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Her eyes scanned the paper briefly. Then, she crumpled it up in her fist and tossed it over her shoulder. Her head lifted again and then tilted to the side. She had not known for sure whether or not they had murdered him out of cold blood, but had not necessarily assumed so to begin with. Had they killed him for giggles, surely they would have used a weapon. The plug was pulled. She had thought to herself that maybe he had convinced them to pull it for him, so she was not surprised. He would have had to be unaware of pulling it to go through with such a thing. Of course someone else had done it. Was the note supposed to prove something to her?​

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She stared silently for another full minute. Slowly, she took a step forward.​

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❝...Is this all?❞ ​

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Duncan stalled while part of the group reentered and left back into the place they wanted to leave. Who was on the other end? Who was Theodore? And how can you make teamwork with a bunch of strangers? It made no sense to him. He glanced about the wooded area around the building and himself, considering his options as he gazed around before concluding that they were his best, if not only ride out of here. He took a deep breath , pushed the door open and stepped inside, filling taking a spot on the edge of the group and leaving Septimus alone.

Nice speech, brunette girl. Duncan stared at the hooded men with a bit of dread. And the bag head with even more, why did he suddenly have to pee? Oh right, he was scared.

 

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【WEARING • LATEST TUMBLR UPDATE • OOC • ♪】​

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What was happening? She felt disoriented, and then gazed up at Harley. That suspended feeling...Had he carried her this whole time? And who dressed her wounds? Her heart filled up with something and she felt like crying. She still needed a hospital, but they hadn't left her for dead...That was...Surprising. She turned around and gazed before her. Oh. They found her! Bag Lady and company. Some of them were armed, but she wasn't, so she stepped back behind the 'front lines'. She needed to be caught up, but now wasn't the time. Instead she just stared forward, wondering what would happen. ​

 

Marina stepped forward. she had had enough of this girl. "Devyn, was it? My name is Marina, and I do not take kindly to the fact that you have had my friends slaughtered. You are one of us. You should be working with us and instead you are bombing cities demanding for us to be brought to you. You are murdering us. You want to prove yourself to Crestatia, but all you have done is kill." She paused, taking another step forward. The distance between Devyn and herself was closing slowly. "Crestatia is looking for more than just a murderer. Death grabs attention, but even that can get boring and repetitive after awhile. You are not the only one she is watching." Theodore's smiling face burned in front of her mind. "Even after you tortured my friends, she allowed one to come back after his death to save me."

Her blue eyes darkened as she narrowed her gaze at the bag on the girl's head. "You have two options. You can leave us alone starting now or you can die to pay for all the others' lives you have ended. Take your pick." She was standing only a few short feet away from her. The girl was small. Marina easily towered over her. She glared down at her intimidatingly with the gun in hand.

 

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Devyn laughed. It was genuine laugh, from her gut. The kind that would have brought tears to her eyes if she continued--so she didn't. Mid laugh, she ceased and sighed out with a heavy breath.

❝Two choices? My, my, what should I choose...❞

Marina had stepped forward and Devyn leaned to the side to see the others behind her. They were threatening her with typical weapons. Guns, blades. How naive. She was one of them. That is why it was so surprising that they were coming at her like she was some ordinary terrorist. Perhaps Crestatia was looking for someone more than a murderer--but that was not all she was. No, she was a player.

❝You tell me, then...is there really someone apart of this game who deserves to win it more than I do? ...You found my diamond room, did you not? My book, too? Who else has accomplished so much?...How many of you hate Crestatia, be honest?❞

Her fingers gripped at the hem of her skirt anxiously and an eagerness played at her soul. She couldn't wait until a gun was fired, or a blade was swiped. Her heartbeat accelerated and she willed herself to calm down. Not yet.

 

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{ TUMBLR • ACQUAINTANCES • MOST RECENT • WEARING }​

{ OOC : . . . } • { LOCATION : UNKNOWN }​

{ YOU • ME • NAMES • LINKS • DISDAIN } • { MOOD : ANNOYED }​

Kallisti watched as Devyn crumpled up the note and threw it over her shoulder, and Kallisti sighed, signaling for the others to wait.

Before she could do anything else, Marina began to speak and Kallisti sighed. Well, at least she was buying her some time to formulate something. She was hoping that Devyn would be distracted long enough for them to catch her off guard. If she was just a player, a pawn like them, she could be killed, couldn't she?

"You tell me, then . . . Is there really someone apart of this game who deserves to win it more than I do? . . . You found my diamond room, did you not? My book, too? Who else has accomplished so much?. . . How many of you hate Crestatia, be honest?"

"None of us asked for this, Devyn." Kallisti said, relaxing her hold on the gun, bring her hand to her side, "None of us wanted to be players of this game, but none of us want to die either, we just want to continue living as we believed we always have."

"Please, just let me shoot the bitch already," Harley hissed impatiently, and Kallisti shook her head. Devyn had made valid points, but Kallisti didn't want to lose to such a foul person.

"In order for the rest of us to continue as normal, we must kill you." she told the girl, "And I am leaning towards killing you, so that you may be out of our lives and this game and take advantage of all your resources. It doesn't matter who has collected the most data, who has the best chance of winning at the moment. Those things can all be stolen, taken from you. Those things can all be changed, so easily. So tell me, what will you do when we try to kill you?"

