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#that is actively harmful TO HIM and to people he cares about (inc. rose!)
nightspires · 2 years
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DIMITRI BELIKOV WHEN I GET MY HANDS ON YOU—
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proxylynn · 5 years
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Lynchtale: File Name Game of Death #4
Chapter 4: To aid is sin and one that brings more pain.
WARNING: THIS IS A MATURE STORY THAT WILL HAVE BLOOD, GORE, PSYCHOLOGICAL SURVIVAL HORROR, HEAVY CURSING, AND LIKELY SEXUAL THEMES/BONING. I DO NOT OWN UNDERTALE, THAT BELONGS TO LORD TOBY FOX. I DO NOT OWN DEAD BY DAYLIGHT, THAT BELONGS TO BEHAVIOUR DIGITAL INC.. I DON'T OWN THE AU'S THAT SOME OF THE CHARACTERS COME FROM, THEY BELONG TO THEIR RESPECTIVE CREATORS. I DON'T OWN THE IDEA FOR LYNCHTALE, THAT BELONGS TO PUNNYSIDEUP (AKA. SANSFULPUNS). WHAT I DO OWN IS MY SELF-INSERT OC ANOMALY LYNSIE AND THE LOVE OF FAN PARODY. IF YOU'RE STILL READING THIS, THEN CONGRATULATIONS ON EITHER BEING ONE WITH STRONG DETERMINATION OR AN ENDLESS WILL TO OVERCOME THE CHALLENGE OF STOMACHING WHAT I HAVE IN MIND. EITHER WAY, IF YOU LIKE THIS AND/OR MY OTHER CONTENT, SIT BACK AND ENJOY THE ETERNAL PUNISHMENT. HAVE FUN SINNERS. ^_^
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Two trials have passed since my reawakening. With a bit more explaining, Claudette was more willing to teach me her perk of Self-Care. Every little bit helps when it will come to stopping the killer within me. Even Dwight makes amends with me by showing me how to access the Bloodweb. To do so, one must close their eyes then enter a meditative trance-like state where the mind is a space between reality and abstraction. Basically, it can be accessed through thought and sleep patterns. In this space, one can use the Bloodpoints, Iridescent Shards, Auric Cells...mostly Bloodpoints though. With these points, one can acquire Add-ons, Items, Offerings, and even other Perks that aren't person-specific. But I don't have many after my first trial so I don't get to collect many things. If I'm honest, I just grabbed a few random Nodes. Though I did notice something odd. The web was broken in half and some of the things I got...I don't think are meant for Survivors. Despite this obvious red flag, I don't tell the others about it. I mean, I don't plan on using these blatant killer things so why tell them about it? Well...Maybe just one. The one that offers me bonus Bloodpoints. An unidentifiable cocoon that was breached by whatever was inside called Hollow Shell that gives a 25% increase. I don't see how this could do any harm. And extra points are extra points worth at least possibly getting. The timing of all this is rather convenient. A new trial is commencing. One that involves me. Time for my second trial to begin now.
[INTO THE FOG AND OUT ELSEWHERE]
My vision clears to a blackened sky, dead forest, full moon, and the faint scent of char of a long since past fire. I have never been to this realm but I know where I am. The Entity literally drilled all sorts of knowledge into my mind, Maps being some of it, and this one is the Disturbed Ward of Crotus Prenn Asylum.
There is insanity, and then there are minds that are so severely distorted that they cease being humans. Instead, they end up a feral, living, unwanted things. These people must be "stored" somewhere, and that's where the Crotus Prenn Asylum played a crucial role. Established in 1857, Crotus Prenn was originally a hospital, but as the need for storage grew, it was turned into an insane asylum. Crotus Prenn was a place riddled with tall tales that aren't even close to the reality that takes place within its walls. It was never the biggest asylum, but the one that held the most violent and warped minds the country had ever met. But it was not the residents that etched the name Crotus Prenn into the history books. Instead, it was the mass homicide where over fifty patients were found dead in their beds. The building was abandoned shortly after that. Investigators had no answers, and the town's folk became more and more worried as rumors talked about a woman still living inside the asylum. Finally, one night, smoke rose from the woods as Crotus Prenn had been set ablaze. The bystanders did nothing. They just let it burn. The last standing structure after the fire, that still shows the grandeur of the original architecture. Its two floors and dark basement leave nothing of the tale of horrors that took place here. Nothing but memories that linger in the abandoned rooms.
This place...This place is the home of the Nurse. In a funny sense of irony, the Entity did little to informed me of the monsters outside of the basics. She is technically the slowest killer currently in the realms but can blink/teleport with blinding speed to anywhere all over the area and slash you with her bonesaw, a rusted metal implement for tearing through flesh as well as bone. There is a painful tell if the Nurse is indeed here. In order to Blink, she channels the dying breath energy of past kills to allow her to pierce and jump through the Spirit World, sometimes multiple times in a row. Doing so leaves her in a state of fatigue as blinking is quite painful to her, hence why she will shriek after each Blink. Yet so far, as I crawl in the thick tall grass and decaying structures littering the grounds, all has been quiet. I'm lucky to find a generator with some decent cover and I start to fiddle with it. I'll show my team that I'm productive and not as big of a liability as they think. As this team is probably expecting me to fail. I got stuck with Adam, Min, and Nea. Poor guy is drowning in a torrential estrogen agro sea.
*GHASTLY SHIRK*
That is a sound I was hoping not to hear.
*GHASTLY SHIRK*
I don't even have to peek to see the ghostly figure fly upwards, leaving a trail of glowing dots and black smoke in her wake, through the asylum. My progress on the generator stops as I don't want to be distracted and mess up, alerting to my location. I know not if this is her intended strategy, but if I had that power, I'd use the height advantage to look for any movement or gen-repair happening in the mist. I don't know if she can see me from wherever she has landed in that place, but sight is only a minor thought. It's likely Legion has said things to the other monsters. He knows about my strange terror radius. If he told them anything, it was probably that and now I have to be on guard even more for monsters that are listening for me and can hunt me down easy.
*GHASTLY SHIRK*
She sounds further away. Spotting prey elsewhere and going for it. I feel safe enough for now to continue repairing the generator. It feels a good 60% done when I hear softly crunching earth and yet no terror radius. One of my teammates is near.
"*whisper* Yo, who's there?"
His hair stands out before he can say anything.
"*whisper* It's me. Do you need a hand?"
"*whisper* Not really. This thing is almost done. But the boost wouldn't hurt."
He creeps over to help me.
"So...Did you see her yet?"
Here come the questions that will annoy me.
"Nurse? Not up close. She blinked up into the asylum and then out of sight."
"I saw her for a moment then she went near where Min was repairing."
"She'll be fine. She has Nea to cover her."
His expression is blank though it feels forced.
*CLANK*
The lights pop on and I back away from the generator.
"Where are you going?"
I don't look at him.
"She'll come investigating. You don't want to be around me in case things happen."
"You don't have to go it alone. We're a team. There's no 'I' in team."
"But there is a 'me'. And this me is going to make sure I don't hurt anyone."
He reaches out to follow but I scamper away into the thicket. I know Adam means well, but I am not a very sociable person. I prefer to be by myself. I'm a team player that doesn't like to be on a team. I know, that made no damn sense. Sue me.
*CLANK*
*HIGH-PITCH SHIRK*
Two gens down and someone's only now just got hurt. Not bad.
*HIGH-PITCH SHIRK*
...Never mind. I guess I have no choice but to play distraction to keep them from dying. Ugh...They're already forcing me to do shit. Damn it!
[Breaking Point: Triggered. Resentment Tier I activated.]
What?! God damn...No, no, calm down. Ignore the crap and be a good helpful person.
"Hellooooooo, Nurse!"
I shout to the heavens. Come on. Take my bait. Why go after them when I'm here and you can see what I can do?
"Come on! What are you waiting for? Don't waste your time on worms when there's a beast right here!"
Somehow I can feel the rage from across the map. Nea is so easy to piss off it's sad.
*GHASTLY SHIRK*
lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...
I barely see the burly movement zipping through the fog. I need to play this safely or all hell will happen. So what do I do? I impersonate Kermit the Frog like a flipping moron. Of course, this gets the Nurse's attention and the real game starts.
*GHASTLY SHIRK*
lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...
The sudden whoosh of a weapon just missing its mark to hit a rock behind me has me kick it into high gear.
"Wee-woo, mother fucker!"
Probably more cocky than needed but can't take it back now.
"You can run, child..."
*GHASTLY SHIRK*
She cuts me off, taking a swing and slicing deeply into my arm when I try to dodge.
"But there is nowhere to run. Especially, from the likes of me."
True to the nature of my skills as dictated by the Entity, I don't make a loud sound of pain. I grit my teeth while biting my tongue and grab the wound as if my skin were to roll off like a torn sleeve. Blood covering my arm, hand, and ground in a steady stream.
[Breaking Point: Triggered. Resentment Tier II activated.]
My nerves jitter with a sense of warm darkness. I can feel that call from before. That want to panic and overreact, to lash out.
*CLANK*
The third generator pops and the Nurse is momentarily distracted and this good step toward progress does quell the feeling enough to remember I need to run! Nurse makes the choice to ignore the others and keep after me.
"You've got to be kidding?!"
