Phoenix vs The Seven(5): Somnium Pt. 2/2
Jun 30, 2021 19:09:55 GMT -5
Claire Hawkins, Downfall, and 1 more like this
Post by CJ Phoenix on Jun 30, 2021 19:09:55 GMT -5
"Sometimes death is the right answer. Even if it's your own."
When the light next to CJ fades, a female appears. She observes the poker room and then she looks at CJ and Celeste.
?: Uhhh hi. I'm Aiba, and I'm here to help you all escape from this place.
Phoenix: Fantastic.
Aiba: However, it doesn't look like it will be an easy task.
Phoenix: Of course not.
Aiba: We just have to figure out how to get out of this room first. Then, we rescue your friends and head out.
Celeste: And how do we know that you're not lying to us? After all, we just dealt with someone who wasn't who they appeared to be.
Aiba: I am not your enemy. You have my word.
Celeste: A word means nothing without the actions to follow.
Aiba: Then allow me to prove myself.
Celestia folds her arms and looks away from them.
Celeste: Very well. You may assist us...
She turns her head towards Aiba.
Celeste: ...but I WILL be keeping an eye on you.
Aiba: Understood.
Phoenix: Sooooo where should we start?
Celeste: Where you left off. At this table that I am currently chained to.
Aiba: Chained?
Phoenix: Wait. You've been chained there the whole time?
Celeste: Yes.
Phoenix: Why didn't you bring it up earlier?
Celeste: There was no reason to. You had more important matters to deal with first.
Phoenix: You mean the first part of the trial?
Celestia nods.
Phoenix: Hmmmmm...
Aiba: Something on your mind?
Phoenix: Yeah. I've been trying to figure out what all of this is about. These trials. Us being here. Everything that's happened before I got here. Do either of you know what's really going on, or do we have to leave before one of you is able to tell me what the big picture is?
Aiba: Unfortunately, I do not have that information. All I know is that I was summoned to assist you all in escaping....to where I don't know.
Celeste: Neither do I. I woke up here, and a distorted voice told me that you and Two others would show up. They then informed me that the only way I'd be able to be freed is by taking part in the first part of this trial. I expected to be able to walk around by now, but clearly that is not the case. I do not like being misled like this.
Phoenix: Well, the key to freeing you should be in here somewhere, or else it wouldn't be possible for us to leave.
Celeste: I'm not sure about that.
Phoenix: Why not?
Celeste: Because there is no keyhole on either of the chains.
Aiba: There isn't!?
The Ultimate Gambler shakes her head. She sighs with a sad look on her face.
Celeste: I have checked several times. No key. No keyholes. Nothing. Even though the chains are fairly long, they do not provide nearly enough room for me to leave this place.
Phoenix: Well that's stupid. How the hell are we supposed to unlock them if there's nothing to unlock?
Aiba: Hmmm....maybe there's some kind of switch or device in here that controls the chains remotely.
Celeste: That is a possibility.
Phoenix: It's worth looking for.
CJ and Aiba search the room for what feels like 15 minutes. Nothing. No switches. No remotes. No buttons. Just a bunch of tables chained to the floor.
Celeste: It's hopeless. We are all going to die here.
Aiba: No. There has to be a way to free you. We just have to get rid of these stupid chains.
CJ stares at one of the chains. He holds it up, wondering why there was so much slack allowed. His eyes venture to the table and an idea comes to mind.
Phoenix: I wonder if I can push one of these tables over.
Aiba: Huh? Why do you want to do that?
Phoenix: I want to test something.
Aiba walks over to the table CJ's at and grabs one end of it.
Aiba: It'll be easier if we push it over together.
CJ nods and grabs the other side of it. They push the table together, and it was surprisingly lighter than they expected. More importantly, as the table fell over, the chains broke in a shockingly weird way. Instead of snapping, they disintegrated. The two look at each other surprised.
Celeste: What just happened?
Aiba: I...I'm not sure.
Phoenix: I wasn't expecting that, but I think we might be onto something.
He walks over to another table and pushes it over. Just like before, the chains disintegrated.
Phoenix: Yep. That's what we have to do. We have to knock her table over.
CJ and Aiba go to the table that Celeste is stuck to.
