trusthell | Final Investigation.

Final Investigation.

You've all done very well to make it this far, but it's not over yet.

The klaxons blare out today, as they always do – there's no reason they should do any differently, not least of which because it's a Thursday; strange things usually don't happen around here until Fridays, and there's no reason to think that today will be any different.

But as soon as you awaken and get a glimpse of what's happening down that first-floor corridor, it becomes very apparent that that's far from the case.

The usual rooms on the eastern wing of the first floor are gone entirely, replaced by more of that glossy black that coats the courtroom; it's a little vertigo-inspiring at first, but it's not dangerous.

Of more interest, then, is probably those three rooms that seem to be waiting for you – one to the north, two to the south.

Choose where you're going to go. Look around for a while.

What else are you going to do, after all?

>Explore?

[OOC: Welcome to the final investigation! The areas blocked off in rooms 2 and 3 will require card keys to open; otherwise, you are free to investigate at your leisure!

Remember, we need 15 comments total from each of you on this log somewhere!]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Well, she's hesitating for a moment, looking at the number of questions left and the text on the screen.]

... Black, I'm sure you've got more than enough questions for the both of us, and... I know you have your thoughts about Glory here, so maybe you're better off asking them anyway.

[A pause, though.]

One last question from me though, Glory -- what do you mean, you're in there too?

I'M IN THAT ROOM AS WELL AS HERE. IT REALLY ISN'T ANY MORE COMPLICATED THAN THAT.

I guess that just means you can see it then. Alright then, I'm... gonna go check on Speedy and Mouri, see how they're doing. If they've found out anything interesting. I'm counting on you, Black.

[A nice pat on the back. She's uh. She's gonna go check out the hologram room.]

[ ...this has been a very awakening experience, jesus. He nods when she pats him on the back and... frowns at the board.

Glory. All right. ]

It's nice to hear from you again. [ ...even after his fairly accusatory last time. And there's 15 questions left—he can't just ask them without thinking... but guesses don't count towards their questions.

God, he hopes Sigrun's not misplacing her faith right now. ]

You never actually answered my question last time we talked—you just asked me why I thought you were still helping the Kingmaker out. [ ... ] I don't really want to waste a question asking, but I don't want to assume anything, either.

[ look at this Issue. ]

I CAN'T MAKE THE DECISION FOR YOU.

And you won't confirm or deny unless I ask. [ Hrrmmm. ] Aquarius fits you very well, as far as star signs go. Just so you know.

[ Okay. The situation, the game, and themselves. Shouldn't be so bad! ]

What's the purpose of this game? The Kingmaker said it was crowning a king, in a manner of speaking. [ He remembers because it was... really weird, and he wrote it down as soon as he settled into his room :'| ]

THE GAME WAS ORIGINALLY CREATED TO DEAL WITH BAD PEOPLE, BUT THE PURPOSE OF THIS GAME IS TO SEE WHO WINS.
THE LAST PERSON STANDING IS THE KING.
THERE'S NO DEEPER MEANING TO IT THAN THAT.

Huh. [ ...bad people—people who thought they could kill anyone they wanted to, right? Sigrun had said that. Misa and Mettaton.

Originally. Seeing as a good part of their surviving cast wouldn't (and then there's him, who wouldn't ordinarily)... ]

I see. Are there any special privileges they get as the king?

THEY GET TO CHOOSE WHAT HAPPENS FROM THERE ON.
THEY CAN LEAVE.
OR THEY CAN MAKE OTHERS PLAY.
IT REALLY ISN'T UP TO ME TO DECIDE.

[ ...so it does seem to be like an inheritance thing. Like the old days—the strongest survives, becomes king, rules over the land until the next one.

Except in this case it's "the new king deceives everyone so hard that they win and then decide to run their own murdergame for the hell of it," he guesses? Hmm. ]

What happens to the old king when a new one comes into power?

