(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]

[ 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!

Re: RESULTS, END GAME

[puzzlekeeper]

[ He takes the phone and starts idly scrolling through, but pauses. ]

Oh... about that. How did you manage to get them in your size?

Re: RESULTS, END GAME

[puzzlers]

Yeah? oh, uh, there's someone on Bad End that's not too much bigger than me. I send the points along to him and he gets me the clothing! His name his Thorn and Nine's been real helpful with playing the middle man.

Re: RESULTS, END GAME

[puzzlekeeper]

Oh.

[ This changes EVERYTHING ]

Isn't that Cobalt's friend? That's really good to know...

[ Escape HSS fashion, an ongoing saga ]

Re: RESULTS, END GAME

[puzzlers]

Yeah, he is.

[ and it only took how long? ]

I should be able to buy a duplicate outfit of one of these, right? So if we pick something out we both like, then we can both have it easy peasy~

Re: RESULTS, END GAME

[puzzlekeeper]

You know there's no way I would turn down an offer like that.

Re: RESULTS, END GAME

[puzzlers]

So let's pick out something we both like!

Re: RESULTS, END GAME

[puzzlekeeper]

[ He waggles the phone at Yugi for him to take it back ]

I'll let you take the lead, then. I think you have more of an eye for that type of fashion than I do.

[ WE KNOW WHO THE BABY PUNK GOTH IN THE ROOM IS ]

Re: RESULTS, END GAME

[puzzlers]

[ he takes the phone and back and turns to stick his tongue out at king. ]

Fine, but I still want your input. This is for both of us, remember?

[ JUST CALL ME HOT TOPIC. ]

[ it doesn't take him long to piece an outfit together, so he'll hold the phone back out to king. ]

What do you think? If there's anything you want to add or change, go ahead.

Re: RESULTS, END GAME

[puzzlekeeper]

[ He takes it with a hum and makes some tweaks (like adding a leather jacket. Please. It's so cold.), then holds the phone farther away to consider the finished piece.

Tilting the phone so Yugi can see. ]

Well?

Re: RESULTS, END GAME

[puzzlers]

[ he's not surprised that king adds a jacket. it's a real shame he can't use his ability to warm people, so on that note he'll turn more towards him and raise his own body temperature a bit more. ]

I think it looks good. Might as well get the stuff for here while we're at it. I can make a dash back to the dorms to pick it up, but, uh, might want to throw a hand cart in there. [ because get hyping a pillow isn't going to do anything. ]

Re: RESULTS, END GAME

[puzzlekeeper]

You know I can help too, right?

1 / 3

[puzzlers]

I didn't want you to have to go out in the cold anymore.

[ plucks the phone from his hands and adds one. ]

But I guess I can Get Hype you instead if you were ready to weather the storm.

Re: RESULTS, END GAME

[puzzlers]

[ alright, so, scratch that. goes to his cart to remove it when he notices a couple strange things sitting among the lights, pillows, and decorations. ]

Re: RESULTS, END GAME

[puzzlers]

[ wtf. ]

[ WTF. ]

[ he didn't add these!
or did he...
no!
nonononononono! ]

[ he doesn't remember this. at. all. he stares at the assortment of items and just... yugi.exe has stopped running. ]

[ nope. he's got nothing. ]

1/2

[puzzlekeeper]

[ ...? ]

Partner?

[ He follows Yugi's dumbfounded gaze and peers at whatever's on the phone screen— ]

Re: RESULTS, END GAME

[puzzlekeeper]

[ .................... ]



Um.


[ What have you not been telling him, Yugi??? (Nine-Nine wins this round.) ]