[The mat releases them, and the spinner above slowly comes to a stop; the speaker is still activated, though, and upon completion they'll hear the same voice as before continue to speak.]
C̴̡̫̗̪̜̬̳͎̰̺͖̜͓̯͈̙̭͈ͥ́ͫͦ̐̃͟͝-̵̸̵ͪ̂͗ͭͧ͏̭͚͎̤͔͇̱-̵̘͉̗̙̜̰̻̪̪͖͊͑͛̊̾̀͜͢͝͡-̸̑́́̓̍̈́̂̌ͨ̃ͭ̓̾͑͛̈́ͨ͘҉̸̢̗̬̼̣͔̲̭͖̱͙̩ͅ-̓̀̅͑̍ͯ̃͆͘͏҉̡̣̠͚̰̥͔̲̬͇̱-̵͎̩̺̪̻̋̊ͥͫ͑̔̽ͩ̑͌͊̈͘-̸̧̝̩̲̘̼̯̯̃ͪ̊ͨ̃̒͐̎̀ͦ̈̐̌̓-̷̭̠̠̣͈̣̮̥̇͆͆̓̓͢͠ͅ-̵̶̛̣̖͍̼̰͈̻͙̣͎̠̭̙̙̜̖̈̅̾̌̋̍͘͠ ̛͑̊̋ͤ̃̌̿ͣ̈́̈́̿҉̵̯̬̰͓̦̯̙͇͇̟̤͖͚͚̲̦̜̮͠͡s̶̛̈͑̉ͨ͐̆̅ͥ͒́̃͊̎̆̆̕͏̮̖̤͚͎̱̠̩̠mͭ̊̉̇̉̇̿͌́̂̇ͧ҉̛͍͓̠͚̬̥̫̣͕̲̩̠ïͤ̇̆ͮ̏̽ͫ̉̃ͧ͒͌ͫ̌ͯͮͫ̓͢͏̦̯̥͖̪͕͕́̕͘l̵̢̹̳͉̭̝͕̠̜̹̠̫̐̋̋͗ͧͦ͋̐ͧ̓̈́̒̌͆ͧ͐͆e͂̿̆̆̑͊ͨ̉ͧͥ͗̐̊̅̐͋̾̽͏̛̭͚͖̲̣͙̹̝͖̖̖̹̱͝d̵̸̡͎̘̞̪̤͎͓̱̦͙̩͉̹̟̻̾͒̋͝ ̶̢̪͍̻̘͖̭̠́ͥ́̄ͧ̽̃ͤ̀̋́̚͞͝ͅǎ̷̶̡̛͉̯̲͍̩̘̞̳̯̗͉̝̥̟̱ͭͧ͊̽̆̽̎ͧ̿̅̊̏̒͂̑̅ţ̶̲̫̥̬̱̞͚̖͎ͯ̽̈́ͥ̐̏͆̾ͫ̒͑́ͤ̑̿̀͝ ̢ͮ̂̌̃ͨͪͧ͌̾͑ͦͣͣͣ́͠͏̴̘̗̦̬̹̰̤̻̲̝̜̱̻̲̯͔̺̪̟ư̵͖̝̙̞̱̮̗͍͓͙̙͇͐ͫ̈̂̊̃ͦ̂ͫ͂ͣ̆̏ͯͯ́͟s̸̪̙̞͉̺̘̰̳̫͈͚͔͚̖͖̳͛ͪ̃̈́ͩ̄͂͗͟͠ ̢͇͎͓͚̗̠̻͉̳̮̝͖̟̠̩͍ͤ̀̔̃͑̇͒ͯ̊ͪ̍ͩͮ͌̃̏̕͟͠a̷̧̺͈̻̲̭͛̂͑̃͟͞s he left the G͉̤̅̓̊ͯͮ͑ͦ-͓̫̔̋̓̔̑͟-̗̟̠̖͇̺̭̲̀̅ͬ͛͒͑ͅ. H͖̦̖̠͌̓-̦̘͙͉̹̞̠̉-̓̇ͥ̑̅͗̚҉̮̺̦̲̬̰̩-̢̲͎̘͑͛ͦ̐͠-͈̘̮̲ͨͪ͗̋̽͑̀̓ͨ̀͟͞-̠͈̯̳̯͆́̽ͪ͗́͜͞-̮̻̭̘̖̫̦̿͋̈ watched him until he was completely out of sight, before turning to me with the most vitriolic look I had ever seen on his face. His knuckles had turned white from the intensity with which he held onto his lance.
