Scenario:The Doss! End of the Line Farewell Tour - Chapter 5: Judgement Night - Episode 4

The Doss! End of the Line Farewell Tour - Chapter 5: Judgment Night - Episode 4

As the leader of Vicious Three, Benjamin had wanted to perform a ballad, but Justin saw this as a betrayal of Vicious's hardcore principles, so he stabbed Benjamin in the back. The lost memories induced by the stabbing have now returned to Aoidos, but before he can get revenge, Justin accuses Aoidos of betraying Vicious fans. Justin offers Aoidos a possible solution; Aoidos decides to follow the two men without a word.

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Justin: Awesome set today, Benjamin.

Benjamin: Aah?

Justin: What, not up to snuff for the king? I was about to reward you and everything.

Benjamin: I don't give a damn about that.

Valentin: Justin doesn't know when to quit, but that's fine by me.

Benjamin: Wrong. The bounty from those bandits was pitiful. Gig ticket sales? Trash. Even the ***s in the mosh pit gave me nothing.

Benjamin: Gigs get boring when perfection becomes the norm. Where's the next level?

Benjamin: That same ordinary perfection over and over and over... How can people be satisfied with that?

Justin: Because pigs never tire of eating pig slop. Feeble minds can't imagine anything else they'd want. Allow me to demonstrate on Valentin.

Justin picks up a rock and hurls it as hard as he can, striking Valentin square in the nose.

Valentin: Agh!

Justin repeats this twice more with pinpoint accuracy.

Valentin: Ugh! Gah!

Justin: See that? It's the same reaction every single time. So who cares as long as you can make them squeal?

Benjamin: Hm...

Benjamin: Crawl, Valentin.

Valentin: Okay.

Benjamin: Here's how I see it...

Benjamin continues to talk as he presses down on Valentin's head with his foot.

Benjamin: I like the idea... of hurting them... right up to the cusp... of death...

Valentin: Ngggh! Rgggh!

Benjamin: But a good meal needs a palate cleanser between dishes.

Valentin: Heh... Hehe...

Benjamin: That way you get the full kick of flavor when landing a blow to someone's head.

Valentin: Aaugh!

Justin: What's your point?

Benjamin: We're going to play different bits that ramp up during our intro.

Benjamin: First a thunder clap. Then a power guitar riff with blast beats phasing in. Grindcore is the sound we want.

Justin: Feels unnecessary. The ***** demand your brand of violent thrash, so I say give it to them.

Benjamin: No. The middle act is the palate cleanser. Maybe a piano or string ballad. Naturally it'll still bear my distinctive sound.

Justin: ...!

Valentin: Um, I think I get it? After we let 'em come down gently, we give them a hard kick in the ***.

Benjamin: Your brain still works. Here's a reward for your troubles.

Valentin: Guh! I'm sorry!

Justin: A ballad? Are you out of your ******* mind, Benjamin?

Benjamin: And just what is the baseline of sanity, Justin? We're doing a ballad.

Justin: Don't play dumb with me! You're watering down your signature violence with garbage that doesn't matter!

Benjamin: Aah? Who said you could define who I am? Crawl back into your hole, gutter trash.

Justin: Need I remind you you're the one who fished me out of the garbage? Were you lying to me back then? Why are you changing course all of a sudden?

Justin: What happened to your ****s, man! Did they rot and fall off!

Valentin: Calm down, Justin. If you need to hit something, hit me.

Benjamin: Swallow your word vomit, or I'll kill you.

Justin: ...!

Benjamin: I'll give you the score tomorrow. Read it and play. You can throw up afterward.

Benjamin issues his ultimatum and walks off.

Justin: Don't you...

Justin: Don't you dare throw me away!

Benjamin: Aah?

Benjamin: Gaah!

Benjamin staggers forward in pain from the stab wound inflicted on his back.

He tumbles into an underground river that flows deeper into the cave.

Valentin: Justin! Why'd you stab Benjamin instead of me!

Justin: Piano? Ballads? Vicious Three doesn't need that.

Justin: If that's what Benjamin wants, then we don't need him either!

Aoidos: Oh, that's right. Now I remember what you did to me.

Valentin: He's got that murderous glint in his eye... just like before!

Justin: Welcome home, Benjamin.

Aoidos: Good to be back. Time to die.

Justin: We happen to be short a guitarist. Mind filling in for us?

Aoidos: Guess we all have our own problems. I predict a bassist is about to bite the dust.

Justin blocks Aoidos's swift strike and smiles.

Justin: A bassist, huh? Sounds like someone's angling to leave the Doss and come back to Vicious Three.

Aoidos: ...!

Aoidos: Ugh! Nnh!

Valentin: His pain's flaring up again... Why won't you share some of it with me, Benjamin!

Aoidos: I've made up my mind... to perform at the festival... with the Doss... and that's that.

The rocker answers through gritted teeth as his mind wavers between Benjamin's and Aoidos's memories.

Aoidos: I can't betray the fans!

Justin: How noble of you. But what about Vicious Three fans? Will you betray them?

Aoidos: ...

Justin: Decisions, decisions. But I think I might have a compromise.

Justin: Why don't we let the fans decide?

Aoidos: ...?

Justin: How you perform at the festival will reveal who you truly are.

Justin: I'll explain later. In the meantime, come with us.

Aoidos: ...

Aoidos decides to follow the two men, leaving (Captain) and the others behind and disappearing without a trace.