BETA ROUND END

[worldkeys]

Who: The Alices of the Beta Round remaining (Sasuke, Harley, Hinata, Ken, Lalli, and Liao)
What: Everyone has a choice to make. Specifically, it begins as Sasuke's choice.
Where: The World's Hub, the room the Rabbit normally stands.
Warnings: Definite violence. Somebody got... something.

A smile reaches the White Rabbit's face as he hands the sharp key to Sasuke.

"... I'm certain you recall the choice you made," he says slowly. "But it's up to you to decide if you really want to uphold that. Who is 'most evil' in this World? You've seen so very many Hearts, after all--I'm sure you could reach a decision. ... The Cat and I, of course... well, we hardly count. We've never been human, after all."

And he'll remain in that same spot he's always been in, of course.

"While you all decide, your rooms will wait for you. Or you could all stay here and fight about it. Either way, sweet dreams, Alices."

Comments

In the next room...

[patchworkcat]

[ Waiting in the room he's usually in, standing in front of the signs on the way to their rooms, is the Cat. And he seems positively delighted to have reached this point in everything. ]

Well, well. Here we are! And end in sight, but I wonder what you'll do, Alice and... Alices.

[ He's going to answer questions, although whether you'll get a straight answer or not... Well. It's the Cat. ]

[miseris_socios]

What's this about 'most evil', Cat?

[He's... managed to pull himself together. At least a bit. He's not dripping anymore, and his eyes are... mostly back to normal. There's still flecks of gold in them, but at least he's mostly of sane mind again. At least as much as he usually is.]

[patchworkcat]

Exactly as it's laid out. You've seen everyone here, seen their deepest, darkest secrets and touched the very depths of their hearts. So, then, who, in your opinion, is the most evil? After all, someone who's evil wouldn't be missed, right? Mweehee!

[ That cat raises a claw matter-of-factly as he speaks, never once taking his eyes off of Ken. ]

[hopedout]

There's no way we're going to sacrifice someone! We didn't go through all that just to keep someone here!

[ He mad? He mad. ]

[patchworkcat]

Then I guess you'll all turn to foam! No skin off my back.

[ S H R U G ]

[not_that_sasuke]

[Sasuke accepts the key without a word, looking totally unsurprised at this revelation. Once in hand, his grip immediately shifts to hold for what it is - a knife, meant for stabbing, rather than something as innocent as a key.

Though he looks calm, his body is tense. It would not be wise to try getting close to him right now, not when he's ready to move the instant anyone comes into range.]

...

...You say that the person who should be sacrificed is "the most evil" one. But...

Shouldn't it be "the one who doesn't want to go back?"

[Seems like the fairest option to him.]

[apatheticguide]

[ ... Heh. That amuses him, greatly. ]

That's not necessarily true, though, is it, Alice? The one who ends up becoming the "door"... the one who makes the "pathway"... they may still want to leave, sometimes. It isn't always like that.

But, in your case... if you want to spin it that way, sure.

[not_that_sasuke]

Will it really matter that long?

[Or really... Would he exist long enough as himself to care?]

[miseris_socios]

Just because you don't want to, doesn't mean you shouldn't.

Sasuke. Don't do this.

[Sacrificing people... it's just like before, isn't it? Except this time he actually might get a chance to say goodbye properly.]

[not_that_sasuke]

Someone has to.

[It makes the most sense for it to be him.]

[miseris_socios]

Why does it matter that you've never been human?

[If they have to choose... if they have to be this horrific... he at least wants to know part of why.]

[apatheticguide]

[ An easy answer. ]

Only humans can connect to their worlds permanently, where they belong. That requires something vital both he and I do not have. If you stabbed us, we might bleed, but no pathway would open up. We wouldn't die.

... Remember what I told you in the beginning? This is a very long dream you're having, isn't it? So someone must be dreaming, somewhere. And it is a dream that's bothered you all quite a bit. Don't you want to wake up?

[miseris_socios]

[... A dream that's bothered them a lot...]

[... Of course. Because everything's been just... them. They've been hurting themselves. Each other.]

[He has people he still has to protect. But the idea of slipping away from it all... of just not waking up...]

Even if... we do this... will other people come here?

KNIFE FIGHT! Paging Sasuke and everyone else!

[soloactor]

[...Okay, so it's not an actual knife fight. But it's a debate over a knife. That's good enough.]

