F̎̋̀͝I͋ͦ̿ͦ̇̈́N̷̏́̊̽̔̍͒A̶ͧ̂͒̍L̛ͧ̃͜ ̶̛̐̀́ͪ̈́̐ͤT̒͘͠R̨͐͊̀̕ĬA̢͊̓͌͗͢Ļ̋͞

[strangerpeople]

F̶̡̯̻̠̤̻͔͋͊ͬͦͤ̊ͯ̆Ḭ͙̜̺͇̽͟ͅN̷̰̥̥̹̱̐͛̎͞A̮͋̎͛͊L̛͚̱̯͈̄ͧ̿̂̋́͡ ̵͓̜͑͊͐ͨ̎̀̚͡Ț̸̢̥̥̲̼͔̻̟̣͂R̦̭̥͇̓ͧͣ̉͠Į̮̻̪͙̺̘͈̰͉̋ͮ̆ͩ́̔̉͌Aͩ̒ͤ͏̖̼̣L̫̥̰͉ͥ̂̐͐̓͑̑̚͢

[It is time.

Though there was no timer, the time was clearly nearing its end. The darkness that encompasses this place becomes even darker as the hours dragged forward, until even the lights of the City's skyline seems to darken along with it. You can almost feel the Noise watching, an infinity set of eyes in the void beyond staring back, as everyone pulls together again to proceed down the street.

The brightest building in the sky is the dome, now. There's no barrier preventing you from going beyond the Central Building now. There's no need for it-the City is completely empty, its streets devoid of life, as everyone inevitably finds their feet bringing them to the dome.







There's no turning back now. Whatever you have, that is what you will bring on this final journey. Not just in items, but in mind, in spirit, and in soul. IT, the avatar of the Thing and orchestrator of your game, will not relent. IT knows it has bent you, but not broken you. Now IT intends to finish the job.

As you round the corner to the dome, you feel the rhythm suddenly take control of you. You feel a sucking sensation grab onto you, and try as you might you cannot fight. You are pulled in. And when you manage to clear your head and eyes, you are inside the building. It is massive, domed, and-





you are only in one corner of it. There is a small table with chairs, with everyone's name on little dot matrix displays in front of chairs. Not all of them, of course. There are 15 chairs, and where the survivors' chairs are white, the chairs of the dead are black, their dot matrixes empty and lifeless.

A glass panel separates this little set up from the rest of the building, which is concealed in red fog. Despite this, a worryingly slack-jawed Link and Hiyori are sitting in chairs on a raised step just behind the glass, their suits still impeccable and their irises swirling more intensely than before. They do not react when everyone comes in; they do not respond if someone tries to greet them. Next to Hiyori is a briefcase and a boombox, which even through the glass it is quite clear the static, pulsing rhythm coming from it is very, very loud. Kyuubey sits in its own chair, meanwhile, its eyes watching and its expression unchanging; a fourth chair sits empty next to them.

There is no visible sign of IT. But IT is there, just beyond the glass, just waiting to unleash ITs full might. It's almost mocking the Strangers, as if to say go ahead, draw your conclusions. You won't win. You can't escape.

Fifteen Strangers, from scattered multiverses. They were brought together once more to kill. Now, they must solve the final riddle. All of the knowledge and experiences they've had have led to this, and their newest evidence may help as well. The survivors have one chance to make this right and stop IT for good. Failure cannot be an option. If it is...no. Don't think about it. Just do it.


The trial for the future of all existence has now begun.]







[It's time!! The Strangers' objective here is simple, but all-important: they must pull all of the evidence you have together, unlock the answers they seek in full, and at last confront IT, the Mastermind.

This is it. There is no turning back. The blight curls ever-further from the darkness between the clusters. Can there be a cure?

Have fun, good luck, and may the right prevail.]

Comments

(frozen comment) LEVELS

[strangerpeople]

[Ah, yes.

