BLUFF [AIB]

Stage Two: XIV

[Started: 1/17/2023]
[Ended: 1/17/2023]
[Song: MEDUSE by Nuvfr and It Took Me By Surprise by Maria Mena.]

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Alice In Borderlands
BLUFF
STAGE TWO: Opia
"The ambiguous intensity of looking someone in the eye, which can feel simultaneously. invasive and vulnerable."

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Chapter Fourteen
"Bluffing."
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     As the sixth round started Y/n realized she had no idea what was going on. She had been preoccupied with everything else that she hadn't taken the time to think things over. The end was approaching and she had no idea who the king was or how to escape the penthouse. She had one clue and that was the poorly drawn eyeball she pulled from the dead man's head.
      So she resorted to something that rarely worked but might give her a clue. Bluffing.

     Y/n found Steve and Jae in the lounge area talking to each other. Adjusting the robe she never took the time to change out of she went over to them. She leaned on the couch arm across from them with a friendly smile. "What are you guys up too?"
     "We're talking about our gym regimens." Steve answered while flexing his arms.
      "Oh nice." She said as she moved to sit down. "Look I just want to tell you guys something..."
      They looked at her expectantly.
     Her face became blank, almost grim. "I know."
    Both of them tensed up. "You know?" Jae asked.
     She nodded with a hum. "I know who the king of hearts is."
      "So..." Steve looked at Jae then back at Y/n. "You guys have had the talk right?"
     Y/n nodded.
    "Ah that's good." Jae smiled before standing up. "Welcome to our family." He opened his arms for a hug.

    She was incredibly confused but didn't show it on her face. She gave him a hug and pat his back awkwardly.
    "He was really excited to have you." Jae pulled away patting Y/n's shoulders.
    "Really?" She asked.
   Steve nodded rapidly. "Couldn't stop talking about you, was almost obsessive about it."
    "Well no duh, she's taken down two face cards." Jae chuckled. "Anyway it great to have you."
    She smiled. "Likewise."
    After that they went back to talking about working out. Y/n left to look for another participant. She was very confused but now guessed the King of Hearts was forming some sort of group.

     Y/n found Kimiko in the kitchen making an green atrocious looking smoothie. Y/n placed herself in the door way to Kimiko had nowhere to run.
     "Ah Y/n!" The woman spotted her. "Seda was looking for you, he seemed worried."
     "Isn't he always." She joked.
     The woman laughed. "Indeed."
    "I just want to tell you..." Y/n looked at the woman smugly. "I know...I know everything."
    Kimiko beamed. "So you decided to join us! How wonderful!"
    Y/n leaned on the doorway. "Definitely."
    "You know I personally didn't believe you were going to say yes." She began pouring the green mush into a glass. "But I'm glad to have more sensible woman on the team. I mean Yoko it just odd."
     "She is a little, but it's charming." Y/n defended the blue haired girl.
   Kimiko shrugged. "To each his own."
   "Well, I'll see you around Kimiko." Y/n waved goodbye and left the room.
    It was clear that Y/n was the odd man out. Though there were other participants, she was the only one playing.

     She was heading to Daeko's room to talk to jump when Seda found her in the hallway. "Y/n!" He called.
    She turned to him with an unreadable expression. "Yes?"
    "I just..." He rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "Nothings weird between us right. You haven't talked to me since, you know...."
     "I do know." She crossed her arms. "Actually I know everything."
     He frowned in confusion with an innocent look. "What?"
     "The object of this game is to find the king right? Well I have." She smirked. "So don't play dumb."
     Seda's face completely changed from innocence to amusement. "Wow, I thought I did a good job diverting your attention. I've got to give it to you. I have no idea how you figured it out."
     "I'm very observant." She told him.
     He chuckled. "I can tell." He then took her wrist dragging her into his room. He shut the door before looking at her and locking it. "Now that you know I'm the king. We should have a conversation."