Celeste: And you're SURE this will work?
Phoenix: Absolutely.
The three of them push the table over, and when they do, the chains crumble and disappear, freeing the Ultimate Gambler. Afterwards, the barrier blocking the way to the escalator goes away.
Celeste: Finally! You really are smarter than I expected you to be, though it would've been better if you had figured it out sooner. Regardless, you have earned my thanks.
They make their way down to the first floor. Immediately, they spot Kirumi. The good news is that she's awake now. The bad news is that there's a gun pointed at her head and she's chained to the roulette table. There's also a small platform in front of the table with a light shining on it. A light shines over CJ. Then, a voice can be heard over a speaker.
Instructional Voice: Whomever is under the light, please step on the platform.
CJ, Kirumi, Celeste, and Aiba all look at each other before Phoenix steps onto the platform. A chest appears in front of him. It opens and reveals that it's filled with guns.
Instructional Voice: Choose one gun and put it to your head. The one pointed at her head will match it. Pull the trigger once. When you do, both weapons will fire. One of these guns is empty. The rest are loaded. Make the correct choice, and you both escape freely. Make the wrong choice, and both of you will be killed. Such is the burden of decision making. Sometimes, your decisions affect others, especially those close to you. Choose wisely, and trust the numbers.
Aiba: Trust the numbers? What does that mean?
Celeste: Hmmm. I imagine that is a hint. After all, casinos are mainly about probability, luck, and playing the numbers.
Aiba: How many guns are in the chest?
Phoenix: A lot!
He starts taking the guns out while counting them. They range from Colt 1911 to the Heritage Rough Rider .22 to other weapons like the 45 ACP, Ruger .38 revolver, and the STAG-15 tactical NATO pistol.
Phoenix: I count 57.
Kirumi: That IS a lot.
Celeste: So the odds of him picking up the right weapon are one in fifty-seven.
Aiba: That would be approximately 1.75%
Kirumi: That....does not seem favorable.
Phoenix: There has to be more to this.
Celeste: What kind of guns are those?
Kirumi starts to list off every one of them as she sees them.
Aiba: I didn't know you had so much knowledge about weapons.
Kirumi: Well, a part of my duty as the Ultimate Maid is to be able to protect whoever I am serving. That requires me to at least have some knowledge about weapons and how to use them.
Aiba: Do you know which one would be empty?
Kirumi: I do not.
Celeste: Hold on. There is something that I have just realized.
Phoenix: What is it?
Celeste: These weapons. They all have numbers in them. Whether it's the caliber or the name, there are still numbers involved. Perhaps that is important.
Aiba: There's a good chance that it's important.
CJ looks through the weapons again, considering what Celeste said and what guns Kirumi said they were. He eventually picks up the Ruger .38 and realizes that it was one of only a handful of guns that didn't have the same caliber as another one in the chest. That's when he remembers the voice saying "trust the numbers" and Celeste saying that casinos are partially about "playing the numbers". The pieces come together and CJ figures it out.
Phoenix: I got it! It's this one!
He points the gun at his head and the gun aimed at Kirumi changes to a Ruger .38 as well.
Kirumi: Are you sure it's the right one?
Phoenix: I'm certain. I have to be.
It was a literal matter of life and death for two people here. Was he nervous? Of course, but he couldn't afford to start second guessing himself like he usually would. It was a problem that he struggled with for a long time. He would often doubt himself, worrying more about being wrong than being confident in being right. Despite him being correct in most cases, it was his own lack of confidence that held him back. He had to believe that he was right at the risk of being wrong, so he did. He pulled the trigger.
A few seconds pass. No gunshots. No dead bodies. The guns and chains fade away, allowing Kirumi to get off of the roulette table.
Aiba: It worked!
Celeste: How did you know which gun was the right one?
Phoenix: 38.
Celeste: 38? Oh! I see.
Kirumi: I don't.
Aiba: Me neither.
Phoenix: The gun I chose was the only one that was a 38 caliber. If you include the zero and double zero, there are 38 numbers on most roulette wheels for the ball to land on, including this one. None of the other guns had anything in common with roulette.
Celeste: That is why the voice said to trust the numbers.
Phoenix: Now we just have to get Ibuki out of whichever slot machine she's in and get the hell out of here.
