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

[aymeric is sucking in a breath sharply through his teeth as he watches both kraken and bugbear rise]

Aymeric...

[ She's already tense because of the cage but it's hard to be steely about this. ]

[he looks conflicted, voice low and somewhat raspy]

At the end of all of this, there will be one team that perishes, no matter what efforts we make...

[ Quietly. ]

Bugbear isn't too high... if they stay where they are... but we have to help Kraken... we should. We should...

[ It's CLEAR she's conflicted about this. ]

[aymeric

says nothing]

[ Just. Going to pull him into a hug. What CAN she say? ]

[he wraps an arm around her, but he's stiff, and not looking at her]

[ She's looking out the cage, trying to see if she can make out anyone- they're so high up.

After what seems like a while... ]

Breathe.

[ As gently as she did when she was trying to relax him in private. ]

[he inhales deeply and lets it out]

... pray forgive me, Megumi. I cannot agree to vote to lower Kraken.

(no subject)

menphina - 2022-11-07 00:46 (UTC) - Expand

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menphina - 2022-11-07 02:38 (UTC) - Expand

[ mood. Minato is just trying so, so, so hard to compartmentalize right now so he can be even remotely functional. ]

Kraken will--

They... but Basilisk, too, and Bugbear...

And Nymph is still quite high, despite our efforts.

... ... ...

We can only help one...

[glancing sidelong at saturn and looking conflicted, brows deeply furrowed]

...

[ ... softly: ]

... What are your thoughts?

I am thinking that, should we vote for Kraken, there is still quite a high chance that they will remain near the top, and that to save them will require at minimum four teams, including ourselves, to vote to lower them. I am recalling our promise to Bugbear, to protect them as they do us, in such times as these.

[...]

And I am also thinking that I am a coward, for thinking it preferable to condemn one team over another in order to save the rest of us.

... It's okay. You aren't a coward for caring. Especially in a situation like this, where... it's all set up to be impossible.

[he takes a deep breath and lets it out]

... I cannot agree to vote to lower Kraken. Much as I wish otherwise. I think we ought to vote to lower Bugbear, and raise a team not likely to be targeted for being too low--such as Sphinx, or Yatagarasu.

messianic - 2022-11-07 00:44 (UTC) - Expand

peacetalks - 2022-11-07 00:46 (UTC) - Expand

If... If we're looking at the way everyone is voting, Bugbear being in the middle might be the safest position right now.

To raise, you mean?

What? No way! I don't care if it was safest, I'd never vote to raise them! I mean that most teams seem to be playing for the lowest teams, so it's unlikely a lot of people will raise them again.

[I'M TRYING TO COMFORT YOU SIR HOW DARE YOU ACCUSE ME OF THIS]

[he runs a hand over his face and lets out a shaky laugh]

Forgive me, my nerves are getting the best of me. I agree. I think 'tis best to lower Bugbear. We have an agreement with them, after all.

...You're really worried about them, huh? Well, I get why. Even one more vote up would be frightening for them. And we agreed to ally with them over Kraken already.

But our vote could be the difference between dooming Kraken or giving them a fighting chance.

... there is always the option to raise another team higher than Kraken. To sacrifice another, that they might survive.

[and the only option there is... Basilisk]

[Closes their eyes for a moment, inhaling sharply]

I'd really hoped, that we'd be able to keep everyone as low as possible. That the losing teams wouldn't have to fall from the very top.

But... I would sacrifice Basilisk for Kraken. If we had to. If the others agreed. But doing that is only worth it if we place our vote on Kraken this round. It's no good sacrificing another team if we don't ensure the ones we're sending them up for survive the round.

[he nods]

... yes, that is entirely reasonable.

Re: DISCUSSION

moonlit_knight - 2022-11-07 01:25 (UTC) - Expand

peacetalks - 2022-11-07 01:48 (UTC) - Expand