(no subject)

[vicedirector]

Who: Miata and the moles
What: REBELLION.....the very very quiet version
When: Week 0, Thursday night

[ At midnight, the televisions in the rooms of the chosen players will go off, loud enough to wake them if they're sleeping. Just like before, it fades out into a solid gray background, though this time with a recognizable voice speaking. ]

Hey, meet up by the basement steps in the next half-hour. This is important. Do not tell anyone.

[ Anyone currently sharing their room with someone will instead hear the voice echoing in their heads as if through a loudspeaker--and unable to be heard by the other occupants of the room.

By the time the first person arrives, Miata is already sitting at the bottom of the steps, looking anxious. ]

...go ahead inside.

[ she gestures to the basement door ]

Comments

[jackhole]

[ meanwhile rhys is just going to toss himself down on the couch next to alisha and fold his arms over his chest. he glances at her and then back at the rest of them before sighing. ]

A joke they keep using and assuming everyone in the room knows what that is. Sorry, kids! Some of us here are from 2871 and don't care about your outdated humor.

[muties]

It's not outdated, it's retro.

[ pause ]

Also I think it has somethin' to do with some kids cartoon with a talking sponge, but fuck if I know.

[herbgrace]

Ah, America watches that! [She gets the reference now! Kind of! She knows where it's from, anyway! That doesn't happen that often! She only belatedly realizes that this conversation isn't really the point of this, and flushes.] I--ahem--What did you want to talk to us about, Miss Miata?

[vicedirector]

You're all invited to Mega Weenie Monday, which is now on Sunday.

[ She doesn't even care, humor is how she's dealing with this stressful situation ]

...orrrrr, more seriously, I'm going to try to wreck this insane game from the inside. Being that I'm not omniscient, unlike our resident Black Curtain, I'll need a little help. I'm a piss poor public speaker, so this might get a little rambly. Bear with me.

[ She picks up a piece of chalk and begins writing on the board.]

{ REBELLION? }

She's a really powerful sorcerer, that's her powerset. The most important one is the omniscience thing--she uses a combination of pyromancy and scrying to keep her eyes on you guys at pretty much all times. That's also how she got the information on your profiles. Because of that, I can't tell you as much about the game as I want to. There's definitely a risk of her noticing something is off. Things you guys shouldn't know, or too many of you working together in the first place--why I could only pick five of you, too.

{ Pyromancy & scrying = sees fucking everything }

As for how this little rebellion would go...I'll be honest with you. We won't be able to prevent any of the murders. Even some of you might end up kicking it. Her influence is way too strong, and I've seen it in action. But, I've got reason to believe death isn't the end.

{ Ghosts and shit }

She brought a few other people here before you all, as experiments to test how dimensional magic would work. They both ended up dying, but I've caught glimpses of them walking around the hotel. This town is haunted as balls. [ So poetic. ] The few times I've gotten a look at her spellbook, she does have a couple rituals to resurrect the dead. If the soul is there, all you need is a vessel to draw it back to the physical world. So while avoiding death would obviously be better, you're not completely screwed if you get involved in a tragic bonfire accident.

{ Don't ask me to explain black magic oh my god }

The problem here is the huge-ass difference in talent. She's been practicing magic since she was a kid, and I've only picked it up a few weeks ago, entirely in an effort to oppose her. So from a combination of the scrying thing and her being a way better wizard than me, I can't automatically resurrect everyone who dies. That'll take time. I need to actually study this shit, and in a place where she won't find me.

[ Miata gestures to the faded magic sigil on the floor. ]

So, here's my proposal. You guys give me a hand, be my eyes and ears, and help me assemble shit to eventually do this bigass resurrection ritual. Depending on how things go, I've got a couple plans for when only seven people remain. In the meantime, I'm gonna play along as her mouthpiece, do as much as I can to help you guys within reason, and attempt to learn 13 years of magic study in a few months.

