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

[15unknowns]

[There is a screech.

Like static, like hatred, as blood goop starts to splat from where the staff came down.

Decrepit arteries start surging in to try and smash back into Arthur. How dare he.

H̷̼͉̩̤̲͙O̩͚̳ͅW̛͉̰̲͙̱̹ͅ ̧D̦̗̘A͡R̳͙̜Ẹ͉̘̖̕ ͏̱̤̘͖̭͔H̤͟E҉̼͓̥̰ͅ.̘͍̯̭͓̪ͅ]

[incendiarize]

[May I reiterate: this was a terrible idea.

Arthur is light. He was always small and twiggy. Not much fat or muscle on him. Now, when he's starved for most of the last two and a half months, he's entirely too easy to knock away, his staff goes flying....and entirely too easy to grab hold of. If IT wants to pin him to the floor, or pick him up and use him as a shield, or whatever - IT will have no trouble doing so.

Arthur was never meant to be on the front lines.]

[15unknowns]

[Eeeeyup. That disgusting artery is going to wrap around him, pick him up, and start squeezing.]


D̫̯̐̇̈́̈́a̩̟͇̎̓ͤͪ͘͜͝M̵̬̥̱̗̯̺̜̍̾̄͂̌͑ͯ̐ͮn̵̗͓ͣ̒ͫͧͫ͠ ̥͔̱̜̙̺̩̟͌͛͂̿͟Y̤̪͚̗͚̞ͨͤ̂̅͝ỏ̡̪̭̟͑ͦ̀̀U̷̮̖̖̬̟ͩ̔̉ͯ̒ͧ.̲͚̠͒ͥͨͮͭ
̖̩̪̼̌̈́
͇̣̝̠̠͈̃̌ͮͅͅ
͚̖͖͔̫̪̌ͨ̓̏ͩ̕
̭͔ͫͨ͑ͦͧS̙̩͍͗̑ͯ̽ͥ̓ͭ̈́̚u̶̵͖̜̝̣̼̱̳̳ͬͬͩ͋̐ͭ̇̇͝B̵̸̺̙̪͎̘͍̠ͮ̾ͅm̵ͬͯ҉̮̙̤̣ͅI̠͈͕̳̬̞̭ͨͮ̐̍̀ͅt̯̩͚̟̹̭̣̏̌̇ͅ.̰̦̱̩̻̫͇͎̃ͥ̐̊̌ͦͦ̐͟

[incendiarize]

[Gross isn't a problem, it's no worse than Primevil. Better, maybe, the rest of the environment is clean. But the squeezing around him, that is a problem.

He will not submit. He grunts and cries out, but he refuses to submit. He tries to call Emma's name, but IT is quickly squeezing too tightly for him to even breathe. There are a few sickening, painful-sounding snaps.

Dizzy.....he's dizzy. Can't breathe. Emma. She won't...want to see him again, not like this...not so soon. He will not submit. But he can't last long.]

[comesaround]

[ Good thing he came when he did. Looking over just in time to see Arthur getting viciously squeezed by one of those disgusting artery-things. So he ran up with as much speed as he could muster, jumped up and swung the scythe down, severing the artery holding onto Arthur. ]

Sorry. You can't have him!

[ He also may try to catch Arthur if he can. Maybe. ]

[15unknowns]

[The artery practically disintegrates against the scythe, and Arthur is free.

The pulse turns on Karma.]

