TAKSHAKA

[soulping]

[When you come to, you find yourself locked in a small, cramped, antique elevator. One wall is covered with a large, ornate mirror, and a chandelier hangs above your head. The doors are made of metal and shut very, very tightly. The lights are off.]

[You hear two familiar voices echo distantly in your mind]

LET ME GO, Ǧ̲̖̩̞̣̲̌Ĩ͎R̞̩͎̝̍L̹̳̫̾͛Ȉ͙͈̬͐͒ͭ̄̌̊E̥̥̓ͨ!

I won't let you hurt them!

[Before you have time to say anything, the elevator suddenly jolts, before it begins to plummet. Your heart drops to the pit of your stomach as you fall, fall, fall, and then. . .]

[Suddenly it stops. You're thrown off balance, possibly to the point of where you crash into a wall or a nearby neighbor. All is silent]

Comments

(frozen comment)

[soulping]

[Until another voice, also familiar but different than the two you heard earlier, creeps into your mind]

Get out! Get out, get out, get out! B-before it's too late! Star. . . when she channeled Poltergeist, she trapped him and cut off his control of this game! His influence on the realm right now is shaky at best, escape from this place before he returns to kill you all!

But be careful. . . be careful! The realm is-- it's unstable, it's dangerous! And there may be parts of it that try to drag you back as you escape. . . if you're grabbed by something, struggle until you get away! And try not to get hurt!

[It's Haunt, sounding more frantic than she ever has before]

I. . . I'm on my way. I'm on my way, just hold on until I can get there!

THE ELEVATOR

[soulping]

[this thread is for all of your exploration needs]

Re: THE ELEVATOR

[justichthys]

[ WELL THAT HAD BEEN TERRIFYING ]

[ Aoko has ended up on the floor … somewhere … limbs akimbo, aching, and full of ?!. That's really the only way to describe it – sheer, unadulterated ?! ]

Wh … What the heck?! [ A breath, and then— ] Is everybody okay?! [ She scrambles shakily to her feet, reaching out towards those she's winded up with. ]

Re: THE ELEVATOR

[formaliteas]

[He's looking shaken at first, but he pulls himself together quickly. Clamps down, puts up his walls.]

.....I'm all right.

[He touches her outstretched hand, but doesn't take it, getting up by himself.]

Re: THE ELEVATOR

[formaliteas]

[The first thing he does after finding his center and checking on people is to test whether his powers work.

Time to see if ice will coalesce around his fingers or if he'll just look weirdly fixated on his hands.]

Re: THE ELEVATOR

[soulping]

[he'll find that his powers are fully functional, yes! ice does form on his fingers on command]

Re: THE ELEVATOR

[withmyownfists]

[ someone else is evaluating her strength as well ]

Should I try to break open the doors?

Re: THE ELEVATOR

[withmyownfists]

[ Hiyori is looking up at the ceiling. Is there any sign of a built in emergency escape they could use to climb out of the elevator and into the shaft? ]

Re: THE ELEVATOR

[soulping]

[it's difficult to see in the darkness, but she can make out the faint outline of an escape hatch on the ceiling, yes. it is waaaaaay high up, though. totally out of reach]

FLOOR 3463

[soulping]

[You find yourself standing in a lengthy hotel hallway. The decor is just as old as the elevator you escaped from moments before, although everything is worn and dilapidated. The floor is covered in a faded red and yellow floral patterned carpet; the walls are plastered with torn, ripped and tarnished wallpaper. The lights above you are dim-- so dim, that they cast a yellow glow around the area. Some of the light bulbs flicker on and off in random intervals, occasionally dousing the area in darkness]

[The hallway stretches ahead of you for what seems like forever, with no ending in sight. If you stare into the distance for too long, it almost seems to bend and shift and twist right before your very eyes, like someone decided to use the smudge tool on your surroundings. . .]

[Lining the walls of the hallway are twelve elevators, with six on each side. Each one is colored for each team in Kyriakos. Next to the elevators you see a sign: Floor 3463]

Re: FLOOR 3463

[justichthys]

W-We did it …!

[ THAT IS ENOUGH TO KEEP HER MIND OFF HOW MUCH HER HAND HURTS, for now at least. And, incidentally, so is the sight that greets them on the other side … elevators!! ]

Those must be … hey … Maybe we can get them out?!

