Week 4, Saturday

[foundationmods]

[As everyone files into the studio once more, they will be invited up on stage instead of to their audience seats as they normally are. On the far left of the stage is a set of 16 chairs, one for each living contestant, arranged in two rows of 8. On the right is a podium for Dazai to stand at, and in the center is a big board with spaces and numbers on it.

Once everyone gets settled in, it's time for the game.]

Comments

[iblistriggered]

....

No. I don't want anyone to ever have to go through this again. Which is why it's probably for the best if we all just die.

[resortghosts]

... Silver, I meant...

[ This hurts, if the shakiness of this prinny voice was any indication. ]

What if we could stop this from happening to other people? What if it could stop with us...?

[iblistriggered]

... that's a pipe dream, Goro. I'm.... I'm sick of being optimistic and getting hurt over and over. There's no way we can win, and that's just how it is. We were never meant to have a chance. We've been fish swimming in a barrel this whole time, just waiting for a bullet between our eyes.

[Silver looks at the invincibility box]

... I don't know why I even came back for this. It's useless, anyway.

[he drops it on the ground. It bounces, but doesn't pop]

[resortghosts]

... Maybe not all of us. It... hurts, right now, yeah. We're- all hurting...

[ Shakiness, so much shakiness. ]

The hardest thing to do is hang on, when it's all looking useless. But, they... say real strength is being able to stand back up after being knocked down, over and over. And they say bravery isn't a lack of fear...

It's being able to continue forward, in spite of your legs and hands shaking...

... Honestly, I don't know how strong or brave I am, anymore... but I think all of you are stronger and braver than you think. Just...

[ Boy!!! This is hard... ]

Maybe give those of us on this side a chance to help you guys out. Maybe trust that we're all doing everything in our power so that none of you are fighting alone. Just...!

Please! If you can't believe in anything else, right now, try to believe in us! In me, as a big brother!

[iblistriggered]

[Despite the emotionless face of the costume, Silver can tell Goro is breaking down.

And the worst part is; he doesn't care. It's not that he doesn't want to -- he just can't. He looks at him and feels nothing, nothing except a cold sort of numbness. His golden eyes, usually sparkling with the light of hope, are empty and dull]

I'm not brave. I'm not strong. .... and unless you have a miracle hidden away in that costume... I'm sorry, Goro. I truly am. But I'm all out of belief. Even in family.

[his body glows dully and he lifts off the ground, then up and out of the hole in the roof]