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

[crossmyheartandhope]

[He looks dazed when he eventually comes staggering out.]

[Like he's been crying, or not sleeping, or both. Most of his outfit is covered in old, dried blood, and he's missing one of his gloves.]

[This is the blankest of stares, like he's not quite sure of (or doesn't quite believe) what he's seeing.]

[ferociousfuckingnerd]

[THIS IS EVEN WORSE THAN SCREAMING AND CRYING.

Reaching for Hurricane's shoulder, trying to step in front of him.]

Hurricane-kun? Hey, Hurricane-kun?

[crossmyheartandhope]

[His eyes track downward, way too slowly, to the spot where Mori's hand rests on his shoulder.]

...Mori...?

[His voice is hoarse and barely there, like he hasn't used it in a long time - or like he's been screaming.]

[ferociousfuckingnerd]

[................oh buddy no. Wraps his arms around Hurricane tight.] It's Mori. You still with me, Hurricane-kun?

[crossmyheartandhope]

I'm - here?

[It doesn't sound quite sure, is the thing. The inflection on the end almost makes it a question.]

[Now that Mori's holding on to him, it's probably pretty obvious when he starts trembling.]

[ferociousfuckingnerd]

[Mori wants to cry so badly, but he's trying hard to hold it in for Hurricane.

Maybe not completely successfully but he's trying, rubbing his back.]

You're here. You're right here, whatever happened, it's all over now. I've got you, Hurricane-kun.

[crossmyheartandhope]

[Oh. That's.]

[He spent actual, literal decades imagining something like this.]

[His hands are definitely shaking when they come up to return the hug, and his breath hitches on the inhale.]

[maxxximumeffort]

Fffuck... hey. Heey, easy.

[D wanders over to him and drags him in for a firm hug]

[crossmyheartandhope]

[Just... slowly lifts his eyes to the place where D's holding onto him.]

[It is probably pretty obvious when he starts trembling, thanks to the hug.]

[maxxximumeffort]

It's over, okay? You made it, you're a fucking champion.

[crossmyheartandhope]

[Yeah, that's. The shaking is definitely getting worse. There is a long, long pause while he tries to come up with the name, and then:]

...D?

[His voice is hoarse and quiet, like he hasn't used it in a long time - or like he's been screaming.]

[maxxximumeffort]

Wow. You sound like shit. You want some water? Lemme get you some water. Oh hey, there's vending machines every two fucking steps, awesome. [KNOCKS ONE COMPELTELY OVER AND STABS IT OPEN]

[crossmyheartandhope]

[Just kind of watching him do it.]

[His eyes are tracking the motion, so that's... probably a good sign?]

[rollwithdisadvantage]

[He has recently dried blood down the front of his shirt. Taking his upper arm lightly.]

Hurricane.

[crossmyheartandhope]

[His eyes track vaguely downward, toward the place where the hand is on his arm.]

[They drift up again, just as slow, to look at his face. There's something like surprise there under the dazed expression, as though he can't quite put two and two together to figure out what this means.]

[rollwithdisadvantage]

Come on. Let's get you back to the dorms. You want to pick up anyone else on the way?

[crossmyheartandhope]

The... dorms?

[His voice is hoarse and quiet, like he hasn't used it in a long time - or like he's been screaming.]

[rollwithdisadvantage]

[Or we can stay here. That is fine, too. Putting a hand on his shoulder.]

It's over.

[crossmyheartandhope]

It's...?

[Oops. "It's over," sounds like a lot like the promise he's been waiting for the past hundred years to hear.]

[Which is to say, his face just freaking crumples, eyes welling up with tears.]

[unbr8kable]

[She doesn't exactly go looking for Hurricane, but she sure doesn't leave until she finds him. The intention is just to look over and see if he's--"okay" is a strong word, but "alive" works. Instead she finds herself in front of him, reaching to touch him on the upper arm, gentle, since "alive" still works.]

...Hey.

[crossmyheartandhope]

[His eyes drift down to the spot where her hand rests - tracking, but kind of sluggish.]

...Nem?

[He sounds... not great. His voice is a hoarse whisper, like he's screamed himself out, or maybe like he hasn't used it in a long time.]

[unbr8kable]

[It's her real one, wearing a glove. Though she withdraws it when he just stares back, maybe--maybe that's too much right now, she gets it. Also not really sure what to say to someone she last saw dying in her arms.]

--God, you look terrible.

[Nailed it]

[crossmyheartandhope]

[He just kind of. Squeezes his eyes shut when she takes her hand away. His hands clench into fists, and he is definitely shaking a little.]

What -

H-how -

[unbr8kable]

[instant, serious]

What's wrong? Hey. I'm here.

[crossmyheartandhope]

[He opens his eyes again - looks up at her to confirm that she is, in fact, here.]

[He takes a breath in like he wants to say something, but it catches in his throat.]