day nine

[guestcontrol]

dreamland day nine 10 players remaining. There are no clocks in your dorm room to help you mark the passing of time, but at a certain point, in the early hours of the morning, a cheerful chime tune plays over the loudspeaker. Whether you're awake or asleep, the door to your dorm room is now unlocked. You'll have about a forty five minutes, in which you can get ready or grab some breakfast, before the door that allows you into the park unlocks. By this time, you may or may not have noticed that one of your number is missing. Oh, there's one other thing this morning - your bracelets are no longer working. Fortunately, your rooms have all been left unlocked, as is the entrance to the park. Oh, and you still might not want to go near the fences; the automatic weapons in the guard towers are still a thing. The chimes play again, to announce that the park is open, and the rides and music begin to come back to life as a voice plays over the loudspeaker. "Congratulations to the tippy top ten! You made it!" You will have until 4 PM to explore the park and talk amongst yourselves. Somewhere in the park, you'll find the body of Oz Vessalius. rulebook character statuses private conversations graveyard

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[cakelover]

[ While Mori heads to the weapons, Honey splits off to the disturbance near the circus tent. He doesn't even need to look at the body to see what's going on, and for once, he actually knows what's happening - or at least he'd immediately followed the directions on the letter Oz had slipped him that morning, and that had produced exactly three names and orders to speak to Nanami, who was supposed to have given him something.

So it's not like he can't understand what, exactly, Nanami is attempting to do here. They're two out of the three.

That doesn't mean he's going to let a thirteen-year-old girl strangle a thirteen-year-old boy, and god fucking damnit Oz why did you leave this mess in his hands. Not a single one of them is more than a child, and it's easy to see why Oz had wanted to trust something other than what they'd probably have to do today.

He'll very quickly hurry over to drag Nanami off of Ciel; for all that Honey is shorter than both of them, he's very likely stronger than both, and he's still thinking clearly, despite everything. ]

Hey! Hey! Both of you calm down, right now! This isn't helping anything!

[ Calm down, even though at least three people will have to die today unless they focus on the fact the bracelets seem to be not working. ]

[foetida]

[She struggles in Honey's grip, spitting mad and reaching for Ciel to claw his eyes out if she can't strangle him, but the fight goes out of her in a few moments. Nanami's rage might burn hot, but it's not something she can keep up for very long. Instead, she slumps to the ground.]

What does it matter? He's going to die today anyway. It'll save you some time and trouble. [She hasn't noticed that the bracelets aren't working yet, too caught up in her fury and despair.]

[cakelover]

Calm down. One thing did change: our bracelets...

[ He's not planning to ignore what Oz had told him. If there's no way out of the park before the trial comes around, three children will die. There's no way around that.

...But Honey also can't really accept just taking things into his own hands right now and not even trying to do something else. Still. ]

Nana-chan, you probably did what Oz-chan asked, but our bracelets aren't working. At the very least, that means if we can find an exit, we can take it. ...If, by the trial time, we haven't found that, I'll take care of everything, but for now...

You don't need to spend your time on this, ne?

[cheats]

[ Ciel's struggling had been dying down by the time Honey pries Nanami off, but unlike her, he doesn't so much as move towards her again, just collapsing where he was once Nanami had let go. He coughs weakly, wheezing as he tries to take in those breaths, but they're hard to catch with the strength of Nanami's grip. He was a weak child—There was no way he would have ever been able to fight that off.

What Honey and Nanami discuss seems far off and distant to him, since he's trying to regain control, but his eyes drift back to that altar, or, no, the performance stand? It feels like it flickers between both, but Ciel makes a choked noise as he stares. ]

This wasn't— I would never...

[ He would never do this. He would never reenact what had been done to... Him? It can't have been him, because he was still alive. But his body was laying on an altar, covered in blood. He would never do that to another person, not even a person that deserved a cruel, heartless death, but much less Oz. He had done...

There was that feeling again. His thoughts are drifting away from him, but he can't let them go, not this time. What had happened? Was it the night he was in the cage, reaching out? No, there was a scalpel in his hands, but didn't it feel heavy? It was heavier than a scalpel. Taking all the precautions beforehand, being careful and meticulous in a way that wasn't natural for Ciel, men in masks, but were they masquerade or surgical masks?

He had to remember.

Last night, what had happened? He had gone into the clubhouse, as always. But something was different, something had to change. There was... danger. It wasn't a betrayal, he was helping, because Oz didn't understand? But even that feels uncertain with how his gaze is fixed on his blonde (or is it blue?) hair. When did he start to believe that? No— No, Oz had asked him that question. It was never one that occurred to him.

