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

[Actually he really likes petting but it makes hims sob harder, so like, there's that.]

Don't... Don't please don't you can't leave--

[He won't be alone, Lucifel is here, but it's still distressing.]

It's alright. Phoenix-san.

[ calm, brushing away at his tears ]

Even though he's going away, you can take a part of him with you. Then, he'll never leave you. He'll always be with you.

[ phoenix he's bleeding he can't exactly help it. he starts to try and say something, some meaningless empty words of comfort, when Lucifel speaks again. unfortunately.

his eyes shoot up towards him, wide. knowing exactly what he means, and not exactly appreciating him for it. that is some Whisky shit. ]

Don't.

[DON'T. LEAVE. HIM.

But also die. Everyone should die. They deserve it.

He's hyperventilating a little, lifting his tear-streaked face to Lucifel.]

...Take... Like his heart?

[ his brows furrow ]

That's mine - but things like that, yes.

[ you know you're in a bad state when "that's mine" makes your heart skip a beat. you know. the heart that your own unitmate just laid actual, physical claim to.

he tries, once again, to move away. not that he forgot the knives were there. it's just that the rising panic is enough to override the searing pain in his hands. ]

Lucifel, stop-! [ it's panicked. but also. weirdly firm. like he's scolding him. you're being bad Luci. ]

[Oh hm.]

Are you... Dating?

[Is he interrupting Loki did say this was love like he feels like an intruder but he's lonely, include him just this once.]

Didn't you say you wouldn't leave me?

[ snappish, volume creeping to hysteria, at dantalion ]

[ a beat

looks to phoenix ]

Dating . . . ? What is that?

[ ....... he.

actually suddenly he wants to die as quickly as possible, please check him out of this conversation he's going to just lean down and press his face to the floor now. it's nice down here. where there's nothing but his own blood and he can pretend he doesn't know Lucifel. ]

You--You don't know what dating is?

[It's okay Loki he's going to adjust so he can pull your head in his lap like this, shh, he'll pet your hair while he stares at Lucifel in confusion.]

. . . I don't. My apologies, I'm a pitiful sort of being that doesn't have even the slightest bit of common sense, so I don't know much at all.

[ oh. ... this isn't half bad actually. maybe he can just pass away peacefully like this, his head in Phoenix's lap while he bleeds out all over the floor and blatantly avoids the "what is dating" talk with Lucifel. ]

[Loki is getting soothing, gentle hairpets because Phoenix is a needy slut.]

Oh... Do you want to sit down? I... It's kind of simple to explain but it's actually pretty complex, I think. Well, it's more like, a subject no one can really fully cover how to do? But the summary of what it is isn't hard.

[ sits?

down?

was he not sitting down before honestly idk ]

If you could, please.

[ hey he likes pets. if he falls asleep right now will he even notice when you two inevitably decide you're ready to eat him, he wonders... ]

[Not EAT. Well not Phoenix. He just wants a piece...]

Ah... Well it's just. When people like each other, and they're interested in having a romantic relationship... They usually start dating. It can have a lot of different forms depending on the people, and if they're compatible and want to be together forever they might get married, and if they realize they don't actually love each other they'll break up.

Usually it starts with like, hanging out, and holding hands, and then it might get more... [Blushing. The guy who has been making out with everyone he meets is blushing.] Intimate. But it depends on the people, what they're comfortable with, how fast they go, if they wait to get married or if they break up.

Does that make sense?

[ hm

digests that for a moment ]

Why would I want to date someone if they'll leave me in the end?

You don't know if they will, if you start dating, I guess the hope is you both like each other so much you won't want to leave each other. But I think even when you can only date for a little while, there's probably some value in it, if the affection is real.

Ridiculous. I've already made a fool of myself once before, I don't need to make a fool of myself again.

What do you mean?

Such a period of courting only exacerbates the humiliation in the end.

Humiliation?

Come now.

[ patting his head, gentle but firm and with an impatient touch ]

Well, for example. Say you do date this person, say it doesn't go well - now you've bared your heart to someone who no longer carries such affections for you, someone who holds onto your weakness and flaws like a pointed stick. That's the best possible outcome: that they'll leave, having moderately damaged your heart.

Perhaps instead, they'll take you to the altar. Perhaps they'll promise you the world, the sky, the heavens and everything underneath - perhaps you'll wait on that fated day, to be their beloved for time eternal.

[ stroking his face now, his tone hitting a sort of manic calm ]

Perhaps you'll keep waiting for them. What else can you do, by this point? Keep waiting? Say you don't - then what?

Say you do.

The music stops. You're still waiting. Everyone else, your friends, your family, everyone you trusted - starts whispering. How pitiful. How wretched. How miserable. People who you knew and cherished, speaking of you with such disdain.

Where did that person go? Say, for example - they found someone else. No, perhaps they were always with someone else - why would they have been with you, then?

Perhaps it was out of pity. Perhaps it was to humiliate you.

Regardless, what should you do then? Consider it, briefly. If dating didn't work out in the first place, then that person might have learned a few things about you, a few intimate secrets - but someone who you were slated to marry? Someone who was meant to promise their life to you? At that point, those aren't pointed sticks - they're guns and bombs and poison, your greatest weak point. That person has it, now.

What should you do then?

Edited 2018-08-10 11:00 (UTC)

If someone you love betrays you, kill them.

[He's leaning into the hand of course, he loves fucking touches, just touch him more, he's so desperate for it. But anyway his angry ghost has an easy answer and the answer is murder? Obviously.]

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