Fourth Trial

[neverhadafriend]

[Same time. Same place. Same old murder. Thus is the cycle on Pleasure Island, and thus are the circumstances you find yourself trapped in.

The birds are unusually quiet when you enter the room, peering down at the crowd with some curiosity. The Genie is center stage, his eyebrows knit together in concern.]

...You know what to do, folks. [He rubs the back of his neck, somehow looking even more anxious than previous trials.] Just a, uh, fair warning, my master's getting real antsy about this whole exercise.

[ TRIAL START! ]

Comments

[prodigalhairess]

[Oh.

That.

That's what she meant.

It almost feels like Rapunzel doesn't feel it at all. She's aware of a burning in her back, of the solid feeling of the blade passing through flesh, but it already feels. Fuzzy. Is it the surprise, or the pain already passing straight into shock]

C...Cass...?

[feudalladyshandmaid]

[She almost loses her grip on the knife entirely. But she hangs on. She has to.]

I'm sorry.

[It's all she can say, repeating as the knife sinks in deeper.]

I can't let them.... I'm so sorry....

[prodigalhairess]

[It's like. It's like when she used the decay spell. She's aware of what's happening, but it all feels so... different. Like she's not quite in her body. Is this really what dying feels like?

But... but maybe this is okay. She won't die in a horrible way like Kronk or Sugarplum or Bill. She's scared, but... but at least she's warm, and safe in Cass's arms. One last time.]

It's... it's o....

[It's okay.... she still loves you cass....]

[feudalladyshandmaid]

[It's all she could give Rapunzel. If there was no escape, no other options to try and prolong the trial, she could at least make certain that Rapunzel didn't have to face whatever horror the master would have Genie cook up for her. She couldn't bare the thought of it.

So it had been so simple, just slipping a knife from the kitchen into her outfit. Like a regular thief.]

I'm so sorry... I-I...

[The tears fall. Finally, she allows herself to break, as she gently cradles the love of her life in her arms.]

[neverhadafriend]

[For a few seconds, Genie sits suspended in the air, frozen in shock. He stares down at the two women before him, an expression of panic on his face. Eventually, however, his mouth catches up with his brain, and he begins gnawing on his fingernails.]

Oh, cripes, ohhhhh, man. This is not how this is supposed to happen. This is--

[He floats closer towards Rapunzel and Cassandra, practically sweating bullets. Before he can do anything, however, a tinny, unfamiliar voice can be heard from above.]

Genie. Care to explain what's happening down there?

[The voice sounds crackled and warbled, as if broadcast through an old radio. The speaker's tone is cold and unwelcoming. Genie lets out a surprised yelp, whirling around to look up. A scarlet macaw animatronic with a large speaker on its chest flaps into view, leering down at the audience below.

Genie lets out a nervous laugh, wringing his hands.]

Just a bit of a set-back, master! I assure you, everything is under control--

IMBECILE! You can't even fulfill a simple execution! Were I not already there, I would have slaughtered them, myself!

[The voice explodes in fury, snarling his words with venom. Genie shrinks back, casting a worried look towards the survivors.]

Listen, can't we work something out? I mean-- [He chuckles, though there's little humor to be found in it.] --you still got all these people to go through, right?

[There's a short pause. The speaker clears his throat, his voice returning to a normal volume. A dangerously sweet tone seems to have entered his words.]

I think we need to have a little...heart to heart about something you've been keeping from me. Don't you agree?

[The Genie turns in desperation towards the remaining survivors.]

You all gotta go, like, right now.

[Before anyone can even let out any sort of protests, he lifts his hands and snaps his fingers. Blue smoke suddenly obscures your vision, and suddenly, you feel the sticky, warm heat of the outside as opposed to the temperature-controlled trial room. As the smoke clears, you find that everyone has been transported to the path of the Adventurers Club.

Everyone, of course, except Rapunzel. And Genie.]

[feudalladyshandmaid]

Wh... W-what?

[Cass can barely look up. It was so hard to tear her eyes away from the lifeless body...]

No... No, you... Y-you have to kill me-

[But suddenly she's not in the trial room, and Rapunzel isn't in her arms.

And she's still alive.]

[halloteen]

[what do you even do for this. she just kinda. pats her shoulder.]

Survivor's guilt is for later. After we get revenge.

[feudalladyshandmaid]

[It barely registers to her, but. Thanks?]

[tadaishi]

[Tadashi couldn't move fast enough to stop the knife but that doesn't mean he's not going to continue and try to grab the knife from Cass' hand and away from both of them like it'll matter after the fact.]