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.

[champion_link]

N... no, IT just wants you to be happy. Free from all pain... I don't see why you'd want to keep hurting...

[champion_link]

[He stares at it, and his eyes go wide - if they were normal his pupils would probably be huge right now. He holds a hand over his stomach like he's going to be sick, and stumbles backwards. His chair tips over and he starts shaking.]

wHy wOulD you thiNk I wAnteD thAt?

[His voice is disjointed, shaky, his pitch running up and down and breaking in odd places. He's gasping for air, swallowing hard.]

[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...]

[necroyalty]

I didn't pour out over thirty years of tears and blood to be free from suffering, Link. I did it to make something of myself.

I doubt Zelda would look upon the piteous husk you are now and see a friend.

[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]

[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.

[champion_link]

I'm trying to keep people from getting hurt! I'm doing what I can with what I have! Don't bring her into this. She has nothing to do with this.

[unwittingking]

The other option was getting torn apart by copies of literally everyone I care about that isn't here, and from what we saw of Kurama's execution, it wasn't going to be pretty.

I think I have reason to not wanting to go through that.

[He may feel like the dead, but you sure as Hell aren't killing his snark.]

[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.]

[champion_link]

You put others in danger, too. They're going to suffer as well.

[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.

[unwittingking]

I told them to stop. To let me fight my own fight. But if you haven't noticed, they kinda have a will of their own, and I couldn't really stop them.

[And, you know, he wanted to live.]

[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!]

[champion_link]

[He swallows thickly.]

Please... just please go turn yourself in, IT might just bring you in rather than kill you, it's so much easier than being forced... I just want you to not have to go through pain...

[unwittingking]

[It takes a second, before he gives out loud, heavy sigh.]

One, could you promise that? That IT wouldn’t try to kill me? Or is that just something you think would happen?

And two, would that spare the others? Would that mean they wouldn’t get hurt, only me?

[He’s considering it, as bad as the idea is, but he’s not letting himself get screwed over. He knows better.]

[comesaround]

[ Something in his expression twists a little and he looks down. There's no denying what happened had been a thing and Osomatsu had all right to be upset with him. It wasn't like he was impervious to feelings and how this one hurt a little but he also valued this friendship so he was making an effort here. ]

...People do stupid shit when the people they care about is threatened. Even the nicest people break under pressure.

[ Karma inhaled sharply before finally managing to look up once more and something inherently conflicted was on his face. Unable to hide it from the other right now. ]

I... I'm not saying I accept what he did. I liked both Vita and Jonathan. I really didn't want to see any more people die... why do you think I told King to own up to what he did and to stop running.

[ His voice gets quiet, hands clenching into fists again, fingernails finding the recently healed spots from last week where they'd dug into his palms. ]

I guess I'm just tired of losing the people I get close to, or letting go of my stupid emotional attachments. Why do you think I came after you and talk to you? You're still my friend and I... I don't want to lose that because I said something on impulse.

[champion_link]

... I don't know for sure. Hiyori is dealing with the reports right now. And I don't understand what you mean by 'sparing'.


It's a matter of joining willingly or being forced.

[katzenpfote]

[Caleb runs to catch up with him.]

King, wait. Stay at my place tonight.

[necroyalty]

I'm not a child, Link. If I choose to put myself in danger, then know that I'm fully aware of the risks.

Just know that I look upon you right now and I see a man stripped of life and soul.

And I literally rule over a kingdom brimming with undead.