She isn't blinking. She's merely chasing me, her form floating seamlessly and faintly gaining speed as she continues to follow. All while my pace isn't as steady, I'm stumbling over the slightest thing and seem to spook every crow without fail. I am regretting doing anything! During this messed up run, I notice lights flickering with power and decide to do a little test. I make a beeline for that generator. Of course, the three others working on it don't react well to this. To Adam's credit, he takes cover against the gen and a tree, letting the dark camouflage him. Min takes off in a burst of speed, probably telling herself button commands because of gamer logic. Nea, however, hurls an uncreative obscenity at me and proceeds to shove me back into the Nurse herself. Nurse doesn't take this well, her frail form is unable to support my weight and I crush the monster in my awkward tumble.
"Get wrecked, asshole!"
Nea flees into the darkness, aiming to find another generator since we only need two more to escape. My annoyance levels increase. I can feel the urges for violence strengthen. Whispers of dark intentions. I stain as hard as I can to keep sane and move away from the Nurse. But I can't see right with all this mental pressure and blood loss, I have to lean against a tree to not trip over my own feet...again. The Nurse takes some time returning to her floating state. She looks my way, her bonesaw clenched in her hand, yet she doesn't move from her position. She merely stares at me. I'm not sure which is more unnerving, her featureless staring or the loud heartbeat pounding my already aching mind? The uncomfortableness and pain are not letting me think straight. So I'm not too surprised that the part of me that controls speech goes off.
"*strained* What are you doing?"
"I beg your pardon?"
I turn to her as she tilts her head, at least getting a good look at her. The shape of this monster is...odd to me. She's not a shadow like Wraith or skeleton like Legion. She is an anthropomorphic mammal, one that seems familiar yet unknown due to not being able to see her face. An old stained white linen pillowcase seems to be smothering her head, tied tight by unseen binds, though this does allow for a shape to be defined. Her head is Bovidae-like and even has two slightly curved horns that poke out. She wears a worn standard-issue dirty purple nurse uniform from the early twentieth century, designed with white lace patterns on the breast and held around the waist with a blood-stained red belt. The bottom of her uniform is torn and tattered, showing off her white fur covered broken legs. Granted, I'm 100% that they're broken but damn they look it or are just deteriorated to the point that standing on them would be next to impossible. Her bare feet resemble paws and so do her hands except, you know, they're hands that are covered in fur. Honestly...She's the least scary thing I could've imagined when told a Nurse was going to kill me.
"*strained* Why aren't you trying to kill me? I'm an easy mark right now."
She ponders for a moment.
"I am assessing the situation."
"*strained* Why? You've hit me once already and I haven't healed. Hit me again and I go into the dying state to which you can hook me. What's to assess?"
"How much longer you will last with such a sickness eating away at your mind."
My eyes widen. She knows? Knows what's happening to me? How? Legion didn't know. He couldn't have jumped to such a conclusion with the tiniest of hints. So how in the hell does she know? What the fuck?!
"*strained* ...You're going to keep after me till I snap, aren't you?"
She holds the weapon in front of her, delicately skimming a small claw at the end of her finger over the smooth metal back.
"You are a clever one for one so sick. Then again, the clever ones always tend to be the sickest...and require the most attention."
Her tone is something more creepy than she herself is. It holds this strict authority and threatening power that has me flashing back to watching the movie Matilda as a kid, more accurately, being intimidated by the character Miss Agatha Trunchbull. And much like a child in the face of something dreadful, I mentally freak out running like a rabbit from a wolf.
My chest is pounding like crazy, not helping the bleeding arm. Nurse, again, resumes her pursuit of me yet now she's hammering me with jump scares blinking so close that my breathing falters quite a few times.
"*shrike* Leave me alone!"
If she speaks I know not. I can't hear anything but the heartbeat.
lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...
I crash in my panic into everything in my way. I'm a mess. I'm not even sure how I'm still running other than I'm burning adrenaline like crazy.
*CLANK*
The forth generator pops. I feel pressure lessen from my soul and for a second I recall relief.
*GHASTLY SHIRK*
*HIGH-PITCH ROAR*
The slash to my back is so sudden I collide with one of the burning oil drums that light the fog. The drum remains standing. I do not. I'm in the dying state. Bleeding out unless hooked or healed by a teammate, the latter being highly unlikely.
"Poor child..."
She hovers over my bloody twisted form.
"They have left you to die."
Fuck! What is she going to do? Hook me? Mori me? Leave me to bleed? Damn it! I don't want to die! Not like this!
[Embrace it, worm. Embrace the gift the Entity has given you. Unleash the beast.]
The whispers repeat and overlap. Madness is engulfing what little humanity remains at this point. I can't take this!
"What will you do now, child?"
She reaches down to pluck me like a flower.
"What will you do to stop me from killing you?"
*THUD*
She pauses. Something is nearby. I'm not going anywhere, even if crawling is an option, so she investigates the sound. Might as well try to stop the other humans I suppose. She gets out of sight when something else enters my visual range.
"*whisper* Don't move. Man, she really got you good."
Adam? He came for me? I...I'm brain dead. He used his Distraction perk to toss a pebble. Yeah, as dumb as that sounds, that's a special perk of his. It's like my Snowball's Chance but only works when not noticed by the killer.
He works as quickly as he can to heal me, for it is the power of the Nurse to know when healing is being done. Thank goodness he has acquired a med-kit and gets me out of dying state, though not fully healed, by the time the heartbeat starts to return. I hobble just behind him, the Nurse no doubt trailing my blood and scratch marks.
"Can you keep up?"
Why is he concerned for me?
"*wince* Why did you risk exposing yourself? You only need one gen to leave."
He chuckles.
"There might be a 'me' in team, but this me won't let my team die if I can help it."
That hit me. He used my own words on me. Such a mad lad.
"*wince* Heh...Thanks, man."
He throws a peace sign and I laugh, feeling the most normal since this trial began.
*GHASTLY SHIRK*
*LOW-PITCH YELL*
Wetness...Crimson...It's in my eyes. I'm blinded by Adam's blood spray.
"Look out!"
Of course, I can't.
*HIGH-PITCH ROAR*
I'm slashed across the chest and I drop to the ground, feeling so very weak. I blink enough to see in colors other than red only to see Adam scurry away. I don't blame him. It's only natural. What pains me is the look back take he does. His face screams "I'm sorry". He's not coming back. Not this time.
[What will you do now, little worm? He was your last chance.]
I feel myself being lifted and put over Nurse's shoulder.
*CLANK*
*ALARM*
The popping of the fifth generator unlocks the gates and now I know all hope is lost on anyone coming to get me. Nea and Min definitely won't make the attempt. And Adam? He might but it would be illogical to self-preservation. My attention returns to the here and now when Nurse stops moving...she's found a hook.
[Last chance, little worm. Will you let them get away with their sins? Their abandonment of you? The betrayal? The disrespect? Embrace the beast. Teach them the error of their ways. Embrace the Entity.]
As she lifts me, ready to pierce my back on the dirty metal of sacrifice, I give up...and give in.
[Breaking Point: Triggered. Resentment Tier III activated.]
[You made the right choice, little beast. Now...Prove to the worms that it is a mistake to wrong you.]
[Special Ability: Anomaly State...Activated.]
...
[Toriel.]
Nurse freezes in her action.
"Master?"
[Put the little beast down. Stop the other worms. The Entity will reward you handsomely.]
This is a bit puzzling to the Nurse.
"Of course, Master. But why not accept this one? Is she too sick?"
[You will see soon enough. Enjoy having a friend, my dear.]
Further confusion comes to her but no killer disobeys the Entity unless they want to be tortured. And the Doctor did say they should observe this one. So she sets the lifeless looking human down and does as instructed, blinking away towards one of the exit gates. A sudden light comes to Nurse's vision...Healing is happening. Locking onto this, she moves with long blinks to find the male being tended to by one of the females. The surprising yet predictable ambush does not go without bloodshed.
*LOW-PITCH YELL*
The male is struck down while the female tries to escape. He's not going anywhere, so Nurse blinks and lunges for a hard slash, but the female dashes quickly just out of range. Probably used that damn perk called Dead Hard to avoid the damage.
*HIGH-PITCH SHIRK*
This has Nurse and human stop in puzzlement.
*ROAR*
The confusion only grows. But it's not like the monster or human forget where they are or what the situation is and resume the chase.
lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...
The heartbeat? Then that means that sick one is near. Poor thing. She must truly be ill of not even the Entity wanted to feed on her soul.
"*grunting* Fucker! Get off of me!"
The sounds of a distressed and agitated human is close...real close. Curiosity peeked, Nurse shifts directions and follows the ever increasing pounding.
lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...
Leaping out from the top of the asylum, the distasteful female lands on her feet to keep running as the sick human pounces down to chase after her on all fours. This sight is a perplexing one indeed. She couldn't see much, but based on their movements, they seemed to be healed. And their eyes...glowing?
*LOW-PITCH GRUNT*
Someone's healing. That's a no-no.
*GHASTLY SHIRK*
Zooming over to the healing humans, suddenly the healing stops. Before it clicks in her head as to why, Nurse blinks through a wall only to be blinded by the bright focused beam of a well-aimed flashlight and smacks her face into a large rock. The offending human is gone by the time Nurse's vision returns but the male they were trying to help is futilely crawling into the grass.