Kirumi: Right.
They make their way over to the slot machines. Thanks to splitting up, they locate the one she's trapped in rather quickly.
Ibuki: Watch out! This slot machine EATS PEOPLE!!!
Everyone takes a step back.
Aiba: How did it do that!?
Ibuki: Well, I pulled the lever, triggered the bonus, and then the screen flashed. Next thing I knew, I'm in here! There's a ton of empty space in here, but I can't get out!
Phoenix: Don't worry, Ibuki. We'll get you out of there.
Celeste: How? The lever's gone, and there are no buttons to press.
Ibuki: What?
Aiba: What?
Phoenix: What?
Kirumi: What?
Ibuki: WHAT!?
Aiba: How do we get her out of there?
Celeste: Maybe one of the other machines could free her if we trigger a bonus like she did?
Phoenix: It's worth a shot.
They split up again and take spins on the other machines. Unfortunately, none of them are working. They go about searching the entire floor for some kind of clue that would help them, but they were unsuccessful. It didn't make any sense. Why go through all of the trouble of having solvable puzzles when the last one seems to be impossible? Just when things couldn't get worse, CJ starts to hear that ominous voice again.
Ominous Voice: How does it feel to face the impossible at the worst possible time? You fought your way to get here, to get back to the living, only for none of it to matter. Honestly, you should be happy. What life is there for you to go back to? If you were happy being alive, then you wouldn't be here on the verge of death. There would be no need for you to doubt and question yourself, but you still do. You still wonder what if despite the sweet release of death being so near. What if there's still more for you to accomplish? What if you finally manage to access that potential of yours? What if you actually manage to change the world? I ask you this. What if you don't? Suppose you go after those goals of yours. You'll only fail. What happens if you go out there, put every ounce of strength you have into your objectives....only to come to the harsh reality that you never had a chance at succeeding to begin with? Do you crash another vehicle? Do you cling desperately to life again just to make the same mistake once more? You'd be wasting your time. What's the point of living if you're not happy about it? Would death not be a better option? Look at those around you. Despite all that you've done to help them, where has it gotten you? Nowhere. You're all still trapped. Your efforts were fruitless. As always, you failed. Instead of just succumbing to death, you chose to keep fighting it, but it's an unwinnable war for you. Death. Despair. Failure. No matter how hard you try to avoid it, no matter how hard anyone tries to avoid it, no one can escape these things. For instance, if a firefighter saves a child from a burning building, they're considered a hero. However, all they've done is delay the inevitable. That child will still grow up to die, and in the time leading up to it, they will deal with misery that they shouldn't have simply because they were alive long enough to do so. You're that child right now. Robbing yourself of a graceful death just so that you can suffer even more. Is that truly what you want to go back to? Trading a meaningful death for a life without meaning? Don't waste your time. You're of no use to anyone, and they're of no use to you. It's best that you just part ways with the land of the living. You won't miss each other. You'll finally be at peace. No more self-hatred. No more wasted opportunities. No more impossible hills to climb. Do the right thing. Do the right thing and DIE!
Perhaps in an earlier time, this would have worked. Maybe even as recently as a week prior, but something felt off. These weren't exactly things that have never crossed CJ's mind before. In fact, they flooded his thoughts quite often. His mind was constantly at war with itself, and that's when everything came together. CJ realized the truth of his situation. Death would eventually be the right answer, but not this time. He snaps out of his trance and immediately feels a hand go across his face.
Phoenix: OW! What the hell was that for!?
Celeste: YOU ZONED OUT! I'VE BEEN PLAYING FRONT HAND, BACK HAND WITH YOUR FACE FOR FIVE STRAIGHT MINUTES! MY HAND HURTS NOW!
Kirumi: Allow me to attend to that.
Aiba: Is your face not hurting?
Phoenix: It is now, but I can deal with that later. Right now, I have an idea.
Celeste: Oh? Have I knocked enough sense into that skull of yours for you to come up with a plan?
Phoenix: I have a plan, but NOT because of you, you slap happy psycho.
Celeste: That's the thanks I get for trying to help you? How ungrateful.
CJ turns his attention to Ibuki.
Phoenix: Ibuki, can you step to the side of the screen for a second?
