imeeji_frontstage | BETRAYAL AT THE HOUSE ON THE GAME TOWER

BETRAYAL AT THE HOUSE ON THE GAME TOWER - Session 11

Who: Exael and the rest of you lot
When: To be inserted into the timeline after completion
What: Betrayal at the House on the Game Tower

[ The GAME ALERT and map show on the screen of your phones— idols, you know what to do!

The Game Tower elevator doors are open to receive, and close once they have you in their confines and the broadcast monitors click on. You can keep an eye on the city further and further below you, as watch with your host's introduction to today's game.

At the very least it's not Mukuro's face on the screen this time. Instead it's Exael again, pigtails bouncing as she hops up from a grand low bow— it looks like they cut part of her broadcast spiel for you guys. With a showman's flair, she twirls and splays her arms as the camera zooms out to focus on a grand mansion, more Hollywood glamor than anything belonging in Tokyo.

"Summer has come to Tokyo, and so has the season's specialty: The Trial of Courage! Step right up, and charge right in because waiting won't help you at all! Here is a place even angels fear to tread! Azzy's very own, The House of Mirth and Betrayal! This place has a sordid past that casts a shadow as long as the valley of death, and soon our Idols will be adding their own pages to the tale!"

The elevator stops atop the central tower of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government building and then lurches unpleasantly, wrenching itself out of where elevators ought to go. The sudden movement jolts you, and when the doors open you spill out into into a room.

Hopefully, with not too much time missing. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[just crowds in more, hand reaching out to grab E by the hair harshly you're not leaving]

Still less than you deserve.

[Actually swats boss's hand again from E's hair after he ties him up?]

Don't hurt his face!

Yeah, don't hurt his face!

[ he says while like, furiously trying to get out of having his arms tied up. wiggle wiggle wiggle ]

[actually. looks shocked? alarmed? a little. but then like a disgruntled feline, a little calmer. not that that's saying much.]

Wasn't his face.

[anyway, time to hunt for a sharp thing.]

[Sorry E's face is important.

He looks immediately apologetic too, as he finishes tying E's wrists and sits on the bed, pulling E into his lap.]

Sorry... Sorry his face just has to... It has to stay this way. Do anything else you want. I understand.

[You know like, E isn't right here. He's got his arms around E, leaning his chin on his shoulder.]

Just give me some time first?

[ Actually you know what I decided I don't like this? I don't like being hauled around and tied up I think it's pretty lame. SORT OF. Yanking extra hard on his wrists now. Surely this house only has weak bondage stuff that I can just sort of. Hulk open. Right?? Right. Let's give it a try. ]

What you should actually do, is, untie E, and run away because this room is full of scaaaaary mirrors and H could come in and get you at aaaaany minute. That's my advice as a friend.

[SHARP THING FOUND!

it's a knife, of course.

moseys back over to crouch in front of Phoenix and E, ignoring E completely as he watches Phoenix for a long moment.]

... I can take my time. Sanguine deserves a good show, after the last round.

[he looks so innocent when he says it but also like... yeah. knife ready to use.]

What happened...?

[Petting E's hair, hand trailing from that over his cheek, very gentle with his face as he touches it, looking at Boss worriedly to make sure he's okay(?) before looking at E.

He's going to tilt E's face to kiss him softly on the lips, almost chaste, incredibly gentle.]

[ are you fuckers ignoring me WHILE you are discussing how to kill me I swear to GOD I— oh ]

[ I guess after sanguine doing it this isn't really a surprise and like, I guess every moment I am being kissed is a moment I'm not being murdered so... so, good? I guess? I GUESS!? ]

[you say that as if Boss isn't fully capable of continuing to work as Phoenix makes out with you.

which he does by cutting away whatever shirt E's wearing, quietly smiling in a fond manner as he relates the events of the last round to the Bad End who missed it.]

After killing Hiryuu... that blue-haired guy came at us.

[He's listening, but you know, stroking E's face and gently deepening the kiss while Boss is busy so he hasn't got much to say. He moves the arm holding E out of the way of the knife, down around E's waist, tucking him closer.]

