idolpro | Shrike's Heart (#4)

Entry tags:

!heart games

Shrike's Heart (#4)

The woman before you is beautiful—fair of features, with lovely golden skin and luxurious long black hair, petite. You have the immediate and distinct impression that she's just let go of your hand, and she steps back, and smiles.

It's not quite a happy smile.

"I'm sorry," she says. "There's just nothing I can do, as things are. But the way is there; it just needs to be lit."

You open your mouth—maybe to say something, or to express confusion—but you have to cough, and taste something metallic, spattering black blood onto the ground in front of you. Then you realize—blood seeps from opening wounds in your arms, your chest, your stomach, your face. It rims your eyes and trails from your nose and you feel like you're dissolving—

—and you fall through the ground like it's the surface of a lake, and go down, down, down.

> Wake Up

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I don’t think any of us do.
If we are truly meant to give her a new one, then... perhaps that’s as it’s meant to be.

[ she turns to look out over the expanse of the water again ]

Shrike—! We’ve come to find you.

So... you're really her true heart.

[His expression flickers, worry and resolve in his eyes.]

You know us, right?

Shrike...?

[ He isn't sure if the expression on her face is a good thing or a bad thing.

...Actually given how things have gone it's probably not a good thing. ]

I... I know you all, but...

[ she shakes her head, but her eyes start to water. ]

You shouldn't have come here.

[ her voice shakes; her hands tremble, holding the hilt of her sword. ]

This way lies only sorrow, and all I can do is try to end it.

[ And she raises her sword and steps forward.

SPECIAL RULES FOR THIS SECTION: you may perfectly attack, perfectly dodge, or really effectively do something else for the cost of one (1) WILLPOWER. Otherwise I'm 1d2-ing it. ]

[lifts the parasol he's been carrying, but doesn't draw the sword within it yet, just has the sword hilt in the position that he can easily draw the blade if need be. instead, now, he starts to sing, sweet and clear, in a language most here would not understand trying to remind her that there is more than sorrow in this world. that there is beauty, that there is-

he doesn't know if it can, if it will, reach her heart, but he has to try. maybe it cannot reach her heart, but maybe it will be enough to throw her off, however briefly. but either way, he still has to try-

spending 1 Willpower.]

In exchange for the sacrifice of my body, I will offer this song
To protect you, precious ones...

[As soon as she starts approaching, Cobalt moves between Shrike and Eclipse, starting to herd him away.

He changes his grip on his swords, subtly, keeping them low and non-threatening but getting ready, just in case.]

Woah now, that's not necessary—

[ she looks... a little taken aback, at Persephone's singing, and focuses on him for a moment, but then looks at Cobalt. ]

If you want me to stop, you know what you have to do, then.

[ —and lunges for him, sword raised. ]

[ She closes her eyes—just a moment—as she hears Persephone begin to sing; lets the melody settle over her like a mantle.

[spending 1 wp: perfect parry]

—And then there's a brief shimmer of steel as she and the naginata move in harmony with the song, intercepting Rain's blade before it reaches Cobalt. ]

It isn't us who have to do it, Shrike. Or do you no longer wish to change?

[ attempting to shove her back; 1d2 ]

[ 1d2=2; you parry and shove her back, handily, and she stumbles back—albeit not too far. regaining her balance, she circles. ]

Maybe I can't. Maybe some things will never happen no matter how much you hope for them. Not for me.

[ she adjusts the grip on her sword; she eyes Amaranth, and... looks away from Persephone, before settling on Griffin, and slashing toward him. ]

You're not just hoping for it! You will-- you have!

[(spending 2 willpower to dodge and attack)

Griffin cartwheels to the side, evading the slash of Shrike's sword, before-- spinning back towards her, a backwards hook kick that slams the heel of his foot into her grip on the hilt, to knock that blade out of her hands.]

[ She winces, and grits her teeth through the boot slamming into her fingers—she only makes the barest sound, even so. The sword clattering into the water makes an impossibly loud, reverberating sound in the space, and she winces again even as she lunges to try and pick it up. ]

Nn—

[ there's still tears welling up in her eyes, and she can't seem to meet anyone's gaze. ]

I thought I could, but... look upon my inner self and the void meets your eyes. I can't—undo, what's done. The choice I made. Why do people keep thinking I'm good.

