Theatre Room
This room appears to be a massive theatre. Countless seats litter the room, more than the silly little cast could ever fill. You seem to have come in through the lower entrance, right next to the stage...there looks to be an entrance to the upper floor somewhere, but it's inaccessible for now.
The Lost: They watched as those surviving protas entered the theatre, flapping in the air lightly. The annoyed, nervous looks on their faces...oh, what a treat.
True Destroyer: Even The Destroyer was there- one of the first ones to show up, actually- with a disgruntled expression as they glared at Paradi.
The Lost: "...Annoyed still, Destroyer? ...Actually, should you even have that title anymore? Don't you have a more...common name, for your now common status?"
True Destroyer: ...Not a word in reply. Just a clenched fist as the others came in, the room soon filled with the whisperings of the thin crowd.
Stranger: Stranger was sticking near Mixzo and Ivan, keeping a wary eye on the host's every movement. They did not fear The Destroyer like they do Paradi, not like they do now. Something about their smug look, their confidence, their willingness to assist in so many murders thus far...a shiver went down his spine as they spoke.
The Lost: "Hahh...well, that should be everyone, hmm? How is everyone doing? Get a good three days of quiet, perhaps?"
...Silence. Nobody responds.
"...You all are no fun. Bickering with the prawn, but not me? Oh, I could almost drown in this pleasurable hate..."
Poof. Like so many times before, the cards appeared.
"Oh well. Take your cards, now."
They flew into the crowd, each one getting a new card...save The Destroyer.
Stranger: The card flies into his hands, and with a sigh, he reads what the card has to say...
...
...?
There's...nothing on the card.
MX-Z0: "...Hm. Nothing."
Don: "Ahah...you also got nothing? I, too, got nothing."
Stranger: "...Paradi, this supposed to happen? Where the hell are the cards?" He says as the card fades away before his eyes.
The Lost: "...Huhu. Oh, Stranger...I'm keeping your cards a secret from now on. There's so little cards left, and you know so much about them, yes? I decided to...change it up a little. Cause some more chaos to occur, is all."
MX-Z0: She attempts to say something, and then...
"Ghhh-k- Haah-"
She clenches her chest, sputtering and stumbling backwards. "S...Something...hurts..ksszz..."
Don: "A-Ah! Mixzo!" He gasps, coming over to her side and gently supporting her as she twitches from pain. "Did you, ahahah...get the agony card? The Fallen, was it?"
Stranger: His eyes widen as he comes to her side as well, his breath quickening in alarm-- but regardless of the pain his friend is in, Paradi just keeps talking.
The Lost: "Now, I know what you all are truly looking forward to...the wonderful motive. We all love motives, do we not~? So, let's see what those vents of yours have in store..."
Ivan: Chirping with concern as he watches Mixzo continue to struggle, he snaps his head at Paradi. "The vents!? What the hell does that-"
Pssssht.
A faint sound, like some sort of gas leak. A faint, almost grass-like scent fills the room...he coughs.
Arsenic: "Aggk- Cough-"
Near the back, lurking as always, she sputters and hisses. "This poison or some shit!? Are you just gonna poison us, huh? Let us slowly die!?"
The Lost: A chuckle.
"Why no, no~! It is simply a hallucinogen, spread thinly throughout the facility...it might agitate your throat for a while and thin the air, but its main purpose is to make you see all sorts of fake things. A strange sound, perhaps some strange cells, something rotting, a face returned to ashes, some wounds, perhaps...even a sentient canvas. Or your worst fears, it could be anything."
They give another glance to The Destroyer, trilling a little.
"And unlike a certain other host, this one is out of my control fully. No targeting, just pure, unadulterated chaos....even I am not immune to the effects!"
MX-Z0: "I..I...ah...I can't breathe, Paradi."
Despite the agony wracking her, she still manages to sputter out an almost smug remark.
The Lost: "...Oh yeah. Oh well, goodbye~!"
And thus, with a little bit of a sparkle, they're gone...leaving those remaining to deal with the strange smell piercing the air.
Clober: "Blgh...blegh!" She growls. "So this dumb stuff is everywhere now, and makes us see things? That's just...stupid!"
Rue: "It's not real. No matter what we see, it cannot hurt us. I don't know how effective something like this will be-"
He turns to face Dax nearby...who is staring at their hands, bewildered.
Dax: "Hm...I have more fingers now, dears. Interesting!"
Rue: ....And he facepalms. "Or maybe it will."
Stranger: "...Ah....well, here's an idea. If these hallucinations get real bad or whatever, we can snap at each other to make sure we're real. Like..."
He takes a hand off of Mixzo as she appears to, just slightly, have less of the pain on her shoulder. Snap, snap.
"...That. Anyone who doesn't snap ain't real, easy."
Ivan: "Huh! Works for me." He nods.
Hitori: "Y-Yeah! Works for me too! If we work together, we can...."
...They see something.
"...Can...uh...figure it out."
Stranger: "...Eh? You seeing things too, kid?"
Hitori: ....They snap their fingers at something.
"G...Gah...aah!"
As if they'd seen a ghost, they turn tail and speed out of the room with a widened, shaky eye.
Clober: "Wh-- Hitori!"
Lashing their tail, they run after the guy.
True Destroyer: ...With a curious prota also chasing along.
Don: "Oh, ah...hah? What was that?"
Stranger: "...No idea. But, we probably should get out of here for now. Things might be a little erratic for a good while...Mix? You feelin' okay?"
MX-Z0: "...Worried...but not in as much pain." She replies, standing up straight again. "I will do my best to help others determine hallucinations from reality, but...I fear the weakness this card has given me."
Don: "Oooh, Mix! I don't think anyone want to hurt you, hahah....you're wonderful!"
MX-Z0: "...I see. Shall we be going, then?"
Stranger: "Where to? Our dorms, or...?"
MX-Z0: "...We only got to 43 chess games, Stranger." She giggles.
Stranger: "...Right. Off we go, then."
The group departs, a murmur of conversation between them.
Dax: "...Oh. There goes my newfound fingers...unfortunate."
Dax eyes Rue, staring at them like a disappointed mother. They purr.
Rue: "Are you done hallucinating? We have things we need to talk about, which I hope the gas won't get in the way of."
Dax: "I see...back to The Normal Gang base, then~."
They're already skittering off, Rue following behind at a leisurely pace.
Arsenic: She's quiet. Really quiet, watching everyone leave one by one. A strange sort of focus, with a gaze like fire as she watches...
...Until a fluffy talon pats her on the shoulder.
Ivan: "You alright? Lookin' real miffed there." He smiles.
Arsenic: "...Chf. I'm always annoyed. Don't mind it too much." She replies...
...Before bumping him in the shoulder.
"Besides, your annoying ass doesn't help. Go scramble someone else up."
Ivan: He bumps her back, laughing.
"Hey, don't say I scramble people! You're the one that burnt your own dorm down, and that tail of yours can break walls!"
Arsenic: "Yeah, yeah, fuck off," She says, teasing. "Go fiddle around in your dorm or whatever, I don't want to know what goes on in there."
Ivan: "Whatever you say! See ya, Arsenic."
With a skip and a hop, he's out of there.
Arsenic: ....And it doesn't take long for that smile she wore to fade again.
A wish. A thought.
So faint, so distant.
...But there nonetheless.