((Aaron Hughes continued from Spelunking))
Aaron was sure the others were around here somewhere. They had to be. He had not gone through all of that, not left Tom to die, not risked his life that close to the insane Nick Reid, to lose his group now. Not when it was all set up, when they were ready to actually make something of themselves, when he had the perfect means to motivate them to escape.
So of course they would be near here. Here, of course, being an area just to the north of the woods where they had been before, within sight of the residential district, the infirmary a bit to their south. The sun was out. The announcements had come and gone a long time ago.
Of course, Jacquard's naming had upset Aaron, but, in the heat of the moment, in his pursuit of Tom, he had missed an even bigger reason to worry. Because Jacquard was not the only student Aaron had a gripe with who had turned to murder. The same day he'd had his spat with the crippled girl, he'd nearly made a friend in Ivan Kuznetsov, tennis and chess player. Ivan Kuznetsov, best killer on the island, and likely not too far from their current position, if he was retrieving his weapon. Unfortunately, things hadn't gone so well, and Jacquard had screwed up Aaron's chances of getting along with Ivan, who had turned out to be a pretty big jerk anyways.
The realization of Ivan's identity had hit shortly after Aaron had left the tunnels. It had hounded him since. What was the last thing Ivan had said to him? It had stuck. Stung. That's right: "You are a massive tool." Such a great impression to make on someone who was now in possession of some sort of horrific implement of death. Ivan was another he'd have to consider shooting on sight.
But, that could wait. He had to focus. Focus on finding the others. Focus on escaping. Leave Ivan and Jacquard behind to shoot each other once he could effect his getaway.
His group had to be around here somewhere. They'd hook up, find Bounce, get her on their side, make a plan, and crack this thing open. Then they'd kill Danya. Take their time with it. No one would blame them. No one would dare prosecute them. Not after the terrorist's crimes.
Aaron was starting to feel a little bit frantic. Where were they? He needed to find them. Needed to tell them what had happened. This was near where Tom had turned, wasn't it? He'd led them by here, right? It looked like where Aaron had told them to wait. Maybe they were hidden. Probably, actually, if they'd gotten any rest. They weren't dumb. Had they been, he wouldn't have teamed up with them in the first place.
"G-guys?"
He glanced around. Kept his voice a little shaky. On purpose, of course. Because he was shaken up. Tom had just died defending him, after all. It made sense for him to be on edge. He wasn't really nervous. Not at all.
They had to be near here.
Where Do You Go From Here?
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Grand Moff Hissa
- Posts: 2755
- Joined: Thu Aug 09, 2018 1:37 am
((Aileen Borden continued from My Kingdom For A Plan!))
Aileen paced the inside of one of the houses, occasionally rubbing her neck.
The last time she felt like this, it was when her dad died. Aileen had never been much of a crying type; she had heard stories from her mother that she was actually a pretty quiet baby in comparison to other ones, and she could count on her fingers the times when she had actually cried in her life. But, she was... unwell, to say the least. Unwell? Hell, she was extremely on edge, and not in the least happy. In short, Aileen was in a pretty bad mood.
She had managed to doze off near the door of the house, having placed a chair there. However, she had been woken up by the announcement. Dear god, the announcement.
Nineteen people dead. A new record.
And the fucker just joked and laughed throughout, like it was the funniest joke ever told.
What's more is that she knew one of the people who had apparently been killed. Reika Ishida... fuck, why did it have to be her? She had started trembling when she heard her name on the announcement, and clenched her fist at the memory. Reika was a nice person, in fact, one of the nicest Aileen had ever met. They had met at peer tutoring, along with Sarah Xu. And now some fuckhead has killed her. She wasn't sure what to think, now that Reika was dead. Really, a mixture of emotions were there. And some part of her wanted to track down this "Kris" person, and treat them exactly how they treated Reika. Because there is no way in hell Reika would attack someone, so the self-defense excuse couldn't be used. But why Reika? She was one of the truly nice people at school! And now she was gone...
Other names she barely recognized. For example, she had the feeling she knew a Daniel Vaughan, but she had to search her memory for it. God, this was a bad time for her not to remember names, wasn't it? She was somewhat familiar with Ivan and Amber, from what she heard about them.
All in all, a mess.
Aileen stopped at the door, and leaned her head against it.
Why did so many have to die? Including someone like Reika.
She had managed to write the names down during the announcement, but that only made things worse for her emotionally. It only drove the impact of the deaths. Reika's death and the announcement alone was bad enough, but to get a visual reference really brought it home.
They needed to get out of here so that no one else would die. But how? Aaron said he had a plan, didn't he? But he had refused to actually tell them what it was. Sure, Danya said they would kill them if they tried, but he could at least write it down and show them. Prior to the announcement, Aileen had also gotten the idea to go scouting out for camera locations in each area they visited, to see where exactly everything is being filmed for the mass entertainment of Americans everywhere. It would show what exactly they were dealing with, after all. She hadn't told Aaron yet, though. But, hopefully he would agree. Rather than... well, putting everyone on a wild goose chase like he had earlier.
She hoped he and Tom made it out okay, though. Aaron had said for them to wait here, but she couldn't help but worry for their safety. Nineteen people were gone already, and that meant that people were playing. And now Tom had just wandered off in a huff. That was not good for team morale, and if people wandered off alone, they were easy pickings. Aileen hoped that by some miracle of god, Tom and Aaron would come back safely in one piece. Because she was getting tired of this god damn killer bullshit already.
Wait, were those noises outside?
Aileen lifted her head from the door, and opened it just a crack. There he was, Aaron Hughes, looking upset. And not a Tom in sight. That sent up a very bad signal. Either Tom was wandering around the island alone, or...
He had to be fine. He just had to.
Aileen opened the door all the way.
"Aaron..." her voice came out low.
He was safe. That was good. But what about Tom? What about anyone else that would show up? No one needed to die. She hoped something would be come up with soon. Aaron better share his plans soon. Aileen wanted off, and for no more people to die. Was that so much to ask for?
Aileen paced the inside of one of the houses, occasionally rubbing her neck.
The last time she felt like this, it was when her dad died. Aileen had never been much of a crying type; she had heard stories from her mother that she was actually a pretty quiet baby in comparison to other ones, and she could count on her fingers the times when she had actually cried in her life. But, she was... unwell, to say the least. Unwell? Hell, she was extremely on edge, and not in the least happy. In short, Aileen was in a pretty bad mood.
She had managed to doze off near the door of the house, having placed a chair there. However, she had been woken up by the announcement. Dear god, the announcement.
Nineteen people dead. A new record.
And the fucker just joked and laughed throughout, like it was the funniest joke ever told.
What's more is that she knew one of the people who had apparently been killed. Reika Ishida... fuck, why did it have to be her? She had started trembling when she heard her name on the announcement, and clenched her fist at the memory. Reika was a nice person, in fact, one of the nicest Aileen had ever met. They had met at peer tutoring, along with Sarah Xu. And now some fuckhead has killed her. She wasn't sure what to think, now that Reika was dead. Really, a mixture of emotions were there. And some part of her wanted to track down this "Kris" person, and treat them exactly how they treated Reika. Because there is no way in hell Reika would attack someone, so the self-defense excuse couldn't be used. But why Reika? She was one of the truly nice people at school! And now she was gone...
Other names she barely recognized. For example, she had the feeling she knew a Daniel Vaughan, but she had to search her memory for it. God, this was a bad time for her not to remember names, wasn't it? She was somewhat familiar with Ivan and Amber, from what she heard about them.
All in all, a mess.
Aileen stopped at the door, and leaned her head against it.
Why did so many have to die? Including someone like Reika.
She had managed to write the names down during the announcement, but that only made things worse for her emotionally. It only drove the impact of the deaths. Reika's death and the announcement alone was bad enough, but to get a visual reference really brought it home.
They needed to get out of here so that no one else would die. But how? Aaron said he had a plan, didn't he? But he had refused to actually tell them what it was. Sure, Danya said they would kill them if they tried, but he could at least write it down and show them. Prior to the announcement, Aileen had also gotten the idea to go scouting out for camera locations in each area they visited, to see where exactly everything is being filmed for the mass entertainment of Americans everywhere. It would show what exactly they were dealing with, after all. She hadn't told Aaron yet, though. But, hopefully he would agree. Rather than... well, putting everyone on a wild goose chase like he had earlier.
She hoped he and Tom made it out okay, though. Aaron had said for them to wait here, but she couldn't help but worry for their safety. Nineteen people were gone already, and that meant that people were playing. And now Tom had just wandered off in a huff. That was not good for team morale, and if people wandered off alone, they were easy pickings. Aileen hoped that by some miracle of god, Tom and Aaron would come back safely in one piece. Because she was getting tired of this god damn killer bullshit already.
Wait, were those noises outside?
Aileen lifted her head from the door, and opened it just a crack. There he was, Aaron Hughes, looking upset. And not a Tom in sight. That sent up a very bad signal. Either Tom was wandering around the island alone, or...
He had to be fine. He just had to.
Aileen opened the door all the way.
"Aaron..." her voice came out low.
He was safe. That was good. But what about Tom? What about anyone else that would show up? No one needed to die. She hoped something would be come up with soon. Aaron better share his plans soon. Aileen wanted off, and for no more people to die. Was that so much to ask for?