Re: FLOOR 3463

[formaliteas]

[He clicks his tongue, scanning the area.]

We ought to inspect them, at the very least.

Re: FLOOR 3463

[withmyownfists]

If we bust the door in on them, though... they might get hurt, right?

Re: FLOOR 3463

[withmyownfists]

[ well she was going to ask if they wanted to try this way or through the busted mirror, first, but-- ]

Floor three thousand four hundred sixty three?! Y-you're kidding, right?!

Re: FLOOR 3463

[formaliteas]

[A thought has occurred to him.]

Did we all stop on different floors?

Re: FLOOR 3463

[skypsalms]

[ Okay once things are settled down some, she'll try to walk a bit further out into the hallway to see if she can't hear anything further down from where they are. There were voices before and maybe there might be new sounds here?? ]

Re: FLOOR 3463

[soulping]

[There is a rumbling to be heard.

Strange static sounds.

And open air...

an exit?]

(frozen comment) FLOOR 843

[soulping]

[̴Y̨͡o̵ú̴'̶̧r̵̡̕e̷ ̴̡s͝ta̷n͝҉͝d̛͡ìn̢̨͝g͞ ̸̕͠ín͡ ̧a̷͜ņo̢̡̕t̀h̵́͘eŗ ̕r҉u̷n̛ d҉̵̶o͘w̛n͢ hot̀͞él͘͜͠ ̧͜h́͜a̢͠͠ll̢w̴̢͜a̸͜y̶̕.̛ ͠͞Th̸e͏̸ ̕͏c̸ar҉p̶͜e̛҉̴t͝҉̢ ̢͠i͞͞s͏̴ ḑ͞á̧͟m͝p̕ ̀͡b̢e̕n͏͜͞e͞a̕͢t̵͏h҉̛͏ ̸̀y̨͞o҉u͜r ̡͠f̛ȩ͏͢e̷̵̛ţ̡͘ ̶a͘n̨d̴ ͘͏s̀qu͏͝í҉̷s̕͢͟h̸́e͏̨s̷̕ wi̧t͢͝͞ḩ ̧͢ev̸͝er̡͢y̷ ̸҉s͟t̷e̵̸̢p̀ ̨҉y̷̧o̵͏u ̸́t́̕͏ak͘e͡.