It's a huge, huge risk, but with enough hard work I think it'll pay off. We can't let her finish this. The problem isn't only her killing off 29 people, but what's going to happen when those 29 people are all dead.

I'll give you guys a few days to think about it if you need it, but please don't tell anybody or you'll really be throwing me under the bus. What do you say?

[dereban]

[ To Roxy's earlier comment: ]

I don't know, a sleep coupon would be very useful. [ Her voice is dripping with sarcasm before she straightens herself out, deciding that they should actually be serious. ]

I have a few questions, though. It's fine if you're unable to answer, but -- why specifically us five? I know why you picked this guy over here [ she's just going to thumb gesture him ] but I'd like to at least know the specifics, even if it's a stupid answer.

[ Unless Miata actually heard some things about back home that absolutely nobody was supposed to know... ]

But I'm in. I hate supernatural shit already, so I'd like to see it burn to the ground.

[ She's asking one question at a time?? She clearly has more but that. That would be rude. ]

[vicedirector]

Rad. [ She allows herself a very small smile. STEP ONE. ]

As for why I picked you--you, specifically, because you're pretty smart. You're clever.

[dereban]

Well, I don't doubt that. [ A shrug of her shoulders; she honestly doesn't think that she would have gotten through things without... hm. ]

And as for my second question: what exactly does this sorcerer know about us? I know my profile's true, but mine is basically common knowledge that can be found easily through some basic research.

[vicedirector]

It gets a bit arbitrary, but think of it like your life as a tape. She can rewind and fast-forward all she wants, so while the profile only lists a few things, she can go and pick up your complete biography whenever.

And she will use that to her advantage. Peeking in at people's lives to see their weak points, their shameful secrets, their loved ones--and then threatening them very clearly when she provides motives for killing.

[dereban]

So she would know about that. Figures. [ Better to know now than to know about it later so she can come up with countermeasures. ]

While it seems that we can't stop the murders entirely, I can at least support some people when the motives start showing up. I've already figured out the weakness of at least two people and I want everyone to leave this place without being completely traumatized the whole way through.

[ Or you know. Worse than dead. Because there are plenty of things that can be worse than death. ]

By the way, are we allowed to take that out of this room? [ She. She's gesturing to the bulletproof vests. She kind of wants one. ]

[herbgrace]

[Black magic is way out of Lithuania's wheelhouse. Ghosts are, too. Actually, almost all of the explanation, while absorbed and memorized as best as Lithuania can, is far beyond what she expects to deal with on a daily basis.

Still, her reply is immediate. Hers or Latvia's, it doesn't matter. Miata is from her region.] I'll do whatever I can. What do you need assembled?

[vicedirector]

Ačiū.

Everyone came here with something from home, or in your case, someone. These "items" are a thread connecting you to your home dimension, and by proxy, this dimension. When someone dies, I need to make sure they don't get tampered with or destroyed. I can't go sneaking around crime scenes willy nilly, so sometimes I'll have to ask you to swipe them for me.

For the objects, I'm gonna keep them down here. The animals, like Astrid's dragon, can stay up there, but you'll need to keep an eye on them to make sure they're alright.

If I have everyone's "items" by the time the game ends, I can use them in the resurrection ritual to help draw the souls back into pre-prepared vessels.

[herbgrace]

[Lithuania's hand moves to Laima's head idly. Some of the items will be easier than others to take, especially in the case of people who arrived here with people they know, or with things like animals that aren't as obviously difficult to harm as Astrid's dragon.

(But not Siarka. The little dragon would immediately go to her if Poland--

No.)]

What of the others? If they take an item, should we consider that protected enough, or should we try to take it from them?

[vicedirector]

It would depend on the person who grabs it...like, I don't think I want Vegeta handling anyone's precious lifelines. But in some cases it should be fine. I'll let you know if it's okay to leave them with the person.

[princessantly]

... I would like to know what happens if she does finish this, if you're capable of telling us.

