ambidex voting #7

[vivariummods]

A M B I D E X  V O T I N G Chop chop, everyone downstairs to the first floor! You're all done the puzzle rooms, so you know what to do. Well, most of you, but it's pretty basic, just enter any Ambidex Room you like (they're not elevators, you ignorant test subjects) then vote! How does voting work? Very simple! Pick Ally or Betray, and that's it! But with every round, there's always some prizes, depending on what you vote, so here's this rounds: For anyone who chooses Ally, well, if your opponent chooses Ally as well, then 2BP for each of you. You get all that friendship, blah blah, whatever. For anyone who chooses Betray, and gets a Betray in return, your BP doesn't change at all, but you do get two cans of food and 15 coins for each person, what, you have a problem with it being the same as last time? We're busy over here, quit your bellyaching. Now, the best part: for anyone who chooses Betray and their opponent chooses Ally, Calhoun will be very generous with his prizes, again! You'll get two cans of food and a memory! We're switching it up a bit. Also, as usual, those who pick Betray get 3BP instead of just 2. But if you're the poor sap that chose Ally and got stabbed in the back, well, sorry, you lose 2 BP. At least you got stabbed for the greater good, right? And plus, you might get a little something. He'll talk to you later about it. But anyway, happy voting! Calhoun will see all of you later with the results. BASIC INFO ✖ VOTES + FORMS ✖ RESULTS + REACTIONS

Comments

[skyentificmethod]

Cut me a break, 45 minutes is a long time.

[and she looks relieved at his expression, lightly placing her hand over his] Snackoos are traditional healing, after all. ...Be good, okay?

[blind_badass]

Pretty much. *He is imagining this bowl of gruel is actually a delight warm bowl of oatmeal sprinkled with cinnamon.*

[blind_badass]

So either you had a short coma or...*Or what, exactly?*

[blind_badass]

Going by the rules of the game, it could mean they could escape. However...what exactly would happen to everyone else?

[detectiveofthewest]

"Plus, what makes anyone think they're gonna abide by the rules of the game?" asked Heiji. If they even told the test subject all the rules, that is. Which in the case of Akiko, they really hadn't.

"Say someone goes through that door. We gonna rely on the word of a murderer? Just believe he's gonna let us waltz outta here without a scratch on us?"

[blind_badass]

We might have to pass one more puzzle in order to leave, most likely. Also...if someone escapes and people are left here, is that the end of the game? Is...is everyone else just stuck here?

[babygangsta]

"Dead bodies falling from the sky is kinda unusual," Kuzuryuu answered. "Normal people don't deal with things like that. Shouldn't have to, either. That's why this stupid game is so fucked up." Or, that was a major part of it. The entire idea of the game was pretty messed up regardless.

"Huh? Clues?" He clearly wasn't expecting to be asked that and had to take a minute to think. "Well, uh, there wasn't much on me. I mean, I have this tie with some kind of animal skull on it. Don't know what that means, if anything." Maybe it was just a fashion statement? "Other than that I've got a pin on and a few rings. Nothing that I can get anything from."

[vengefulyears]

Unfortunately, I doubt Calhoun or Zero will be very forthcoming about that sort of information.

[Of course he isn't suspicious, there's absolutely nothing to be suspicious about at all.]

You think so? I don't expect it to last, personally.

[Because Jake is Jake and Clive is Clive, they will inevitably piss each other off again soon enough.

He pauses for a moment to let out a yawn, then pulls out his medical kit from his bag and holds it out to Hershel.]

Here, just take the whole kit. No payment necessary. All it has are those bandages and disinfectant, anyway.

[babygangsta]

"I'm not saying I'm surprised he fixed it or anything - he's good at puzzles - but how'd he manage to do that with something that was already screwed up?" Kuzuryuu asked. Admittedly, that'd be a useful skill to have.

[detectiveofthewest]

Yes... pass one more puzzle. That was totally what Heiji thought was going to happen.

"I think best case scenario, he wipes our memory and dumps us out in the middle of nowhere." Worst case scenario, he was totally going to murder them all.

[detectiveofthewest]

Well, he couldn't argue with that. Dead bodies were unusual. Usually. "That and some other reasons I could name."

Hmm. It was an interesting pattern, but looking at it didn't really ring any bells for Heiji. "What about scars? Like from old injuries or surgery."

