A̷F̴T̵E̶R̴M̴A̷T̶H̷

[champion_link]

[It's Link who's in the dining room this time, the wall leading to it perfectly clear so he can be seen. He's sitting with a large plate of sandwiches, though the triangles are perfectly cut with no crust and with no dripping peanut butter or jelly.]

[In contrast to his usual pleasant look, he looks... somber. His shoulders are hunched and his hair is starting to pull out of its neat ponytail. He's breathing slowly, and just gestures towards the sandwiches.]

Comments

[champion_link]

[Link himself is definitely there, though it looks a little like he's trying to hold his emotions in. His voice is rough when he speaks.]

This was your last chance... your last chance to make it easy on yourselves...

Not Here

[mermaidkin]

[Hiyori himself is NOT here! But if you're determined, you can probably find him.]

[carryabigstick]

...we never expected this to be easy. Nothing has been easy before now, why should that change now? If anything, I've always expected it would get harder.

[champion_link]

... You're going to get in trouble... IT doesn't like it when you do things like that...

[carryabigstick]

Yeah, yeah... we've been in trouble from day one, don't you get it?

Just being here is a death sentence. So... this is a gamble I'm willing to take.

[...]

Oh yeah. Pretty sure someone mentioned this sword might be yours.

[She pulls out the sword she got from her laser room run.]

I don't need it, so if you want it-- you'd best hold onto it this time.

cw: abuse mention

[necroyalty]

[ She knows that look, Link. It's the look of a sad, dejected child whose parents have beaten him and then spouted some bullshit about how "this is going to hurt me more than it hurts you." ]

...perhaps its greatest crime was making a set of rules not worth defending, then.

[unwittingking]

Life isn't easy. I think you should be one of the people that understands this, no matter what Link you are.

[Yeah, King's here, though he looks a bit mentally traumatized and is probably going home soon. He thought he had trouble sleeping before...]

[champion_link]

You were voted for. You defied the will of the others and of IT. Y... you're going to suffer so badly. I never wanted that for you.

[poorlovefool]

[Eventually once he gets off his ass Eric will pass by the dining room, although the gesture toward the sandwich just makes him take a nervous step back. Is he going to get a lighter sentence if he eats it? Probably not.

WILL HE THOUGH.]

H-Hey, you don't... look so good... is it really going to be that bad?

[he's pretty sure it's going to be bad. Since when do the hosts worry about them]

[champion_link]

... Yes. It will.

If you're not made to join after what's going to happen... it's going to hurt more than anything you can imagine.

[relieable]

[no afterparty for Osomatsu! he's making a beeline for House 4. if you want to talk to him, he will be there. he might not talk back? who knows, he's a sulker when it comes down to it. door is shut, but not locked]

[comesaround]

[ As much as Karma wanted to talk to King, there's someone else he needs to tend to first. It felt like they had achieved victory, but yet they took a step back in other regards.

So with that said, Karma decided to repay the favor and it becomes a mirror of last week in how he makes to catch up with Osomatsu before he can get to his house fully. ]

Osomatsu, wait.

[relieable]

[at least it's Karma who came to get him. anyone else, and Osomatsu probably would have snarled. hell, he still might snarl at Karma.

he whirls around, trying to keep his voice even]

You said he was like a dad to you. After he killed Vita and Jonathan. What the hell?

[she was so beat up! she'd been stabbed with a spork, Karma! not to mention the burning of the bodies!]

[incendiarize]

[The letter arrives late in the night, slipped under the door or through the mail slot. It isn't signed, but the messy handwriting and content should make it clear who wrote this. There are several places where words are thoroughly scribbled out, too much to read. He's trying to be careful with his words.]

Osomatsu, I'm sorry. For a lot of things.

I'm sorry I don't think enough before I say things. I'm sorry I never say the right thing. I'm sorry I didn't see Franciscus's death coming when I tried, and couldn't stop it. I'm sorry my vision made things more confusing, so we didn't catch his killer. I'm sorry I can't hate Eric, or even dislike him. I'm sorry I voted for myself. I'm sorry I voted at random, and extra sorry that it was for you. I'm sorry you had to see me kill Asura. I'm sorry I was basically useless the whole time, in the mansion. I'm sorry I couldn't prevent Akira's death, even though I looked for it in advance. I'm sorry I kept my continued contact with Charles secret. I'm sorry I haven't been much help figuring things out here, either. I'm sorry that I panicked at the first trial. I'm sorry I spurred the fight tonight and put you and the others in danger. I'm sorry that I'm not sorry for helping King. I'm sorry that I don't know what justice is anymore. I'm sorry I'm not as level-headed as you. I'm sorry I'm not as smart or as certain as you. I'm sorry my moral compass wavers so much. I'm sorry I can't see things the way you do, or figure out what you want. I'm sorry I couldn't do anything, and I keep screwing up, and I never know what I'm supposed to do.

I'm not sure that's everything. It's everything I can think of right now.

