week 4

[airlockedmods]

[Four weeks in the Starfield Penitentiary and seven people have lost their lives to Blaze Dudely's cruel game. At some point the robots cleaned up the mess left behind and by Sunday the involved rooms (including the fridge) are all clean and free of blood. In fact there's no sign left of any of the deaths that have happened on the ship so far by at least the next day. The only physical signs that people are gone are the empty beds.

On Sunday morning, you may find that you're recovering a a few other things as well - both strange dreams and some new items.

In addition, there's a new set of doors at the end of the corridor, in the space between the infirmary and the exercise yard. Looks like you've got a new wing to explore.]



Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday

(( ooc: Don't forget to turn in your AC for Week 3, submit your memory regains, and put in your benefactor threads! ))

Comments

Walking around

[power_of_dominance]

[Soma's dream has left him shaken in combination with Alec's final words to him. Doubt clouds his thoughts, leaves him not paying attention to his surroundings. That's why he almost collides with Noctis in the hall, and why it takes several seconds for him to stammer an apology.]

God, I-- I'm sorry, I....

[Wait, he smells blood. Noct's hands...! His stomach churns.]

Wh-- what happened to your hands?

[nightcure]

[ Noctis collides with a quiet oof-- but he doesn't look upset or mad or anything. Hell, they've all got too much on their minds, between the trials and punishments and everything. ]

S'alright. [ shrug. ] Broke a teacup or two.

[power_of_dominance]

Or two? That's....

[He looks up into Noctis's eyes, trying to read what he sees there. Fatigue? Worry? This place is really getting to all of them, and the dreams aren't helping.]

We could probably all use someone to talk to, but I don't trust Price, and who wants to burden anyone else when we're all suffering?

[nightcure]

[ Yeah, there's a bit of those. And then there's the sorrow. The anger, not just at the situation, but at Blaze (rightfully) and Price (maybe less so--he hadn't made them kill each other and he hadn't punished anyone) and Ardyn and, gods damn it, himself. ]

Kind of a lot to talk about.

[power_of_dominance]

I know. Believe me, I know.

[Soma sighs, leaning back against the closest wall and closing his eyes. He looks frustrated and worried.]

I feel like I'm losing my mind, but I still want to help others if I can.

[nightcure]

You too?

[ The... helping others thing. But Noctis feels like he's losing his mind, too, or maybe a part of himself. Truthfully, he doesn't know Soma that well, and it's damned hard for him to open up completely. Kind of a big deal that he's done it here. He guesses it's because nothing bonds people together tighter or faster than being thrown into a killing game. ]

... Let's find somewhere to sit, then.

[power_of_dominance]

[Soma wants to hesitate, to not burden Noctis with his fears, but unlike Akande or Rick he might get some actual compassion from the older man. It might be weak of him, but right now he needs compassion, and he's ready to give it in kind.]

Yeah. My cell's empty now, so....

[nightcure]

Good a place as any, I guess. I'll follow you.

[power_of_dominance]

[It's strange that they're talking for the first time weeks after their initial meeting, but Soma's glad for it. He leads Noct back to his cell, gesturing for him to sit on the cot that once belonged to Shirou. Soma sits on the edge of his own cot, folding his hands in his lap.]

I'm sorry if this is awkward. I don't want it to feel like one of us is trying to top the other one with who has worse memories. That's not it at all, I promise.

[nightcure]

[ Noct takes a seat on the coat, shaking his head. They're losing a lot of people fast, aren't they? He's never... had to deal with this. Sure, he's fought a lot, but... It's different, and while he'd like to hope this whole cycle stops... ]

Nah, it's fine. I didn't think you were. [ He picks at a spot on the cot. ] If talking about stuff helps even just a little, I'll do it.

[ Because he cares about the people here. ]

[power_of_dominance]

That goes both ways, you know. We both look like we haven't been sleeping well. If you need to unload first, I'm listening too.

[Something about Noctis reminds him of J: both stern, toughened by the trials of life, but still compassionate.]

It's weird to think any of us could be friends when there's gotta be so much suspicion, but we're still managing it somehow.

