guillotineroom | [elevator] [cerberus]

[ When you open your eyes again the first thing that you, and your teammates, may notice is that you are confined within an iron cage, rectangle in shape. Further inspection will reveal that outside of the cage is a large structure of sorts, reaching far above you. It kind of looks like an unfinished clock tower, really... there are spots that look finished and bolted tightly, and others that look like they had been left once and the work never thought of again.

Also, it's pretty chilly. You might get to notice that.

It's foggy and windy—the kind of wind that howls and roars, jostling your cage against the tall shaft, and every so often you feel as though you might have had the ghost of a raindrop on you. The tower-like build creaks horribly ominously in the wind, and you can see the rusted metals swaying slightly. But if you decide to look around...

Flapping above you (and not helping with the wind) is a harpy-like creature, iron chains wrapped around their talons. Though, maybe it's more like a lion? The chains are bolted to the top of your cage. There are also little indicators on the structure, the same distance apart, that seem to be declaring different levels or heights. They look horribly unhappy to be here, but they're also impressive at ignoring any call you might have for them.

There's a door to the cage, but it won't open, even if it's just a simple-looking locking mechanism. If you peer out, it's too foggy on the ground to make out very much, but you can make out nine other, tower-like structures with similarly flapping harpies. Each one, including your own, has an emblazoned emblem of every team's patron monster, so that you can see where everyone is—it's just difficult to make out exactly who may be in each one. Even more difficult to try and communicate like this.

Attached to the door is an aged metal panel with a screen and four buttons; two to choose between the team names that appear on the dark green and black screen, and two to choose whether you wish for that team to go up or down.

After a moment, a little speaker in the corner starts playing an incredibly bad quality version of this.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Right, exactly. We saw that the other day, and... now we have to put that to use. For everyone's sakes.

Well? What are you thinking? I trust your knowledge of bonds as much as I'd trust anyone's.

Ah...

[ that's a tall order, but Minato straightens a little and takes a deep breath. ]

... Phoenix and Basilisk have an alliance that they'll respect. Same with Yatagarasu and Tsuchigumo, I'm pretty sure. I also think Yatagarasu and Phoenix talked after the last task, though I don't know what came of that.

Sphinx... will also avoid Yatagarasu, I think, if Ingo-san is playing, because of Emmet-san. They'll also avoid us if Da Vinci-chan gets her way, though. Bugbear... is probably relying on us. Kraken will do whatever they can do to do the least amount of harm. Unicorn and Nymph are so new... I don't know. I don't know if Nymph has set up any alliances or anything.

Echidna... is a wild card, if they're participating in this at all.

[ deep breath. ]

[He watches this and listens, both with a keenness to take in the information and a soft fondness at Minato being Minato. Finally, when he stops, Saturn nods.]

. . . I'm of two minds. Do you want to hear what I'm thinking? I have it narrowed down to two teams. But this is by no means a firm decision. I won't fight for it.

Mm, of course.

[ Saturn's really never led them astray when it comes to strategizing in tasks, whether it's these ones or the light-hearted ones, so! He turns his attention to him fully. ]

I don't think these will be popular choices. But here they are, as I've reasoned them out . . . we ought to raise either Tsuchigumo or Bugbear.

At first, I suggested Phoenix to Aymeric. That was because I knew they had an alliance that would surely help mitigate our team's vote. But everyone else also knows about that alliance, except for Unicorn, and may choose them for that same reason. However . . . Tsuchigumo also has an alliance. And they're less likely to be targeted. Their alliance isn't as common knowledge as Phoenix and Basilisk winning that other game because they were allied. And I believe people will want to spare them, after that time. Phoenix is more likely to be seen as a "safe" option to target.

On the other hand. We could both raise and lower Bugbear. By doing that, we would slightly mitigate our own damage. The team we target would rise two levels instead of three. That's the only way to raise any team less than we're being asked to.

... I think it makes sense. I agree that it probably won't be a popular choice, but... I don't think anyone will be going out of their way to make Bugbear suffer again after everything.

[ so in a sense... they're a "safe" choice. ]

... It's hard... for me to pick Tsuchigumo, even knowing everyone else will feel the same way. They've... lost more than one of these tasks. But I won't argue it if that's what happens, because I think you're right.

I understand . . . we could aim for Yatagarasu instead. Based on the same logic, with maybe just a little less guilt attached to the thought . . . I don't know. In the end, it's all a guess. I think voting Bugbear for both is a good idea, but I don't think I'm going to convince everyone of that, considering how we feel about them.

Right... in the end, we have to do what we can to make choices that will protect as many people as possible, while still being choices we can live with. We'll have to ask everyone what they think.

[ a firm nod. ]

... But as ever, Saturn's really reliable even at times like these. I'm relieved.

I don't know about that . . .

[But maybe he's a little pleased anyway.]

It's okay if you don't. I know for sure.

[ tiny shrug! ]

... We just have to get through this round, I think. After that... well. It'll still be complicated, but hopefully we'll have more information to work off of. Right?

We at least won't be guessing entirely blind . . . it'll be complicated in a different way. But it's no use thinking about it until we see the results of this round. We could end up in any situation.

Right... one thing at a time. We can only handle the problem in front of us first.

[ ... he threads his fingers together in front of himself, absent and thoughtful. ]

Mmm... I hope... we can do it this time. I hope we can save as many people as possible.

. . . I'm confident that all of us will do our best. That means every team. There's no team I think wouldn't want that, and will aim for it. The very worst I'd expect of anyone is complete self-centered protection, and that isn't a bad thing at all either. I want to protect Cerberus too. If we come anywhere near the top—I know what my vote will be.

[ poor Saturn... dealing with a self-sacrificial team like Cerberus. Minato doesn't want anything to happen to Cerberus either, but...

So all he can say, quietly is: ]

For now... I think we'll be okay.

I know you'll fight me if it comes to it.

[But he says this with a smile. And honestly, what if the worst case scenario happened? What if it came down to outright having to choose between Cerberus and Bugbear? Or Kraken? Saturn can't say for certain what he'd do. He'd have a lot of thinking to do.]

Ah, that's not--

[ Minato hesitates at that, a complicated expression crossing his face. Saturn may be smiling about it, but... ]

... Please don't misunderstand. Your lives are all so, so important to me.

[ If it was only his life... it'd be a lot easier to decide. But all of Cerberus'? That's too precious to throw away. ]

. . . I never doubted it. Don't worry about that. Though I wish you felt the same way about your own life.

[He puts a hand on Minato's shoulder to squeeze it.]

[elevator] [cerberus]

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