["Oh, no, no penalties. It'd just be a wasted opportunity not to do it!" says the female voice.
"The game continues until you've proven your worth, and that you truly want what it is you seek here," the male one adds.
"Bullshit," mumbles Cam, a little black smoke emanating from him.
"But as for that particular loss," the female one chimes in again, "well, it's not a sacrifice at all to lose an ability you never had! You're going to have to lose something equivalent to her magical talent. We can make that decision for you, but since you mentioned it-- sure, make us an offer. It's more interesting that way, I think."]
[Manwol listens closely, her thoughts turned inward as her blind af gaze follows what she thinks is black smoke.
...Taichi is right, she thinks. Rita's power was useful in the last challenge. Manwol had her staff and her ability to move quickly, but she wouldn't have been able to protect anyone if Rita hadn't distracted Claude and then attacked Taichi's clone.
What should she give up? Her fighting ability? Would that matter, when her vision is already dim? She's already hampered. Would these voices take it as a loss? What else does she have? There's only one thing she's truly treasured -- the one thing that's kept her mostly sane after her long years of existence. She hates thinking of it, but Malik's already given something up, and she thinks Yamato would hate her if she let Taichi offer.]
My beauty. I'll offer that up. My ability to maintain myself or put make-up on or look pretty whatever. I'll offer that in exchange for Rita's magic.
[she moves towards Rita's pedestal, thankfully she can discern Rita from the others, and hit her button without asking anyone else's input. hurray.]
...Rita don't swap for it. If you take away physical ability it could end up being something shitty like a loss of focus for casting and then your magic would be a problem for us instead of a help.
[but he could like to be able to move without completely eating shit, so.]
If it's a body loss...[...no never mind.] Forget it. Would taking on Manwol's color blindness leave me completely blind, or just colorblind?
[Manwol slams that button, and one of the voices says, "You know, I don't see why not." She won't really feel much of anything herself, but everyone else who has (or is about to have) vision will be able to see that she's no longer made up, and just... it's hard to put a finger on why, honestly, but she looks a little different. Maybe it's a slight shift in her features, but she just doesn't strike others as gorgeous, and she'll find she doesn't really know how to do makeup nicely anymore either, since she mentioned that.
Malik's decision also gets a, "Sure, that should work!" and, after a moment-- he'll recall the first time he visited the surface, vividly. Then it begins to fade, and he can't quite remember where he went, then he can't remember why, and then it's all just... gone.
Malik and Rita will both be restored by this; his vision is only a little blurry now, and she can now remember most of her magical knowledge and capabilities.
"As for your questions, though-- yes, body is going to be your physical abilities or some sort of related skill, or even just your general health. Taichi, you took your vision penalty fairly early, so adding to it now is going to be harder on you. You'd pretty much be unable to see."]
[NOOO SHE'S NOT PRETTY ANYMORE!!!! THIS IS THE WORST!!!! She can't actually see herself right now, but she's assuming that it's happened. Would rather be a frog, etc etc.]
I'm fine with being colorblind.
[taichi do NOT. please just hold onto muramasa. but asking the question is useful too]
[ and another block of the jenga tower of memories is gone. hm! this is starting to get to him now, and malik is quiet again. i hope everyone appreciates this moment of peace. ]
I've only got one... [she hesitates...] technically two spells left. We're going to need people who can wield a weapon and physically fight. And besides...
[
... besides what? she doesn't finish that thought, she just goes ahead and hits the Taichi button.]
I'm not that strong, but I've got quick reflexes. I'll trade some of my agility to get that jerk back in shape.
[he can't stop her, so the button's hit and he pauses for a moment.
he could argue. he could be stubborn about it, but strategically speaking...]
If Malik and Rita can both see, that puts us at a better advantage. Manwol and I can follow even if our vision's still pretty bad. And if Rita has her magic, Manwol has the staff, and I have the sword we can cover anything we need to, even without all of Rita's agility and Malik not having a weapon.
