POST-ROUND 1 MINGLE

[idolpro]

[ Once the decisions have been made, everyone is ushered—though those gentle tugs—out their respective mud rooms into the courtyard. An impossibly tall and incredibly dense garden hedge divides one half of the courtyard away—moreover, it increasingly gets taller when climbed, preventing its residents from escaping their slice of the courtyard. From beyond, idols can hear the distant sounds of something rumbling—perhaps it's the ground shaking. . .

The roster is visible on a large screen, though as time progresses, certain names are blacked out. . . ]

[ Mouths and Hands will be able to transform into monsters at-will, though Hands are much more diminutive and Mouths have supernatural abilities at their disposal. Moreover, unit abilities are on. ]

Comments

[sagescion]

[It's really nothing personal. He would tell him that if he could think straight.]

No. Some girl from SensitIV. They apparently had no problems targeting us.

[He doesn't know that for sure. It could have been random. Or they just only cared about Zhongli and not the rest of them. He doesn't know. That also makes him angry. They could have killed Aether or Hurricane right along with Alisaie and himself. He hates them. He hates the girl who killed him most of all.]

[crossmyheartandhope]

Aww, man. That's rough, dude.

I can't believe they didn't even let you keep your matchup.

Here, for real, though - sit down for a sec. Even if you don't wanna see a healer, at least lemme bandage you up some.

[sagescion]

[He hesitates, because part of him - however small - still feels like himself beneath the anger. He looks from Hurricane down to his own hands, one still holding the lance.]

Very well.

[He follows Hurricane almost obediently, his anger swallowed for the moment.]

I am... sorry that I failed again.

[Failed. Died. Same difference. He's tired of making these people he loves - his unit - worry about him. He's tired of feeling so useless.]

[crossmyheartandhope]

[Guiding him over to a bench so that he can sit down]

Dude... who said you failed?

What you did was real brave. You just stepped right up and volunteered, didn't you? Game like this, that's the hardest part. You did your part and then some.

[sagescion]

I don’t feel brave. I feel like I want to hunt down Valor and make him hurt because I didn’t get the chance.

[He sits on the bench, staring down at his hands.]

I lost to someone I’d never met.

[crossmyheartandhope]

[Hesitates, then sits down next to him. After a beat, he digs out his heart weapon and takes off his jacket, starting to cut it into strips to make bandages]

Sometimes that's how it goes, in games like this. Y'know?

It sucks, but... the hardest part's getting up and doing it. And you did it, and you came through. The worst part's past, and you came through it already.

[sagescion]

[He just listens, hate boiling inside him while his thoughts still center on Valor. He doesn't know why he just wishes he could find him and hurt him. He'd been trying to let all of this go before, but then the hunger and now this feeling has overtaken him.

He has to focus on Hurricane's voice, just trying to let the words sink in and give him something to distract himself.]

I still feel like I didn't do what I set out to do by volunteering. I wanted to target Valor as soon as it was up for discussion. I felt selfish - I'm angry that I didn't get the chance.

[crossmyheartandhope]

Hey.. You weren't selfish. Okay?

You gave it your best shot. Ain't your fault they messed around with targeting.