[Heart Game - Ed, Maya, Roxy]

[carptricks]

[It's dark. You're trying to move forward, but it feels like your limbs are weighed down by chains and shackles. Still, you push. You push and you pull and those chains are pulled taut and strained until suddenly--]

[Something snaps]

[You tumble forward, wind blowing past your face, until you lose awareness of anything around you. . .]

((another run ran concurrent to this one here))

Comments

THE CASINO

[soulping]

[The outside of the casino is, naturally, bright and colorful. The walls are painted red and blue (although they're covered in vines, naturally), and multicolored Christmas tree lights are strung across the edges of the roof. A large, flashy sign hangs above the entrance, reading:]

CLOVER CASINO

[In white, illuminated letters. Cheery music drifts from the front door, almost hypnotizing to your ears. The more you listen, the more you think I should stick around and play for a little bit, it'll be fun, just for a few minutes, right? Right?]

[. . .]

[Wait, are your eyes playing tricks on you, or did you just see a dark figure slip into the casino from one of the side windows?]

[From here, you can enter the building, go to the museum, or head back to the city hub.]

Re: CASINO

[fuhrinkaed]

[!!!]

[Following him through the side window.]

[soulping]

[The music gets louder as you approach; it's almost intoxicating at this point. Stick around, let's have a little bit of fun! And the window seems plenty large enough for you to slip through]

[You enter the building, only to find that the inside is. . . not very much like a typical casino at all. In fact, it seems more like a cozy billiards lounge than a casino. A single pool table sits in the middle of the room, equipped with two pool cues and a set of billiards balls. On the opposite end of the room is a bar counter with a shelf of (non-alcoholic) drinks behind it. And standing behind that counter is. . .]

[. . . the dark thief from earlier! You can see the clocktower hands in its arms. It grins at you, before it reaches underneath the counter and flips a switch, which causes the drink shelves behind it to slide away and reveal a hidden door]

[The figure beckons, before disappearing into that door. The message it sends is clear: come and get me]

[fuhrinkaed]

[His hand's reached out to cast a spell--too slow. Darn it.]

[Okay, not gonna screw that up next time. FLYING AFTER HIM THE CASINO CAN WAIT I like my hair not being pink anyways.]

[soulping]

[You enter a pitch black room. Before you can register anything else, you hear the door slam shut and lock behind you. A voice from a PA system suddenly fills your ears. It's. . . Kaito?]

"Welcome to the Clover Casino Obstacle Course! Super extra mega revamped for maximum fun edition. ♥ Please listen to instructions carefully and-- aw, who the heck am I kidding! Rules are for losers; just let loose and have fun!"

[The lights turn on to reveal a LAVA PIT in front of you. GASP! There's a wooden balance beam stretched across the pit, narrow enough to give even the most poised of individuals difficulty. The door behind you is locked, but there's one across the room on the other side of the pit. It's guarded by the dark figure, who is holding-- in addition to the clocktower hands-- a rubber dodgeball]

[. . . uh oh]

"Obstacle one: make it across the lava pit without falling! Beware flying obstructions."

[Well. It's not like you have anywhere to go but forward]

[P.S. your powers have suddenly been turned off. Like a light switch]

[fuhrinkaed]

[One moment, falling on his face and sliding to a stop.]

[ow ow ow.]

[OKAY. STANDING UP AND.]

[...Well, I guess let's run straight at the balance beam towards the guy.]

[At a dead run.]

[Because of course Ed is all about rushing headlong into situations where balance is involved.]

[soulping]

[omg Ed don't die]

[as soon as one foot touches the balance beam, the figure throws a dodgeball RIGHT AT HIS HEAD]

[better move fast]

[fuhrinkaed]

[JUST. AS. PLANNED.]

[He jumps straight forward, takes the dodgeball to the top of his head, and grabs for the balance beam with both arms as he lands.]

[Because nobody said he had to walk.]

[soulping]

[well. it's a rubber ball so it doesn't exactly hurt as it bounces off of his head]

[but as he falls, although he grabs at the balance beam to hold on, he finds that his grip on it is rather. . . slippery. it's not impossible to cling, but it's pretty difficult!]

