The Traitor Game: The Dark Reign of Kulan Gath

[Anodyne]

Dr. Thirteen shook hands with Batgirl. "Thanks for your kind words. I believe we come from similar worlds, if not the same. Perhaps we--or our counterparts--may meet again."

Turning to Adam Elric, he quietly said, "I'm glad you survived. If I'd known that dying would restore me to my right mind, I would have confessed much sooner."

Putting his arm around his wife, he said, "I wonder: Once we're home, will we believe all this really happened; or will it all seem like a dream?"

"Don't worry, dear," Marie smiled. "I'll remind you it was real."

They turned to Amethyst. "We're ready when you are. Please send us home."

[Chris Lang]

OOC: Still waiting on She-Hulk's epilogue. She's waaay too good a character to go without one.

[Jeremi]

No goodbyes or farewells, only a sneer aimed towards the other participants as Holocaust, the victor of this game, would step through the portal back to where he came.

But with victory must also come defeat.

"Nooooooooooooooo."



Humiliating and down right crushing defeat.

Snorted like a line of smack from the thigh of some five dollar hooker...

"You will not... destroy... my... destiny..."

The empty suit of armor would fall empty to the ground, the son of Apocalypse was no more.

[Cthulhudrew]

OOC: Reserved for Adam's epilogue

[Cthulhudrew]

OOC: Just in case I need more room.

[Chris Lang]

OOC: Because She-Hulk is too good a character to go without an epilogue, that is precisely what real life has caused to happen. I never should have said that statement above, because by doing so, I prevented the She-Hulk epilogue from happening.

Oh, well. On to the closing credits, I guess. Joe Acro PM'ed me and said he can't wait any longer. (These days I end the credits with 'DVD special features menu appears, including 'extra scenes and extra epilogues', anyway).

[Chris Lang]

OOC: Reserved for bonus materials.

[Chris Lang]

OOC: Reserved for bonus materials.

[Anodyne]

I'm still hoping for Cthulhudrew's epilogue for Adam Elric. And Joe's final wrap-up, of course

[Chris Lang]

OOC: Joe PMed me saying we've given people enough time to post epilogues or reserve epilogue space, and post credits or 'reserved credit space' already. The 'wrapup' is supposed to directly follow the credits, unless I'm mistaken.

If he's going to strictly forbid any epilogues after his wrap-up, Deadpooligan, you PM me She-Hulk's epilogue and I'll paste them into the reserves above.

[Chris Lang]

OOC: Credits will go here if no one else has any epilogues.

[Joe Acro]

Scáthach stands in front of a large rectangular portal that shows multiple scenes involving various beings.

“The players each have returned to their respective histories. The game is truly at an end.”

“Not quite,” says the Hangman, approaching from nearby.

The goddess turns, noticeably confused. “I do not understand. You come to the Powers and invoke this game. You choose me to assist you. All you said would happen has come and gone. How can there still be more?”

“Give me a moment...” the Hangman takes off his cloak.



"...and I will explain everything."

He rubs the portal, causing ripples that change the images.

"This game, as it is, was a four-year undertaking. It started off as a simple concept, a standard game with just the twist on the characters. What it is now grew out of necessity.

"See, even though I proposed it once, I took it off the table. It and the Spectre game. 'The Spectre was always a problem' indeed. It had the twist to it that I used here, which 'pool guessed beforehand. I'd planned on a co-host, but even with his removal, I knew that such a game wouldn't be well received. It didn't matter that I would design it so that players could figure it out—it all depended on how people used their Agent status, really. It's just that emotions got so high, tempers got so flared, that I didn't want to run the risk.

"All those emotions, all that 'drama', and other things as well really got to me. I took both games off the table. I planned an exit. Only one person knew that."

"Yo, Acrooooo~!"

"Huh? Skull? When'd you get here?"

"I'm always here, man. This is the Traitor Game idea center! I always have ideas. Anyway, you talking about XXV again?"

"Yeah. I told you at the time. I'd planned to stop playing after that game."

"Oh, yeah. That's why I let you include that Bamf thing. Dude, what was that?"

"Me trying to wrap up old plots. There were two others left hanging, and I was going to finish all of 'em."

"What happened?"

"Easy. Plans change. I hadn't planned on playing any game after XXV. I knew what was ahead. I was busy. I was going to stay busy for a while. And then hopefully get a job, and stay even busier still. I was burned out on the games and knew that soon enough I wouldn't even be able to devote the time necessary to play them well.

"But like I said, plans changed. Others needed support in games ahead. Out of friendship and loyalty, I gave it to them. I opened myself up, pushed myself a little, and managed my own form of fun. Cue music.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQVeaIHWWck

"I've been asked before why game 38. Why reserve this game for such an unusual number? Thing is, I still planned to leave. I figured I could revive this game, the one certain people really wanted. I would build in a lot of subtext, add a new dynamic, and finish strong. And part of that subtext was to make it 38. Three and eight for two games I hosted. Three plus eight for the one game I missed. The other two games were there, too. Fifteen of my characters. Twenty worlds conquered. Point is, though, it had to be game 38. It just had to be. I didn't devote as much time to writing it as I should, but in the end, I did what I set out to do."

"Now we're here."

"Now we're here. Also not as well written as it should be, I might add."

He looks at the portal.

"I see all these futures for the characters. Goddess, you influence the events of Game XXVIII by being the white robed representative of the Powers."

She gets sucked into the portal.

"I see all my favorites.

Amethyst remaining powerful and strong.

Mister Bones being the best Director D.E.O. has ever known.

Robin going on to suffer death and tragedy as his friends and family die around him.

Mini Venom being just as heroic as Mini Spidey, in his own way.

Johnny Alpha dying for the sake of all mutantkind, and yet not dying after all.

Prodigy joining the Initiative, and later leading it.

Anna finding herself as the gatekeeper to a number of worlds.

The Bamf journeying with Team Rocket, the one loose end that needs no tying up because everyone has more fun this way.

Provident going on adventures with Aerie, trying to help her gain the world she deserves.

Courage continuing to protect his home.

The Doctor regenerating and becoming another Doctor.

Hercules ruling Asgard."

He rubs the portal again and the image changes once more.

"I see all the characters I could've played. My one and only character select screen:"



"That is a strange bunch of characters."

"I know, right? There's the ones people want me to play, the ones previously played that I'd like to stab at, or another stab at, the comic characters, and the non-comic characters."

"Maybe you could still play them someday, right?"

"Yeah. It's all well and good to say you're leaving and never coming back. But it's nonsense when you know sometimes something is too good to pass up. So, no, I won't retire completely. If I'm needed, if the scenario really entices me, I could come back. But I can't live under this obligation of playing that I've placed upon myself. I have other things to do. And... uh, Skull. I made you a promise once, before XXV, to co-host a game with you. I'd still like to do that."

"I don't need to twist your arm?"

"Nah. Who am I to deny everyone a game by the earliest hosts?"

"Good! 'Cause look carefully. You forgot someone. Your favorite portrayal of all." Skull changes the image on the portal.

"You're right! Doctor Strange!"

[Joe Acro]

The Master of the Mystic Arts meditates within his Sanctum Sanctorum. Sweat pours from his brow. Something is greatly troubling him.

His eyes open wide.

"By the Vishanti! Foul magic is at work! This could threaten the fabric of reality. I must act quickly. I must prevent... the Rise of the Immortals!"

Somewhere, Vandal Savage laughs.