurts a lot more now that I heard that with my own two fucking ears.

[ kill him ]

[withsadness]

There's more where that came from!

[But she just laughs and doesn't actually make another joke.]

You got my letter in the gift basket, right? And my scarf? Did you like it?

[concertmaster]

[ softens a little bit ]

Yeah, I got both. The scarf's decent for a beginner.

[ high praise! ... ]

So, you're serious about that yes? You really considered all your options?

[withsadness]

[Very high praise! She's preening!]

Yes! I did! And the more I thought about everyone else who I could go with or everything else I could do, the more it just made sense to go and be where you were.

[concertmaster]

[ that should not make him smile, and yet ]

Yeah? Walk me through it. Think of it as Composer practice, where you explain your decisions to me.

1/2

[withsadness]

Okay.

[She clears her throat and puts her hands together, because she wants to sound really important for this. Max needs to know that she's really taking this very incredible serious!]

I've met a lot of people in this game who I really like for a lot of different reasons. Some of them are because they're good people, and some because I can relate to them because of what I am. But even though a few of them were able to see me for who I really was, you're the only one who was willing to guide me. Even though I always wanted a mother and a father, what I've wanted more than anything was just a friend my age who wouldn't judge me for being different. You don't mind that I'm not always very normal, but you let me know when I'm making a bad choice and give me a chance to figure out why.

[She takes a breath.]

And as nice as it would be to go and be with someone who will let me be a part of their family, I don't think that's where I'm meant to be. The people who could be good for me I can't always be good for back. So if I'm not meant to live the sort of life that a little human girl would have, I want to live one where I can make yours as happy as you've been making mine.

[There is one smaller final point.]

[withsadness]

When you told me about the Composer from your game, I knew I couldn't let him get away with being such a piece of shit. So I'm going to hurt him like he hurt you, because I want to. And because I don't have a better world or a better life that I belong in without being a Reaper. It's just what I'm good at doing! I don't think I'll ever stop being at least a little bit bad...but I'll be bad to make things better for the people I love the most, and you can help me learn how!

[concertmaster]

[ He listens to all of that very solemnly. The bigger part of him is simply touched in a way he'd never admit to out loud, but the Producer part is of course weighing the pros and cons. Her decision seems valid, and he doesn't want to retract asking her. Hearing her out only makes him more sure of his decision.

Especially when it gets to that last part.

It's a gleeful cackle that comes out of him first, but at the end of it is just a genuine smile. ]

Yeah, alright. Looks like you've really thought this shit through, huh?

[ he holds out a hand for her to take ]

Let's do it.

[withsadness]

Yeah!

[And now that she's sure that being overzealous isn't going to get her a bop on the head, Mary doesn't hesitate to take his hand in her own. They both have such small hands...and they fit so well together. It makes her heart soar.]

You and me.

[concertmaster]

[ He doesn't even try to take it away. This is as good as it gets. ]

We'll make a good team. [ he's confident. and, also: ]

I'm not too worried about killing my Composer-- I've been planning for it for a few months-- so I might as well tell you now. You could ask people to transfer to come work under you, as Composer.

[ very subtle, max ]

[withsadness]

I could?

[Her whole face lights up. She hadn't even thought of that.]

So I guess I'd have to wait until I'm already one and shouldn't ask people now.

[She says it, of course, in the tone of someone who's definition of "shouldn't" is "but I really really want to, so can I?" After all, what if some of her favorite people would be willing to become a reaper if they knew?]

[concertmaster]

[ he shrugs ]

You might as fucking well go ahead and ask. Like I said, I've been planning that guy's erasure for a while. It won't take too long.

[withsadness]

Aaah! I can't wait! Both to ask people, and also for the erasure!

[She has about an equal level of joy for both.]

I wonder who I should ask...I wonder who would want to come!

[concertmaster]

[ again, smirking at the first part, because #mood ]

Who knows? You might as well ask everybody you want. The worst thing they can do is reject the offer because they've got other shit to do.