Dͬ̀́̆͋́̀ỏ͈̗̟͇̗̥̂̓̄ͩ͝ ̫̳̼̱̅̾ͨ̏̏̅̀y̢̳̆o͍̦̭̝̱ͨ̄̆̏ų̔̄́ ͚̭̟̗̮͖̊̈̑̑ͭ̚ŕ̮͇̋́̔̊ͪͅe̟͔̰̮̞̎͛͂͋̇̾a̸͕̬̘̠̗͍͙ͦͥ̑̑ͣ͑͒l̪̲̘̞̰̑͆̑̇̔̓l̸̪̼͖̹͐̈́̒̍̐̒̒y͐ͧ ̈́̌́t͈͚̒͝h̠̪̮̟ͮ̈̿ͩͣͥi̹̮̿ͣ̓̾̌̓͛͢ń͛̀ḳ̼̻͈ͤ̃̈́̏͑ͧ ̦̇ͥ̑̈y̳͈̙̮̿o͈̭̫̼̘̞ͭ̽͗̾̓uͣ ͇̰̪̖̝͎̱̌̒̋́w̩͎͖̓̂ī͕̰͕̫͚̼̫l̠̳͖̈ͬ͡l͒ͩ̏̈́ ͫ͌s͂҉̞̬͍̬̼͕a̸͚̝̣̯͒ͪ̀̌͒̒͗v̬͔͎̑ͮ̎e̠̖̜͋̕ ͖̳̄͐͊̚ā̟͎̲ͣ̄͑ń̟̫̻͚̻̖ͮͮy̲̹͊̿o̦̗͇̱͉͉̿ͤ̾ͣͦn͈̦̻̘̼̮̑̒͆ͫ̊ͅé̯̞̲̝̯̿͌ͧͅ ̖͖̪̱̞͕ͅb̴̼̼͉̰͌ÿ̝͖̤͓́͊̐̊͗̍͝ ͖̬̠͉̦ͬ͒̏ͬͪ̐ͥ̕ḑ̥̩̮͛͛̏̓es̹̖̠̗͌͛̄̄t̸̺͋ͮͮͪ́̀͊r̖̥̣͓̭͡o̙̗y̵̻̥̼̞̜̞̩͂̏̈́̎ͫͬͪȉ̞͙̥̣̕n̺͕̜̙͓̲̎ͭ̋̽ͮͫg̵ ̸͈͍̜̝̰̳̺̔ͪ̌̿ͮ͌m̛͔̦̬̤̼̓ę̩̪̦ͫͮ̈̈̾͋,͔͇͎͑̎ ̛̋̉̑̅͆̄̈́K̝͙̼̏ͤ̊ͫ͆̒͂̀a͡r̘ͩ͜m̧̜ͫ́͛̂͂̚a̤̬͎͙̻͔̺?͇̺̓ͮ̽ͦͣ!̼̰̜͇́

[incendiarize]

[He's free. Karma catches him. It's still hard to breathe, less because of constriction and more because it hurts like hell--

Arthur knows what this is. Can't do much more than a basic diagnosis, can't put a number to it, but he knows. Enough Medic training to identify it, based on circumstances and pain alone. He's breathless and winded as he speaks.]

Karma, I- think my ribs are-- [Broken. He's not going to be any more good in a straight fight like this, but he does fish the ice and volt formulas Eric gave him out, offering them over.]

[comesaround]

[ Once he's touched down on the ground, he just laughed, the sound almost manic in nature but he holds off on what he wants to say in lieu of making sure Arthur's taken care of. Even briefly wincing as Arthur told him how bad the damage was. ]

...Sorry I didn't come sooner. [ He'll carefully take those offered formulas and put them in his other jacket pocket. ] You did good. Let the rest of us finish it now. Take it easy.

[ He then straightened up and readjusted his grip on the scythe as he looked over to IT. ]

To answer your question? I sure as hell do. Please. If you think you can really come after me, then do it.

[ Is he fucking trying to taunt this thing? Why yes he is. He's good at this shit. ]

[relieable]

[thanks to the message from Franciscus, Osomatsu has found new vigor. he sees that Arthur is down, and he is livid]

Karma. We can protect ourselves as long as we remind IT that we can love. I think just hearing the word love weakens it.

[15unknowns]

[The brain writhes at this.]

[comesaround]

You have a point.

[ A laugh. Was that... writhing?! ]

Oh no. Does that HURT?

[ He's almost manically grinning now, even as he turned and started forwards, twirling the scythe and waiting for the attack that could come, but also.. ]

So when I say that I LOVE Nagisa Shiota, how does that make you feel?

[15unknowns]

[The brain starts screaming.]