[Lalli seemed stunned after everyone returned to the Hub, after the events of his Heart. He was having difficulty coping with the fact that the other Alices seemed to still be alive. Every other Alice had either died in his own Heart with him powerless to help them, or they had gotten infected and forced Lalli to kill them himself. ...That, on top of the other trauma that had been heaped upon him, has left Lalli even worse for wear than usual.]

[He hasn't been talking much since the group returned to the Hub, but that's nothing new. He ignores the Rabbit and Cat, which is also not new. Instead, he goes immediately to Sasuke after the boy is finished speaking with their 'hosts', and holds out his hand expectantly.]

[If Lalli was being perfectly honest... he no longer saw any point in going home. His eventual fate would be the same, anyway.]

[not_that_sasuke]

[He immediately takes a step back when Lalli approaches, his expression wary. Everyone here has their own skill sets, but Lalli in particular is quick.

Of all the people here... he'd really prefer not to tangle with this guy.

As for the key? He holds it close. Close to his gut in particular, the tip brushing against his shirt where it would surely slide into flesh without any bones to get in the way.]

[patchworkcat]

[ The Cat has noticed. He's been watching Lalli with a keen interest ever since they exited the World. But finally, he'll speak up. ]

Hey. Alice with the Heart full of undead terrors. I wanna talk with you.

Alone.

Locked to Lalli and Cat

[patchworkcat]

[ When Lalli and Cat are out of earshot, he'll smirk. ]

So hey. Remember how we said there was no other way to leave? Oh, there is. It's just you guys didn't qualify until the moment you became empty and confirmed yourself so. So hey! You get to get everyone out of here! Wanna know how?

[soloactor]

[Now is the time where a normal Lalli would be raising his hackles and calling bullshit on this sudden and convenient intervention. Wasn't available until this specific moment, the final moment before Sasuke was about to skewer himself to death? Yeah, right. He's not an idiot.]

[That's a normal Lalli.]

[This Lalli isn't really thinking that far ahead anymore.]

[Still refusing to talk, he nods.]

[patchworkcat]

[ The Cat returns alone. But he is different. Instead, he's slightly taller, and he's not wearing the gloves that look like paws. Also, there's two eyes of the same, golden color peering out of his face now. ]

So! Guess what! There's another way out after all! Thank you dear friend Lalli!

[ That sure is the cat's voice. And from under that cat hoodie, that sure is Lalli's clothes. ]

So. If you wanna leave, just stick close to me. If you wanna stay and turn to foam, you can! Up to you.

[miseris_socios]

[Ken is quiet for a long, long few moments. He's not unobservant. He's not an idiot.]

[Two people left. One person came back.]

Where's Lalli?

[hopedout]

What...

[ Hinata easily notices and he doesn't take that step forward; instead he just lashes out with his voice, furious. ]

What the hell did you do to him?!

[not_that_sasuke]

[Wh--

Dammit, no. He was supposed to--]

Don't dodge around it. Why do you look like him now?

[Those clothes... that height...]

[apatheticguide]

[ ... Wow. He actually moved. ]

... You didn't run this by me.

As grand as all this has been, how about we wrap it up with this

[worldkeys]

[ ... He's bothered. Bothered, bothered. And they're running out of time. The Cat's gone and run him into a corner. This is... an unusual problem for them. If he leaves things as they are, he runs the risk of everything crumbling and losing all that he worked for.

If the White Rabbit hates anything, it's losing what he worked for.

While the others are distracted by the Cat, after Sasuke is done pelting him with questions, the Rabbit turns to him and gently grabs his wrist.

He'd come from the other room some time ago. He doesn't move often. It's too tiring. He doesn't like to move. ]

... You're can't go with them. You already made your decision.

[ The feeling of a thin blade will be recognized against his throat. It's that same Key from earlier. That Key is his, anyway. The Cat had been stupid enough to give it back to him, and... he'd rather not miss out on this chance. ]

[not_that_sasuke]

[The feeling of a knife at his throat is not a new one. Blades, ropes, hands - his brother favored targeting the throat, whether he had a point to prove, or simply felt like proving once again why he was the better of the brothers.

Sasuke goes still, the way he usually does. There isn't an ounce of concern on his face. No, there isn't much of anything at all.

Why would he be, after everything he's endured up until now?]

...You want me to stay that badly?

[His voice is quiet - the others probably won't hear if they aren't paying attention. He still has little desire to return home, but...

Lalli already made the sacrifice. What reason, then, would they need to keep Sasuke as well?]