"You're insane, you know that? What would you had done if he was a demon, and noͣ̆̒ͮ̔̆̎̾҉̘̺͍̗̲̲͉̯t͎̩̙͛ͫ͌͐̿̅͢ ̸̵̰͖͓͓͎̄͑-̲̙͇͕͖̘̏ͬ͐͒̉̾ͤ̎́̀͘-̨̥̪̬ͭͣͩͬ̈̿̾ͅ-̶̧̙͉̮̭̖͈̗̥͇̃-̶͙̖̥̬̭̘̥̝̥ͬ̓ͧ̓ͯ̈́ͭ͑͘͜-͚̻̗̈ͯͦ-̘͓̙̣͉͙͈̺̄͗͒͑̓͐̀̊̿̕ͅ-̨̣̼͍̟̼̟̜̫̏̂͗̌̎ͮͩ͗̃̕-̶̦̤̆͐̎̅-̵͕̗̘ͫ̓̏̒ͧ͂͡-̧̖̰͚̅̽̀̀͠-̶̸̸̖ͦ͗"̵̱̰̼ͬͦ́ͣ̔͑̆̚
I waved him off, scrolling through the application until I found C̰͈̐̈́͊ͪ̚-̤͚̰̝̱̟ͯ-̶̸̺͕̰̩̋̃̃͒̓̊ͬ͑͠-̛̞ͮ̄͘-̛̞͙̠̖̼͚̰̈̄ͫ̃ͯ̒ͯ̕͘-̅̓͂ͦ҉̛̻̭̳̫̘͙͠-̞̮̯̮̯̪̙̙̄̎ͭͣ͐̍͟͞-̝͍͓̘̽͟-̙̳̠̤̬͕̣ͨ́ͨͮ'̢̘͓̬͓͖̣ͫ͒̋ͣ͌͛̿ͅs͔̗̥̟̮̳ͤ̏ͩ ̈̊ͥ̌̈́̾̓͑͏̶̘̞͇͓̱̳̱̪p̶̨̦̹̜̳͐ͥ́̂ͅr̘͈̉̊̍̚͢o̴͖͍̳̗͆͐ͥͥ͝file. "You worry too much," I told him. "It turned out fine-- and we got some valuable info from him. Now we know that the demons and the -̶͙̖̥̬̭̘̥̝̥ͬ̓ͧ̓ͯ̈́ͭ͑͘͜-͚̻̗̈ͯͦ-̘͓̙̣͉͙͈̺̄͗͒͑̓͐̀̊̿̕ͅ-̨̣̼͍̟̼̟̜̫̏̂͗̌̎ͮͩ͗̃̕-̶̦̤̆͐̎̅-̵͕̗̘ͫ̓̏̒ͧ͂͡-̧̖̰͚̅̽̀̀͠-̶̸̸̖ͦ͗... They're both like the hydra. Cut one head off, and another will take its place."
"So you believe him, then?"
"Kind of. I plan to ask A̝͙͓ͩ̃͜-̵̵̢͕̖̟̥̦͈͕̒͂̃ͭ̔̅̏̉-̓ͧ͊̅͑̃ͪ͏̪̭̤̰̹̜̠̬-̵ͩ̂҉̺̠͚̘̳̺̬̘͍-͇̻͗̍͌ͣ-̡̈̆̄̿̅͏̯͓̬ͅ-̢̑ͤ͏̲̱̭̰̞̩-̫̥̩̣͚̬͙̘̦ͥ̋ͥͨ͡ to confirm."
"... Right. Of course. You can still talk to A-̶͇͕̺̦̪̐̅̂͛ͬ͐̒͂̊-̴͍̞̫̘͎̼̱ͦͮͦͮ̅̽͑͡-̢̤̼͙̗̭̪̮̰̂̔͗̏̀̀-̛̟̟͎̪͈̹̯͔̗͌͑ͬ̊-̣̰̼ͣ̅͝-͇̗̜̲̦ͩͨ̔̂̆ͫ͋̍͑-̪̳̰͔͙̩͛ͤͯ̅-͍͂̍-̫̻͓̤̦̜̅ͮ͌͜͢͟-̢̱̤̬̩͓͚̋̒̆̆̂̑̊̈͗-̜̟̣̩̠͈̊͒."
I pretended not to see the hurt in his eyes.
