Eclipse's Heart Game ☉ Session #3

[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

INFORMATION

[intheshade]

OOC INFORMATION

[intheshade]

Both Imeeji and canon powers are OFF.

All characters in the run occupy the same spaces, so you can talk to each other.

You can have whatever items you would have on you. Technological items don't function, except for your phone. It's stuck on one screen, displaying instructions.

This is an exploradora! You are encouraged to poke around, examine items and talk to the NPCs. All the Heart NPCs are generally trying to look out for Eclipse's emotional wellbeing. If you ask them, they can suggest or advise on things characters can do.

There is a non-zero chance that you may die or get badly injured in this heart, though it's very unlikely. I don't expect combat to happen but idk my bff Imeeji. You'll be fine when you get out if that somehow happens.

IC INSTRUCTIONS

[intheshade]

Your phone displays the following:

Once, there was a maiden...
...who set sail with a Captain she did not know. The sea came over the side as a creature with teeth. So, she set it on fire, until only the teeth were left. It wasn't expecting that to happen.
She noticed the ship was crushing the waves and told the Captain to steer the ship higher, so that it could be above them. "But not too high," she said. "I'd hate to crush the clouds."
A face in the depths glared at the Captain. The maiden got angry. She broke the face, and broke the depths, and broke the sea, leaving only the white caps of the waves. "Why did you do that?" asked the face.
"Rarely is travel peaceful," the maiden said.

- Explore as much as you can
- Talk to people and honour their requests
- Learn more about him
- Meet the True Heart

The Waterfront

[intheshade]

You are standing on an elevated boardwalk made of wood and stone. In front of you is a view of the sea and docks. Behind you, the city stands tall and casts its long shadows over you and the port. It's not pitch darkness, but dark enough that you probably wish you had a little more light to see a little better, even with the distant glow of sunlight in the horizon.

In the sky above hangs a solar eclipse. Strangely enough, the sun does not seem to be reflected in the water.

There are a set of stairs that seem to let you head down to the beach. Further down along the boardwalk, the glow of blue lanterns outside a blue building catches your eye. In the opposite direction, you can see there's a path from the boardwalk that leads you into the city.

START

[intheshade]

You're not going to get to enjoy the view for long before light just...coalesces right in front of you, in the shape of a person. Then, it snaps its fingers and the light shatters like glass, 'pieces' of it falling off and disappearing to reveal a ...

... Young girl ... ? No, it's probably more right to say it's a short lady. Her white hair stands out against bronzed skin, her eyes bright like amber, and her fine clothes a verdant green. There's a blue veil draped over her head, trailing behind her like a curtain.

Some of you might find her familiar, if you've seen a certain memory of Eclipse's.

She doesn't bow, or give any kind of polite deference to you as a guest. In fact, she just smiles and spreads her arms wide.

"Welcome, interlopers."

And that is definitely the voice of whoever pulled you out earlier.

Re: The Waterfront

[young_atlas]

[Well, she might be busy with something. Or no longer up to talking.]

[He'll head for the city! Unless something looks amiss.]

Re: The Waterfront

[softlyfalling]

[ She's back; time to head to the city. ]

The Azure Pavilion

[intheshade]

When you arrive outside the blue building, there are two signs hanging above the door, each in a different language. Even if you don't know the languages, you understand that they both basically say the same thing: 'The Azure Pavilion'.

Once you're inside, you're in a lounge area that is a cross of traditional and modern. On the table there's a tray with a teapot and some tea cups.

A woman dressed in fine blue clothes sitting is playing a guzheng, across the table. The song she's playing is beautiful, and she currently seems so absorbed in it that she hasn't noticed you. She looks quite similar to Eclipse, actually ...

There is a set of stairs that leads up to a hallway with several rooms.

Re: The Azure Pavilion

[softlyfalling]

[ oh...

