#vg ch4

Bunji stood in the center ring of a large tent. In front of them was a large electronic sign, which displayed their name, followed by a number - Zero. Next to it was a another number - 100 - with the word “threshold” displayed above it.

The rules were simple: if they didn’t give enough of a show to reach that number, they would be gunned down. They weren’t sure if this was rigged, but if they didn’t try, they were being killed--so they had little to argue about. And little time.

There was a tightrope. Easy enough. Weights to balance on their head. Okay, that’s a bit much.

And it was on fire. What the absolute fuck.

The guns pointed at them were persuasive enough. They climbed up, staring at the other end like it would pull them into the abyss if they stood too close. With a sigh, they placed the weight on their head and started walking. The flames licked at their shoes, and even through the sole could feel a searing pain.

The counted slowly ticked up. It wasn’t enough.

Bunji groaned. They began to do little twirls and jumps, careful not to fall off and only screamed in pain at a normal volume. The ticker picked up in pace, but it was painful to maintain. They went as far as doing a few majestic jumps and landings, which earned them a good amount of points. Once they reached the other side, they crawled back to the ground and screamed again. Even if they lived, there was no way they’d walk for weeks.

The sign was at 67, but luckily they were given a chance to get the score up one more time. Now there was a unicycle, a bag full of little toys and tricks--

And a cage of tigers. Really hungry tigers. Ignoring the extreme pain, they jumped on the unicycle and peddled like their life depended on it. While their hands were occupied, they reached for the bag, pulling out a few pins to juggle. Hastily, they began, causing the ticker to increase in speed. However, they were getting slower by the second, and couldn’t keep up this act. One of the tigers had nearly caught up and took a swipe--leaving a painful scratch on their back that only increased the bleeding.

They reached for something else while pedaling with the last of their might, a bottle of oil, and a matchbox. They put the oil in their mouth and and lit the match, and in one sweeping motion, faced the tiger and let out a burst of flames. Unfortunately, they were a little hasty and singed their face, causing enough pain that they fell over and hit the ground.

The tigers, now enraged, pounced on them, clawing and biting at whatever they could get until the last few points mercifully ticked them over the 100 point goal. As if one cue, the tigers retreated, leaving the badly wounded performer to lie there.

They struggled to lift their head, barely catching the score with a slight smile, a slight hope…

Undead Lullaby.... Satoshi....

It's the worst thing in the world that Karl feels less the more he sees this violence. Oh, it still tears him apart, but he cannot.... find the rage inside him anymore, it flickers and doesn't find anything to latch onto, to draw his focus only to injustice and revenge.

He watches as his friend, one of the first he made here, is torn apart, and his fingers grasp tight onto the podium as the...things on the screen do the same to Undead Lullaby.

It's not fair, it's not.... he knows it isn't, it never has been. But it's an empty cry by now, isn't it?

Sora was right. Nata was right.

And he doesn't know what to do.

Isn't that selfish of him, to be concerned about that, struggle for answers because nothing he's tried worked? And is he really this powerless? Is this really who he is at the end of the day?

So many questions. Do they never end? It feels like all he's done lately is question things.

He feels his strength leave him, and he's well familiar with that feeling by now.

Another person, another friend dead. He stares at the screen even after it's over. Falls back into the wheelchair.

He doesn't know what to do. He's shaking slightly, but barely notices, barely even notices when Yasu is dropped on him. Just puts his arms around him,softly, pulls him down. Instinctively wants to protect him, even if he can't give much more protection than a blanket right now. Some shining knight he is. This will never end. Even if he's carted back to their room, even if Trik just puts them all in bed, sleeps to put an end to the day, this will never end.

Satoshi stands in the middle of an arena wearing mail and a tabard with a sun. Confused he lifts his hands looking at the shining chainmail, and his eyes slowly widen as he realizes what is going on.

The room vibrates with a chorus of moans, and from the shadows rise hollow undead. Their eyes are empty sockets, and they are little more than leather covering bones as they shuffle towards Satoshi.

“Shit!” He backs up and nearly trips over a long sword. He grabs it and holds the plain looking weapon up when another hollow reaches for him. Lifting up his sword he tries to take advantage of the hollow’s reckless attack, but another knocks him to the ground.

From the wall a small crowd of desiccated undead babies burst forth, mouths open in silent wailing. One of them then pulls out a card with the word “n00b” written on it.

Gritting his teeth Satoshi kicks away his next attacker, and drops his sword as he desperately tries to run.

Claws dig into his side, and he bites back tears and he is able to dodge the next attack.

He can see the sun rising in the east.

Teeth sink into his shoulder, and Satoshi can only feel sick as the strange messengers are back again. Only this time the mummified babies are all holding signs saying “Git Gud”

“Shut up!” Satoshi shouted defensively, and changed his course to run towards the sun.