I'll stay like this for now. [because honestly giving up anything physical isn't a smart move, and he's holding onto his memories because he lost those on a field trip once already, thanks!]
[Rita hits the button, and she'll find herself feeling kind of sore and drained; much like Taichi before, she'll find she trips over herself the next time she moves, and she won't be as capable when it comes to getting around.
Taichi, on the other hand, feels more capable again! He won't be back to 100%, but most of his physical ability is back.
"Well, if you're sure that's all the four of you want, then we can go ahead and move on!" says the male voice, as a door opens for them... and leads them into a relatively blank room.
The walls of this room all become screens, and display one word: CALIBRATING...
As the calibration occurs, they'll each see scenery they remember on the screens, like this is a sort of VR room.]
[Manwol's not familiar with virtual reality -- she's only from like 2019, but seeing as nothing is immediately attacking all of them... She's still tense, blurred vision flickering back and forth.
She's too colorblind to realize exactly what she's seeing, but for Manwol, she sees the very fancy grand foyer of what looks like a hotel. It's so familiar to her that she doesn't even need her vision to really recognize it. This is her hotel, and now she's nervous because there's no reason she should be seeing it here,]
[ well, malik's memory is swiss cheese, so that leaves some limited options-- he sees a dark corridor, made entirely of stone. it's all fairly nondescript, and given the lack of light - there's some candles along the walls here and there - it doesn't really matter that he can't see in color either. he knows this place. and while there's nothing too sinister about an ancient stone hallway, he still looks like he's going to have a panic attack. and nothing is even happening yet. so that's cool! ]
[the images are worth looking at even if he can't quite make out all of them, but even without his full vision it's impossible for him not to recognize something so important to him. the digital world will always be a place that matters, and like the others, he's not sure why this is showing up.]
["Well, this is taking a bit-- oh, but we didn't check in with your opponents! While you were playing your bonus round game, they were facing the challenge you gave them! Now, let's take a look."
One of the walls becomes a screen displaying one of those factory rooms, the upgraded one they saw vanish when the liches changed the scenery before. And in that room, they see... Lucretia, Claude, Yamato, and Maya. Maya is collapsed on the ground, bleeding and motionless; Lucretia has Maya's head resting on her lap, looking down in her general direction worriedly (but unfocused enough that they can tell she just can't see) while Claude tries to help deal with Maya's wounds. He looks older, too, grey streaking his hair in a couple of places, and he's bleeding from a few wounds. Yamato is with them, still missing an eye, but now he's also missing one of his arms; he's slumped against the wall, head in his remaining hand, an arrow sticking out of his side.
Claude just gives them a horrified, betrayed look as he glances up-- and then the screen fades.]
[manwol is a blind binch but she's not totally blind and it's not like the screen is that far away so,
she'll get to see! this! group of four people -- all of whom she recognizes, and all of them who she likes! her eyes zero in on Maya, Lucretia -- Yamato, and then Claude, and as soon as his gaze meets her --]
-- This isn't happening.
[but her gaze is riveted to the screen before them as the image fades. she thinks about how they never know who else is on an adventure with them. she thinks about how relieved they'd all been to know that the group against them had hit trust, because that meant they wouldn't have to yet again struggle against nightmares of their own mind.
but it's not real. it can't be. She turns into the direction of where Cam is, her voice rising]
[ malik is expecting this to be a trick. more people he doesn't know. but he takes the time to focus on the screen, squinting at the figures. with his vision partially repaired, it doesn't take long for the scene to sink in.
he still wants it to be a trick. the last group clearly was. but this-- these are all people they know. his thoughts are mercifully interrupted before he can delve too far into his navelgazing. thank you, manwol. ]
I.. it's not real. Like the last group. We all know it isn't real, it's just an illusion. You can't really trust this place to be truthful, can you?!
[rita tenses, gaze fixed on the screen. unfortunately for cam, he's getting squeezed while she takes this in. she can't even bring herself to flinch when manwol yells in their direction.]
It... it's not...
They can't really be...
[but she isn't sure, and that's the problem. lucretia, yamato, maya... it's not them. they didn't do this to them.