 

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Marina grit her teeth at the laughter. The girl was mocking her. She did not take kindly to that sort of thing. She took a steady breath, remaining calm. ❝You tell me, then...is there really someone apart of this game who deserves to win it more than I do? ...You found my diamond room, did you not? My book, too? Who else has accomplished so much?...How many of you hate Crestatia, be honest?❞

"None of us deserve to win it," she spoke truthfully. She still remembered Crestatia telling them that there was no one particularly satisfactory pawn. That had to apply to this girl as well. She pursed her lips and brushed the hair out of her face. "I do not believe any of us have accomplished that much, no, but we have done other things. Plus, Crestatia is satisfied with no one. That includes you as well. So what is your plan? She is watching us, which means you must have something thought out to further impress her." This was pointless. They were going to get nowhere. It would only end in a bloodbath. Marina was pretty sure this girl seemed excited about the prospects of a fight. That made her nervous. What was she hiding behind that bag on her head?

How was teamwork supposed to help them? How as anything at all supposed to help them. I have been trying to make myself seem worthy. I have been trying to prove I am worth keeping around. I hope sending Theodore to me was a way of showing your appreciation. I do not want it to be a wasted gift, but I do not know what is necessary to stop this monstrous child.

"None of us asked for this, Devyn." Kallisti said, relaxing her hold on the gun, bring her hand to her side, "None of us wanted to be players of this game, but none of us want to die either, we just want to continue living as we believed we always have." Marina nodded at her. It was true.

"Please, just let me shoot the bitch already," Harley hissed impatiently. He was such a guy. They were always to quick for the draw.

"Hush yourself Harley," she snapped back at him.

"In order for the rest of us to continue as normal, we must kill you." Kallisti continued, "And I am leaning towards killing you, so that you may be out of our lives and this game and take advantage of all your resources. It doesn't matter who has collected the most data, who has the best chance of winning at the moment. Those things can all be stolen, taken from you. Those things can all be changed, so easily. So tell me, what will you do when we try to kill you?"

[OOC: --- ≈ Wearing ≈ Client: Devyn ≈ Location: Unfamiliar Building//Hall ≈ Day: 53 6/3 ≈ Monday January 21st, 2013]​

 

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Kallisti spoke and Devyn dropped her shoulders, listening politely and taking a moment to absorb the information before speaking.

❝Oh, but it does matter. This entire game is a test. Those who survive until the very end are given the greatest gift one could ever ask for. They are granted validity, existence--a soul, and power...They are also given an enormous amount of responsibility. The kind of responsibility that pushed Crestatia into creating a game such as this one. If you kill me, because I am killing those who do not have what it takes to survive, then what are you accomplishing? You have made me your enemy because I am doing things correctly. I am more deserving than you. I have worked with Crestatia, instead of hating her. I have utilized my resources and made the necessary deals and plans. I have documented my findings and lived every day since meeting Ches learning this game inside and out. I am also intelligent enough to realize that some of you,❞ She took a moment to scan her eyes over the group. ❝...Simply do not deserve to live. If you cannot understand my intentions, and if you hate Crestatia for what she has done, then I believe I can comprehend why...but you should not be on the game board. You should stop with your false existence. Things will never go back to how they were, and if you do not understand the game, you should not be playing it. You will not become the player Crestatia needs if all you can do is hate, misunderstand and victimize yourselves.❞

Her head shook and the bag rustled. Perhaps they misunderstood her...or underestimated her. No matter, this would have to end soon. She was tired, and had yet to really allow Chester's...death, to sink in. Marina spoke and she sighed again.

❝I do believe that each one of us has development to undergo before we are truly, completely ready, myself included. I know what I lack and I know how to make up for it. Crestatia has told me herself. So, then...If you disagree with what I have said and believe you can take all of that from me, or that you are more deserving, then prove it, I suppose...Try and kill me if you wish. I will not stop you. ❞

 

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{ TUMBLR • ACQUAINTANCES • MOST RECENT • WEARING }​

{ OOC : I TRIED } • { LOCATION : UNKNOWN }​

{ YOU • ME • NAMES • LINKS • DISDAIN } • { MOOD : ANNOYED }​

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A sigh left Kallisti's lips as Devyn began to counter her. This was tedious. She was tempted to shoot the girl and have it over with, but she listened to what was said.

Of course she knew the game was a test. The girl didn't seem to understand that she could be erased, too and that erasing her would be part of someone else's tactic to win. They all wanted to win . . . She thought. To be honest, Kallisti wasn't keen on it herself, but she wanted to go as far as she could.

"Well I'm just so ****ing glad that you're buddy-buddy with Crestatia," Harley said, rolling his eyes, "But we're players just like you. You're competition to us. We kill you, there's one less to deal with."

Kallisti shook her head and told him to be quiet. He was too angry. About what, she didn't know, but it was getting to him, and she couldn't have him going on a rampage here.

"Try and kill me if you wish. I will not stop you."

Kallisti twitched, "Don't shoot." she told the others, though it might have been obvious. Devyn wanted them to try and kill her. She had special abilities, didn't she? How else did she have the diamond room? She had said she was working with Crestatia, that she was, at the base, in a way, partnered up with the demoness. Her skill was above theirs, and none of them played the game in the way she had.

