The theme was less about hunger and more about wanting what someone else had. I don't often care what others have, so it was... jarring.
[a sigh.]
I walked the same hallway over and over, in a loop, knowing that the others had left me behind. That I was going to lose. Didn't know what I was going to lose, just that I was. I would consider it a test.
A phone rang, and I heard Mercy's voice on the other side, asking me to... [a pause.] ... to not leave her alone.
[ though the wiser part of her knows these are just illusions, it makes her wonder how many times mercy has lost people like this, and who she'd lost before them.
[wow guess who hates hearing that this has happened twice! this avatar.
pride just breathes for a moment, and then:]
Briefly. She was with her mother at the end of the hallway. They went through the door. I tried to follow, but I ended up back at the start. [they're just listing this off clinically, now.] Went through the hallway a few more times. Followed the sound of a familiar voice until I found Envy, again.
[a pause.] Envy threw himself in front of a blow meant for me. I'm still not... entirely sure why.
[ he also can point out that envy did nothing. he chooses not to, not because of kindness, but because he is upset about mercy and that's more important to him than dunking on the other avatar. ]
... I guess you all went through something personal...
[Or maybe not, maybe it would be bad for Envy to revive in a weird hellscape instead of outside the simulation room, but like. Pride is tiny. I need y'all to know that this is still the shorties convention with Pride in the room. What could he realistically do.]
No. It's growing back. [they tell sheila, with a sigh.] It's extra tender. Can't be helped.
[also yeah pride is like 5'3 there's no way they could've dragged envy to the end. anyway, they think for a while, and then:]
I kept moving. [... this gets flat, like they're distancing themselves.] Mercy's mother is... gone. But I saw her, and Mercy, running to me. They didn't make it across the hallway.
An old friend of mine was the one to remove my crown. I don't remember what removed my head.
[She feels conflicted; he doesn't owe them these details. They want to know about Mercy, about the meaning of those adventures, but peering into this feels wrong.
On the other hand, Pride is choosing to tell them.
Anyway, Sasazuka, hopefully it was the end? His head was gone.]
Such ugly illusions, in this place. They never would have allowed for a different outcome, I think.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Uh-huh... Go on.
[This is a four person thread so she will let the others ask questions instead.]
no subject
internally hates that a lot. ]
... what was the theme?
no subject
no subject
...Were you tested in some way?
no subject
[a sigh.]
I walked the same hallway over and over, in a loop, knowing that the others had left me behind. That I was going to lose. Didn't know what I was going to lose, just that I was. I would consider it a test.
A phone rang, and I heard Mercy's voice on the other side, asking me to... [a pause.] ... to not leave her alone.
no subject
[Oh, no. She is sad now. Oh, no!!]
That sounds... familiar.
[To say the least. She will leave the elaboration to someone else.]
no subject
[ he taps his chin, his expression growing more grim at the memory. ]
Did you... answer?
no subject
Yes. It was the same - she said it when we died there.
no subject
she closes her eyes a moment. ]
Did you see her?
no subject
pride just breathes for a moment, and then:]
Briefly. She was with her mother at the end of the hallway. They went through the door. I tried to follow, but I ended up back at the start. [they're just listing this off clinically, now.] Went through the hallway a few more times. Followed the sound of a familiar voice until I found Envy, again.
[a pause.] Envy threw himself in front of a blow meant for me. I'm still not... entirely sure why.
no subject
Because he didn't want you to get hurt...?
[She says this so gently, so slowly, so unsure.
Mostly because Pride ended up in a way worse shape than Envy so, like. Good job, Envy! You failed. You did nothing. Terrible job, everyone.]
no subject
... I guess you all went through something personal...
no subject
[This is honestly character development though because she used to believe that Envy should mind being stabbed less stan Pride.]
no subject
He seems like the type who's afraid of losing others, even if you did stab him.
[ in any case she also will not point out that it did not help. ]
How did you two manage after that?
no subject
pride just rests their head against the wall - and then flinches? and pulls back, trying to stay sitting up.]
He died. [they say flatly.] Couldn't take him with me so I had to keep going.
[everybody is mean to poor envy including pride, apparently,]
no subject
[To be fair, what would anyone else have done with the corpse? C'est un corpse.]
Do you need a pillow, or... something?
[Trying to ask if their head is okay without asking is their head is okay.]
no subject
but he just looks at sheila and moves on without commenting. someone else ask he's asked so many things. ]
no subject
[Or maybe not, maybe it would be bad for Envy to revive in a weird hellscape instead of outside the simulation room, but like. Pride is tiny. I need y'all to know that this is still the shorties convention with Pride in the room. What could he realistically do.]
All of you made it back, in the end.
no subject
...Yes, at least he survived it eventually. [ seemed really bad, but. ] What happened after that?
no subject
[also yeah pride is like 5'3 there's no way they could've dragged envy to the end. anyway, they think for a while, and then:]
I kept moving. [... this gets flat, like they're distancing themselves.] Mercy's mother is... gone. But I saw her, and Mercy, running to me. They didn't make it across the hallway.
An old friend of mine was the one to remove my crown. I don't remember what removed my head.
no subject
Sheila will not scream or anything, but from the look on her face, she is definitely screaming inside.]
Oh, my god. I'm so sorry.
no subject
he's quite for a moment, and then nods slowly, his expression grim. ]
Was that the end?
no subject
On the other hand, Pride is choosing to tell them.
Anyway, Sasazuka, hopefully it was the end? His head was gone.]
Such ugly illusions, in this place. They never would have allowed for a different outcome, I think.
no subject
Yes, they're deliberately terrible. So why do they happen?
[ if even the avatars got pulled in and experienced this, then what is the point of it all? ]
no subject
[which they still hate.]
We went looking. To be clear. I went looking. [...] For the rest of you, I think it is not wrong to call them tests.
For us, it was mockery, like always.
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)