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

[fiberoptic]

No, you were right about me. I should've known, I was stupid, not thinking as usual--

[He shook his head, laughing bitterly.] Look at us. So fucked up and all we can do is apologize at each other.

[dragonheartedgirl]

If you're stupid, then it must be a common trait in this team.

[ Because. Trying to catch a bullet with her body to save him was? It was all heart and no head, an all around poor plan? So maybe they all are. ]

[fiberoptic]

[Chuckles,] We think we're clever, but when the chips are down, we're all racing to do the stupidest thing possible.

[He's pretty shit at setting yugioh rules, so. Who's dumb now]

[dragonheartedgirl]

No, that's Intensity.

[ literally. ]

Mori told him we were trying to kill him, and he still wanted to run.

[fiberoptic]

[Wow really]

You know-- I thought he'd be more practical than that. I guess his ego's bigger.

[He pauses for a moment.] So... you did kill people. The ghost, I mean.

[Is that... How fucked up are you from that]

[dragonheartedgirl]

Him... and Shuten... and I helped kill Oni, as well.

[ so like. pretty fucked up. ]

Yasuragi's blood is also on my hands, if you count sending another team after him. ... And who knows what trouble killing those people may have caused.

[ She doesn't correct that to the ghost's responsibility. SHE WOULD FOR OTHER PEOPLE, but no, just. gonna. try to carry that weight, I guess.

So like pretty fucked up, yeah. ]

[fiberoptic]

[Yeah, it's hard to separate yourself from blame when it was your body, and you remember every act with your own two hands. Trying to convince Hiryuu to forget it would be futile.

He's quiet, before admitting,]

I would've killed two sensitIV in cold blood if my gamble worked out, and I can't even pin the blame on being possessed. All it took was seeing Abi get stabbed... and I had to hurt them back, harder. That's on my hands.

[dragonheartedgirl]

You didn't know.

[ she's gonna hug him ]

You didn't know that everyone was crazy and not themselves.

[fiberoptic]

[Hug accepted but he feels a bit awkward hugging back on this one]

But I wasn't crazy. That's who I am, Princess... I wish I could be the kind of dad you want, but--

I know how you feel. Losing yourself and hurting those that don't deserve it.

[dragonheartedgirl]

You are the kind of father I want.

[ Like she wouldn't say no to him smiling more but . ]

You don't have to change anything. I'm sorry.

[ She didn't mean? To make him feel bad? About who he is? IT'S FINE, THEY'LL ALL JUST. MAKE UP FOR THE THINGS THEY LACK/CAN'T BE, IT'S FINE, SO PLEASE JUST ]

Please stop hating yourself for not being something you're not.

[fiberoptic]

[O-oh. Oh no. Nathan's face is trembling with emotion, he-- he's just going to bury himself in Hiryuu's shoulder and hold her even tighter, so no one can see him try and fight back the watery sheen in his eyes.

He's not gonna say anything just. He's so grateful. For her.]

[dragonheartedgirl]

I'm not perfect either. We're all just going to have to learn to make up for what each other is lacking. Okay?

[fiberoptic]

Yeah. Yeah, you're right.

[His voice isn't cracking that's just your imagination]

[dragonheartedgirl]

[ it's fine she can pretend!!! and just hug him nice and tight for a while. ]

[fiberoptic]

[After a good long hug, in a quiet murmur,]

Are you coming back to dorm? Or do you... you need some time?

[There's a lot of dragon fam here...]

[dragonheartedgirl]

Raijuu is taking things really hard. I think I'm going to stay with him for a while. But I'll come back after that.

[ the next morning. DON'T GET THE WRONG IDEA, DAD. ]

[fiberoptic]

[He nods, understanding.] That's fine. Make sure he's okay.

[Look at how Okay he is with that. GROWTH.]

[dragonheartedgirl]

[ TRULY, a miracle. ]

I will. Please take care of yourself and the others until I get back home, too.

[fiberoptic]

[We're all changing! Hopefully!!

He releases her from the hug and...

and gives her a small kiss on the forehead.]

'Course. Same to you, Princess.

[dragonheartedgirl]

[ For better or for worse, they are definitely all changing!! Let's just hope this is for the better. She'll kiss him on the cheek in return and wave him goodbye ]