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Who: Killers, Sheba, and Kenny
What: OH MY GOD THEY KILLED KENNY
When: The eighth night
Where: The park...

[It's in the dead of the night when Sheba's door abruptly unlocks. Her bracelet begins to beep. Something seems to be calling her, ordering her to leave her room. For every moment she delays, it beeps with more and more urgency, especially if she tries to bring anything. And besides, she feels groggy, not inclined to protest much. Shortly after, Kenny's door also unlocks, and he's led to the park behind her.

As she steps outside, lights illuminate the path. The lights lead into the park. As soon as either one steps through the door into the park, the door slams shut. It won't open for again, and pounding on the door or calling for help will not yield any results. It's only once inside that the grogginess wears off.

You can run or try to hide, but there's not much use to it. Your bracelet is still beeping, the only obvious sound in the darkness. And though you're not restrained, you'll find there's no way you can strike a blow against the killers; the bracelet will tighten and you'll feel the grogginess return if you try to fight back.]

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[Much use or no, Sheba doesn't have any intention of laying down and dying. The beeping of her bracelet is maddening and she wishes she could block it out, but she can't.

She won't just stand there and let them find her. She won't. Pushing herself to move as fast as she can, she breaks into a run in the direction of the castle, hoping to find somewhere there to hide. If she can just make it until sunrise, maybe she'll be okay...?

It's a foolish, fragile hope, but she clings to it nonetheless.]

[ It is a false hope, since before long, that bracelet will distribute some of that drug to make Sheba more sluggish. It seems the killers are hardly interested in a chase scene. But it's only moments after it starts to take effect that there's the sound of someone walking closer at a dignified, slow pace.

Ciel steps into the dim light of the park at night, and maybe at this point, it's not a surprise that Ciel is the one to greet her. ]

Good evening, Sheba.

[ It's all he says at first, walking closer with an easy, relaxed posture. ]

...Ciel.

[She wishes she could say she's surprised, but she's really not. She gives him as much of her attention as her grogginess allows.]

So this is how you've been spending your nights, huh...?

It is. Nearly all of them were my work.

[ He admits it neutrally, no particular pride or shame in his voice when he admits it. It's just a task given to him, so he performs it with confidence and ease. He was the Queen's Watchdog, after all—This was hardly different. ]

And you are a part of the medical team, I hope?

Would it change anything even if I said "no"?

[She smiles wryly.]

You picked me, and obviously I wasn't protected, so in a few hours they'll be finding my body. Right? That's how this works, isn't it?

...but if you've got any choice in this at all, leave my buddy alone, okay? He's just a kid. Pretend you couldn't find him or something.

It would not, but it would save me a few hours frustration, hence why I ask.

[ He sighs, and shakes his head as he crosses his arms. ]

But I cannot honor your request, I am afraid. Both of you will be waking up tonight. Though I will say that you know I cannot let either of you remain here with the chance you are the medical team. We have but one chance, so I have to assure that I can get Oz tomorrow.

He already knows who you are.

[She takes a breath.]

Both of you, I'm pretty sure. We talked tonight, and he had four names, and I think I convinced him not to waste a night investigating two of them. [Then she raises her head to look him in the eye.]

Where is she?

[She doesn't comment on "waking up" - she thinks he's just trying to confuse her.]

I'm well aware. That's why I've laid out plans in case of my execution tomorrow, and should she be chosen instead, all the better. It would be better that she went to rest with her hands clean. Mine were dirty well before the start of this game, but I will do all I can to save her from such a fate.

[ He says it like he's bored, then reaches into his jacket to pull out a small vial which he rolls between his fingers. ]

But I have no interest in explaining my motivations or strategies. I recommend you take a seat on one of the benches.

[What she'd really like to do is take the bench and flip it into his face, but that's impossible, so with a slight huff she takes a seat as he instructs and eyes the vial in his hand warily.]

What's that - revenge for making you eat canned meat?