[ yeah I can feel that so I am now like, aware of how much Death Is Coming. MAKES A DISTRESSED NOISE INTO PHOENIX'S MOUTH AND LIKE. I don't think my lower body is pinned yet? Maybe I can just like. Knee boss. Maybe in the face? C'mon escape escape escape ]

[bird, pls. he's quick to pin those knees and then move to straddle E.

knife is carefully digging into soft skin just under E's ribcage, just the tip going, cutting through the layers of skin.]

Sanguine tried to protect me. He died trying.

[slow movement of the knife. down... to the navel. and Boss just sounds so so so fond just what a good Sanguine who tried his best.]

[Sanguine :(

He adjusts so his legs are spread around E, so Boss can straddle E's lap. A bad end bird sandwich. He's going to let E escape the kiss, leaning down to nip at his neck kiss the skin there, making a soft noise but not interrupting Boss.]

[ NnnnOooOo I HATE THIS ]

Don't— don't do it like this at least fight me or something Phoenix Phoenix let go of me I promise I won't run I don't deserve this from you I never did anything to you let go of me this isn't fair—

[wow, that's noisy.

time to sink the knife in deeper and cut down his abdomen again.]

Think this'll make it up to him?

[like E didn't even say anything.]

[Phoenix is starting to cry. He hates this, actually? They gotta do this for... reasons. Some reason? E has to die but like, he hates it. He tightens his arm around E and pets his hair.]

Sorry. I'm sorry.

Phoenix, Phoenix please let me go I love you, I'm sorry, I never did anything to you, you already killed me once you can do it like that again just please it hurts make him stop I'll do whatever you want I—

[ ok I have to stop to shriek a little when Boss. Puts the knife in more. god damn does that ever smart. ]

[... yeah, he heard that L word and looks up to Phoenix again, leaving the knife where it is because.

you told him.

to give you time???]

[His breath catches in a soft sob and he looks up a Boss, eyes wet, red, totally insane but like. Also, really panicked and upset. Holding E pretty tight against his chest like that'll be reassuring.]

I can't--we can't... Boss not like this.

[ at least he has gone a bit quiet for now, just kind of. taking big shuddery breaths and Definitely Not Crying he would never his emotional shields are TOO STRONG (they're not, and he is. he is crying.) ]

[Boss is kind of. staring blankly at Phoenix at that.

there's some kind of disconnect.

it's... wrong? this is wrong? and bad and cruel and unnecessary and the blood's spreading out everywhere and actually it's a much better look for E than getting stabbed a whole bunch and just kind of flopped over--

but under the blankness there's. a rage. he tries to quell. because he thinks about how he ended up in the mirror--how much worse it was for Phoenix and Sanguine and it was over and over and over again--

his free hand lifts up to touch Phoenix's face...]

[and that hand promptly goes up further to grab onto Phoenix's hair, yanking it as he pulls him over E, closer to him.

he's practically vibrating with barely contained rage.]

Why? Why? Why not like this?! It's not like I can shove him through a mirror to show him what it's like--I would. I would I would I would do that instead. It's just as much a torture!

[but he does punctuate his point with a firm stab to E's chest. so. fine. FINE. Phoenix probably recognize that Boss looks closer to crying than not]

How many times?!

[He yelps but not as loud as E, that's for sure. Still like, his focus is all on Boss now, eyes wide.

He gets it, he really does, and he is lifting a hand to cup Boss's face, brush a thumb over his cheek.]

I'm sorry.

[He really is. He can't save everyone. He couldn't even save Boss. He can't make E not a traitor, killing is the only way to liberate them all from this but he still hates it, he still wants to scream, but Boss looks about to cry.]

I'm sorry because--I love you. I love E. I love Sanguine and H and--and I know, I know this is what we have to do. I know you're... You're trying hard, you're doing okay. I'm proud of you okay?

[His arm around E tightens again, thumb rubbing E's hip as reassuringly as he can, as reassuringly as he's touching Boss's face.]

We're all together.

[ hey if you don't pay attention to me real quick I'm going to bleed to death before you're done

like probably how quiet he has gone should be a warning sign but i guess yall ARE pretty nutty ]

BETRAYAL AT THE HOUSE ON THE GAME TOWER - Session 11

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