He stands on wobbly legs, but it's clear enough that he's not going anywhere fast. He walks closer to Oz, and though his eyes widen further as he approaches, he knows, he has to see it. Because— ]

This isn't Ciel...

[ Ciel isn't here anymore. This is... Oz. But it looks just like that day, so Ciel collapses again at the edge of the circle and retches, though this time nothing comes up.

Oz isn't here anymore either.

He was supposed to wake up, right? They were all supposed to wake up. That was true, and yet, because it's the same as that day, that can't be. Can it? There was something wrong here, and it's so difficult to grasp onto, but he knows. He knows that this isn't what he thought he was doing. It was a surgery, not a ritual. He was going to save him, not this. This wasn't supposed to happen.

It was never supposed to be this way.

It's softer this time, because his voice is hoarse by now, but Ciel cries out again as he digs his hands into the soft dirt, disturbing the circle that had been painted. That he had painted, right? It's an inhuman, animal-like cry again, but this time, Ciel starts to sob. It's strange, for the proud, emotionless noble that he was at any other time, but this... He was no better than the ones that soiled them, if this was really before him. ]

[foetida]

[Our bracelets aren't working. The words echo around her brain, not making any sense in her shock and disbelief. They...weren't working? No, that couldn't be possible, they couldn't be this lucky. She's already gotten her hopes up once, she won't do it again, not when she's already resigned herself to death with this plan's failure. Still, she can't stop herself from slowly lifting her wrist to eye-level.

She should feel relief. All she wanted was another option aside from executing the VIPs. Now she actually has a chance to survive. Instead, she just feels even angrier, like she's been cheated. If all they had to do was wait, then...what was the point? Oz didn't have to die.

Her eyes land on Ciel and narrow. She picks herself back up and storms up to him, reaching out - but instead of trying to attack him again, she'll grab his collar this time and attempt to drag him up to his feet.]

Get up! Stop blubbering, it won't do him any good now! [Deep down, she knows what happened wasn't his fault, but Nanami is not the person you want to go to for comfort and hugs.] Are you awake yet? Look at what they've made you do! Is this really what you were working for?

[cheats]

[ Maybe later, Ciel will appreciate this gesture. He'll appreciate what Nanami is trying to do, the fact that she spared him and is now trying to help him. At any other time, he would have been glad for being treated this way, because he hates being seen as weak, and this display is shameful, he knows. But unfortunately, he is also beyond rational thought at the moment.

When Nanami grabs Ciel's collar, he screams again, a pitch higher and more frantic, then pulls against her as if to get away. ]

Stop!!

[ Because he's being pulled out of the cage, or... Maybe he's seeing someone else get pulled out? It's his face, but something doesn't seem right there. But he can't dwell on it, because he'll die. He'll die, he'll definitely die, so he has to get away. He doesn't want to end up like that! ]

Don't take me away! I don't— Ciel didn't do anything, so don't take us away!

[foetida]

What are you talking about? [Normally, she wouldn't care at all about his protesting her rough treatment, but there's something about his genuine terror that gets her to let go. She still looks tempted to slap him around a little until he starts talking sense again though.]

Snap out of it already! I don't know who you think you are, but we're not going to get anywhere with you gibbering like that! [She is so great at dealing with traumatized children. SO GREAT.] I don't know what you're seeing right now, but you don't want to stay here!

[cheats]

[ When Nanami lets go, he falls back a little, but turns to face her, which helps. So long as his attention isn't focused on the scene now behind him, he's more sensible, though his thoughts are still gathered, and some are difficult for him to grasp at all. ]

No, I...

[ He glances up from her feet towards her face, and though his expression is still fearful, it seems like he's focusing more on her words. ]

I don't— I can't stay here. If I stay, then... [ But he trails off as he shakes his head, unable to grasp onto that thought either. ]

[foetida]

Then don't! You've got legs, so use them! [She gives him an angry huff, and if he doesn't freak out again, will attempt to grab his wrist and drag him away from the scene. She doesn't want to be nearby Oz's corpse any more than he does, after all.]

Honestly, you're really just hopeless, aren't you? Let's go already!

[cheats]

[ At least this one he doesn't react badly to at all, minus a sharp flinch as if he was surprised that she grabbed him, even though his eyes were sharply focused on her movements. He stumbles over a few words, but none of them stick, so he stands with her, allowing himself to be pulled away.