W̟̰̠̦͇ͣH͔̘̙̰̘͎͕ͥͣ͌̓̃̚Y̡̟̖̱͇̥͓̦͒ͦ̋!̢͍̻̏͒ͮ̊̓ͅ?̘̯̗̖͗͌̓̊̍ͅ ͍̹͈̤W͟H̝̠̞̯̓̑͂͛ͤͤY̠̊ ̧̮ͬ́D̜̦͍͊ͮ̀O͎̦͓̥̠ ͐̈́́͋̎Y͉͙̮̅̂͒͌̾̓O̝̤̙̮̥̠ͯ̉̎ͦǗ̟͐ͧͦ̈́͌ ҉͚R͕̦̳̼̹̺E͈͎͍͖͊̍͡J̧̠̄ͯ́̆̚Ẻ͙̇͑̅͊ͬC̦͉̜̼ͣ͐ͧͯ͋̊̉̀T͋ͫ́̓̒͝ ̨̬̈́S͇̫̺͓̝̈̄͢Ť͔̝̪͈̺̠̌R̛̳̞̝ͯ̋ͦͅE̫͚ͤ̉͌̎̄͆̂N̟̟̜͓̦̽G͓̹̲͓͖͗̈̆ͨT̨̼̱̮͙̠ͤͤ̀̃͛H̭͉̩̝ͤ̓ͪ̋̕!͎̩̠̣͇͂̔̾̒̓̚ ̻̘͈̑ͯ̑̿̽̏ͪW͉̲͉͈̯͉͓̋ͫͣͪ̿̾͋H͕̞͉̭͛ͭ̓͒͡Y͇̺ͭ́ ̛̼͖̹̞̭̈ͬD͈̟́Ò͇̱͚̪̜͛̚ ̟̼̱̩̙̹̈̄Y̥͙̺̫Ơ̠̹̞̟̫ͩͥͬÛ̥̯͕̭͙̹ͤͫ́ͅ ̝͍͓̤̪̽ͤ̋R̤͚̘̄E̞̼̗J͉̞̤͉̤ͥ͂͐ͬ͗E̛̘̪̦͙̖̳Ĉ̯̰͇͎̹̙̇̂̀̊ͧ͝T͎͍̲͕̗̱̀͑͢ͅ ͍͙ͨͯͭ̐̀P͋̎͐̀̽̿҉̞͓̠͔̗̖Ė̦͚͓̦̝ͥͩ͜A̢̰͚C̴̖̝̠̩͍͎̓Eͥͩ̿̑!̣̮̼͇̈́́

C̱̼̯̤̼͈ͭͩ͆́̚I͍͆͗ṼͪĪ̱̟̪̟̞͕͐͊ͫL̻ͮ͊͛ͤ̓͛͝Ì͙̱͂͌Z̧̍̊͒̏A̡̞̰̒T̄Ì̧̜̌̊̆ͧ̈́̅Ő̡̮̋N̩̼̳͓͖̰̻̿̃ ̡̗͓̤̺̺̄̉̄I͍̲̽͋S̩̥̦͇̙̍̔ ̡̝̯̰͖͍̙ͦ̓͌̆͋̏̒D̡̖̞̭̫̠͎̃͌E̩̼̣͊͑̏̾̀͋ͭA̭ͯ͆D̖̝̜́ͧ!̰͎̹̘̦̘̒ͯ̒̒̽̐ ̫̫͓͔̜̘̪T̬ͨ̉͊͋̅̚H͈̬̼̠̝̟͉̔̓͂E̸ͯ͂̐̄͒̈́̋ͅ ̺̜͕ͦ̔̓ͭC̲̺ͧ̒͛̈ͨḶ͔͔͟ͅỨ̹̖͈́ͦ́S̖̯͙̤̠T̨͚ͨ̈́ͥ̒̏̊̈́E̲̗͍͛̄ͥ̓̈́Ȓ̺̭̹͎̹̪̣̽͌̓ͤS̸̪͚͇̉ ̴̮͈Ằ̺̰̝̞̬ͭ̚R̒͐͗͂̀̚E͖̝̯̓͐̚ ̝̱̳͔̫͈ͣR͖̱̔ͪ͊ËN̹͎̗̮͓̬̫͐T̮̠̫̹̖͈!̣̱̪̰͖̯̄ͧͧ͑͗̉ ͨT̵͎̹̖H̬̩̜͈͕͌ͩ̓ͬ̚ͅÉ̖̟͚̯͔̼̞̍̀ͭ̐ͫ ̢̺̰̝̰̺̇͂̈́ͫͅͅD̮͌̉̑͒A͑͐̆̀R̮̻̹̝̟̫Ǩ͏̫̲͉̞͙͔̯N̦̲̘̖̹ͬ̎ͦ̿Ȩ̦͔̩̦͍̱͍̌̇ͣ̊̇̚S̍͂S̈́ͯͦͦͥ͂̈ ̖̬̻̬͔̳̩̊̏ͪ̂͌͂B̴̲̖̹̙̖̰͉̐ͨ̾Ě͆̊̂ͪͤͪT͎̜̗̫̈́W͒ͥͤ̎͆̂̀E͕̮̘̪̗͎̩ͪ̃͞E̠̖͍͓̬͕̙̐ͥ͞N̸̔ͨ͗̾ͥͫ̽ ̸͍̭͈̒ͬͬͪS̡̼̯̥̝̤̣ͅC̱̺̝͈̜̉ͪ͛̾̎ͦͧ͟R̨̖͍̠̣̘E̠̮͚̳ͣ͢A̭̜͉̭͋̃͛ͬM̭̠̞̖̗̽́̆ͣͭ̇Sͦͣ̇͌͐͆͜ ̮͚̈́ͥͮ̽ͬ̋̇I̧̫ͣ̑̑̓͒̾̔N͕̳͕̥̺̭̏̄̐ͨ ̪͙̘͉̿O͚͖͉̮ͯ̀̅̀U̲͔̺R͈͉̟͎̖͈͔ͮ̄̚ ̶͌ͫṆͦ̽̊́ͅẠ̢͚̜̫̯̘͑̾̃ͩ̂͊̐M͖͕͈͚ͯEͯͣ̓ͣ̄!̉͌̎͌


