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

[artificialinelegance]

What happened to bein' soooo upset?

[syncintohell]

My resolve has not changed, regardless of your insistence upon delaying me.

[artificialinelegance]

Good t'hear.

[ go back to being scared though ]

I just wanted t'talk.

[syncintohell]

[ jokes on you, he runs from people so he won't be an asshole to them, but once you've caught up it's over and he's an ass forever

Stonily: ]

We do appear to be speaking.

[artificialinelegance]

Y'should know how this goes by now. Spill th' beans, assclown.

[syncintohell]

If you address me that way, I will not! Furthermore, I haven't the slightest idea what you are referring to!

[artificialinelegance]

You get hurt, y'talk about it. Them's the breaks.

[syncintohell]

I did not get hurt. Far from it— I was on the opposite end of that equation.

[artificialinelegance]

[ flatly: ]

Really. Nothin' bad happened t'you. You only did bad shit. An' doin' that bad shit didn't affect ya in any way.

[syncintohell]

Of course it affected me! That is the point— I have been poisoned by misdeeds, my hands sullied! They were meant to create beauty and protect it, and instead I sought out that most precious to me in the world to bring about its ruination! Now that my life has become less than worthless, I am going to do what must be done! I will eliminate this blight!

[artificialinelegance]

[ hm.

this is a lot ]

Holy shit, you're more fucked up than me.

[syncintohell]

That is the second time you've expressed that opinion, and I did not raise an objection the first time.

[artificialinelegance]

I was givin' ya shit the first time. Why th' fuck can't you announce suicide plans like a normal fuckin' person?

[syncintohell]

I already did so. You have my statement of intent already, young lady.

[artificialinelegance]

Yeah but like. Without the purity shit. also I'm older than you

[syncintohell]

Miss, I am not going to quibble about the way I announced it. My goal came across to you, regardless of it you approve of my manner of speech.

[artificialinelegance]

It's ain't the 'manner of speech', it's what you fuckin' said! That shit is absolutely goddamn insane, KZ!

[syncintohell]

So be it! That is what I have decided to do!

[artificialinelegance]

Okay. Well. You're not, so there's that.

[syncintohell]

Not so long as you are sitting on me, non.

[artificialinelegance]

Yep, that's the idea.

[syncintohell]

All right, then answer me this: for what purpose are you stopping me?

[artificialinelegance]

Uh? Because if you kill yourself it'll be really inconvenient for me personally, you dipshit!

Also other people, but I'm basically just concerned with myself.

[syncintohell]

[ silent, a moment, his head lowering

then: ]

I fail to understand what you would gain out of leaving this wretch I've been reduced to breathing. My worth has already left me. You say my life remaining as it is as a convenience to you? I cannot see how it would be so.

[artificialinelegance]

One: I like you, and two: you already told me your plan an' there's no way I can ever talk t'Taisho again and be like 'oh yeah kz said he was gonna kill himself for bein' too impure an' I was just like oh cool you do you'.