week four | match ceremony & end

[showhost]

Welcome to the final match ceremony, where the teens bet everything on what they’ve figured out. Their wishes, their victory all depends on this.

Everyone is led to the same balcony set up as the previous weeks, and are left to get settled. There are cute finger foods and lovely drinks to have, as per usual.

To one side, there's a small stage of sorts, with a podium where the characters will place their hands to lock in their answers.

Wednesday and Ryuji, as well as Ritsuka and Lessing still have their place of honor over to the side, and they’ve now been joined by Mark and Anna. Enjoy chilling over there! The rest of the contestants are ushered to the main seating area to get all settled in.

And, standing in front of the makeshift stage, with a set of six unlit lights behind him and three lit lights, stand the two Co-Overseers. The Tsukasa and Nene fits for the final ceremony! Classy! You all dressed up nicely too, right? Tsukasa is counting on you guys.

Both Nene and Tsukasa take the stage with practiced movements, as if they are very used to stepping onstage together, even though this is the first ceremony where Nene will be taking part.

Tsukasa makes a sweeping gesture to the gathered company, a sincerely bright smile on his face.

"Welcome to the final Match Ceremony. This is it! I hope you are all ready–though, of course, I’m sure that you are.”

He clears his throat, and nods towards the three lit lights.

“You now have three Perfect Match lights–one for Miss Addams and Ryuji, one for Ritsuka and Lessing and one for Mark and Anna. This means that you only need five more to finally succeed.”

He takes a deep breath, and then glances over at Nene, meeting her eyes.

She takes over. Despite her tremulous introduction before, when she’s onstage, she seems to have a professional confidence that was lacking before, voice clear as she continues, "You’ve picked the ones who are going up this week, so this shouldn’t be a surprise… but let’s start.”

Tsukasa nods, and turns his attention to Sanji.

"Sanji, if you please?"

--

Happy Match Ceremony! Each character picking this week will be called up in an order determined by the producers (read: rng'd). Each will get their own sub-toplevel that characters can react to at will.

After the matches have all been locked in, we will then find out just how many you all got right.

THIS IS IT! WE FINALLY MADE IT!

ENDGAME | Embrace Space Links | Talking Heads Links
Honeymoon Suite | Love Meme | Tl;cr Meme

Comments

[hgeegh]

[Sanji returns to the kitchen first and foremost, where he prepared dessert earlier. He greets passers-by with a grin and gestures to the custard buns on the counter.]

Here, have some dessert to go.

[Consequently, he's one of the last to leave. But once he's packed and ready to go, he nods to himself, loosens his tie around his neck, and heads out without lingering any longer.]

[warhawks]

[ Asa's lingering too, though more out of a sudden sense of aimlessness than anything else. She's never been great at goodbyes, but this one feels especially cruel. ]

Next time, I'll be the one making something for you. Don't forget that.

[hgeegh]

[He lights up at the promise. There's no way he'd forget.]

I can't wait!

[Having said that, there's no telling when "next time" will be. A handful of beats pass, during which his gaze drifts down, before he refocuses on her.]

So then . . . does that mean you're heading out now, Asa?

[warhawks]

No point putting it off, right?

[ She says, while actively in the process of putting it off. ]

... I'm using my wish to make sure nobody in my world sees this. Once I get back, it'll be like nothing happened.

[hgeegh]

What? Why . . . ?!

[He backtracks by straightening. Obviously, she wants to keep Yoru under wraps.]

If the problem is the War Devil, we can ask the production team to cut the footage they have of her. You don't have to waste your wish on something like that!

[warhawks]

[ She shakes her head. ]

It's fine. I thought it was fake the whole time, so it's no big loss. Plus Yoru has to agree, which knocks out most of the things I'd actually want...

[hgeegh]

[If she really thought that, would she have come this far?]

What are those? . . . If you can say.

[warhawks]

I was going to wish to have my own body back, but I'm pretty sure I'd just die if that happened. Again.

Then I thought about just... getting rid of devils completely. But no matter how much I hate them, there are some willing to live alongside us. [ It's selfish, when doing so would save countless human lives at the cost of relatively few devils, but... ] Besides, I got myself into this mess, so I should get myself out. Everyone has to take responsibility for their actions, right?