Ibuki: OKAAAYYYYY!!
She steps out of view. CJ walks over to the roulette table and picks up the wheel. He runs back to the machine and slams it into the screen on the machine. The screen shatters and a blinding light flashes. When it fades, Ibuki is laying on the ground in front of the machine. Meanwhile, four guards appear in front of the entrance.
Ibuki: I'M FREE!
Aiba: It appears that your plan worked. How did you know that it would?
Phoenix: Flipping tables. Using weapons. Smashing screens. This was about thinking outside the box.
Ibuki: Sooooooooo what do we do about the guards.
A smirk grows on CJ's face.
Phoenix: We think outside the box and attack them. It'll be super easy, barely an inconvenience. Every challenge we've had has involved something that would get you kicked out of a casino. This is no different.
He walks up to one of the guards and straight up WHACKS him with the roulette wheel. Suddenly, more guards appear, and CJ goes ballistic, attacking all of them until they group up and escort him out of the casino. The ladies walk out afterwards since the door was still open. Once they're all outside, the casino disappears entirely, and they find themselves in the middle of a desert at night.
Aiba: This is odd. How did we manage to get here?
Kirumi: I am not sure. Maybe this place was already here.
Ibuki: Where are the cars?
Celeste: What cars?
Ibuki: The ones that the guards showed up in. There's no parking lot out here, so how did they get here?
The Ultimate Gambler just looks at her like "bruh...".
Celeste: ..........
Aiba takes a step back and points.
Aiba: It looks like we have bigger problems to deal with.
They turn their attention to where she was pointing. A large army of shadow creatures of various shapes and sizes are approaching them. They stop about 100 yards away. Then, a figure on a horse rides up, stopping in front of the army. There is a scythe in their hand and they're cloaked like the Grim Reaper. The Reaper leads the army forward until they stop again, this time about 30 yards away from CJ and company.
Phoenix: Of course it's you. I should've figured it out sooner.
The figure speaks with the same ominous voice that had been echoing through CJ's mind.
Reaper: It wouldn't have made a difference. Your fate was sealed the moment you showed up. The only thing you did was give history a chance to repeat itself. I gave you a chance to be smart and choose death on your own. Now, you no longer have a choice. I'm going to kill you...again.
To be continued.....
When the light next to CJ fades, a female appears. She observes the poker room and then she looks at CJ and Celeste.
?: Uhhh hi. I'm Aiba, and I'm here to help you all escape from this place.
Phoenix: Fantastic.
Aiba: However, it doesn't look like it will be an easy task.
Phoenix: Of course not.
Aiba: We just have to figure out how to get out of this room first. Then, we rescue your friends and head out.
Celeste: And how do we know that you're not lying to us? After all, we just dealt with someone who wasn't who they appeared to be.
Aiba: I am not your enemy. You have my word.
Celeste: A word means nothing without the actions to follow.
Aiba: Then allow me to prove myself.
Celestia folds her arms and looks away from them.
Celeste: Very well. You may assist us...
She turns her head towards Aiba.
Celeste: ...but I WILL be keeping an eye on you.
Aiba: Understood.
Phoenix: Sooooo where should we start?
Celeste: Where you left off. At this table that I am currently chained to.
Aiba: Chained?
Phoenix: Wait. You've been chained there the whole time?
Celeste: Yes.
Phoenix: Why didn't you bring it up earlier?
Celeste: There was no reason to. You had more important matters to deal with first.
Phoenix: You mean the first part of the trial?
Celestia nods.
Phoenix: Hmmmmm...
Aiba: Something on your mind?
Phoenix: Yeah. I've been trying to figure out what all of this is about. These trials. Us being here. Everything that's happened before I got here. Do either of you know what's really going on, or do we have to leave before one of you is able to tell me what the big picture is?
Aiba: Unfortunately, I do not have that information. All I know is that I was summoned to assist you all in escaping....to where I don't know.
Celeste: Neither do I. I woke up here, and a distorted voice told me that you and Two others would show up. They then informed me that the only way I'd be able to be freed is by taking part in the first part of this trial. I expected to be able to walk around by now, but clearly that is not the case. I do not like being misled like this.
