Aeon Nether & Idol Effigy

Chapter 81- Busy

I frowned. I could feel the sensation of my lips pulling down in an unfamiliar, yet familiar action.

The lights bore down on multiple people who presented themselves on stage after having their rankings called out. Trina's name was still called out, but the ranking was lower than her previous ones. She'd come in 42nd place. It was something that I hadn't thought was possible, since the scene of Emma allowing or expecting Trina to push her off of the stage towards the end of the show had Trina in first place regardless of her actions. Trina coming to be placed 42nd at this time seemingly irked me.

"Tsk", my tongue created a clicking sound automatically.

All I could think about was how stupid I was in thinking I could take advantage of her trying to push me in the final stages of the competition. Was she even going to make it to that point? And if she didn't, wasn't she just going to use some of the status and materialistic power that she had in this world to simply exit the show early? Well, I don't think power or status of any kind was needed to exit the show nor was I sure that she had enough of it anymore, but still! I felt like I'd miss out on something if I don't kill her and frame it as vengeance for Emma or as personal self defence.

It was strange. I lacked emotions to a certain degree, yet the more I think about it all I realise that I had the makings of some killer. Unsettled, I brought my hand up to the back of my neck to warm it as I stretched slightly in my seat.

Only one thing was for sure. That I needed to stop thinking, because my thoughts were clearly not helping me. My speculations on this world weren't going to help me much. Even with people that could offer me help, I was passively pushing the option of them helping me away. A stupid thing to do, but a thing that reflected my original self the most. Or maybe that was also an influence of Emma's memories that I technically got a chance to live through in multiple ways. But still...Me asking for help? I might ask for pity or sympathy, but help? Who would I ask help from? Why would I agree to have someone close to me help me kill someone? Blood should be on my or the enemies hands, not a friends.

It was a nagging thought in my mind to assume I wouldn't be able to convey what I wanted help with properly. I thought that I might be left alone as soon as I asked people to help me kill Trina, as well as a feeling that killing her was something I can only get clear gains out of if I kill her myself. I was also watched constantly now until dungeon service. I needed to get it over with and after that I can wait more soundly for those voices of disbelief or disgust at what I had done.

It was that simple and complicated.

If I had a script it would feature an idol killing another and I'd name it after the name I gave myself. Afterall, I'm not good with naming things. It wasn't my strong suit. Although, it might just be more accurate to call the script a narration looking back on actions I've taken, rather than a script. Since it was a snippet of my life it won't be an autobiography or a memoir, just a cruddy diary entry of a misplaced and confused teen.

Just then my name was called out bringing me back to reality.

"Aeon Nether in 5th place, please come down to give us a word before going back to the seat you've been ranked in."

My feet moved at the host's words. I got to the stage and brought my lips to the microphone, "Can I really not kill her yet?"

A response came out sooner than I expected.

It was the trio of administrators that stood by me on stage chortling, as if they found me both charming and amusing. My thoughts were simple and one way. Too many thoughts and I'd get overwhelmed. The administrators clearly knew it all and laughed at my eagerness. In sync they breathed the words, "Not yet."

One by one they calmed me down.

The beauty in the clouds seductively whispered in my ears, "There'll be many opportunities to do so soon."

"It's actually easier than you think.", appraised the hunched henchman.

The wooden administrator just smiled and patted my head to the rhythm of his nonsensical elderly words. "To do so much work for such a waste of a community and ... humanity."

Immediately after getting the slightest confirmation from the administrators, I moved off of the stage to the fifth ranked seat. The seat was relatively plain, but cushiony enough. The place for the fifty ranked individuals mimicked those red seats you'd imagine would be within the confines of some classically luxurious theatre. The ranks closest to the seat ranked in first seemed fancier, but not by a large difference. Oddly enough the quality seemed to visually imprint itself on myself as being the deciding factor in the fancifying of the seats rather than appearances.

From my vantage point I could make out the backs of the heads of my friends. Shockingly only Florent made it into the top fifty ranks in the twenty third rank. Both Aster and Petra seemed to have been just off of those who'd entered the top fifty.

Soon, Felixe's and Drags names were called out among the four people who'd ranked above me. No sooner than this was said that I acted and left the assembly hall. In the background I could hear the chatter of the students in the hall and the host reminding everyone that our internet restrictions were now lifted. Another thing I'd forgotten happened on this show.

As tempting as it was to view the internet I put it off to be done later. There wasn't enough time to view or briefly skim the basic information. I also didn't know what to look at or for.

Instead of wasting time on that I could be getting on with the last weeks of the competition and my course work. And of course killing Trina.

For the next month there'd be a couple of random songs dropped on the contestants each week and each week we'd need to perform or end up being among the ten who'd be voted out at the end of each week's performances.

Time passed. Trina and whoever was with her were getting more desperate to kill me. Now the day would feel empty if there wasn't someone sneaking onto the set or a member of staff dying for some reason.

Oddly enough, the other contestants don't find any of it off-putting at this point. In fact they all adapted to things fairly quickly and seeing the 'gifts' or extra pair of eyes watching them to be great training for their future. Every time I saw it I had a distinct feeling that I was missing something.

Some contestants and ex contestants saw their own popularity through the 'fans' that had arrived within their vicinity. One contestant even helped those 'fans' get into the campus to absorb most of their time in being flattered and train how to handle their own obsessive fans in the future.

Tips like making sure the fan has a camera on or around them to show the altercations and bad sides of the idols were often spoken about. There was even a self help group trying to write a guide on the fans who only like to follow said person to hate on them and make them look bad. The other contestants saw these 'fans' on campus as training for dungeon training. These Contestants were split into the prey who'd run whilst solving the problems and the hunters who liked to track fans down to chase them whilst leaving no trail behind them in a different way to the prey group. It was fun and it was hilarious.

However, maybe it was my past life that made me see all of this and feel like something was off. I was clearly missing something. Or could it just be the infamous something that's been kept from everyone at a certain age group.

I shrugged, I knew I needed to get through surviving Trina on this show first.