T̬̂̅ͮ͠H̬ͥͯ̽̋ͩ̍ͪ͟E̅̉ͭ̔͌̑̅Ỳ̳̯͉͍̫̦͗̈́̃ ̱̬̳̣̥̱̩̂̇̍͐A̦̜͈͖̪͖ͬͅR̹̹̜̼̯͈͞E̍ͫ͒̂ͥͣ ̱̤̬͍̫̲͓̌̑ͭͯͥ̇A͇̼̠̪̞̩ͯ̈́͌̈ͧͦͅL͉̺͓͂ͩͫ̐͟L͖͚͈͚͍͎̉̔̇ ͇̞̝̈́͌͟ͅM͓͉͔̺̰̊ͯ̉̿̂ͧI̴̫̤̮ͥͦͯ̔ͧ̎Ņ͓̞͖̺̖̯́ͤͭͣ̓̑Ẻ̪̑ͬ,̵̠͇͍͕͍ͯ ̛̥̲̇̀T̷̻̣H̼̟͚̘̆ͧE̜̦͚̺Y̺̖͉̙̣̹͑̍ͪͫ͢ ͂ͭ̐͑͆̈́ͮ͠M̹̫̞̾̌Ṷ̤͉̈́̂̏̚S̖͎̠̫͕̟̐T̝̣̟̝̪̂͋̓̈ͦ ̧ͧ̄̆ͣB̤̦͎̼ͨ̋Ę͖͎̼ͨ̃͛̾̓͌ͧͅL̀O͋̃͆ͭ̚͏̠̼̘͈̤N̷̘̤͕͚̟ͣͤ͒ͯ̐͗G̨͉͇͇̣̭̪ͩ͆͆́̍ ͏̼̥̬̲Ṫ̹̟̼͈̯̣̦ͯ̋͢O̓ͮ̂̔̑ ̦͖̭͙̣͙̙ͤ̏̆̂̌̕Į̟̺̩̬̩̯͐Ṭ͔́,̙̲̰̿ͦͭͤ̄ͮ͜ ̟̜̺̝ͭ͒̌͋̽́͊I̡̥͍̬͇̝̯̍ͣ̉ͤͅ ̞̮̳̻ͫͪÁ̴̺̻̦͇ͫͅM̬̻̼̣̺͓ ̡̥̟ͅT͍͗ͭ͊̿͝H̦̳ͭ͗̑͗͞Ē̖̦ͣ̍̃ ̵̗̖̲̒ͭ̌ͯA̱̹̠̜̰̎̑̐́͒͞V̖̠̫̭̓̈́̉̚A̳͈̝̩͖̥̘͊̈̈̎ͮͩ̓T̍̎AR̘̫̥̞̽͗ͭͦͯͩ ̨̆͛̍̄ͥͦ͂C̱̻̱̲̠̦̓̊ͨ̋H̦̖̦̣̹͕̜ͬͫ̌̃͠O͉̝͓͖͐͋̋ͨ͛ͧ͂ͅS̭̱̻̦̦̦͎͜E̺̎N̸͓̞̤̠ͨ,̝̖ͣ̊͑͐ ͔̺̙ͫͭ̔̀Ť̢͎̘͓̖̪͋Ḫ̫͊ͤ͝Ę͇̫̹͚̬͓͚̀̉̎̐́ ̧̯̩͖͈͕C̖͔͂͑ͯO͎̭͎̒͌ͣͅM̖̏ͫ͒ͨ̆̐͞I̦̣̖͉̰͗͊̈ͧ̃͞N̷͇͓͓̰̲ͯ̔G͕̹͂ͬ̕ ̰͂O͎͕̠̝̖͉͈̓̄̏̈F̨̫͓̘̜̖̲̅͆ͥ̂͐̔ T̴̥̠̫̞̫͈̤̏̆Ḩ̺̬̼͈͇͎̥̃̽̌̇E͕̼̓̇ͮͭ̄͢ͅ ̤̯N̞̗̼̙͊̑E̯͈̋̂W̷̙̦̭͓̎͂̉͂ ̼̲ͨͅÈ̟̯͔̤̀ͩ̓X͇̂͐Ḭ̮̪̭̏͆̅̇ͨ̑Ş̟̮͍͒̔͑̃ͬT̮̽̄ͯ̆E̻̭͔͙͓ͮ͂̍Nͯ̓̎ͨ̓̚C͙̩ͫ̐ͦ͐ͅE̕.̰ͧ̋̽̈̔̈̉͞.̬͚̳̝͎̣̗̏.̬̼͈͖̦̝ͬ̓ͭ̓̉̎!̖̪͚̭̹̕

