Demise Game

[GOOD END] paramount

You went back out to the living room, ignoring the voice that kept whispering where the animal was hidden.  No doubt it was a trick, and you weren't about to risk that.  Instead, you needed to think long and hard about it.  You were positive the stuffed animals was in the living room, as it was the only place you couldn't safely look considering your trap with Shuuen.  But where in the living room was it?

        There was no use thinking about it.  More likely than not was Shuuen trying to trick you.  Shuuen wanted to play a game with you?  Fine.  Two could play at this.  You took a deep breath.

        Shiki had prepared you for this; it would do no good to fall for his tricks so late into the game.

        Returning to the living room, you crossed your arms.  "I'm not going to guess where the doll is," you told him resolutely.  "You weren't supposed to even find me in your own form.  I don't play games with cheaters."

        Shuuen's eyebrow raised, his smile becoming a bit strained.  Interesting.  "Do you have a choice?"

        "I do, actually."  You hesitated, before going on.  It was all apart of the plan.  You had to do this.  And you had to survive it.  "I want to play again.  Fairly."

        "Oh?"

        "You're supposed to hide as the doll.  Not just hide it.  That's the whole point of this game."  Of course, you needed the doll in your hands before he possessed it, but one step at a time.  You'd figure this out.  Your life depended on it, after all.

        Shuuen thought it over, seeming more amused than anything else.  He clearly wasn't worried.  "So you think you can find me as if I am the doll?" he asked.  When he said it like that, you weren't sure, but it didn't matter if you found him in the end.  Not if you did this right.

        "Yep."  You shifted your weight from your left foot to your right, pursing your lips.  "Unless you don't think you can win this game fairly."

        Shuuen's smile dimmed.  "Careful, human," he warned you.  "I would think twice before trying to goad me."  He thought over your words though, before striding over to the couch and plucking the plushie from between the left and middle couch cushion.

        Huh.  The voice was telling the truth...

        You had no time to ponder it as Shuuen tossed the plushie to you.  You fumbled before dropping it, confusion hitting you.  Quickly, you scooped it in your arms.

        The demon spoke before you could question him.  "Take out the rice.  It'll be too heavy for me," he complained.  This wasn't what you expected or planned, but it actually worked perfectly in your favor.  Taking the plushie into the kitchen, you cut it open and dumped the rice into the trash before hastily sewing it back up.

        Shuuen couldn't see you from the living room and how you positioned yourself, and you took advantage of this.  Grabbing red thread from your pocket, you deftly tied it thrice around the neck of the plushie, tight enough to where it was barely noticeable.  You triple-knotted it for good measure.

        "Here."  You tossed the now-lighter stuffed animal back to Shuuen, who caught it with more grace than you did.

        "Are you going to smudge the circle?"  Shuuen asked dryly, gesturing to the salt circle he was stuck in.  When you hesitated, he scoffed.  He started to shift into a more gaseous form, and the stuffed animal seemed to suck him in.  After a moment, the black smoke vanished, and Shuuen was nowhere to be seen.  "Better?"

        You glanced at the plushie warily as he tested his new limbs.  He seemed none the wiser about the string around his neck; you'd like to keep it that way.