((Stamina --> Bounce))
On the face of it, their course was an odd one to take. Having headed all the way to the southeast part of the island, Bounce and Victoria had proceeded to head straight back north again, although taking a slightly more central course rather than sticking to the coast like they had whilst travelling south. Bounce's logic was that if they were to find Alice somewhere on the island, they would need to be methodical in their search it was a tall enough to locate one person on such a large island as it was without running around every which way.
Bounce's idea was to head up and down the island in straight lines (or as straight as the terrain would allow), stopping briefly at each of the locations along the way to check if Alice was there, and then moving on as quickly as possible. The big features of the island listed on the map would attract attention which, whilst making them more promising for finding Alice, also meant it was more enticing to any players.
And there were players. The announcement had said that much, though Bounce had already known in her heart that it was going to be the case. Unsurprisingly, the puns and the mannerisms of Mr. Danya weren't quite as groan-inducing when heard first-hand. Sickening, more like. It was growing harder and harder to keep herself tethered, keep herself from just breaking down and crying. Bounce knew that she had easy out' written all over her, probably, at that very moment, a character' profile for her was going up on the SOTF website with that self-same evaluation.
Has some knowledge but it won't be enough to save her.'
Wits will only get you so far.'
Brains over brawn? Not when she's got as much brawn as a toothpick.'
And so on.
All the same, now wasn't the time to be dwelling on what might (or was likely to) happen. The residential district ranked the highest in Bounce's personal estimation of dangerous areas. Houses, buildings, they offered security, mostly false. They also offered the killers somewhere to lay low, or even hunt. Even a small town such as this was going to attract people perhaps Alice herself. Still, it wasn't safe, and Bounce knew that they had to get in and out as quickly as possible.
Which well, which was why she'd told Victoria that they should split up. It was risky, definitely, but neither of them were fighters, and it was unlikely that even together they'd have much of a shot against brute force. This was something to be done with speed, and they could cover twice as much ground apart from one another. They'd agreed a rendezvous and a time and set off in opposite directions on the street.
Absurdly, Bounce felt almost guilty about it. For leaving Vic to go off by herself. As if that she was letting the other girl down by breaking up the pairing, if only temporarily. After all, Bounce was 100 lbs soaking wet with a brick in each pocket, socially awkward and blunt to a fault and hardly the most feminine or athletic of girls. Victoria on the other hand well, she might not have been on a sports team, but she was an outgoing type and she had a body that Bounce had to confess that she was jealous of. (Not deeply so, but Bounce did sometimes wish that she looked as beautiful as the other girl). By rights, Victoria should've been the one leading the way. And yet the encounter with Garry had shown exactly why that wasn't the case. Bounce didn't just have knowledge on her side, it appeared she was better at holding her nerve.
Or making herself hold it, either way.
Bounce turned a street corner and ... found herself looking at a scruffy, slightly unkempt individual standing in the middle of the road. A scruffy, slightly unkempt individual that Bounce just so happened to know. Perhaps even know well.
"Aaron?"
On the face of it, their course was an odd one to take. Having headed all the way to the southeast part of the island, Bounce and Victoria had proceeded to head straight back north again, although taking a slightly more central course rather than sticking to the coast like they had whilst travelling south. Bounce's logic was that if they were to find Alice somewhere on the island, they would need to be methodical in their search it was a tall enough to locate one person on such a large island as it was without running around every which way.
Bounce's idea was to head up and down the island in straight lines (or as straight as the terrain would allow), stopping briefly at each of the locations along the way to check if Alice was there, and then moving on as quickly as possible. The big features of the island listed on the map would attract attention which, whilst making them more promising for finding Alice, also meant it was more enticing to any players.
And there were players. The announcement had said that much, though Bounce had already known in her heart that it was going to be the case. Unsurprisingly, the puns and the mannerisms of Mr. Danya weren't quite as groan-inducing when heard first-hand. Sickening, more like. It was growing harder and harder to keep herself tethered, keep herself from just breaking down and crying. Bounce knew that she had easy out' written all over her, probably, at that very moment, a character' profile for her was going up on the SOTF website with that self-same evaluation.
Has some knowledge but it won't be enough to save her.'
Wits will only get you so far.'
Brains over brawn? Not when she's got as much brawn as a toothpick.'
And so on.
All the same, now wasn't the time to be dwelling on what might (or was likely to) happen. The residential district ranked the highest in Bounce's personal estimation of dangerous areas. Houses, buildings, they offered security, mostly false. They also offered the killers somewhere to lay low, or even hunt. Even a small town such as this was going to attract people perhaps Alice herself. Still, it wasn't safe, and Bounce knew that they had to get in and out as quickly as possible.
Which well, which was why she'd told Victoria that they should split up. It was risky, definitely, but neither of them were fighters, and it was unlikely that even together they'd have much of a shot against brute force. This was something to be done with speed, and they could cover twice as much ground apart from one another. They'd agreed a rendezvous and a time and set off in opposite directions on the street.
Absurdly, Bounce felt almost guilty about it. For leaving Vic to go off by herself. As if that she was letting the other girl down by breaking up the pairing, if only temporarily. After all, Bounce was 100 lbs soaking wet with a brick in each pocket, socially awkward and blunt to a fault and hardly the most feminine or athletic of girls. Victoria on the other hand well, she might not have been on a sports team, but she was an outgoing type and she had a body that Bounce had to confess that she was jealous of. (Not deeply so, but Bounce did sometimes wish that she looked as beautiful as the other girl). By rights, Victoria should've been the one leading the way. And yet the encounter with Garry had shown exactly why that wasn't the case. Bounce didn't just have knowledge on her side, it appeared she was better at holding her nerve.
Or making herself hold it, either way.
Bounce turned a street corner and ... found herself looking at a scruffy, slightly unkempt individual standing in the middle of the road. A scruffy, slightly unkempt individual that Bounce just so happened to know. Perhaps even know well.
"Aaron?"
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Grand Moff Hissa
- Posts: 2755
- Joined: Thu Aug 09, 2018 1:37 am
The voice came from a doorway, quiet enough that Aaron barely heard it. It was clear, though. His name. He turned, resisting the urge to spin quickly, trying to keep his movements smooth. There was a chance he was going to have to fight here. A chance he'd just walked into an ambush, either by some random player or by allies who had chosen to forsake him. He kept his hand casually at his side, ready to go for the gun if necessary, but not about to scare the speaker if their intentions turned out to be innocuous.
There, standing in the door frame, was Aileen. Unarmed. Good. It wasn't a trap, then, at least not an immediate one. It meant the others were nearby. At least, Aaron hoped they were. He was starting to realize that he'd only really told Aileen to wait. He'd been pretty sure Richard was with her, and Lily had been right behind them, hadn't she? He'd assumed so, since she'd been such a help, but he'd been pretty involved in following Tom, and hadn't exactly stuck around to verify.
Perhaps that had been a rash decision, but he'd had priorities. With luck, Lily and Richard were inside with Aileen, sleeping or something. If not, he'd simply rebuild. Start from scratch, form a new group. No worry about dissent and insubordination this time. He's throw any troublemakers out, or turn them to his side. He'd dealt with Tom. Nothing could seem extreme after that.
So, a simple plan. Reconvene or reconstruct the group, as necessary. Work on instilling the idea that splitting off for no reason is a horrible plan, since, for some reason, it seemed to be something his classmates lacked the acumen to understand. Find Bounce. Get her on board for the escape. Get a plan from her, or, failing that, cook one up themselves. Aaron actually had a good start on that front. He knew he couldn't string the others along forever while he thought. Luckily, over his solo journey from the tunnels, a realization had hit him, something so painfully, obviously simple that he was worried that it had been tried, had already failed. Surely there was no way nobody else had come up with this over the past however-many-runs of this show there had been.
Yes. He'd just have to share it in a way that wouldn't tip the terrorists off...
Aaron was slowly heading towards the house, when his name was called again, this time from behind him. Once again, he turned, slowly enough not to alarm the newcomer, but quickly enough that he hoped he'd at least see who it was before getting gunned down, if it was an enemy. The voice, however, sounded quite familiar. Whoever it was, it was clear to Aaron that, if he survived, he'd need to get some rest. Staying up all night had dulled his edge. He should never have been taken by surprise twice in a row.
Any plans, however, were swept away when he saw who had called out. It was, indeed, someone he knew. It was the very person he'd been searching for, the one who had the best chance of getting them out of this mess.
"Bounce."
He smiled widely. Even putting aside her utility to the group, it was fantastic to see someone who was more than a causal acquaintance. Fantastic to see someone he'd have willingly spent time with even had his life not depended upon it. True, Bounce tended to be somewhat acerbic, but that was just who she was. It wasn't targeted, wasn't malicious, and so, unlike other sarcastic students, she didn't rub Aaron the wrong way. Too often.
He glanced back to Aileen, and said, "Today's our lucky day. Guess who just wondered in?" Then, turning back to Bounce, he gestured her towards him.
"We've got a bit of a group here. Lost a few people on the way, but I think we still have enough to be pretty safe. Come in. We need to talk."
Speaking of losing people, he'd have to explain about Tom. The timing was not optimal, but he'd make do. It was more than worth putting up with an awkward or poorly-planned conversation if it meant having Bounce on their side, and she clearly wasn't playing. Had she been, he would surely have been dead by now, knowing her usual efficiency.
That thought was not exactly a comforting one to begin their alliance on.
There, standing in the door frame, was Aileen. Unarmed. Good. It wasn't a trap, then, at least not an immediate one. It meant the others were nearby. At least, Aaron hoped they were. He was starting to realize that he'd only really told Aileen to wait. He'd been pretty sure Richard was with her, and Lily had been right behind them, hadn't she? He'd assumed so, since she'd been such a help, but he'd been pretty involved in following Tom, and hadn't exactly stuck around to verify.