Phoenix: Well, the key to freeing you should be in here somewhere, or else it wouldn't be possible for us to leave.
Celeste: I'm not sure about that.
Phoenix: Why not?
Celeste: Because there is no keyhole on either of the chains.
Aiba: There isn't!?
The Ultimate Gambler shakes her head. She sighs with a sad look on her face.
Celeste: I have checked several times. No key. No keyholes. Nothing. Even though the chains are fairly long, they do not provide nearly enough room for me to leave this place.
Phoenix: Well that's stupid. How the hell are we supposed to unlock them if there's nothing to unlock?
Aiba: Hmmm....maybe there's some kind of switch or device in here that controls the chains remotely.
Celeste: That is a possibility.
Phoenix: It's worth looking for.
CJ and Aiba search the room for what feels like 15 minutes. Nothing. No switches. No remotes. No buttons. Just a bunch of tables chained to the floor.
Celeste: It's hopeless. We are all going to die here.
Aiba: No. There has to be a way to free you. We just have to get rid of these stupid chains.
CJ stares at one of the chains. He holds it up, wondering why there was so much slack allowed. His eyes venture to the table and an idea comes to mind.
Phoenix: I wonder if I can push one of these tables over.
Aiba: Huh? Why do you want to do that?
Phoenix: I want to test something.
Aiba walks over to the table CJ's at and grabs one end of it.
Aiba: It'll be easier if we push it over together.
CJ nods and grabs the other side of it. They push the table together, and it was surprisingly lighter than they expected. More importantly, as the table fell over, the chains broke in a shockingly weird way. Instead of snapping, they disintegrated. The two look at each other surprised.
Celeste: What just happened?
Aiba: I...I'm not sure.
Phoenix: I wasn't expecting that, but I think we might be onto something.
He walks over to another table and pushes it over. Just like before, the chains disintegrated.
Phoenix: Yep. That's what we have to do. We have to knock her table over.
CJ and Aiba go to the table that Celeste is stuck to.
Celeste: And you're SURE this will work?
Phoenix: Absolutely.
The three of them push the table over, and when they do, the chains crumble and disappear, freeing the Ultimate Gambler. Afterwards, the barrier blocking the way to the escalator goes away.
Celeste: Finally! You really are smarter than I expected you to be, though it would've been better if you had figured it out sooner. Regardless, you have earned my thanks.
They make their way down to the first floor. Immediately, they spot Kirumi. The good news is that she's awake now. The bad news is that there's a gun pointed at her head and she's chained to the roulette table. There's also a small platform in front of the table with a light shining on it. A light shines over CJ. Then, a voice can be heard over a speaker.
Instructional Voice: Whomever is under the light, please step on the platform.
CJ, Kirumi, Celeste, and Aiba all look at each other before Phoenix steps onto the platform. A chest appears in front of him. It opens and reveals that it's filled with guns.
Instructional Voice: Choose one gun and put it to your head. The one pointed at her head will match it. Pull the trigger once. When you do, both weapons will fire. One of these guns is empty. The rest are loaded. Make the correct choice, and you both escape freely. Make the wrong choice, and both of you will be killed. Such is the burden of decision making. Sometimes, your decisions affect others, especially those close to you. Choose wisely, and trust the numbers.
Aiba: Trust the numbers? What does that mean?
Celeste: Hmmm. I imagine that is a hint. After all, casinos are mainly about probability, luck, and playing the numbers.
Aiba: How many guns are in the chest?
Phoenix: A lot!
He starts taking the guns out while counting them. They range from Colt 1911 to the Heritage Rough Rider .22 to other weapons like the 45 ACP, Ruger .38 revolver, and the STAG-15 tactical NATO pistol.
Phoenix: I count 57.
Kirumi: That IS a lot.
Celeste: So the odds of him picking up the right weapon are one in fifty-seven.
Aiba: That would be approximately 1.75%
Kirumi: That....does not seem favorable.
Phoenix: There has to be more to this.
Celeste: What kind of guns are those?
Kirumi starts to list off every one of them as she sees them.
Aiba: I didn't know you had so much knowledge about weapons.
Kirumi: Well, a part of my duty as the Ultimate Maid is to be able to protect whoever I am serving. That requires me to at least have some knowledge about weapons and how to use them.
