Eclipse's Heart Game ☉ Session #1

[idolpro]

You drift like you're floating in water. It's almost relaxing, actually. As long as you don't think too hard that what you're floating in may be bottomless, because under you lies only a deep darkness that only the ocean can provide.

Then, something grabs you and drags you deeper, down, down, down into the abyssal depths. You can't breathe, but that's not on the forefront of your mind now, is it?

There is a mounting sense of anxiety and dread.

Who do you want to become? Will you even get to see tomorrow? What if all roads lead to ████████? Can you still stay '███'? If people see the ████ you, will they think less of you? Will they feel cheated?

You want to live. Even if it's a ███, even if your hands must be covered in █████, you want to live. You want to be '███'.

Finally, a voice pierces through the darkness. It's a woman's voice.

"My, how unfortunate. Your journey ends before it even begins.

"... Just kidding. That would be terribly boring! I suppose I can do the boy a favour just this once."

You feel someone grab your arm and pull you up to the surface.

...

When you come to, you are standing somewhere else.

Comments

[weenwoon]

[Oh hi Hope.]

Well... we were called upon to help. Are you acquainted with Eclipse much? I've met him briefly, and some of his unitmates, too.

[widenessofthesea]

He's a good kid. I don't know him terribly well, but from what I've seen of him I'm a little fond of him.

[weenwoon]

He struck me as such, too. But he was rather... serious, I suppose. If we can help him be happier, I would be glad to. What did his predecessor tell you?

[widenessofthesea]

Predecessor, is it...

Ah, that his name has started to fit uncomfortably upon his shoulders, and that he could use some help cleaning up problems, or some input on how to solve them. She directed me toward an archive in the city where I might be of use.

She is "Hope and Anxiety," and we are "Hope and Levity," so perhaps you'll bring a smile to his face with something you do.

[weenwoon]

...Ah. We do have quite a good team name, don't we?

[He smiles briefly, but then looks more serious.]

On my end... She told me that there are things underground that Eclipse keeps hidden. Terrible things--from his past, I gather. She warned me off from going there, but... how can I not if I know it hurts him?

[widenessofthesea]

Hm.

I'm sure she quite means it, from her manner, and from the fact that I know he's faced a great deal of difficulty and violence in his young life. But it's a good motivation.

Someone who I believe is also from his world said to me once that sometimes for deep pains, what one wants is not to be fixed, but to be understood. Perhaps that may serve you well, on your way.

[weenwoon]

[To be understood... Levity pauses, thinking about it. His own experience with pain is fairly limited so far, but he does know the feeling of being isolated, not fitting in. Isn't that why he enjoys Lily's company so much? The fact that she does understand him?]

Thank you, Hope. I wish I had something to tell you for your own investigation...

[He fishes his phone out of his pocket, frowning.]

It would be much easier if we could still communicate over the distance. Have you looked at this message, by the way?

[widenessofthesea]

I have. I wonder...

...well, he hasn't lived a peaceful life, and considers some of what he's run face-first into to be the sort of thing that's expected, even if it's painful, that he should have known to watch out for.

The maiden seems to be the principal character, but perhaps it would be more correct to say that it would be the sea, surprised by the troubles visited upon it.

[weenwoon]

I would agree, but otherwise I must say the story is quite a mystery to me. It's hard to discern which character, if any, is meant to be positive. The maiden seems to be victorious, which you would expect of a protagonist, yet she seems to have no obstacles to overcome. In that, the sea becomes more of someone the reader would sympathize with... and the Captain does not seem to exist as anything other than a side figure.

[widenessofthesea]

The maiden seems to be more force of nature than person. She says "rarely is travel peaceful," yet normally you'd expect the sea or nature or so on to be providing the obstacles, rather than the traveler causing problems for the road.

Perhaps it's trying to warn one to expect trouble from unanticipated sources. Perhaps it's still a traveler's warning that things may be even more unexpected than usual. Perhaps it might be some other thing we haven't thought of.

[weenwoon]

I quite agree with the maiden being a force of nature... or, perhaps, simply something outside of one's control. In a sense, I would say that this is about not only expecting trouble from unanticipated sources, but also receiving punishment for trying to retaliate. Maybe it is connected to what we know of his past...

[He shakes his head.]

Quite the sad message, in my view. I see it as a story of being hurt by others, then hurt more for expressing your protest against it, then being told that it is simply the way of the world.

[widenessofthesea]

Perhaps an idea to take with you into the dark, to whatever awaits you.

Shall we, then?

[weenwoon]

[He laughs, a little nervously.]

You do make it sound quite terrifying. But you are right. We must go.

[widenessofthesea]

As an immortal monster that sustains herself on the blood of living souls, I reserve the right to a little bit of dramatics.

Onward.