Perhaps that had been a rash decision, but he'd had priorities. With luck, Lily and Richard were inside with Aileen, sleeping or something. If not, he'd simply rebuild. Start from scratch, form a new group. No worry about dissent and insubordination this time. He's throw any troublemakers out, or turn them to his side. He'd dealt with Tom. Nothing could seem extreme after that.
So, a simple plan. Reconvene or reconstruct the group, as necessary. Work on instilling the idea that splitting off for no reason is a horrible plan, since, for some reason, it seemed to be something his classmates lacked the acumen to understand. Find Bounce. Get her on board for the escape. Get a plan from her, or, failing that, cook one up themselves. Aaron actually had a good start on that front. He knew he couldn't string the others along forever while he thought. Luckily, over his solo journey from the tunnels, a realization had hit him, something so painfully, obviously simple that he was worried that it had been tried, had already failed. Surely there was no way nobody else had come up with this over the past however-many-runs of this show there had been.
Yes. He'd just have to share it in a way that wouldn't tip the terrorists off...
Aaron was slowly heading towards the house, when his name was called again, this time from behind him. Once again, he turned, slowly enough not to alarm the newcomer, but quickly enough that he hoped he'd at least see who it was before getting gunned down, if it was an enemy. The voice, however, sounded quite familiar. Whoever it was, it was clear to Aaron that, if he survived, he'd need to get some rest. Staying up all night had dulled his edge. He should never have been taken by surprise twice in a row.
Any plans, however, were swept away when he saw who had called out. It was, indeed, someone he knew. It was the very person he'd been searching for, the one who had the best chance of getting them out of this mess.
"Bounce."
He smiled widely. Even putting aside her utility to the group, it was fantastic to see someone who was more than a causal acquaintance. Fantastic to see someone he'd have willingly spent time with even had his life not depended upon it. True, Bounce tended to be somewhat acerbic, but that was just who she was. It wasn't targeted, wasn't malicious, and so, unlike other sarcastic students, she didn't rub Aaron the wrong way. Too often.
He glanced back to Aileen, and said, "Today's our lucky day. Guess who just wondered in?" Then, turning back to Bounce, he gestured her towards him.
"We've got a bit of a group here. Lost a few people on the way, but I think we still have enough to be pretty safe. Come in. We need to talk."
Speaking of losing people, he'd have to explain about Tom. The timing was not optimal, but he'd make do. It was more than worth putting up with an awkward or poorly-planned conversation if it meant having Bounce on their side, and she clearly wasn't playing. Had she been, he would surely have been dead by now, knowing her usual efficiency.
That thought was not exactly a comforting one to begin their alliance on.
Aaron seemed startled, but slowly turned around. And so, Aileen sighed in relief.
Yup, he was alright. But again, where was Tom? It really wasn't a good sign that he wasn't around, after all. Hopefully, wherever he was, he was alright. She was still shaken up by the announcement, but at least one of the group was alright. Where was Lily, Richard, and that other girl, anyways? Lily and that one girl had disappeared around the same time, she could recall. And when she was walking away, she could vaguely remember the new girl saying that she didn't want to slow them down. So... did Lily...?
Aileen sighed, this time of sorrow.
So much death. And people were coming and leaving in this group. People were wandering off, and people were... dying out there as well. Poor Reika. She was such a sweet girl, Aileen had to admit. She clenched her fist. No more. No more death. They had to get as many people out of here as possible. But what would happen if she encountered this Kris person? Aileen knew just how upset she was by the announcement when Reika's name came up. And it wasn't just Reika, either. Those nineteen and counting did not deserve this. No one, maybe not even Pondsworth, deserved being here. So what would happen if Aileen... gave in? She had always been the angry sort, the girl who always acted sarcastic, but could she do it, even if to defend herself?
No, she couldn't.
The right thing to do was to save whoever she can. She couldn't save Reika, as much as she would have wanted to. But, she could save other people. She wasn't sure if she could save her sister, since she had also killed two people, but maybe...
Aileen looked around, and saw someone approaching. Who was that? Short... small... female... was she armed? No sign of it. But, she was an intruder, and god knows what could happen. For all they knew, she could be armed in some way.
"Aaron, stay back. Let me deal with her-" Aileen blurted out.
However, it turned out this girl and Aaron apparently knew each other. Just quiet "Aaron"s and "Bounce"s. Wait, Bounce? Was that the person he had been talking about at the gazebo? Apparently. It was surprising Aileen remembered the name used. She wasn't sure what kind of name "Bounce" was, but it was probably a nickname.
And that's when Aaron spun around again and asked Aileen who just wandered in excitedly.
"... Your girlfriend?" Aileen offered, looking up and down the newcomer.
As she scanned the area for a few seconds, she said "Alright, kiddies, get inside. Aaron, you better have a plan. That announcement didn't look good. And also... where the fuck is Tom?"
However, she stepped aside, allowing the two to enter.
Could Bounce be trusted? Well, could she? She didn't know this "Bounce" person, at all. Was she useful? Apparently to Aaron she was. Didn't he say something about her being a fan of the show or something? God, it was one of those people. If she started raving about being on the program or something, Aileen was going to bang her head against the wall several times. The concept of being a fan of SOTF had always bothered her at school, and being here wasn't going to improve her viewpoint.
Yup, he was alright. But again, where was Tom? It really wasn't a good sign that he wasn't around, after all. Hopefully, wherever he was, he was alright. She was still shaken up by the announcement, but at least one of the group was alright. Where was Lily, Richard, and that other girl, anyways? Lily and that one girl had disappeared around the same time, she could recall. And when she was walking away, she could vaguely remember the new girl saying that she didn't want to slow them down. So... did Lily...?
Aileen sighed, this time of sorrow.
So much death. And people were coming and leaving in this group. People were wandering off, and people were... dying out there as well. Poor Reika. She was such a sweet girl, Aileen had to admit. She clenched her fist. No more. No more death. They had to get as many people out of here as possible. But what would happen if she encountered this Kris person? Aileen knew just how upset she was by the announcement when Reika's name came up. And it wasn't just Reika, either. Those nineteen and counting did not deserve this. No one, maybe not even Pondsworth, deserved being here. So what would happen if Aileen... gave in? She had always been the angry sort, the girl who always acted sarcastic, but could she do it, even if to defend herself?
No, she couldn't.
The right thing to do was to save whoever she can. She couldn't save Reika, as much as she would have wanted to. But, she could save other people. She wasn't sure if she could save her sister, since she had also killed two people, but maybe...
Aileen looked around, and saw someone approaching. Who was that? Short... small... female... was she armed? No sign of it. But, she was an intruder, and god knows what could happen. For all they knew, she could be armed in some way.
"Aaron, stay back. Let me deal with her-" Aileen blurted out.
However, it turned out this girl and Aaron apparently knew each other. Just quiet "Aaron"s and "Bounce"s. Wait, Bounce? Was that the person he had been talking about at the gazebo? Apparently. It was surprising Aileen remembered the name used. She wasn't sure what kind of name "Bounce" was, but it was probably a nickname.
And that's when Aaron spun around again and asked Aileen who just wandered in excitedly.
"... Your girlfriend?" Aileen offered, looking up and down the newcomer.
As she scanned the area for a few seconds, she said "Alright, kiddies, get inside. Aaron, you better have a plan. That announcement didn't look good. And also... where the fuck is Tom?"
However, she stepped aside, allowing the two to enter.
Could Bounce be trusted? Well, could she? She didn't know this "Bounce" person, at all. Was she useful? Apparently to Aaron she was. Didn't he say something about her being a fan of the show or something? God, it was one of those people. If she started raving about being on the program or something, Aileen was going to bang her head against the wall several times. The concept of being a fan of SOTF had always bothered her at school, and being here wasn't going to improve her viewpoint.
Upon seeing Aaron, Bounce found herself first relieved, then a little apprehensive. The boy was, beyond Alice and perhaps Will Sears, the closest claim she had to an actual friend. Yet that was the precise reason for her anxiety. He was one of the people Bounce knew best, but she still found herself unsure of him. Aaron hadn't been involved in the first announcement, but the second one couldn't be too far away now (it seemed to be approaching dawn), and even so, Bounce knew enough that you didn't need to kill to be playing. And this
this was, well, Aaron.
Back home, Bounce had picked her quasi-friend out as something of a schemer. Some of the things he'd done, of course always under pretexts, had set off little keening bolts of irritation through her; although she'd never done more than rattle off the odd sardonic remark about it, rather than create a scene. Would that translate to Survival of The Fittest? Bounce wasn't sure, but what she knew from watching the show is that people didn't just become cunning and sneaky they already were.
Was Aaron one of those types? Bounce couldn't be sure, and that was exactly why she found herself wary of him, wary of his big friendly smile.
And maybe. Bounce observed to herself with a wry thought. If I had spent less time discovering such things by watching the show and more time actually trying to make friends, I wouldn't have to be wary.
Well, that was the bed she'd made. Bounce didn't have much of a choice but to sleep in it. She found herself badly wanting to see Alice, realising that perhaps this was how Victoria was feeling all the while, though obviously without the romantic trappings underpinning it all. There was a big difference between somebody you knew and somebody you trusted.
