BEYOND 3A: BloodRed and ScaleBlack

The Seventy-Eighth Feather: Fur, Hair, And Feathers

Meanwhile, the intense game between Dantalion and Jake was reaching its climax. The board became a confusing mess of fake blood and violence among all the pieces, like the miniature war that it was.

Dantalion, who had the upper hand, told him: "Clock's ticking, doggy, make your move before the move makes you instead."

Zoe: "That doesn't even make any sense!"

Dantalion: "Does it have to? If you get the meaning, there doesn't have to be any meaning."

Zoe: "You two people perplex me so much. Just when I think I understand what you're about, you pull the rug from underneath me."

Vitamorte: "Hahaha! You're the one in the wrong for trying to get used to the likes of us. Beyonders were, are, and will always be unpredictable."

Zoe: "Isn't it the same way with humans?"

Vitamorte: "We wouldn't know. No one here is human."

Zoe: "Um... Hello? What do you think I am?"

Vitamorte: "The real question is, what do you think you are?"

Zoe: "I'm human. Always been, Always will be."

Vitamorte: "Is that so? Heh, I am in no position to judge other people's ways of thinking. Perhaps it could be boiled down to ignorance."

Zoe: "Ignorance? Are you implying that you know something about me that I don't?"

Vitamorte: "That is why second opinions are the cornerstone of society. One can't understand who they really are unless they're informed by a third party."

Zoe: "Hypocritical, coming from a supposed cannibal."

Vitamorte: "My, my~! I don't believe I've ever been introduced as a cannibal to anyone today."

Zoe: "...Oh shit, you're right, where did that come from?"

Vitamorte: "You'll come to understand in due time. That time being within the next minute."

As soon as their conversation ended, so did Jake and Dantalion's game, with Jake being the victor.

Zoe and Jake jumped up in the air joyfully, having finally beaten their game and the girl shouted: "In your faces, suckers!"

Dantalion sighed and said: "Evidently, it seems I have been attrited. Good game."

Vitamorte: "Unbelievable! My dear, how can you accept such an unsightly defeat?!"

Dantalion: "Such is the way of sportsmanship, my precious. They have both beaten all two of our games fairly, so it is for our pride that we must return whatever it is that they had lost in the maze."

Vitamorte: "...Fine, but I'm doing this only for you, darling."

With that, the two of them clasped their hands together, summoning a metal pipe from the ceiling, meant to bring the desired goods from the maze.

But, in a bizarre twist, the only thing that fell down into the room was an unconscious Murmur. Zoe walked up to her, glared at her, head to toe, and yelled in a mix of panic and confusion: "Wha-Wha-What?! Who is this?! Why does she... Look like me?"

Jake: "BARK BARK BARK! (That is my line! Why did you bring her?! This is not what I wanted!)"

Zoe: "This is not what we wanted, you scammers!"

Dantalion: "I fail to understand the issue."

Vitamorte: "That wench is the only thing that is still in the labyrinth."