thevoidsdarkhorse | Heart Game (Continued)

Heart Game (Continued)

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[Tiamat pulses and the smile falters into a grimace.]

I'm the one who was supposed to protect them. That's my role, but I failed.

How am I supposed to believe I'll be any better at revivin' 'em when it'll be outside the rules?

Because you want it bad enough, don't you? Isn't that how your powers work? They tap into what you really need? If you want something bad enough, you find a way. You take it. You're a Rouge of the Void. Rules don't have to control you. Trust in your own strength and the faith they put in you.

[ He tosses the shard to the side and instead grabs her hand tightly. ]

You haven't failed them unless you give up hope now. And I won't allow that. Because I believe in you.

[It's like a jolt when he touches her hands, already cut open from the glass, from trying to hack away at the barriers, making the blood SING in response to him, and she starts crying.]

I can't-I can't believe I can do it! I-if I fail, if I fail, I-!

[ He's just going to keep going despite that, trying to pull her closer, aching to pass along his sincerity in his belief in her through the contact, through the touch. This is how he's always tried to reach people, not just through words but through real tangible action. Words are one thing. They hold their own power. But the true nature of his strength has always rested in the combination of his emotions and the bonds that fuel them. And now, all he can do is rely on that strength to reach out to Roxy. ]

It's okay to be afraid. And nobody's going to blame you for finding it difficult to believe. That's why you have the rest of us, everyone here, everyone in this heart, fighting with you. We know you can work miracles, Roxy. We've seen them here.

[There is...something else. A memory, a feeling.]

[It was always overwhelming to be touched by people, you long since figured out is because you're used to the hard shells of Carapacians. Save for one thing; when people held your hands. It was the most natural feeling of contact with another human, and you always woke from your dreams so much more easily when you were holding someone's hands in the night.]

[You learn about dream selves, how you apparently sleepwalk, and Dirk drags you back, and it makes sense. Even if you were alone while you were awake, there was another you that was able to touch, to reach your friends. Even if she was always asleep, it was something. It was Important.]

[And now here she is, and she knows people are coming. Rage is HER room, she knows how many are there, running for her, and she doesn't understand because she's not important, she's not she's not she's not but then WHY ARE THEY HERE.]

[Why is he holding her hands, why is he saying these things, when it goes against everything you've been able to feel about yourself for so long.]

[She sobs and falls to her knees, but her hands are still in his, and the clotted blood is starting to thrum with new life.] I'm so tired.

I'm so tired of being the one to perform the miracles. I dunno if I even CAN, and they....they keep havin' me do it alone and I don't-

[ Well, if she's on her knees, then he's definitely going to wrap his other arm around her. ]

I know. I've seen how long you've been working, how hard you've been working. So much that you have trouble seeing yourself as much beyond that. But we know you are, I know you are. And I'm going to be with you. All of us are. The bonds you've made in Kyriakos and the ones before too. I know it's hard when it's just a feeling, holding onto just that. But that feeling is just as real as when you find the physical person again. It's just as powerful. Try to focus on that power and make it yours. It's meant to be.

[Well, you now have a crying girl on you. At least you're not the only one who gets to bawl in this heart.]

Please...please don't leave me alone...please help, please help, I just...I just want to see 'em again.

[Crying and clinging to him. The blood is no longer clotted, and bands the same red of his eyes join the Tiamat-black bands around her vital areas.]

[ That's something. But he's just going to pull her as close as possible. ]

I won't. I won't. I'll do whatever I can.

[Well.]

[She's gonna cry harder.]

[CONGRATS?!]

[Sorry about all that blood, she wasn't just covered in Aspect Blood bullshit, sooo....]

[ He can deal with being covered in blood. It's not the first time anyway. Lace... But being here for Roxy is more important right now. So if she's going to cry, he's just going to keep holding her and maybe start stroking her hair for comfort. ]

I'm here for you, Roxy. I'm here.

[She cries, and cries for...a good long while, but eventually her hands loosen.]

....go on.

Just...

Just go.

Give Hope a reason. [Her voice cracks.] Please.

What about you? Will you be all right?

Hope...counterbalances rage.

Okay... Okay. But before I go...

[ Let's access our inventory now that we're godtier and find one of his bracelets. He backs up a little so he can hold it out for her. ]

So it's easier to remember that you're not doing this alone.

...

[She stares at the bracelet and....slowly....taking it. Uncertain, but she takes it.]

[There's blood around it. Important, a bond, because she was always a sentimentalist.]

[ He smiles gently at that, which probably looks super weird, considering all the blood on them both. ]

... How do I reach Hope?

[Yeah, probably.]

[She points and oh look, a ladder.] There's a door at the top that'll lead into the lab.

[ He nods and gives her hand a quick squeeze before heading for that ladder. ]

Take care of yourself, Roxy.

[She nods, still staring at the bracelet.]

[You ascend]

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