"You are correct. Perhaps some of us have been run by our emotions. Perhaps some of us are not fit to continue this game - but we have all come this far, haven't we?" She took a breath, "We cannot simply off ourselves without being punished, not unlike your Chester. He said that you were trying to win the favor of Crestatia. That implies you have not yet. You are still just a pawn to her, and can be wasted just as the rest of us can. It would be easy to make a deal with her, to kill you, you know. She is not above that, I am sure, but she may, yes, ask for a rather steep price, since you are such a . . . valuable pawn, and in that way, we would not have to suffer the consequences of what you might counter-attack."

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❝You still do not understand, though I do not entirely expect you to.❞

Harley spoke and she exhaled again, calming herself. It was ... sad, to say the least. Sad and interesting both at once, that anger came so quickly and so compulsively, to these people. Despite what she was capable of, she remained civil here and listened to them. They had not listened to her, and came in as a group. If she were to kill them all right now, they would have brought it upon themselves. Her fingers twitched against her thigh. Kallisti spoke again, so she moved past Marina and listened as she spoke.

❝Chester said that I was trying to win Crestatia's favor. Chester said that I was trying to win Crestatia's favor.❞ Genuinely, she hoped they understood what she was trying to get across. Just because Ches has said it did not make it true. It was his own speculation. Devyn had made sure to seldom discuss her own personal intentions with him. ❝Crestatia acts for the advancement of the game. I know that it was Madeline Moore who attempted to make a deal to get you all out of meeting with me. However, the deal resulted in you being sent to me.❞Devyn watched the strawberry blonde stiffen. Her face drained of color.

❝Why would that happen...? Because it needed to. Therefore, I am plenty sure it would be very simple for you summon the demoness and ask to take me out. Would she, though? Would she, really? Crestatia needs a suitable player, after all. If the game would result in a stalemate without me, why on earth would she get rid of her best candidate? She is smarter than that. No, you are going to have to take me out here and now on your own, if you would like me dead.❞

They had come in as a group, to show their companionship and teamwork, but only two of them had truly stepped out against her. They were weak, idealistic, childish and terribly afraid. A part of her was hurt by this. She had truly wanted them to comprehend. If at least one of them had understood, there would have been hope. In their eyes, she was a terrible monster who had murdered their friends. She was the villain in their epic story. Once she was dead, their lives would be so much better, and their precious companions avenged. Yes, she was the bad guy. That is why she worked alone, and why none of them would live to see day one-hundred. That is why none of them would win. They only saw a tiny corner of a beautiful, gigantic painting. They only saw what they wanted to see. If you were not inherently good or doing things beneficial to themselves, then you were bad. Brilliant mentality for a potential leader, really.

❝...I will give you one last chance. Now you have two options. Please leave Kallisti behind... Or you could attempt to kill me, if you wish. I do not think you will be killing me, though. You are too afraid...Honestly, you would not really like me dead, I do not think. I am tired, so I am going to go rest. You can run, if you would like to, but I will kill all of you if Kallisti is not here--alone--when I wake from slumber. I will also make it impossible for you to bring your...friends back from the realm of nonexistence. Choose wisely.❞

She did not bother looking behind her as she turned and rounded the corner. How disappointing. No fight and no sense made. They were a terrible bunch. Her heart ached suddenly and she paused, placing her hand on the wall. Tears began to fall from her eyes without warning. Alone. Ches was gone, and she would be sleeping alone tonight. She would have no one but maybe Crestatia to tell her day to. The Demoness would already know what had happened though. Devyn wondered what she thought...

Once back outside of the building and to her room, she took care of a few things. She relocated The Pendulum Room and took her book back. She needed to update it, anyway. Before she would sleep, she would do that. Maybe she would cry more, too.

 

Duncan ravaged his brain to connect the dots and got a small puzzle put together, there were still more slots to fill but he had enough to at least coast by. Crestatia, the lord and ruler of their lives and this 'gameboard' is testing them and expects the winner to be the cream of the crop. Right now, the sharpshooter before them was making them look like baby chicks with their heads cut off, was racking up points with the...'demoness'? Well Crestatia had to be something special to rig all this together, even more powerful then the bag lady who made bombs drop from thin air.

He understood bag girl, and felt that he could empathize a little bit with her, she particularly seemed shaken up by the death of this 'Chester' guy. To the point where she wouldn't let them leave alive without Kallisti, whoever that was, left behind. He didn't approve of her method of removing the competition though, no one had a right to play the Grim Reaper, not even them, or her. He didn't like working with people, but he did agree with the girl who said the Players should be working together. Maybe not to overthrow Crestatia, after all, wouldn't taking out the gameboard's creator result in some kind of major erasing? Where would they go if there wasn't a person controlling the game? Normal life? He didn't think so. So overthrowing the diety that created their entire lives, it seems, didn't seem so wise. But she couldn't just open their eyes and expect them to be happy about being pitted against their fellow humans. God he didn't know the name of even half the people here. Still, he couldn't kill anyone or set up a trap for them to thin out the herd. If this thing about deals was true, then a deal maker had to have logic and sense, and if Crestatia was a deal maker, she had both, meaning she could be reasoned with, or maybe they could have been working together to make the perfect winner, so no one was killed by weird torture chambers and through the winner, they would live on.

Duncan rubbed his chin in contemplation so deep he shut out the world. He was feeling a bit conflicted, sitting on one side and then the other, seeing both their points of views and not knowing what to do about it. In the end, he knew he didn't want to die when a mental chick woke up from their nap, and staring at the elephant in the room and shooting it in the face he said clearly, "We 'gonna give up Kallisti, or what?"

