thinking about how in the life series it feels almost like the narrative is becoming more.. hungry?
taking more and more and more from the people trapped in its game
The first time the rules were clear and set and everyone died three times. they loved and lost and burned out bright and it was over.
The second time the rules changed, and life was more abundant, but so, in turn, was death. trickery and traitors followed close behind. blood was demanded of them, and if they couldn't get someone else's then their own would work just fine.
The third time they were forcibly bound to each other, as if the pain of tearing them all apart at the end was a part of the game. death came twofold, and the world was emptied faster than ever before.
And then came the fourth, and the game was fucking ravenous. It had a taste of death and pain and loss and grief and it wanted so much more of it. death became so abundant it was almost meaningless for a time, until suddenly it wasn't.
The watchers are getting hungrier.
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Skizz slams the door open. "Am I late? Guys, am I late?"
"Relax, relax," says Impulse. "Grian still hasn't actually started yet, so like -"
"Oh, thank goodness. I wanted to put six diamonds down on 'soulenemies'," Skizz says, slumping into a couch in the corner of a coffee shop he definitely, definitely isn't supposed to have been able to get into. It's just, like, if Grian gets to open a ridiculous rift in reality, there's nothing stopping the rest of them, right?
"Okay!" Scar says, brightly. "That's long-shot odds you know. 'We don't get to know how many lives we have' currently has the most diamonds on it, you know."
"Yeah, Grian's not that boring," Skizz says, as Scar marks it down on the chart. To the side, Martyn snorts. "If he were gonna do that, he'd do some other twist too."
"I wanted to bet for reverse life but Impulse wouldn't let me," Pearl says.
"Pearl, I'm not letting you waste your diamonds on 'the guy who dies the most wins'."
"Jimmy deserves the win!" Pearl says.
"Yeah, that's why Grian wouldn't do it."
Martyn snorts and takes a sip of a drink. Skizz squints. He's... pretty sure that's actually just milk. He's not sure why Martyn is drinking it like it's wine or something, but like, sure.
"I still say 'we're doing it underwater' this time," Martyn adds.
"Can you do that? Tango, you're technically an admin, right?" Impulse asks.
"Uhhhhh.... I don't know," Tango says, shrugging. "I think we'd drown."
"Underwater, but we don't drown. We can test it," Martyn says. "The pool is mine."
"Long odds," Scar says.
"Listen. If you all insist on using MY COFFEE SHOP for these - these illegal activities," Bdubs starts.
"Awww, Bubbles," Etho says.
"Y - You don't get to try to sweeten me up!" Bdubs says. "If you're using my coffee shop, you'll keep it down, so -"
Cleo comes barreling down from outside. "Grian's in the shopping district," she says, deceptively calm.
"SCATTER!" Impulse says, not calm at all.
Scar flips the betting board over. Someone jumps out a window. Before Skizz can figure out what to do, he and Martyn are shoved under a table on top of each other.
"Take me out to dinner first," Martyn says.
"Come on man," Skizz says, and then the door opens.
There's a long silence. Then, Skizz hears Grian speak.
"You know, I'm not an idiot. I know when you're hiding stuff from me. I'm going to get to the bottom of this. Whatever prank you're planning? I will have both eyes open. Doc's been throwing creepers at me! I'm ready!"
Another silence.
"Yeah, okay, sure," Bdubs says.
"Why did you say that so suspiciously," Grian says.
"Oh, yeah, actually, Grian, what's your opinion on elytras?"
"...Bdubs, you've been on the same server as me for how many years?" Grian says, baffled.
"Just wondering! Have, uh, have..."
"You know what? I'm not asking," Grian says, and it's silent for a bit before there's a shuffling and Skizz is pulled out from under the table.
"Sorry about that, precautions, you know? It's not fair if he sees what we're betting on, then he won't do it," Scar says. "Anyway. You know, Bdubs, your theory that we're doing it this time with wings? Good theory, good theory! I see potential in that. It is easy to forget how much that man likes his wings. Looking far more promising! Any takers?"
"That would be the worst to fight with and I don't think he'd do it," Cleo says, and the conversation begins again.
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