I'm hardly so petty, Sheba.

[ He walks closer, then offers her the vial before he says more. ]

Please drink it.

[She reaches out for the vial with a hand that, despite her best efforts, is trembling.]

...cheers.

[Then she steels herself for what might come, uncorks the vial, and downs the contents in one gulp.]

[ It's rather tasteless, just very lightly bitter, and Ciel nods appreciatively that she's decided to go along with it so easily. ]

It is a monkshood tincture. It should take about fifteen minutes before you asphyxiate.

[ He states it calmly and evenly, then cants his head before he asks simply: ]

Would you like me to stay?

No.

[She says it just as simply. When she can't breathe, when she's desperate for any faster way to die, or some way to just make it stop - she doesn't want the person who gave her poison to bear witness to it.]

Please... Please leave.

Very well. I will be nearby to make sure the job is done, but I will leave you.

[ He turns and starts to walk away, but pauses a few steps from her before he offers with the same amount of cool distance he had with everything else so far: ]

...Thank you, by the way.

[ But he doesn't say what he's thanking her for, and he has no intentions to, since Ciel walks away without saying anything else. ]

[She shakes her head and draws her knees up to her chest.

She doesn't want to die. It's different, being in danger and knowing that her death will come in fifteen minutes. It's different, knowing that she's meant to have control over the wind, but that her breath will be stolen from her and no matter how she tries she won't be able to breathe in the air.

Sheba does her best to keep quiet, but she won't be able to keep from crying, which is exactly why she wanted Ciel gone.]

[ Somehow he's not surprised when he finds himself in the park in the middle of the night. It's sort of his place to die; he's surprised he's made it this far, really.

The only thing that concerns him is Sheba. Maybe they've just targeted him. Maybe...

When the sluggishness wears off, he doesn't try to run. He's ready for this; he's not afraid of dying, when he's died so many times before. ]

[ It doesn't take long before a silhouette approaches, and from that, the boy not much older than Kenny steps into view. His expression is cool and easy, and he looks at Kenny neutrally as he approaches. ]

Ah, so you aren't planning to run?

[ He narrows his eyes at the person he sees, but makes no comment on that for now. ]

What's the point? I'm definitely not gonna be the sole exception to the murder rule. I'm dense, but I'm not that stupid.

Thank goodness. The last few nights have been rather tiresome with how people think they will be.

[ He shrugs ]

Now, will you come along, please?

Where? Do I get some kinda special extra gory humiliating death too? Awesome. [ He could not sound less enthused if he tried, but he gets his footing, ready to follow. ]

In a way, yes. But those are our instructions. The more gruesome your "death" here, the more peacefully your transition to wake up will be.

[ He shrugs, then starts to walk to lead the way ]

There is a reason they have appeared more brutal, after all.

A transition to... wake up?

[ This sounds terribly familiar. ]

I'm sure you've heard it by now, yes?

[ He sighs, since he's tired of explaining it, but he at least understands the reluctance. ]

The deaths here are convincing, but they're not real. I will hardly say that what the VIPs have been doing is noble, but we have been working in the best interests of everyone here. Though I imagine that will be hard to believe, since I would scarcely believe it myself were I in your position.

...H...haha...

[ Kenny sucks in his breath and then starts to laugh. ]

I knew it. I knew it wasn't possible. I'm never going to get to die for real, am I. [ He should never have believed it for even a second. ] I don't know if I believe you or not about best interests, but... Whatever. I'm tired. I don't care any more.

[ He raises an eyebrow, but doesn't ask, since here they are at Pleasant Street, which is the destination. There's at least one shop standing alone, which is the one Ciel heads towards. ]

I hadn't expected to hear that. Should I be apologizing?

Whatever your reasons, I know I won't be getting any clear answers. It's nothing.

[ He pauses, looking around. ]

Why are we here?

You can ask, if you wish. There are certain things I will not answer, but I have respect for those that accept their fate with grace.