Edited 2020-03-11 02:17 (UTC)

[ When Cobalt moved between him and Shrike, Eclipse only had alarm. Why do people do this! That sword isn't to be taken lightly so don't just shield him like that --

He has to focus on Persephone's voice so he doesn't lose his cool instantly. He doesn't take out his knives yet, despite everything, because he doesn't want to fight? (And his hind brain reminds him, when you pull out a weapon you're either bluffing very hard or you mean to use it.) ]

Because you're trying? I -- we know what you've done, but despite all that, you're still trying. Even if you can't change what you've already done.

[ surely as a soldier she knows that, too, right? that the rules of engagement with deadly weapons are that the conflict may be deadly. surely she knows that they'll protect you, right?

so why does she pick up the sword again? ]

...I just want to set things right. Make things the way they should be. It was easier when I didn't care if...

Maybe choices can't be undone, but that doesn't mean you can't make different ones. That you can't choose a different path to walk.[and back to singing. spending the willpower again to try to reach her heart. still not drawing his sword, but still has the parasol close to hand, just in case.]

[ she adjusts her grip on her sword, and makes an attempt at screwing her face into a look of determination, but really she just looks... haggard.

she looks between all of them, turning something over in her head, and... flinching away, a little bit, from Persephone. ]

...why does everyone have to be so kind. If you all.. if you all keep doing that, I'll... I'll start to think...

...think that maybe it'd be nice, to be alive—

[ maybe it's one last burst of speed she has in her, but she has good reach with this sword—trying one more time to swing for Eclipse. ]

[Cobalt's been tense as a coiled spring this whole time, and when she makes a move toward Eclipse he explodes, striking out reflexively with the force to sever her arm from her body — barely manages to change his aim at the last second to strike her sword instead.

1 willpower to parry]

[the impossibly loud clash of metal is still ringing on and on in the void, probably]

—You have a future, Shrike! Your past doesn't own you any more — you're free now, to pursue the things you always hoped for.

You are loved...!

[ it's almost too loud to bear, as Cobalt parries, metal strikes metal, and Shrike's sword—shatters— ]

I know, I know, and I...

[ she collapses to her knees, with a quiet splash into the low water, steadying herself with her hands. ]

...I can't stand it.

Not everyone will forgive me. Even if I devote the rest of my life to fixing things—why should I get to have this, when I sentenced so many to an untimely death...

[ she leans down, and offers her a hand ]

Stand up.

Life is a precious thing, but it is work, too.
It isn't about forgiveness, and it isn't about who "gets" to have it either. It is about knowing that the work is worth doing.

[ she wipes the damp from her face with her sleeve, and hesitates a few beats before looking down at her knees—and then taking Amaranth's hand, and pulling herself up despite the unsteadiness in her legs. ]

...sorry. To all of you.

I thought, if I could convince you to kill me, but...

Every one of us loves you. And that means we want you t'live.

[Griffin takes her other hand and clasps it firmly in his own, warm and solid and real for her to hang onto.]

After all... "love endures."

...you remembered. Of course you would.

[ a few more tears squeeze out of the corners of her eyes, but it's not the despairing sort of crying that came from her before, and she holds his hand tight. ]

I just... I don't know what happens to someone who tears their own fate and their own name out of the world.

...whatever happens, you will not face it alone.

[ she sniffles a little, and squeezes the tears from the corners of her eyes. ]

Mm. I'm—sorry, that it has to be like this for you, too, but...

I'm... glad. Still, that we have each other in this. I hope that's all right.

Shrike's Heart (#4)

Re: ELSEWHERE

Re: ELSEWHERE

Re: ELSEWHERE

Re: ELSEWHERE

Re: ELSEWHERE

Re: ELSEWHERE

Re: ELSEWHERE

Re: ELSEWHERE

Re: ELSEWHERE

Re: ELSEWHERE

Re: ELSEWHERE

Re: ELSEWHERE

Re: ELSEWHERE

Re: ELSEWHERE

cw suicidal ideation, also sorry tiny boy you are convenient for making a point,

1/2

no subject

1/2

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

(no subject)

THE END