(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

Re: RESULTS, END GAME

[eatsthecanary]

[ nods ]

I was the only one who really fought for it, but...

Re: RESULTS, END GAME

[sancrimony]

[ wait ]



You did?

Re: RESULTS, END GAME

[eatsthecanary]

[ nods ]


Strategically, I thought it was a good idea. And ... I didn't expect for you to protect us in return, because of what we talked about before.

But I was getting tired -- of you getting hurt, and acting like it was fine.

Re: RESULTS, END GAME

[sancrimony]

[ most of that checks out but it's the last part that has him startled ]

. . . It - ah. . .

[ finding his hands, looking

embarrassed? flustered? ]

. . . Th. . . thank you. . .

Re: RESULTS, END GAME

[eatsthecanary]

[ looks to the side, that's the closest he's gotten to saying with his mouth the words " I care about you" and that's a lot ok ]

It's nothing.

Re: RESULTS, END GAME

[sancrimony]

[ . . . moving to lean close and kiss his cheek ]

I love you . . .

Re: RESULTS, END GAME

[eatsthecanary]

[ ... nods, shifting to look at him now ]

I'm surprised, still. That your unit agreed to it.

Re: RESULTS, END GAME

[sancrimony]

. . . We put it to a vote - which units we wanted to protect.

Of course, not everyone agreed, but everyone's votes were scattered enough that - Ani-ue's, Nya-san's, and my votes were enough to win out. . .

Re: RESULTS, END GAME

[eatsthecanary]

That's still more than I was expecting..

Re: RESULTS, END GAME

[sancrimony]

. . . Well, I'm certain those who lost the vote are regretting it now - everyone else that we wanted to protect, with the exception of avante en garde and pep!pep!, were unable to be saved.

But, it isn't like we could choose more than one unit. . .

[ with a pause ]

It surprised me, too. Because, in the first place . . . what we had settled on wasn't even an alliance at all - but we ended up playing as if we did have one. . . ?

Re: RESULTS, END GAME

[eatsthecanary]

... Do you think that will change anything?

Re: RESULTS, END GAME

[sancrimony]

[ with a little shrug ]

We'll have to see. Ordinarily, it wouldn't make much of a difference in other games - it's easy to avoid hitting WILD CITY, but actively protecting WILD CITY is different . . .

Well, I think . . . it will matter to those who will believe in it, and it won't to those who do not.

Re: RESULTS, END GAME

[eatsthecanary]

[ nods ]

I don't expect Sensitiv overall to like Wild City more in the end.

Re: RESULTS, END GAME

[sancrimony]

[ leans in to whisper to his ear, lifting a hand up to cover his mouth ]

Between you and me, I think part of it was something of. . . being concerned that Aries-san would really kill us outside of games.

Re: RESULTS, END GAME

[eatsthecanary]

[ uhhh ]

He'd only do that for a really good reason ...

Re: RESULTS, END GAME

[sancrimony]

Right, but - uhm. . .

Let's see. In essence, it was something like planning for the future . . . ?

By extending an olive branch of faith, we could better . . . prove to each other that we were open to the alliance, and therefore, in the future, we could avoid such a fate.

Well, it isn't like it was the only thing, but I don't think it's unrelated. . .

Re: RESULTS, END GAME

[eatsthecanary]

Mm. It'll -- help more than it'll hurt, probably. Even if things aren't perfect.

Re: RESULTS, END GAME

[sancrimony]

. . .

[ softly ]

I hope it helps Haruto-san, too. . .

Re: RESULTS, END GAME

[eatsthecanary]

... I don't know if it will.

Re: RESULTS, END GAME

[sancrimony]

. . . He worries me.

Re: RESULTS, END GAME

[eatsthecanary]

Try being on a unit with him.

Re: RESULTS, END GAME

[sancrimony]

[ leaning against him ]

. . . Well, maybe if I was, he wouldn't have had to endure what he did in that house. . .

Re: RESULTS, END GAME

[eatsthecanary]

[ he sighs, leans back ]

You're not the only reason he's like this.

Re: RESULTS, END GAME

[sancrimony]

I'm sure it doesn't help.

Re: RESULTS, END GAME

[eatsthecanary]

You're not the only one who hurt someone in that game. You just happened to hurt one of the most paranoid people here.