...well, she's going to stand by the wall and listen, for a little bit. It's nice. ]

The Azure Pavilion: Hallway

[intheshade]

There are four rooms in the hallway, three closer to you, and one at the far end. Each room has a small wooden nameplate next to its entrance.

Of the three closer to you: One room has a thick, purple crystal bead curtain instead of a door ('A place of belonging'), the second room has a latticed folding door ('A place of familiarity'), and the third one has a door that looks similar to the ones in the hotel ('A place of beginnings').

The room at the far end has a metal door that doesn't match the decor of the rest of the building at all, not even a little. A big, bronze deadbolt stretches across it, though it doesn't look like you'll need much effort to lift it up if you want to open the door. The nameplate next to it is scratched out.

Re: The Azure Pavilion: Hallway

[softlyfalling]

Hm... so that's...

...ah...

[ well, she's going to go for the metal door, since. well, that's what she's here for. ]

The Azure Pavilion: A place of belonging

[intheshade]

For some reason, being in this room gives you a sense of comfort. Even if you don't fit in perfectly, there is still a place for you here.

The room looks like something that belongs in AlcheME's dorms. The floor is clear, reflective crystal, and all the furniture is also made of crystal. Cloth that sparkles with starlight is draped on various pieces of furniture to be a little more comfortable, or at least to provide a non-crystal surface.

Hanging on the walls are various paintings mounted on scrolls, done in black ink and coloured pigments. A couple of the paintings are of cats, and one seems to be a rendition of the fountain in AlcheME's dorm. On the back wall hangs another scroll. There's something written on it in cursive calligraphy.

There is an open notebook and some pens on a table.

The shelves have an assortment of items.

Re: The Azure Pavilion: A place of belonging

[young_atlas]

[Hmmm, he can write something, but let's get some ideas first.]

[Let's check out the back wall scroll.]

The Azure Pavilion: A place of familiarity

[intheshade]

The decor of this room better matches what you saw downstairs. On the walls are paintings of countryside landscapes; rice fields, in particular. A path towards a village along a river, lined with flowers and trees.

One painting is the landscape of a grandiose city, or at least someone's second-hand impressions of such a city -- it's not very clear. You just get the sense it's supposed to look beautiful and grand.

There's a table with a blank scroll on it, with some brushes and an inkstone. (Yes, an inkstone. If you want ink, you're going to put in some elbow grease.)

The shelves next to the table hold various items.

On the back wall hangs a scroll. There's something written on it in cursive calligraphy.

Re: The Azure Pavilion: A place of familiarity

[softlyfalling]

Oh, it's nice...

[ well, she's going to look at the scroll on the back wall. ]

The Azure Pavilion: A place of beginnings

[intheshade]

The decor is an imitation of the decor in the hotel's communal areas. Sleek, modern shelves are lined up against one wall. The shelves are each lined with a cloth matching various unit colours, with different items arranged on them. Judging from the way some shelves have more items than others, the colours seem to be meant for organisation?

There are shelves matching BAD END=DEAD END, future is now, Wild City, Heart Soldier Senshi and avante en garde.

The table and chair in the room look like the ones in the hotel's cafeteria. An open notebook and some pens sit on the table.

A scroll is hanging on the back wall. There's something written on it in cursive calligraphy.

Re: The Azure Pavilion: A place of beginnings

[young_atlas]

[Well, first he'll read the scroll just for some references.]

[Then check out the notebook.]

The Azure Pavilion: █████ ███████ ██████

[intheshade]

Numbness washes over you when you walk into this room. As you breathe in the stale air, a slight bitterness forms in the back of your throat. It smells faintly of rot.

The room seems to be an approximation of the conference room in Heart Soldier's dorm, albeit in ... a pretty terrible state. The spinny chairs have been left on their sides on the floor. None of the buttons light up or function at all, even uselessly. Some display monitors are smashed, glass shards scattered on the floor. There's a pretty thick layer of dust on everything.