These are the levels of everyone as they enter into the Final Trial. The higher your Level, the more difficult resisting IT will be when the inevitable happens. This is a culmination of everyone's activities, actions, thoughts and everything.

Thank god none of you are at 15.

King: 8
Arthur: 5
Osomatsu: 3
Estelle: 7
McBurn: 1
Ambrosine: 6
Caleb: 6
Karma: 1
Eric: 5]

[katzenpfote]

[Caleb walks into the room and surveys it. It's not obvious what they're supposed to do other than sit down.]

[So he keeps standing, leaning against the wall. It's tempting to lean right in front of the hosts, but nah.]

[carryabigstick]

[Estelle shivers, but pulls herself together as she clutches the files she brought with her from the office she investigated.]

It's clear this... not this moment, but all the ones that we experienced here... wasn't the start of all this. "Games" like this have been happening all over the place.

[She spreads out the files.]

The "United States", "Cartesio", "InterGal"... a lot of places have seen them. And IT is interested in a number of them. Rebooting old ones or learning the technology they used to create a virtual reality town... IT isn't planning on stopping here.

[relieable]

Another file I have mentioned attempts to trigger games that would ultimately fail in the end. There are a lot of failed attempts, most of the ones on this doc seem... kind of dumb. Animatronics, Angels and Underwear, "I Am Thou." This file is just labeled RESTART.

[relieable]

[hm. a new place. Osomatsu is completely on guard as he makes his way to his chair. he pulls out each file that he brought, carefully unfolding them and setting them on the table in front of him. he heard Estelle mention something about Cartesio in her findings, so he may need to open that whole can of worms. but for now, he's just going to focus on what he has]

Okay. So I've got a few files here. The first one is talking about a "game" where the world was deliberately kept destroyed. It also mentions there was a search for some sisters. This file is called RESTART-T. I think it goes with the other files that Estelle and Ambrosine found.

[necroyalty]

Any information on their identities, or are we left with nothing?

[poorlovefool]

[Eric still has the hope letter and the files on Charles N' Pals, but ... well, for once the hosts are visible, and what's in his vision is making him mad.

He's lining up his shotgun with that boombox through the glass. Fuck off, IT!!!]

[mermaidkin]

[Hiyori is very slow to react to this. But at the last second, he winks at Eric from behind the glass.

Then the reprogramming kicks back in UNBREAKABLE FUTILE USELESS STAY AWAY STAY AWAY STAY AWAY]

[incendiarize]

[Arthur finds himself in the building, and his first instinct is panic - but he doesn't. He grounds himself, resting a hand on the whip at his side. Vampire Killer.]

You're watching, right? And not just you, all of you. We're gonna get out of here. All of us.

["Remember what hope is", right? And "Defy it!"... And Eric's report on what he found mentioned love, too. These words sing in his heart as he takes a seat at the table - in the seat that would be Kurama's were he (un)alive, for the record - and slings his legs over the armrest to lounge at an entirely improper angle.]

Well. You all know what I found already.

[unwittingking]

[King gets a bad feeling just walking in here. Like, something's crawling on his back, when nothing's really there. It's creepy, and he wants this over with as soon as possible now. They have things to do, people to see, dead to raise if they can. No time to waste, as far as he's concerned.

So, he lays out his evidence on the table, and let's Lisa take his seat while he keeps standing.]

They've had files on everyone. Files on everyone that was in these things, anyway. Snagged one from each game, two from one on accident.

[Everyone, say hello to Papyrus, Killua, Joey, Toushiro, Ace, Akko, RGB, and Rantaro.]

Also found a photo of a kid on the wall. Don't know how they factor into this, but I figured I should bring it.

[He's not sure what gender they are, or where they are, but they have to be of some importance, right?]

[relieable]

Akko..........

[katzenpfote]

I'm sure RGB would be annoyed to find someone having a file on him.

[carryabigstick]

Rantaro...

[Ugh.]

Yeah, it looks like they were pretty thorough with each of us.

[incendiarize]

....Ace was a dog?

