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]

[It's not disappearing yet, Hurricane. The blanket pile is here for you. Let's just all sit in the blanket pile.]

C'mon soldier. Have a pillow.

Everything's fine now.

[crossmyheartandhope]

[He takes the pillow and closes his fingers around it, leaning forward to half-bury his face in the plush fabric.]

[There are entirely too many feelings happening right now, and he's tearing up again, shaky and overwhelmed.]

[At last, voice not entirely steady:]

...thank you.

[fiberoptic]

[Hngh. He awkwardly but gently strokes Hurricane's hair.]

Will you be all right if I go to the bathroom to get you that water? Takes less than a minute and I'll be right back.

[crossmyheartandhope]

[His eyes dart up immediately at that, wide and a little fragile.]

I-it's okay, I don't - I don't need it. I can wait.

[fiberoptic]

[Hngh. He'll have to get Mori to fetch the water later.]

Okay. Okay... I'll stay right here with you.

[:(]

[crossmyheartandhope]

[Relaxes a little, but only a little. He lets go of the pillow with one hand to hold loosely onto Nathan's wrist, instead - like he's trying to reassure himself that he won't go anywhere.]

[fiberoptic]

[Well, guess he's here for the long haul. Shifts the grip so that Hurricane is holding onto his hand, grabs a pillow himself, and just

stays with him.]

[crossmyheartandhope]

[Right now, that is plenty.]