̶̢ ̀͏̸Th̶͟é̛͝ ͝w̨̕a͟͠l̀̀͝l͜p̀͏aṕér̕͝ ̀is̴̢̛ ҉cǫ́v̛e͝r̨ed ̢in̛ ̵̧͞w̢͞͞a̴t̸̴ę̷̷r̢͘ ̶̧ḑa͠m͡á̢g̸͠e͟,̛̛ ͝w̕i̴̧t͏h ̧͝͝en̶͝tìr̛͟e̡̢ ̢͞s̀́t̨̧ŕ̛͡i̶̧̧p̡͡ş ͝͠p͠͠e͢el̢̧͢in̶̨̛g̵͘ ̷͘ẃ͢ą͢͝y ̀͞a͡n̶̵d̛͡ ͜p̷̢ùd̸d͝҉͜l̴͜in̴̕g͢ o̡͘͟n͢ ̷̕t̶͝҉he͢҉ ǵŗo͘͡u̷̸̢n͡d҉ ̸̴́n͟͞҉e̴̕͡ar͝ ̛t̵͏͢h̨̢e ̵͜f̷̵̛ĺǫ͢òŕ.̶͢ ̴̸͟T̵̢h̴̵͜e̕ ̵҉͝l̀̀i̵̡͟ghtś ̛͟a͏̛b̛̀ov̸̵́e͘ ͠ąr͡͞e̵ s̴͜t҉̢i̧͜l͏̢ļ d̛͞í̸̀m̛͟,̡̡̕ ̴̛͠b̸u̵͟t̡ ͡͏t҉́ḩes̶e̸̸̴ ̧͏͡g͏҉i̷̵͜v̡͏e̛ o͟f̶f ̴a̷͟ ̨̀s̛o̷f̷͘t̶͠ ͜͝b̧͝l͞u̷ȩ̨ ̀͟g̷̸̀low͠͏.͡͏ ͟I͢t̵͢ ͠͞͡a̧ĺm͘o͡s̴͡͡t g͏i͘͠͞v̵͝e͏҉s̸ ̢͜t͠h̶͟e͢͝ a͏r͟e͢͝a̵͜ ̴ą͞҉ st̸҉r͟͞a̕͡n̷̢g͢͡e.̀͘ ̵. ̡.̴͠ ̢͞҉u̵͘n͠d͞e̷̡͟r̵̕w̶̕͜at̛͟é́r ͘f̛͝e̕͡el̶̀͡i͜͝ng̨͟]̢͏̛
̴͜ ̷̡
̸͠[̡̧U͞nl͜͠í̶k͟͞e͞ ̸͡͞t́͟h͜ȩ ̶͡fl̷o͠o̸r͝ ̕a̴͢b̶͘o͡͞v̢e̷̕͟ ́y̸͞͠o̡̕͢u͏̢̨,̢͢͞ ͡͝t̷͢h̀͟ȩ ̡h͘͘͘a͠l̴̵l͢͏w̶̴aỳ̴ t̶̢͜h͜͟át̀͘͟ ͝st̷r̀é̷t̵̛c̕͢͞hęs̀̕ ̸̴b̸̡͠ef̡͞o̶̷҉re͝͡ ̴̀y͟͠ou͞ ̸i̸s̡͘ ̸̧n̶o̡͟t͘͝ ̶cl͏e̢a͠r͞. ̷͜͞R̨u̡̡͠s̕͜t̷y͏̛ ҉̡i̕҉r͘͡o̸͝n̸̛ ̢b̡e̷̡͝d̷͜͢ ͏fràm̢͟ę͘s̛ ͏͢a̸̛r͘e ̡̕s҉̨tr̴̢ę͜͝w̴̴n͏́ ̷͟a͜c҉r҉o̵̧s̷̵̢s ̛t͠h̡e͏̢͢ ̢́fl͡o̷o̕r҉͘͢ ̸̕l͘͏ì̡ke ob͟s̸t̴ac͠l̕e͟ş̡҉.̧͡ Ś̸̛ơḿ̶͟e̢̧ ͘o̧f̀͠҉ ̨͝t̡h̴͡e҉͡m̵̸͢ á͜re̕ ̸͘i̴̕ǹ̸ ͝͠t̢a̵c̕t̀,̸͟͠ ̶̴̕w̴͠h̨̧i̧l͟ę͞ ͝͏o̷̢t͟ḩ̸e͜͜͏r͢͢ş̛ ̛͠a̛͟r͞e͢ ̨͞b̢͟r͏̴o̸ḱe̵n ͏an̶̨d ̴̛b͠eņ͟͡t.͜ ́S͘o͘҉m͡e̴̸ ̶o̡f̷̢ ̶̸t̶͝͞h̵͡e̢ ̕͢br͟͢o̧k̶e͞n̵ ͜͟͠i̶̢r̨͜o̸̵͡n̢ ̢͠p̡ol͢es ̸́͢h͡av͏̵ę͜ ̢s̷̨h̵͜͞a̴̶r͢ṕ ̛̕ę́n҉d̡͏s ̨҉t́ḩ̨́a̷t̢ ̡̛͞ş͠͡t̶͢i҉͢c̷̨k ̶ó̷̡u̢͠͞t̡̨̨ ̶́in̕ ͠y̸̡o̕ur ͟w͠ay̨̕.̵̸͝ ͜͝B̀̀e̸ ́c͜a̕͟r͜e̶͟f̨uĺ͡͞ w҉hè͢n̕ ̶͝pas̴̛s̵̢i҉̴ņ͡g҉҉ b̨y̷̨ ҉t͝h̛ò̕͟s͘͜e͘.͏̷͢ ̸̶͏. ̕͡.͏ b̧e̵ć͟͝au̶͜s͢͝͏e̛ w͟h̛̀o̵͟ k̴̀͝n͢͠ow̷͝͝s̛͜ ̧̧w͘҉̕h̛͜͟a͞t͠ ̷w̷̶o͏u̷l̶d͟ ͡h̵̛̀app͝͏̕è̷̵n̨ ̀͝i͝f͟͢ ̨yò̵u̶͟ ͞҉a͏͞c͜͟c̨̀͝id̴͢e̵͘͜n̛t͜al̢ly̨͢ çu͝t͘ ̢҉y̶̢ó̡ur̸s̨͝è͘͢l̸̢f͜͜ ̵ẁ́̕i͟͜t̷̕͢h̨̕͜ ́͟i͠t?̧̀͏]