 

[OOC: --- ↯ Wearing ↯ Location: Unknown ↯ Mood: Pissed ↯ Day: 53 7/3]​

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❝You can run, if you would like to, but I will kill all of you if Kallisti is not here--alone--when I awaken from slumber. I will also make it impossible for you to bring your...friends back from the realm of nonexistence. Choose wisely.❞

What did she mean by that? Devyn had some way to make it so that they couldn't request for people to come back? Temperance mulled it over in annoyance. There was no way she could have that power. She wasn't a player. She couldn't determine who could and could not be brought back to life. She was just a pawn like the rest of them. Her fingers had stopped bleeding, and with it, the pain had disappeared. That left her feeling numb again. Would that ever go away? Did she want it to go away? If you're numb, you can't feel pain, but you also can't feel pleasure--not that there was really any pleasure in this game.

"We 'gonna give up Kallisti, or what?" Temperance shot daggers at the kid that had hid in the closet at the hospital.

"No!" she snapped at him. Her head lifted up and she stepped closer to him, menacingly. "We. Are. Not. Handing. Anyone. Over." she seethed. Her green eyes darkened as she narrowed her pointed gaze at him. "Do you understand?" Temperance spoke slowly to ensure that the incompetent dumbass would understand what she was saying. Then, without saying anything else, she marched over to the balled up piece of paper and smoothed it out. "We need to figure out somewhere to go until we decide what to do. I personally do not want to stay in here and it's getting cold outside with nightfall. As far as I can tell, there's only one other place nearby." Her eyes shifted to Quin and she nodded at her. "No matter where we go, Quin is coming with us."

"Anyway, don't worry, I don't want to waste your time! Listen, I'll keep bombing 'till some pesky kids are mine."

"What?" Temperance spun on her heel to face Marina. Her eyes were closed and her head was tossed back. What was she doing?

❝It isn't safe here, but the only way you're going to be able to go home is to confront the woman. Crestatia is watching. She'll kill you, if you don't prove yourself here and if you guys don't work together...❞

"What is she doing?" Her eyes were wide with frustration and mild curiosity. Temperance automatically looked over at Harley, since he seemed to be ever so close with her.

❝...You found my diamond room, did you not? My book, too? Who else has accomplished so much?...How many of you hate Crestatia, be honest?❞

It started to sound like she was quoting people, especially after that last one. Temperance's curious eyes stayed transfixed on her as she proceeded to play with the machete once more.

❝You will not become the player Crestatia needs if all you can do is hate, misunderstand and victimize yourselves.❞

❝I do believe that each one of us has development to undergo before we are truly, completely ready, myself included. I know what I lack and I know how to make up for it. Crestatia has told me herself.❞

❝Chester said that I was trying to win Crestatia's favor. Chester said that I was trying to win Crestatia's favor.❞

Temperance blinked her eyes twice. "Is she not trying to win Crestatia's favor? 'Cause everything else she said proves what Chester told us."

"...it would be very simple for you summon the demoness and ask to take me out. Would she, though? Would she, really? Crestatia needs a suitable player, after all."

"...you would not really like me dead, I do not think."

Temperance rolled her eyes. Devyn was a smug bitch. Marina seemed to come back to reality after that. "Well?" she stared at her pointedly.

"Well what?" Her expression was blank, as if she didn't even remember what she was doing. Just great. . .

 

My Glorious Empty TumblrxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxMusicxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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Greensleeves was my delight,
Greensleeves my heart of gold
Greensleeves was my heart of joy
And who but my lady Greensleeves.
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Jessie took a deep breath before she stepped inside the hospital. She shook slightly at the fact she was completely alone, but continued on because it was better than standing around and staring... especially after the room...
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Jessie looked around, the atmosphere bugged her... slightly. She looked in closets around the hospital. A lot were emptied or filled with useless things. Jessie continued to walk around the hospital wing and whispered to herself.
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"I really wish I had some help... but it appears that won't be the case..."
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{ TUMBLR • ACQUAINTANCES • MOST RECENT • WEARING }​

{ OOC : . . . } • { LOCATION : UNKNOWN }​

{ YOU • ME • NAMES • LINKS • DISDAIN } • { MOOD : TIRED }​

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Devyn did not apply them with many options. Really, she only gave them one visible one; leave herself behind for the others to go. What would happen to her then? What of the others? Even if they were to comply, there was no real reassurance that they would be left alone. Devyn was a player, the others were players - and Devyn wanted to win.

The girl did not outright say that she wanted to kill her. She only said she wanted Chester's killer. Of course, there was no guarantee that Kallisti would not be tortured, but Devyn seemed, in a way . . . apathetic to Chester dying. She was a reasonable person, more so than the rest of them.

She looked at Harley, and then at Madeline. It was nice to see Madeline was okay. This might be the last time she saw her. It was an odd thought. She didn't . . . ask to grow romantic feeling for her, to care for her. They just sort of happened. For a short moment, she wondered what the alternate timeline looked like for them, for her. With Madeline dead and all . . .

"You're not go - "

"Shut up, Harley." she told him, "All of you, out. Leave. I will try and see to it that you are delivered safely, back to Brookridge. I cannot promise much more than that. I do not know what will happen, but I cannot risk all of you dying, as there needs to be someone left to beat out Devyn."

