Final Trial

[pleasureislanders]

[It seems as though the badge that Tadashi found fits neatly into the indent in the broken statue in the main room. Once inserted, the ground quakes as the statue begins to shift to the right, revealing a narrow, spiral staircase leading down, down into the ground.

Lots of secret passages in this place, huh?

Lit torches line the walls of the stairwell--clearly, someone is anticipating your arrival. As you descend down the staircase, the air grows cooler, not unlike the atmosphere when descending towards the trial room back on the island. The passage grows more and more narrow, until, eventually, you're forced to shimmy between the walls.

Eventually, however, there is a doorway. As you push yourselves out of the stairwell, you find yourself in a ruined chamber. Ancient stone carvings decorate the walls, crumbling and defiled after centuries of wear and tear. One of the walls of the chamber has been torn down to reveal an expansive cavern, wooden bridges spanning any drops and rope and pitons marking off certain areas where dig sites have been abandoned. The area is dimly lit by gas lanterns strung up around the rocky walls.

This isn't a trial room. It's an excavation site.

On the far side of one of the rickety bridges, shrouded in shadow, is a slim figure. They stand at attention, holding a cane in the crook of their arm. They slowly lift their hands and begin a slow, sarcastic clap that is heard throughout the cavern.]

Congratulations. You've made it here, no thanks to that ridiculous, cowardly genie.

[The voice echoes throughout the chamber, amplified by the acoustics of the cave. The speaker is male, and although his tone is otherwise friendly, there's a certain cold quality about it. Sweet, in the way that antifreeze tastes before it kills you.]

I must say, you are a tenacious bunch. But, unfortunately, this is where we end our little affair. But, before you make any rash decisions, I must remind you that I have your little friend in my possession.

[He shifts slightly, revealing the Genie's lamp tucked in his jacket. The artifact shines in what little light it can reflect, before he folds his jacket back. He chuckles to himself.]

You wouldn't want anything dire to happen to this lamp, now would you? [A pause.] Though, if you must know, he's the one who came up with the "murder game" concept. He's the one that kidnapped you and brought you to this place. So, really...if anything, you're going after the wrong guy.

Comments

[hells_angles]

Fuckin' called it. "Ooh, poor me, I'm just a victim." Sure, Rich.

[pleasureislanders]

Mr. Cipher, can you point out the place where I specifically called myself a victim?

[hells_angles]

Oh, not you! BF Richie, the martyr you've currently got tucked under one arm. Played the whole "woe is me" schtick way too hard from day one.

By the by, I hear you're in the market for another possessor of phenomal cosmic magicks?

[halloteen]

Oh, you are not pulling that junk. "Oh, he's the one that did it, not me!" [scoffs] Because you wished for it, you jerk! It's like blaming a car and not the person who dragged you into it!

[pleasureislanders]

He's the reason for your prolonged torture, however. I see now that I was foolish to trust him in the first place when his intentions were based in nothing but lies.

Even now, you fully believe that everything he's told you has been true. That he'll be the one to save you from your wretched existence.

[halloteen]

We're saving ourselves!

His intentions? Your intentions were death! But, that's all over. Nobody's dying. This ends now.

[nobodylikesyouwhen]

[ OKAY, BOOMER. ]

The one who stuffs dead bodies is usually the right guy.

[pleasureislanders]

Oh? And what about those that study taxidermy for the purposes of archival and historical preservation? How would you label those individuals?

[nobodylikesyouwhen]

[ She flashes the papers on human taxidermy from the Blood Clone Room. ]

Still pretty bad when you're stuffing humans!

[ This is one way to present sensitive evidence, I suppose. God job, Artemis. ]

[bottlerockets]

No, we're not. [Chicken Little actually manages to have the nerve to speak up against the guy, frowning hard.] Foxy and I watched those tapes in that creepily video room, you've been a jerk to him and threatening to kill us all if he didn't do what you said!

[pleasureislanders]

Ah. Ace Cluck, or should I say, Chicken Little? Unfortunate that you've been caught up in this mess. Really, it's so unfortunate that the Genie would choose to steal a child, of all people, away from a single father.