The confused messengers share glances and then all shrug.

The closer Satoshi gets to the sun the more it burns, and each breath gets more painful, but the creatures of the darkness don’t properly fear the sun.

Gnarled fingers grab him from both sides, and he feels a boney arm grab him in a choke hold.

He claws desperately at the leathery hide, but the grip only tightens.

The sun dims, and the ground beneath him melts into liquid darkness. His screams as the hollows let him go, and the darkness continues to pull him down. Like hollywood quicksand Satoshi has no chance, and the darkness envelopes him.

The messengers cheer and hold up cards like a morbid judges panel.

The cards all say “YOU DIED”

Satoshi nods to Nata after her whispered words, and in English answers.

"Thank you, but I have one more request. Ask everyone about Iron Grip Industries. It feels like too much of a coincidence that you found information on it for it not to be important, and lead to everyone's escape."

Its honestly a lot listening to everyone going on and on about this stuff. Yeah this has been horrible, but going at each others throats at this point isn't going to help.

And unlike other people who were just waiting for their moment on the chopping block he wanted to be useful.

"Yasu, just to clarify Trik and I didn't have a fight. He was just trying to give me an alibi, so don't be angry at him. He tried."

Sniffing he wiped his face and added.

"I don't know what I can do after I die. What is there, what isn't there, but I'll do my best to watch over you. Whatever you choose to do I'll support it as long as it makes you happy. Just please look after Hinata if you can."

With that he took his phone full of photos of his sister and two folded pieces of paper and handed them to Yasu. Then with tenderness he kissed Yasu's forehead.

When Satoshi turned to Karl he was shaking.

"Karl, I'm sorry. I waited and waited, and I just couldn't wait any more. I couldn't spend the rest of my life waiting for other people to do what needed to be done any more. Little Frog will make it. She is strong, and I believe in her."

Desperately he hugged himself as if to hold himself together.

"No matter who did it someone was going to leave their loved ones, and as selfish as it I hope she sees me as her brave older brother who protected her to the very end. Either way I think she would love to meet you. She needs more kind people in her life."

Swallowing as if it would clear the hard lump in his throat he finally turned to Sora, but this time it was less about sad good byes but a warning.

"Yes you were clever with that trick of yours, but now you've tipped your hand. People are not going to fall for that again, and every piece of evidence you present is going to be questioned."

Satoshi shook his head.

"You have now told everyone you are willing to lie to get what you want, and any trust you had built with others is going to be gone."

Sora looked around at her peers, pleasantly surprised. She was being thanked for what she did, despite how backhanded it was. People she never really got along with. Hell, even people who she used the trick against seemed to at least commend her wit. Was this what helping people really meant? It was easier than she thought; all she had to do was stick to her own gut feelings and think of what she thought was best. And for the most part? What she believed in seemed to be what she thought was for the best

But of course, she was met with some criticism at the hands of people. Ones who she had trusted and valued as friends before, nonetheless. It was that fact alone that gave her this sinking feeling in her stomach. She should've ignored it; after all, it seemed that the majority of people agreed with her. However, she found herself not being able to let go, to the point where after moments of silence, she had to choice but to speak up. It was the fact that Nata did it that gave her the confidence to do so

"You fail to understand sarcasm, don't you? Or at the very least, you fail to understand that I get no enjoyment from what I did, or from the fact that people are dying here. None of this is a game to me...although I suppose you are right about one thing. I did win. I won the right to my own life. I won at least another day for everyone innocent here. You'd feel the same way had the results been different, don't lie. It's funny though, you never felt this way about any other killer. Not the one that saved a few personal secrets, not the one that kept us from reliving our worst nightmares. Hell, not even the one that saved all our lives, who just so happened to be close to you guys too. Yes, what UL did is nice, and maybe he doesn't deserve to die, but I doubt you'd be fighting so much if the victim and killer were switched. You'd be upset and all, but there's no way in hell you'd fight for Ryuu."

Deep breath. God, she was saying so much more than she thought she would, but there was a lot on her mind. She made her way over to the podium Trik and Karl were at slowly

"Guess what? We all lose people we care about here, and the feeling is fucking awful. I know it just as well as you"

She stopped at a certain hologram with that, but shook her head and continued to walk a moment later

"But I also know that there are people here to deserve to be protected, and at the end of the day, we have to make the crappy choice of who we need to protect more. And for me? My choices were a killer, or a group of people I've learned to love, or at the very least tolerate to some minor extent. You put all of us at risk for someone who willingly made that decision, despite what he knew. Nata's right, it could've been any of us that went if what you did worked, and as bad as it is to say, we all deserved it just slightly less. I suggest next time you want to do this, you think about the people you're gonna hurt, and see past your own hypocrisy"

She wasn't quite done yet, that was just her general message. Now it was time for the one she had saved just for Karl. She finally made it to the podium and looked him dead in the eye, her stare intimidating

"And you, you really wanna bring morals and unity into this after what you did? I don't mean just at this trial either. It's almost funny, you're starting to remind me of someone else here. Someone who just had to justify all their actions, no matter how terrible, by criticising other people and bringing up moral codes or whatever. Someone who made people feel like shit, and did nothing but seperate us in the name of what they thought was good. You wanna know what happens to people who do that?'