"But Kal - "

"Shut up, Harley." she snapped, "Unfortunately, it does not seem like our lives our in our own hands. Devyn has held a wise point about us letting our feelings get in the way. Who knows, perhaps hating Crestatia is a terrible idea. This is a girl who knows many of the kinks and workings of this game. Perhaps I could try and figure them out, and somehow, miraculously make it out of this hellhole alive with some new view on the world and this game."

Kallisti took a breath, "Now, it is time for you to all go." She gave them a wave, and then turned to Madeline, grabbing her hand, "I hate goodbyes of any kind, especially the dramatic and fluffy ones where they hug and kiss and cry. It sickens me. But . . . Seeing as I might not live to see you again . . ."

She gave a little laugh, starting to feel some tears welling up in her eyes. Pathetic. With a deep breath, she leaned in to kiss Madeline on the cheek, pulled back and then leaned he forehead against the other girl's, "Hey . . . One of us had to die eventually." she said, and then pressed her lips to the girl's nose. She wanted to kiss Madeline. As in, really kiss her. But now wasn't the time for that.

"Harley, I would like you to keep an eye on her?" she told him as he gave her a look that was mixed with several emotions. Aha. She hated Harley Jay Jackson, "Shoo. Everyone out. I am going, now . . . " This noble hero thing was . . . bullshit. But they had no other options, as frustrating as that was. Temperance would probably scoff at her, think of her as a dumb idiot. Harley would, too, but less spitefully. Aha. She hated people.

Kallisti let go of Madeline's hand and began to walk.

 

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A nap did not come as easily as she would have hoped. Though her plush, queen bed was amply warm, and not a sound could be heard coming from outside of her slate grey painted walls, she spent her time twisting under her sheets and mulling over the day's events. There was so much to think about! So much to be disappointed and sad about... Here, alone, she could cry. And so she curled up under the blankets and waited for the tornado of emotions swirling and gathering somewhere, locked away, to hit her. They never did, though. It bothered her. When would she be able to really wind down and let the feelings come? Never again, probably. She wondered if Crestatia ever cried.​

Truthfully, she was considering going to her pendulum room and searching for Chester's diamond, if it had appeared this time. She knew better, though. It would only hurt him...He truly was unhappy. Why would he not be? He was sick. She prayed that his new life was one where he was healthy and free. She prayed he did not remember her, however unlikely, and that he would move on and perhaps find the strength to fight again. Her body trembled under her blankets and her hair dark, tangled hair fell over her face as she curled up tighter.

After about twenty minutes of being half-conscious, Devyn pulled herself up. Her shoulders were stiff and rolling them shot pain down her back. Wincing, she stretched out her legs and groaned, falling back on to the bed and staring at her ceiling with alert eyes. She was tired and ready for this to be over with. Hopefully they would leave behind Kallisti so she could let them go. No one else had to die, here, or now.

Using her palms to pull herself up, she crossed the room over to her wardrobe and swung the doors open. It took a few moments to change back into her uniform, but once she was finished, she tucked her pajamas away and gazed at herself in the mirror, chewing on her lip anxiously and trailing two fingers over her cheeks. She was becoming unfamiliar to herself. Opening the top drawer, she pulled out her black mask and fastened it over her lips. Afterwards, she pulled the brown bag over her head and took a deep, steadying breath.

She left the room, and then the building. A car was already waiting for her, this time with no one inside. She wanted to drive herself. She needed to think. Deciding again to take the back way inside of the old building, Devyn parked and made her way through the rusty door, up the stairs, across the hall and back down again. She readied her emergency bell in her skirt pocket, just in case she would need some back up, and carefully rounded the corner into the main hall.

A breath of relief left her. They had done it. No one remained in the hallway except for little Kallisti Lein. Her fingers pulled away from her skirt and she reached under her mask, switching it on to disguise her voice again.

❝...I am happy to see you here, alone. I trust you will cooperate and I will not have to immobilize you.❞

Deciding not to wait for an answer, Devyn stepped back and turned away from the dark haired girl.

❝Come on.❞

The heels of her boots echoed down the halls as she walked, leading Kallisti up the crooked staircase and down the dark halls of the upper floor. As they walked towards the car, she spoke again.

❝Did you all figure out how the pendulums--get in the passengers seat, please--worked?❞ ​

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{ YOU • ME • NAMES • LINKS • DISDAIN } • { MOOD : CONFUSED }​

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As the others left, Kallisti walked forward, playing idly with the red ribbon on her wrist. She didn't know what to expect. To die? Perhaps. It . . . happened, she supposed. And if she could stop existing once, she could do it again.

" . . . I am happy to see you here, alone. I trust you will cooperate and I will not have to immobilize you."

Kallisti stopped and looked up to see Devyn. Well, it was now or - cooperate? Oh, this was . . . unexpected. The other girl turned and Kallisti began to follow.

"Did you all figure out how the pendulums--get in the passengers seat, please--worked?"

Taking a breath, and carefully following the other into the car, she began to speak, "No, we did not, but I do suspect that they did something . . . We pulled a few of them, but nothing ever happened to us, personally." This was her time to ask questions, if she could, "Might you mind . . . er, explaining them to me?" She wondered where they were off to.