Besides the destruction however, the room is pretty bare. There are no decorations, and only a few items that stand out. There's a broom and dustpan, like someone thought of cleaning the place up but then just ... didn't do it.

On the conference table is a notebook and some pens. Next to them is a wall scroll laid out across the table, with cursive calligraphy. On the far end of the table is a locked box.

Re: The Azure Pavilion: █████ ███████ ██████

[softlyfalling]

[ phew.

she knew it was bitter, but maybe not to this extent. she'll pick up the broom and dustpan to start sweeping things up, and crane her head over to look at the wall scroll while she's doing it. ]

The City Streets

[intheshade]

You could probably sort of tell from where you were at the waterfront, but actually walking into the city gives you a better sense of its scale. Everything seems to tower over you. Shops and houses are piled onto one another, as if the city decided that rather than build outwards, it should build upwards. There are doors accessible only through exterior stairways and catwalks. The buildings seem to drunkenly lean together, with rickety rope bridges on different levels connecting them.

The streets are fairly narrow, and you might realise that you aren't so much walking on ground as you are walking on floorboards. There's clearly more of the city under you that you cannot see. The shop signs and lanterns have a neon glow reminiscent of Tokyo-F's, bathing the street in some light.

Around you, people are going about their business. There are a lot of completely foreign faces, but there are also various random people in Tokyo-F mixed in, albeit dressed in a manner more befitting the setting.

There are some very conspicuous signs showing the way to several places:
"ARCHIVE, 3F"
"MUD, DOWNWARDS"
"WATERFRONT, THAT WAY"

It seems that if you follow the corresponding signs, you'll end up at one of those places.

Re: The City Streets

[beautifulend]

Hm. Well...

[ they head for the archive first. ]

The Archive: Main Library

[intheshade]

The signs lead up the stairs of a building to the third floor. Down the corridor, where a shop would normally have been, there are two signs in different languages hanging above a door. Even if you don't know the languages, you understand that they both say 'The Archive of Principles, Perceptions, Competencies and Miscellany.' A green lantern hangs by the door.

When you walk in, it's immediately apparent that the inside is bigger than the small outer facade would imply. There are shelves upon shelves of books, going almost all the way up to the ceiling. The books might be a little different from what you're used to: they're all bound by string, and some are bamboo strips tied together. If you check them, they seem to be different sections, such as Tokyo-F and Creation. The Tokyo-F section in particular has a sub-section called Units.

A little further back in the room, there are two whiteboards, with things written on them.

There are three exits: The door you came through, a doorway on the western side of the room ('Principles'), and another door a little further up ('Perception') next to it.

Re: The Archive: Main Library

[beautifulend]

A lot of reading, hm. I suppose it's important to understand all of this before confronting his past, though.

[ so they're going to start by checking the Tokyo-F section. ]

The Archive: Principles

[intheshade]

The shelves here are fewer and shorter compared to the main library room, and there are several tables, but they're filled and covered with various books and scrolls. One table in particular has some blank, wooden slats, brushes and inkstones.

(Yes, inkstones. If you want ink, you're going to put in some elbow grease.)

A couple of the wooden slats on the table already have something written on them, though you'll need to take a closer look to read them.

On a wall is a wooden board with more written wooden slats hanging on it.

Oh, and there's also a ... boy (?) in green robes sitting at a table against the wall. At least, he looks younger than Eclipse, but even with his back turned towards you, you get the sense that he's much older somehow. There are books and scrolls opened up around him on the table, and he seems to be busy with something. Quite grumpily, if the mumbling under his breath tells you anything.

There are two exits: The door to the main library, and the door to 'Perception'.

Re: The Archive: Principles

[young_atlas]

....so, would you be Integrity?

Mud: The Cart

[intheshade]

The signs lead you to a ladder that goes down beneath the floorboards. The climb down feels more like a descent into darkness.

