Horatio looked absolutely incensed. "Excuse me, are you off your rocker you traitor?! I was sound asleep, knocked in the head by the ruffians charging through the arch way! Deanna certainly said that at the time as a cover!"
"Interesting idea, but why would Deanna say this at all? I don't see how screaming that someone passed you by is really a cover."
"I wasn't fucking lying!" Deanna snapped. "Something totally brushed by me. I still have goosebumps!"
Brennan shrugged. "Even if this did cover her in some manner-- she thought you were fast asleep. Trying to place blame on you really makes no sense in that moment. I am changing my vote to Horatio, which I think means you're out of here."
The principal nodded. "It's time."
"Wait!" Horatio yelled, stepping forward. His foot slipped on his dropped flash light, and the boy went flying to the ground, landing next to Thomas' body.
The principal didn't seem to care. "You voted Simon to be the agent... as it turns out, this was
correct. Strangely, he also was touched by the intruder. Perhaps he meant to disrupt the role. Doesn't matter now. As for the Overseer--"
"That's correct too." Damien didn't notice Horatio as the boy slid a knife into the back of his neck. The footballer gurgled, and Deanna let out a scream. As Damien dropped to the ground, Horatio pointed his knife at the principal. "And now I know this knife works here." He turned his head, eyeing Brennan as he aimed his gun. "Don't bother-- that gun doesn't work in here." Bailey couldn't move with her legs as they were, so Horatio managed to grab her. "On the battlefield, you adapt and change. Brennan wasn't the only snake in the grass."
"You bastard... I should have guessed this sooner. Aaron got me thinking how
helpful you were during all of this. Just some boy no one ever took notice of. You used that."
"But the vote was made, Horatio. You lost."
Staring Brennan down, Horatio gripped Bailey harder. "Principal Commander," he said. "You will evacuate me from these trenches immediately, or face immediate execution by my hand. I don't care for your cycles or your insane ramblings. I sought to clean up my school hallways, and I will not have this stop me."
The principal chuckled. "Boy, you aren't the first Overseer to pull this, but you
will be the last."
Horatio threw Bailey to the ground. "You will listen to me!" Horatio charged the principal. Brennan took a shot with his gun, but found it really
couldn't fire any longer. It was unneeded, as Horatio passed right through the man like he was thin air.
"What is the meaning of this devilry?!" Horatio yelled. The principal came upon him and grabbed him by the neck.
"You and this cycle's agent have met an unfortunate end," said the principal as he choked the life out of Horatio. "As this will be the last, there will be no redemption for either of you."
He dropped Horatio's limp corpse to the ground. He turned and began walking toward Simon. "Despite your size, you can do nothing now, boy."
But then, a light shone down from above.
A diver descended from the ceiling, his light blinding the group. The principal recoiled in horror from the diver. "You...! You're the intruder!"
"How far you've fallen," said the diver.
And then it all went white.
...
Everyone in attendance to the final vote now appeared in front of a cabin sitting on an island situated on a lake. The sun was shining. The diver stood nearby, waiting for you all to come to adjust to your surroundings.
"The cycle has ended, thankfully," said the diver. "I managed to put an end to it, and a select few of you managed to make sure it ended on your terms, not the Dark Presence's."
Brennan, Bailey, and Deanna were here. All three looked groggy. The diver looked down on them. "Unfortunately for you three, you seem resistant to your original's memories. Perhaps it was your role in this cycle that has made this occur..."
Brennan stood up slowly, looking rather sour. "Great. Life gets turned the fuck over and apparently I'm still behind all these players."
"How do you think I feel?" Bailey groaned. "I almost burned to death!"
Deanna sat quietly, looking almost in shock.
"... Everyone." The diver looked at everyone in turn now. "The memories you have gained will feel real to you. For most, it will feel like your true memories. In a way, they are, but they are not really
your memories. You see, the Dark Place is not unlike a world of dreams, a place that takes ideas and creativity and forces it to take form. All of you are just that-- the
idea of your original selves. You're not quite clones, but perhaps that is the most accurate way to put it."
"What does this mean?" Brennan asked, always the curious one. "For them, anyway. For us."
"This news may sound grim, but I am here to help you all. I've been battling the Dark Presence for a long time. Through my actions and yours, I can offer you all several choices."
"... First, your original selves are out there, somewhere, and I can bring you to them. You will cease to exist, I'm afraid, but wherever they are, they will eventually gain the memories of all of this--
your memories, both
fake and the ones made
within this cycle. Perhaps even the memories of
previous cycles."