 

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【WEARING • LATEST TUMBLR UPDATE • OOC • ♪】​

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This girl...was a bit of a bitch. Madeline couldn't help but feel that way, even if she wasn't saying anything that far off. Honestly, she couldn't tell if the bag woman--or, girl--was conceited, or if she was just being honest and Crestatia really did have a soft spot for her. Madeline never expected to win this game. She had been up and down too often. Sometimes she wanted to die, and other times she wanted to win...Most times, though, she just wanted to punch somebody in the face. ...That couldn't have been right, for a potential Player. But this chick winning? By killing them all...? That didn't seem right, either. It pissed her off. ​

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Since waking up, though, she had been feeling less angry. Someone took care of her. Harley carried her around, on his shoulder, and he didn't look very well himself. On top of that, she knew he wasn't fond of her. Maybe Quin had convinced him? Either way, they could have very well just...dumped her somewhere. Less competition, less bitchiness...They didn't, though. She was alive. She would live. Would she have really done the same for someone like her? Probably not. Though...She glanced at Temperance, noticing a vacant look her face. Eek.​

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When the bag girl asked for Quin, Madeline stiffened. Her eyes roamed the group. They wouldn't really let her go, would they? She made a mental note to protest, once the girl was gone. Luckily, Temperance did so for her. Madeline nodded in support. Quin wouldn't go. They had to stick togther--okay, so she didn't really give a fuck about teamwork, but Quin couldn't leave. Her eyes met with Harley's. He would feel the same, no doubt.​

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But then Quin spoke and fear swelled up inside of her again. Her heart started pounding her chest.​

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"No, you can't."​

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Her breaths came out short and forced, and then after a few more words from Quin, she started to hyperventilate. Her thoughts were jumbled and messy, and she was still disoriented. The world around her was spinning, and slowing, and Quin's words drilled themselves into Madeline's skull. She knew she was reacting too slowly, but her body wasn't keeping up with her mind. ​

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Then Quin took her hand and electricity shot up her spine, jump-starting the flight of slightly nauseating butterflies in her stomach.​

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"Hey . . . One of us had to die eventually."​

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"No, you c-can't, I can't, Quin, please." Her fingers trembled between Quin's and her bright green gaze dug into the blue of the girl before her. They were close now. Madeline wanted to wrap her arms around Quin and not let her go. The desire only deepened as Quin's lips pressed against her nose. Madeline's breath caught in her throat. This wasn't happening. She needed to stay behind too, but she felt someone pulling her back. Panic flared and Madeline turned around to see Harley. She shook her head desperately and turned back. What if she never saw her again? What if she really...died? "No, I have to...Quin...!" ​

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Her words were breathless and urgent. Before she knew it, she was being hoisted up and thrown over Harley's shoulder again. Her bottom lip trembled. They were leaving. She wanted to scream and kick and claw and bite at Harley, but somehow she didn't have the energy. Her body went slack, draped over him like a sack of potatoes. Tears started to fall and she watched them hit the ground as they exited the building. The cold air nipped at her cheeks. A few whimpers left her lips, but they faded out after a few seconds.​

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Harley set her down and she sat where she stood, knees pulled into her chest and body shaking. What a helpless feeling. Instead of relief flooding through her system when some sort of bus drove up to the building, courtesy of the bad girl, pain did. Instead of a cloaked figure, a very average man seemed to be the driver. Even so, she had to be hauled into the bus, unable to will her body to move. A quick glance around alerted her that Thomas was not present, either, and so she moved her way into the very back corner of the bus, curled up into a seat and cried quietly into her arms.​

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Jessie had nothing else to look for in there, and felt like she was wasting her time. She felt the need to just get out of the building and find a way home.

Jessie walked outside and realized she now had the images of the other 3 that were with her burned into her memory. Were they all alive somehow? She had this doubt inside her... she couldn't save them...

She wasn't sure if she would bother helping people out again after all of that. Especially since she saved the black haired boy from dying of a heart attack. Was it worth it in the end? Apparently not.

It's interesting because I know I died but... it didn't feel like I died... it felt like I just... I can't explain the sensation... because I don't think it was a sensation... I think I... stopped existing.
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❝No, we did not, but I do suspect that they did something . . . We pulled a few of them, but nothing ever happened to us, personally. Might you mind . . . er, explaining them to me?❞

Devyn waited for Kallisti to fasten her seat belt before doing the same starting up the car. They backed out of the makeshift parking lot carefully, and began to drive past the building and towards the bridge from earlier. This was the opposite direction that the bus would be going in, of course. Devyn would not be taking Kallisti to the city with the others. When they arrived at the destroyed bridge, the girl with the bag over her face stopped the car.

She pulled the music box out of her pocket and used the key around her neck to unlock it. The lid lifted, revealing the same number of figurines as before. This was good, for the most part. Instead of paying attention to the frazzled tinkering Kallisti would not hear, she dug the key into second keyhole, lifting the second compartment of the shimmering box. Inside were miniature models of various things. Doors, tools, rooms, books, random items. She dug through them as she spoke.

❝They control life. The blue ones represent the lives of us, the pawns. The black ones represent the dead.❞ As she explained, she discovered three pieces of a miniature bridge and her eyes twinkled behind her veil. The model was broken, like an unfinished puzzle; so she snapped the three pieces back into the place and the bridge before them formed anew. Putting away her things, she resumed the drive. ❝The red ones take someone out of existence, while the white ones represent those precious to me...No, perhaps precious is not the word. They represent those important to me, or my fate.❞

They drove a few long moments in silence. Devyn visibly relaxed when the time had passed. It seemed Kallisti was not going to attempt leaping out of the car, or strangling her while she drove. That was nice.