"I think not, little man."
If left alone he'd only need a bit more healing to get back up or bleed out. Nurse skips to the chase and hooks the poor soul up like a cow in a slaughterhouse.
*LOW-PITCH YELL*
"Now...Where did those little brats go?"
*HIGH-PITCH SHIRK*
Well, that's helpful.
She doesn't blink away, simply following the sounds of pain and heavy breathing off in the distance.
lub-dub...lub-dub...
This sick one again? What insanity is she doing now?
lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...
"The hell is wrong with you?!"
"Get to the gate!"
Do they know she can hear them? Do they think monsters don't understand them? Such idiocy will be their downfall.
lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...
*HIGHT-PITCH SHIRK*
"Blind this bitch!"
"I can't get a clear shot!"
"Don't you fucking leave me!"
Oh really? This is sounding more interesting.
lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...
"You are so lucky I don't have Decisive Strike or I'd so stab the shit out of you!"
"*snarling*"
lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...
*HIGHT-PITCH SCREAM*
Was that...a hooking? No...It couldn't be. 'Twas impossible. This had to be a fluke. She was the only monster in the trial. Only one could be in a trial. That's the rule.
*ALARM BLARE*
The gate is being opened. Though judging by the hooked auras, it must be by the remaining female. Fine. Escape this time, brat. Your demise can wait a little longer. There are far more interesting events going on.
lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...
It's coming from behind the shack? It makes some sense. The basement hadn't spawned in there this time.
"*grunting* Disgusting freak! You're so dead when we get back to camp!"
Harsh words. Aimed at a fellow human? Such a strange trial.
*ALARM BLARE*
"It won't be long now..."
The sick one?
"Min won't come for you. How does it feel to be left for dead?"
"*grunting* Speak English, bitch!"
*ALARM BLARE*
*METAL SCRAPING*
*DARK BELL BONG*
One of the gates open, the End Game Collapse has begun as Nurse comes around the shack and what she witnesses through the cloth covering her is not something she expected. The disrespectful human was on the hook and being watched by the sick human, only she looked a bit...different. Her hair was loose and shrouded her face, though her eyes glowed white under such curtain. Her arms dangled limply at her sides, hands bent like claws with nails to match. Her posture was slightly hunched yet that was probably because she was standing on her toes.
The sky rumbles with the thunderous approach of the Entity, aiming to claim it's first snack and earning the sick human's attention to see Nurse. The slight turn in her direction gives a better view of her face. White orbs surrounded by darkness that seemed to drain down her cheeks. As if...crying?
"Poor sick child..."
The human doesn't blink.
"You look so unwell."
She looks at the hooked human.
"They use me...Call me a freak...A liability...Yet they bring about their own end."
Slowly she steps away. Heading towards the opened gate or where she perceives it to be.
"*grunting* Hey! Come back here!"
The sacrificed human is ignored.
"They need to learn...Learn that they won't get away with such things anymore."
Her tone is ominous yet somber, almost remorseful. Nurse only watches this odd human walk away. Now as odd as this is, the fact that the collapse is still happening means the trial is not completely over with. Even as the Entity returns to snatch up the other hooked human, the burning veins along the ground persist. Further curiosity has the Nurse following the remaining human. She pays the Nurse no mind, as if not believing her to exist. Arriving at the gate, the human pauses and stares at the site of the campfire. Her only promise of safety in an otherwise deadly world. The instinct to stop her comes to the Nurse but she restrains herself to witness any further oddities. Bit by bit, she gradually steps towards her freedom. She approaches the escape boundary, only for The Entity to spawn the same spikes that usually block vaults for Survivors and stop the Killers from leaving the Trial grounds. She is understandably confused and attacks the spikes with her claws to no avail. Poor thing. She's become so sick that she isn't recognized as human anymore. Something gets her attention, whispers on the wind speaking to her and telling her things she doesn't like. She roars out in frustrated anguish.
[She has learned a harsh lesson.]
"Master?"
[Monsters can not leave to the campfire of humans. Her only chance of leaving here alive is the hatch. But she has no time to look for it. She will not survive. I leave her fate to you, Toriel.]
Such a cruel thing. But so true. There is no saving this one. She's too sick to be saved. The only way out now would be painful. Yet perhaps...there is still some mercy to be given to this child.
"Young one..."
Nurse's soft voice gets her attention.
"There is no escape."
The poor girl looks completely defeated. She even drags herself over to Nurse.
"If you mean to kill me...please...make it quick."
Pity. An emotion Nurse believed she had forgotten. None of the other humans brought that feeling out in her or her fellow monsters. She puts her hands on the girl's shoulder apologetically.
"You poor thing. So much suffering is hidden in those eyes."
"Not sure how you can see that or anything else with that case over your head, but you wouldn't be good at what you do if you couldn't."
"Call it something akin to mother's intuition."
That got somewhat of a small smile to breach her gloom.
"Sorry."
"Sorry?"
"Yeah. For how I acted and junk. Just thought I'd say sorry before you...you know."
No need to make this difficult, human.
"Thank you, child."
She appears ready to speak further but Nurse makes the call to end it now. Her hands swiftly grasp the human's throat and she forces her to the ground. Naturally, the girl is reluctant to be strangled and grips at Nurse's wrists in an effort to pry them off. This struggle does little to lessen the pressure on her windpipe. With the life fading from her form she claws at Nurse's face. Her sharps nails snag a bit of the cloth and tear a small opening, showing off the intense red eyes hidden inside.
*CRACK*
The flailing ceases. Limbs fall to the wayside. Head lulls back and eyes empty of light. The human is dead.
"Rest now, child..."
Nurse gently strokes the cheek of the human in solace.
"Now you can rest."
With the last human in the trial now dead, the world begins to be consumed by the realm's fog. Time for the world to be reset for the next trial. Nurse reaches up and feels the hole, touching her face for the first time in unknown ages. It won't last though. This will be reset along with the realm. A fleeting glance with her own eyes before losing such clarity again.
[SURVIVOR'S FOREST]
Cold. Everything feels cold. Everything is quiet. Rather odd for the campfire to be so dead. Suddenly there's feeling. Poking. Sharp poking on the back of my head.
*CAW*
...Okay. That's not normal. Forcing my eyes to open, I see not the light of the fire or faces of those who will most likely piss me off. Only darkness and trees as a crow flutter off my back to gawk at me.
"I didn't realize you things double as alarm clocks."
The bird rears back like it will peck my eye out, only to turn and fly upward while cawing.
"Was it something I said?"
Oh well. Time to stop kissing the dirt and find the fire. I could use some cheering up. David's always good at lifting my spirit. Scrapping myself off the ground hurts. I'm sore and feel dizzy. But I can't stay here because of that. Even if my neck is killing me. Did she really have to snap it? I guess I should be grateful that she did make it quick. Shaking off the stiffness in my joints, I lumber through the woods unsure of how to get to camp but know it's where I'm going. Such a strange feeling. Stranger still is the crow seems to be following me. What do you want with me now Entity?
"I don't know why you didn't put me back at camp, but the least you could do was drop me off closer."
The bird ignores me yet continues to linger. Jackass. Either way, as long as it doesn't cause trouble then I don't mind the company. At some point in my tireless stroll, it takes perch atop my head and I groan.
"Having fun?"
It ruffles its plumage before sitting.
"*sigh* Just don't crap in my hair, okay?"
*CAW*
"I'll take that as a maybe."
I'm not sure how long I've been walking. The trees never seem to end. Yet...I don't feel the fatigue of it.
*CAW*
"What?"
The bird takes flight and something tells me to follow. I run after this harbinger of death. Not sure if it's even leading me anywhere. But soon...I see auras. Auras shaped like people. I move to all fours for faster speed. The smell of smoke finally gets to me. It makes me move faster. By the time I can see light, my body tingles with the anticipation of the fire's warmth. But then...I hear the voices.
"Good! I'm glad she's gone! Fucking freak hooked me!"
Nea. I slow down.
"Do you know 'ow often I've wanted to do that to you?"
David. Never taking her shit.
"Fuck you!"
"Well...It's not like she didn't warn us that something like this could happen."
Dwight. Even his points are nervous wrecks.
"It didn't help that we were going against the Nurse. Once she found her, the damn monster would not stop chasing her for nothing and ignored us till the end."
Thanks, Adam. Maybe it's okay after all.
"And who's fault was that? If she hadn't have shouted than the Nurse would've never found her. At least, no so easily."
Fuck you, Min. Just fuck you.
"She did that because both of you were being attacked. Or did you forget that part? If she hadn't distracted the Nurse, then both of you would've been down after popping that second gen."
I've crept into the bushes and can see them now. No one looks pleased.
"A lot of good that did anyway. Two of us were still hooked. With one being by a fucking team member!"
Nea...Oh, how you know just what to say to make my blood boil.
"You pushed her into the Nurse! And you're seriously wondering why she went after you?"
"The bitch ran at us while being chased! She's lucky I didn't knock her ass out!"
"Fuck you!"
I've had enough listening and spring out of my hiding spot. The whole group just stares at me. Sure, I expected some but not all of them to be looking at me so...oddly.
"What? Are we not allowed to swear all of a sudden?"
David takes a cautious step towards me.
"Luv? Is that you?"
