BETRAYAL AT THE HOUSE ON THE GAME TOWER - END

[idolpro]

Who: Traitors and Survivors, Exael
Where: The Game Tower, and leaving it
When: Day 25, morning-- it appears that game lasted the bulk of day 24 into the night.

[ Abruptly, the nightmare ends.

You, in the rooms you kept restarting in, awoke. Before you can even panic, before even despair, the elevator doors were open in front of you to take you downstairs again. It could be a trap, sure, but your head is quiet— those fucking ghosts are gone. You also appear to be wet like someone dumped, perhaps, a bucket of holy water on you while you were asleep. All your wounds are gone, and you have been left bereft of any physical damage from your ordeal.

Unless you choose to take some with you. Nothing prevents you from taking any of your spoils downstairs with you, if you wish it, though all revolvers will have no ammo.

On the screens as you descend back to the lobby, Exael is clapping on screen, broadcast showing her in the mansion's entrance hall. "And so close the gates to this forbidden garden, and so closes this chapter of our story! Just as—" her hologram flickers as she doesn't seem to notice, chattering still to the cameras, "so too will—" fzzt, fzzt. Static, flickering, and then back into focus, "So give them all a hand! Everyone, you've done well! You stand before us still, ready to present us all with more marvels after having survived such grisly wonders with—" "—in the balance!"

As she speaks, she doesn't notice a figure approaching behind her. He's in a slick suit with both hands in his pockets, and you've seen him before— his portrait is in the foyer. His shoes are utterly silent as he walks across the marble floor, till he's right at her back.

"Audience and actors alike, we've been blessed with—" Her hologram doesn't flicker this time, but she stops speaking. Her eyebrows furrow as she tries to figure out what's amiss, and only belatedly begins to slowly look over her shoulder.

"Exael," he says with a friendly hand on her solidifying hologram shoulder, the effect spreading beneath his touch, "We need to have a chat about your requisitions paperwork."

She tilts her head, eyes wide with a finger tapping against her cheek as she thinks, "I didn't do any!"

"Yes," he agrees, smiling with all his teeth. "I know."

The broadcast cuts. The doors open to let you leave. ]

Comments

[syncintohell]

[ Because he had it when he buried Persephone and Anubis alive, he still has the mask tucked at the back of his obi— he hadn't the presence of mind to remove it. He's still collapsed in his elevator, just staring blankly out into the lobby. ]

. . .

[ At least this is far from the first time he's gone catatonic when faced with something awful. He's always come out of it, before, so. ]

[syncintohell]

[ a voice from nearby: his own voice, though his mouth isn't moving ]

If you don't move then, ah, you are more likely to see them.

[syncintohell]

[ muttering: ]

I swore to swallow one thousand needles should I ever betray him. Now that it has come to pass . . .

[ He swallows, throat dry ]

A Voice

[syncintohell]

Don't. Even if you do so you'll burden him. He doesn't have abilities for that.

[syncintohell]

But then, surely I cannot present myself before him after having sinned as I did! There is no remedy, nothing that can be done! If I am to be so foul a creature, nothing awaits me but hell! If I am to sink to the bottom of the muck, why should I not bury myself now?! Before my hands can do any further harm. . .

[syncintohell]

[ he jolts, and stands abruptly ]

Non! I will not stay here, where they others come across my presence, where I will be a blight upon them!

A Voice

[syncintohell]

Don't, ah, do anything rash.

[syncintohell]

Rash? I have thought this through! I have made my vows, and I would never allow this to happen! But what were my words than cheap, broken things that even a beggar would turn away— this is my decision. It is the only decision that can be made!

A Voice

[syncintohell]

There may, ah, be others that disagree.

END COMMENT THREAD

[syncintohell]

Regardless, it is my choice to make!

[ He gets up, and goes to leave the lobby.

well, then ]

Re: END COMMENT THREAD

[artificialinelegance]

[ um?

follow...ing him? ]

Yo, KZ.

[syncintohell]

[ Looks over his shoulder at her—

deer in headlights look

turns back around and STARTS RUNNING ]

[artificialinelegance]

[ fucking

chases. JOKES ON YOU SHE LIVES FOR THIS SHIT WHEN SHE'S GOING THROUGH A MENTAL BREAK ]

[syncintohell]

[ scree

HE'S STRONG BUT HIS STAMINA IS REALLY SHITTY AS YOU MIGHT EXPECT FROM SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T EAT AND PASSES OUT SOMETIMES

and the game on top of that means

she definitely catches up ]

Non! Do not follow me, I cannot bear to be spoken to now! With what I have done, I am worth none of your time!

[artificialinelegance]

[ yeah she is legit just gonna fucking tackle him to the ground. ]

KZ, shut th' fuck up! You're worth whatever fuckin' time I wanna spend on you, dickbag.

[syncintohell]

[ oof. yeah he goes down because he's really goddamn tired and doesn't have the energy to fight her.

he shuts up and looks at her, wide-eyed.

and then turns his head to stare at the ground ]

A Voice

[syncintohell]

Sorry. He's, ah, upset.

[ it's Shu's voice, but it's a pretty good impression of Persephone. ]

Re: A Voice

[artificialinelegance]

[ she just sort of for a moment digs her fingers into him, breathing heavily with a dumb fucking smile on her face because hahahahaha she's still in control still the one in charge he's scared of her she isn't scared of anything and

and

oh. right. she was trying to comfort him. She loosens her grip and starts looking less like a loon, though she doesn't actually like, get off of him ]

What th' fuck, are you still possessed?

[acappsella]

[ WAIT COME BACK AND EXPLAIN LIKE ALL OF THAT ]

Ku— [ and then, louder ] Kuzuebiko!

[syncintohell]

[ STIFFENS AND LOOKS LIKE HE'S GOING TO RUN BUT

no he must make sure Ken is alright. He wheels around and goes right to his side, taking him by the shoulders and looking him up and down ]

Ken, you— you are still yet unscathed? Of all of us, please, if one of us is allowed to still be whole I would rather it be you!

[acappsella]

I'm -

[ running his hand through his hair and then freezing ]

. . . . Wasn't that. . . just a dream? A bad dream . . . ?

[syncintohell]

[ He looks away, at everyone else looking ill and traumatized ]

If only that was the case. . .

[acappsella]

[ slowly, slowly dropping his hand

then he moves forward, reaching out for kuzuebiko's hand ]

What happened? What happened to you - ?

[syncintohell]

[ jerks his hand back— he, no, after what he did he cannot touch Ken. he realizes he's holding his shoulders and backs away ]

Nothing happened to me— if anything, I was the misfortune that fell upon others. Ken— Ken, I. . . What I have done is nothing that can be apologized for, you understand. It cannot be made up, so I cannot bear to . . .

[ for as eloquent as he always is, he either can't find the words or is reluctant to voice them ]

[acappsella]

[ hey why

almost chases after his hand, but he doesn't. just lets his hand hang there then, over his shoulder ]

. . . What did you do?