"... Second, I can get you out of the Dark Place, but I'm afraid you will forever be just an illusion of your original self. Were you two to ever meet... It would not be possible. You could make your own path somewhere out there in the vast existence. A
unique path."
"... Third, I can offer you all a place at my side to fight the Dark Presence. You will not be able to leave, not for a very long time, anyway. I can not say I'm human any longer, having been in this place so long. I can't say this place won't change you either, but I work to eliminate this alien threat from the inside, and saving you has been a part of that. There is still much work to be done-- many others were lost in these cycles. The students you knew who are not here at this moment... I will continue to work to free them, if possible. You can as well, if you'd like."
"... And finally, I can understand if you don't like any of these choices. Perhaps you mistrust me. While it pains me to say this is an option, you may try living within the Dark Place on your own. You can never leave, not if you don't take my offer here, and without you at my side, I can not promise you won't likely be
lost to the darkness."
The diver gestured a hand toward Simon. "I'm sorry, my friend, but due to the last cycle's outcome, the Dark Presence still lingers on you. You may take the final two options, as can the ones known as Bailey, Brennan, and Deanna in this last cycle. With me, you may some day be cleansed. Without me, you will likely succumb to the Dark Presence eventually."
"Is that all?" Brennan said. "I've fought my way here-- I'm hardly stopping now. If people don't want me here, that's their problem, I guess."
"Ah... great." Bailey sighed and stood to her feet. "I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for all of you..."
"So, thanks. I still have no idea what's going on, but I think I could add warrior of light or whatever to my University application."
Deanna, however, didn't look too happy as she finally stood to her feet.
"Ridiculous. This man tells us we're fake yet sort of kind of
not fake and we're supposed to be okay with that? Our whole lives were apparently fake-- as are
we. We're nothing but illusions that aren't supposed to exist, right?" She turned on the diver, but he didn't respond. "He doesn't answer, because he knows I'm right. Bailey and Brennan might be fine with serving this fool, but I'd rather take my chances on my own. Those of you with the actual choice of leaving better be thankful."
With that, Deanna stalked off to the edge of the island, leaving the rest of you to your decisions and farewells.
~CAST LIST~
@The Tactician as Kisho Taniyama [Computer Applications and Programming Teacher] FOUND THE LIGHT
@TheColourlessRainbow as Bryan Stark [Student] FOUND THE LIGHT
@BarrenThin as Logan Wilson [Physical Education Teacher] FOUND THE LIGHT
@TheBombMan as Umeko Moe [Student] FOUND THE LIGHT
@Mirage as Kumiko Kurumi [Student] LOST TO THE DARKNESS
@Hospes as Viviette Anya Stark [Student] FOUND THE LIGHT
@york as Avia Taniyama [Physical Education Teacher] FOUND THE LIGHT
@Klutzy Ninja Kitty as Minori Chihara [Student] LOST TO THE DARKNESS
@Emperor of Gallifrey as Jason "Jay" Cortez Wilson [Student] LOST TO THE DARKNESS
@Gummi Bunnies as James Lancaster [Student] FOUND THE LIGHT
@Mighty Roman as Simon Black [Student] FOUND THE LIGHT
@DapperDogman as Kei Eba [Student] FOUND THE LIGHT
@Jeremi as LuAnn Lewis [Home Economics Teacher] FOUND THE LIGHT
@FireDrake150 as Scott Miller [Communications Technology Teacher] FOUND THE LIGHT
@Josh M as Annette De La Rose [Guidance Counselor] FOUND THE LIGHT
@Wedge Antilles as Tom Swanson [Student] FOUND THE LIGHT
@Mari as Anna Collins [Student] FOUND THE LIGHT
@Dinoteen as Thaneo Tesseract [Head Cafeteria Boss] LOST TO THE DARKNESS
@The Silver Paladin as Aaron White [Student] FOUND THE LIGHT
@Nassi as Anouk Cross [Student] LOST TO THE DARKNESS
@Meira as Meira Franz [Student] LOST TO THE DARKNESS
@theryanjake11 as Takuro Kennedy [Student] FOUND THE LIGHT
@Xx420BLAZEITxX as Adrian Jacobs [Student] LOST TO THE DARKNESS
@Proxymoron as Ilse Althaus Brandt [Student] FOUND THE LIGHT
@Thuro Pendragon as Michelle Kile [Student] FOUND THE LIGHT
@TheBlueBurch as Yui [Student] LOST TO THE DARKNESS
@Brother Gabriel as Jacky Robertson [Student] LOST TO THE DARKNESS