Such a question has me tilting my head in confusion.
"I don't think she knows."
"Poor kid."
Ash and Bill remark.
"Know what?"
"Why is she growling? Is she upset?"
Meg questions as if trying to understand the barks of a dog.
"Okay...I'm just gonna pretend you guys aren't high right now."
I move to join them but barbed spikes, the same that kept me from exiting the gate, now block me from entering the camp.
"What kind of bull is this?"
I touch the spikes and only now notice what they have been seeing this whole time. My hands...These aren't my normal hands. But I died...Why didn't I return to normal? Why am I still a monster? What the fuck is happening to me?!
[Oh, did the Entity forget to mention that if you are killed while in the False Killer state, you shall remain as such till you are brought out of it? So forgetful. Bad Entity, bad. Heheh...]
The ever increasing look of fear and panic on my face has the few good ones concerned, especially David.
"Hey, it's okay, Luv. Just calm down. Can you understand what I'm sayin'?"
This is absolute bullshit! The Entity did this on purpose! Making me suffer still for holding back!
Gripping my stressed-out head, I roar is growing frustration before fleeing back into the woods and away from the shame this affliction is giving me. Vaguely, I want to believe the voices I hear behind me are anything but negative. Damn it all! Why? Why am I like this? Why am I always the freak?
Lost in my private pity party panic I fail to take notice of many warnings that I'm not the only monster in these woods. After probably circling the same carved tree for like the sixth time, something trips me and I skid into the ground. Frankly, I am not having a good day.
"Oh my..."
And suddenly a random voice from the darkness.
"That was quite the tumble. Are you alright, darling?"
Darling? No one calls me that. ...Oh shit. No one I know calls me that. Stranger danger!
"Hmmm...Not much of a talker, are you?"
A figure steps forth and crouches in front of me. Their outfit is pretty basic but they certainly aren't. Just a simple plastic mask with a sort of melted face look that covers part of their face, like the phantom of the opera style while the other side is covered in oil black hair. A faint pink glow shimmers from that lone eye hole. Eerie yet enchanting. Black fabrics shroud their form to help give cover, pinkish-white glossy textures provide light balancing accents, and tendril strips of cloth writhe behind them like four ghostly snakes. They look the most basic, but they are not...The flesh I can see is not meat, but metal. They are a murder machine. A killer robot. And going off the voice...It's a dude.
"Well, no matter. It's better if you just listen than chatter."
That part gets me as I make myself sit up.
"Wait...You're not going to try to kill me?"
He sighs.
"No, darling. At least...Not right now."
Oh great. One of those type of killers. How much worse is this going to get?
"Tell me something, darling...How would you like to have a friend?"
Um...Not gonna lie, I'm blindsided.
"Huh?"
"A friend. You know what one is. Someone you can trust. Depend on. Someone that can help you when you're in need. Now...Wouldn't it be nice to have someone like that?"
Ah. I get it now. He's going to mock me and take pleasure in my empty pointless life before killing me.
"Dude, can you skip the whole belittling me thing and just kill me? I have no fucks to give anymore."
He seems slightly insulted yet remains composed.
"Belittling? No, darling, I wasn't doing anything like that."
"Sure you weren't."
"Really. I wasn't. I am merely extending a hand to someone lost."
"And does said hand hold a weapon in it?"
Now he's offended.
"Well, I never. So defensive when I've done nothing to incur such hostility."
Great...Now I feel bad for insulting a murder...The fuck is wrong with me?!
"No, you're right. I'm sorry I jumped to a conclusion like that. I'm not...myself."
He skims a metal hand under his hood to go through his hair coolly.
"No big deal, darling. I get it. Bad days happen to the best of us."
Okay...This guy is confusing me. Wait...I know him.
"I'm sorry, but are you the one known as...Ghost Face?"
He flinches before becoming way more chipper.
"Oh~? It seems my reputation precedes me."
"The others spoke about you once. But I know as much as the Entity drilled into my head. I merely guessed it was you. I do not know what any of the monsters look like that I haven't met."
That knocks him down a tiny bit yet seems unphased.
"I see. Well, if that's the case..."
He stands up and offers me his hand.
"Allow me to offer you a chance to change that."
It takes a moment to process that.
"You want me...to go with you?"
"A little slow on the uptake. Yeah. That's what I'm offering."
"...Why?"
He sighs. Getting fed up with me enough to quickly reach down and yank me to my feet by the throat.
"Geez. I never thought you'd be so dull in person. I'm offering you something big. Some behind the scene action and get to know the crew. You should feel lucky. Nah, honored."
To try to pry him off would be futile. But that doesn't mean I have to just take this crap.
"*snarl* Let go of me!"
He wags a single finger on his free hand.
"Now now, darling. You won't get anywhere being demanding. Try again with proper respect to your better."
I cringe.
"*growl* Let go of me...Please?"
He smirks.
"Much better."
He puts me down yet doesn't remove his hand.
"Now then, rewinding back a bit...How would you like to make a friend?"
I am not liking this day. In fact, I fucking hate it.
"Sure?"
"Great! The others will just love meeting you. Some are dying to get there hands on you."
And now I'm uncomfortable.
"...I need an adult."
"I am an adult."
"A different one."
"I'll take you to them."
"Can we not?"
His grip tightens and I change my tune.
"*gasp* Okay okay...We can go."
His grip lacks.
"There. Isn't it easier to just go along with things than fight the flow?"
I don't respond. I can't figure a way to do so around him. His personality...It's too mixed to grip. But he gets the point of my silence. Tugging to get me moving as he treks beside me.
"I will admit...You're not quite what I was expecting."
Now he's chatty.
"I've been keeping tabs on you. Taking notes. You're not like this when with the other humans."
...He's been what? No wonder Nurse knew. This guy must've heard and reported it to the others.
"Maybe it's because you're unsure. I am a stranger. You know nothing about me or my motives. For all you know, I could be taking you away to do ungodly things with your body."
That legitimately made me shiver hard. A sensation that makes him chuckle.
"Now there's a reaction. Heheh...So cute. No worries, darling. I have no need of you like that."
I sigh with hope.
"Can't say any of the others won't."
I'm dead. I have to be. Somewhere along the line I died and went to hell. Maybe a bear got me in my sleep or was hit with lightning. Now I'm being punished. Maybe I can make a deal with the devil with a contest or sorts?
"Did that freak you out or are you thinking of a way to attack?"
My thoughts are broken.
"Huh?"
"Ah. You were just lost. Makes sense."
"Um...You were just trying to scare me...right?"
He doesn't respond.
"Right?!"
His composure falters. Unable to keep a straight face.
"*laugh* I'm sorry...*snicker* You just make it so easy to fuck with you."
I am so not in the mood for this.
"That's not FUNNY!"
He may have predicted I was going to hit him. He may even been ready for it. Yet he wasn't prepared for the brunt force not being a hit...but a charge. I end up taking him for a short ride into a tree, the bang catches him off guard and the shock has him release me. This momentary freedom is enough to get some space and I use it to run. Of course, he's not pleased by this and gives chase.
"*digital distortion* GET BACK HERE, YOU BITCH!"
Seems the robot loses his shit when upset. Good to know. Perhaps I can use that.
"Don't blow a gasket, ghost-bot. Aren't you used to this by now?"
"*digital distortion* I WILL GUT YOU LIKE A FISH!"
"You'd have to catch me first."
Granted, a clever guy like him probably knows these woods better than anyone and his costume is well suited to hiding in the darkness. Yet he does have a flaw. He's metal. Heavy heavy metal. While still of decent speed, he can't help his body mass and that is the key. Flesh be nimble, flesh be quick, flesh will adapt, flesh will strengthen, and flesh can overcome. All it takes is some careful maneuvering and just the right time to act. After all, he may have been watching me yet he doesn't know how I do things when pushed. He doesn't know what kind of beast I am!
"*digital distortion* DON'T THINK YOU CAN ESCAPE ME!"
The faint glint of a blade gets in my sight. From the right.
A slash comes down.
But it missed. Just barely though. I mistook his reach range and nearly took the blade of his tactical knife to the shoulder.
"*digital distortion* HOLD STILL, YOU WRETCH! YOU SHOULD FEEL HONORED TO FEEL MY KNIFE SLIDING THROUGH YOUR RIBCAGE!"
Now. Now's the time.
"Sorry. But the only taste of steel I desire is not that weapon!"
I lunge, but it's a false one. The shock is to take him by surprise and gauge his reaction time. But I should've attacked. I shouldn't test things and aim for max damage. Because that's what he does. He's fast. Too fast. His free hand grabs a fistful of my hair and uses it as the tether to swing me into tree after tree.
"*digital distortion* ARE YOU HAPPY NOW?! IS THIS WHAT YOU WANTED?! THEN I'LL GRANT YOUR WISH AND BEAT YOU INTO COMPLIANCE!"
He doesn't joke about it either. The knife is put aside for now in favor of swinging me around and bashing me around the environment. Ground, rocks, bushes, trees. Nothing is off-limits to pummel my body into. In no time I'm coughing blood. The bright shimmering crimson is enough to get his attention. It shows his victory. Such a show calms him, reverting him to his relative ease as he holds my still form.
"*sigh* Oh dear...Look at you, darling. This is on you. All I wanted was to show you off. But no...You just had to be difficult."
