Heart Game: Doodleman

[idolpro]

It's dark.

It's dark.

It's

It's d̔͗̄͜͞á̵̧ͥr̓͗͘k̛̑ͭ͛͋̋ͧ̆͗͡.̢̉̈́̓͡

It's It’s It’s It's d̔͗̄͜͞á̵̧ͥr̓͗͘k̛̑ͭ͛͋̋ͧ̆͗͡.̢̉̈́̓͡

███████

You wake up in a dark place.

Comments

[idolpro]

Trying the doors, you discover that all but one are locked.

The room you enter is fancy like all the rooms in this dorm, but it's also a bit of a mess. The floor is covered in random junk - clothes, packaging paper, boxes of various sizes, a startling amount of knives, fanmail...

Doodle is sitting on the bed, going through a box full of papers. He glances up as he hears you approach, but doesn't say anything.

[worldcup]

Ah -

Maybe I should have knocked.

[ welp.

too late now. ]

What are you doing?

[ not actually stepping further into the bedroom just yet, her voice is just filled to the brim with idle curiosity ]

[avestan]

"Trying to figure out some stuff. That's what this whole-" He waves a hand as if to indicate his surroundings. "-thing is about. Or something."

[worldcup]

[ well, that makes sense, she supposes ]

I see.

Is there anything in particular that you're trying to figure out?

[avestan]

"It's about who I am. Or who I want to be, or whatever."

[worldcup]

[ hhhhhm.

maybe she should actually enter proper for this conversation, going to take a seat on the bed next to him. ]

. . . I guess it's complicated for you. [ not that she fully understands it, in spite of the knowledge she has. ] Do you want to be somebody else?

[ her voice remains calm and even throughout, bringing up the question that was brought up in the other room. ]

[avestan]

"...It'd be easier, in a way. I could have a human life and a definite existence.

But then I'd lose what I've gained as the me I am now."

[worldcup]

. . . Is it really that important?

To have a human life. Or something definite like that?

Besides, I don't think most of the others here care about anything like that. Or even want that sort of thing.

And. . . I still think you 'exist', even if it's not as onii-chan or mama.

[avestan]

"It's not like I can live as a Servant while I'm in hell. As Avenger, I'm a monster - something that lives only to hate and kill and can't coexist with an everyday human life.

But that's the kind of life I'm forced to have here. I'm forced to live with people, eat and sleep and converse with them every day as if I'm one of them. It might not be a peaceful life for most, but for me it is."

[worldcup]

That's true.

Hmm.

[. . .]

Do you want to kill that part of yourself? Or do you wish that part of you could do more than be a 'monster'?

[avestan]

"That's what I'm trying to figure out. I'm kinda hoping you guys will be able to help."

[worldcup]

. . . Well, I'm not really good at that sort of thing. I'm not human either, after all.

[ but she's probably more human than he is ]

But I can share what I think.

If you want to coexist. . . as both 'Avenger' and 'the person you are now', isn't that fine? Although if you really think that the former can't exist with the latter.

Maybe we should just rip the guts of that kind of thinking. I'm sure a good knife would work, right? Or, well. . . a specific dagger would work, too, but I don't know if I'd be able to find it in here.

[ ............ILLYA. ]

I'd just have to find the source of "being unable to coexist".

[avestan]

He laughs, apparently delighted with the metaphor.

"You'll get to see that soon enough if you keep going forward. I think the stuff I'm trying to say here will make more sense then, too."

[worldcup]

What, the source or the dagger?

I hope it's both. I've never had the chance to stab anything, after all.

[ LET. HER. STAB. ]

Well, I understand a good amount of things, but not all of it.

[ especially since she can tell that he's changed a lot ]

But I plan on continuing to move forward, no matter what. Now then. . . are you the one with the next question? Or is there somebody else here that has it?

[avestan]

"The source. Though there'll be knives as well."

And you've already answered the question I had, more or less. You can move forward if you want."

[worldcup]

Good.

I'll look forward to it.

[ she genuinely means that, too. ]

Is the way forward the way out of this dorm?

[ just want to make sure she doesn't get lost here ]

[avestan]

"Nope, it's there."

He points to a door next to the one you came in through. It definitely was not there before.

[worldcup]

Thank you.

[ she smiles, polite as ever as she hops off the bed, looking delighted ]

I'll see you later, then.

[ time to see to that door that wasn't there before and try opening it; while she's curious about the other stuff... she really doesn't want to mess with too much here unless it's important. ]

[idolpro]

Unlike before, there's no light as you pass through this door - you simply enter a different room.