Go Fish: Trauma Edition

[idolpro]

Who: Naughty little fishes
Where: Game Tower
When: Day 527


[So there you are, minding your own business on a completely normal day.]

[Then you blink —



[— and find yourself, and many other idols, in an unfamiliar room.]

[The room is large and round and made of glass, like a globe. ...No, like a fish bowl.]

[On the other side of the glass walls, you can see indistinct shapes moving around, but the glass distorts the light so much that anything farther than arm’s length is just vague smears of colors and shadow blending with your own reflection. But something is there. Possibly a lot of somethings. ]

[Two formless shapes approach the glass, and as they do, their images resolve into the shapes of a pair of twins, one grinning while the other pointedly looks away from his brother. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the one who actually looks cheerful about being here is the first to speak up:]

Guess what~? You’ve been chosen to play in our very first game. Isn’t that exciting?

[He throws his arms out theatrically.]

Especially after soooo many boring games. The audience is looking for excitement and thrills here! Why not take the chance to really cement yourself as the fan favorite while you have the chance? Heck, it might even fix your little... “problem.”

[There’s a beat of silence, and he moves to elbow his brother who shoots him a “hey what the hell?” look before reluctantly facing the gathered idols.]

...Make sure you protect yourselves. Otherwise...

[He just lets the thought trail off before looking away again. His brother leans on him, resting an elbow on his shoulder as though waiting for him to continue before finally giving up and shaking his head with a sigh.]

You heard him! Give this game all you’ve got - got it?

Comments

Re: Endgame

[gemuinemanagement]

[very burned and also dead!!

but if you catch him after he's been revived and healed, he's kind of just... sitting around, watching everyone else silently. hm.]

Re: Endgame

[cloudretainer]

[she'll hang out while someone with the appropriate abilities is able to heal and revive him. and once he's re-alivened, she'll come sit beside him on the floor.]

Re: Endgame

[gemuinemanagement]

[Leans on her lightly, and reaches to tap out a text-to-voice on his phone.]

That sucked and I'm angry about it.

Re: Endgame

[cloudretainer]

[She's unfamiliar with the slang, but she can get the jist from context]

That may be the most reasonable thing one has heard all day.

Re: Endgame

[gemuinemanagement]

[Picks himself off her.]

Didn't you win? What do you have to complain about?

[morality swap is manifesting as... being very grumpy and bitter, it seems.]

Re: Endgame

[cloudretainer]

Verily, one has no complaints regarding emerging victorious from a competition such as this, all things considered.

That said, it is reasonable to be angry, after what you endured. One would be livid in your position.

Those penalties were... excessive.

Re: Endgame

[gemuinemanagement]

[So it's pity. Well, at least she's straightforward about it.

Smooshes his face into her feathers.]

I hate this and I hope the hosts rot and die.

Re: Endgame

[cloudretainer]

[it's pity]

Should their situation resemble that of most of those on the other side, no doubt they have in the past, and shall again in the future. Their suffering shall be exquisite... as yours has been, and beyond.

[she reaches down and very gently preens his hair, tidying up his bangs. this kid looks a mess for some reason.]

Re: Endgame

[gemuinemanagement]

[it's the strangling and burning and dying.

the preening feels nice though. at least one nice thing happened to robin today]

Thanks, Mom.

Re: Endgame

[cloudretainer]

[despite herself, she wasn't expecting that. She pauses a moment, having some kind of feeling about it.]




[Then she lifts one of her enormous wings and gently drapes it around Robin so he's nestled in the crook of her shoulder, and continues preening.]

Re: Endgame

[gemuinemanagement]

[Wing comfy. He manages a tiny smile against her shoulder.]

I don't really want to move for a while.

Re: Endgame

[cloudretainer]

One dares say you do not have to.

After what you have endured, one believes you have earned the right to do whatever you wish for the rest of the day.

Besides. One has nowhere else to be.

Re: Endgame

[gemuinemanagement]

Thank you. You're very warm.

[Mom... is soft.]

Re: Endgame

[at_heart]

[ Burns, okay. That he can handle, more or less. Just — numbing and smoothing over the skin. He had more trouble with the butchery wounds. Then it's just a matter of flagging down someone in at least some amount of pep clothing, and Robin should be all good again.

Heh. He's funny. ]

Re: Endgame

[gemuinemanagement]

[Healed and alive is a start. Not anywhere close to all good, but a start.

He sits up, shakes his head to clear it, and taps on his on his phone. Unfortunately the voice to text doesn't emphasize all caps any, but it's important that you know it was typed in all caps.]

THAT SUCKED.

Re: Endgame

[at_heart]

Yeah.

[ Muted, but a soft smile. ]

And I'm sure it's not over. I feel — okay, but this isn't the kind of game where we just get to go home and sleep it off.

[ He knows there must be status ailments coming. ]

Re: Endgame

[gemuinemanagement]

I'm angrier than I usually am, but that game was also worse than it usually is, so I can't tell if that's it.

Re: Endgame

[at_heart]

[ ...hm. ]

Heightened emotions is a thing I've had before.

Re: Endgame

[gemuinemanagement]

I snapped at Cloud Retainer too. I don't normally do that.

Re: Endgame

[at_heart]

[ This slightly twitchy smile is what happens when he tries not to laugh because. Because look.

He likes Cloud Retainer, too, but snapping at her wouldn't be totally weird. ]

Then I think you know there's something up with you.

Re: Endgame

[gemuinemanagement]

[???? why]

Dying like that would be bad enough without side effects.

Re: Endgame

[at_heart]

[ Look, some people are just kinda acerbic. He's not judging! ]

Yeah, well, tell them that. The producers definitely think we need additional motivators.

Re: Endgame

[gemuinemanagement]

I'm going to stab them someday. See if I don't.

Re: Endgame

[at_heart]

[ Wiping the smile off his face, that. ]

Heh. I try not to threaten anybody specific on camera if I can help it.

Re: Endgame

[gemuinemanagement]

They already know we hate them.