(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

[motorcycle_noises]

[ It was a major contributing factor, not gonna lie. ]

Yeah, it is. I decided I wanted to reclaim it for myself... reclaiming a piece of my past, I guess.

[ That's not even a lie, it's just not the whole truth. ]

...And I'll thank you for thinking that, then.

[ Even though he doesn't believe it at all. ]

[dragonheartedgirl]

[ poor tatsuya. ]

"Reclaiming" it? From what?

[motorcycle_noises]

From the Producers, from this place... We wake up here without any memories, and for me... this is a way to say "you can't take who I am away from me."

[dragonheartedgirl]

That's really nice. Has it helped you?

[motorcycle_noises]

[ A smile flickers on his face. ]

...A little, yeah. Though I've been pretty bad about updating people on the name switch.

[dragonheartedgirl]

[ It's been a while since she's seen San--no, Tatsuya, smile so brightly. ]

Did you try updating your profile to match? It might help get the word out a little.

[motorcycle_noises]

....You know, I completely forgot I still had that profile edit feature.

[dragonheartedgirl]

It's an easy thing to forget I think.

[motorcycle_noises]

Yeah and.... I'm not really proud of how I got it....

[ Even if it was necessary, that doesn't mean it was good. ]

[dragonheartedgirl]

Oh, I'm sure that's true for all of us.

[ THAT WAS A BAD TIME......... ]

Still, unless you can give it away, you'll be stuck with it the whole time here until you use it.

[motorcycle_noises]

...Yeah.

[ He pulls out his lighter and flicks it open and shut. ]

[dragonheartedgirl]

I suppose there's no rush either way. I haven't figured out what to use mine for, either. ... And it feels awkward to contemplate using it just as much as letting it stay.

[motorcycle_noises]

Yeah.... that's the thing. It feels... I don't know. Dirty?

[dragonheartedgirl]

[ yeah, she really can't argue that. ]

You could see if you could transfer it to someone you feel could make better use of it, then, if you wanted.

[motorcycle_noises]

That's not a bad idea. I'll keep that under consideration.