week 11

[vicedirector]

seven vices week 11 ♫ monday - friday 8 players remaining Upon waking on Monday morning, you experience a short but awful bout of nausea. It's not dissimilar to the same fate one suffers when trying to remove their talisman, but an inspection will reveal that they're still on your person, safe and sound. Accompanying this will be disturbing visions--one look, and suddenly the space around you is nothing but destruction and carnage. Destroyed buildings, the heavy scent of smoke, and scattered bloodstains--even a few screams. But with a blink, the vision fades, and everything is as it should be. The possessions of last week's deceased have vanished, save for Stormfly and the Annoying Dog (the zoo grows stronger!). Anyone investigating will notice that to the far east of the schoolhouse, a library has appeared. Additionally, every locked door in the town will have unlocked at the start of this week. >Investigate? cast setting

Comments

[symbologic]

[WHY DO EARTH GIRLS CONTINUE TO HAVE NO CHILL WHATSOEVER. Where did she even find a gun?! Faize is not letting go though. If anything his grip only tightens, one hand grabbing the wrist of the hand holding the gun. Just to like...you know. Make sure she doesn't shoot Inaba here.]

I don't know what information you and Poland have found, Buddy, but if this is the conclusion you have reached, you have misinterpreted it. Roxy and Inaba are not the enemy here! Trust me on this!

[Maybe you should calm down? A little? Please? Explain what you found, let's all discuss this like civil people.]

[lastgirl]

[She'll thrash around in his arms for a bit while he talks, but she does not run on infinite energy and soon begins to tire herself out. So while she stops to pant heavily, trying to catch her breath, she'll explain--]

Roxy...Inaba...Lith, Rhys, Break -- Alisha, they were...they were all moles!

[She glares down at Inaba, an anger unlike any she has shown here.]

Tell them Inaba. You and Roxy both, you lied to us!

[symbologic]

[Faize just continues to hold her, even as she tires herself out. He's silent for a moment, before sighing and speaking in a quiet voice:]

She doesn't need to tell me, Buddy. I already knew. And I have for some time now.

[Which is why he's so certain she's misinterpreted things.]

What is it that you found? Tell me exactly what it said. Because if all it did was list the members of this group and name them as moles...I fail to see how that proves that they are not still our allies.

[lastgirl]

--What?

[Her hand clutches tighter around the grip of her gun and it's only from a lack of energy that she doesn't continue to thrash. She does however move her head forward and then slams it back into Faize's chest as hard she can.]

And when the FUCK were you going to mention this?! You knew about the moles and you said nothing?!

[symbologic]

[Okay...he deserved that. He definitely deserved the headslam to the chest. Faize coughs and splutters, but still doesn't let go. You did manage to wind him a little though, Buddy, good job there.]

I-I knew of the existence of a group containing Alisha, Inaba, Roxy, and Lithuania, though I did not know exactly what their purpose was. [Rhys and Break are news to him, at least, but the other four...not so much.] I have been attempting to figure that out in the weeks since, to no avail. I said nothing because I have been attempting to protect this group, as I am certain that their aims are beneficial to the rest of us.

[Like. Really. Rhys and Break aside, look at the rest of the group. Do you really think they're the bad guys here?]

They may be moles, but they are not traitors. Not to those of us playing this "game".

[lastgirl]

Then I say it's about time they give answers! If they really aren't traitors, then they have no reason to be loyal to anyone but us now. Break and Rhys were two moles as well -- both of them died, so clearly the people running this game don't care about their little group anymore!

[She looks back to Inaba.]

Wouldn't you agree? If you really aren't our enemy, it's time to fess up the truth. I'm not afraid to kill you or Roxy if you're against us!

[dereban]

"No good"... Alright, I'll explain. We were told to help to stop this game. That we'd be able to figure out how to do that and provide time so that we'd be able to bring everyone back to life.

[ She'll just chew her lower lip, anxious. ]

Well, that, and the fact that we were supposed to pilfer everyone's objects after they died. Because we couldn't stop the game from happening... people had to get killed. If their objects were destroyed, they wouldn't be able to go back home. It's literally your connection back to your home worlds. That's pretty much what we were doing.

This game is a ritual. Even if all seven are gathered, it's not guaranteed that the rest of you guys will live. She can just off the seven of you right after. [ A shrug of her shoulders. ] We also teamed up with one of the demons; Leviathan, who is helping us to attain that goal. The third week was when most of us switched to envy... half to protect us from any psychological motives, and half because she was willing to help us.

The reason why we weren't supposed to say anything is because we'd be screwed otherwise. Anyway, if you have any other questions, I can attempt to answer specifics, but I can't guarantee complete answers.