He keeps his attention rigidly forward, not daring to glance back, and yet, he wants to. Part of him really wants to, because he knows that someone important to him is there, and so he should, but he can't.

So this time, it'll go better. Nanami will be able to drag him wherever she pleases, and Ciel will be silent and compliant. ]

[foetida]

[Of course, now the problem is that Nanami has no idea where to drag him to. She hadn't exactly planned this out ahead of time, she'd just wanted to get them away from Oz's body. But she's not about to show any sign of uncertainty in front of a stupid little boy like Ciel, so it's after only a brief moment of hesitation that she marches them to the mess hall.]

Sit. [She'll shove him down on one of the benches, disappear into the kitchen for a few moments, and then come back with two glasses of water. It would be a touching gesture if you didn't know that she was planning on dumping one of the glasses all over Ciel's head if he started acting up again.]

Now talk. What happened last night? [No point in keeping this conversation private, not when she has no intention of playing along with this game anymore.]

[cheats]

[ He takes a seat with a noise of surprise, and he'll take one of the glasses of water obediently, but he doesn't drink from it. Still, he doesn't reject it, at least, but just holds onto it like it's something much more important than it is. At least getting away from the circus tent has helped Ciel to calm down enough to answer her questions at all, but he still can't look at Nanami, so his attention is focused on the cup instead.

Last night... What had happened? He has to concentrate on it more than Ciel would ever have to normally, because when he tries to recall, it's like a fog is in his brain, but he starts, carefully, ]

I was never... I never had any intention of betraying him. I wasn't going to vote for anyone, I went to the clubhouse knowing that—

[ He remembered being soured by the thought as he walked there, because that kind of trust was simply something he didn't understand. ]

Crocs, he said... [ His brow furrows, because he has to really focus to recall it, but his eye widens in realization as it slowly comes to him, piece by piece. His hands start to tremble as he holds the glass again, and his voice is quiet. ]

Today. Today, everyone has to wake up, or everyone left is going to die. Oz had to wake up first... so that everyone else had a chance.

[foetida]

[She looks surprised and dubious when Ciel says he never had any intention of betraying Oz, like she doesn't know whether to believe him or not. If he's lying, then he's a very good actor - but then again, she's known plenty of good actors who do nothing but lie to everyone around them. It doesn't actually mean anything.

The next part though, that gets her to tense up.]

What does that mean? [Because she knows perfectly well what 'waking up' entails.] You're not planning on killing everyone here, are you? Use your brain! You should know by now they're messing with your head!

[cheats]

I don't know! I don't know anymore...

[ It looks like he might start crying again with how he bows forward as his shoulders tremble, but he doesn't, at least not this time. He had been so certain that Crocs was right until he had found that place where Oz had died. Where Ciel had killed him? It had to have been him, but when he tries to think about it, those memories are even harder to recall. ]

What if we're right? What if you really do wake up? Then everyone here, they're going to die. We always heard from the people we woke up, at least through Crocs, so— So it never seemed strange. But why would I... I wouldn't recreate that day. I would never— But Oz isn't here anymore. How could that be?

[foetida]

You're wrong!

[She leans forward, her expression furiously intense.] You're supposed to be intelligent, aren't you? You're always so smug about it! So use your brain for once and ask yourself something - would you normally just take orders from a stupid crocodile without ever questioning it? Are you really stupid enough to think that hearing from people through the crocodile is the same thing as confirming they're alive?

[cheats]

[ That makes his brow furrow deeply, because there's no small part of him that knows what she's saying is right. He's no fool—Even if he had to learn the lessons in the harshest way possible, Ciel had always prided himself on being careful and prudent to a fault. He had to be with Sebastian always waiting for him to falter and give up, so why... Why did he trust a stupid looking thing like Crocs? ]

I—

[ But when he tries to think about why he trusts what Crocs says so much, it's just not there. There's a reason, he knows it, but why does he know that? Ciel hesitates, but trying to grasp at those straws is frustrating, so he continues on. ]

It was... It was a surgery, I think? I don't remember— I don't remember drawing that at all. Crocs said that if I did that, then Mabel... Mabel wouldn't have to kill anyone.

[ Because even now, when it's just the two of them, Ciel is determined to keep to his ideal of keeping Mabel's hands as free of blood as possible. He shakes his head, placing a hand over that wound that they all had now. ]

If Oz woke up first, then we could save everyone, but... I wouldn't. I wouldn't do that, and I wouldn't listen to a damned animal. But— [ There's still hesitation in his voice quite clearly. ]