[PLAYBACK: INTERVIEW [IV] - MARINN RUTE HÖLZERN]

[The feed pops on once again, back to a much less chaotic scene. The two researchers do seem to be a little on edge, however. Little to no banter, unlike before.]

[But, after just a few seconds, the fourth participant appears. He definitely has the least graceful enterance out of all of them, pretty much completely missing the chair and falling over it.]

[MARINN RUTE HÖLZERN looks around wildy, very confused and afraid. His puppet seemingly mimicking his exact motions, also showing concern on her face.]

[MARINN]: Wh-wh-wha-?

[BRONTË]: -and I’m just going to stop you right there. I’ve gotten tired of all the freakouts and constant questions.

[BRONTË]: Let's just run through all the big ones, okay?

[BRONTË]: You’re on a ship called the Quinn, we’re holding a competition and we’ve chosen you to compete.

[BRONTË]: No, you aren’t in a form of afterlife, or the future, you’re just not in your world anymore.

[BRONTË]: Hm. Any other questions...

[MARINN]: Oh… w-well-

[BRONTË]: Right, few more. We chose you because you’re special, we are unrelated to anyone from your home world, and you will be able to mingle with your competitors before and after any matches.

[MARINN sits in silence for a moment. Looking down at his puppet, looking back up at the duo behind the glass.]

[MARINN]: …so you’re saying, you saw my talents, saw where I already was, and then decided to put me in another s-sort of grand competition against equally talented others?

[ABACAXI]: ‘equally talented’ might be a stretch, but uh. yeah, pretty much.

[MARINN]: [He sighs.] Great…

[BRONTË]: I’m sorry if it brings back any… unfortunate memories of your current world. But you shouldn’t worry. There won’t be any cartoon mice trying to bother you, and murder is-

[ABACAXI]: heavily frowned upon.

[BRONTË]: [She clears her throat.] -banned.

[BRONTË]: I can’t imagine what you’ve had to deal with, but perhaps you can rest easy without those over your head.

[MARINN]: …I guess. It’ll be nice being able to sleep, and… not worry about if I’ll wake up to one of my friends dead...

[MARINN]: Or… worrying about someone sneaking in and killing me overnight…

[MARINN]: ...Or, um. A lot of other things that I've been worrying about for the past few months.

[MARINN's eyes drift down to the floor, his puppet’s motion mimicking his own.]

[BRONTË]: [A pause.] Well, we had a few more questions, but if you’d rather-

[The doctor is interrupted by a new voice, coming from a mechanical object strapped to MARINN’S wrist. A voice the puppeteer knows all too well.]

[???]: (Well well~!!)

["Des"]: (This is DES on the A I R back with some wicked tunes and some crazy news!! After the events this morning in the Cafe, folks all around seem a little shocked. Some would even say… Paralyzed!)

["Des"]: (Speaking of, gotta few bodies in the examination room I gotta check!! Play me out!)

[Then, a song is played.]

[“finger eleven - Paralyzer” is now playing from the mechnanical object.]

[ABACAXI]: …uh, i think your phone is going off.

[MARINN]: …What? This isn’t my phone. It’s… a watch.

[ABACAXI]: weird looking watch.

[MARINN]: …yeah. All students have them. They have maps, and… digital coins, and… well, I don’t have enough coins to buy the ability to see the time, but. It’s sometimes useful.

[ABACAXI]: hey, at least you can play music.

[MARINN]: [He shakes his head.] I can’t play music. It’s all up to the whims of this… weird DJ. They’re also someone who does medicine?

[ABACAXI]: ah, a rhythm doctor. specializes in sick beats. i’ve heard of ‘em.

[BRONTË groans at the dumb pun.]

[MARINN]: …honestly, I just wish I could take this watch off. Then I could sleep soundly without random music starting up and s-scaring me. It doesn't help that I hardly know any of the music Des plays.

[MARINN]: I mean, what even is a tally hall? Why do they claim they rule everything??

[BRONTË]: Why don’t you just take the watch off?

[MARINN]: [MARINN’s hand goes up to his neck, rubbing it.] Well, the game runners put some sort of… needle into all the students. If we ever take the watch off, or… leave the facility, we’ll get poisoned, and die. Or… something like that.

[MARINN]: …but, you already knew that, right? I mean, how else would I be sitting here, not poisoned, if you didn’t develop some sort of… blocker for it, or something…

[Both of the hosts suddenly look very nervous.]

[BRONTË]: Oh, yes, of course we knew about it. We’re very good at our jobs and your safety is of upmost importance to us. We’ll see about removing the watch for you sometime soon, alright?

[BRONTË]: Now, if you don’t mind, our helpful AI will help you to your room. How about you head into the lobby?

[MARINN]: Uh, alright..? [Despite being confused as to why he’s being rushed out of the room, he does as he’s told.]

[As soon as he leaves the room, BRONTË looks at ABA panicked.]

[BRONTË]:

[BRONTË]: I FORGOT ABOUT THE NEEDLE.

[BRONTË]: It is a MIRACLE that the poor kid is still alive….

[BRONTË]: Look, you go do the next ticket or whatever. I need to hard focus on getting that thing out of him, or actually making a blocker, or... SOMETHING...

[BRONTË]: We can’t have any of our subjects dying. It'd make us look bad.

[BRONTË]: ...and be bad for them too, I'm sure.

[ABACAXI]: yeah, i hear ya. go, do the thing, i can handle the next ticket. don't worry.

[BRONTË rushes out, while ABA just shakes his head.]

[End Recording]