I don't recall giving willing consent to any of this, so...fuck you.
"I suppose what's done is done. But I can't show up with you looking like this. Just...Hold still a sec."
The cold feel of his thumb smear blood from my face.
"Huh?"
His confusing musing tone has me look meekly up at him.
"Hmmm...Shame. I guess there's a time limit for that."
The only thing his words make me think of is my Anomaly State. So I move my hand enough to see it. Sure enough, I don't see the claws that were there moments before.
[Just as there are ways to trigger this False Killer state, there are ways to prevent and reverse you back to normal. Killers can also use pain to revert you to normal, with enough damage from clashing with a real Killer you will be back to being just another piece of meat waiting to be hooked.]
So he must have hurt me so bad that it reverted me to normal. Good. I'll let him believe there's a time limit. Jerk ain't getting any info out of me. Though I'll be real, I'm not gonna hold out very well if torture is used.
"Oh well. Human you will just have to do."
He tosses me up over his shoulder and resumes the action of taking me somewhere. For what? Fuck if I know.
"You're not going to stab me, are you?"
"*cough* Shouldn't I ask you that?"
"Just checking, darling. All's fun and game till someone gabs s shape object in your back."
"*cough* You are by far...the most confusing individual I have ever met."
"Do try not to talk. You're getting blood all over me."
Whatever. It's your fault I'm spitting blood. My annoyed monologue aside, I decided to just enjoy the ride. I ache too much to try wiggling free and even if I did I wouldn't get very far in this current state. Maybe a small nap would be nice. What's the worst that could happen? He kills me? Good. Then I'll pop my ass back at camp since I'm not all monster any longer. Just a short nap. Just for a...little...while.
...
[What do you think you are doing, Mettaton?]
This voice has Ghost Face pause.
"Oh...um...Nothing?"
[Do not lie. The Entity does not take lies well.]
"M-Master, I assure you, I have no ill intent here."
[Oh? Do tell then.]
"This human can become one of us, right? I figure...Perhaps we can, I don't know, make her more okay with becoming a killer."
[Hmmm...This one is rather reluctant to embrace her gifts.]
"Then am I allowed to continue?"
[Very well. Just do not be foolish. Your pride will blind you if you let your ego get the better of you.]
That made him flinch. It knew? Of course, it knew. The Entity is literally everywhere! It's always listening and watching. Best not fuck this up.
"Yes. Of course, Master."
Great. Now he had to be careful. The Entity didn't care about what the monsters did outside of trials so long as they didn't affect things leading up to trials. If they wanted to mess with the humans, it was okay. Often encouraged. Though this was a bit of hard one to gauge. It's a human but also a monster. If handled wrong, she could tell the other humans things that would give them a massive advantage in terms of strategy. And such a thing would be bad. Very bad indeed. So his plan to present the odd human as a "See? I deserve this more than Legion!" ploy will have to be reworked into a more "Hey guys, we need to make her like us more than them." type deal. Yet based on what he's seen and heard, that most likely won't be as hard of a thing to do than the other might think.
With this in mind, he continues onward. A location set in his thoughts, the forest around him giving way to emptiness and fog. Such a sight is normal for killers to see when traversing the realms. But he found it a little odd she did not react to this. A slight shimmying had him picking up on the sound of her shallow breathes. She nodded off. Rather a nice spot of luck. Less hassle while traveling. But perhaps he was a bit too rough in his anger. Oh well. No point crying over some possible internal hemorrhaging. The fog begins to thicken and wooden shack faintly hides within. This shack both exists in every realm and doesn't at the same time. But in this spot, in particular, was its own space. A place where the monsters would gather for meetings and other stuff. The only differences this shack had from the others was the lack of chests and the addition of bone piles used to practice hexes.
Entering the shack, he easily could tell it was empty. Not a sound could be heard before or after he descended the stairs to the basement. It would be a few more trials till their next meeting and she wasn't going back in one either, as no human was ever selected more than once a "day" to allow their soul to recover. Still, he had no clue if it was his time to kill and the risk of her being found in the open by one of the others would be too annoying to deal with. Thankfully, the lockers were the perfect place to stash a body. Though to be safe, he jams a bone in the handles to keep her from opening it and running away.
"There. Sleep tight, darling."
(SOME TIME LATER)
Muffled murmuring tempts my mushy brain to wake from soft slumber. Such sounds, most likely from others around the fire after I died. Fuck'em. I'm too tired.
*CLANG-CLANG*
My eyes shoot open. That wasn't a sound made at camp. In fact, I can see I'm in a container of sorts. Fuck! I need to heal! I start the process of healing with Self-Care. Damn it! Why is it so slow?!
lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...lub-dub...
I can't tell if that's just the Terror Radius going off like crazy or the pounding of my own heart about to explode in panic.
*CLANK*
I'm only healed enough to be maybe 30%, thanks the power of sleep, but that's not enough to get me to be fully healed.
"Rise and shine, darling. You've slept long enough."
The doors are flung open and Ghost Face snatches me by the hair as I try to scamper past. A rather harsh tug upwards has me roaring and snarling at the robo-fucker. Yet my flailing stops when the force of multiple auras comes down on my soul and I shiver at the many sets of eyes now on me.
"See? I wasn't lying. Our new member is right here."
They...They're here...All of them...All of them are here...All 16 monsters...I...I have no words.
"Say hello, darling. You don't want to be rude."
"what the fuck, shit-face?!"
Legion pushes his way through and part of me almost feels relieved to see him.
"i told you she's my plaything."
There goes that feeling and in record time.
"look what you did. she's all banged up and bloody. this is why you don't mess with other people's property."
...Excuse me?
"She's not yours, squirt. You haven't completed the Trials of Obsession. So till you do, darling here is fair game."
I want to punch them both even if the result is brutal stabbings. Wait...What are the Trials of Obsession?
"Both of you cease your foolishness."
Wraith steps up and slaps Ghost Face's hand, making him let me go.
"The lamb is one of us. Show her the same as we give each other."
They look at each other and then me.
"sounds fair."
Legion punches my shoulder and I hiss at him.
"welcome to the club, meat."
"Funny. I didn't think there was a way for you to beat meat."
There's this weird silence, mostly because I feel dumb for making a random masturbation pun in a room full of killers, and the looks aimed at me don't help. But then he snickers.
"heheh...fucking hell, meat...that was almost good enough not to be pissed off at you for...almost."
I shrug.
"Fair enough."
A low disappointed groan gets attention.
"IS THIS THE STANDARDS OF THE ENTITY NOW? PATHETIC."
Huh...Another skeleton? Neat. Wraith pulls me aside.
"Lamb, this is your superior. Trapper. Show him respect."
Aka...Mr. Grumpy Bones. This guy is tall. Wearing nothing more than dark red work boots, dark black with red trim overalls, and a twisted soulless scared mask that barely hides the glow of his red eyes. Hooks and metal shrapnel stab at his bare-bones. A thick brutal cleaver is held in his right hand while bear traps hang from his waist. No wonder he's agitated. That shit has to hurt. I bow my head.
"My apologies, Sir."
This calms him a bit. Though not much.
"*SCOFF* AT LEAST IT HAS MANNERS."
"It does help that the darling actually responds to us. Those other sacks of meat just ignore anything we say."
"Yeah, about that...I don't think they understand what any of you are saying. Like, at all."
I just had to chime in.
"Really?"
"They told me you guys couldn't talk and they had no clue what I was saying when I was a killer. So...I guess there's a language barrier of sorts."
"Huh...Explains a lot. Seems we have a new advantage! The meat thinks we're mindless beasts."
Well...Fuck. I messed that up.
"Maybe this faker is worth more than first thought."
This voice comes from an unamused, what looks like, a fish woman wearing a rabbit mask. The fuck? Her whole everything is confusing my brain. A thick torn sarafan that's black on the top while dull blue on the bottom, customized with pillaged soldier utility belts, dark pants, and she's barefoot. On top of that her skin is dark blue scales, odd fins stand out where her ears would be, the bottom of the mask doesn't cover her lower jaw so you can see a few scars, her long bright red hair is made dull with a black veil, one eye is blacked out while the other shimmers with gold, her teeth are like a shark's, her hands and feet are webbed. Her weapons? Small throwing hatches tucked on her waist and a traditional ax with a large heavy head. She is basically what you'd get if the creature from the black lagoon banged a lumberjack. She is the Huntress.
"So what? The bitch is still meat. I'm not going to see her as anything else."
So speaks up a rather odd sight. A ghost, kind of small but not really, wearing an old brown fedora and red with dull green strips sweater. I'd saw this fella wasn't all that spooky if he didn't have that bladed glove on his right hand or the strange way his ectoplasm causes his appearance to be mottled or the eerie death stare given by his cold dull eyes. This is Nightmare. And he is as messed up as his name.
"hAG like. Look yums."
As said, this is the Hag. A wild-looking thing she is. Their body is emaciated, dried skin deformed by insatiable hunger and lightly hinted with faint dirty white fuzz. She kind of looks like a dog mixed with a cat in some ways. The body is clearly dog but the face is a cat, yet has both pointy cat and flop dog ears. Her front paws are armed with fingers made into solid claws, perfect for rendering flesh. Her grey hair resembles a feathery mane and has a wreath of thorns worked into it. All that's left is the sky blue and yellow striped tunic that has seen much better days. She is simple. But oftentimes the deadliest things are.
