Heart Game: Sol [#05]

[idolpro]

Note: please be as cryptic as possible regarding any specific actions your character takes when discussing them in the game channel to avoid influencing everyone else!

Comments

[furrytailprince]

That is impossible. There are plenty of things to you worth sharing. More than worth it.

[bluerosestyle]

[...looks back at him. he looks vulnerable++]

. . . And the things that aren't? Should I hide them?

[furrytailprince]

... you should not hide things about yourself. People should accept you for who you are.

[bluerosestyle]

But--

[Suddenly, he looks up. That sure was the sound of a door opening wide and violently, coming from the other room they were in.

Tiny Sol looks at Okami, sort of surprised, sort of worried, sort of guilty.]

[furrytailprince]

[ Okami looks startled himself but does his best to step in front of Sol in a protective sort of way, ears folded down ]

[bluerosestyle]

[now with the right account!!!]

Y-You should run away...

[furrytailprince]

Only coward would abandon a child.

[bluerosestyle]

B-But what if it hurts you?

[furrytailprince]

I, I'm not afraid... You don't abandon your friends.

[bluerosestyle]

[if he could have stars in his eyes, he'd have them right now.......

maybe it's not the best time for it, but.......

looks in the direction of the other room and swallows]

Then... Then I'll stay with you!

[furrytailprince]

You can't! If anything happened to you, I don't know what I would do.

[bluerosestyle]

[tiny Sol looks scared but shakes his head. they can both hear the steps coming closer so he moves to stand closer to Okami]

I want to protect my friends too.

[furrytailprince]

Sol...

[bluerosestyle]

[looks up at him

smiles? is this a smile? it's sort of a scared smile]

We're friends, right?

[furrytailprince]

[ Biting his lip and then reaching for Sol's hand before trying to force his own smile ]

Ah, we are. Best friends even.

[bluerosestyle]

[takes his hand!!! and looks at the door...

Soon enough, someone appears through the door to the kitchen. When he speaks, his voice is slightly distorted because of his armor.]

"Are you quite done running, criminal?"

[furrytailprince]

Criminal? What are you talking about?

[bluerosestyle]

"You are guilty of breaking the law. Book One, Chapter Three, Verse Eleven of the Taboo Index says Thou shalt not cross the End Mountains that encircle the Human Empire.

Come with me willingly, and I will not hurt you."

[furrytailprince]

But someone had to find out what was causing this unusual cold. Your water is full of ice. What is the point of your rules if they cannot keep your people safe?

[bluerosestyle]

"That matter is for the Pontifex to deal with. Of course one such as yourself will always try to poison the Church's intent, but an impressionable child should not be exposed to ideas such as this."

[he extends his arm and points the palm of his hand towards Okami, as if ready to shoot him with something, but nothing is visible]

"Surrender at once."

[furrytailprince]

I am not going to apologize for trying to help people.

[bluerosestyle]

"Generate Fire Element..."

[The knight starts to chant something and when he does, small red balls of light form in front of his palm. That's when tiny Sol moves, and stands in front of Okami, with his arms outstretched as if to stop him]

No!!! You can't take him too!

[tiny Sol sounds extremely upset, but he's standing his ground, even as the red balls transform into fire arrows]

[furrytailprince]

Sol!

[ Trying to pull him away ]

[bluerosestyle]

[When he touches him, Okami will find himself reliving a memory...

Sol is back in the village, where everyone was celebrating before. It's daytime and the whole village is watching the same knight they have in front of them now in real time tell a grown man to chain Sol's childhood friend Alice, who looks like she's about 10 or 11 years old, to a dragon.

Kirito, Sol's other friend, speaks in a loud but tremulous voice. “Sir Knight!! A-Alice did not enter the Dark Territory! Her hand merely brushed the surface! That was all!”

The knight’s response is brief. “And what else is necessary?”

He waves to some men who are kneeling before him, commanding them to take the boys away. The men stand up and grab Kirito’s and Sol’s collars, to pull them away. Kirito struggles helplessly. “Then…then we’re guilty, too! We were in the same place! If you’re going to take her away, take us with her!”

The Integrity Knight does not heed them.

Sol seems to be trying to speak, but words won't come out. He tries, but all he can do is emit rasping noises, as if he has forgotten how to speak.

Alice gives a small, brave smile and nods. Eugeo and Kirito are dragged to the center of the square and pushed to their knees.

Then, Kirito pretends to wobble toward Sol so that he can whisper into his ear. “Listen, Eugeo…I’m going to attack the knight with this ax. I’ll try to hold him off for a few seconds, and you take Alice away to freedom. If you rush to the barley field to the south, you can hide among the stalks and slip into the forest. That should give you good enough cover.”

Sol looks down at the axe still clutched in Kirito’s hands.

“B-but…Kirito…”

“It’s all right. The knight didn’t execute Alice on the spot. I don’t think he can kill someone without a trial or whatever. I’ll look for my chance to escape. Besides…”

He turns his gaze upon the knight, who is checking that the restraint straps are on tight. With each tug of a strap, Alice’s face twists in pain.

“…Besides, if we fail, so what? We’ll get hauled in with Alice and wait until we have a chance to escape. All that matters is that if Alice gets taken away on that dragon, we’ll never see her again.”

“I…don’t…”

“Why would you hesitate, Eugeo?! Who cares about taboos?! Are they more important than Alice’s life?!”

Sol looks conflicted... His own thoughts seem to be putting him in pain.

“Eugeo…What’s wrong, Eugeo?!” Kirito nearly screams.

A strange, unfamiliar voice breaks out from Sol's throat. “It’s…it’s…”

He can't finish the sentence. The pain is too much, and he brings his hand up to his right eye, wincing.

The village elder notices the change in Sol and weakly waves his arm to the two men standing behind the boys, commanding, “Take them out of the square.”

Their hands grab Sol and Kirito's collars again and resume pulling.

“Damn…let go! Elder! Mr. Gasfut! Do you really want him to take Alice away?! Are you fine with that?!” Kirito rages, knocking away the man’s hand. He prepares to charge with the ax, but the knight merely glances at Kirito and the axe flies high into the air.

Kirito falls onto his back. A number of villagers immediately set upon him and hold him down.

His cheek forced into the cobblestones, Kirito screams, “Eugeo! Please, you have to go for me!”

“Ah…uhh…” Sol grunts. His body shudders.

“Please, Eugeo! At least get them off me! Then I can—!”

The words "System Error: Code 871" can be read on Sol's eyeball, maybe, but only if Okami pays attention. He is completely unable to move, and clearly in pain...

“Eugeo!!” Kirito screams at bloodcurdling volume.

The white dragon rises, stretches it wings, and takes Alice away.



That is to say, tiny Sol won't budge. There are tears in his eyes, but he doesn't seem to be in pain and his eye looks normal in the present. In fact, he's glowing brighter, and the blue light now covers Okami too.]

He said we're best friends! You took Alice away... Y-You can't take another one!

[furrytailprince]

[ The memory catches Okami off-guard so while his grip on Sol doesn't falter, his focus does, losing itself in the pain of Sol's memory until the images are replaced by the glowing blue light. ]

Sol... how are you... ?