I wish I could be like you. So sure what's right and what's wrong and what the best outcome should be. Ready to find the truth and carry out justice. Able to put aside your private feelings, but still care so much about what you're doing. I've been trying to stick to the Highlander's Creed as a guide - "true justice for all" - but you're doing a lot better at that than I am. Whatever happens next, whatever punishment we get, I'm glad you're safe from. You deserve to get out of here safely.

All I can do is my best. To keep fighting, and put an end to this madness. No one else should go through the things we have. I don't want anyone else to die. Maybe it's stupid, I probably am stupid, but I can't back down now. I don't think you're wrong, for reacting the way you do - for wanting justice, or being angry when someone takes the bait, or anything. I don't see it the same way, but I can't blame you when you're right.

I don't know if you care what I think or anything, or if you'll even bother to read this. I just wanted to tell you I'm sorry, and I look up to you. Just in case I don't get another chance. If something happens to me, and you see Emma again, would you tell her I'm sorry for me?

You're a strong and reliable person. Don't forget that. Keep following what you think is right, and don't give in. I'm sure you'll be alright.

[carryabigstick]

[Estelle has never been good at leaving people on their own— she knows he probably doesn’t want to see any of them right now but— she has to at least check on him. Since the door isn’t locked, she’ll let herself in... but not before knocking twice. Just to be polite.]

...you don’t gotta talk if you don’t wanna. I just wanted to check on you.

[relieable]

[Osomatsu isn't far from the door. he's sitting in the living room in a chair, his elbows on his thighs, his hands folded, lips touching his fingers. he's deep in thought, but his eyes flick over to Estelle when she opens the door. how bold of her to just walk right in!]

I'm still alive.

[thankfully? he's not exactly sure]

[unwittingking]

[King isn't exactly here for long; about enough time to look around and maybe grab a sandwich before he's leaving to go to house 1. He's alive, but right now he feels like sleeping like he did die.

You might be able to catch him if you try, though.]

[katzenpfote]

[Caleb runs to catch up with him.]

King, wait. Stay at my place tonight.

[unwittingking]

[He stops, but he doesn’t turn to look at Caleb.]

Are we sure that’s a good idea? We’re already going to be in trouble, if the voice was anything to go by. Will being together really help things?

[katzenpfote]

[Caleb heads out, setting Arthur down so he can transform back safely. He ignores the sandwiches and heads back to house 10. Anyone is welcome to come along for the night.]

[As long as they promise to not kill him or anyone else in the house, at least tonight.]

[poorlovefool]

[At some point after the lights came back on and they went back up the elevator, Eric started hugging himself and didn't really stop. Saving King was a big rush... he felt just like a superhero making those Noise explode with laser eyes. But at the end of the day, he's still more upset about Vita and Jonathan dying, and god.... he wanted to let their killer get away with it for completely selfish reasons. He started out so strong accusing King, burning with anger, and then he backed out of it when he realized leading the charge would mean his death would be on Eric's head. And he hates being blamed for things, any thing, but especially death. It's a sore spot from his childhood.

Still, the hope it brought to everyone seemed like it would be worth it. Estelle was smiling so bright, so was Arthur. And they actually won, they were way more effective than he thought... at least, at saving King. Who knows if this actually hurts the company. But now punishment is hanging over his head and his completely shallow rationales are all coming back to haunt him. What's going to happen to them now? Will it really be worth it? Maybe they're all just a bunch of idiots... or even worse, maybe once they receive their punishment, everyone is going to blame him for telling them it could be done, and then he'll be THE idiot.

.....Which is all to say, Eric is completely out of it and up in his own head, huddled down outside the central building and just not really able to make himself go anywhere for a while. At least the pet parade happened so he still has Gab and Spike for company, even if he also still has a pile of weapons with him. But going home means his day will be over, and that will just cause his dread to advance.]

[otherworldlyking]

[ Well, that sure was a sight he's come upon.

Not one McBurn seemed interested in ignoring, at least. ]

Not going back?

[poorlovefool]

I... I don't know. That was crazy.

[He's shivering a bit.]

We did a good thing, right? ...I'm not really sure.

[carryabigstick]

[They’ve come a long way since this all began. Today felt like a big sign of that. Of all the people to suggest rioting, she wasn’t expecting it from Eric. She can still remember how he hated getting involuntarily dragged into her and McBurn’s little fight with the hosts when this all began. Even now, she would have understood if he didn’t want to get involved. Just because her path felt clear to her— it didn’t mean she wasn’t terrified. But she didn’t regret it.

Estelle sits down near him and leans back against the building.]

You were pretty cool back there.

[poorlovefool]

Huh? [Eric has been called cool before, at the beginning of Nirn, by his team that he brought back there himself. He definitely can't remember any time a stranger has done it before, in the Titled or regular sense. So wow. She has his attention, even if it is a bit flustering given the mood he's in now. Eric rubs the back of his head, blushing a little, no sparkles.]

That was all a massive fluke! But... t-thank you. It felt good to do something we thought was impossible.

[Past tense. Feeling good is over, save for the comfort he gets from patting Gab. Looks like this is a big peak followed by a big crash for him.]

We're pretty fucked now though... I should've known they'd get us on the technicalities.