     She looked around her body tense like prey. "Then start talking."
     He moved towards her placing his hands on the sides of her arms and rubbing up and down. "Just calm down, your not going to get hurt. I'm just going to explain, okay?"
      Hesitantly she tried to relax.
     "Good." Seda coed. "First, as you likely know, everyone in here are former players that joined me. We here are like a family, staying here is like paradise. And you Y/n, get that choice as well." He lifted her chin with his thumb and pointer finger. "Out of all my followers, you will be my favorite. I've wanted you since the beginning. I need someone to stand beside me, understanding me, and be loyal to me indefinitely. You are that person."
     "That doesn't sound bad." She muttered.
     "If you stay here you can be my queen, Y/n." He leaned in closer to her. "All you have to say is yes."

     She paused for a moment. ".....yes."
    Seda's lips curled up. "I knew you'd say that, especially after last round." He leaned him pressing his lips to hers. "It's almost tea time." He moved away from her and moved to the door. "And we're actually having tea this time." He opened the door for her.
   She walked out. "I'm looking forward to it."
Together they walked to the table. The others looked like they were just finishing putting everything on the table. Seda pulled out the chair at the head of the table for her.
"Since your the new addition, I think it's fitting you sit here." He said as she sat down.
"Thank you."

Everyone sat down and the hour of "tea time" started.
The group bombarded Y/n with questions. Most about why she decided to stay. Then they told her stories about how they came to join. Most were boring and the result of their own stupidity.
The entire time Daeko and Yoko stayed relatively quiet. The man in glasses just looked at his tea cup with deep regret.

Towards the end of the hour Y/n decided to start asking some questions. "So." She started. "I want to know about the head and the drugs." She directed the question to Seda.
"The head was my idea, I hear it have you quite a scare." Kimiko raised her hand. "I thought it would hang in your mind, distract you from trying to find the king."
Y/n chuckled. "Well it worked...sorta."
"The drugs was my idea." Yoko spoke up looking a little guilty. "Same reason though."
"I see." Y/n nodded.

"The rounds almost over. Why don't you give a speech and next round we can all hang!" Steve encouraged her.
"Alright," she stood up. "These three days have been an eye opener. Recently I've been involved with someone, it made me realize who I truly want, and that nothing will change that."
The group looked at Seda who just brushed them off with a cocky smile.
"Before coming here I had gone through a lot of changes. I also met some incredible people that helped change me. They made me stronger so I can stand here and say this with all confidence." Y/n trailed off her eyes landing on a tea pot by her hand. The timer began to count down, from ten. "You comforted me, became my friend, then you drugged me, you seduced me, tricked me and all of these people, you have created a cult, and now you want me to join."
Seda tensed up as he listened to Y/n speak. "I'm sorry?"
"You must be mad if you ever thought I would join your stupid cult." Her hand wrapped around the handle of the tea pot.

"The sixth round is over."
     "The last round has started."
    "You may now leave the table."

     Y/n lifted the teapot smacking Seda with it. The entire thing shattered leaving only the handle in her hand. The hot water burned into Seda's clothes and drenched his hair.
     "You fucking bitch!" He yelled standing up to tower over her.
     She lilted her head with a taunting smile. "That's no way to talk to a lady."
    He sneered and looked at the surprised faces of his followers. "What are you doing?! Restrain her!"
     They all took a second to process what he had said and when it did all of them jumped from the table. Y/n took off running down the stairs. But running from five people in a three story penthouse wasn't easy and she was quickly cornered. Yoko and Steve caught her in the rooms hallway.

     "I don't want to do this Y/n." Yoko told her.
     "I thought you were smart." She glared at her. "Why are you falling for this bullshit? This is the game? We're not escaping the pent house, we're escaping him!"
    Steve shook his head. "You know nothing!"
   "I know everything!" She whipped around to face him. "Join me or die."
     The next thing she knew someone had hit her in the back of the head. Hard. Her world went black and she collapsed.

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