Nemesis Heart - R3

[idolpro]

[The first time you try to open your eyes, there is nothing but red.]




[Questions bubble up, voiceless:

What will you keep?

What will you change?

What will you do?]





[And then your eyes open.]

Comments

THE BASEMENT

[idolpro]

Oops.

REQ

[idolpro]

[The room is a little too bright; the glare burns your uncovered skin, and the bones and muscles of your back ripple, itchy under your skin.

You recognize the girl at the other side of the room, all thick glasses and wild hair and attitude that doesn't really mask her fear at all. You can smell it, thick in the room--practically taste the pulse pounding under her skin.

You're so hungry...]

[Roll Spirit.]

Re: REQ

[stakesthesame]

[ ah-- fuck. fuck fuck fuck fuck not this again--




spirit roll is a success, with one die. ]

Re: REQ

[idolpro]

["I can't believe they're making you do this," she says, or something like that, who can remember? Either way, she seems frustrated, and frightened, and you can practically see the arteries and muscles and other good stuff, and you know just how delicious, don't you.

There's only one way out of this room, isn't there? So you know what to do next, too]

Re: REQ

[stakesthesame]

[ she remembers. she remembers being-- afraid, of not being good enough, scary enough, tough enough. picking the name on a whim; ace or nemesis, they'd said, for the heart. and nemesis was a cool name. and nobody cared about her. so why not? she wouldn't-- couldn't-- lose.

she didn't lose.






but it's different now. she knows her taste and her smell and her touch and heat and the softness of her smile, her words, her laughter. it's different now. ]

... I chose to do it.

[ is what she said, the first time.

but now she can choose to do something else, can't she? her skin is burning; either something snaps, or the glare of the light does her in. whatever comes first.

even so, she chooses to do it; chooses to sit, and wait, eyes squeezed shut. she owes this to her, after all. ]

Re: REQ

[idolpro]

[For a long time, there's nothing]

[And then there's footsteps, wary, but getting closer]

[A wordless cry, and a rush like something approaching, and then]

RYE

[idolpro]

[You cannot see anything. Not your hand in front of your face, not a difference between your eyes being open and closed. It is silent, the acoustics dead like a sound room.

There is nothing.

There is no one.]

Re: RYE

[protectshisown]

[Well]

[The lack of burning is a relief.]

[Its dark, but the dark....the dark isn't scary. Its a weird sort of thing he's never pondered much. The dark isn't scary. He wonders if its because Toothless is a night flyer. Or maybe because Toothless is never lost.]

[Its....a few minutes, to sort his head again, to calm down. Some feelings were familiar, but others weren't him. So Nemesis.]

[Not...a surprise. Not from what he's observed and her and Hurricane. Impossible to not see with the similarities.]

[He breathes, and pushes himself to sit up.] Hello? Anyone here? [He's already reaching into his bag.]

Re: RYE

[idolpro]

[You don't hear anything or see anyone. It smells like nothing.]

Re: RYE

[protectshisown]

[Well]

[That's worrying because if he still has unit abilities, his sense of smell is Excellent.]

[He pulls out his knife, carefully unsheathing it as he presses one button, pointing it down to make sure the fuel is over the blade. He holds it up, away from his face, and hits the spark to set it ablaze.]

Re: RYE

[idolpro]

[It lights as easily as he expects. Other than himself, the light doesn't seem to catch anything at all.

Roll Spirit]

A CAVE

[idolpro]

[It's dark, but not as dark as it could be, and she's so weak--she's lost blood--she slumps heavily against the stone of the cavern, and you don't know what to do. People--important people--keep covering for you even though they are important and you're nothing and--

--You hear voices; footsteps.

Roll...spirit? (or vigor depending on what you want to do)]

Re: A CAVE

[stakesthesame]

[ well, that's a massive fail for Spirit,

being suddenly thrust into a cave is-- not at all expected, not something she was prepared for, and she freezes up entirely, staring at-- towards?-- the girl with wide, terrified eyes.

the footsteps get no reaction. ]

Re: A CAVE

[idolpro]

[At this, she rouses; says--something, it's hard to tell through your distress.

You do notice when she gets up--moves towards the men coming, voice surprisingly big and strong. You do notice as she shoves and you go skidding backwards, and the cave ceiling falls in. You do notice the sounds of the rocks falling, crushing whatever was beneath.]

Re: A CAVE

[stakesthesame]

[ that-- knocks her back to reality, at least--





oh. oh no. she scrambles up, breathing hard, and starts digging at the rocks. ]

No-- no, this isn't how it's supposed to go-- Xia!

Re: A CAVE

[idolpro]

[It's all quiet now.

Nothing is stopping you from digging...roll Vigor]

A BUILDING

[idolpro]

[Nya and Lucifel have the high ground and the sniper shot, but you aren't afraid of them. Even if they actually hit--bullets count as a stab wound, how convenient. So even though it hurts (and it does, immensely, burning hot aches each time)--each of the many, many hits only heals you--only pisses you off.

So even as their aim closes in, stops winging arms and legs and starts hitting what would otherwise be some serious wounds, you've got this. Of course you've got this.

Even if you don't, it's time to make your move.]

[What do you do?]

Re: A BUILDING

[theyregooddogs]

[hide behind some cover, why does he need to die this time??]

Re: A BUILDING

[idolpro]

[That's...smart; the Sensitivs don't actually seem to know what to make of this actual usage of brains, and you're able to get to cover fairly easily.

From here you can hear fighting behind you (though you've been trying to ignore it--you'll end this, you'll be the hero), but you can also see a door not too far away, to the east]

Re: A BUILDING

[theyregooddogs]

[hmmmmm... going for the door, he has a feeling how this ended]

Re: A BUILDING

[idolpro]

[welp]

[More sniper fire comes after you as you make a break for it, but you're able to slip through the door with minimal trouble]

A CLEARING

[idolpro]

[There's a clearing in the trees is quiet--you can rest here. And in the break, you wonder: what can that lamp you just found do?

The ancient spirit that appears from it blood red and willowy. "What is your wish?"]

Re: A CLEARING

[theyregooddogs]

[wait, lamp? where did lamp come from?]

Why . . . ?

Re: A CLEARING

[idolpro]

[It looks a little nonplussed. "...Because somebody trapped me in here, why is any genie in a bottle? Now, you want a wish, don't you?"]

Re: A CLEARING

[theyregooddogs]

Not for myself. Got any wishes yourself?