[ This kind of thing reeks of malevolence, and she definitely doesn't like the fact that they can't prevent these murders from happening. In the bigger scheme of things, though-- stopping this plan in its tracks seems to be the only thing they can do, and if this is the only actual way to prevent these apparently inevitable deaths from becoming truly permanent--

It's a lot to take in. She also wonders why them, specifically. But... ]

But I will lend you my aid. A knight's purpose is to protect, after all.

[vicedirector]

I can't say the specifics, but it's gonna be bad. Those seven people might end up dying anyway, when the game ends. She only needs them to be alive for a certain amount of time, and then she can discard them all she wants.

[ ... ]

Thanks. You've...got a good heart, that's my reason for you, specifically.

[princessantly]

[ ... Alisha pauses, then lowers her head. Well, her teacher had said it herself, that she was soft, even though she'd meant it as a flaw. ]

And there is no way to protect the others at all?

[vicedirector]

Well, there's the Key Players thing. If you're a good detective, or amuse her, or show a lot of tenacity, there's a chance she'll give you immunity for that week.

...technically I'm going to be the one giving it since she can't show herself in person, so if there's someone you really want to see protected that week, I can try to put in a good word. No guarantees, though.

[muties]

Damn.

[ That's some legit shit right there. Ghosts?? Black magic??? "Black Curtain" is such a douchebag name, too, someone needs to teach this woman how wizards are supposed to be named. Like ooooh Black Curtain, hangin' in my shower ohhhhh nooooo. ]

I'm in, boss lady. [ Light shrug. ] Ain't like there's anything better to do, and who doesn't enjoy fuckin' up the plans of some asshole wizard.

[vicedirector]

[ Well she's actually using a Japanese idiom for "mastermind", kuromaku. But that's pretty funny regardless. ]

Welcome aboard.

You have experience with villainous wizards?

[muties]

Nooooot technically... My mom [ who isn't her mom ] wrote a book series about wizards, tho? That counts, kinda. [ no it doesn't ] I do have experience with over-powered dbags in general, but who doesn't.

So, who're the ghosts hauntin' the frick-frack out of this place, anyway? Out of curiosity.

[vicedirector]

Close enough.

[ NOT REALLY ]

I don't know their names. A girl who dresses like a witch, and a boy with wings.

[jackhole]

[ rhys just sort of sits there and listens to everyone else talk before kind of muttering to himself. ]

Ghosts. Magic. Wizards. [ . . . ] Aghhhhh.

[ he presses his palms to his eyes before dropping his head back on the couch, rubbing the heels of his hands against his face as he tries to process this all. sure, he was in the middle of his own adventure back home and nearly getting killed every day but this was different than pandora. on pandora, things still made a weird amount of sense. they worked within the laws of reality.

this, this is a whole different thing. he's out of his depth here and there's a large part of him that just wants to find somewhere quiet and wait it all out till the storm blows over. it'd be easier, he thinks, if he wasn't so alone. if fiona or vaughn were here -- hell, even sasha. hell, even jack. just someone to tell him he could do this, that they won't leave him and that they'll help him.

god, he's so fucking alone.

he drops his arms then and folds them over his chest again, sort of slumping down into the couch a bit more. ]

Well, of course I'm joining. What do you think I am? An asshole? God. [ a resigned sigh here. ] I'll do whatever you need me to do.

[vicedirector]

Good. I'll update you from Weenie to Dork. Except in public, gotta keep up appearances, you know.

[ Said with a very lowkey smile. She half expected him to book it out of here. ]

[jackhole]

[ just have the shittiest look, miata!! thanks a lot!! ]

Thanks.

[ but right he does have one question. he gestures to the rest of the basement. ]

Question. What are we using this for? I know you're practicing down here but for us, your "eyes and ears" -- can we come down here too? Get away from those freaks upstairs?

[vicedirector]

[ snickering ]

If it's after midnight, yep. Your keys, and only yours, will work on the lock down here.

Realtalk, it's a storage room. But it's as good a secret base as any. My boss doesn't bother to look here with her scrying, because she and I are supposed to be the only ones who can get down here.