... Or it would, but as soon as your feet touch the marshy ground, you can see the glow of a lot of lanterns on a cart nearby. The light lets you see that you are right outside what appears to be a labyrinth of alleyways, somehow more claustrophobic than the streets above. Perhaps it's because of the ceiling above you. At least upstairs, you could see the sky through the buildings.

There's a tall man with braided flaxen hair and purple eyes nearby the cart. Around his neck is a red bandanna. He perks up when he notices you, and waves you over.

"Oh, hey!"

Re: Mud: The Cart

[softlyfalling]

...ah, hi...

Are you "Resilience"?

Mud: Maze Entrance

[intheshade]

The alleyway is narrow, lit up by the occasional torch on the wall and lanterns hanging from ropes above you. To one side there are some shops, or at least the back doors to what are presumably shops, but they're all locked or sealed.

You can go straight on ahead south, or go around the bend east.

((Map for players' reference is here.))

Re: Mud: Maze Entrance

[softlyfalling]

[ hm.

let's try East. ]

Maze: Red Alley 1

[intheshade]

The light of the torches and the lanterns bathes the alley in a red, neon glow. Light reflects off some puddles in the ground. The stench of stagnant seawater permeates the air.

There are paths west, south and east.

FOR SHRIKE

[intheshade]

As you walk along the alley, the torches suddenly blow out, and the lanterns flicker and extinguish, leaving you in darkness.

You find yourself experiencing a very vivid hallucination, like you were the ones in his shoes when it happened.

"Look at them! It's hopeless!"

You knew it. You fucking knew it. You should have argued harder and with more confidence; isn't your eye for people and your intuition some of the few skills you could be proud of? Maybe you could have changed their minds to do something less reckless, to understand what was happening as another unit's will and not them succumbing to despair.

... What wishful thinking. You weren't ever going to convince them. Always, always, always, it's about their conscience, about helping others, about wanting to play hero --

As you get sliced to pieces, as you see the blade swinging for your head, more than anything else, fury fills your heart, hot as your spilt blood.

So much for that promise. So much for 'good people'.

(They'd deny it, but in the end, you were still an acceptable sacrifice for the 'greater good'.)

... When it ends, the torches and lanterns flicker back to life.

Maze: Blue Alley 3

[intheshade]

You arrive at a dead end, the alleyway blocked off by an impossibly tall fence. Hanging from the fence is a single blue lantern, and a sign with the following written on it:

Once, there was a maiden...
...who fled a shadow, in the company of a friend.
They traveled through strange places, and among strange people.
"How can you trust me," he asked, "with such horror behind you?"
"Love endures," she said.

There is only one exit: west, where you came from.

FOR SHRIKE

[intheshade]

As you make your way, your steps feel strangely lighter, like you aren't walking through the marsh. In fact, it feels like you're stepping into a dream, and you're seeing it through his eyes.

"They'll never leave you alone if you keep doing this shit."

At the time, you had just blurted out whatever came to your mind and went along with it, because you wouldn't take back your words. You just wanted to make her feel better.

You don't know if it really helped her, because at the end of the day, a balm to try and soothe pains that are inflicted over and over again doesn't amount to much. You don't have the power to change things for her. You can hope that for a while, she didn't have to think about such things.

... How frustrating it is, to be young and weak. All you can do is try to give her something like a 'tomorrow' she can look forward to.

MAZE: Blue Alley 1

[intheshade]

There are no torches in this stretch of alley ways, only blue lanterns lighting the path for you. There's a stall to one side, unmanned and empty.

The path splits to the east and west, here.

FOR SHRIKE

[intheshade]

As you make your way, your steps feel strangely lighter, like you aren't walking through the marsh. In fact, it feels like you're stepping into a dream, and you're seeing it through his eyes.

"You're awful at this."

You still don't know how you found yourself visiting her regularly, but there you were. Offering her the bribe of food so she wouldn't chase you away (not that she didn't sometimes try, but that's different).