[Once the speaker goes silent again, they'll hear a loud click from the entrance as the door unlocks. It looks like the arcade has decided to let them go.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
fullthottle) wrote2019-10-22 09:40 pm
no subject
[The mat releases them, and the spinner above slowly comes to a stop; the speaker is still activated, though, and upon completion they'll hear the same voice as before continue to speak.]
C̴̡̫̗̪̜̬̳͎̰̺͖̜͓̯͈̙̭͈ͥ́ͫͦ̐̃͟͝-̵̸̵ͪ̂͗ͭͧ͏̭͚͎̤͔͇̱-̵̘͉̗̙̜̰̻̪̪͖͊͑͛̊̾̀͜͢͝͡-̸̑́́̓̍̈́̂̌ͨ̃ͭ̓̾͑͛̈́ͨ͘҉̸̢̗̬̼̣͔̲̭͖̱͙̩ͅ-̓̀̅͑̍ͯ̃͆͘͏҉̡̣̠͚̰̥͔̲̬͇̱-̵͎̩̺̪̻̋̊ͥͫ͑̔̽ͩ̑͌͊̈͘-̸̧̝̩̲̘̼̯̯̃ͪ̊ͨ̃̒͐̎̀ͦ̈̐̌̓-̷̭̠̠̣͈̣̮̥̇͆͆̓̓͢͠ͅ-̵̶̛̣̖͍̼̰͈̻͙̣͎̠̭̙̙̜̖̈̅̾̌̋̍͘͠ ̛͑̊̋ͤ̃̌̿ͣ̈́̈́̿҉̵̯̬̰͓̦̯̙͇͇̟̤͖͚͚̲̦̜̮͠͡s̶̛̈͑̉ͨ͐̆̅ͥ͒́̃͊̎̆̆̕͏̮̖̤͚͎̱̠̩̠mͭ̊̉̇̉̇̿͌́̂̇ͧ҉̛͍͓̠͚̬̥̫̣͕̲̩̠ïͤ̇̆ͮ̏̽ͫ̉̃ͧ͒͌ͫ̌ͯͮͫ̓͢͏̦̯̥͖̪͕͕́̕͘l̵̢̹̳͉̭̝͕̠̜̹̠̫̐̋̋͗ͧͦ͋̐ͧ̓̈́̒̌͆ͧ͐͆e͂̿̆̆̑͊ͨ̉ͧͥ͗̐̊̅̐͋̾̽͏̛̭͚͖̲̣͙̹̝͖̖̖̹̱͝d̵̸̡͎̘̞̪̤͎͓̱̦͙̩͉̹̟̻̾͒̋͝ ̶̢̪͍̻̘͖̭̠́ͥ́̄ͧ̽̃ͤ̀̋́̚͞͝ͅǎ̷̶̡̛͉̯̲͍̩̘̞̳̯̗͉̝̥̟̱ͭͧ͊̽̆̽̎ͧ̿̅̊̏̒͂̑̅ţ̶̲̫̥̬̱̞͚̖͎ͯ̽̈́ͥ̐̏͆̾ͫ̒͑́ͤ̑̿̀͝ ̢ͮ̂̌̃ͨͪͧ͌̾͑ͦͣͣͣ́͠͏̴̘̗̦̬̹̰̤̻̲̝̜̱̻̲̯͔̺̪̟ư̵͖̝̙̞̱̮̗͍͓͙̙͇͐ͫ̈̂̊̃ͦ̂ͫ͂ͣ̆̏ͯͯ́͟s̸̪̙̞͉̺̘̰̳̫͈͚͔͚̖͖̳͛ͪ̃̈́ͩ̄͂͗͟͠ ̢͇͎͓͚̗̠̻͉̳̮̝͖̟̠̩͍ͤ̀̔̃͑̇͒ͯ̊ͪ̍ͩͮ͌̃̏̕͟͠a̷̧̺͈̻̲̭͛̂͑̃͟͞s he left the G͉̤̅̓̊ͯͮ͑ͦ-͓̫̔̋̓̔̑͟-̗̟̠̖͇̺̭̲̀̅ͬ͛͒͑ͅ. H͖̦̖̠͌̓-̦̘͙͉̹̞̠̉-̓̇ͥ̑̅͗̚҉̮̺̦̲̬̰̩-̢̲͎̘͑͛ͦ̐͠-͈̘̮̲ͨͪ͗̋̽͑̀̓ͨ̀͟͞-̠͈̯̳̯͆́̽ͪ͗́͜͞-̮̻̭̘̖̫̦̿͋̈ watched him until he was completely out of sight, before turning to me with the most vitriolic look I had ever seen on his face. His knuckles had turned white from the intensity with which he held onto his lance.