❝Really, though, I suppose the pendulums themselves do not do anything. Crestatia makes all of the changes happen. If I pull on the diamonds, or stop the swinging, she simply takes it as her cue to make something occur. I thought you may find that room interesting...❞ She paused, clicking her tongue behind the mask and keeping her eyes on the long stretch of road before her. ❝...And my book.❞

 

[OOC: --- ↯ Wearing ↯ Location: Bus ↯ Mood: Broken ↯ Day: 53 7/3]​

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Temperance's fingers had begun to bleed again. Quin was annoying and dumb if she thought staying behind would solve anything. She had even stuck up for her. That would definitely be the last time she did so, even if the girl survived whatever Devyn had in store for her. If she wanted to be ridiculous and make dumb decisions and get herself killed not caring about how it would affect the rest of them, then so be it. It wasn't like she gave two cents about her, but Quin wouldn't be the one that had to deal with Harley and Madeline afterwards--the rest of them would. She had her own shit to deal with. She didn't need their pathetic asses weighing her down as well.

Standing outside in the cool January air made her cuts sting. That was good, more pain. Pain was a good thing. The machete hung loosely against her side, connect through her belt loop with a torn piece of fabric. She wasn't going to lose it. There wasn't time to wonder what to do next. A bus pulled up and everyone else began to file in. Temperance was more hesitant than the rest of them. After everything they had gone through, it was okay to just climb into a mysterious bus sent to them from some crazed torture happy psychopath? Hell, she would take Cheshire over Devyn any day. She was able to get through to him. He had been scary at first, but in all honesty, he was just a lost soul looking for a friend.

Madeline had planted herself on the ground. Everyone else was pretty much on the bus. Temperance groaned and pushed at the strawberry blond's back with the toe of her shoe. After another moment the girl stirred and climbed in as well. With a reluctant sigh, Temperance stepped inside of the bus last. It was nice inside and smelled of car freshener. She made her way to an open seat by itself, when she saw Madeline curled up in the back. An ache in her chest pulled her forward when all she wanted to do was curl up and stare out the window. She hated this feeling. She wasn't supposed to be able to feel at all. What happened to everything being numb?

Temperance stopped in the isle next to Madeline. "Move over," she told her and pushed the girl up against the window. She set the bag down in the isle next to her and reached inside for the first aid kit. Her fingers rifled through until she pulled out the gauze and ripped off a piece of blanket from the hospital. "Here," she handed the sheet over to Madeline to use as a tissue if she wanted and then bandaged her fingers. When she was done, she dropped the excess back in the bag and pulled her knees up to her chest. Her green eyes shifted to the girl beside her briefly and then focused on a safety sticker on the ceiling. Comforting people wasn't a strong suit. That oh so familiar ache in her chest throbbed harder and she had to bury her face in her arms. "Quin will probably be fine." she muttered. "She's stupid, but smart." He was stupid and smart. That didn't get him very far. "She can hold her own in a fight. If it does come to that, she'll probably be fine. Probably..." Temperance talked into her arms.

Spoiler

She was sitting on the hallway floor of that ridiculous flying deathtrap. "You doin' okay sister? You don't look too dandy." He looked concerned.

She looked away. Her knees were tucked against her chest. She turned her head back and buried her face in her arms mumbling, "I'm just dandy." It came off rather snippy, but most things she said came off that way.

"Look, it's mighty clear you aren't anything west of dandy. I've been flying this goddamn contraption with a crazy girl spouting nonsense about rain and opera music in my ear for the past hours and top this little old cake off with the fact that you've been here, bloodstained, for who knows how long?" He sounded frustrated.

She wasn't doing okay. Madeline wasn't doing okay either. Temperance thought that if she tried to ignore it, it wouldn't hurt so bad--that she wouldn't be feeling so much pain. It was torture really.

Spoiler

Temperance lifted her head. She was teary eyed and sighed before glancing over at him. He was sitting right in front of her. "I can't tell you. You're the only one that doesn't hate me, for whatever reason. If I tell you, you'll... you'll..." She looked away, unable to finish her sentence.

A dramatic sudden embrace caught her off guard. She jumped from the closeness. "No! No, I won't! We're all going through this together, and we have to work together. After all I've gone dancin' through with you, sister, I don't think I'd have it in my heart to ever hate you again."

I hate you. You promised. She lifted her head to look at Madeline. She looked as broken as Temperance felt. Madeline still had a chance. Quin wasn't dead yet. She didn't burn.

Spoiler

"So tell me. I'll be all ears, you dig?"

Her eyes were wide from the impact. "unphf..." Temperance couldn't help but lean in and bury her face in his chest. "You are so, so..." She was filled with angst and frustration. She couldn't do this. He wouldn't like her if he knew. She sighed and spoke up reluctantly. "Remember how I was sick? I went to the pharmacy and then more recently the hospital?" she paused, letting him fully digest what she was saying, "It's because of that. It's all because of that. I wasn't sick..."

His golden eyes widened. Here it came. "You- you mean-it was ..." He already knew... Of course he already knew.