Every time you visit, she's alone. She never gives you a straight answer about where her parents are, but it's not hard to figure out that they just aren't around. You don't dare speculate as to the reasons why.

... Perhaps she'll tell you herself one day. It'd be a good sign, you think. The fact she let you close enough to cut her hair is a start.

MAZE: Red Alley 2

[intheshade]

The smell of the seawater is stronger here, powerful enough that it's almost choking. The stone path is starting to become more sparse, leaving the mud to get all over your feet. The flames of the torches burn in a way that you could swear seems a little menacing.

There are only two exits: west, where you came from, or make a turn south.

FOR SHRIKE

[intheshade]

As you walk along the alley, the torches suddenly blow out, leaving you in darkness.

You find yourself experiencing a very vivid hallucination, like you were the ones in his shoes when it happened.

"Well, not that she ever learns. If all she’s gonna do is make trouble, she should just hurry up and die —" (cw: violence, bullying, strangulation, verbal abuse)

It's not fair.

Yoru head hurts and you can't breathe and you don't know if it's because you're choking on your anger or the hand around your throat. Possibly both. You can't find it in yourself to care about the details because you're mad either way.

It's not fair. She just wants to get through the day. You want her to be able to actually think of tomorrow instead what's just in front of her. What gives them the right to spit on her?

It's not fair. It's not fair. It's not fair!

But you can't do anything about it.

If only you had been smarter. If only you had more power. If only you hadn't been so naive. If only you had been more vicious.

... Lying there, with your blood on the floor, you wish you were like the sea: vast, calm, and bottomless as the abyss.

... When it ends, the torches flicker back to life.

Maze: Purple Alley 2

[intheshade]

Here, the stone path practically disappears, leaving you to walk through the marsh. You can feel yourself sink in the ground a little, like the ground could swallow you up if you linger too long, but that's surely not possible, right...?

The purple lanterns have an eerie glow to them, less like the neon lights of Tokyo-F and more like ghost lights.

There are only two exits: north, where you came from, and a single yellow door to a building west.

FOR SHRIKE

[intheshade]

As you walk along the alley, the lanterns suddenly extinguish -- like darkness came down to smother them out and blanket you in its cold embrace.

You find yourself experiencing a very vivid hallucination, like you were the ones in his shoes when it happened.

"You do not deserve a painless death—but as I am merciful and kind, I will ask Amy here to lighten your suffering if you pray to me or simply beg for my forgiveness. ♥"

You're going to die. You're going to die a slow, painful death and you know it.

It's going to take a miracle for anyone to save you, and bound as you are there isn't much you can do. You're going to die here alone while this stupid bitch lords how much power she has over you, and you hate it.

You hate this false god and hate her accomplice who is going to enjoy this far, far too much, and you hate that you didn't do more to fight back. You hate that this has become a spectacle and perhaps afterwards, people will pity you. Maybe they'll remember you as the kid who got executed on a Live, or maybe it'll just get lost in the flurry of bad experiences that this place tends to gift upon everyone. Who knows?

You hate. You hate. You hate. You must deprive them of as much enjoyment as you can, even if in the end they get what they want out of this.

You're going to die and you can't do anything about it.

(Ithurtsithurtsithurtsithurtsitrhurtsithurts --

You learn what it is like to choke on your own blood, excruciatingly, before you can't feel anything at all.)

... When it ends, the torches flicker back to life.

Conviction's Safehouse

[intheshade]

The room you step into is modest and honestly, pretty small, but it still feels cozy. Though the room is windowless, a single lamp hangs above the ceiling, providing light.

There are a set of drawers with some items on the top surface. A table is propped up against the wall to save some space. In a corner of the room is a bench and some folded up bedding.

Re: Conviction's Safehouse

[softlyfalling]

[ she steps inside, and hovers awkwardly about taking up space, although she glances at what few items are set out in here. by way of continuing the conversation: ]

...well, I've had worse, you know?