In spite of her misgivings, Bounce was willing enough to walk over when Aaron gestured. She couldn't let the paranoia of the game get to her how many times had she seen it happen on the internet? People get spooked over small things and have their groups implode? Then again, how many times had Bounce seen somebody stabbed in the back by somebody they thought they could trust?
Goddammit.
But an interesting titbit was that Aaron had apparently formed a group, or at least, was part of one. He had never really struck Bounce as a leader, somebody who liked to be in charge maybe, but not an actual leader. Group member seemed more likely, yet she knew as well as anyone that Aaron was approaching Bounce levels of unpopularity. Who'd accept him? It was a paradox
Still, any suspicions Bounce might have had that Aaron was pretending to have a group to lull her into a false sense of security were allayed when a girl poked her head out of the door of the building Aaron was in front of, merely quirking an eyebrow at the suggestion of being Aaron's girlfriend. That just seemed too ridiculous to her to even bother commenting on.
Yeah. It's absurd to think about YOU ever getting a boyfriend, right, Yelizaveta?
Bounce actually flinched at her own barb. That hurt somehow.
At the invitation, Bounce stepped inside, although she reminded herself that she couldn't stay long. Victoria was still somewhere out there, and they had a rendezvous to meet. However, she couldn't maintain that thought for long, because that was when the announcement decided to start up.
To her shame, most of the names were completely unfamiliar to Bounce. People she'd spent years in school with were dying out there and she couldn't even put names to faces. She listened, but the words, beyond the typical Danya humour', meant little. At the least, Will and Alice were still alive After the dangerzones were declared (luckily, not anywhere that would hamper them too badly), Bounce looked back to Aaron and the girl, who she didn't know. Again, Bounce raised an eyebrow.
Back home, Bounce had picked her quasi-friend out as something of a schemer. Some of the things he'd done, of course always under pretexts, had set off little keening bolts of irritation through her; although she'd never done more than rattle off the odd sardonic remark about it, rather than create a scene. Would that translate to Survival of The Fittest? Bounce wasn't sure, but what she knew from watching the show is that people didn't just become cunning and sneaky they already were.
Was Aaron one of those types? Bounce couldn't be sure, and that was exactly why she found herself wary of him, wary of his big friendly smile.
And maybe. Bounce observed to herself with a wry thought. If I had spent less time discovering such things by watching the show and more time actually trying to make friends, I wouldn't have to be wary.
Well, that was the bed she'd made. Bounce didn't have much of a choice but to sleep in it. She found herself badly wanting to see Alice, realising that perhaps this was how Victoria was feeling all the while, though obviously without the romantic trappings underpinning it all. There was a big difference between somebody you knew and somebody you trusted.
In spite of her misgivings, Bounce was willing enough to walk over when Aaron gestured. She couldn't let the paranoia of the game get to her how many times had she seen it happen on the internet? People get spooked over small things and have their groups implode? Then again, how many times had Bounce seen somebody stabbed in the back by somebody they thought they could trust?
Goddammit.
But an interesting titbit was that Aaron had apparently formed a group, or at least, was part of one. He had never really struck Bounce as a leader, somebody who liked to be in charge maybe, but not an actual leader. Group member seemed more likely, yet she knew as well as anyone that Aaron was approaching Bounce levels of unpopularity. Who'd accept him? It was a paradox
Still, any suspicions Bounce might have had that Aaron was pretending to have a group to lull her into a false sense of security were allayed when a girl poked her head out of the door of the building Aaron was in front of, merely quirking an eyebrow at the suggestion of being Aaron's girlfriend. That just seemed too ridiculous to her to even bother commenting on.
Yeah. It's absurd to think about YOU ever getting a boyfriend, right, Yelizaveta?
Bounce actually flinched at her own barb. That hurt somehow.
At the invitation, Bounce stepped inside, although she reminded herself that she couldn't stay long. Victoria was still somewhere out there, and they had a rendezvous to meet. However, she couldn't maintain that thought for long, because that was when the announcement decided to start up.
To her shame, most of the names were completely unfamiliar to Bounce. People she'd spent years in school with were dying out there and she couldn't even put names to faces. She listened, but the words, beyond the typical Danya humour', meant little. At the least, Will and Alice were still alive After the dangerzones were declared (luckily, not anywhere that would hamper them too badly), Bounce looked back to Aaron and the girl, who she didn't know. Again, Bounce raised an eyebrow.
-
Grand Moff Hissa
- Posts: 2755
- Joined: Thu Aug 09, 2018 1:37 am
Perfect. Absolutely perfect. Everything was going exactly as planned. Except for the fact that Aileen was making cracks about Bounce being Aaron's girlfriend. And she was being dangerously insubordinate in the first place, telling him what he had to do. And he did have a plan, it just needed a little refinement, but he couldn't share it on camera, so he'd have to write it really carefully. And she was asking him where Tom was, just dropping it on him like that, at a really awkward time, while he was trying to sort things out, to make a more solid plan. And the speakers were crackling, so he was gonna have to spin this really well, since he couldn't break the news. And the others still weren't in sight, so they'd either gotten lost or were hiding inside, but either way he was going to have repeat the whole story to them, and make sure it stayed consistent.
Perfect.
So they made their way inside, while the announcements played. Aaron flipped out his notebook and a pen, taking notes, while at the same time talking. Thank goodness he could multi-task.
"Alright. Aileen, I do have a plan. I just need to make sure it's going to work. That's what Bounce is for. That is, if she doesn't already have a better one."
He looked over at Bounce, smiled. Kept writing, half listening to Danya's words.
"The goal of our little operation is to get out of here. Like those guys—what were they called?—from last time they ran this, only actually successful. I really think we can do it, too, I mean, especially with your help. You know this show in and out, so you know what's been tried and what won't work."
Aaron was well aware of the fact that he was telling Bounce things she already knew. Really, he was playing to Aileen at this point, giving her reasons to trust Bounce, reasons to keep hope up. That would be important, especially now, with the dead being named. Francine was among them. So much for the secretary. Aaron fell silent for a moment, taking a deep breath to compose himself. There it was. The moment he'd been dreading. For just a second, he was afraid he was going to be credited as an assist or something. Had that happened, he would have probably had to hold Aileen and Bounce at gunpoint, to force them to listen while he told them the truth. That would not have been a pleasant or productive experience. But the death got no more focus or detail than any of the others, so Aaron started talking again.
"As you heard, Tom and I... ran into a little trouble. He'd run into the tunnels, trying to find somewhere safe to talk. He had some suspicions about a few of the people from earlier, and we also needed time to work out the basic plan. We got attacked, by Phil Ward and Nick Reid. Jennifer Romita was there, too. I think she was helping them. Tom took a hit to the leg and told me to run without him, because he couldn't keep up. I didn't want to go, but... it's what Tom wanted. With what he told me, what we thought up, we can get out of here. We can get out of here, and we can see as many people as possible home. I hated leaving Tom, but he was right. We need to do this."
It wasn't as emotional and gut-wrenching as he'd have liked. More slightly-distraught-and-resigned, with an edge of decisiveness, but that would have to do. The group had suffered at least one setback, but it was important to keep moving. With Bounce on their side, they were sure to succeed. Then it would just be a matter of figuring out how to get some payback.
Because they would have vengeance. He was looking forward to it.
Perfect.
So they made their way inside, while the announcements played. Aaron flipped out his notebook and a pen, taking notes, while at the same time talking. Thank goodness he could multi-task.
"Alright. Aileen, I do have a plan. I just need to make sure it's going to work. That's what Bounce is for. That is, if she doesn't already have a better one."
He looked over at Bounce, smiled. Kept writing, half listening to Danya's words.
"The goal of our little operation is to get out of here. Like those guys—what were they called?—from last time they ran this, only actually successful. I really think we can do it, too, I mean, especially with your help. You know this show in and out, so you know what's been tried and what won't work."
Aaron was well aware of the fact that he was telling Bounce things she already knew. Really, he was playing to Aileen at this point, giving her reasons to trust Bounce, reasons to keep hope up. That would be important, especially now, with the dead being named. Francine was among them. So much for the secretary. Aaron fell silent for a moment, taking a deep breath to compose himself. There it was. The moment he'd been dreading. For just a second, he was afraid he was going to be credited as an assist or something. Had that happened, he would have probably had to hold Aileen and Bounce at gunpoint, to force them to listen while he told them the truth. That would not have been a pleasant or productive experience. But the death got no more focus or detail than any of the others, so Aaron started talking again.
"As you heard, Tom and I... ran into a little trouble. He'd run into the tunnels, trying to find somewhere safe to talk. He had some suspicions about a few of the people from earlier, and we also needed time to work out the basic plan. We got attacked, by Phil Ward and Nick Reid. Jennifer Romita was there, too. I think she was helping them. Tom took a hit to the leg and told me to run without him, because he couldn't keep up. I didn't want to go, but... it's what Tom wanted. With what he told me, what we thought up, we can get out of here. We can get out of here, and we can see as many people as possible home. I hated leaving Tom, but he was right. We need to do this."
It wasn't as emotional and gut-wrenching as he'd have liked. More slightly-distraught-and-resigned, with an edge of decisiveness, but that would have to do. The group had suffered at least one setback, but it was important to keep moving. With Bounce on their side, they were sure to succeed. Then it would just be a matter of figuring out how to get some payback.
Because they would have vengeance. He was looking forward to it.
((Lillian Hayes continued from My Kingdom for a Plan!))
Rachel Gettys had killed.
