WARNING: One of the squids is back. Whoops.

Games

Ch 36: Proud

"U-Uh, truth?"

"Why did your parents abandon you?"

"M-My- My parents didn't-"

The GameMaster rolls his eyes as he flicks his wrist out towards Jason. My first instinct is to murder William for hurting my friends again, but then I realize he hasn't actually hurt Jason – he's just given him some of his memory back.

Jason's eyes slowly widen, and tears prick at them. "M-My- My parents..." He swallows hard.

"You can't skip the question, it isn't allowed," the GameMaster reminds him, and I feel like strangling the guy, but I don't.

"I won't think any less of you if you go ahead and strangle him."

I start to stand up.

"I didn't mean that, sit back down! I will think a lot less of you if you strangle that man!"

Why?

"Just- because! Geez, son, you can't just murder random people!"

… You're giving me mixed signals here, Dad.

"It's just- I was just trying to strengthen your desire to harm others. But, I mean, maybe we should practice on someone other than William."

What's your deal with William? Like, half the time you hate his guts and the other half you're protecting him.

He's silent.

"I- I- They were disappointed because... because I was more interested in going to space than staying in the OverWorld and screwing people over with my Wither powers..." Jason pauses, takes a deep breath. "And- And they said that I was a mistake and that I shouldn't be wanting the things I want, and... and they left."

Oh, Jason. I really, really wish I could help you.

"If it helps, I murdered that kid's parents for you."

You did what!?

"That kid, Jason. I tracked down and killed his parents 'cause they were jerks anyway. They kept trying to take over the Nether, the little ungrateful mobs."

You can't just do that!

"Oh. Whoops."

I grit my teeth and stare at the brown, clay floor.

"Good job, Jason the Failure of a Wither. Now it's your turn."

"O-Okay." He clears his throat. "Uh, Mitch? Truth or dare?"

"Dare!" Mitch immediately replies.

"Uh, okay. Um... Sing the little teapot song, and do the actions, too."

Mitch laughs, but the GameMaster is unamused. "It has to be emotionally or physically scarring."

"I don't know, I'd say that's pretty emotionally scarring," Jerome jokes, staring at Mitch.

"Let's do it!" Mitch shouts.

A few minutes of laughing later, Mitch has sung the entire "I'm a Little Teapot" song, and maybe we're more emotionally scarred than Mitch is, but whatever.

"You idiots clearly have no clue how to play this game. Here, I'll show you. Skybrine, truth or dare?"

I huff, but answer, "Dare."

"Eat this squid. Alive."

With wide eyes, I gape at the GameMaster. "Are you freaking kidding me? Who does that?"

"You do, as of right now." He spawns a squid in front of my face, and I cringe.

"Ewewewewew," I whisper, standing up and poking the squid. "Ew!"

"Hey. Sky. Hey, Sky. How's it going? Sky."

"Shut up!" I shout, kicking it. It makes a weird 'blub' sound and then keeps blabbering. "This is gross. Can I just wait for it to suffocate from lack of water?"

"No. Eat it now."

I poke it again, cringing at the sliminess. "How..?"

"You aren't actually considering eating it, are you?"

I don't really have a choice, Dad...

"You always have a choice!"

"Use this," the GameMaster instructs, handing me a fork and knife. *barfs*

"I'm not doing this," I say stubbornly, crossing my arms.

"You have to."

"Don't give in."

"Do it."

"Don't."

"What are you waiting for?"

"I'm not doing it."

The GameMaster seems shocked for a moment, and I laugh quietly. "Be proud, Dad."

All eyes move away from the GameMaster and towards me.

Oops, did I say that out loud?

"I wasn't- I mean- it's not that I- I just- um..." How do I fix this?

The GameMaster smiles smugly. "Now eat it."

"Listen up, William. I don't want to eat it and therefore I won't."

