EXTRAS Thanatophobia -Death Game by Majority- [On Hiatus]

(Sec 2-2) Ring-Up Box (Alt Route: Vinny)

Zill's POV

Entering the nurse's office I was almost immediately surrounded by everyone.

Mackenzie: Z-Zill! It's good to see you again!

Mackenzie fell flat on her face when she got up to greet me. I caught her and carefully led her back to the couch. I looked around the room. Rusty was grumbling to himself while leaning against the wall. His brows were furrowed and facing away from everyone else. My mouth opened to call for him but... I decided to leave him alone for now. Next, I noticed Damian hanging around another part of the room. His clothing was completely clean but his muzzle was bandaged. And that was it. Just the three of us. Venganza and Sahara were nowhere to be seen. Just where did they run off too. I sighed as I walked toward Damian. He turned to me for a moment and opened his mouth to say something, but he just looked away, ears drooped. I placed a comforting hand on his back.

Zill: It's not you're fault. You do know that, right?

Damian sighed and sniffled.

Damian: I can't just forgive myself for this. My choice... My decision... Allowed Simon to get tricked... hell, I was tricked myself! Again!!

Damian dug his hands through his head.

Damian: I couldn't even push that Fake Vinny off myself... Addison had to do it for me... Who knows how Addison feels now because of that!

Rusty looked up to face us and shook his head.

Rusty: Zill's right, y'know. You're being too hard on yourself. Sure you ki- Destroyed that Fake Vinny but that ended up saving the real one. You really think Rio would've let us have two Vinny's. Who knows what would've happened if you didn't... Do what you did.

Damian: Can't be any worse than right now...

We heard a groan in the room, we turned to find Mackenzie who was trying to lift herself. I ran to her side and sat her back down.

Zill: Mackenzie! You need rest now!

Mackenzie's body trembled as she looked up with me with wet, swollen eyes. I gulped.

Mackenzie: Simon's really dead... Isn't he...?

The room fell silent as Rusty, Damian and I looked at each other. I sighed and nodded.

Zill; Yeah... He's gone... We've... Lost a lot of people on our way to this point. He may have been a murderer and all but.... I don't think he was a bad guy... But it could've been worse... We could've lost you too, Mackenzie. If we lost you after all we've been through, I think we really would've given up.

Mackenzie's trembling stopped and gasped. She kept on crying but her smile told me it was no longer because she was sad. At least not completely.

Mackenzie: Z-Zill...

Addison: Mackenzie! Thank goodness! You've gotten better!

Mackenzie: O-Oh! Addison! A-And...

Mackenzie's eyes went wide. I followed her gaze. Right behind, Addison was... Vinny. But he had something new around his neck... Simon's scarf. Vinny gripped it with one hand as he looked tired.

Vinny: Mackenzie... I'm glad you're okay.

Mackenzie: Y-Yeah...

Vinny walked ahead of Addison as he sat right next to Mackenzie. Vinny looked around Mackenzie's back and when he didn't see any bandages there. He sat back on the couch and wrapped an arm around her.

Vinny: Man, I'm thirsty!

Mackenzie began trembling again, choking on her sobs.

Vinny: Haha... What're you crying for? What do I smell ba-

Mackenzie: I-I couldn't do anything to help... Because of me Simon-

Vinny: You don't hafta apologize for that! It didn't matter who ended up where! Whoever was in last place would've been on that target! Not to mention that trap in the Room of Lies...

Mackenzie: B-But-

Vinny sighed and patted Mackenzie's back.

Vinny: guess you were really scared, huh? Sorry I couldn't be there to help you when you were in trouble.

Mackenzie: Vinny...

Addison: O-Oh yeah! Those rules! Vinny we have to tell them those rules!

Vinny cringed as he turned to face Addison.

Vinny: You mean... For the new Main Game...

The room fell silent as the atmosphere grew heavy. The main game was going to start again soon. All we're doing is delaying the inevitable. The inevitability of that game... But I'll be damned if that's going to happen again! Still, there's nothing I can do now.

Addison: We can explain it to Sahara and Venganza later.

Zill: You didn't find them?

Vinny: Nah... We even checked their rooms too. Just where can they be?

I bit my lip. Venganza and Sahara on their own... Just what are they planning next.

Addison: So apparently the roles are saved in our voting tablets. Oh! Zill! We put yours in the drawer of your room. The roles are the same: Keymaster, Sacrifice, Sage, and Commoners. They should be distributed already! Apparently, there is a way to trade roles as well. We can trade with Me-Tokens.

Damian: How do we trade?

Everyone in the room turned to see Damian, his tablet already out. Damian turned to notice all the eyes staring at him. He raised his hands defensively.

Damian: I-I was just asking! I didn't stay long enough to hear!

Rusty groaned.

Rusty: As if! Anyways... How many me-tokens does it take to trade?

Addison scratched his head.

Addison: Umm... He didn't really explain how to do any of that.

Rusty: So Rio gave a half-assed explanation? Bet he gave a full smile.

Addison: It wasn't Rio...

Rusty, Mackenzie, and I all stared at each other before looking back at Addison.

Zill: Who then...?

???: It was I...

The familiar, yet monotone voice causes all of us to freeze in place. And so, from the same entrance that Simon and Addison walked through, emerged-

Zill: Th-The Receptionist Doll?!

Receptionist: You may call me, Cheshire Violet. Although I'd prefer Dr. Violet.

Rusty: More like pussy lips!

Pussy Lips: If that is what you wish to call me, then by all means go right ahead.

Rusty growled.

Rusty: Don't fuck with me!

Violet: Small dogs truly do bark loud.

Rusty opened his mouth to retort but I cut him off.

Zill: So you're the one who gave Addison the rules?

He nodded.

Violet: It was I, yes.

Rusty: You half-assed explaining the rules and walked away with a full smile?!

Violet: I didn't really smile so much as I walked away and finished setting up the Ring-Up Box.

(*Context- After this, It's pretty much the same dialogue as the original Ring-Up Box. I wanted to focus more on unique scenes and dialogue in these alternate routes rather than repeat what has already been said.)