[symbologic]

[Once again, in a soft voice just above a whisper:]

Alisha died well before Break and Rhys. That alone, should be proof that those running this never cared about this group at all. They did not have any sort of special protection...they've been the same as the rest of us, all along. Albeit with more answers than we have.

[But he does agree that Inaba and Roxy owe them an explanation, so...he'll just look to the girl in question, for that. AND OH BOY LOOK AT THAT. HE WAS RIGHT. THEY ARE A GOOD GROUP AFTER ALL.]

...and you're certain Leviathan can be trusted?

[dhaosu]

[ He looks hardly phased; he's mulling over this all internally.

But he chimes in with: ]

...A ritual -- and the final goal of this ceremony is what?

[dereban]

[ Inaba opts to answer the first two questions calmly with a toss of her hair. ]

I don't know what the ritual is for. We weren't told the specifics on regards to that. But I can surmise a good guess. This place is basically a copy of the town at its prime. It isn't real. Seeing as Katerina is a human being from this town who clearly has PTSD and went off the deep end? I want to guess that the plan was a "full scale town revival", or something of that nature.

As for Leviathan, I can't say I fully trust her. [ She glances at Faize, wearing a tired smile. ] You know how I decided not to tell you about my weakness? It may be a little overdramatic, but, not once have I ever fully, 100% trusted a person. Not my friends, nor my family.

But this isn't about me. I will say that I do trust Leviathan enough for this plan. She even told us beforehand that last week, each demon had to kill someone in order to complete the ritual. At the very least, she has been honest with us. Considering her personality, I don't see a reason why she would lie.

But if you want to hear it from the horse's mouth, then I guess you can try. Any place with the generic magic circle can summon her. Anything else?

[lastgirl]

...Can the demons be killed? If they're going to try and kill us -- two of them have already killed people here. That means the other five will come for us, won't they?

[dereban]

Not two of them.

[ She's going to correct Buddy on that front. ] All of them killed at least one person last week. That's how the ritual works, pretty much. I mean, if Leviathan didn't do it, we'd pretty much be fucked, too. As for your question about them being killed... you cannot kill them.

That goes for all of them. We're planning on sending them back to the hell they came from with Leviathan's help. We just need to somehow get ahold of the magic book that Katerina has in order to do it.

[lastgirl]

I say we just shoot her and Miata and get it over with. It's their fault that we're in this mess from the sound of it.

[Buddy just really wants to fucking kill someone right now.]

[dereban]

[ Sternly: ]

You kill Miata, we lose our chance to get both our asses out of here and revive everyone.

[symbologic]

[Faize looks suddenly stricken. Which Buddy can't see since he's...still holding her from behind but Inaba will clearly be able to read the "Stop. Talking. Now." look on his face.]

[Holy shit, Inaba. Subtlety. He knows you lack this completely but he HAD hoped that the rest of your group would have done something about that unfortunate tendency of yours by now.]

[hopefragment]

[Hinata goes very, very still and just stares at Inaba.]

...Is that really the kind of thing you should be saying out loud right now...?

[He's been quiet this whole time, just trying to listen and understand, but...]

Like... the week isn't over yet.

[What's stopping Katerina from hiding the book where they'll never find it now??]

[dereban]

It should be fine. [ "Should be", but not necessarily a guarantee. She knows the risks she's taking just by talking right here, right now. ]

Even if we can't get it, those guys might be able to. Besides, I'm pretty sure she needs to have it on her person. It's the only way she can use magic.

[muties]

No one is shooting anyone, oh my god. Stop trying to kill people, that ain't solving anyone's problems.

[ beat ]

Except Katerina, I'm sure we can kill her once she's not. Shielded, like Miata and immune people were.

[lastgirl]

Killing people solves a lot of problems actually. I think killing Katerina would solve a lot of ours right now.

[okuri]

We just need to get to her first. [ Also totally agreeing on the killing thing, as he gives Buddy a nod.]

[dhaosu]

[ Dhaos scoffs; unkillable demons.

If you can feel fear you can be killed. But, maybe with all of who is remaining it would be impossible. Either way sending them back sounds quicker, really... ]

...And why is Leviathan assisting at all?

[dereban]

Because she's fucking tired of Katerina, basically.

[dhaosu]

[ ... ]

Hn. Do you know the details of their fallout or did she simply lay it out like that?

[dereban]

[ Since she's being told to shut up, she doesn't give that a proper verbal response; instead she just shakes her head.

But she won't be answering any further questions herself, most likely! GO DEFER TO ROXY FOR THAT, SHE'S DONE. ]

[muties]

We don't, but tbqh my bets always been on it being a power imbalance. I kinda doubt demons, esp one like the one of envy, enjoy playing second fiddle to some chick's violin solo.

But again, thaaaat's personal opinion.