[comesaround]

[ Oh this was so incredibly satisfying. This was all so worth it. ]

Wow. Someone's certainly full of themselves.

[ If he gets close enough, he is going to full on swing the blade of the scythe up and into It's ugly, writhing body. ]

Listen up. Nobody wants whatever stupid thing you're trying to offer them. You're just a selfish, bratty child when it comes down to it, wanting everything and throwing a hissy fit when it can't have what it wants. What you DON'T realize is that we don't want the false strength and false peace you offer us.

[ Pushing the scythe blade in more, if he can. ]

Everyone was happy in their own respective worlds. Nobody cares about you being some stupid avatar... and you know what else? Your first mistake here? Was underestimating the love everyone has between our bonds and just how stubborn we all can be.

[15unknowns]

[Bristling. It bangs and screeches with static and red against Karma, but in the end, against Karma, Osomatsu and even Sho-Sho.

Against the remnants of these 15 Strangers, IT is rapidly becoming completely powerless.

And IT knows Karma can sense it.]


Y̭͍̱̻͈͂͟O͘U̥͓̖̮͔ͨ̈́ͩ͊́ ̠̭̘̖̦̺̬F̸̳̱̜̟̆Ǫ͓̲̝̰̘ͣO̙͇̪̦͈̲ͬͬ͝L̸̮̬̳͇͚͈̠̅ͬ̆͐ͣ̐́.ͦ͂ͮͦ͌
̈͂̆̃̐̔̏
̸̒ͩ̋ͩ̈͛̄T̖̮Hͧ̍Ė̛͍̀̎ͬ͆̇̚ ̣̔̌ͥͨ̿̔͢G͖̜̐͋̀̀ͫ̚͢Ȃ̶̠͂͋M̟̘̞̱̄̑ͩ̇̔́́̀ͅE̼͙̿̍̆ͧͥ ̞̺̱̹͚̯̈ͪ̌͗̒̀ͭC͓̺͎͊̓̈́̾ͪ͊͗À̳̖̜̟͓N͈͈̗̥͒̿̉͐͐̂̾͢ ̰͙͓͖̟͟ͅN͏̪̥̲̤Ê̥̟̣ͫͮV̧̱͖̙̹͍̟͋E͔̱͓̟͑̑̎̎̂ͅͅR̸̐̌͌̓ͦ ̱̱̝̜ͣͨ̿ͅE̦͂ͨ͑͆N̪̟̝̜͍̲̔̈D̶̫̰͔̄̃̆ͪ!̰̅ͦ̑͌ͨ̅̐ ̘̰̫̟̠W̡̟̘̙̟̯̰̍̈́͊ͣ͗͑̑ͅH̉̔̋̊ͧ̌A̯̖̠͑̎̆ͅT͂҉͈͚͍͉ͅ ͌ͭ̄̌͒Wͣ͗A̯͇̬̤̞̍͊S̲̬ͩ̾̕ ͎̗̳̠͑O̦̘͆̍͒N̶̯̜͉̜̼̣C̝̞̭̞͑E̗͑ ̈́̓́̽A̵̗͖ͭ̄ͭ̌͐̃N͓̞̞̟̱͒ ̩̲̬͂̋ͣA̯͖̠̟̟̺̘ͯͦ̓̇̾ͫN̩̯̭̗͒̅̓̃O̳ͥͬ̆M̭̬̭̼̬͙̮ͮ̓Ą̝̫̘̹ͩ̀͐̾ͫL͎͖͔͙̰ͣ͆̎ͬͧ̑͒͝Ẏ̯̝̦ ̝͓̟̩̮̯I̡ͤͤͤS̗̼͈̠̣͍̒͐ͬ͑͟ ͚̑͑͛̽̐̅̍N̵̫̤̩̩̖̩̰ͤ͂̓ͩ̚̚̚O̝͐͊̋͑̏ͮẄ͔́̊̈ͣ ̞͖̳̰̙E̷̳ͥ͒̇̊ͬV̝̩̯̐͞E̱̯̲̯͙ͨ̀̀̈͊̑̀̚R̶̜̙͕͈͒̾ͤ̚-̭̻̜͇̯͇͇ͧ̿̒ͦͯP̠̥̯̤͚͕̟̓͑͋̒R̫ͭÉ̋ͮ̀̚S̢͙̺̹̩͈E̶͓̹̳̜̹ͫͤ̓ͯ̎ͮN̹̯̏̀͂T̖͙̦̝̩̻͆ͪ͛̉̃͋!͔͊̓̇ ̹̝̝͇͎̮̙̌̐̆̒̏̈̑