̷̀͏
̧[̨̀I҉͏̢n͏ ̷add̷͘i̵̡͢t̵͠į͠on ̢t͞͝o͏͝ ҉̨t́h̴͞͝e͟ ͟͠b̷͘͡e͏d͟҉̵ ͞͠f͏̀r̀͟͝a͠ḿé̢ś̢,̷ ͟t̕͝h̶e͟r̛è̕͡ ҉̶ar҉͜e͡ ̸̡̛w̸ǫ͜r͢ņ̴,̸̀́ y̵҉e̶̡̢llo҉̵w̵̷̛e̶͟d̶̕͜ ̶m͢͜à̛͢t҉̨ţ҉̛ŗe͞s̀s̸̨͟e̶̡͞ś ̡a̢̕nd b҉̷͝e̛͢d͜͢ ̀s̢͏he͟e̛͡t͏̛́s ̛͘b̀u̧͘n̢c̴͘h̴éd̀͘ ̶̷u̶p͘ ̕a̵҉͘n̨͜d̴ ҉t̡hr̢͢͡o͡҉̵ẃ̡͟n͏̧ ̷h̀͜á͘p̴̀͢h͏͜a̶̕z͏̷à̧r̨d͟͟l̡̀y͘ ͢ar҉̵̕o͏͞u҉̧̢n̵̷d̵ ̷͏t̛h́͢ȩ ̶̀͟a͠r͏e̷̷a̛͝.̸ ͏͞Th̡͢i҉҉s҉ h̕҉a̡̕l̨l̀͢w̶a҉̢y ͏͏̕i͘͠s̸̢͡ ̵̴͝a͢ ͠<̡̀͘I̡>͢m̴͞e̷͞s̕s͢͡<̶́/̵I̸̷≯̧͞ ̀͝c̵o͏mp̵ąre͘d̕ ̸̧͢t̶͢o͢ ̷̛t͝h͘͡e l̢̛a̢s͝t.͘ ̢L҉i̢͘͟ke̢͟͜ b̢͠è̶̴fo̷͞r͏e, ́͟͡y̢͟où̧ ̶͠c͢a̴͞n't̢̡͝ s̵̷̨ęe͏́̀ ̢̀͞t̶̢he̷͘̕ ̢̀̕è̡͞n͟͠d̨̢͢ ̨͞o̷f̷ t͡ḩ͏é ̶҉h͟͜͜a̶l̵͡l͠ẁ̵͝a͟͢͞y,͝ ͘a̷̧ńd̵̸́ ̴̶͡y͘o̵͞͝ur҉͝ ̸̛̀s͏̶ur̷҉r͜o̵͝ư̷͡n̴̕d̨͞i͏n͢ǵ͝s͞ ̕se̷̢ę́͢m̡ ͘͢͟t̢̧͢o̵ ͝g̢l͟͞͠it̵̴c͝h a҉n̷̡͡d҉ ̵̛̛s҉wi̢r͘l̢ t͢o̢g̷̡̢e̶̸̡t҉h̢̨͠ę̴̕ŕ ̨́r͡i҉̸̡gh̵t̸̵҉ ̸̛́b͡e̷̕f҉́͢o͜͞r̷̕e͜͞ ̀y͠o͜͢ur̴̕͜ ̷̛v͡e͘ŕ̷͠y͠ ͜eý҉̶è͠s͟]͜
̶̶
̧͜[͡Y̕͏o̧͠u̵̧͢ ́҉c̵a̢̕n̛ ̨͢h̢e̷a̷͘͏r͟ ͢m̶u̵͘s̷҉i̢͘c̕͟͜.̧ ̀Th͡e̶̴̶ ̷ch҉̕͞i̡m̛͢͡e͢s͟ ̸̢̕ơ̸̸f a ̨m̴̡͝u͡sic͘͞ ͘҉̕b́͟ơx́͜͢,̨͢ ̨p̶̢l̴̨͜aý̴į̷n̕g̡̢̧ ̛f͟͟a͟͜i͘nt̵͞ly̛͠ ̵́i͝n̴̛ ͘y͟͝o̵̢҉u̷͜ŕ͟͏ ̀é͟͝a͏rs,̷͜ ̡̀b̢͘a̴̛͟r̨͜͡e͏҉͝l͏y̴̕ ̡͟a̡͘͝ù͏̨d̨̛ibl̢͢͝e.̷̧ ͝Y̧ơu͏ ҉͏c͢҉a̡n҉̧'͟t͠͏ ̕͘t̨̨͏e͘l̨͜͞l̵̡̀ ͜w̶̢h̸̕͜ȩr҉̶e̵̛ i̷t͘'̴̨̨s̷ ̴̡c͏͠o̵̸͢m̶̨͟i͢ng̶-̷̷-̡̕]̧́͡