"Bet that one there would make some mighty fine pudding."
Not sure I understand what Hillbilly means by that. But judging by some of their faces, eating humans isn't that big of a stretch. Hillbilly is a sad-looking thing. Less scary and more like concerned for its health. This light blue-furred rabbit-like monster has a red nose and a tuft of fur sprouting from the top of his head. He wears a dull dirty torn yellow short-sleeved shirt with a single vertical red stripe in the middle covers their twisted crooked skin, and dull red torn disheveled jeans. Almost looks like the rags of the unwanted farmhand. A brutal cattle hammer in one hand deals a sharp blow to the skull as the most effective manner of slaughter and in the other a hulking and motorized chainsaw of terrifying strength. Grinds through flesh, bone, and soul.
"Mmmm...Pudding."
This hulking brute is the Cannibal. The name says it all. An orange cat-like monster wearing a terrifying mask of dried human skin, with what looks like an M or something close to one etched on the forehead, stretched and stitched together. Tall with a bit of a gut who wears filthy pinkish-peach colored workman's clothes, a yellow bloodstained butcher's apron covers a dress shirt and dark slacks. He also has this dress tie that seems out of place yet nice and a strange charm bracelet on his left wrist. His weapons are similar to Hillbilly, a classic sledgehammer and aggressive looking chainsaw.
"*hack* If anything...She'll make for good practice. *cough*"
Now this one...This one disturbs me. The Clown. I hate clowns. And this guy is the sickest looking joke of them all. A bloated pig of a man, except he's no pig, this man is definitely some kind of goat. Tall with broad shoulders, a bulky body, a golden blond mane/beard, two large floppy ears, and two large curved horns. Eyes like coal with a small blue sheen. Face painted in a miserable smile. Wearing the attire of a much smaller ringmaster. Classic tailcoat with button-up shirt pushed far beyond its stretching point. Dirty purple with gold accents, large bow, buttons, a trick golden flower of some kind on the lapel, and suspenders with a comically big key ring holding severed human fingers. An oversize butterfly knife shaped like a bird's feather in one hand and bottle of brew in the other. I don't like this one. He scares me.
"❄☟☜☼☜ 🕈✋☹☹ 👌☜ ☠⚐ 🕯🏱☼✌👍❄✋👍☜🕯 ⚐☠ ❄☟☜ ☟🕆💣✌☠ ❄✋☹☹ ✌☞❄☜☼ ✋ ☟✌✞☜ 🏱☜☼💧⚐☠✌☹☹✡ ☼✌☠ ✌ ❄☟☼⚐🕆☝☟ ☜✠✌💣✋☠✌❄✋⚐☠📬 ✋ 🕈✋☹☹ 🕆☠👎☜☼💧❄✌☠👎 🕈☟✌❄ 💣✌😐☜💧 ❄☟✋💧 ⚐☠☜ ❄✋👍😐📬" (THERE WILL BE NO 'PRACTICE' ON THE HUMAN TILL AFTER I HAVE PERSONALLY RAN A THROUGH EXAMINATION. I WILL UNDERSTAND WHAT MAKES THIS ONE TICK.)
I suspect this one to be the brains of the group. The Doctor. Yet another skeleton but not quite. The bones that I can see appear to be more fused, solid even and melded with wiring in a super painful way. His face is the most excruciating. The straps, hooks, wires, and electrodes being used to contort his skull to the point there's some fracturing of the bone. Donned in a sleeveless doctor's coat that has seen better days and normal dress-wear underneath. The implement of punishment in his hand is one I fail to comprehend. It's like a metal stick but the tip is pointed like a stake and the midsection is spiked while crackling with electrical power. Yeah...Me no like that either.
"Allow m-m-me to assist you, Doctor. If t-t-that's alright?"
The lady with the stutter is known as the Pig, though that seems to stem from her mask and not the kind of monster she is. The visible skin looks to be yellow and scaly, possibly reptilian? A rotting pig's head with runlets of blood trickling from its eye holes and nostrils, topped with long black messy hair though yellow spikes seem to poke through it. Her posture is somewhat hunched over. The attire is that a long, maybe white at some point but now red, bloody coat and dark pants. A razor-sharp blade, attached to a mechanical contraption on her right wrist can be concealed or extended at will. And under the coat, are tucked away death helmets known as Reverse Bear Traps what when used will pry the victim's jaw apart.
"Yeah. Let's CUT her APART! Bit by BIT!"
Spirit seems to be more unstable than most. She appears to be some sort of cat but her grey flesh doesn't look real, like plastic or some other synthetic material, as if she were a doll possessed. Her pink hair is wild and windswept, dancing in the dark. She lacks much in the form of noticeable lady bits which is good since shredded bloody pink bandages are all that's covering her chest and lower half. Her body is a mess. Cuts large and small, gashes, limbs completely severed, all sprinkled with shards of glass forced in places as if trying to escape. Large golden jingle bells dangle under each fluffy ear. Her milky eyes hold a small hint of emerald color. She is a sad sight to look at but not one without danger. The tip of a single-edged straight katana protrudes from the base of her right hand, in a swift motion, heads would roll from an unseen blow.
"Sacrifice! The Entity demands sacrifices! This dearie will appease the hunger!"
Well someone looks like they came from a time of blind god worship that didn't go so well. Meet the Plague, a spider monster with periwinkle or lavender skin that is being degraded by disease, five eyes, six arms, and two legs. A sacred crown worn to hide the affliction that slowly took this possibly ordained priestess, twin pigtails stick out the back along with the flow of her black locks. Imperial red and ruby robes woven from the finest silks, probably crafted for her to display her status. Golden chains, necklaces, and even sharp claw fingermail adorn her in accents. Her weapon is one unseen before and yet fitting of her look. A profane censer, an ancient-looking incense burner held aloft by a long heavy chain exudes the sweetest fragrances to mask the decay around her.
So many faces. So many means of death. Yet...One is missing Where is the one known as...?
".........."
A faint whisper pulls my attention before being actually pulled by an overly strong hand and I wince at the knowing bruise forming in such a grip on my upper arm. This has eyes pulled to watch as one of the Entity's most relentless monsters interact with me, the odd human. This is the Shape, a fire monster. An expressionless white latex Halloween mask covers his head but the hair has burned away to be topped by his orange flames. Everyday dark navy almost black workman overalls contain a living furnace of hell's own fire. An oversized kitchen knife with devastatingly sharp edges is all that is needed to end a life. His eyes. He has the blackest eyes. The devil's eyes. And the inferno shines within them. Yet...Why don't I feel in danger?
"Um...Hello."
He tilts his head.
"Would you kindly let go of my arm? Please? It hurts."
There's this silence and damn if it's awkward. But slowly, that bone-shattering hold loosens and I'm allowed to lightly cover the area. It's so weird. This feeling on my skin.
"So warm..."
Absentminded thought is absentminded.
"Thank you."
He merely stares down at me. Such a tall guy. Hell, everyone is bigger than me except Hag, Pig, Nurse, and Legion. The hand that once did warm proceeds to pat my head and I feel dumb enough to giggle.
"awww...how cute."
Legion mocks me but I choose to ignore him and pay attention to Shape.
"Sound's like someone's jealous."
Ghost Face teases.
"what?"
"With no effort at all, he already holds more favor than you and you saw her first."
Legion sneers and Ghost Face piles on.
"I suppose nothing you did was all that grand if something as simple as a head pat holds more weight."
"*snarls* fuck you."
"Oooh. I'm shaking. Such biting words."
"i'll show you biting!"
Legion storms over as Shape continues test touch me curiously, like what one does at a petting zoo, and the sudden movement of Legion has me unconsciously move closer to the man of flame. He suddenly slams me on a wall, his arm braced against my throat while his free hand grabs my face.
"who do you think you are?"
"*grunt* The hell is your problem?"
I should probably put up a struggle. But I'm in no mood. Besides, he's not even pressing as hard as he could. So I don't try to push him back.
"don't forget your place here, meat. and don't forget who you belong to."
I shake his hand off in annoyance.
"Dude, I'm gonna be real with you. I am in no position to piss anyone in this room off. That said, I am in no mood to deal with this kind of crap. So take this power play you're doing and shove up."
His sockets widen.
"What's wrong, Legion? Can't control a human?"
Huntress remarks.
"And to think he wants to claim obsession rights. What a joke."
Nurse cuts deep with that one. Legion gets more annoyed.
"if you think you'll get away with embarrassing me, you're wrong."
"Hey, man, we were cool till you did this. You're the guy doing dumb shit because of peer pressure."
The snickers and whispers in the background aren't helping him. It becomes too much.
"*sharp roar*"
I didn't feel the initial strike. I most likely wouldn't have known till feeling something else entirely. But then there's a twist in my side that brings more pain than can be ignored. Now I'm clawing at his arm for release.
"*growl* this is what you get. this is what you get for thinking you're...!"
"That's enough. Your point has been made."
Wraith and Shape each put a hand on Legion's shoulders.
"......"
"i am calm! she..."
"Did nothing and you know that."
"............"
Legion's eyes shift to look at the floor as if he's been scolded into realization.
"......."
"i'm not going to apologize."