Lily's moment of distraction in the forest had cost her her bearings, resulting in a brief time of panic when she found herself lost in the woods. She knew the general direction that Aaron and the others had taken, but she'd forgotten if they said where they were headed. She was basically working on a prayer that she made after she started running.
After what seemed like an eternity, she came upon a group of houses, causing her to check her map again. Sure enough, there they were, in the southeast region of the map. There was also a mansion and a fun fair somewhere else, too. What kind of place was this? How could Danya possibly find them? It didn't make any sense to her. None of this did.
She heard the announcements just as she got within spitting distance of the first house. Shivers ran down her spine as that horrifying man cracked jokes and listed names; she had to stop and try to decide whether she should listen to him or drown him out. She didn't want to listen to the dead, didn't want to hear her friends' names on the speakers. She'd had enough of that the first time around, when she wandered lost in the woods. But then she heard Rachel's name on the radio, not as a victim, but a killer.
Anyone who attended GodSPEED or even seen that club meeting would know that Lily and Rachel didn't get along. To Lily, Rachel was a living symbol of the corruption of Christianity. She was a selfish, prejudicial woman who used her religion as an excuse to exercise arrogance and superiority over her fellow man, instead of taking the humble route like Lily tried her best to do. It constantly astounded Lily to hear that Rachel had retained leadership of GodSPEED. Constantly! Was she really the face that fellow club members wanted to present to the rest of the school? Lily would rather believe that Rachel had earned their votes through emotional intimidation than them having actual common ground with her. She'd know for sure if only she hadn't missed the last election.
Lily thought the worst of Rachel, but not once did she think of her as a murderer. But then, gentler, kinder people than Rachel Gettys had done it when press-ganged onto an island, hadn't they? She thought of the victim, Theo Behr, but only remembered a nervous-looking Jewish boy. She couldn't remember Rachel displaying anti-semitic tendencies, but...
No. She'd give Rachel the benefit of the doubt. Even she deserved that. It was probably an accident or something else that was twisted by the announcements. She'd ask if she ran into Rachel. Now she had to find Aaron.
She made herself move again, and as luck would have it, caught the tail end of Aaron's motivational speech to Aileen and Bounce from around a corner. Tom got separated from Aaron? When did-
Oh no. She'd concentrated so much on Rachel's name that she forgot she'd heard Tom's. He was gone, too?
She stepped into view, looking crestfallen. "I... I'm sorry to hear that, Aaron," she said. "What did Tom tell you?"
She never thought of questioning Aaron's story once.
Rachel Gettys had killed.
Lily's moment of distraction in the forest had cost her her bearings, resulting in a brief time of panic when she found herself lost in the woods. She knew the general direction that Aaron and the others had taken, but she'd forgotten if they said where they were headed. She was basically working on a prayer that she made after she started running.
After what seemed like an eternity, she came upon a group of houses, causing her to check her map again. Sure enough, there they were, in the southeast region of the map. There was also a mansion and a fun fair somewhere else, too. What kind of place was this? How could Danya possibly find them? It didn't make any sense to her. None of this did.
She heard the announcements just as she got within spitting distance of the first house. Shivers ran down her spine as that horrifying man cracked jokes and listed names; she had to stop and try to decide whether she should listen to him or drown him out. She didn't want to listen to the dead, didn't want to hear her friends' names on the speakers. She'd had enough of that the first time around, when she wandered lost in the woods. But then she heard Rachel's name on the radio, not as a victim, but a killer.
Anyone who attended GodSPEED or even seen that club meeting would know that Lily and Rachel didn't get along. To Lily, Rachel was a living symbol of the corruption of Christianity. She was a selfish, prejudicial woman who used her religion as an excuse to exercise arrogance and superiority over her fellow man, instead of taking the humble route like Lily tried her best to do. It constantly astounded Lily to hear that Rachel had retained leadership of GodSPEED. Constantly! Was she really the face that fellow club members wanted to present to the rest of the school? Lily would rather believe that Rachel had earned their votes through emotional intimidation than them having actual common ground with her. She'd know for sure if only she hadn't missed the last election.
Lily thought the worst of Rachel, but not once did she think of her as a murderer. But then, gentler, kinder people than Rachel Gettys had done it when press-ganged onto an island, hadn't they? She thought of the victim, Theo Behr, but only remembered a nervous-looking Jewish boy. She couldn't remember Rachel displaying anti-semitic tendencies, but...
No. She'd give Rachel the benefit of the doubt. Even she deserved that. It was probably an accident or something else that was twisted by the announcements. She'd ask if she ran into Rachel. Now she had to find Aaron.
She made herself move again, and as luck would have it, caught the tail end of Aaron's motivational speech to Aileen and Bounce from around a corner. Tom got separated from Aaron? When did-
Oh no. She'd concentrated so much on Rachel's name that she forgot she'd heard Tom's. He was gone, too?
She stepped into view, looking crestfallen. "I... I'm sorry to hear that, Aaron," she said. "What did Tom tell you?"
She never thought of questioning Aaron's story once.
((Richard continued from My Kingdom for a Plan))
Richard had gone exploring. And as he had been exploring, as much as he didn't want to admit it, he had gotten lost. So lost.
He was like that knight that had been moved all the way up to H8, but then had NOWHERE to go. That lost. Yeah.
Or better, lost like one of the chips that missed the basket and just kind of sizzled in the bottom of the oil tub until it went all brown and all the potato was gone and there was nothing left but this nasty burnt batter-oil substance.
Or like that Easter egg which had fallen down the back of the couch. He could never quite work out how that happened exactly. Age didn't make it any less tasty though!
...Or lost like his train of thought. Coming up with analogies wasn't making him any more 'found', though he supposed it made it a little more enjoyable. He'd gotten far too wrapped up in all the abandoned houses and the little shops and the movie theatre, which was all so cool and interesting and mysteriously empty. He'd had more than a little fun running through the theatre and shouting things and generally mucking about. Unfortunately, as suited as the emptiness was to private theatrics (Or not so private? He'd totally forgotten about the cameras. Oops.), he was getting the feeling he should get back to the group.
And so here he was, walking slowly down one of the streets with houses (how descriptive.), twirling his mop, trying to remember which street, let alone house, Aileen had been in. His pondering was broken by the crackling of loudspeakers.
Another round of announcements. Richard's head fell in reverence again as he listened. That his friends and peers were dying was unfortunate, as much as he firmly believed that wasn't the end for them, but that people were killing was absolutely tragic. Their violence was futile, needless and offensive. He just didn't see the point, either they got out of this, or they didn't. Killing wouldn't improve their chances, killing wouldn't make their lives any better, killing was only burdening their conscience and corrupting their soul.
Maybe he'd have to fix that, show them the error of their ways. If he could do that with his words, great. If he had to do that with his bare hands, so be it. If he had to do it with his mop, he would. He felt like this was something of a moment. A crossroads. A decision. It deserved a little something, something to say how incredibly serious he was about bringing justice and peace to the island. And so he posed, wielding his mop on high.
"My mop is the mop that shall pierce the heavens! My mop is my SOUL!"
"It will bring JUSTICE and PEACE to this isle! BELIEVE IT!"
Fuck. Yes.
He withdrew the mop from the air and let it rest across his shoulder like a trusty rifle, or one of those giant swords, whichever it was, it was badass.
Walking into the next street, like a badass, he managed to find an open door, and through it, his group! Lily and Aaron and Aileen and somebody new! He'd have to make a good impression. Leaving the mop against the wall outside he took a couple of steps in, warming up to perform his favourite kind of greeting.
A flourish of well-worn hand gestures, learnt seamlessly from repeated viewings of Naruto, and then...
"Welcometothegroup no jutsu!"
Ladies. >_^
Richard had gone exploring. And as he had been exploring, as much as he didn't want to admit it, he had gotten lost. So lost.
He was like that knight that had been moved all the way up to H8, but then had NOWHERE to go. That lost. Yeah.
Or better, lost like one of the chips that missed the basket and just kind of sizzled in the bottom of the oil tub until it went all brown and all the potato was gone and there was nothing left but this nasty burnt batter-oil substance.
Or like that Easter egg which had fallen down the back of the couch. He could never quite work out how that happened exactly. Age didn't make it any less tasty though!
...Or lost like his train of thought. Coming up with analogies wasn't making him any more 'found', though he supposed it made it a little more enjoyable. He'd gotten far too wrapped up in all the abandoned houses and the little shops and the movie theatre, which was all so cool and interesting and mysteriously empty. He'd had more than a little fun running through the theatre and shouting things and generally mucking about. Unfortunately, as suited as the emptiness was to private theatrics (Or not so private? He'd totally forgotten about the cameras. Oops.), he was getting the feeling he should get back to the group.
And so here he was, walking slowly down one of the streets with houses (how descriptive.), twirling his mop, trying to remember which street, let alone house, Aileen had been in. His pondering was broken by the crackling of loudspeakers.
Another round of announcements. Richard's head fell in reverence again as he listened. That his friends and peers were dying was unfortunate, as much as he firmly believed that wasn't the end for them, but that people were killing was absolutely tragic. Their violence was futile, needless and offensive. He just didn't see the point, either they got out of this, or they didn't. Killing wouldn't improve their chances, killing wouldn't make their lives any better, killing was only burdening their conscience and corrupting their soul.
Maybe he'd have to fix that, show them the error of their ways. If he could do that with his words, great. If he had to do that with his bare hands, so be it. If he had to do it with his mop, he would. He felt like this was something of a moment. A crossroads. A decision. It deserved a little something, something to say how incredibly serious he was about bringing justice and peace to the island. And so he posed, wielding his mop on high.