[nightcure]

[ It's true: While Noctis is already pale, he's... more so now. And there are dark circles under his eyes. ]

You're a pretty good guy. [ He allows himself a small smile. ] Last week... I remember hurting a friend of mine. Didn't mean to, but it happened.

[ He curls his hand around a bit of the cot, and his expression become much, much more strained. ]

And I... now, I remember losing someone I love. [ He... can't bring himself to use the past tense, right now. ]

[power_of_dominance]

[Loss. The death of someone much beloved. Something twists painfully inside Soma's chest, drawing his lips back in a sympathetic grimace.]

God... I'm so sorry, Noctis. I know that probably doesn't mean much, but....

[He doesn't know the man well enough to reach out and put a hand on his shoulder, yet he wishes he could do something more than that.]

Do you know if your friend is okay, at least?

[nightcure]

Nah. I appreciate it.

[ He does, because... what else can be said? Noctis doesn't even know. All he knows is that when he thinks about Luna, something inside him twists painfully. ]

I don't know. I remember what happened before, not after.

[power_of_dominance]

And not knowing makes it even worse. No wonder you look so tired.

[Soma shakes his head slowly.]

Giving us back our memories in tiny bits like this... it's got to be another way to drive us over the edge, make us more desperate, more paranoid. I don't want anyone else to give in, but....

[nightcure]

[ He nods. ]

Hit the nail on the head.

[ He takes a deep breath and sets his elbows on the tops of his legs. Places his head in his hands. ]

It's messed up, yeah. But pretty effective. I mean, we started getting them back after people started dying. [ He pauses, and there's a sour taste in the back of his mouth. ] If someone were desperate enough to learn more... even without those bullshit motives...

[power_of_dominance]

Then they'd have even more reason to kill.

[Soma sighs, rubbing his face with a hand.]

I admit, I have a good reason to want the gaps in my memory filled right now, but I'm not resorting to murder to do it. I just... don't want that to change because of what might be happening to me.

[He takes a few deep breaths, feeling vaguely queasy at the thought of ruining whatever good opinion Noctis might have of him. But if a few people know, they can watch out for any shifts in his behavior.]

I think... no, I'm almost positive I'm possessed.

[nightcure]

Yeah. My memories are pretty confusing, but everyone here...

[ He shakes his head. ]

I don't want to kill them.

[ Noctis pauses, digesting that new bit of information. For a while, he just surveys Soma. Maybe if Soma had attacked someone, had tried something really messed up, Noctis would react defensively. He can't say he won't keep an eye on Soma, but he's not gonna do anything rash. ]

Even if you're possessed, you haven't done anything to hurt anyone here. Actually? You've done the opposite.

[ He remembers the way Soma's reacted to people getting hurt. You don't just forget something like that. ]

You're doing just fine. You're trying to be as good as you can, right?

[power_of_dominance]

Yeah, but every death makes it harder to cope. Alec thinking of the one he loves right before he died... it did something to me. Even hearing about what you remembered doesn't just make me sick, it makes something inside me....

[Soma gestures helplessly, trying to think of how best to articulate the frigid storm of bitterness and hatred churning in his heart.]

I... I feel like I want to squeeze the world until everyone gasps an apology for all the wrongs they've committed. It's not like me, Noctis, not at all. I'm afraid of myself. I'm a walking bag of demon souls and it's terrifying, but this hatred I feel isn't mine and that's worse.

[nightcure]

[ He falls quiet. That's definitely a predicament, yeah. He can't say it'll be alright, because he doesn't know for sure. ]

... Make a deal, then. I'll keep an eye on you and if I see something going wrong, I'll do what I can to give you a hand. To chill you out.

[power_of_dominance]

You'd really do that for me?

[Soma goes quiet too, turning the offer over in his thoughts. He doesn't want Noctis to put himself at risk, but the older man probably has a better chance of subduing him than someone like Mozu or Max. He doesn't want to hurt anyone, and if that means trusting Noctis to cool him down, then so be it.]

... thank you. But please don't do anything reckless, either in stopping me or just... in general, you know? I want the rest of us to get out of here alive.