---

[wait]

[a voice cuts through the music. it's. . . Haunt? she's still frantic, and she sounds like she's out of breath]

I'm coming! I'm coming! I'm almost there, and you are too! Let me. . . I-I can make your journey faster, just hang on--!

[and suddenly your surroundings glitch out in front of your eyes, and you find yourself somewhere new]

(frozen comment) FLOOR 266?511!

[soulping]

[̢T͢h҉͝is̶ ha̵l̕͝l̶͡͡wa̧y̕ ̧s̕͘mé̢l͏̢l͡s̷̀ ļ̀҉ik҉͟e b̢́ur̨͢͢n̴͡t͏̡ ̵̷͟ẁood̸́ ҉͠a̷͘n̡͏͘d̶͜͞ su̢͟l̡f҉u̸r͘͞. T͡h̸́͡é l̛i̴͝g̢͝h̡t͡ş̶̸ ͞a͡bo͏̸͘v̶̵e ̨͞a͞r̸̶e̡̕ ̨̡t̡̀͠i̧n͟͝͠t̵ed͢҉ ̸r̴̨e͢d̴̵͝,͟ ̛́ań̵d̀͘ ̛͠t̸̵ḩe͞y̷̷ ͏̷f̵͞l̶i͠͞c̛͟͝k҉҉̀e͠r̴̡͟ ̧͢͜on͞ ̀a͞n̶d̴ ̨̕͢o̧͘f͘f ̸̕͢i̸n̛ ̵̀r̛e͜ģu̷ļ͟ą̷́r̷̷̀ ͠i͝n͞te͡r̡v̛al̵͝ş]͠
̶͝
҉̸[̧̛͞Od̸͡d̛l̷̀y͢ ҉en͏o̴͜͢u͏̛͏ģ̵͡ḩ͢, ͜i̛͜t҉̨'̸̧͘s̡͏ ҉͠th̷͟e͡ ҉ḿ̕͝o͘͠s̸̛t̵́͠ ͠p͞͝ų͡͡t҉҉ ̶t͠o̡g҉̡͢ȩt̸̨͜h̕͠er̵ ̨̛f́ĺ̴o̢͠or̕ ҉͠y͢͞ǫu'̷̢v҉e ̵̧s͏̡e͢e͠n̢ ̛͟y̡e̸͢t͢.̶̴́ ҉̀͢Ţ͢h̸̨͞e̶̡ ͏w̨͟a̡҉l̛l̢̀s̀͞ ̷̶a̛͠n͏́d f҉͏ļ̛͏o̸̧ó͢͢r̴̡ ͢ar̕e ҉̕i̴͏n̷͡ ͏҉g̷o͠ǫd ̷͘͝c̶̛̕ó̀n͘ḑ̴͝i̶̛t̡̡́i̕o̸͡n̵!̶ ͡B҉͏u̴҉t̵ ͠t̛h̡è ą͞r̨͞e͝a̕ ͜i͏́s ̛s̀t̸r̶̨aǹg̡̕èĺ͏y̴ ̶̸≮Ì͝>ho҉̸̧t͏̴.