[skyentificmethod]

"The lightbulbs were intact. And I guess he figured out a substitute for mannequin arms. He was gassed less than us. But he's a clever kid." She pauses, leaning back further. "...Don't try it. You'll mess up your suit."

[not_that_sasuke]

...

[He obligingly takes one more bite, but...

Yeah, okay, setting down the spoon for good.]

Maybe I'm just full.

[It wasn't much, but he definitely doesn't feel hungry anymore.]

[cursedchosen]

Or it wasn't a coincidence.

[cursedchosen]

Eh, that's what I figured. Gotta say though, I'm pretty impressed. If Clive can't trust someone like Piper, I don't wanna see how high his standards are.

[Zelos just shrugs his shoulders again.]

Can't blame her. I'd be pretty pissed at the brat, too.

[Y'know...if he already wasn't anyway.]

[cursedchosen]

Just slept a little too well last night, that's all.

[fairsfair]

Maybe.

[ He looks off as he says it, but a 'maybe' is decent enough for Jake, concerning that he could have just said no. It's really better than nothing. There's a long silence, when it seems like Jake has finished saying everything, but then he suddenly adds: ]

... Why are you even calling me your friend, after all that bullshit?

[puzzlinglad]

[And another soft sigh. 'Maybe.' Well, that was better than nothing probably? It was definitely better than no.

He wasn't really expecting that question though, and regards Jake curiously when he asks it. For a beat he's quiet, kind of thoughtful, because it was the kind of thing that was hard to put into words- or at least words that didn't sound stupid.]

You made a mistake. [He answers simply after a moment, rubbing the side of his neck.] Calhoun was trying to rile you up, he used something cruel to do so, I don't think that's your fault. No matter how much we know about traps or how prepared we are, I don't think anyone could react calmly to what he was trying to do.

[Aka yeah dude, he kind of has an idea that your sick mom probably didn't make it, that's... really sad, honestly. Poor mama Muller.] I think I'd be a terrible sort to blame a friend for that.

[fairsfair]

[ Jake already knows that Calhoun intentionally tried to push his buttons, and he probably got played. Does he regret what he did? Maybe, only really because Hershel and Ema got caught in the crossfire. Even if Hershel only got himself burned and reopened his wound, and if he's a complete doormat and shit... ]

Then the question is why you even think I'm your friend in the first place.

[puzzlinglad]

[He definitely got played, sorry Jake. Mama drama is rough, dude. Again Hershel isn't sure how to word what he has to say, so he pauses a moment before slowly trying:]

I didn't at first, for a while I just... felt comfortable that I'd seen enough of how you acted to trust that you'd ally if you said you would. [He glanced up.] But that changed. I guess I don't really know when.

[He frowned, looking down again.] No, that's not true. Bingo was fun, even that silly video game before was fun, I wanted to start trusting you then but- I guess... I never expected you to come check up when Akiko- [Yeah that was still hard. He frowned.] When Akiko died. You didn't need to do what you did, but you came and you saved her jacket.

[And he glances to Jake, with a weirdly hard to read look, given it's him.] I... don't think I ever thanked you properly for doing that. It meant- well, it meant a lot to me. I think you're a tad cold and more than a little too distrustful and rash sometimes, but you're definitely a good person, Jake. That's why you're my friend, more than doing goofy things with Ema's hair or dramatic shows of trust.

[puzzlinglad]

Hershel smiled, look at you Kuzuryuu, caring about Ema! He saw that, he did. "Jake and Heiji are pretty good at it, at least. You weren't half bad yourself." Unlike Hershel who was completely useless. "Now there's Jake to worry about, of course, but one step at a time."

And he lifted his hands in a 'sorry sorry' sort of gesture. "I know, just- well, it's because of you she was able to get the supplies, I just felt like I owed you a thanks for that at least."

[detectiveofthewest]

Heiji shook his head. "He wasn't like that at the start. Didn't he used to trust you a whole lot? He fought Jake over it, after all."

And Clive was practically microscopic, so that was quite a feat.

[skyentificmethod]

Oh?

What'd you do?

[blind_badass]

*Oh, you meant like THAT. Well then, in that case...*

Well, going by that form of logic, that could work. We'd end up somewhere with no memory of having been here.

[detectiveofthewest]

"Yeah, and he could even drop us into another experiment if he wanted." Heiji crossed his arms.

"'Course, if I was him, I wouldn't leave any physical evidence behind. He already managed to get us here. So why risk his neck to let us wander back to civilization? Especially if it could lead back to him."