FOUL TOXINS

[lovestained]

Who: Everyone!
Where: The Game Tower
When: Day 498

[ Welcome to the Game Tower! On the screen is The Red Sea Witch, who does a curtsy before speaking to the audience: ]

Gyahaha, hello! ✩ Today's show is a game long-time viewers might recognize! The rules are simple: poison others and don't get poisoned! Have fun~✩


RULES | ROOMS | EFFECTS | ENDGAME + WINNERS

Comments

[at_heart]

You did the math. [ It's... there's definitely something in his tone. But he's not actually upset with Doc. If he hadn't lost rock-paper-scissors and had to take an antidote, he'd be in a much better mood. ] So did I.

If we could've communicated, I might've offered to trade poisons. We both get a win, and everyone's alive again as soon as the game ends.

[ Beat. ]

Didn't really occur to me that the poisons might not just kill us, or that winning might not be a cure-all, until we actually had to drink. I'd like to think I would've done the math differently otherwise.

[ But. You know. Probably not. Welcome to the Terrible People Awards, Doc. ]

[happydreamed]

Oh - you know, that's not a bad idea, if it were possible.

[A calculated risk in exchange for a certain win.]

Most likely the reason why they didn't let us do that, that it would spare us the worst of this.

[at_heart]

Heh. I'm sure.

[ Mostly he's tired. Watching Emu drink that— ]

...I really hate this place sometimes.

[happydreamed]

You and I both, for certain.

[at_heart]

[ Heh. His eyes shut. After a moment, he pushes out a low sigh, and murmurs: ]

Wish the math were harder to do sometimes, though.

[ And that's not on the production. That's on him, and how his brain works. ]

[happydreamed]

...As do I. If I were a less ruthless person, then perhaps...

[Perhaps he'd be happier with himself.]

[at_heart]

You'd like yourself more?

[ He's familiar with the line of thinking. ]

[happydreamed]

Indeed. I can't help but think my being sorted on the 'hero' team was some sort of joke.

[at_heart]

[ ...Mmm. ]

I don't think feeling that way about yourself is exactly disqualifying for Heart, though.

[happydreamed]

...Heart played differently, before. Did they not?

[at_heart]

[ Most people would probably point to Hunger Games 2, where Heart had the second most kills, but Lupine was there, and he knows Aether's kill count was an accident. ]

—More falling on their own magic swords, you mean? Yeah.

[happydreamed]

I thought so. I wonder if Hurricane would be disappointed in me.

[at_heart]

Was he disappointed in you after the... monster-eating game?

[happydreamed]

No - I think he was just upset in general. It was a difficult game.

[at_heart]

Sure, but...

[ Man, how to even go about saying this. ]

Even if he argued with you about how to play it, he still went pretty hard, don't you think?

[happydreamed]

I suppose? At least, he agreed the decisions the team made, in the end.

[at_heart]

...So?

[ It doesn't sound like Hurry would be disappointed with you to him. ]

[happydreamed]

But that was different. There was no choice but to harm others in that game.

cw cannibalism mention just in case??

[at_heart]

...Sure there was. You could've all starved to death.

[happydreamed]

That would be harming your own team, would it not?

There is a difference between doing what you must to protect your unit and hoping you successfully poison someone else.

[at_heart]

[ Heart was kind of known for harming themselves, really, but. ]

...You thought we wouldn't take our antidotes, huh?

[happydreamed]

Had I wanted a target who I knew would protect themselves, I could have easily picked Baritones instead. I picked Lilis because I thought your unit was the most likely outside of the healer units.

[Which - no, don't pick the healers, that's stupid. You're risking more than one game, there.]

[at_heart]

[ Smallest snort. Airily: ]

Sorry to disappoint. We're not really one for falling on our swords, either.

[happydreamed]

Honestly, I'm glad to hear it. Strategy aside, I'd much prefer you survive the games as intact as possible.

[at_heart]

Yeah, well. Most games need a loser.

[ Beat. ]

So I don't mind if it has to be us sometimes. Just as long as we did what we could. Just as long as it's not every game.