"My mop is the mop that shall pierce the heavens! My mop is my SOUL!"
"It will bring JUSTICE and PEACE to this isle! BELIEVE IT!"
Fuck. Yes.
He withdrew the mop from the air and let it rest across his shoulder like a trusty rifle, or one of those giant swords, whichever it was, it was badass.
Walking into the next street, like a badass, he managed to find an open door, and through it, his group! Lily and Aaron and Aileen and somebody new! He'd have to make a good impression. Leaving the mop against the wall outside he took a couple of steps in, warming up to perform his favourite kind of greeting.
A flourish of well-worn hand gestures, learnt seamlessly from repeated viewings of Naruto, and then...
"Welcometothegroup no jutsu!"
Ladies. >_^
Aaron and Bounce ushered themselves in quickly, and soon Aaron was quickly writing things down in a notebook, saying he did have a plan. Well, that was good. He just needed to write it down, it seemed.
Though, this Bounce person was currently giving her the stink eye, as if Aileen was some sort of stain on her shirt. Seriously, what was she giving her that look for? She wasn't being serious with that girlfriend comment, after all. This entire time she had been raising her eyebrow at her.
But, before Aileen could make a quip about this, the announcement started.
"Do you kids know what makes Uncle Danya happy? Things like... fine cigars, roast dinners, quiet nights in with Mrs. Danya... those things make Uncle Danya happy. But what also makes Uncle Danya happy is when his beloved students are game for the competition."
Aaron continued talking, and so Aileen had to listen to both him and the announcement. He went on, telling them that escape was possible, that Bounce knew a lot about the show.
But, after a while, there a mention of someone named Tom Guthrie. Was it... him? Aileen froze on the spot, listening to Danya.
"MUCH more entertaining was our next kill, with Nick Reid doing the honours by smashing Tom Guthrie's face into a fine paste using a rock wall, so for those of you keeping count, that's two for Mr. Reid."
Aaron had paused at this point, and began explaining his side of the story. By the sound of things, Tom had died in some sort of suicide attack, or had been in some way injured and told Aaron to leave. So... that meant he was... gone too.
"Fuck... Tom... why did he have to..." Aileen murmured quietly, looking down at the ground. "I mean-"
Another name got her attention.
"Twentieth to go down was Trevor Duncan, taking a shot to the collar from William Hearst and finding himself ever so slightly deceased."
Trevor... oh god. She remembered him. That was the guy who she helped with Spanish, wasn't he? Someone shot him. William Hearst shot him. It wasn't just Tom and Reika too. Trevor was gone, and she knew more would go. It wasn't fair. Why did it have to be Bayview? Why did it have to be anyone? Why... why...
Aileen stared at the ground, feeling a chill over her body.
She just wanted to go home and be safe. She wanted everyone to be safe. There was no reason why they had to be here. Each of them had a life.
A voice piped up, saying that she was sorry, and asked what exactly Tom said. Aileen slowly looked up, and saw that it was Lily. A small relief passed over her. She was safe. Now the only remaining member of their team they needed to find was-
"My mop is the mop that shall pierce the heavens! My mop is my SOUL! It will bring JUSTICE and PEACE to this isle! BELIEVE IT!"
What.
And there he was. Richard, with what appeared to be said mop over his shoulders, and doing some strange hand gestures.
"Welcometothegroup no jutsu!"
What... was that? Was that some Karate Kid impersonation or something? She had absolutely no clue what it was. She guessed he was acting out some martial arts film, but whatever it was, now definitely wasn't the time for it.
But, as of right now, Aileen wasn't even able to make some sort of comment about this. However, the look on her face said it all; it pretty much said in a piercing tone, to put it mildly, "What the hell is wrong with you?".
At least he was safe too though, or at least safe enough to reference what appeared to be a kung fu movie and make jokes. That was a relief, obviously.
Though, this Bounce person was currently giving her the stink eye, as if Aileen was some sort of stain on her shirt. Seriously, what was she giving her that look for? She wasn't being serious with that girlfriend comment, after all. This entire time she had been raising her eyebrow at her.
But, before Aileen could make a quip about this, the announcement started.
"Do you kids know what makes Uncle Danya happy? Things like... fine cigars, roast dinners, quiet nights in with Mrs. Danya... those things make Uncle Danya happy. But what also makes Uncle Danya happy is when his beloved students are game for the competition."
Aaron continued talking, and so Aileen had to listen to both him and the announcement. He went on, telling them that escape was possible, that Bounce knew a lot about the show.
But, after a while, there a mention of someone named Tom Guthrie. Was it... him? Aileen froze on the spot, listening to Danya.
"MUCH more entertaining was our next kill, with Nick Reid doing the honours by smashing Tom Guthrie's face into a fine paste using a rock wall, so for those of you keeping count, that's two for Mr. Reid."
Aaron had paused at this point, and began explaining his side of the story. By the sound of things, Tom had died in some sort of suicide attack, or had been in some way injured and told Aaron to leave. So... that meant he was... gone too.
"Fuck... Tom... why did he have to..." Aileen murmured quietly, looking down at the ground. "I mean-"
Another name got her attention.
"Twentieth to go down was Trevor Duncan, taking a shot to the collar from William Hearst and finding himself ever so slightly deceased."
Trevor... oh god. She remembered him. That was the guy who she helped with Spanish, wasn't he? Someone shot him. William Hearst shot him. It wasn't just Tom and Reika too. Trevor was gone, and she knew more would go. It wasn't fair. Why did it have to be Bayview? Why did it have to be anyone? Why... why...
Aileen stared at the ground, feeling a chill over her body.
She just wanted to go home and be safe. She wanted everyone to be safe. There was no reason why they had to be here. Each of them had a life.
A voice piped up, saying that she was sorry, and asked what exactly Tom said. Aileen slowly looked up, and saw that it was Lily. A small relief passed over her. She was safe. Now the only remaining member of their team they needed to find was-
"My mop is the mop that shall pierce the heavens! My mop is my SOUL! It will bring JUSTICE and PEACE to this isle! BELIEVE IT!"
What.
And there he was. Richard, with what appeared to be said mop over his shoulders, and doing some strange hand gestures.
"Welcometothegroup no jutsu!"
What... was that? Was that some Karate Kid impersonation or something? She had absolutely no clue what it was. She guessed he was acting out some martial arts film, but whatever it was, now definitely wasn't the time for it.
But, as of right now, Aileen wasn't even able to make some sort of comment about this. However, the look on her face said it all; it pretty much said in a piercing tone, to put it mildly, "What the hell is wrong with you?".
At least he was safe too though, or at least safe enough to reference what appeared to be a kung fu movie and make jokes. That was a relief, obviously.
((R.J. Lowe continued from The Cries of the Voiceless))
And so, in just three days, everything had come full circle. For R.J, this was, for all intents and purposes, the exact spot where he'd found himself cast into the fiery furnace. He placed his free hand on the shepherd's cane. It was right where he left it when he went chasing after Kris, untouched by human hands in the ensuing forty-eight hours. Internally, he debated with himself about taking it back up and discarding the veritable buster sword he'd been lugging around since leaving the felled forest. The initial idea had been not to let it fall into the wrong hands, but fuck that. If there were hands that could even swing the damn thing, they belonged to no one who attended Bayview. He didn't think about it for too long, however. He had only fifteen bullets left, and if there was an extra clip, Simon still had it. He'd have to hunt with something when that time came. He'd take a few practice swings later, but for now, he and Mary Ann needed to stop and rest.
Taking a seat, R.J. leaned back against the outer wall of whichever building this was again, leaning the khanda against the wall just to his left. He was just about to take a sip of his water, when a moment of aw-jeez-not-this-shit-again struck him upside the head like Leroy Jethro Gibbs having a bad day.
"My mop is the mop that shall pierce the heavens! My mop is my SOUL! It will bring JUSTICE and PEACE to this isle! BELIEVE IT!"
What.
"Welcometothegroup no jutsu!"
Seriously, what.
While this obviously wasn't the level of danger that was going down at the sawmill, it still offered a certain degree of deja vu. Voices coming from inside a building robbing him of any semblance of a peaceful rest. In Kris' case, the voices spelled "danger." In this case, he wondered if the voice could even spell "cat." Still, he couldn't take any chances. He grasped the handle of the khanda with his left hand, while with his right, he placed his index finger over his lips, then motioned for Mary Ann to get down, out of view of the windows.
And so, in just three days, everything had come full circle. For R.J, this was, for all intents and purposes, the exact spot where he'd found himself cast into the fiery furnace. He placed his free hand on the shepherd's cane. It was right where he left it when he went chasing after Kris, untouched by human hands in the ensuing forty-eight hours. Internally, he debated with himself about taking it back up and discarding the veritable buster sword he'd been lugging around since leaving the felled forest. The initial idea had been not to let it fall into the wrong hands, but fuck that. If there were hands that could even swing the damn thing, they belonged to no one who attended Bayview. He didn't think about it for too long, however. He had only fifteen bullets left, and if there was an extra clip, Simon still had it. He'd have to hunt with something when that time came. He'd take a few practice swings later, but for now, he and Mary Ann needed to stop and rest.
Taking a seat, R.J. leaned back against the outer wall of whichever building this was again, leaning the khanda against the wall just to his left. He was just about to take a sip of his water, when a moment of aw-jeez-not-this-shit-again struck him upside the head like Leroy Jethro Gibbs having a bad day.
