(no subject)

[opening_act]

Who: Exael and the Unlucky Contestants
Where: The Game Tower
When: 86, Evening

[ Between one step and the next the walls (or streets, or open air) around you changes. The sight before you is a room inside the game tower, a new pressure at your neck. Reaching up or looking at the people around you reveals it to be a collar, titanium with a small green blinking light set in the center. ]

[ the screen flickers on, on your cellphone. It's a half-second, blink and you miss it— Exael, chewing on a nail, looking uncharacteristically nervous— then the moment's gone and she waves both hands and smiles for the camera. ]

"Ladies, gentlemen, honored guests! Units of all stripes and sizes! I come offering you a game and a few familiar words, rearranged for the occasion!"

Her carnival barker demeanor shifts for a moment as she lowers her head to say: ] "Glory to the highest, and on earth peace—" [ her head snaps up, her pigtails bouncing with it, and she's grinning again, all pomp and energy ] "even if we're not getting much down here! So let's kick up a ruckus, put on a show, and see how much good goodwill alone can manage! If you wish to save your fellows, now is the time speak!"

[ The rules appear on your phones. ]

[ Rules ] [ Rooms ] [ Results ] [ Endgame, Revivals & Winners ]

Comments

[rollwillpowercheck]

I'm... I'm sorry, I wanted to choose Bad End, but we took a vote, and...

[motorcycle_noises]

[ He gives him a small smile. ]

Thanks, Anubis-san. That means a lot.

[rollwillpowercheck]

I wish I could have done more. Does it still hurt--?

[motorcycle_noises]

Mostly just my skin. I think it's my nerves?

[rollwillpowercheck]

I could... try to numb the area around your neck? I don't know how much that would help, if it's nerves, but...

[motorcycle_noises]

[ He shakes his head. ]

I appreciate the thought, but I'll be fine. I'm hoping a shower will help things.

[rollwillpowercheck]

Ah... yeah. Probably it'll be comforting, if nothing else.

[motorcycle_noises]

[ A smile flickers on his face again. ]

Yeah, that's what I'm hoping.

[rollwillpowercheck]

Also, showers are good places for, um, screaming and crying if you need to.

[spoken with the voice of experience.]

[motorcycle_noises]

My room is soundproof now, so there's also that as an option.

[rollwillpowercheck]

Oh, you got an upgrade too...?

[motorcycle_noises]

Yeah. I didn't do a whole lot to it.... mostly just soundproofed it, put on a lock, and got a bigger bed. But I didn't need a whole lot.

[rollwillpowercheck]

A bigger bed is nice. I'm glad you'll at least be comfortable.

[motorcycle_noises]

I will. Did you upgrade your room, then?

[rollwillpowercheck]

[nods]

You should come see it sometime.

[motorcycle_noises]

[ He gives Anubis a small, brief smile. ]

...I'd like that.

[rollwillpowercheck]

[reaches out to take his hand, gently.]

... are you really going to be okay? We haven't talked a lot recently, which-- I mean, that's mostly me. So I don't know how you're doing in general, but... this can't be helping.

[motorcycle_noises]

[ He looks fairly startled even as his hand curls around to accept Anubis' hand. ]

It's at least partly me too, you know. I'm not very good at going out to visit people... But I'm fine, honestly. All the people I'd hoped to keep safe didn't get hurt, what more could I want?

[rollwillpowercheck]

Your own unit being safe?

[motorcycle_noises]

....That was never going to happen.

[rollwillpowercheck]

It... it shouldn't be that way, though.

[motorcycle_noises]

...I don't disagree. But there's not much I can do for it.

[rollwillpowercheck]

Mm. Feeling helpless... is really the worst.

[motorcycle_noises]

I care about them, you know? If I'd had the opportunity to vote to protect ourselves instead, I... might have taken it. I don't know. But I didn't get that choice.

[rollwillpowercheck]

No. We don't get a lot of choices, and when we do, they tend to be bad ones.