[wow! terrible! exceptionally terrible when three of those people are some of his closest friends and the fourth is someone he likes well enough and mostly respects. the grip on the sword tightens as he stares at the screen, whirling around to face malik specifically.]
You better hope it's not real. [there's...no mistaking the threat in his tone. this is why they should have talked about it as a group like they did the first time. now...]
What now? [this is to the voices because again, wow! terrible! he would love to figure out a way into that factory to save all of those people.]
[There is so much smoke in here now, y'all. It does the same thing where it floats up into the ceiling and disappears, and Cam winces both at Manwol's question and the way he's being squeezed like a damn cantaloupe. "I'm sorry, but yeah, of course it's real-- people did the same thing to you, right? There's just, uh, no way of telling who else is gonna be in here, but Wonderland's still a popular place."
"We don't really deal in illusions here," says the male voice. "I assure you, this place might be our creation, but it certainly isn't fake. All your sacrifices are real too, aren't they? It's all just a part of the game!"
The screens seem to be done calibrating, settling on Manwol's hotel to begin with, but nothing happens immediately because I'm giving you a round to deal with this situation first.]
[with the blessings of the group chat, we are temporarily breaking tag order for taichi to suddenly whirl around. you'd think maybe he was the clone given how he seemingly teleports across the room, free hand grabbing a fistful of malik's shirt and kind of lifting him off of the ground to slam him into the wall behind them instead.]
You should have talked to us before choosing forsake! [just so we're clear about why he's angry, apparently.] There was no telling if it was real or not when Beau was right there! And now because of that choice four of our friends are suffering for it! We don't even know if Maya's alive, Claude and Lucretia are blind, aged and bleeding and Yamato--[he lifts him a little higher to slam him into the wall? really glad that malik's also probably blurry while he's doing this.]
[ there's fear as taichi lunges at him, but by the time he's getting verbally ripped into, his expression is blunted by a sort of glazed over look in his eyes. like he's tapped out of the conversation. in a way, he has. this isn't anything new. this has happened before. he remembers that much. and he has to push those feelings down, down, down to protect himself. but it's not as easy as he wants it to be, even with unfortunate experience at doing so. ]
Because it was the right choice, Taichi! The stupid head all you like even said you, so don't blame me when you would have chosen it anyway if he told you to!
[ anger is always the default option. lash out. fight back. he's gripping onto taichi's wrist, even if it's not going to do anything. he can't break free, but that doesn't mean he's not going just take it. ]
The first image was a fake. Those people weren't real. You really do believe anything that you're told, right?! This is a lie too, and you know it is, so don't blame me for a choice you would have made!
[at this point it's not hard to tell that all this black smoke is heading over to the lichs so they can suck up all this tasty suffering, but Manwol's attention is immediately diverted by Taichi slamming Malik up against the wall,
neither of them are wrong, even though I want them to be -- she thinks, cam's reply and the voices talking about how they don't do illusions ringing through her mind. the only reason she doesn't immediately push herself between them is because she's distracted by the image of her hotel flickering back into view -- what now?]
The both of you need to stop. This isn't over -- and we can't do anything about this place if we're fighting each other.
[her blurry gaze is riveted on the screen -- why the hotel? there's nothing there -- there's no one there she particularly cares about or misses, and none of the ghosts there are volatile or violent,]
[rita's still staring at where the screen had shown her friends just moments ago, even with everything happening around her, and even as the screen shifts to display manwol's hotel.
... it takes a while, but she finally snaps out of it. she sucks in a breath... and brings herself back into the present.]
... She's right. We can beat the crap out of each other later. Right now, we're getting out of this together, like it or not.
[she'll give the hotel setting a wary look...] What is this place, anyway?
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"The game continues until you've proven your worth, and that you truly want what it is you seek here," the male one adds.
"Bullshit," mumbles Cam, a little black smoke emanating from him.