"My mop is the mop that shall pierce the heavens! My mop is my SOUL! It will bring JUSTICE and PEACE to this isle! BELIEVE IT!"
What.
"Welcometothegroup no jutsu!"
Seriously, what.
While this obviously wasn't the level of danger that was going down at the sawmill, it still offered a certain degree of deja vu. Voices coming from inside a building robbing him of any semblance of a peaceful rest. In Kris' case, the voices spelled "danger." In this case, he wondered if the voice could even spell "cat." Still, he couldn't take any chances. He grasped the handle of the khanda with his left hand, while with his right, he placed his index finger over his lips, then motioned for Mary Ann to get down, out of view of the windows.
[[Mary Ann Warren continued from The Cries of the Voiceless]]
Mary Ann and R.J. had covered much ground in a short time. Mary Ann's companion was much more athletic than she, and it showed in the way he was able to make such constant, unfaltering strides, even carrying the sword with which the girl had struggled so. She did her best to keep up, even when they began to approach the town she'd stayed in several nights ago. Finally, they slowed down at one of the streets of stoically empty houses.
After several minutes of exploring, R.J. suddenly stopped. Mary Ann crept closer, patiently listening, watching- voices. That must be it. It sounded like it was coming from one of the houses. R.J. motioned for her to lie low- remembering her strategy on that second morning, she moved around the corner of the house to lean against the wall- still listening.
Footsteps. Running footsteps. Crap crap crap cra-
Wait, was that a Naruto reference?
Well, the element of surprise did provide an advantage for some people. Wait, wh- oh wait. That had to be Richard Han. She'd met him before, of course. They shared quite a few interests- anime, video games, and whatnot- they'd had classes together as well, so they naturally managed a few conversations. However, Richard was just... a little too much. Just a little. She didn't mind talking to the poor guy, especially with the way other people tended to talk about him... but he definitely worked best in small doses.
The footsteps seemed to burst into the house, interrupting the now-seemingly disgruntled voices. She saw R.J. pick up the sword-
"No, wait!" He wasn't going to- no no no. If he was doing anything she was going in as well.
Mary Ann and R.J. had covered much ground in a short time. Mary Ann's companion was much more athletic than she, and it showed in the way he was able to make such constant, unfaltering strides, even carrying the sword with which the girl had struggled so. She did her best to keep up, even when they began to approach the town she'd stayed in several nights ago. Finally, they slowed down at one of the streets of stoically empty houses.
After several minutes of exploring, R.J. suddenly stopped. Mary Ann crept closer, patiently listening, watching- voices. That must be it. It sounded like it was coming from one of the houses. R.J. motioned for her to lie low- remembering her strategy on that second morning, she moved around the corner of the house to lean against the wall- still listening.
Footsteps. Running footsteps. Crap crap crap cra-
Wait, was that a Naruto reference?
Well, the element of surprise did provide an advantage for some people. Wait, wh- oh wait. That had to be Richard Han. She'd met him before, of course. They shared quite a few interests- anime, video games, and whatnot- they'd had classes together as well, so they naturally managed a few conversations. However, Richard was just... a little too much. Just a little. She didn't mind talking to the poor guy, especially with the way other people tended to talk about him... but he definitely worked best in small doses.
The footsteps seemed to burst into the house, interrupting the now-seemingly disgruntled voices. She saw R.J. pick up the sword-
"No, wait!" He wasn't going to- no no no. If he was doing anything she was going in as well.
((=Sick-Clu-post-which-will-receive-editage-when-Clue-isn't-sick=))
Bounce folded her arms and listened to Aaron. She couldn't help but be sceptical. The fate of SADD and the others was always ambiguous, because they had never shown what had really happened. That gigantic explosion towards the end of the game probably had something to do with it and Bounce would've LIKED to have believed that the reason it went unbroadcast was because the group had escaped. But... she didn't know. Fact was, whether they'd made it or fallen at the hurdle, they'd received a leg up from something or someone and that was how they'd caused such trouble.
Bounce didn't really think that lightning would strike twice.
Otherwise... she... she didn't actually believe him. Bounce was surprised to note that, but again, paranoia... Aaron couldn't have cared a whole lot about this Tom, given his tone. She didn't know the group's old dynamic of course, but it all seemed a little... convenient. Just the sort of Aaron-excuse which made him get out of a tangle looking okay...
Stop it. Hold it right there. There's no way you can know that, Liz! How in the... You can't judge him off a guess or an impression! Calm down!
Whilst Bounce was chiding herself, another girl appeared, but off her behaviour, she was evidently another member of Aaron's group in the first place. As for a name... Bounce drew a blank, not a surprise. Not having much time to ponder, somebody else came in. A guy... vaguely familiar for some reason (had she seen him in the library? One of the clubs? Maybe). She had to bite back a sardonic remark at his greeting. If he was cheerful... hell, more power to him, in this situation.
She looked back to Aaron.
"Aaron I have a rendevous to meet. I can't linger for too long."
Bounce folded her arms and listened to Aaron. She couldn't help but be sceptical. The fate of SADD and the others was always ambiguous, because they had never shown what had really happened. That gigantic explosion towards the end of the game probably had something to do with it and Bounce would've LIKED to have believed that the reason it went unbroadcast was because the group had escaped. But... she didn't know. Fact was, whether they'd made it or fallen at the hurdle, they'd received a leg up from something or someone and that was how they'd caused such trouble.
Bounce didn't really think that lightning would strike twice.
Otherwise... she... she didn't actually believe him. Bounce was surprised to note that, but again, paranoia... Aaron couldn't have cared a whole lot about this Tom, given his tone. She didn't know the group's old dynamic of course, but it all seemed a little... convenient. Just the sort of Aaron-excuse which made him get out of a tangle looking okay...
Stop it. Hold it right there. There's no way you can know that, Liz! How in the... You can't judge him off a guess or an impression! Calm down!
Whilst Bounce was chiding herself, another girl appeared, but off her behaviour, she was evidently another member of Aaron's group in the first place. As for a name... Bounce drew a blank, not a surprise. Not having much time to ponder, somebody else came in. A guy... vaguely familiar for some reason (had she seen him in the library? One of the clubs? Maybe). She had to bite back a sardonic remark at his greeting. If he was cheerful... hell, more power to him, in this situation.
She looked back to Aaron.
"Aaron I have a rendevous to meet. I can't linger for too long."
-
Grand Moff Hissa
- Posts: 2755
- Joined: Thu Aug 09, 2018 1:37 am
The world continued to march to the beat of Aaron's drum, at least, for the moment. Lily returned from who-knew-where. Said she was sorry, then moved on, curious about what Tom had said. Good to know she had the proper focus. Escape first, grief later (never?). So, it was time, was it? Time to reveal his master plan. Well, time to scribble it down, at least. Get it all set up. He wrote in small, quick, cramped letters, paying only minimal attention to the others, acting like he was maybe just finishing up his list. He'd have to be sure the members were absolutely trustworthy before letting them in. And, right now, he was still having some doubts.
Richard returned as well, shouting some sort of idiotic war cry. So, it seemed competence was not going to be one of the hallmarks of this alliance. That was fine. Aaron could work that. He was pretty sure he could trust Richard to the ends of the earth, at least. The boy possessed not an ounce of subtlety. Unfortunately, that very quality also made him entirely unsuited to knowing the details of their plan. He'd go and blab them to a camera or share them with a player, and then it would be the end, back to square one at best, death at worst. No. That wasn't how Aaron saw his revolution ending. He would stand over Danya, saber in hand, and lop the terrorist's head off to the approval of the masses. Well, okay, maybe shoot him instead. If his reading was correct, heads were an absolute nightmare to remove, even in the best of conditions. A shooting seemed a little barbaric, but one had to work with the available materials.
At least Aileen was glaring at Richard. Good. Strange as it was, a little animosity between his allies was exactly what Aaron could use. If they were at each others' throats, that meant they wouldn't be at his. They'd be posturing and jockeying for position, not plotting to overthrow Aaron or screwing up his plans. It was just a matter of pushing things a tiny bit further. With Bounce around, it would be simple. She was not good in social situations. She was blunt to the point of rudeness at times. Aaron could live with that. He was expecting it. The others, probably not. Bounce could become a mutual outlet for them, and, because she had knowledge none of the rest possessed, she would be completely safe. It was a situation where everyone won.
And then Bounce dropped the bomb. She had a rendezvous? Now? Like, she couldn't wait until she had her collar off to go skipping off searching for her buddies? Buddies? Who was Aaron kidding? It was almost guaranteed to be Alice. He'd never really seen Bounce in the company of anyone else, aside from himself and Will and Stephen. Will would have been along. Stephen was a Junior. Probably laughing his butt off right now, knowing what Danya was gonna get.
But wait. There was another option. Maybe Bounce had met someone new on the island. Maybe she'd teamed up with a player. She didn't have the strength, but she was useful because of her knowledge. If she was prostituting her know-how to some killer, it might be best to have a little talk with her first. Pump her for information. Not in any violent or threatening sense of the word, of course; Bounce was, after all, one of Aaron's friends. Just a bit of guilt, or a more attractive offer. She was sure to come around. No way Bounce would desert him.