She lifted her head from his chest and swallowed down a lump in her throat. She couldn't face him. It was too much. Her gaze drifted elsewhere, searching for anything to look at that wasn't him. "I said you wouldn't want anything to do with me..."

Why? Why couldn't he just keep going? "Madeline," her voice cracked. What was she supposed to say? I know how you feel?

Spoiler

"Nonsense! Temperance, I don't give a fucking parabola on a bicycle about nonesuch. It doesn't change the fact that we're both having to go through this little ditty together, you dig?" His hands cupped her cheeks and he gently turned her face back to him. She still couldn't meet his gaze. "And it doesn't change the fact that I care!" He huffed out in frustration before looking away as well. "Are-- well, are you going to ..." He was trying so hard. Her heart thumped loudly in her chest.

Her cheeks flushed and she grabbed his hands to pull her face free. Blood pounded in her ears and her voice was dry and hoarse. "Y-yeah... I... I need to go back to the hospital. I... I don't think it's alive... not anymore." She shook her head as tears began to trickle down her cheeks, collecting at her chin and falling to the floor. Temperance just wanted to banish the memories forever. "Not since I fell down the stairs..."

Tears began to fall down her face and her chest felt like there was a weight pressing down in it. "It hurts..." she muttered, ripping her eyes off of the blond. Her bloody bandaged fingers moved to her face and she covered her eyes with her palms.

Spoiler

He rushed off for a moment, coming back with tissues. Cherno held them out in front of her face. "The stairs?! You... You definitely need some treatment. Let me take you to one of the beds and we'll move this damn thing to the hospital right now." he paused and looked down at her like she was a porcelain doll ready to shatter. "Can you get up?"

She pushed him away and stood up on her own. "I'm fine. i can wait til morning. it's not an emergency." Temperance turned away from him and took a deep breath, while wiping her eyes.

He turned back in a huff. "Fine. Okay, but I'm driving this damn thing to the hospital right now. Get some rest. Make sure you don't wake up and incur the wrath of silver-haired crazy."

Silver-haired Crazy? That must have been the girl that was with him when he found her in front of the door. Her sad green eyes drifted to the floor. "Cherno, thank you for coming... and not going inside..." She shoved her hands in her pockets and rocked to and fro on her heels. "I know you said you care, which I don't get, and that you won't leave, but if you had seen what was in there..."

He was still looking away when his words pierced her heart. "Then it still wouldn't change anything. Tell me when you're comfortable, sister."

I hate you. You left. Tears flowed down her face faster now, but she refused to move her hands from her eyes. "At least Quin is still alive, for now." she mumbled to herself. Madeline was lucky. She still had a chance. Temperance had no chance. Everything she had been suppressing inside that building was spilling out and over.

Spoiler

She pulled her hands out of her pockets and grabbed his. "You're really frustrating, you know that?"

He flashed her one of his devious fox-like smiles. "But it works in good instances, you know. Will you be telling me?" Cherno took his spot back on the ground in front of her.

She glared down at him and returned to sitting in front of him as well. "Telling what?" She couldn't tell him.

"about the incident. But I don't want to pressure you, sister ..."

Temperance inhaled sharply and hung her head. It shifted back and forth as she shook it. "I just.... I tripped, and fell down the stairs... and hit my head..."

He scanned her face. There was a long pause before he finally said something. She was still looking down at the ground. It was too much. He couldn't know. "... I see. " She saw him look away through her peripheral. "...Temp, you should get some rest, especially if we're getting you to the hospital."

Temperance got to her feet and moved a few steps away. Her green eyes watched him for a moment before she turned away to head for sleep. "You never did tell me why, by the way..." she said before leaving.

"Why?"

She took a deep breath, not looking back at him. "I broke up with Josh because of the no romance rule, so why... why did I...?" she paused to swallow down another lump in her throat, "tell you... you know.."

He was silent for a long time. She wasn't even sure he was going to say something. Just when she had decided to move past it and continue on, he spoke and she stopped. "...We should make a few things clear, Temperance. From this point on, we've gotta promise that we won't let our... feelings... personal feelings get in the way of our survival, because I know that you continuing to live is really important to me, you dig?"

He never did answer the question. That's probably what hurt the most. Temperance hugged her knees. She kept her distance between Madeline and herself. This sucked. It all really sucked. Devyn had mentioned how they were all too controlled by their emotions. So? Maybe she was, what did it matter to that girl? As long as they weren't in her way, why did their existence matter to her? She could still get what she wanted without slaughtering them. You should stop with your false existence. Temperance remembered at Lacey's how she had told Madeline she should just off herself. That it would make things easier on the rest of them because it meant one less player and she didn't really want to be there anyway. Temperance didn't want to be here either. She kept waffling back and forth over the matter. What would happen? There was a knot in her stomach. She sucked air and bit down on her lip. Her attempt at stifling another sob proved fruitless. What was there for her to even say to Madeline? I'm sorry? Nothing she could think of sounded good enough. Instead, she just continued to sit beside her and cry as well.

Spoiler

Her heart thumped loudly in her chest. Her legs began to tremble and she had to force herself not to turn around. "R-right. Sure. Good night Plume." She walked away, leaving him sitting there in that spot on the floor while she went to find a bed to sleep on.

I hate you. She sniffled. "It's... It's kind of ironic," she started. Temperance choked back another sob. "We died and now..."