"But as for that particular loss," the female one chimes in again, "well, it's not a sacrifice at all to lose an ability you never had! You're going to have to lose something equivalent to her magical talent. We can make that decision for you, but since you mentioned it-- sure, make us an offer. It's more interesting that way, I think."]
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...Taichi is right, she thinks. Rita's power was useful in the last challenge. Manwol had her staff and her ability to move quickly, but she wouldn't have been able to protect anyone if Rita hadn't distracted Claude and then attacked Taichi's clone.
What should she give up? Her fighting ability? Would that matter, when her vision is already dim? She's already hampered. Would these voices take it as a loss? What else does she have? There's only one thing she's truly treasured -- the one thing that's kept her mostly sane after her long years of existence. She hates thinking of it, but Malik's already given something up, and she thinks Yamato would hate her if she let Taichi offer.]
My beauty. I'll offer that up. My ability to maintain myself or put make-up on or look pretty whatever. I'll offer that in exchange for Rita's magic.
[she moves towards Rita's pedestal, thankfully she can discern Rita from the others, and hit her button without asking anyone else's input. hurray.]
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[ nobody asked you malik. ]
I'd like my vision back... even if it isn't fully restored, I'm getting sick by having this handicap.
[ but what does he have to give up? what else? ]
...You can take more memories. It's all I have anyway. Take another important one, I'm sure you know what they are.
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[rita's eyes widen. look, manwol's objectively gorgeous? this is obviously not a small sacrifice for her.] I didn't ask you to...
--and you! [malik!!] What's with you and throwing away memories!?
[she'll stew over those two for a bit, and then finally bring up what's on her mind.]
... Taichi's athleticism was a "body" roll. What sort of sacrifice equates to that? Something to do with physical ability?
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[but he could like to be able to move without completely eating shit, so.]
If it's a body loss...[...no never mind.] Forget it. Would taking on Manwol's color blindness leave me completely blind, or just colorblind?
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Malik's decision also gets a, "Sure, that should work!" and, after a moment-- he'll recall the first time he visited the surface, vividly. Then it begins to fade, and he can't quite remember where he went, then he can't remember why, and then it's all just... gone.
Malik and Rita will both be restored by this; his vision is only a little blurry now, and she can now remember most of her magical knowledge and capabilities.
"As for your questions, though-- yes, body is going to be your physical abilities or some sort of related skill, or even just your general health. Taichi, you took your vision penalty fairly early, so adding to it now is going to be harder on you. You'd pretty much be unable to see."]
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I'm fine with being colorblind.
[taichi do NOT. please just hold onto muramasa. but asking the question is useful too]
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[
... besides what? she doesn't finish that thought, she just goes ahead and hits the Taichi button.]
I'm not that strong, but I've got quick reflexes. I'll trade some of my agility to get that jerk back in shape.
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he could argue. he could be stubborn about it, but strategically speaking...]
If Malik and Rita can both see, that puts us at a better advantage. Manwol and I can follow even if our vision's still pretty bad. And if Rita has her magic, Manwol has the staff, and I have the sword we can cover anything we need to, even without all of Rita's agility and Malik not having a weapon.
I'll stay like this for now. [because honestly giving up anything physical isn't a smart move, and he's holding onto his memories because he lost those on a field trip once already, thanks!]
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Taichi, on the other hand, feels more capable again! He won't be back to 100%, but most of his physical ability is back.
"Well, if you're sure that's all the four of you want, then we can go ahead and move on!" says the male voice, as a door opens for them... and leads them into a relatively blank room.
The walls of this room all become screens, and display one word: CALIBRATING...
As the calibration occurs, they'll each see scenery they remember on the screens, like this is a sort of VR room.]
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She's too colorblind to realize exactly what she's seeing, but for Manwol, she sees the very fancy grand foyer of what looks like a hotel. It's so familiar to her that she doesn't even need her vision to really recognize it. This is her hotel, and now she's nervous because there's no reason she should be seeing it here,]
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Aspio...? Why...
[she's missed the sight of this place. her home. and yet, nothing about this place can be good...]
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...okay...?