"You don't have to."
A slow tug is made and his blade is removed, making me gasp louder than intended. Though instead of backing off, he leans in to my side and whispers.
"never forget who you belong to. who's name was craved on your chest. remember that. you are mine."
Feeling my limits being pressed after everything this questionable day has done, I'm not about to just take this. The second he gives me any slack, I grab his hoodie and get in his face, but keep my voice low.
"I know."
There's a slight growl to my words but it's not from any hostility. It's from pain and the struggle to keep standing when I should be on the ground. My words rattle him, making him shove me and in my current state I give in to my bodies will to fall. Just peachy. Stuck in an enclosed space with a ton of monsters and I'm in the dying state. Easy picking for any of them.
"💧☟☜ ☼☜💧✋💧❄☜👎 ❄☟☜ 👎✡✋☠☝ 💧❄✌❄☜📬 ☞✌💧👍✋☠✌❄✋☠☝📬" (SHE RESISTED THE DYING STATE. FASCINATING.)
"The lamb is...quirky."
"*grumble* This lamb is bleeding out. Not deaf."
My annoyance is noted but ignored. Shape scoops me up onto his shoulder. Oddly, even though my wound is still open, bleeding stops when picked up by a monster. It's a momentary fix to not dying.
"*strained* Thanks, big guy."
A slight nod was the reply. At least so far, one of them I'd consider possibly decent outside of trial.
"SO..."
Trapper's voice chimes in.
"WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO WITH IT?"
Wow. Really dude? Am I so beneath you that you don't see me as a person? Whatever. He does make a good point. What are they going to do? Other than killing me.
"✌💧 💣☜☠❄✋⚐☠☜👎 👌☜☞⚐☼☜📪 ✋ 🕈⚐🕆☹👎 ☹✋😐☜ ❄⚐ 💧❄🕆👎✡ ☟☜☼ 🕈☟✋☹☜ ❄☟☜ ⚐🏱🏱⚐☼❄🕆☠✋❄✡ ✋💧 ☝✋✞☜☠📬" (AS MENTIONED BEFORE, I WOULD LIKE TO STUDY HER WHILE THE OPPORTUNITY IS GIVEN.)
I take it I'm just being ignored as a living being as they contemplate among themselves on what to do with me. Oh well...Might as well try something crazy. I tap Shape and he looks at me. I say not a word. Merely motion to the stairs. I don't expect much. But I hope for some pity. He just stares at me and that unnerving stare has me shiver even when surrounded by his heat. Yet slowly he starts to make his way to leave. Sadly, this movement doesn't go unseen.
"hey, buddy, it's not nice to take what doesn't belong to you."
Oh my god, give me a fucking break! Shape looks at Legion, the others, then me, and then back to Legion.
".........."
"yeah, sure, whatever. just hand her over."
Wait what? Shape starts to hand me over to Legion and I hear internal glass shattering from my broken hope of escape.
"*strained* No...No, no, no, no, no! I thought we were cool, big guy! I thought we were cool!"
"don't whine. it won't make things better."
Now in Legion's grasp, I officially give up.
"*strained* Just...make it quick. Whatever it is."
"geez. killjoy much?"
I see a small opportunity and my brain says to take it before going completely dead.
"*strained* Kill Joy? I don't even know her."
It's a terrible joke. The kind that makes even people on laughing gas cringe. Yet...I feel him chuckle. He doesn't make the sound but his shoulders rock with mirth.
"☹☜☝✋⚐☠📬 👌☼✋☠☝ 💣☜ ❄☟☜ ☟🕆💣✌☠📬" (LEGION. BRING ME THE HUMAN.)
I sigh and shut my eyes. I don't want to see anything more than what I have to of this crap.
"yeah...no."
Say what now?
"☠⚐✍" (NO?)
"you heard me, doc."
"✡⚐🕆 ✋☠💧⚐☹☜☠❄ ☹✋❄❄☹☜ 💧☟✋❄📬 ✡⚐🕆 🕈✋☹☹ ⚐👌☜✡ ✡⚐🕆☼ 👌☜❄❄☜☼✏" (YOU INSOLENT LITTLE SHIT. YOU WILL OBEY YOUR BETTER!)
I open my eyes in time to see Legion flipping Doctor off.
"i think i've made myself clear. she's mine. if you want to do anything with her, you have to find her in the trials or...beg me for permission."
The rational part of me knows he's just asserting himself with this move. But the dumb hopeful part of me is thinking maybe this will be okay. A sudden jerk and he's sprinting up the stairs. This skeleton continues to amaze me. There's a commotion from the others, the few that bother to attempt chasing Legion, though once he boosts it becomes painfully clear that they're not going to keep up and stop. It's also clear that we're not anywhere anymore. My only guess is this is the space of the fog, the place between the realms the Entity made.
"*strained* I think you lost them."
He faintly looks over his empty shoulder yet keeps his fast pace.
"even if it seems that way, don't believe it. some of them..."
"*strained* Can teleport, become invisible, and hide their terror radius? Yeah, I know."
"heh...one minute you know nothing and the next you do. what changed?"
"*strained* The Entity mind raped me."
"...okay..."
Probably not the best choice of words on my end.
"*strained* Where are we going?"
He doesn't answer.
"*strained* Dude, give me a break. I've been stabbed multiple times, chased, beaten, abducted, and killed all in what feels like hours. The least you can do is tell me where you're going."
Again, he says nothing.
"*strained scoff* Typical. You don't see me. Just something to use. Damn it...Why do I always think the best of others when time and time again I'm proven wrong? You're no different than everyone else."
This has him skid to a dead stop.
"what did you say?"
Why do I suddenly feel like I'm gonna regret life even more? He tosses me off his shoulder and now I know I fucked up.
"i am nothing like them!"
He kicks me hard in the gut. My wound pours out more in response. I won't last long at this rate.
"*strained coughs* Ow...*sputter* real mature..."
"shut up!"
He proceeds to stomp his heel into my back repeatedly.
"you don't know a damn thing about me! don't fucking think for a second that you're better! you're no different than any other shitty human! you're not special! nobody cares about you! do you hear me?! nobody!"
It's getting so cold. The puddle forming around my body is outrageous. But karma is funny in a douchy way. He slips in the puddle while adjusting his stance and falls flat on his back...however...this makes his non-stomping foot kicks me point-blank in the face. Lights out instantaneously.
...
{bones? are you okay?}
{dumbass. the fuck were ya thinking?}
{i thought we were to keep her away from the others so we could inform her of the trial rights. not kill her. though great use of technique on brutality.}
Bones shakes his head. A fog clouded his judgment. Looking to the bloody body on the ground, he is fairly sure she's dead and the size of the puddle around her only makes it seem like he's right. Yet...she's still there and not fading into the darkness. Either she's resisting or there's still some time before she completely bleeds out. Going with the latter, he collects the girl and just barely feels the shallow breaths leaving her.
"*sigh* fuck my life."
{what happened?}
{he fucking snapped, genius. the fuck do ya think happened?}
He ignores the question to continue walking.
"boo."
{y-yes?}
"when we get back to base, i want you to take control and deal with the human when she wakes up."
{what?!}
{m-me? why me?}
{yeah, why ya putting the baby in charge for this?}
"simple. he won't do something stupid."
{like you did?}
"fuck you. chops, you'd do worse than me and you know it."
{meh.}
"and dead-eye...well...you'd kill her if the mood hit."
{you are not wrong.}
"it's settled. boo, you chat her up and get her on our side. it'll make getting those dumb rights easy."
{okay, bones. but, uh, are you sure you can't do it? she's never met me. what if she freaks out?}
{oh my god! grow a spine, you fucking pussy!}
{he has a point. you can not show uncertainty to humans. they will use it against you and we can never lose the fear we hold over them.}
{plus, scaring those bitches is fun as hell.}
{that too.}
That earns a snicker from the leader.
"just be yourself, boo. besides...i get the feeling her waking up to see me won't end well."
{yeah. ya fucked up.}
{big time.}
"alright, i get it! i don't need heckling from you dorks."
{dorks? us?}
{we aren't the moron that's stabbing our meal ticket to getting respect to death like a dumb fuck.}
"that! that shit right there is why you assholes don't get the body more often."
{if that's the case, why don't i get the body more?}
"shut up, boo!"
{o-okay.}
"and there's your answer."
{oh...ah man.}
Bones shakes his head. The fog slowly giving way to snow. Mount Ormond Resort begins to come into view as Bones starts to change. The color of his clothing altering to lighter blue hues, the binds of tape melting away, and a bow made with a long scarf tied around the waist looks like a target on his back. It's time for a new take on things. Perhaps Boo can salvage the plan. Here's hoping the human will take to him better than Bones.
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realyoungdarius · 4 years
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1.3 Discussion: Borland Case Baseline Ethics
Getting Started
Someone with a degree in education, business, medicine, psychology, or law, can be familiar with the knowledge base of the profession, but may still act in a manner that is unethical and undermines the utility of that knowledge. It is important to learn the skill of ethical reasoning in addition to ethical principles. In this activity, you will being to examine situations that may or may not be ethical and evaluate the players and outcomes that occur because of chosen actions.
Upon successful completion of this discussion, you will be able to:
Define ethics and give examples of ethical decisions you make in your daily life.