[ He looks to the standalone building, then sighs, shaking his head. ]

...We are advised to be more brutal, as I said.

I suppose you won't let me do it myself, will you?

[ He looks surprised at first, then conflicted before he glances to the side. ]

...I don't know, actually.

[ He seems to think it over seriously, but then reaches in his jacket to pull out a small vial. ]

There's nothing that will let you do so quickly, but... You can take this once I lock the doors. It might be a little more... [ Ciel trails off with a shrug, since it seems like he's suddenly somewhat reluctant. ]

[ What could he mean by that...? Kenny wants to ask, but he's not sure if he's going to get a real answer.

He takes the vial and stares at it, before tucking it into his palm and closing his fist over it. ]

Lock the doors? What, you're ditching me in there?

Yes.

[ There's a pause before he opens the door, then motions for Kenny to go inside. ]

I will burn it.

[ He hesitates at that. He's burned to death before- more than once. He remembers the agony of it clearly. Dying over and over doesn't make it all any less painful. ]

...What will this do? [ He shakes the vial. ]

It's a monkshood tincture. It will kill you in fifteen minutes if you drink it, but until then, the symptoms of the poisoning should at least lessen some of the pain of the fire.

[ He hesitates, pauses, then adds simply: ] I would prefer to shoot you, if I could. But that makes waking up more difficult. From what we have been told, I am not sure at how well it would go with only that.

[ It sounds bizarre, and yet before Ciel can think about how this doesn't make sense, this thoughts drift away too quickly for him to latch onto them. This makes sense. Of course it makes sense. ]

The monkshood is all I can do, I am afraid.

[ His brow furrows. None of this makes any sense. Ciel seems reluctant, somehow. And the 'waking up' thing... ]

Somehow I don't think this'll lessen anything. [ He knows what it's like to burn. But maybe the smoke will get him first.

He has questions- a million of them- but his time's up. He steps through the door. ]

Perhaps not. But it is all I can give.

[ When Kenny steps inside, Ciel closes the door gently behind him, but then grabs the metal bar that had been sitting near the door. It didn't seem like anything special, but Ciel had brought what he needed beforehand. He sticks the bar through the handles of the door so that they can't be opened, then walks over to the rest of the supplies he had brought. It's no more than oil, linen wrapped around a stick, and a lighter, but he sets the torch on fire before touching the torch to various points around the building until they catch.

...Something about this doesn't feel right, he realizes, but that, too, drifts away with the smoke. It makes his stomach churn, because this was no better than what had been done to him, but he must. For the sake of that, he must.

But once the building is on fire, Ciel steps back, looks at the building briefly, then walks away. He doesn't need to worry about the building catching anything else on fire—He had picked this building for that reason. ]

[ Kenny takes a seat against a wall when the door closes. He hears soft footsteps outside, and something catching on the door. He rolls the vial around in his hands, before setting it down. He carefully removes his mask, sets it aside, and rubs his eyes as smoke starts to leak into the building.

He's just glad Sheba isn't here. Burning to death... it's not what he'd want for her.

But it's not what he wants for himself, either.

He grasps the vial and pounds it against the floor. It breaks in his grip, the tincture spilling over his hand and glass shards stinging into his palm. It hurts like hell. ] Ow. Fuck! [ He shakes his hand out, trying to regain a grip on one of the largest shards. Heat begins to pour in; Kenny knows he doesn't have time to sit around and wait. ]

Alright... alright. Not hard. Just gonna close my eyes. Go to sleep.

[ And maybe he really will wake up again, just like he always does. He feels around his neck with his free hand until he finds the place where his pulse pounds the thickest. He keeps his fingers there before pulling them away at the last second, plunging the glass into his neck.

Unconsciousness comes in a matter of seconds. Blood spews down his front, and just like that, he slumps over. His mind has checked out; the flames will take care of the rest. ]

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