Aiba: Do you know which one would be empty?
Kirumi: I do not.
Celeste: Hold on. There is something that I have just realized.
Phoenix: What is it?
Celeste: These weapons. They all have numbers in them. Whether it's the caliber or the name, there are still numbers involved. Perhaps that is important.
Aiba: There's a good chance that it's important.
CJ looks through the weapons again, considering what Celeste said and what guns Kirumi said they were. He eventually picks up the Ruger .38 and realizes that it was one of only a handful of guns that didn't have the same caliber as another one in the chest. That's when he remembers the voice saying "trust the numbers" and Celeste saying that casinos are partially about "playing the numbers". The pieces come together and CJ figures it out.
Phoenix: I got it! It's this one!
He points the gun at his head and the gun aimed at Kirumi changes to a Ruger .38 as well.
Kirumi: Are you sure it's the right one?
Phoenix: I'm certain. I have to be.
It was a literal matter of life and death for two people here. Was he nervous? Of course, but he couldn't afford to start second guessing himself like he usually would. It was a problem that he struggled with for a long time. He would often doubt himself, worrying more about being wrong than being confident in being right. Despite him being correct in most cases, it was his own lack of confidence that held him back. He had to believe that he was right at the risk of being wrong, so he did. He pulled the trigger.
A few seconds pass. No gunshots. No dead bodies. The guns and chains fade away, allowing Kirumi to get off of the roulette table.
Aiba: It worked!
Celeste: How did you know which gun was the right one?
Phoenix: 38.
Celeste: 38? Oh! I see.
Kirumi: I don't.
Aiba: Me neither.
Phoenix: The gun I chose was the only one that was a 38 caliber. If you include the zero and double zero, there are 38 numbers on most roulette wheels for the ball to land on, including this one. None of the other guns had anything in common with roulette.
Celeste: That is why the voice said to trust the numbers.
Phoenix: Now we just have to get Ibuki out of whichever slot machine she's in and get the hell out of here.
Kirumi: Right.
They make their way over to the slot machines. Thanks to splitting up, they locate the one she's trapped in rather quickly.
Ibuki: Watch out! This slot machine EATS PEOPLE!!!
Everyone takes a step back.
Aiba: How did it do that!?
Ibuki: Well, I pulled the lever, triggered the bonus, and then the screen flashed. Next thing I knew, I'm in here! There's a ton of empty space in here, but I can't get out!
Phoenix: Don't worry, Ibuki. We'll get you out of there.
Celeste: How? The lever's gone, and there are no buttons to press.
Ibuki: What?
Aiba: What?
Phoenix: What?
Kirumi: What?
Ibuki: WHAT!?
Aiba: How do we get her out of there?
Celeste: Maybe one of the other machines could free her if we trigger a bonus like she did?
Phoenix: It's worth a shot.
They split up again and take spins on the other machines. Unfortunately, none of them are working. They go about searching the entire floor for some kind of clue that would help them, but they were unsuccessful. It didn't make any sense. Why go through all of the trouble of having solvable puzzles when the last one seems to be impossible? Just when things couldn't get worse, CJ starts to hear that ominous voice again.
Ominous Voice: How does it feel to face the impossible at the worst possible time? You fought your way to get here, to get back to the living, only for none of it to matter. Honestly, you should be happy. What life is there for you to go back to? If you were happy being alive, then you wouldn't be here on the verge of death. There would be no need for you to doubt and question yourself, but you still do. You still wonder what if despite the sweet release of death being so near. What if there's still more for you to accomplish? What if you finally manage to access that potential of yours? What if you actually manage to change the world? I ask you this. What if you don't? Suppose you go after those goals of yours. You'll only fail. What happens if you go out there, put every ounce of strength you have into your objectives....only to come to the harsh reality that you never had a chance at succeeding to begin with? Do you crash another vehicle? Do you cling desperately to life again just to make the same mistake once more? You'd be wasting your time. What's the point of living if you're not happy about it? Would death not be a better option? Look at those around you. Despite all that you've done to help them, where has it gotten you? Nowhere. You're all still trapped. Your efforts were fruitless. As always, you failed. Instead of just succumbing to death, you chose to keep fighting it, but it's an unwinnable war for you. Death. Despair. Failure. No matter how hard you try to avoid it, no matter how hard anyone tries to avoid it, no one can escape these things. For instance, if a firefighter saves a child from a burning building, they're considered a hero. However, all they've done is delay the inevitable. That child will still grow up to die, and in the time leading up to it, they will deal with misery that they shouldn't have simply because they were alive long enough to do so. You're that child right now. Robbing yourself of a graceful death just so that you can suffer even more. Is that truly what you want to go back to? Trading a meaningful death for a life without meaning? Don't waste your time. You're of no use to anyone, and they're of no use to you. It's best that you just part ways with the land of the living. You won't miss each other. You'll finally be at peace. No more self-hatred. No more wasted opportunities. No more impossible hills to climb. Do the right thing. Do the right thing and DIE!