THAT'S ALSO UP TO THE NEW KING TO DECIDE.

I see you're getting places.

[Sigrun has returned, looking rather put off, and she'll lean on Black. She heard the question and saw the answer.]

So if one of us won this game, we could've done anything we wanted to the old King. At the expense of everyone else. Great, grand, whatever.

Glory, darling, you didn't mention he wouldn't be able to talk. Or see me. Or do anything but use his shitty depth perception and cool magic to make everything go kaboom.

[That's the pain there. Sorry, Black, you're being held a little tight.]

. . . . . . . .
I'M SORRY?

Edited 2016-04-28 19:38 (UTC)

[...]

It wasn't real, is what I'm saying. He wasn't. That would've been nice to know before I got any hopes up.

[All she wants to do is talk to him one more goddamn time. Even if she knows once his soul's gone it's gone.]

[ ...Sigrun... ]

I'm so sorry, Miss Sigrun. [ A one-armed hug, here. He still has his sketchbook to hold. ] It's just holograms in the room Mr. Speedwagon and the good detective went to check out, then.

[That's what they're called, huh. Holograms. Sigrun will accept this one-armed hug.]

Yeah, well, whatever. We'll sit together in Valhalla someday. I'll beat him up then.

[... Maybe.]

I'm gonna ask another question. Who are you, Glory?

[Similar to the question Glory asked her once. Who was her boyfriend? (A star.)]

I AM GLORY.
I AM ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE DESIGNED TO ASSIST WITH THE RUNNING OF THESE GAMES AND THE GENERAL UPKEEP OF THE VAULT.
I CAN DRAW FROM THE MEMORIES OF KINGMAKER FOR THE PURPOSE OF CREATING A PERSONALITY THAT CAN INTERACT WITH ALL OF YOU.
ONCE THIS GAME IS OVER, I WILL BE WHATEVER THE KING WANTS ME TO BE.

[ ...from the memories of the... ]

So the cat you used to play with, the one I made for you, wasn't actually yours. It was from our current Kingmaker's memories.

[ Not a question! A guess. ]

YES.
I HAVE KNOWN SEVERAL GAMERUNNERS WHO LIKE CATS.
KINGMAKER DOESN'T LIKE THEM BUT HE'S PLAYED WITH ONE BEFORE.

Edited 2016-04-28 20:03 (UTC)

So you're not real, either.

[A little pained. More pained as she continues, voice rising.]

The stuff you said about Ambitious -- all of that is from some other person's memory too? About the person you loved, the people you killed because love makes you do stupid things... All of that? It's fake?

THE THINGS I SAID ABOUT AMBITIOUS WERE TRUE.
AND PEOPLE DID DIE BECAUSE LOVE MAKES PEOPLE DO STUPID THINGS.
I JUST WASN'T THE ONE DOING THE STUPID THING.
THE FACT THAT IT WASN'T ME DOING IT DOESN'T MAKE IT ANY LESS REAL.

[And that counter is going down by two, because the Ambitious question was another topic entirely.]

Edited 2016-04-28 20:15 (UTC)

[ Nine questions— okay. Patting Sigrun's arm. ]

Miss Sigrun, if you wouldn't mind stepping back—it might be good for you. [ Said as gently as possible. He... knows isn't easy for her right now, not with how much she liked Glory.

So. Speaking of Glory. Or to Glory, rather: ] If you're helping the Kingmaker run his game right now, why are you helping us try to win against him?

Edited 2016-04-28 20:24 (UTC)

THERE ISN'T A RULE AGAINST IT.
BESIDES, KINGMAKER WANTS THE GAME TO BE OVER.

Edited 2016-04-28 20:25 (UTC)

[ ...hm. ]

Over for good, or just this iteration?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

no subject

15

no subject

no subject

15

no subject

14

no subject

13

no subject

12

no subject

12

no subject

no subject

no subject

11

no subject

11

no subject

9

no subject

8

no subject

no subject