Explain the levels of ethics and how they relate to human relations.
Explain how your ethics are developed both personally and in the workplace.
Examine the guidelines offered by the world and the Bible for ethical living.
Distinguish behavior accepted by those serving the world from behavior by those serving Christ.
Resources
OER Text: Human Relations
Video: Our Buggy Moral Code  
Background Information
Borland's Brave Beginning
Philipe Kahn, the colorful former CEO and current Chairman of Borland International built a powerful software company from the ground up with a series of brilliant business moves including the 1991 acquisition of Ashton-Tate, one of the software industries' biggest companies for $440 million. Until very recently, the company was extremely successful, culminating in the building a palatial headquarters complex costing nearly $100 million. At one point, Kahn even entertained thoughts of challenging Microsoft as the world's top software manufacturer. (1) While the company has recently fallen on hard times, its beginning is one that some would consider morally questionable while others would denote as being "smart moves within the game."
In an interview with Inc. Magazine in 1989, Kahn told the story of Borland's humble beginnings. Operating out of two small rooms and strapped for cash, he couldn't afford to place an ad in Byte magazine, the best forum to reach his target market. In order to convince the ad salesman to extend credit terms, Kahn hired "extra people" to scurry around and made sure the phones were ringing in order to look busy. He prepared a media plan on a chart in which Byte was crossed out but made sure the salesman "accidentally" saw the chart. When the salesman asked if they wanted to advertise in Byte, Kahn replied that it was not the right audience and that they couldn't afford it. The salesman pleaded and eventually gave good terms of credit.  The ad ran once and sold $150,000 worth of software, launching a successful venture.(2)
Pitta, Julie. "The Barbarian Steps Down."  Los Angeles Times.  January 12, 1995. p. D1+
"Managing by Necessity."  Inc.  March, 1989, pp. 33+
Instructions
Review the rubric to make sure you understand the criteria for earning your grade.
Read 5.1: An Ethics framework from Chapter 5 of the Human Relations OER textbook.
Read Borland’s Brave Beginning.
Navigate to the threaded discussion and respond to the following prompts:
Each response should contain a detailed evaluation that demonstrates clear, insightful critical thinking
Guidelines:
Be prepared in Workshop Two to engage in discussion regarding your initial post. You will compose two replies to separate student’s posts as rebuttals to their arguments.  Then, in Workshop Three, you will need to compose a final rebuttal to a student who made a reply on your initial post.
Briefly summarize the Borland Case.
The Borland Case is one to go down into the record books. The former CEO, and current board member of the company,  Philipe Kahn, when asked about how his company rose to prominence, by Inc. Magazine in 1989, he described how he created fake hype for the business. This enabled him to secure much needed press in the market he had to sell his products to. 
Clearly identify and discuss each of the Four Levels of Ethical Issues from your reading in the Human Relations text that are present in the Borland case.
There are four main levels of ethical levels within organizations. Rao Rama, V. S. (2009, April 17). Four levels of ethics. Citeman Network, accessed February 24, 2012, http://www.citeman.com/5358-four-levels-of-ethical-questions-in-business.html The first level is societal issues. These are the top-level issues relating to the world as a whole, which deal with questions such as the morality of child labor worldwide. Deeper-level societal issues might include the role (if any) of capitalism in poverty, for example. Most companies do not operate at this level of ethics, although some companies, such as Tom’s Shoes, feel it is their responsibility to ensure everyone has shoes to wear. As a result, their “one for one” program gives one pair of shoes to someone in need for every pair of shoes purchased. Concern for the environment, for example, would be another way a company can focus on societal-level issues. This level of ethics involves areas of emotional intelligence we have discussed, specifically, an individual’s empathy and social awareness. Many companies take a stand on societal ethics in part for marketing but also in part because of the ethics the organization creates due to the care and concern for individuals.
Our second level of ethics is stakeholder’s issues. A stakeholder is anyone affected by a company’s actions. In this level, businesses must deal with policies that affect their customers, employees, suppliers, and people within the community. For example, this level might deal with fairness in wages for employees or notification of the potential dangers of a company’s product. For example, McDonald’s was sued in 2010 because the lure of Happy Meal toys were said to encourage children to eat unhealthy food.Jacobson, M. (2010, June 22). McDonald’s lawsuit: Using toys to sell Happy Meals, accessed February 24, 2012, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-f-jacobson/mcdonalds-lawsuit-manipul_b_621503.html This is a stakeholder issue for McDonald’s, since it affects customers. Although the case was dismissed in April 2012,The Associated Press. (2012, April 5). Calif. judge dismisses suit against McDonald’s toys. USA Today, accessed June 4, 2012, http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/food/story/2012-04-05/mcdonalds-happy-meals-toys-lawsuit/54040390/1 the stakeholder issue revolves around the need for companies to balance healthy choices and its marketing campaigns.
The third level is the internal policy issue level of ethics. In this level, the concern is internal relationships between a company and employees. Fairness in management, pay, and employee participation would all be considered ethical internal policy issues. If we work in management at some point in our careers, this is certainly an area we will have extensive control over. Creation of policies that relate to the treatment of employees relates to human relations—and retention of those employees through fair treatment. It is in the organization’s best interests to create policies around internal policies that benefit the company, as well as the individuals working for them.
The last level of ethical issues is personal issues. These deal with how we treat others within our organization. For example, gossiping at work or taking credit for another’s work would be considered personal issues. As an employee of an organization, we may not have as much control over societal and stakeholder issues, but certainly we have control over the personal issues level of ethics. This includes “doing the right thing.” Doing the right thing affects our human relations in that if we are shown to be trustworthy when making ethical decisions, it is more likely we can be promoted, or at the very least, earn respect from our colleagues. Without this respect, our human relations with coworkers can be impacted negatively.
The Borland Case is one to go down into the record books. The former CEO, and current board member of the company, Philipe Kahn, when asked about how his company rose to prominence, by Inc. Magazine in 1989, he described how he created fake hype for the business. This enabled him to secure much needed press in the market he had to sell his products to.
While I feel like the decision to be deceiving people was possibly wrong at a personal, internal, and stakeholders’ level, I do feel like it didn’t end up hurting anyone at the societal level! So, it could be viewed as being less harmful at the rest of the levels. Were the people who were in on the scheme hurt in any way, really? It seemed like the entire company ended up benefiting from the decision to deceive the salesperson. Not even the salesperson can feel that bad! Why? It’s because the salesperson ended up making money for the magazine! It was mutually beneficial for the companies, their employers, and even the buyer of the products!
I recognize that getting people to adopt a company’s values can be easier said than done, like is said in an Industryweek.com article. It does seem like Khan had luck in getting his employees to follow along with his scheme. If they wouldn’t have went along with it, he would have lost some colleagues and also lost potential friends he could rely on for business propositions. 
They probably remained alongside him, because they didn’t have issues like what happened at Boeing’s North Charleston, South Carolina factory. According to an article from the New York Times, the management at the factory did nothing to fix the “shoddy production”. Because of the management not doing anything to fix the problem, Qatar Airways, a major customer, according to the NY Times article, had “notified Boeing that they wouldn’t accept shipments of airplanes from this facility”. 
Honestly, I do feel like Kahn’s actions violated my fudge factor. I’ve tried to see beyond that. But, I have to recognize that he could have created a compelling case for selling his product to the salesperson. Being warm and inviting toward the salesperson could have helped to sell the story, and the product behind the story, in a much more ethical manner. 
In review, the case showed a silver lining, even if Philipe Khan’s actions violated my fudge factor. This is because the actions didn’t hurt anyone at a societal level. I do believe the story, if you look at it from other levels, does create a situation where Khan put a lot of faith and trust in his employees, to get them to agree to lie to the salesperson to attempt to hustle their way toward the promotional coverage. 
References
(2009, April 17) Four levels of Ethical questions in Business  -- https://www.citeman.com/5358-four-levels-of-ethical-questions-in-business.html
Ariely, Dan. (2009, February). Our Buggy Moral Code. TED Talks. https://www.ted.com/talks/dan_ariely_our_buggy_moral_code?utm_campaign=tedspread&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=tedcomshare
Code of Ethics and Business Conduct. Society for Human Resource Management. https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/tools-and-samples/policies/pages/code-of-ethics-conduct-policy.aspx
Erickson, Paul (2020, Jan 16). Is Ethics in Business Possible? Industryweek. https://www.industryweek.com/supply-chain-initiative/article/21120741/is-ethics-in-business-possible
What do you think about Kahn’s actions? Do his actions amount to shrewd business, deception, or both?
Some might argue that since everyone “won” in the end, Kahn’s decision was ethical. Do you agree? Why or why not?
Review the Ted Talk Our Buggy Moral Code. What is a personal fudge factor? Does Kahn’s actions in the Borland case violate your personal fudge factor? Why or Why not?
If you were Kahn, what might have been some ways to achieve the same outcome but in a more ethical manner? How do these approaches take into account the four levels of ethical issues from your reading?
In your analysis, be sure to discuss how the players, in this case, were impacted at each of the four levels.
Your 1.3 post should be at least 500 words in length
Your 1.3 post must include two scholarly sources that are properly cited according to APA guidelines. For questions on APA style, go to OCLS APA Writing Styles Guide.
Your 1.3 post is due by the end of Workshop One.
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