idolpro | Aradia's Heart Game

[ Fair.

On the inside, it’s surprisingly large. It’s definitely bigger inside than the outside would imply—judging by the shoe rack, there are four people living here in total.

Past the entrance is a little living room with a couch and recliners and beanbags, a coffee table, a tv and fireplace, tons of potted plants and flowers near the windows. There are some framed photos up on the mantle and walls; they’re primarily of Persephone, Amaranth, Ruby Sour, Little☆Red, Man☆Eater, or Amy, but there are others—friends of Aradia’s, members of sensitIV, ☆ZRAEL, and WILD CITY, and the like—to be seen too. If you aren’t Doodleman, Whisky, or Lucifel, you’ll probably see a photo with you in it somewhere up there.

Through the open door to the dining room, you can see dinner is about ready, low dining table set with a number of bowls, plates, and platters. Set out on them is a veritable feast; anglerfish nabe, a selection of tempura-fried vegetables— eggplant, mushrooms, a disproportionate amount of sweet potato and chestnut—onion and tomato dolmas, kyata, and baklava.

And as you enter, you’re stopped by a young woman—it’s Aradia, her hair braided and pinned up somehow, wearing an apron. It has little stars on the border. ]

Oh—you’re early, aren’t you…?

[ Notably, the ring she always wears on her left ring finger is absent, but a discerning eye will note its relocation to a thin necklace she has on, along with —not two other rings, but what could best be described as their outlines, the vague impression that they are there, but nothing as to their size, color, or details. Just the implication of two more rings. ]

...am I? I didn't realize I was expected.

Although I suppose I'm here to help with some, ah, gardening.

Oh, you don't need to do anything like that - ...

But you won't be able to eat any of this either, will you?

Ah, my apologies, after you went through the trouble to prepare it. Surely there'll be others to enjoy it properly, though?

Well, if it's alright with you, then there's probably some blood to spare ...

So casual...

I—suppose, if you do. Really, though, do you need a hand cooking?

Mn, it's fine -

[ she's rolling up her sleeve and holding it out to hope, though. ]

Don't just offer that!

I mean—that's the sort of thing that's easy to take advantage of.

Isn't that fine?

It's the opposite of fine.

Rather than that—well, is this your home? I'd rather have a tour.

Oh, well - other than this there isn't very much, is there...?

Well, ah—what are these plants you're growing over here, though?

[ what ARE the potted plants. ]

[ All of the pots are filled with shrubs, thorny little evergreens with sweet smelling, golden flowers¹. As pleasant as they seem in the room, even against the warm atmosphere they feel off somehow, too bright, too soft in texture or with edges too hard, as if they were just green screened or pasted into the environment. They don’t belong here.

... She doesn't reply, but Hope can feel her gaze on her as she looks at the plants. ]

1 - Gorse is a genus of flowering plants in the family Fabaceae. It is closely related to the brooms, and like them, has green stems and very small leaves and is adapted to dry growing conditions. However it differs in its extreme thorniness, the shoots being modified into branched thorns 1–4 centimetres (0.4–1.6 in) long, which almost wholly replace the leaves as the plant's functioning photosynthetic organs. The leaves of young plants are trifoliate, but in mature plants they are reduced to scales or small spines. All the species have yellow flowers, generally showy, some with a very long flowering season.

… And what a hardy little thing it is. Blooming eternally, nestled cheerful above its spines, ever vivacious.

As for you—there is something or someone which binds you, but if you wish to break free you will have to confront the fact that you are entangled with your enemy. Then it simply stands to reason that you be the same—hold steadfast and pierce each binding, and freely embrace all yearning as your heart desires.

[ there's a long pause, as she sort of... takes that in.

hold steadfast and pierce each binding— ]

Do you happen to have a pair of gardening gloves about? I think these might need a little bit of pruning, as it happens, and I like to be helpful.

Oh, well -

I¹ don't think that's a very good idea - ... they would die if something like that happened, you know...?

[ 1 - Gorse is a genus of flowering plants in the family Fabaceae. It is closely related to the brooms, and like them, has green stems and very small leaves and is adapted to dry growing conditions. However it differs in its extreme thorniness, the shoots being modified into branched thorns 1–4 centimetres (0.4–1.6 in) long, which almost wholly replace the leaves as the plant's functioning photosynthetic organs. The leaves of young plants are trifoliate, but in mature plants they are reduced to scales or small spines. All the species have yellow flowers, generally showy, some with a very long flowering season.

… And what a hardy little thing it is. Blooming eternally, nestled cheerful above its spines, ever vivacious.

As for you—there is something or someone which binds you, but if you wish to break free you will have to confront the fact that you are entangled with your enemy. Then it simply stands to reason that you be the same—hold steadfast and pierce each binding, and freely embrace all yearning as your heart desires. ]

...what enemies does someone like you have, anyway?

[ just sort of... wandering away from the window to look at the pictures on the wall—some familiar, some not. ]

Me?

[ is that an answer or -

they're all pretty cute photos. you might even see one of you somewhere! ]

[ ...........why ARE there cute photos of her here, that's embarrassing. how did anyone get these photos. illegal. ]

What is this place, anyway?

It's only a house, isn't it?

Just a house?

If you're wearing a ring, shouldn't someone be here with you?

They're out now, but they should be back a little later ...

[ hums a little, thoughtful ]

Well, that aside, Hope - you wanted to kill them¹, didn't you?

[ Gorse is a genus of flowering plants in the family Fabaceae. It is closely related to the brooms, and like them, has green stems and very small leaves and is adapted to dry growing conditions. However it differs in its extreme thorniness, the shoots being modified into branched thorns 1–4 centimetres (0.4–1.6 in) long, which almost wholly replace the leaves as the plant's functioning photosynthetic organs. The leaves of young plants are trifoliate, but in mature plants they are reduced to scales or small spines. All the species have yellow flowers, generally showy, some with a very long flowering season.

… And what a hardy little thing it is. Blooming eternally, nestled cheerful above its spines, ever vivacious.

As for you—there is something or someone which binds you, but if you wish to break free you will have to confront the fact that you are entangled with your enemy. Then it simply stands to reason that you be the same—hold steadfast and pierce each binding, and freely embrace all yearning as your heart desires. ]

They shouldn't be here. And besides, you're not Aradia, are you.

Should I be something else, I wonder...?

Well -

I've already won, too, so why don't you take those? In exchange, do you think that you could promise me something...?

What would you have me promise.

The next time that you see ‘me’ in this place, make sure that you kill it, okay?

Aradia's Heart Game - Session 3

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