Assassin Skills Required - Round One

30th Kill - The Creator

Gerit and I happen to leave our rooms at the same time. His eyes are empty, like he's dreading the final challenge. I offer him a smile.

"I'm still here to help, you know."

He acknowledges me for maybe a second before staring off into space again. My face falls.

He doesn't want to do it. Why is he here then?

Gerit takes off his coin pouches and hands them over without a care.

"Uh, w-what?" The coins are heavy and I'm not sure what to do with them. "You're not giving up, are you?"

He stares me dead on, determined and hurt. I try to read something else from him and fail. After a while, he pats me on the head once and heads down the hall.

"Wait!"

Stag leaves his room as I pass it, eyeing the pile of heavy pouches in my hands curiously. "Is that what I think it is?"

I load it off on Stag and run after Gerit. "Wait!" I yell, reaching out and grabbing his arm. "I'm trying to work with you. Why does it look like you're marching off to die?"

Gerit breaks a little, looking at me with a shimmer in his eyes before shaking his head.

"I don't understand!" I shout, wishing he could just tell me what's going on.

Stag catches up to us, his face pale. "You think you're going to die?" He asks Gerit.

Gerit shakes his head no, gathering himself again. He then places his hand on Stag's head, just holding it there a moment. Stag grows worried but doesn't move, keeping his eyes on Gerit. He lets him go and turns to me, a more somber look on his face. He offers no physical touch and turns away, walking in the direction of the challenge room.

"This isn't good." Stag says under his breath.

"Do you know what he's doing?" I ask, lost.

"He's not working with us." Stag turns to me. "Whatever it is, he's doing it alone."

"He doesn't want us to be involved." I realize.

"I don't think he's going to stay true to the deals either." He holds up the coins as proof.

"That's why he gave them up." My shoulders fall.

"You know what this means, right?" He slowly helps me attach the pouches and I feel heavy with so many hanging on my belt. "You have to win." Stag's eyes sadden. "All I have is hope now."

I look up at him. "But there has to be more to it."

"Maybe, but we're out of time."

-----

I walk over to the table where everyone else is eating and sit down, all the coins making a ruckus.

"Is it just me, or do you have twice the amount of coins as yesterday?" Sugino notes, pointing to my belt.

"It's not just you..." I groan, wishing the combination of everyone's coins wasn't so heavy.

Maybe I can set them down before I start the challenge.

"Where's Gerit?" Nakamura asks, searching around for him.

"Isn't he going to eat?" Kayano worries.

"He went straight to the challenge room. Wasn't hungry, I guess." Stag says emptily.

"Did something happen?" Zerren leans forward.

Stag gives him a stern look, wanting to hold back. He puts on a fake smile. "Nah, he just won't tell us anything, like usual."