BLUFF [AIB]

Stage One: VII

[Started: 12/27/2022]
[Ended: 12/27/2022]
[Song: Chamber Of Reflection (live cover) by Your Anxiety Buddy.]

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Alice In Borderlands
BLUFF
STAGE ONE: Rubatosis
"The unsettling awareness of your own heartbeat."

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Chapter Seven
"A Promise."
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     The game arena was a small plant observatory with glass walls and doors. In the middle was a white table with phones. Ahead of that was a large screen. There was only one other person there other than Old man and Y/n. It was a girl with curly blue hair and big circular glasses. She stood there nervously as the game started.
     "Registration closed."
     "Game: Connect Four."
    "Difficulty: 5 of diamonds."
    "To win connect four and leave the arena."
    "To place a token you must solve a problem."
    "Game starts now."
    On the big screen, a connect four grid showed up. A yellow tower was already placed and a riddle showed up on the bottom of the screen.
    "The more you take, the more you leave behind." Old man read aloud.
    "Um, footsteps right?" The blue-haired girl asks.
     Y/n looked down at her phone. On the screen was a box to type the answer in. She quickly typed it in and was given a chance to place a token.
    After she placed a token another yellow token dropped down and a new riddle appeared. "If you've got it you want to share it, if you share it you haven't got it."
    Y/n thought for a moment.
    "This is some bullshit." Old man grumbled.
     The girl with blue hair chuckled. "Can't use your brain old man?"
    Y/n snickered. "I'm surprised he has a brain."
    "Just figure it out."
    Looking at the riddle Y/n finally got it. "I know what it is." She looked down to type it in.
    "What?" The girl asked.
    "It's a secret."
    "You can tell me."
    "I'm telling you it's a secret."
    She crossed her arms. "Well, that isn't fair your typing it in any way."
    Old man smirked. "Who's stupid now?"
    Y/n got it right and she placed another token. A new riddle appeared. "Add 5 to 9 and get 2. The answer is correct so what am I?"
    "That makes zero sense." Old man flailed his arms.
    "Then think about it in a way that could make sense." The blue-haired girl said. "I think it's a clock." She typed it in and got it right.
     "This game is fairly easy," Y/n commented.
     "Well, it's only 3 of diamonds." The girl replied. "My last game was 8 of diamonds."
     "Who makes it, does not need it. Who buys it, has no use for it. Those who use it can neither see nor feel it. What is it?" The new riddle appeared.
    "Aw, man." The blue girl sighed. "I've got no idea about this one."
    "A coffin." The old man stated.
    Y/n typed it in. "You hear that one before or something."
    He shrugged.
    "What gets broken without being held?"
    "Anything, right? You don't have to hold something to break it." Old man frowned.
    "I'm guessing they're looking for a more specific answer here. I don't think it's something materialistic." The blue-haired girl said thoughtfully. "Maybe silence." She typed it in but it wasn't the right answer. "Damn. I got nothing."
    Y/n stared at her phone In thought. Many things ran through her head but she kept going back to one memory. One that made her push people away even more.
    It was her high school graduation. Her father promised to take her out to dinner. But when she walked up on stage to take her diploma he wasn't there. After the ceremony, she waited on the curb for him to pick her up. She waited and waited but he never came. Her old teachers offered her a ride home but she declined still thinking he might come.
    It was only when night came that she realized he wasn't coming. She ripped off her graduation robes and started walking home taking only her diploma with her. From that day on she pushed everyone away. The friends she had She stopped talking to and she became completely isolated. And as she walked home that night she cried. She couldn't help the tears spilling from her eyes. All she wanted was a parent but she couldn't have it no matter how accomplished she was.
    That was also the last time she cried. Sure over the next couple of years she had outbursts of rage and disgust but she didn't cry. Not once.
    "A promise," Y/n announced and typed it in. The answer was correct and she placed the last connect four token. They had got four in a row winning the game.
    "Congratulations, you may now leave the arena."
    The blue-haired girl looked at Y/n and the old man with a smile. "I'm Yoko, it's been nice playing with you too."
    "I'm Y/n." She nodded. "This ancient artifact won't tell you his name."
    He chuckled. "I'm ancient now?"
    "I hope to see you again. Better get out of here before the timer goes off." Yoko waved and left the arena.
    Y/n put her phone on the table and moved to follow Yoko. She stepped out of the arena but heard the doors shut behind her. She spun around seeing Old man shove a branch in the door handles to keep it shut locking himself in the arena.
    She banged on the glass frantically. "What are you doing?!"
    "I'm dying Y/n. I can't do this anymore." He told her sorrowfully.
    "What?!" She screamed. "That's not fair! What happened to happiness?"
    "I was happy, I found it. Now I'm old enough to let go of life." He smiled.
    She looked at him angrily as her eyes began to feel agitated. "So you make me care about you and how you choose to die?! I won't let you! Open the door!"
    "Promise me you'll find it?"
     "Open the door!"
     "Y/n!" He shouted making her go quiet. "You knew this would happen when we met. Now I want you to promise."
     Her face scrunched up trying to hold something back. "This isn't fair."
     "Promise me you'll find happiness."
    A tear ran down her face as she put her forehead on the glass. "I promise I'll try."
    "Good." Old man backed away from the door. "It was an honor to be your friend."
    "You're more than my friend." She swallowed hard.
     Old man smiled. "Do better than I did kid."
     Then a red laser shot through him. His body fell limp to the ground.
     Y/n gasped and for the first time death fazed her. Her chest hurt as she choked on tears. She crumbled to her knees her hands on the glass as she cried. She screamed in pain as if she was being slowly stabbed in the heart.
     "It hurts...."
     "Why doesn't it hurt so much...?"

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