Week 5

[airlockedmods]

[As with the weeks before, life in the Fantasy Sweet returns to something resembling normalcy with shocking efficiency. The second floor rest area and Adventure Zone Death Orb Room are spotless again, the demon glitter has been vacuumed, the deflated orbs have been replaced. It's like none of it ever happened, like three more friends aren't dead and stored away in the guest house morgue.

There's a new floor to explore, their "reward" for a job well done.]

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday



[ooc: Don't forget to to turn in your activity for week 4, submit your memory regains and put in your threads for the Benefactors!]

Comments

[myocordial]

...Are you that worried for me?

[A bit of a wry smile finds its way to his face. It comes across as very hollow. The expression of someone who has lost enough that losing even more seems almost ridiculous.]

I don't intend to die... To him, or anyone else. I haven't come this far to allow that to happen.

[brokencode]

[The smile did little to make her feel better. Rather, she continued to stare at him, serious look in her eyes and a frown on her lips.]

I am worried for all of my friends, in both their lives here and back home. It seems no matter where we look, no matter what we do, danger follows us.

[myocordial]

That does seem to be the pattern, doesn't it...

[None of them seem to have safe lives. Anywhere.]

...I've been fighting my whole life, in one way or another. For a long time, simply existing meant to fight. [Every second he's alive an act of defiance.] I'm not planning to stop.

While I still have a single friend left to protect, I will not allow myself to die.

[brokencode]

[It wasn't exactly reassuring. Angel knew, perhaps better than anyone, that life wasn't like a storybook, that sheer power of will didn't keep people going. He had friends to protect, but she was certain that Lilith, or anyone else in New Haven, had thought the same.

But she wanted to believe in him, if nothing else.]

Is that also true here? You will stay alive as long as you have someone to protect?

[myocordial]

Yes.

[Is that at all realistic? No. But at this point, when his powers have been weakened, he's unsure how much worse things will be back home, and everyone keeps dying... What else does he have to hold onto but his resolve?]

And there are many here that I wish to protect. Ideally everyone, but especially my friends. [Friends. Human friends... It's still strange.] Obviously that includes you, of course.

[brokencode]

[Angel hadn't been fishing for an answer like that, but it was appreciated nonetheless. Her skin flushed a soft shade of pink, and she glanced away for a moment before meeting his eyes once more.]

I feel... safer already, knowing that. But please, do not put yourself at risk for my sake.

[myocordial]

Hm. My apologies, but that's not a promise I can make. I've never shied away from putting myself at risk for the sake of my friends before. I'm not about to start now.

[brokencode]

I should have expected an answer like that. [A small, humorless smile stretched over her lips.]

I hope we get out of here, Heart. I hope you are able to get home, stop Banno, and be happy.

[myocordial]

...

[Heart's confidence slips for a moment, as Angel's words remind him for a moment of some of Brain's final words. Not to himself, but to Medic...

"I want you to make him smile again."

...Such an idiot, for someone so smart.]

Yes, I hope so as well. [It's going to be hard.] I hope that we'll all be able to achieve happiness after this.

[brokencode]

[A week prior, she would have said, enthusiastically, that she was certain they would get there. Now, she simply offered a small, weak smile, and hoped that would suffice.]

Yes. A happy ending for all of us would be nice.

[myocordial]

...What would that mean for you? A happy ending. That is, when we all make it out of here... What would you do then?

[When. Not "if". He refuses to make their eventual freedom just a possibility.]

[brokencode]

[Everyone here kept arguing for "when," and each time, Angel couldn't help but feel all the more doubtful. None of this she said out loud, however. She did not want to start a self deprecating argument all over again.]

I... do not know. To be honest, I am scared to leave. I don't want to be forced to go back home.

[myocordial]

Understandable, of course. I don't want to see you return there either.

Perhaps you could go with someone else. Go somewhere else entirely.

[It's nothing but a hypothetical now, of course. But if the return trip ends up being in their control...]

[brokencode]

I would... like to stick with Rhys, if he would have me. But that's... that would imply going back to Pandora. [Not a fun thought to consider.]

[myocordial]

I'm sure he would. And... I imagine it will be difficult, yes. Considering everything.

However, at the very least you wouldn't be alone.

[brokencode]

Either way it is... not exactly something I want to think about. [Knowing what she did about Rhys's memories, it seemed as if Pandora would never be safe from Jack.

[myocordial]

Yes, of course. I'm sure there is a solution, though. The last thing that needs to happen is anyone ending up unhappy after finally getting out of here.