͏́<͘/I>̡ Ń̶͢o̕͞t̵͝ ̷͡͞ų͜nb́e͞a͏̨r̶͜à̵́b́̀l̢y͢ so͞,̢ ͡b̶͜͠u͏t̸̀ ͘͟͝i̷̕t̴'҉̛s̢ ̵̨̛en͠͞o҉̧u̢g͝h̷ ̵̶͝h̵̛ea͝t̀͏͜ ̸t͡ò̷͠ ̢̀m̢ą̀ke̸ ̛on͞e͏ ́҉̡w͠a̡n҉̸t̢̛ ̴͡t̢͡o̶͟͞ ͠u͜ǹd̷̀͘o҉͞͡ t͢h͜͠e̡i҉̢̛r̛ ͠co͏҉͜l̵͘la͟r̢ ̀̀͝f̕o͢͠r a ͞l̕͝i͟t͟t̷̛͜l̡͝ę̴҉ ͟b̵͡i҉̶t͏̡ ͢ǫf̀͜͞ ̴a҉̴í̕͞r]̵̕͏
͞
̶͝[̵Ţ̕͝h̸͠e̛͜ ̡͘͡w̸aĺl҉̴͟s̴ ò̢͢f ̨̕͝ţ͜h̴͡i̷s̵̵ ̡̢̛h̶̛͏a͘͜͝l̡͘͜l̢̀͟wá͢y͢ ̕̕͢a̵̷re͜ ̸̧l҉̛͢in̵͢͠ę̵d ̴͢͜w͟it̢́͡h͢͟͝ ͝k͘̕i̸t̡c̕h͢e͢n҉ c͜a̵̴b̕͘͝i̶͟n̢̛͡e҉̶t͟s̨̨,̀ w̢h̶̡ic̸̸̴h̛̛͡ ͝s̷̢͞e̶e͡m̢͝ ̸͢v̧er̴̵̡y͢ ̢̛st̨ŕ̡a͘҉̨ņg̷̷è͝l̢͜͜y̧ ́o̴̶u͜͝͡t ҉́o͟͟f̧͠҉ ͏p̛͟ĺa̛͢cè͟ ̵̕i͟n͜ à̵͢ ̶h̵o̴tę͞l͏̵̡, o̶҉f ̨̛͟a̶͟l̷͝ĺ̴ ̡p̸l̨ac̨̢͏e҉̨͘s͘͢͝.͡ ̡L̶yìng͢ ̸͞on҉͜ ̨͜͝t̶҉h͏e͟ ̧̛f̸̕͟l̶̵oo͡r͠͏ ̴͏̧a͜t ̵̛͏yơ̛u̵r̴̢ ̵͞f҉́e̛e̡t ̡͝͞ar͠e̶ va̡̕͢ri͠ó̷ú͡s̶̡̕ ͢k̢͢i̶̡tc͞he̢͠ņ͞ ̛҉̢u̴te̷n̶̛s͞i͠l͏ś̵̡: ͟s͞͏pa̷t͡͠u̧l̢a͢s,̸͏ ̧mi͘x̴̀͞i͠҉n̸͠g̢ s̵͘҉p͠ǫǫ͟͠ns͞,̶ ̷̶͝t́͘ǫ͢͞n̸̡gs,҉ ͢b͞͏a͠ķ͜ing͏̕͜ ̵͜pan̷s̢҉̷,̶͞ ̵́҉c̷̶a̴͘ś̢se̶̶̵r̴͝͡o̕͝l͏e d͠͝įsh҉̸͜e҉s͢. ̧͡.͘ ̨͡.̵ ̢t͠h́͞er̕e̕ ͏͟a͠r̸e ͢n͞҉͝o҉͞ ̸̨ḱ̨̀n̸͝į̷v͞e͢s͘ ͏ó̢͢r͜͝ ͞f̷o͘r̨ks͟͡͞,̶̕ ͝t̛͝͠h͡͏o҉u͟͝g̛̕͠h́!͠ ͡W̨̨h̸͘i̵c͘͢h̀ ̴҉͜m͞ą̶̡ỳ̸͞ b̷͜͢ȩ̶͢ ̡s̨̢o̸̕m̕̕e̡̕͝w͏͜h͝a͠t ͢c̸͟ơḿ̷͝f̴҉͟o̴͢r͟͠t̢i̛n͞g̨̛͝ ̷̧t͝o̶ ̵̧͟k҉͘͞n͜͝o͢w.͏́]̵͠

