But we can't let what just happened to us happen again. Maybe if we stop the machine first?
[Then the Gronch won't be able to crush them, and the "elves" won't have any work to focus on.
From what Estelle can see, the Gronch is currently at the controls... but is there a power source, or anything else that looks like it can be interfered with?]
[There is a large electrical plug not too far from where they're standing, just out of sight of the Gronch. It's big enough that it may take both of them to pull on it, but maybe that's worth giving a try.]
[kaz follows estelle's line of sight to the power plus, which is enormous, and perks up.]
I was going to suggest more drastic methods, [he was going to suggest blowing it up and kicking the gronch in the dick, not necessarily in that order] but that will do nicely.
Stealth time!
[which means kaz is tiptoeing across the floor to the plug like the clown cartoon character he truly is, before just wholesale tryna yank it out]
[And a one, and a two, and a three! No dick-kicking is necessary and the two of them unearth the plug from the wall, a strange, unsettling suction noise following.
They may want to find something to hold onto though, because soon they'll hear the sound of yelling from the Gronch as the hole in the ground widens, a vacuum forming as it begins to suck up the machine, the debris, and even the Gronch himself. The elves lose their grip, flickering for a moment before bursting into red and green confetti and dancing in the wind. Were they ever truly there at all?
The contents of the room swirl, around and around as everything disappears. As the last item is swallowed by the hole itself, they'll hear the Gronch shouting from below.]
"You were warned! You should have gone my way!"
[When the noise dies down, they'll find themselves alone in an empty room with the conveyer belt and two lone gifts.
But it seems as though they have their names on them.]
Wow. Was that a simulation inside of a simulation? If that wasn't real—if Helena wasn't—are we? Can we trust what our eyes saw? Are eyes even real? How could we have seen any of this, if they aren't?
[kaz rubs his head, shaking it slowly—then shrugs.]
Eh.
Anyway. Presents!
[and he. trots off to the gifts without a care in the world, holding estelle's out to her when he eventually gets there.]
Merry Christmas, Estelle! [and a happy psychological nightmare!]
[Congratulations on your prizes! For Kaz, as he unwraps his gift, he'll find one giant toblerone. As for Estelle, she'll find what looks to be a homemade bento made with love and dedication.
The food looks delicious and smells great, but that's not all. They will innately realize that these gifts will replenish for three meals per day for the next three days. How nice, given the rest of the food at the lodge is now just fake.
But the time has come for this adventure to end. They've managed to avoid too much damage besides minor cuts and bruises, at least. There's only a few moments that they're able to admire their gifts before their vision first goes black and then white again. As they blink away the spots of dizziness, a chill settles over their skin as they find themselves back out in the snow, not too far from the lodge.
...huh. And it seems as though Estelle's shield is lying right in front of the door, too. Hurry in now. The weather's unpredictable around these parts.]
No need to thank me! Thank the spirit of Jesus Christ, first of his name!
[and with zero further explanation, he rips open his own gift.]
A giant toblerone! Charles could learn a thing or two from this for his storytelling! I'll cherish it forever... with my mouth!
[kaz is indeed hugging his giant toblerone like it's a stuffed toy. okay.
then the world turns inside out, and they're back in the snow—which kaz just kind of. nods at cheerfully. it's par for the course, at this point. fuck it! life is meaningless anyway.]
Well, I could really go for a hot chocolate about now. How about you?
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
But we can't let what just happened to us happen again. Maybe if we stop the machine first?
[Then the Gronch won't be able to crush them, and the "elves" won't have any work to focus on.
From what Estelle can see, the Gronch is currently at the controls... but is there a power source, or anything else that looks like it can be interfered with?]
no subject
no subject
I was going to suggest more drastic methods, [he was going to suggest blowing it up and kicking the gronch in the dick, not necessarily in that order] but that will do nicely.
Stealth time!
[which means kaz is tiptoeing across the floor to the plug like the clown cartoon character he truly is, before just wholesale tryna yank it out]
no subject
no subject
They may want to find something to hold onto though, because soon they'll hear the sound of yelling from the Gronch as the hole in the ground widens, a vacuum forming as it begins to suck up the machine, the debris, and even the Gronch himself. The elves lose their grip, flickering for a moment before bursting into red and green confetti and dancing in the wind. Were they ever truly there at all?
The contents of the room swirl, around and around as everything disappears. As the last item is swallowed by the hole itself, they'll hear the Gronch shouting from below.]
"You were warned! You should have gone my way!"
[When the noise dies down, they'll find themselves alone in an empty room with the conveyer belt and two lone gifts.
But it seems as though they have their names on them.]
no subject
huh.
kaz looks at his hands. touches his face.]
Wow. Was that a simulation inside of a simulation? If that wasn't real—if Helena wasn't—are we? Can we trust what our eyes saw? Are eyes even real? How could we have seen any of this, if they aren't?
[kaz rubs his head, shaking it slowly—then shrugs.]
Eh.
Anyway. Presents!
[and he. trots off to the gifts without a care in the world, holding estelle's out to her when he eventually gets there.]
Merry Christmas, Estelle! [and a happy psychological nightmare!]
no subject
[There was definitely a part of her that wanted to believe Rita was just within reach.
Well... she might as well see what the consolation prize is.]
... Thank you.
[She'll try opening it!]
no subject
The food looks delicious and smells great, but that's not all. They will innately realize that these gifts will replenish for three meals per day for the next three days. How nice, given the rest of the food at the lodge is now just fake.
But the time has come for this adventure to end. They've managed to avoid too much damage besides minor cuts and bruises, at least. There's only a few moments that they're able to admire their gifts before their vision first goes black and then white again. As they blink away the spots of dizziness, a chill settles over their skin as they find themselves back out in the snow, not too far from the lodge.
...huh. And it seems as though Estelle's shield is lying right in front of the door, too. Hurry in now. The weather's unpredictable around these parts.]
no subject
[and with zero further explanation, he rips open his own gift.]
A giant toblerone! Charles could learn a thing or two from this for his storytelling! I'll cherish it forever... with my mouth!
[kaz is indeed hugging his giant toblerone like it's a stuffed toy. okay.
then the world turns inside out, and they're back in the snow—which kaz just kind of. nods at cheerfully. it's par for the course, at this point. fuck it! life is meaningless anyway.]
Well, I could really go for a hot chocolate about now. How about you?