[fuhrinkaed]

[He's straight up hugging it, under the theory that 'it's easier to balance with both arms and both legs around it.]

[Once balance is achieved, he can move forward.]

[soulping]

[. . .]

[the figure throws a ball at his arms, trying to break his grip]

[fuhrinkaed]

[>HUG TIGHTER.]

[I can crawl like a snake, knees then arms then knees then arms.]

[this is not pretty.]

[but it is stable,]

[soulping]

[hey, as long as it works. he might even notice that there is literally no heat coming from the "lava pit" below as he crosses]

[it takes him a while, but he manages to reach the other end of the chasm. the figure grins at him as it opens the door and slips through. a beeping noise fills the room, which is soon followed by Kaito's voice over the PA system again]

"Not bad, not bad! You've passed obstacle one!"

Re: THE CASINO

[feytality]

[JUMPS IN THROUGH THE WINDOW]

[soulping]

[MAYA FEY: SECRET AGENT WOMAN]

[You enter the building, only to find that the inside is. . . not very much like a typical casino at all. In fact, it seems more like a cozy billiards lounge than a casino. A single pool table sits in the middle of the room, equipped with two pool cues and a set of billiards balls. On the opposite end of the room is a bar counter with a shelf of (non-alcoholic) drinks behind it. And standing behind that counter is. . .]

[. . . the dark thief from earlier! You can see the clocktower hands in its arms. It grins at you, before it reaches underneath the counter and flips a switch, which causes the drink shelves behind it to slide away and reveal a hidden door]

[The figure beckons, before disappearing into that door. The message it sends is clear: come and get me]

[feytality]

[SHE KNEW YOU GAMBLED, HEARTTHIEF]

[this is probably a trap, but Maya's definitely falling right into it. THROUGH THE HIDDEN DOOOOR]

[soulping]

[You enter a pitch black room. Before you can register anything else, you hear the door slam shut and lock behind you. A voice from a PA system suddenly fills your ears. It's. . . Kaito?]

"Welcome to the Clover Casino Obstacle Course! Super extra mega revamped for maximum fun edition. ♥ Please listen to instructions carefully and-- aw, who the heck am I kidding! Rules are for losers; just let loose and have fun!"

[The lights turn on to reveal a LAVA PIT in front of you. GASP! There's a wooden balance beam stretched across the pit, narrow enough to give even the most poised of individuals difficulty. The door behind you is locked, but there's one across the room on the other side of the pit. It's guarded by the dark figure, who is holding-- in addition to the clocktower hands-- a rubber dodgeball]

[. . . uh oh]

"Obstacle one: make it across the lava pit without falling! Beware flying obstructions."

[Well. It's not like you have anywhere to go but forward]

[feytality]

[IT WAS A TRAP]

[SHE'S NEVER EVEN PLAYED DODGEBALL??]

[OH SHIT]

W-Well.... here goes nothing...!

[soulping]

[YOU CAN DO IT MAYA]

[the balance beam lies before you, beckoning you to step onto it. meanwhile, the figure stands on the other end of the chasm, tossing the dodge ball into the air casually as it watches you move]

[feytality]

[it's a good thing she doesn't have a crippling fear of falling to her death]

[oh wait]

[hesitantly... getting on it....]

[soulping]

[so far. . . everything seems okay. the figure doesn't throw the dodge ball yet]

[and there's a noticeable lack of heat coming from the "lava"]

[feytality]

[THE FLOOR IS LAVA]

[anyway...HERE SHE GOES... staring at thiefy mcjerkface and his ball]

[soulping]

[AND AS SOON AS SHE TAKES ANOTHER STEP]

[thiefy mcjerkface throws a dodge ball at her feet]

[feytality]

[SCREECH she's going to panic and kick at it]

[soulping]

[she kicks the dodge ball! it goes flying through the air, right back at thiefy mcjerkface. . . who dodges to the side to avoid being hit]