The GameMaster sighs, looking bored as he splays out his hand toward my ex-friends. "Blah, blah, blah, I'll kill them if you don't eat the squid, blah."

"All this over a squid!? What is your problem!?"

"My problem is that you are rebelling, and no one rebels in my game show. In fact, you're breaking one of the rules here at 'Challenge Times Eight,' but I know a bit of pain won't teach you unless it's inflicted on someone other than yourself."

"Can the 'someone other than myself' be you? I feel like that would teach me a very useful lesson."

"Sky!" Ty suddenly squeaks beside me, and I turn around to see him closing his eyes and holding a little too tightly to my hand. His cheeks are flushed, and he's almost hyperventilating as he squeezes his eyes shut even more tightly. "Sky..."

"I'm eating it! See, I'm eating it. How do I eat it? Uh..." I stab at the squid's slimy torso, and it squeals. "Erm, what if I- ah, here we go." With one eye shut, I chop off the very end of one of the squid's tentacles with my knife. Then, before I can allow myself time to think about it, I fork the piece of squid and shove it into my mouth, wincing at the slimy yet rough texture and the sour taste. Ink swishes around my mouth, and I quickly spit that bit out before it can permanently dye my teeth black. With another terrible cringe, I swallow the piece of squid, and then I wipe my mouth with my glove and spit all my squid-flavored saliva into a black trash can that has conveniently spawned nearby. "T-There," I splutter, "I did it."

The GameMaster, who looks thoroughly amazed, is silent for a few seconds as his mouth opens and closes several times without making any sound. "I- You- You actually did it."

I nod and say in a playfully deep voice, "Indeed, I did." Then I lick my lips and lie, "And it tasted great!"

"You ate a live squid, you derp. It did not taste great."

No dip, Sherlock. But I'm not supposed to reveal weaknesses to enemies, now am I?

"... You actually learned quite a bit more from my lessons than I'd previously thought."

I didn't ignore or forget those lessons in the Nether, I just hadn't really found a use for the things I'd learned – until now.

"I'm proud of you, Skybrine."

Thanks.

"Well, then," the GameMaster says, making the squid, the trash can, and the utensils disappear. U-Uh, now that you've seen how it's done, why doesn't one of you go? How about you, Jerome?"

"Um, okay," the Fluffy agrees reluctantly, biting his lip. "And it absolutely has to be emotionally or physically scarring?"

"Absolutely has to be. And since I'm sure you don't want any of your friends to go through that..."

"Skybrine, truth or dare?"

I glare at him and then spit out, "Truth." Notch, I am so done with these people. I just ate a frickin' squid for them!

"See how unfair it is, Skybrine? You do so much for them, and what do they give you in return?"

Nothing.

"Exactly."

"Mkay. Why are you so evil? Why do you hate all of us?"

I jump out of my sitting position and growl at him. "Are you freaking kidding me!? I'm not-"

"You have to answer the question!"

I grind my teeth together. "Fine. I'm evil because my father is evil. Apparently." Then I hiss, "So, Fuh-luffy, truth or dare?"

He winces and says quietly, "Uh, dare?"

"Here's your chance. Don't be afraid to take it."

I smirk. "Okay. I dare you to hurt Mitch. And we're talking fatal injuries, too, not just a little scratch." We'll see how they like it.

"Well done."

Oops my bad :3

But hey, at least I got it posted! BOW TO ME! I AM QUEEN OF MULTITASKING

OR SOMETHING SIMILAR TO THAT

Anyways, hope you en-juh-hoyed, and I might end up posting again tomorrow because you guys are just awesome and a lot of people from the hashtag book deserve a reward for being brilliant and checking out my friend's story, which looks really cool so far (it's called Sparks, if you search 'rawrlolahaha' on Wattpad you should find it, but it'll be moved soon).

BAIIII, MY BE-AY-YOO-TIFUL RULERS!

omg that jason thing is so random hannah why'd you even put that in there it doesnt even make sense ugh