Without looking away, she pointed at PM's podium. It was so sad to think that this guy used to be one of her best friends, and now he was reduced to being comparable with the one she despised most here

"There was a point in time here where I would've protected you with my life, just like most of the other people here? But now you're nothing but a cowardly splinter. What happened to the guy I used to know?"

Nata frowned at Trik's response, but her sharp stare did not soften much.

"I am understanding why you wished to protect him. If I could be doing something to keep him alive, I would be doing so. But the rules of this game are not bendable. The rules of this game will not be kind to those who take chances."

She glanced toward Karl in particular as she said this.

"It is not fair that he should die. It is not fair that any of us should. But if it must be someone, then it must be the person who made the choice to do what our warden wished. It must be the person who killed, no matter their reasons. The rules of this game will not be kind."

Her frown deepened.

"This is no game to me. I know the rules, I know what is to be risking. This is no reason for to laugh or be proud. But...our lives, the lives of those of us who did not play along, are not yours to be gambling with, Trik. It could have easily been Yasu who was killed, then. How would UL feel to be the cause of two deaths? It could have been Karl who was killed? Would you be happy then? It could have easily been me, or Sora, who are working hard to find you all freedom. If Kotone were here, it could have easily been her. If Yui were here, it could have been her."

She looked over to Undead Lullaby sympathetically,

"I do not like that someone must die. But if it must be someone, it is not right to be forcing someone who did not make this choice to be the one to pay, either. We do not belong to you, Trik, and I do not think you, of the people I know, would wish to be controlling someone else's fate like this."

Karl watches in silence as so many things at once happen. The votes that damn Undead Lullaby, the fact that.... it really was him, hard enough to believe for him, Sora's confession, Jack's... disgusting behaviour....

He's surprised by Teru, shoots them a look somewhere between thoughtful and grateful, without the knowledge that they're being civil only out of spite.

Trik speaks,and Karl's hold on him tightens automatically. Just a little. Because some things he says are news to him. But others, he knows all too well. And when he leaves, Karl lets him go. And remains quiet, for a few seconds, thinking.

Then, he stands, and his feet are unstable in the automatic attempt to somehow put them down in a way that doesn't hurt, when the cuts are everywhere. But he doesn't want to do this sitting. It feels ridiculous. He's calm as he leans forward, his hands on his podium. There's a lot of stuff that's on his mind.

First, though....

'....Why are you gloating?'

It's not bitter, but calm, looking over to Jack, to Sora too, someone he'd thought better of until now.

'Someone is about to die. Whether you were right in guessing what he did or not, does that matter as much as the fact that we're about to watch someone else lose his life? Someone who's been forced into this as much as any of us? How can you celebrate this like you won something?' And now, his focus shifts almost entirely to Jack.

'...Is this a game to you...?'

To Ayame.

'Are you happy? Is this what you wanted?'

He shakes his head, and falls silent for another moment. Reaches up to rub at his eyes. There's no tears there, of course not. Karl doesn't cry. It's just.... it's just hard to... look at Undead Lullaby. And Yasu. And Trik, who's hurried over to his side. And Nata, who's jumped to conclusions that he guesses.... are right when it comes to his friends.

'You're an idiot, you know that?'

Finally, he looks up, right at Undead Lullaby. But he doesn't sound or look angry. Just confused.

'You could have waited. You could have just.... Four days, UL. I told you. Four days. Don't do anything rash, didn't I say that? Now what? Your sister- I don't.... you're an older brother, like me, I don't need to tell you that she's going to be alone. How are you going to take care of her when you're dead?'

He presses his lips together, takes a deep breath. He's not angry. He knows he isn't telling Undead Lullaby anything new.

He's just.... sad.

That's rare enough.

'I really..........thought it couldn't be you. I really thought things didn't add up. Because why would you leave her alone, if you knew that someone was going to kill anyway? Why would you risk that...?'

He's gripping onto his podium, and the insistent pain in his feet begs for him to stop standing and give things a break. But what's that, compared to.... everything else?

'I don't mean to lecture, or make you feel bad. For what it's worth, I hope it will be quick. Maybe we get to share a heaven. Maybe I'll see you there, at some point. If any of us get there anymore.'

And finally... finally, he looks to Nata.