[Hiyori mentioned Ace to him. Investigator Ace. And the vision he'd had....

Ohhhh dear.]

[comesaround]

Heh. Joey was a good kid. She was definitely a fighter and had a good head on her shoulders.

[ How can he ever forget someone like her? ]

[poorlovefool]

I saw Papyrus before, but even the brat...?

[a beat. Wait, he wouldn't be as much of a brat after this many years. He'd be 17. WEIRD thought]

How old is he in that file?

[incendiarize]

[ANYWAY.....aside from the whole. Torture talk. There's a photo of a kiddo, Arthur can think of one way to identify them.]

I can....try to see if my power'll help me identify the kid?

[comesaround]

[ Oh. Well. He's definitely here, even if a part of him doesn't like it at all but he's ready to finish things, and even shot a smirk up at the area where both hosts are, along with what he's sure was IT, too. Mostly being a bit smug in some form, but also because he didn't intend to lose.

Also he definitely had made sure +1 angry math cat Sho Minamimoto had come with him. Now looking a bit more cleaned up as well. ]

Alright. This place was something I had seen during investigation so I knew we'd end up here eventually... but as for the other thing? I had found a file on a computer detailing all kinds of experimenting IT has been doing using brainwashing and conditioning, to try and expand it's reach and probably have absolute control over a lot more people and worlds.

[otherworldlyking]

[ Well then. ]

Guess it's pretty greedy, but that's not even a surprise.

[pi_face]

...I don't even want to know if I was in that file, do I.

[Ughhh. He runs a hand back through much cleaner hair, and his bangs fall back into place nicely.]

What a zetta piece of work.

[relieable]

[Osomatsu's been trying to think of things they talked about in their big... uh... cluster of notes. he's very pointedly ignoring the gnawing fear about what Arthur said about being tortured and killed]

IT is really concerned about staying on schedule, right? Schedules, deadlines, keeping things in line. And didn't that Charles kid tell Arthur that, uh. IT is using a bunch of tricks to scare us? I'm just wondering if we can do something to knock it off schedule. Someone mentioned music...

[unwittingking]

Caleb talked about it. It does something for brainwashed people, I think? Does...anyone know how to play an instrument, let alone have one on them?

[He knows like one (1) person here that might have an instrument on them right now.]

1/2

[mermaidkin]

[And just like that, a couple hours into the trial, the boombox comes to a natural stopping point. After the strangers have let this development sink in, Hiyori waves to get their attention.]

Hey, strangers. You know how we usually have an attractive offer in the middle of the trial to lighten the mood? We thought it would be nice to maintain an extra orderly first half until then, today. Hope you enjoyed IT's Hit Parade.

After the trial, you can line up for one free chance to...

2/2

[mermaidkin]

...punch me right in the face!

[Said face has flared nostrils and normal eyes as he rises to his feet.]

I don't know what the power IT knows not is! I'm sorry! I couldn't even sneak clearance for any getaway vehicles. But what I do know for sure is... you can't give in to your hatred, like I tried to make you do for so long!

[He picks up the boombox - it's clearly not light - and hurls it right through the glass. Waving his hand grandly at the sky like a conductor:]

Call THIS property damage, you enormous bitch!

The True Mastermind

[15unknowns]

[There is a silence from the rhythm, as the happiness and joy of all the Stranger survivors, the Hosts, and Sho being on the same side permeates through the dome. To others, it would be infectious and good and uplifting.

Not to the thing in the fog.

A large, massive tentacle-like appendage smashes through the glass not attacked by ITs former peons, sending shards all over the Strangers, It is grey, and dessicated, and looks organic as it flops away, red fog flashing through and overtaking the smoke.]


