[ you all slap the button! tifa is fine, she's just bleeding from the arm. ines will help w pull her arm back into place but like, rudely, and not gently at all. congratulations! you've made it. the chihuahua hollers to the audience about the silver snakes and blue barracudas being victorious, and turns his attention back to the remaining players.

the moat is starting to settle down. it appears that in the chaos, theresis and theresa both have been eliminated from the competition by force. hojo made it to the other side and has slapped the button with lucrecia. she gives vincent a little smile when she sees him - she's mostly undamaged, and hojo is a little bloody, but they're okay.

hoederer has also made his way over to the other side of the platforms, and is by his button, but... aerith is nowhere to be seen. he is partnerless.

the chihuahua host tip-taps his way down from his podium, and sits in front of hoederer, looking up at him. and then after a moment of this, turns to the audience: ]

We have a partnerless team! We all know what that means!

[ and the audience begins to chant, stomping their feet and clapping, blood! blood! blood!

hoederer opens his mouth to say something - and then immediately his head jerks back as a bullet hits him right between the eyes. he crumples to the ground in front of his button, and goes still. the audience erupts into cheers, loud enough to shake the building a little, and the rest of you have to wait for it to die down, watching what happens when you lose at legends of the hidden temple.

the cheers subside, and the chihuahua cheerfully turns to you all. ]

Congratulations! The Silver Snakes, Blue Barracudas, and Green Monkeys have made it to the second round! You're now at the Steps of Knowledge!

[ the crowd cheers again, and the chihuahua continues. ]

Contestants, are you ready for the rules of the next round?