̕[̸̶T̴͘h̛e̴̢ d̨̡ìs͢͟t͟͏ǫ͟r҉̢t͢͟į̶ǫ̕n̕s̨ ̷̕i͏̷̷n ̨t̴̕h̷͢͞is̶ ̵̨̕r͏oo͡m ̷̶ą҉͞ŕ̢e͜ ̢ẁ̡o̢͢ŕ̵̢s̷̴̕e̢͟͡ ҉t̸́͏han͞ ͠t̶͠h͟éy ̵̸ẃe͘͡r̡̢͠e͘͟ ͜b̶é̛͢f̵o͜r͜ȩ͝. ̢̨Y͟͝o͢ú̷͘r ͘͟s̶͏u̕͢r͏̡rơ̴u҉͡ņd̨i͢ng̵̀s̶͞҉ ̷͟ş͢wi̡͟͡m̶ ͜͝͡a̷̛n҉̀d̶̨̕ ̀҉͞b̡̛en̴̛̛d̢͞ ͜a̡͡r̷̴ou̷n̴d͡ ͞͡y̴̢o̵̴̢u͏̸͠,̷ ̨wh͠i̶ć̶͘h̸̢ ͟͠m̵͢ay ̛̕͟g̀í̶̛ve͡ ͟y̡̡o̕u̢̕̕ ̵̶͟a͡͏n͡͏̸ ͏͟ơd̷̕d̶͢ ͡fé́e̶͘l͘͡i͏̧n̢g͢ ͡o̶f̵̧ ̀s҉e͘a̕s͝ic̀͏̡k̡̧ne̛͝s̷̷s̴͜ ̢i̴͘͟f̶̶͜ ̴̡ýo̴͘ư̵ ̶̷͞s͢t̵͢ąre̷̶ ̴̡a͠t̸̀͏ ̧̡t̵͝͝h̷͡e̢̡m̶̛ ̶̀t̢o̶̧o̴̷ ̕͢͝l҉̴on͝g̨.̴̛ T̸h̴̨e̵̡͞ŗ̀̕e͞ ͢ìs̶҉ ̷̛̕n̛͝҉o̸w̷̡h͠e͡rę҉ ̵͜t̸̨͘ớ ̧͟g̴o͘͏̡ ҉̵b̕͝u̶t͝ ͘͟fơ͟r͠͠-͡-̨͡]

--

[forward]

[forward]

[Haunt's voice echoes in your mind again]

No. . . no, it's not enough. Let me. . . j-jump you ahead, one more floor!

[as before, everything glitches out around you, and you find yourselves somewhere new]

FLOOR ᴃᔌজ᜗⇣༛

[soulping]

[You've made it to the hotel lobby! It's a wide, circular area with tiled flooring. Another chandelier hangs above your head, large and elegant. It casts dim, green lighting over the area.]

[Large portraits of various supernatural creatures hang on the walls in this room: a beautiful mermaid laid out on a warm, sunny rock; a bright unicorn rearing back on its hind legs while a rainbow shines in the background; a graveyard filled with pale ghosts. On your left is the check in desk, seemingly normal except for the skeleton (dressed in a hotel staff uniform) that is lying on top of the counter limply. To your right is the concierge desk, the counter also "decorated" with a skeleton dressed in a crisp suit with a nametag that says "concierge." And in front of you. . .]

[Is the exit. A set of double doors shrouded in bright, white light. The doors twist and swirl in a circle, like a cyclone, right before your very eyes. The way out seems clear]

[You hear voices whispering in your ear. A deep, angry voice hissing the word fools, to which a female voice-- Maya-- counters: I'll stop you!]

[You're almost home free]

Re: FLOOR ᴃᔌজ᜗⇣༛

[justichthys]

That's ... That's Star-san!

Everybody, let's keep going!

Re: FLOOR ᴃᔌজ᜗⇣༛

[withmyownfists]

[ already heading toward the exit, tbh ]

We're almost there. Just hold on, Star! Just a few more minutes.

[ and then we can help her ]

Re: FLOOR ᴃᔌজ᜗⇣༛

[secare]

How is this still going. . .?

( rubbing his face. he feels sick and tired. )

Re: FLOOR ᴃᔌজ᜗⇣༛

[featherduster]

[ He's still running, probably also still dragging Gale ]

Maya! [ Can she even hear him?? Who knows, but he's trying anyway ] Show him who the real boss is!

/2

[skypsalms]

[ When the finally make it to the lobby there will be one Rat who is not looking so good.

Gale'll just collapse onto the ground for a moment. (If Vash still has a hold on her then she's just gone limp.) The previous floors that they moved through are really going to be weighing on her. There's so much unresolved stuff that happened above them that she wants to go back to deal with but... She remembers Haunt's voice. ]