E̩̥̥͎̦N̤̲͕̓͐̈O̩̐ͩ͊͒̋̀U͒ͨ͆̀̌̽̿͏̙̼̘̬̭̠͙G̢̫̫͓̞̟ͨ̊̌̌ͯ̀̌H͚̦͍͎̜̄ͣͭ̂.̻̓͋͋̊͐̔ͫ

[The fog doesn't clear, but everyone can see the rather large, bulbous-looking silhouette that looms above them. Darkness and static seems to swirl all around it as the voice echoes in everyone's minds.]


Y̡͊̈́ͧ̔O͆ͣU̯̩͉̖͓̱̗̾̓̌͐̓́̕ ̼͈͈̭̉̐̈́H̦̤̯͛ͅÁ̛̟̗ͥͩͦͥV̬̮̳E͍͚͎̿̉ͤ̔̐ͪ͡ ̞͊͑ͪ̊ͥͯ̊́Ṋ̡̺͍̬̂ͣͤ̐͋O̷̼̻̻̺̍ͩ̿T͚̜͙̣͚ͥ͑̉ͧ̇H̭̫̟ͬ̎̆̓̿I̙̿̄N̩̬̼͓̺̘̥ͣ̆ͫ͒ͮG̶̰͉͓̖̔̌̅̔ͯ̾͛ ͌ͤ̾͏̺̝̝Ṯ͛̉̀ͅH̰̳̚Ą̺͓̺̀T̸̹͓͎́͌̆̏̚ ̣͔̣͛̃Í̲̜̞̫̥̤͖ ͈̊̃̆̊̑ͥ̈́D̺̖O̱̙̼̘͂̓ͮͫ̀ ̺̫͎N̤̝͍̤̮̘̝̽O̺͌͗̑͒T͇̭͖̣͕̳̏̀ ̦͎̠͚̤̯́ͅH̴̜͇͚̖̯͚Ả̙͕͇͕͙́ͭV͇̬ͥ͂́̎̒͊͛E̤̍̏͌͑̐͑ͣ͞.̙̬͚͓̙ͬͮ̈́ͅ ̭̓I̹̞̭̣̙ͥ̐̈ͭ̍͑̆ ̛̲̜͎̖̥̦̍A̪͔̰͒ͦ͌̔̀̌́M͙̮̩̥̰ͧ̐ ̖͖̞͖̝͈͍ͪ̔̏P̘͔͙͉͕Ḙ̵͔̺̟̺͉̱A̟̯͔̣̼̣̺̔ͬ̅C̳̘̜̲̖ͥ̿̈ͩ̾̍E͔̙̯͉̔ͧ͒͐̍̍̕,̥̘͕͕̹̿͌́̆͘ ̪̞ͩ̾͠Ḭ͎̣̝̤͇͖ ̥͔͒A͔̦̻ͬ̔̾ͫ̉͋M̮̝̣̖̘͈̹ͭ͋ ̟̝̻ͩ͡P͑ͥ͛ͩ̄ͧͯOW̖͕͇͖̟͐̈́͂ͧE̱̯̙̤͍͓̯͢Ȑ̙̗̟̫ͧ͝.̯͈̪̦ͫ̀̔͌ͧ͐̈
̜̬ͯ
̦̗̬̺̗̟̈ͣ̏̑ͅA͕N̤͓̱̤̜̙D͇͓̜̱̆̈́̄̍ ̡͖̣ͤ̀̉̊͛Ý̵͉͉̅̈̓͒͒͊Ȯ̫̯̗̆ͯU̯̞ͧ̈́͛́ ̢͉̣̹͒͂͂̊̅̂̊W̡͓͕̥̞̠͇̯I̐͐ͣ͆ͯ͐҉̰̼̹̗̜L͚̗̝̫̪͖͒͂ͪ̽L͗̐̐̒̆̕ ̺̞͖̪̝̞̌̈̉̃̂͠S̳̭̘̗̪̼̼̑̎͗͒U̞͔̇͒͐̄̇̔B̲͕̱̭̞̳ͤ͆ͯ́M̮̞̭̋̀̅I̯̤̤̞͍͙̖ͪ̀͐̎͒́ͥT̲̮̻͝.͍͈̠̪̫̽͒̐ͅ
̪̟͖̱̭̬̙

[The pulse roars in, taking control of everyone's bodily functions. Heartbeats, eardrums, all of it is in the pulsing rhythm of IT. Moving is like trying to walk through a howling wind in the middle of an avalanche.