"I'll be quick, then," he said. "We'd love to have you on the team. You'd be useful here, and I can't imagine you don't want out as much as we all do. Your partner or whatever can come too, as long as they're—"
The voice outside tickled the edge of Aaron's hearing. Had the door not been open, had he not still been on guard, he would have missed it entirely. He couldn't say for sure that it was close to the house they were in, but he sure couldn't guarantee it wasn't. He dipped his hand into the pocket of his cargo pants, withdrew the gun, held it down, against his leg, pointed safely away from all his allies. Flipped the safety off without looking (that practice on the walk had come in handy after all), gesturing with his left hand, the one holding the notebook and pencil, for the others to get down. He was going to look pretty dumb if there wasn't anyone nearby, but better dumb than dead.
"Hello?" he called. "Is someone out there? We're not going to attack. We're trying to get off this island."
Good. Broadcast intentions, but don't reveal too much. Announce the presence of a group, but not the armaments or numbers. Keep them guessing.
Be ready for trouble, just in case.
He stuffed his notebook back in his pocket, only the first snippets of the plan written.
it seems pretty clear, given the lack of electricity around the island, that they don't want us to have acess to power. the question, then, is why? i think we can...
Richard returned as well, shouting some sort of idiotic war cry. So, it seemed competence was not going to be one of the hallmarks of this alliance. That was fine. Aaron could work that. He was pretty sure he could trust Richard to the ends of the earth, at least. The boy possessed not an ounce of subtlety. Unfortunately, that very quality also made him entirely unsuited to knowing the details of their plan. He'd go and blab them to a camera or share them with a player, and then it would be the end, back to square one at best, death at worst. No. That wasn't how Aaron saw his revolution ending. He would stand over Danya, saber in hand, and lop the terrorist's head off to the approval of the masses. Well, okay, maybe shoot him instead. If his reading was correct, heads were an absolute nightmare to remove, even in the best of conditions. A shooting seemed a little barbaric, but one had to work with the available materials.
At least Aileen was glaring at Richard. Good. Strange as it was, a little animosity between his allies was exactly what Aaron could use. If they were at each others' throats, that meant they wouldn't be at his. They'd be posturing and jockeying for position, not plotting to overthrow Aaron or screwing up his plans. It was just a matter of pushing things a tiny bit further. With Bounce around, it would be simple. She was not good in social situations. She was blunt to the point of rudeness at times. Aaron could live with that. He was expecting it. The others, probably not. Bounce could become a mutual outlet for them, and, because she had knowledge none of the rest possessed, she would be completely safe. It was a situation where everyone won.
And then Bounce dropped the bomb. She had a rendezvous? Now? Like, she couldn't wait until she had her collar off to go skipping off searching for her buddies? Buddies? Who was Aaron kidding? It was almost guaranteed to be Alice. He'd never really seen Bounce in the company of anyone else, aside from himself and Will and Stephen. Will would have been along. Stephen was a Junior. Probably laughing his butt off right now, knowing what Danya was gonna get.
But wait. There was another option. Maybe Bounce had met someone new on the island. Maybe she'd teamed up with a player. She didn't have the strength, but she was useful because of her knowledge. If she was prostituting her know-how to some killer, it might be best to have a little talk with her first. Pump her for information. Not in any violent or threatening sense of the word, of course; Bounce was, after all, one of Aaron's friends. Just a bit of guilt, or a more attractive offer. She was sure to come around. No way Bounce would desert him.
"I'll be quick, then," he said. "We'd love to have you on the team. You'd be useful here, and I can't imagine you don't want out as much as we all do. Your partner or whatever can come too, as long as they're—"
The voice outside tickled the edge of Aaron's hearing. Had the door not been open, had he not still been on guard, he would have missed it entirely. He couldn't say for sure that it was close to the house they were in, but he sure couldn't guarantee it wasn't. He dipped his hand into the pocket of his cargo pants, withdrew the gun, held it down, against his leg, pointed safely away from all his allies. Flipped the safety off without looking (that practice on the walk had come in handy after all), gesturing with his left hand, the one holding the notebook and pencil, for the others to get down. He was going to look pretty dumb if there wasn't anyone nearby, but better dumb than dead.
"Hello?" he called. "Is someone out there? We're not going to attack. We're trying to get off this island."
Good. Broadcast intentions, but don't reveal too much. Announce the presence of a group, but not the armaments or numbers. Keep them guessing.
Be ready for trouble, just in case.
He stuffed his notebook back in his pocket, only the first snippets of the plan written.
it seems pretty clear, given the lack of electricity around the island, that they don't want us to have acess to power. the question, then, is why? i think we can...
(David Matson continues from The outsider)
(apologies that the first version of this didn't make sense, I'd actually missed David's earlier thread.)
"Our father, who art in heaven..."
David had started mumbling the prayer to himself over the course of the walk to the residential area. He'd moved swiftly across the island, arriving at the house just as the second day ended.
"Hole up here for a while. Think this through." he thought.
He snuck into the house and up to the attic. Through a trapdoor. This would work. This would definitely work for a while at least.
"Hallowed be thy name..."
He'd found himself thinking of his father more and more over the course of those hours spent walking. Would he be watching? Looking on his son with shame? David was a sinner. A sinner of the worst kind. A murderer. He was tainted by it forever now.
As he sat in the attic, thinking desperately, he found that he accepted that fact. He wasn't happy about it. But he accepted it on some level. "I have sinned, and in my sin, I am bound for damnation." he thought to himself, paraphrasing one of his fathers old speeches.
He thought of that and nearly began to cry. It wasn't fair. This was what his life was for? This was god's plan for him? To take a life to try and protect another. To commit the most mortal of sins? All his life, all he'd ever had to look forward to was this awful island and then what, hell?
Surely god had a better plan for him. Surely there was a way to wash himself clean of this.
"Thy kingdom come..."
As he'd woken the next morning to the sound of Danya's voice the answer came to him. So many killings. Not least of which included his own. Evidently everyone else here was as sinful as he. Murderers and monsters all. He became angry for a second. At least he had the decency to acknowledge his sin. Without doubt, they were all probably running around having the time of their lives.
He thought back to the people in the shack. They had seemed friendly. Of course, he was the one with the gun. They'd probably slit his throat in his sleep and take it from him, given half the chance. They deserved this. They all deserved to be punished. This was god's punishment.
It was such an easy lie for him to believe. Soon he bought into it without question.
"If this is god's punishment... maybe I can redeem myself by helping him carry it out." he thought to himself. He felt the guns weight in his hand and seemed to consider it.
"Thy will be--"
He looked up suddenly. He'd been staring intently at the portion of the floor between his feet and mumbling the prayer. Was that a voice? He lifted up the gun and pointed it at the trapdoor. He began to breathe quicker now. Nobody came through it. He slowly crawled over to the trapdoor.
"I'll finish later lord." he said. "Protect me from these sinners." he murmured as an afterthought. He gently lifted the trapdoor. There was a conversation going on downstairs.
"--out there? We're not going to attack. We're trying to get off this island."
Liar. He was sure of it. He had never been so sure of anything. All of them. They were killers. Sinners.
He listened. Let's hear your forker tongue, sinner.
(apologies that the first version of this didn't make sense, I'd actually missed David's earlier thread.)
"Our father, who art in heaven..."
David had started mumbling the prayer to himself over the course of the walk to the residential area. He'd moved swiftly across the island, arriving at the house just as the second day ended.
"Hole up here for a while. Think this through." he thought.
He snuck into the house and up to the attic. Through a trapdoor. This would work. This would definitely work for a while at least.
"Hallowed be thy name..."
He'd found himself thinking of his father more and more over the course of those hours spent walking. Would he be watching? Looking on his son with shame? David was a sinner. A sinner of the worst kind. A murderer. He was tainted by it forever now.
As he sat in the attic, thinking desperately, he found that he accepted that fact. He wasn't happy about it. But he accepted it on some level. "I have sinned, and in my sin, I am bound for damnation." he thought to himself, paraphrasing one of his fathers old speeches.
He thought of that and nearly began to cry. It wasn't fair. This was what his life was for? This was god's plan for him? To take a life to try and protect another. To commit the most mortal of sins? All his life, all he'd ever had to look forward to was this awful island and then what, hell?
Surely god had a better plan for him. Surely there was a way to wash himself clean of this.
"Thy kingdom come..."
As he'd woken the next morning to the sound of Danya's voice the answer came to him. So many killings. Not least of which included his own. Evidently everyone else here was as sinful as he. Murderers and monsters all. He became angry for a second. At least he had the decency to acknowledge his sin. Without doubt, they were all probably running around having the time of their lives.
He thought back to the people in the shack. They had seemed friendly. Of course, he was the one with the gun. They'd probably slit his throat in his sleep and take it from him, given half the chance. They deserved this. They all deserved to be punished. This was god's punishment.
It was such an easy lie for him to believe. Soon he bought into it without question.
"If this is god's punishment... maybe I can redeem myself by helping him carry it out." he thought to himself. He felt the guns weight in his hand and seemed to consider it.
"Thy will be--"
He looked up suddenly. He'd been staring intently at the portion of the floor between his feet and mumbling the prayer. Was that a voice? He lifted up the gun and pointed it at the trapdoor. He began to breathe quicker now. Nobody came through it. He slowly crawled over to the trapdoor.
"I'll finish later lord." he said. "Protect me from these sinners." he murmured as an afterthought. He gently lifted the trapdoor. There was a conversation going on downstairs.
"--out there? We're not going to attack. We're trying to get off this island."
Liar. He was sure of it. He had never been so sure of anything. All of them. They were killers. Sinners.
He listened. Let's hear your forker tongue, sinner.