[LIFE WILL CHANGE]

[guillotineroom]

[you find yourself transported into what looks like an old-timey medieval torture room. there are no torture devices present, however; the only thing occupying the room seems to be pairs of rusted manacles hanging from the ceiling]

[you are not alone]

[TO SARIEL: you intrinsically understand that you are stealing this person's desires, not their actual heart. the process will be non-bloody, but you understand that you must plunge your hand into your victim's chest (5:22 to 5:27) to take those desires. you still have all of your powers]

[TO YOR: you intrinsically understand that Sariel is trying to steal your desires. you know you will survive when this is over, but you will be a different person. you will be forced to either confess your guilt, or become a shade of your former self, and everything in between (player's choice on how serious it is). the player may also determine what shape the desires take! you may fight back, if you wish, but. . . you have no powers]

[you may begin]

Comments

[secondwinded]

[ He sucks in a bit of air, taking in his surroundings before turning to see who else is in there. ]

— ah.

[briarliar]

[ Yor was in the middle of a Yahtzee game, trying to give her team as much levity as possible in their horrendous circumstances. you can see the encouraging smile shift immediately into something grim and serious, her body tensing as she prepares to fight.

looking at Sariel, she knows she has no chance of winning, she knows, she knows this. but Phoenix already gave away three points to keep from doing this very thing. and what is she if not someone who would do anything to protect them? ]

I won't let you do this without a fight. I'll make you kill me before I let you endanger Phoenix.

[secondwinded]

. . . Yeah. I'd expect no less. I won't go easy on you either. Sorry, but I'm not letting Kraken go down again.

[ He spreads his wings, wind beginning to whip up around him. ]

[briarliar]

[ oh sweet, perfect icon for this. Yor leaps forward to try and reach Sariel with a stiletto suddenly in her hand before the wind can push her too far back. it's clear she's putting forth all her strength to try and close the distance but she's just a human. a desperate, struggling human. ]

[secondwinded]

[ He said he wouldn't go easy, but as she closes the distance, he jerks his hand back to try and sort of shift the movement of the wind so it doesn't cut away at her too much. He's fighting defensively, jerking his other arm up to try and block her. ]

Not bad—!

[briarliar]

[ the wind buffets her off course and she stumbles, trying to reorient herself again. with all her muted strength she tries flinging the stiletto at the base of Sariel's wings. it's obviously a reckless move for someone who can control wind. but she's pushing for seconds, minutes, any extra time she can give her team. give them one more moment where they are safe together. ]

[secondwinded]

[ The stiletto hits one of his wings — one of the ones with all the eyes.

Sariel grits his teeth and snaps his hands out, sending a sudden burst of wind towards her in an attempt to knock her back to the wall. ]

[briarliar]

[ the wind hits her full force and Yor gives a cry as her body slams into the stone with a sickening crack and she crumples against the wall. you can hear her struggle to breathe as she tries to get up, but every part of her body is collapsing under the inescapable pain. ]

—nngh! N-no...

[secondwinded]

[ Sariel rushes forward in an instant, carried by the wind. He stands over her, looking down. ]

This was all me. So— you can come after me for revenge if you want. That's fine.

[ And then he reaches out to plunge his hand into her chest before she can respond. Before this can go on any longer. ]

[briarliar]

[ there's no hate in her gaze, only frustration and raw grief. it's the same thing Yor would have said if their positions were reversed. she was willing to do this, it would be useless to be upset that the same fate happened to her.

and what little strength she has left she tries to grasp his wrist to fend off the inevitable. she can't give up, she needs to get up, she needs to at least be with them if this is the last trial...

...but what would that do anyway? what use is anything when she's can't even do the one thing she made herself good at. she couldn't protect them. and when that doubt breaks, just a sliver, her determination crumbles.

...it doesn't matter if she couldn't prevent Miss Marianne and Mr. Hunter from going into Solitary...

...it doesn't matter if she's isn't there to listen and help Mr. Harlock redirect his compulsion into kitting...

...it doesn't matter if she can't keep her promise to Mr. Inui to be there for the team...

...it doesn't matter that she hasn't made those scented scrunchies for Miss Horse yet...

...it doesn't matter she won't be there to untie Mr. Sholmes when he inevitably gets tangled up in yarn...

...it doesn't matter that Stoat might think of her failure as some kind of betrayal...

...it doesn't matter...Loid...she was going to save Loid, at least to return him to Anya, reunite her family...but that wasn't real either...

it's just pretend, just temporary. like Phoenix. like the Forgers.

she has nothing.

she is nothing. nothing but a weapon to be used. ]


...d-d-don't hurt th-them...any...more...

[ then she lets go. lets her hand drop and let whatever tears fall before her expression turns into a dull nothingness. ]

[secondwinded]

[ He pulls out her desire with one hand, shoulders slumping.

And then reaches over with his other to brush some of those tears away. ]

I'm sorry.