Perhaps in an earlier time, this would have worked. Maybe even as recently as a week prior, but something felt off. These weren't exactly things that have never crossed CJ's mind before. In fact, they flooded his thoughts quite often. His mind was constantly at war with itself, and that's when everything came together. CJ realized the truth of his situation. Death would eventually be the right answer, but not this time. He snaps out of his trance and immediately feels a hand go across his face.
Phoenix: OW! What the hell was that for!?
Celeste: YOU ZONED OUT! I'VE BEEN PLAYING FRONT HAND, BACK HAND WITH YOUR FACE FOR FIVE STRAIGHT MINUTES! MY HAND HURTS NOW!
Kirumi: Allow me to attend to that.
Aiba: Is your face not hurting?
Phoenix: It is now, but I can deal with that later. Right now, I have an idea.
Celeste: Oh? Have I knocked enough sense into that skull of yours for you to come up with a plan?
Phoenix: I have a plan, but NOT because of you, you slap happy psycho.
Celeste: That's the thanks I get for trying to help you? How ungrateful.
CJ turns his attention to Ibuki.
Phoenix: Ibuki, can you step to the side of the screen for a second?
Ibuki: OKAAAYYYYY!!
She steps out of view. CJ walks over to the roulette table and picks up the wheel. He runs back to the machine and slams it into the screen on the machine. The screen shatters and a blinding light flashes. When it fades, Ibuki is laying on the ground in front of the machine. Meanwhile, four guards appear in front of the entrance.
Ibuki: I'M FREE!
Aiba: It appears that your plan worked. How did you know that it would?
Phoenix: Flipping tables. Using weapons. Smashing screens. This was about thinking outside the box.
Ibuki: Sooooooooo what do we do about the guards.
A smirk grows on CJ's face.
Phoenix: We think outside the box and attack them. It'll be super easy, barely an inconvenience. Every challenge we've had has involved something that would get you kicked out of a casino. This is no different.
He walks up to one of the guards and straight up WHACKS him with the roulette wheel. Suddenly, more guards appear, and CJ goes ballistic, attacking all of them until they group up and escort him out of the casino. The ladies walk out afterwards since the door was still open. Once they're all outside, the casino disappears entirely, and they find themselves in the middle of a desert at night.
Aiba: This is odd. How did we manage to get here?
Kirumi: I am not sure. Maybe this place was already here.
Ibuki: Where are the cars?
Celeste: What cars?
Ibuki: The ones that the guards showed up in. There's no parking lot out here, so how did they get here?
The Ultimate Gambler just looks at her like "bruh...".
Celeste: ..........
Aiba takes a step back and points.
Aiba: It looks like we have bigger problems to deal with.
They turn their attention to where she was pointing. A large army of shadow creatures of various shapes and sizes are approaching them. They stop about 100 yards away. Then, a figure on a horse rides up, stopping in front of the army. There is a scythe in their hand and they're cloaked like the Grim Reaper. The Reaper leads the army forward until they stop again, this time about 30 yards away from CJ and company.
Phoenix: Of course it's you. I should've figured it out sooner.
The figure speaks with the same ominous voice that had been echoing through CJ's mind.
Reaper: It wouldn't have made a difference. Your fate was sealed the moment you showed up. The only thing you did was give history a chance to repeat itself. I gave you a chance to be smart and choose death on your own. Now, you no longer have a choice. I'm going to kill you...again.
To be continued.....