Y͇͌̿̀͑̄͛Ō̡̠̲̹͈̝̓ͮ̚Uͯ̍ ͇̥̮̳̫͔͍ͪͤC̵̱͚̥̱͗ͨA̷͇͑̎N͉͢N̘͇̦͈̥̥ͪ̕O̬̫͔̱͙͆T͚̱̺̮͔ ̓ͨͦS͔̪̻̱͉̘̊͛̋̿̈ͧ̐T̖̙̩̖̣͇͝O̶̭̮̻̦̼̳̞ͩP̸ͧ ̪̠̭̖͔͖̅̏̇̅̔ͤ͑Î̺̩̲̰̱̫̤̏̽̋ͨT̪̹!͍̮͕͍̙̘͗̎̃͋͛͜

[relieable]

[that is what Kyuubey said, that the games would continue. but....]

At least we can stop you, bastard! We're all working together, while you're left alone!

[champion_link]

[Link darts forward, sheathing the sword. It's still there, though. Its presence can still be felt, especially this close to IT. He scoops Arthur up in his arms and nods to the other two. He'll be back... but Arthur needs to get to safety.]

[poorlovefool]

[Eric's officially covering him so he'll send a few deterring pewpews while he does this. Don't even think of messing with the ambulink, bitch!!!]

[15unknowns]

[There's not much one variation one can do when describing an angry screaming psychic brain being hit by zombie-killing lasers.

So the above sentence describing the action will just have to be enough.]

[incendiarize]

[He is far, far too light, Link. At least that'll make getting away quickly easier? His breathing is ragged and shallow.]

I....can still...

[champion_link]

No. Please. You've done a lot. If you get hurt worse everyone will be sad.

[He dashes back towards the entrance and just jumps clear out from the glass to the ground, landing with a slight skid and still holding onto Arthur tightly.]

Let's see...

[He finds a far corner and sets Arthur flat on the ground so he isn't twisting his midsection. After a moment he just pulls off his slightly split suit jacket and folds it up, giving Arthur at least a little bit of a cushion under his head.]

Please just rest. Okay?

[carryabigstick]

Hey!!

[Estelle is rushing over with something in her hand. It's the healing potion that Caleb gave her.]

Here! Take this and give it to him, it should help. He might need more than just one.

[incendiarize]

[Arthur suppresses his grunting as much as he can, as every small jostle and jolt aggravates his ribs. Link lays him down - and he fishes out the healing potion Caleb made and drinks it while the other is folding his jacket.

It doesn't nearly heal him, just reducing the pain.]

I can....transform....

[He doesn't know what'll happen if he tries to transform with a serious injury. He doesn't know what will happen if he breaks while in his weapon form. He knows he should rest, but how can he, when there's still work to be done?]

[champion_link]

[He takes the potion Estelle gives him and sets it down next to Arthur, who's already taking a potion.]

Another one might help. Please don't strain yourself. I know you want to help, but we need you to also take care of you.

[poorlovefool]

Oh - I have the one Caleb made me too! It's in my bag! [you can get it from him while he's lasering!!! also there are invisibility potions he completely forgot about. don't accidentally make Arthur invisible]

[incendiarize]

[Oh, another potion. That will almost certainly help. But he still...]

I'm not scared. I've- I've died, so many times now....even this - it's nothing. I've...had worse...

[Broken ribs is like a bad itch, compared to what Maka went through. If he focuses, it almost doesn't hurt at all.]