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

Re: The Azure Pavilion

[softlyfalling]

[ oh...

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

Re: The Azure Pavilion

[intheshade]

She keeps playing and only looks up when she's done with the song. The similarities to Eclipse are more noticeable when you can see her face clearly. She's wearing a purple silk flower in her hair.

"Oh! I didn't notice you sooner, goodness... Welcome to the Azure Pavilion, dear."

Re: The Azure Pavilion

[softlyfalling]

Ah—it's a pleasure to meet you, Ma'am.

[ she gives a bow of a respectful, gentlewomanly depth. ]

Really, I didn't want to interrupt.

Re: The Azure Pavilion

[intheshade]

"Ah, how polite. But I wouldn't have minded, you know?"

Re: The Azure Pavilion

[softlyfalling]

I know. Still, though—it was beautiful.

I, er—I was told there's something I could help with, though?

Re: The Azure Pavilion

[intheshade]

"Oh, yes! About that..."

She gestures towards upstairs.

"There's a room upstairs that could use tidying up. He's been meaning to do it himself, but he hasn't really had to heart to try."

Re: The Azure Pavilion

[softlyfalling]

Well—I am good at tidying, as it happens, especially when it's the sort that ought to be done but isn't very fun at all. Which one?

Re: The Azure Pavilion

[intheshade]

"It's the room apart from all the others. Something that he would like to forget, but hasn't let go just yet."

"... In that room, there's also a box. Whether you wish to leave it there, take it with you, destroy it -- I will let you decide, because he doesn't know what he ought to do with it either. All I ask is that you do not leave it in any of the other rooms here. He already took everything he cherished out of that room, so it holds only unhappy things for him now."

She sounds so serene that it's probably a little surreal, considering what she just said.

Re: The Azure Pavilion

[softlyfalling]

Ah, I see...

I'll keep that in mind, Ma'am, and in that case I'll take my leave upstairs.

Re: The Azure Pavilion

[intheshade]

"Take care, dear."

Up the stairs you go.