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]

I'd probably kill myself if someone I care about asked me to, yeah.

[eatsthecanary]

Who here do you care about?

[artificialinelegance]

My unit, the princess, Nemenem, KZ...

[eatsthecanary]

[ hm. ]

And why're you so interested in me all of the sudden? Masochism?

[artificialinelegance]

Yes is the simpler answer so sure.

[eatsthecanary]

And what's the less simple answer?

[artificialinelegance]

If I talk about my problems you gotta talk about yours.

[eatsthecanary]

I don't have any problems.

[artificialinelegance]

Then neither do I.

[eatsthecanary]

You obviously have problems.

[artificialinelegance]

Nah. They're gone. Deleted.

[eatsthecanary]

[ WC DORMS!! it's nice here. he's heading for his room ]

So you won't admit to having any if I don't admit to having some?

[artificialinelegance]

That's right!

[eatsthecanary]

[

:[ ]

Fine, but only because I'm curious.

[ after they get into his room, and he starts going to grab his second outfit ]

If you could describe it as a problem, anyway -- Hiryuu was making it sound like ... I'm empty inside.

[artificialinelegance]

[ headtilt ]

Eh? What, because you ate a lot?

[eatsthecanary]

[ he's actually just getting undressed in front of her. ]

No, before the game.

[artificialinelegance]

[ takes out her phone to take a picture ]

Eeeeh? You seem pretty non-empty t'me.

[eatsthecanary]

[ rude, he's changing clothes to his dumb cat sweater and paw pajama bottoms. ]

I'm missing something that other people here seem to have.

[artificialinelegance]

[ takes a picture of that, too. ]

Oh right. I remember you said y'didn't understand love. Don't think that really makes you empty but her majesty says weird shit all the time, so that's probably what she meant.

[eatsthecanary]

Why are you taking pictures of me.

[ hold up this is suddenly way more important. ]

[artificialinelegance]

Loki wants to know where I am.

Also you're hot an' those clothes are just funny.

[eatsthecanary]

You're sending them to him?

[artificialinelegance]

Yeah?

[eatsthecanary]

Actually, that's fine.

[ seems to settle on that. he's also just going to crawl onto his bed. ]

[artificialinelegance]

Good, 'cause I already sent 'em.

[ going to go cuddle with him tho ]