And slowly, the smoke starts to clear, even as the red fog starts trying to creep across everyone's brains and eyes.

IT is done playing around.]

[relieable]

[oh no. now IT is angry.

Osomatsu shields himself from the falling glass, but that is not the worst of what happens. he is knocked to his knees as IT pulses. his eyes squeeze shut, he covers his ears, screaming]

NOW WHAT?????

I͟͠T҉ ͏EN̵D҉S͠

[strangerpeople]

[IT is dead. Very, very dead.

eXtinguished.

It should have been the end.

But of course it isn't. This, after all, is the planet Camazotz-or at least a piece of it. Camazotz and IT were intertwined with one another millennium before any of the Strangers had been born, or even thought of-regardless of how their timelines worked, honestly. ITs will was intertwined with the fallen planet, and the fallen planet's was linked with IT. It was a parasitic bond, and after a certain point, when one fell, so too would the other.

Now, that was bearing fruit. You can hear the buildings outside start to sag and squeak loudly as their bases fail, and you can hear the remaining life-whatever that could have been after such a long time in this condition, out in the void, away from even a single natural light-begin to die. It is terrifying to consider, that victory against IT meant this world had to die, justified or not.

But there's more than that. Oh yes. It's not just ITs lack of presence that is killing this place.

As the dome begins to sway from the sudden death given the planet, existence itself begins to fall apart around the Strangers. Like breaking plaster blackness begins to pop through walls, out from the dome, up from the floor. This, too, is IT, in a way, but more more wild. Baseless. Feral.

It's a mere taste of what the Echthroi-nameless, formless, and yet all powerful-at its very core. It is an evil type of chaos, a kind that hates that which Is, for it is what Is Not. What it touches, it Xes.

Now, without its power, without the leader that had brought it to such glory, it is losing power. It is being drawn back to where it belongs. It is seething. And it desires one last, petty, hateful act of revenge.

It shall now X҉҉̸̧ you all.]

[carryabigstick]

Oh hell no... Everyone!! Stay together... and stay away from that.

[Huddle close maybe?? She'll hold onto anyone close enough to get her hands on.]

Ţ̴͡͡H̸҉̡̕E ̶͘E̡͟͝ N̢ D

[strangerpeople]

[Once everyone is loaded, they are off.

Cardia is an experienced hand, and the receding static and hateful blackness grabs on, but can't hold on in its increasingly weakened state. As the train lifts into the blackening sky, those looking out the windows can see just how much of an operation this was.

Though it is not the whole of Camazotz, just a piece, it is big enough, and there is no doubt now that somehow, people were there, living alongside the Strangers, perhaps unaware, perhaps being trained to not notice. It didn't matter. Doesn't.

There are dozens of ships and transports of different kinds. There are several of Her Thrice-Renewed Majesty's trains, newly-fitted with runes and other technology designed to withstand the forces beyond Law. Eric and Estelle will recognize Comicron-1 getting ready to fly. There are a few strange mechs flying through, and there are some ships and technologies that are not readily recognizable on the outset to the Strangers.

They fly, and soon, Cardia's train, too, flies, escaping the event horizon as the last of Camazotz and the Echthroi let out a final scream before, with a massive, pulsing, Inverted implosion of static, it is gone.

And there is blackness everywhere as the fleet traverses the darkness between the clusters. Blackness, and chaos, and silence. It is nothing like the blackness of before, though. It is calm, neutral, perhaps even benign.

And for the first time, Strangers, you can relax.

IT-and it-is finally, mercifully, wonderfully over.]

[incendiarize]

[IT is ended, and it is over, but...

There is something still weighing on Arthur's mind.]