(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

[puzzlers]

Oh, uh, y- yeah. I noticed a refund for Jump Start recently and then there was a new ability listed.

[ pulls out his phone to show king. ] Pretty neat, right?

Re: RESULTS, END GAME

[puzzlekeeper]

[ What are the Producers doing??

Whatever, doesn't matter. This delicate desert flower is just pulling the warmed jacket closer around himself. ]

I think my opinion might be biased.

Re: RESULTS, END GAME

[puzzlers]

[ he's going to scoot closer to king and lean into him. here, take some of his warmth. ]

King... would you mind if I paid for the removal of your scar?

Re: RESULTS, END GAME

[puzzlekeeper]

[ Good. In fact, he's coaxing Yugi to sit so that they can just lean against a nearby wall. Standing is a lot right now. ]

What? ... You don't need to do that.

Re: RESULTS, END GAME

[puzzlers]

[ it doesn't take a lot to coax him to the floor. he even drapes an arm around king and pulls him impossibly closer. ]

I know I don't have to. I want to though. [ he should have fought harder for hss. ] Please, King, ...

Re: RESULTS, END GAME

[puzzlekeeper]

... Alright.

[ There's no point in objecting, especially if it will help Yugi feel better. ]

You know I'm not upset, right?

Re: RESULTS, END GAME

[puzzlers]

[ and he'll transfer the points to king. ]

... [ sucks in a sharp breath. don't cry. don't cry. don't cry. ]

I should have been able to protect you.

Re: RESULTS, END GAME

[puzzlekeeper]

[ He tilts Yugi's face to make absolutely sure he's looking at him. ]

It's not going to be possible for us to always protect each other. Not here.

[ He learned that the bitter hard way in the Hunger Games. ]

Re: RESULTS, END GAME

[puzzlers]

I... I know. Or... I should know. I just, I...

[ he hates this so much. ]

M- Maybe I'll use that profile edit to change to Heart Solider. [ h- hah... ]

Re: RESULTS, END GAME

[puzzlekeeper]

[ That comment startles him ]

- Would you actually want to do that? What about the rest of your team?

Re: RESULTS, END GAME

[puzzlers]

[ he had just said it in passing, but maybe it's something he should give some serious thought. he's not sure he could leave his unit though, and he's got serious doubts he could ever make it as a hero, so it'd probably be the wrong decision to make, but... it's still something to consider... ]

I'm not really sure. It probably helps that we each have different abilities, but at least then we wouldn't have to worry as much about each other... [ maybe. ]

Re: RESULTS, END GAME

[puzzlekeeper]

...

I don't really know if that's true. I've had to watch my teammates suffer more than I care to think about, and was helpless to do anything to help them.

[ And a lot of that has been because they're the so-called "hero team." That's not a burden he's keen to see placed on Yugi. ]

Re: RESULTS, END GAME

[puzzlers]

… [ a sigh. ] I- I guess there’s really no stopping it. No matter what we do… [ he trails off and into another sigh as he draws his legs to his chest so he can rest his head on them. ]

Re: RESULTS, END GAME

[puzzlekeeper]

[ He shifts so that he can put an arm around him and pull him closer, and adjusts the warmed jacket so it covers both of them. ]

Not at the moment. But... we're both here right now. That means more to me than what happens in any game.

Re: RESULTS, END GAME

[puzzlers]

[ a smile follows because yugi shares king's sentiment. ]

Agreed. [ and he'll punctuate that with the kiss he gives to king's cheek. ]

Re: RESULTS, END GAME

[puzzlekeeper]

[ Well... that warms up at least a little of the cold that's still settled in the pit of his stomach. He leans in until they're resting temple-to-temple. ]

Re: RESULTS, END GAME

[puzzlers]

[ he turns his head just enough to gaze sidelong at his other half, his own hand coming to rest against king’s cheek. ] Are you warm enough? [ he’ll raise his own temperature just a smidge, since they’re sitting so closely. ]

Re: RESULTS, END GAME

[puzzlekeeper]

I am, yes. Thank you, partner.

[ Yugi has found a way to cheat winter and it's one of the best things to happen in a while, honestly. ]

You know, with this new power of yours, we could stay out as long as we wanted.

Re: RESULTS, END GAME

[puzzlers]

Good. I’m glad. [ he couldn’t have asked for a better ability. now he’ll be able to make the winters infinitely more tolerable for king. ] Mm! and you knoooow… we should spruce this place up a little bit. Make it our own little secret hide-a-way! to kind of just… get away from it all.

Re: RESULTS, END GAME

[puzzlekeeper]

Mm...

[ He glances around. The building is definitely nothing more than an empty husk, but that also makes it ideal for repurposing. ]

Some blankets and cushions wouldn't be amiss, and perhaps some kind of lighting...

Re: RESULTS, END GAME

[puzzlers]

I don’t think it’ll take much and I have some points to spare! [ he pulls out his phone and starts browsing the shop. this is something to take their mind off of things too. ] It could be fun! and… and it’ll also be nice to be able to something that’s just for us…

Re: RESULTS, END GAME

[puzzlekeeper]

[ Shifting so that he can watch Yugi's phone screen from where he's leaning. ]

It would also mean not needing to put either of our teams out after bad games.

[ Kind of feels bad about imposing on Pep!pep! after the Hunger Games still tbh... ]

Re: RESULTS, END GAME

[puzzlers]

[ points out a couple of things they could get for their hideout. ah, no, don’t feel bad--! no one in pep minds seeing you, king! b- but it’ll be nice not to have to worry about imposing. ]

Do you see anything you like?

Re: RESULTS, END GAME

[puzzlekeeper]

[ Pointing to some (no doubt ornate, #pharaohlife) cushions and pillows. ]

Those look comfortable. And the heaviest blankets we can buy will help make things much more comfortable.

Re: RESULTS, END GAME

[puzzlers]

...oh! I like that one a lot. Let's get a couple of them. [ going to just start adding all these things to his cart. ]

I shouldn't be surprised. [ smiles and scrolls through all the blankets. ] It looks like these are the heaviest, so... [ trails off as he scrolls through and then stops on something black with gold accents. ] How about this King? [ nudges him. ] Fits that aesthetic of yours. [ passes the phone along to him, so he can take a moment just lean into king. ]

I still haven't picked out the second Bad End outfit Nine got for me. We could do that together too. I'll even let'cha borrow it sometimes!