linkingup | GAME OVER (S██'s Palace)

[If he had a nickel for every time he saw someone turn into some kind of stone or crystal after death, he would have two nickels!]

'He' knows where I am at all times. And I would rather 'he' not find you.

Hm. Are those blanks yours, then?

[Waving at the teal glowy ones in the gun she has yet to steal off Shalem just yet]

Actually, this was how the game was when 'we' experienced it. The rounds just got color-coded differently here.

You can't control a barrel turn. [Schneider had already known that, even as she was keenly familiar with the differences between the blanks and the real ones by hand] But it is possible to mark them for survival.

[He smiles.]

You don't even need that. You have five dummies, so if you arrange the bullets in the correct way you can beat this with pattern recognition alone.

You're making it easy on us, huh?

[if only someone hadn't gone guns akimbo]

I'll try not to die in your head at least.

Well, I don't want anyone to die, so...

[But he is smiling a little. Guilty as charged.]

... Thank you.

Ah, the other one, is it? Or... the one who gave you the scarf. [The green one.]

How noble-- what are you so afraid of?

No, that one fortunately isn't in here.

[He might be terrified if that person were around.]

'He' wants you to fail. Because if you fail, then 'he' will eventually win.

[Shalem leans in. Loads the gun as he stares Sou right in the eyes. At least now he's spotted the gimmick, and is pointing at a dummy, even if he makes sure to keep looking at Sou.]

Win in taking you over, you mean.

[Did he load the bullets in exactly the same way?

And this teal guy flinches away when Shalem speaks to him so directly like that.]

[Stuffing one live after two dummies, over and over until the gun is done.]

Did he make us play this, or did you? Because my opinion will change depending on what you say.

[Noted!

And Teal is so easily intimidated that he'll just give the answer, sure.]

It was both of us, and neither. Two can't exist where one should be. We tried to hold it together, but...

You have two incompatible selves. Incompatibility leads clashing, to the weaker one giving way to the stronger.

[He should know. That's how he ended up like this, cold-hearted and murderous all the time.

Then, glancing away from Sou, he shoots one of the mannequins.]

[It's a dummy round! The mannequin does not explode.]

I know that! But I don't want to disappear!

Your fear does nothing to make you stronger. I speak that from experience. [That's said with a cold tone as he shoots another mannequin. Just to make sure before he turns the gun on a person.]

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[He grinds his teeth as Shalem says it.]

He isn't weak--- and you weren't weak, either. No matter what you say.

You already made your sentiments clear, well before this.

But I really don't need them, when I've been freed from everything keeping me from actually living.

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[Exhale.

He gathers himself and sits up straight to look at Teal-Sou.]

You said he'd find us if you linger here too long. You've given us the key to winning... and I appreciate that... Shin.

[Oh...hearing that name again fills him with conflicting emotions. But he nods.]

I think you have enough to solve this now. Good luck.

[And poof, he's gone.]

Why? What's going on? Why do we have to do all this messed up stuff?!

To understand. And to maybe change 'him'.

'I' got us into this situation, and 'he' made things worse. If not for us, then...

[He trails off there.]

[She is trying SO hard to actually think this over instead of simply screaming.]

Because you let yourself get pushed around, and he went around lying?

[He nods.

Yup that's a pretty accurate summary of what happened.]