[A pause.]

You know, I would have expected he would have gathered the best of the best. Clearly, I was wrong.

[hells_angles]

[Quietly, to Ace-]

Oooh, you gonna sit there and take that?

[redloxy]

Hey! [She points dramatically.] Don't say that about him! He's got the conviction to stick to the truth even when everyone's mocking him for it!

Plus, he's not hiding behind some super-powerful guy he enslaved!

[bottlerockets]

[Chicken Little winces at the mention of his dad, but tries to stand his ground anyway.]

E--even if Genie might have caused me to be here, he's still tried to look out for me. Maybe... maybe even more than my dad ever did.

[which is a painful admission to have here, but he is willing to stand up for Genie no matter what]

And--and I'll have you know, I fought back an alien invasion once, so... I'll fight you too if I have to!

[even if he doesn't remember how he actually saved the town from aliens, its fine]

YOU'RE ONLY SECOND RATE

[pleasureislanders]

[Everything happens too fast--too quickly for Muntz to make a decision. Jafar, standing before Muntz, sneers. And, as Muntz considers his offer of freedom, suddenly, Jafar doubles over with a cry of anguish. The aura of magic around him is sapped out of his body. His cloak and attire returns, and a scepter manifests in his hand. No longer hovering, his feet touch the ground as he takes a moment to readjust, feeling the physicality in his hands.]

Well....this is a rather....

[A wicked grin spreads across his face.]

Fortunate turn of events, isn't it? Who would've thought that my greatest allies would have been your enemies?

[Muntz looks panicked as he realizes the implications of Jafar being freed.]

Jafar, wait--

[But it's too late. With one deft stroke, Jafar pulls a knife out from his sleeve and cuts the ladder. Muntz lets out a yell, his hands desperately scrabbling to grab at something, anything, but he falls into a pit below. His screams are heard echoing throughout the cavern, followed by a sickening crunch.

Jafar then turns to the rest of the teenagers, relishing his newfound freedom.]

Now. Why don't we do this my way?

[He bangs his scepter against the ground, and a tremor shakes the ground. Rocks rain down from above onto all in the cavern as the foundations begin to grow more and more unstable.]

[neverhadafriend]

[Oh wait

Oh fuck.]

You know I just remembered something.

Jafar was still a powerful sorcerer even as a human.

[Well Fuck.]

[halloteen]

[fires the gun]

[madmadam]

[still dyin' over here]

[hells_angles]

[Just fucking applauding.]

Do the genie next!

[nobodylikesyouwhen]

[ BACKFLIPS TO SAFETY, OH GOD- ]

Oh good, a different old man with powers.

[prodigalhairess]

[There's so much going on. Magic flying all around them, Cass harnessing the power of the Moonstone again, Mim dying....

This has to stop.]

Guys... I think I have a plan. But I need to get close enough to touch him.

[Reaching into her pocket, Rapunzel pulls out a small, golden stone...]

But as soon as I do, you need to run back. As far as you can.

catherd but like for bending the fabric of space and time

[nobodylikesyouwhen]

[ At some point, Artemis is going to sort of. Clear her throat. ]

We... should probably talk about where we go from here. Especially in terms of... well, wishes. And what we want to do with them.

[neverhadafriend]

Well hey as long as it's not unreasonable I think I owe you guys a few good wishes!

[This is probably one of the few times he feels like he owes wishes and wow this is different.]

[bottlerockets]

I want to free ourselves and Genie, and the other animals from having to be stuck in this place anymore.

... But I guess maybe we should save that for last until everyone else has said their thoughts on it?

[... Everyone except Bill, maybe.]

[prodigalhairess]

I just want the Genie to be freed. I don't need anything else.

[...]

... And maybe... giving everyone a choice where they want to go? I know I want to go back to Corona more than anything, but if someone would rather go somewhere else, then maybe let them pick.

[At that, she turns to Sugarplum.]

Like... maybe you'd like to come back to Corona with me and Cass. I know you'll be happy there; it's a great place, and I know you'll make a lot of friends. And the people of Corona care a lot about each other; you'll always have someone looking out for you, no matter how long you stay with us!