[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

[soulping]

You're quite determined, aren't you?

[but hey, at least he sounds entertained]

[feytality]

[PUPPY EYES INTENSIFY]

Come oooon....

[soulping]

[Toichi mimes zipping his lips shut and locking them with an invisible key]

[a magician always knows how to keep secrets, Maya Fey]

[feytality]

You suck! [HUFFFFFFF]

Fine, at least tell me where to go!

[soulping]

[another chuckle]

Well, that depends on what you'd like to see. . . though unfortunately, I am not the part of Kaito-kun that can be honest with you about what each area symbolizes.

[feytality]

Sooo... where do I find that part?

[soulping]

If you step outside, you'll see.

[feytality]

That's all you've got for me...?

[soulping]

[he bows, apologetic]

I'm afraid so. I am not the part of Kaito-kun that can be honest and straightforward with you, I'm afraid.

But you may find that part of him outside.

[feytality]

[HUFFS]

You know, you're pretty lame....

[but fine she'll go outside]

[soulping]

[You find yourself back at the front of the "casino" (now revealed to be one huge pointless obstacle course side trip orchestrated by KUROBA KAITO) to find everything as it was before. The drink shelf is back in place, obscuring the door to the obstacle course]

[There's an older man leaning over the pool table with a cue in hand, the tip hovering next to the cue ball. He certainly wasn't there earlier]

[feytality]

[slides closer to the man......watching.... thinking about possibly breaking up his concentration at the worst possible time...]

[soulping]

[the man jerks back when she approaches, surprised]

O-oh! Hello. . .!

[feytality]

[SHE WAS BEING SNEAKY]

Soooo, is this the big shot you need to win the game?

[soulping]

Well. . . currently I am playing by myself, so I suppose it does not matter whether I make the shot or not.

[a sheepish smile]

Though I would like to, of course.

[feytality]

You've got an audience, now!

And I'm cheering for you... I guess.

[soulping]

Ah, that's very kind of you, Miss.

[he smiles at her]

Do you know how to play?

[feytality]

Um, obviously!

[wait for it] You gotta get the white ball into the hole!

[soulping]

[A BEAT. . .]

. . . I'm afraid that isn't quite right, young miss.

[feytality]

Huh? Are you playing by different rules, or something?

[soulping]

N-no, I cannot say I am. Knocking the white ball into the pocket results in a "scratch," or a lost game.

I believe that is a universal rule?

[feytality]

It's okay, pool guy! I won't tell anyone you're losing horribly.. you don't have to make up rules!

Anyway, what else is going on?

[soulping]

[opens his mouth to argue, but decides against it and just. answers her question instead]

Ah. . . well. As you know, you're in the middle of young master's soul.

[feytality]

[A wise choice]

Yeah! Wait.. why is he "young master"? Is he secretly rich or something?

[soulping]

Goodness, no. It is nothing of that sort. I am merely his assistant, and I was his father's assistant before he passed away.