"You're insane, you know that? What would you had done if he was a demon, and noͣ̆̒ͮ̔̆̎̾҉̘̺͍̗̲̲͉̯t͎̩̙͛ͫ͌͐̿̅͢ ̸̵̰͖͓͓͎̄͑-̲̙͇͕͖̘̏ͬ͐͒̉̾ͤ̎́̀͘-̨̥̪̬ͭͣͩͬ̈̿̾ͅ-̶̧̙͉̮̭̖͈̗̥͇̃-̶͙̖̥̬̭̘̥̝̥ͬ̓ͧ̓ͯ̈́ͭ͑͘͜-͚̻̗̈ͯͦ-̘͓̙̣͉͙͈̺̄͗͒͑̓͐̀̊̿̕ͅ-̨̣̼͍̟̼̟̜̫̏̂͗̌̎ͮͩ͗̃̕-̶̦̤̆͐̎̅-̵͕̗̘ͫ̓̏̒ͧ͂͡-̧̖̰͚̅̽̀̀͠-̶̸̸̖ͦ͗"̵̱̰̼ͬͦ́ͣ̔͑̆̚
I waved him off, scrolling through the application until I found C̰͈̐̈́͊ͪ̚-̤͚̰̝̱̟ͯ-̶̸̺͕̰̩̋̃̃͒̓̊ͬ͑͠-̛̞ͮ̄͘-̛̞͙̠̖̼͚̰̈̄ͫ̃ͯ̒ͯ̕͘-̅̓͂ͦ҉̛̻̭̳̫̘͙͠-̞̮̯̮̯̪̙̙̄̎ͭͣ͐̍͟͞-̝͍͓̘̽͟-̙̳̠̤̬͕̣ͨ́ͨͮ'̢̘͓̬͓͖̣ͫ͒̋ͣ͌͛̿ͅs͔̗̥̟̮̳ͤ̏ͩ ̈̊ͥ̌̈́̾̓͑͏̶̘̞͇͓̱̳̱̪p̶̨̦̹̜̳͐ͥ́̂ͅr̘͈̉̊̍̚͢o̴͖͍̳̗͆͐ͥͥ͝file. "You worry too much," I told him. "It turned out fine-- and we got some valuable info from him. Now we know that the demons and the -̶͙̖̥̬̭̘̥̝̥ͬ̓ͧ̓ͯ̈́ͭ͑͘͜-͚̻̗̈ͯͦ-̘͓̙̣͉͙͈̺̄͗͒͑̓͐̀̊̿̕ͅ-̨̣̼͍̟̼̟̜̫̏̂͗̌̎ͮͩ͗̃̕-̶̦̤̆͐̎̅-̵͕̗̘ͫ̓̏̒ͧ͂͡-̧̖̰͚̅̽̀̀͠-̶̸̸̖ͦ͗... They're both like the hydra. Cut one head off, and another will take its place."
"So you believe him, then?"
"Kind of. I plan to ask A̝͙͓ͩ̃͜-̵̵̢͕̖̟̥̦͈͕̒͂̃ͭ̔̅̏̉-̓ͧ͊̅͑̃ͪ͏̪̭̤̰̹̜̠̬-̵ͩ̂҉̺̠͚̘̳̺̬̘͍-͇̻͗̍͌ͣ-̡̈̆̄̿̅͏̯͓̬ͅ-̢̑ͤ͏̲̱̭̰̞̩-̫̥̩̣͚̬͙̘̦ͥ̋ͥͨ͡ to confirm."
"... Right. Of course. You can still talk to A-̶͇͕̺̦̪̐̅̂͛ͬ͐̒͂̊-̴͍̞̫̘͎̼̱ͦͮͦͮ̅̽͑͡-̢̤̼͙̗̭̪̮̰̂̔͗̏̀̀-̛̟̟͎̪͈̹̯͔̗͌͑ͬ̊-̣̰̼ͣ̅͝-͇̗̜̲̦ͩͨ̔̂̆ͫ͋̍͑-̪̳̰͔͙̩͛ͤͯ̅-͍͂̍-̫̻͓̤̦̜̅ͮ͌͜͢͟-̢̱̤̬̩͓͚̋̒̆̆̂̑̊̈͗-̜̟̣̩̠͈̊͒."
I pretended not to see the hurt in his eyes.
[Once the speaker goes silent again, they'll hear a loud click from the entrance as the door unlocks. It looks like the arcade has decided to let them go.]