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One of the walls becomes a screen displaying one of those factory rooms, the upgraded one they saw vanish when the liches changed the scenery before. And in that room, they see... Lucretia, Claude, Yamato, and Maya. Maya is collapsed on the ground, bleeding and motionless; Lucretia has Maya's head resting on her lap, looking down in her general direction worriedly (but unfocused enough that they can tell she just can't see) while Claude tries to help deal with Maya's wounds. He looks older, too, grey streaking his hair in a couple of places, and he's bleeding from a few wounds. Yamato is with them, still missing an eye, but now he's also missing one of his arms; he's slumped against the wall, head in his remaining hand, an arrow sticking out of his side.
Claude just gives them a horrified, betrayed look as he glances up-- and then the screen fades.]
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she'll get to see! this! group of four people -- all of whom she recognizes, and all of them who she likes! her eyes zero in on Maya, Lucretia -- Yamato, and then Claude, and as soon as his gaze meets her --]
-- This isn't happening.
[but her gaze is riveted to the screen before them as the image fades. she thinks about how they never know who else is on an adventure with them. she thinks about how relieved they'd all been to know that the group against them had hit trust, because that meant they wouldn't have to yet again struggle against nightmares of their own mind.
but it's not real. it can't be. She turns into the direction of where Cam is, her voice rising]
Tell us if it's real or not!!
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he still wants it to be a trick. the last group clearly was. but this-- these are all people they know. his thoughts are mercifully interrupted before he can delve too far into his navelgazing. thank you, manwol. ]
I.. it's not real. Like the last group. We all know it isn't real, it's just an illusion. You can't really trust this place to be truthful, can you?!
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It... it's not...
They can't really be...
[but she isn't sure, and that's the problem. lucretia, yamato, maya... it's not them. they didn't do this to them.
did they...?]
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You better hope it's not real. [there's...no mistaking the threat in his tone. this is why they should have talked about it as a group like they did the first time. now...]
What now? [this is to the voices because again, wow! terrible! he would love to figure out a way into that factory to save all of those people.]
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"We don't really deal in illusions here," says the male voice. "I assure you, this place might be our creation, but it certainly isn't fake. All your sacrifices are real too, aren't they? It's all just a part of the game!"
The screens seem to be done calibrating, settling on Manwol's hotel to begin with, but nothing happens immediately because I'm giving you a round to deal with this situation first.]
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You should have talked to us before choosing forsake! [just so we're clear about why he's angry, apparently.] There was no telling if it was real or not when Beau was right there! And now because of that choice four of our friends are suffering for it! We don't even know if Maya's alive, Claude and Lucretia are blind, aged and bleeding and Yamato--[he lifts him a little higher to slam him into the wall? really glad that malik's also probably blurry while he's doing this.]
How could you just make that choice so easily!?
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Because it was the right choice, Taichi! The stupid head all you like even said you, so don't blame me when you would have chosen it anyway if he told you to!
[ anger is always the default option. lash out. fight back. he's gripping onto taichi's wrist, even if it's not going to do anything. he can't break free, but that doesn't mean he's not going just take it. ]
The first image was a fake. Those people weren't real. You really do believe anything that you're told, right?! This is a lie too, and you know it is, so don't blame me for a choice you would have made!
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neither of them are wrong, even though I want them to be -- she thinks, cam's reply and the voices talking about how they don't do illusions ringing through her mind. the only reason she doesn't immediately push herself between them is because she's distracted by the image of her hotel flickering back into view -- what now?]
The both of you need to stop. This isn't over -- and we can't do anything about this place if we're fighting each other.
[her blurry gaze is riveted on the screen -- why the hotel? there's nothing there -- there's no one there she particularly cares about or misses, and none of the ghosts there are volatile or violent,]
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... it takes a while, but she finally snaps out of it. she sucks in a breath... and brings herself back into the present.]
... She's right. We can beat the crap out of each other later. Right now, we're getting out of this together, like it or not.
[she'll give the hotel setting a wary look...] What is this place, anyway?
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