Chapter Text
The cabin gets boring after a while.
Of course, your situation has a lot to complain about, but the boredom is one of the worst. Not a lot of video games or Internet to enjoy, and not a lot of other things, either. Thankfully, whatever presence dragged you here gives you all more stuff occasionally, but it’s still not fun to sit around and play death games all day.
Which is, of course, why you came up with the brilliant plan of adventuring into the woods a few weeks ago. Everyone else would probably think you’ve lost it, and maybe you have, but you want something to do that isn’t “play gambling games with Chance and lose”. And if you stumble into a monster or one of the killers and die, then so be it. Or… go into a small coma? You’re not even sure people can die in this space. Either way, you’re willing to risk it all if it means there’s something to do.
Once the rounds of the day are over, you sneak out of the cabin, nothing to protect yourself with and a small bag of small essentials in your hand. The woods are vast and looming, trees with twisted and tangled branches constantly obscuring the night’s sky. It strikes you with fear, but you push on. You’ve felt worse striking fear before, being chased and killed by a variety of people in this hellscape. And you haven’t been hurt yet, so perhaps you’ve gotten a little complacent, but that’s probably fine!
You’re about to turn back for the day and call it another failed venture when you hear the whoosh of a sword slash, followed by some muttering. You sneakily hide behind the many trees and foliage, until you stumble across a clearing that holds the cause of the noises. The sight makes you hold your breath in trepidation. 1x1x1x1 holds their swords in front of the open air, swinging and muttering to themselves about what they could do better for the next day’s rounds. In all honesty, it’s… a bit endearing? You’ve never seen 1x1x1x1 in any mood other than “confident and incredibly murderous”, so this is all new to you. It’s exciting— perhaps the most exciting thing you’ve seen since you were trapped here.
Unfortunately, your observing doesn’t last long, nor does it go unnoticed, as 1x1x1x1 turns in your direction, staring directly at where you’re hiding. “I heard you walking over here.” They don’t seem like they’ll stab you, at least…? Might as well push your luck.
You gingerly push away the foliage near you and stand up, waving nervously. “Are you… going to, um… kill me…?” You’re a bit curious why they haven’t done it already, stabbing you and filling your veins with poison.
1x1x1x1 rolls their eyes, setting down one of their swords on the ground and taking a few steps towards you. “If I wanted to kill you, I’d have done it before you even knew I was watching you.” They pause, thinking about something before answering. “Your boldness intrigued me. I’ve killed you before, I’ll kill you again, and yet you still decide watching me was a good idea? What could possibly make you think approaching me was something that could ever end well?”
This is… a good thing, probably, that they haven’t stabbed you? 1x1x1x1 did seem to be enjoying the rounds today, likely because they got to kill everyone each round they were in. You also notice you didn’t take a step back when they stepped towards you, so maybe you are a bit bolder than you initially thought. You spot a large flat rock and decide to sit on it, clutching your bag’s strap as you sit. You’re still incredibly fearful and nervous, but the excitement overpowers it now.
You clear your throat before you speak, looking at 1x1x1x1, who raises an eyebrow at your actions. “I was, ah, curious. The cabin gets boring after a while, and I decided to start venturing into the woods. I saw you, and, um… I guess I was just curious on what you guys did between the rounds…? We don’t really get to see you between rounds, after all…” you’re incredibly nervous, but you push through, because this is probably your only chance to actually talk to one of the killers. You don’t think you’ve ever seen them outside of the rounds.
1x1x1x1 seems amused, at least. They look like they’re contemplating something before they decide to answer you, slowly walking closer. “Since you’re so bold to have not run away the moment I stepped in your direction, I’ll entertain you. Us “killers”, as you call us, have our own residence, just like your own. It’s hidden deep into these woods, far enough away to where you fools couldn’t stumble upon it. Some of them like to practice their abilities outside, including me— I refuse to train with them, though, and this clearing is far enough away that no one bothers me. Any other activities we participate in are entirely mundane, just like what your group would do.”
Ah… you supposed that made sense, actually. Maybe the killers also had a boring daily routine, just like you did. You’re about to ask about it when 1x1x1x1 stabs the daemonshank they’re holding into the tree right behind you, mere centimeters away from giving your face a nasty (and likely poisonous) gash. You stare up at them, and they glare down at you, uncomfortably close. Their long white hair cascades down their face, partially obscuring their glare but making it no less threatening. “Now get out before I decide to go back on my word and harm you. I’m busy.”
You’re definitely not going to continue pushing your luck at this point, so you nod and quickly head back in the direction you came from, making sure to follow the small markers you’ve made over the weeks documenting how close you were to the cabin. You enter through one of the dining room’s windows, since no one ever goes in that place after dinner. You make it to your room, before collapsing on your bed and bursting out into a nervous grin.
You actually got to talk to one of the killers between a round, something you don’t think anyone else has even thought of doing. In fact, the very thought made you grin uncontrollably. Oh, everyone else would be pissed at you for doing something like this, but this was undoubtedly the most exciting thing that’s happened to you since you came here, so you don’t really find yourself caring.
It’s so exciting that you can’t find yourself tired despite the long day you’ve had. The more you think about it, the more you find yourself wanting to visit again tomorrow. 1x1x1x1, while certainly not cordial to you, didn’t say you couldn’t visit again , just that they were busy. Maybe you should sneak out earlier tomorrow, to see if they would answer your questions again. Maybe they wouldn’t be busy again… or, in the worst case scenario, they wouldn’t be there, and you’d have no one to answer your burning questions.
In any case, you try and calm your breaths and go to bed. While it was certainly the most fun you’d had in a long time, being sleep deprived would just mean you’d be a hindrance to your friends in the rounds tomorrow. And despite 1x1x1x1 entertaining your presence today, you knew it wouldn’t mean any mercy come the next round you ended up with them. And the other killers wouldn’t hold back either, you knew that very well.
Either way, you fell asleep excited for the next day, knowing whatever came next would undoubtedly be fun for you.