[hgeegh]

[No way she should die after all the hard work she put into getting this far.]

Still . . .

[It's not that he disagrees or anything, but . . . ]

Can't you wish for the two of you to have living bodies of your own? Then you won't have to answer to anyone but yourself, and the War Devil can fight her own battles.

[warhawks]

[ She shakes her head. ]

The weapons I make are stronger than hers. She needs me... and she did save my life. [ She hates that she feels indebted for that, but she does. ]

[hgeegh]

[In Sanji's mind, Asa is too good for Yoru.]

If that's what you want, I won't stop you.

[Heavy as those words weight on him, Asa's responsibility is hers. Support is one thing; intervention is another.]

But what I said before still holds true. Even though I have to go back to my crew now, I'll always be by your side, Asa. I'll come and see you whenever I can . . . so you can, too.

[warhawks]

Yeah. Coming here definitely changed at least one thing.

[ She has friends now. And... whatever the two of them are. ]

My apartment's not as exciting as a pirate ship, but I live alone. So if you ever need a break, or, um. Y-you know. Other stuff.

[hgeegh]

[?]

By other, you don't mean . . .

[warhawks]

I'm not saying it out loud! Use your imagination!

[hgeegh]

[Stuff between them . . . at her place where she lives alone . . . using his imagination?

Sanji jolts into stillness. Then he tucks his chin in and cups the lower half of his face with a hand, shoulders hitched up around his ears while the implications begin to sink in little by little. There's no way . . . ?!]

[warhawks]

[ She watches his reaction, her own face growing redder. ]

Use it a little less than that! [ Even if she was thinking the exact same thing. ] B-besides, Yoru would be watching the whole time. That's probably too weird for you... right?

[hgeegh]

[His face tingles. The tips of his ears are definitely red. Honestly, given that Yoru looks like Asa . . . No! He shakes his head like a wet dog. She said to use his imagination less!]

No, it's your body! That means you should do what you want with it . . . Whether she watches or not doesn't matter to me!

[warhawks]

Oh, so you're an exhibitionist.

[ that's not what he said, ]

[hgeegh]

[For her, he could be.]

I'm just saying . . . ! If you want to do something, you shouldn't stop yourself, just because of that War Devil. But if you think it's weird, that's fine, too!

[warhawks]

Of course I think it's weird, but I'm used to it. Plus, she's a devil, so she's not going to be interested in human stuff. Probably. [ haha ] She can — I don't know, read a book, or think about killing Chainsaw Man, or something. We'll figure it out.

[hgeegh]

[How will Yoru read a book when Asa's body is preoccupied?]

Y-yeah.

[His heart skips several metaphorical beats as he nods. He can't believe they've just had this conversation. Another beat passes before he leans forward, reminded of another thing.]

If you ever want company, you can drop by the Sunny. That's our ship. I'm sure my crew would love to meet you. [Before he kills Brook for asking Asa about an upskirt view.]

[warhawks]

[ That's Yoru's problem, not hers. ]

You think they'd like me? [ ... ] I mean, of course they would. What's not to like? But if they got jealous, it could be awkward for you... are you sure?

[hgeegh]

We're not that kind of crew. They're a lively bunch . . . You'd have to room with the ladies overnight, but that's a better deal than bunking together with all the guys.

[The smell of sweat is real on a good day. He doesn't wish that on her (or Yoru).]

[warhawks]

Uh, yeah? Pirates are gross, and guys are gross, so that's double gross. At least the girls probably know what soap is.

[ Sorry Sanji. ]

I'll find time to come and see you. Nobody would notice if I was gone for a few weeks, and I can catch up on school afterward.

[hgeegh]

[Sanji has nothing to say to that, because the guys on the Sunny are gross (affectionate).

He also keeps the thoughts that follow to himself—those of Asa alone, fearful and scorned. Never again.]

Until then, let's keep in touch. I hear that device we all received will let us exchange letters and make calls. If it can really do that, I'll write every day.

[In other words, she'll be pelted with love letters every single day for the rest of his life, excepting a short period of time two years later.]