Flowers of Heaven: Taisho Roman Revolution

[idolpro]

There's a fluttering noise around you.

A gaggle of colorful miniature animals flit around your ears and nuzzle at your ankles, nudging at you gently but insistently. On closer inspection, it seems they’re made from brightly patterned origami paper. They seem to be herding you towards an arched doorway that has opened in the thick brambles and leads to a winding path beyond.

Once you cross through, a gate closes behind you, and the voices of your fellow idols fade from your ears. It seems as if you’re on your own, now.

❀ ❀ ❀

Here, the brambles that surround your path are hung with prayer strips in an indecipherable language.

It seems that the origami creatures are carrying some things for you: a collection of sixteen different flowers, a small lantern of blue flame, and a wreath woven from lotus flowers, chamomile, and oak leaves.

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THE THIRD OBSTACLE

[idolpro]

After journeying a while longer—it’s unclear how long, and the way time passes here is… strange—you come upon another wall. Here, the garden seems like it’s starting to wither, like it's dying back for the winter. The leaves are brown and fading, shriveling up.

The doors set into the wall were golden, once, like the trellises you passed earlier on your path, but the doors here stand grimy and unpolished, dripping with that same sort of tarry grime you might recall from the fountain.

Can flame really take care of this…? But it seems at least the creatures accompanying you think so.

DISCUSSION

[idolpro]

Re: DISCUSSION

[sunflowering]

[ The pain has faded but the feeling left behind hasn't. She feels disgusted within her own skin, uncomfortable-- as though she doesn't even want the others to look at her... ]

[bloodyrose]

You—

[ Feeling tensed, he has an arm still wrapped around his middle. The way he's watching her, however, isn't like usual. Still- ]

Any thoughts. . .?

[sunflowering]

The wreath. We should use it on you.

[ He's still whole. He's not different. He's normal>. ]

[bloodyrose]

No. No.

[ But she's— ]

Not me, you use it. Maybe you can still be saved.

[sunflowering]

No...Zero. I'm gross. different Everything is... [She shakes her head ] You should be able to make it out of here.

[bloodyrose]

We're all different. You're still beautiful, even th— [ he fidgets ] You aren't dead, j-just. . . not yet, You can't be. Wearing it will help!

[sunflowering]

What are you talking about, Zero...?

Even you see the repulsiveness, don't you? How I'm not like the others. If I was to be buried in the ground, then I wonder if my corpse would be similar to that of others? We don't turn into dust here, after all...

[bloodyrose]

Inside. Inside you're still you, you're still my Yuuki, no matter what. Y-You shouldn't have to ask that.

[ TBH he's also trying to convince himself.

It's enough so that he grabs the wreath and forcefully puts it on her. ]

Just wear it!

[sunflowering]

Zero--!

[ Reaching up to try and forcefully tear it off her head! Don't put it on her! Then she's different... she's not like Auracite or Valour or anyone else...! ]

Please keep it for yourself!

[bloodyrose]

I told you I'm not.

[ Exactly that! She is different from everyone else.

Maneuvering behind her, he hooks his arm around to get her wrists pinned to her back (and her to whatever flat surface??). She's small enough that he does so single-handedly, while his other hand secures the wreath. ]

[sunflowering]

STOP--! ZERO--!

[ She struggles against him but she really just physically does not possess the same amount of strength he does. So no matter how she kicks or thrashes he keeps her pinned. ]

I don't want this! I don't want it! Why are you doing this to me!? I don't want to be different anymore!

[bloodyrose]

[ He has his head down against the back of her shoulder,still securely holding her. The feel of her beneath his hands and touch is cringe-worthy it seems, but he won't relent. ]

I won't be able to take being all alone here for any longer! Just let me be selfish this one time! Even if it's for a second more.

[sunflowering]

[ At some point she stops struggling. Mostly, because it's no use. She's not going to be able to throw him off of her. So in the end, she's stuck like this, in all her otherness. ]

Re: DISCUSSION

[idolpro]

[ Hey, you didn't even vote yet, but—
The Gorse flower bursts into vivid blue flame, and is gone.

The origami creatures go into something of a panic at first, but then they notice: the gates are now partially aflame with that same blue fire.

They indicate to you, somehow speaking directly to your minds, that just one flower will be enough, at this point, to make it the rest of the way. ]

DECISION

[idolpro]

The scroll unfurls further, and this time there are once more twelve drawings. As before, they're partially filled in with bright blue ink to the following degrees:

LiliS: 25%
sensitIV: 43.75%
pep!pep!: 33.33%
BAD END=DEAD END: 25%
Taisho Roman Revolution: 25%
☆ZRAEL: 41.67%
future is now: 41.67%
WILD CITY: 37.5%
Heart Soldier Senshi: 70%
AlcheME!: 25%
avante en garde: 57.14%
BARiTONES: 25%

Re: DECISION

[idolpro]

Gorse burns, and the scroll updates:

LiliS: 50%
sensitIV: 56.25%
pep!pep!: 33.33%
BAD END=DEAD END: 50%
Taisho Roman Revolution: 25%
☆ZRAEL: 50%
future is now: 50%
WILD CITY: 37.5%
Heart Soldier Senshi: 80%
AlcheME!: 37.5%
avante en garde: 64.29%
BARiTONES: 25%

[bloodyrose]

Wreathe on Kaguya, burning Hollyhock.

[idolpro]

gamerunner note: Honeysuckle, not Hollyhock

RESULTS

[idolpro]

Re: RESULTS

[idolpro]

[ Regardless of which flowers you placed in the lantern, the following flowers suddenly go up in vivid blue flame:

Lotus
Wild Oats

As always, the fire has that same unnatural feeling, but there's a relief to it, now, as it flares up and joins the flames already on the golden doors; there's enough fuel, now, and the grime is seared away—unmade.

The doors open. You're almost Free... ]