Vingt-Et-Un † myself in the reflection that i must not meet

[expiatrice]

[Action]

[1. Mayfield High - Hallways. It started after lunchtime. It's still during break while she's making her way to the faculty office, when she starts hearing things that should not be there. Eyes wide and suddenly stopping dead in her tracks, she promptly drops all the papers and folders that she was carrying in her arms. ...Well, it's more

Comments

3 double church flashbacks across the sky.

[lunawolves10th]

[ The door of the church is opened thunderously, as a tremendous figure in scarred grey plate steps into the darkness. He calls out, in a voice that seems utterly hurt. ]

Brother! Brother! Where are you?

this'll end "well"

[expiatrice]

[She hid herself deeper in while trying to get closer to the back exit, only goal being to isolate herself so that no one would have to see her while she's like this.

But looks like allowing her to hide her disgrace isn't within God's designs.

She can hear the booming voice and how the Church doors were slammed open, but it barely registers. While she's still hanging onto a sliver of her own sanity, she's also well aware of how bad her own shape is. She's already struggling so hard to maintain her own slipping grip on reality, she really does not have what it takes to help another.

It's unfortunate, but there's nothing she can do between her own labored breathing while she tries to stand back up, using a Black Key firmly planted onto the ground next to her as support.]

[lunawolves10th]

[ Garviel strides closer, walking up to the lectern and altar, staring at something, someone who is slumped there, at least to his drug-addled eyes. ]

I am here once more brother! Cerberus is here! Will you speak with me this day?
[ Silence. ]

If you will not speak to me brother, I will speak to you, I will tell the tale again and take the pain. Do you remember it? I know you do, how many times must I ask you to share the moment with me? I search my own thoughts and there are... voids! Dark places broken shards of memory jagged and haaaarsh! [ All attempts recollection brought agony unlike any other. Razors going across his mind, fire burning across his soul, and still, he tried to grab it. ] I see... I will see! You and I in these halls! The traitors at the lectern, the hate in them, the ruinous powers! The sword, the sword in my hands! Stop! Stop! You must not stay your hand... do not do this! [ He fell to his knees, reliving the moment in one flash of brutal, terrible empathy. ]

[expiatrice]

[She forces another Black Key into herself, once again relying on the physical pain to anchor her mind back into reality. The blood is still dripping when the wound itself has healed, and it's with heavy breaths that she finally managed to reaffirm that yes, she's inside Mayfield. Not amidst a blood-bathed village, not within the torture chambers, and not inside a Basilica

action; streets, night;

[philanthroper]

[ Snake is out for an evening stroll, taking in the sights and carefully avoiding the mushrooms. Is this what this prison town has to offer? Nevertheless he sees the woman in the white nightgown, about to dismiss it as the norm of this place but she looks up and stares rather frightfully at Snake before falling into her own little world again. Snake flicks the butt of his cigarette away and approaches. ]

Hey there. You alright lady?

[expiatrice]

[She doesn't seem to notice. Her lifeless eyes do gloss past him once he calls out, but she keeps trudging forward without looking back. The call isn't acknowledged, let it be whether because she didn't hear, or because she thought he was addressing someone else.]

[philanthroper]

[ Definitely she hears him, but she keeps walking. Normally Snake would be compelled to leave the girl in her own little world, but something is definitely not right here. He wipes his mouth with his hand as he takes a few more cautious steps closer to the night gown-clad woman, an unconscious physical gesture, contemplating the why of her evening stroll when she is so ill-equipped and the how to go about this. If she is sick then he'll take her to the hospital. If she is sleepwalking (somehow not likely), then he'll guide her back home. Snake wouldn't know what to do if she is doing something else and he realizes that this something else is not a one in a billion likeliness of being encountered, especially in this twisted town.

Regardless Snake moves ahead of her and enters her path of direction, stopping and facing her. His body wants to crouch into a close quarters combat position but he consciously fights his instinct to stand prone with relaxed body language. He holds his hand up--not holding it out directly at her with the "

[expiatrice]

[She is neither of those things, but it does not need to be reiterated that much like the rest of the town where half the population if not more went crazy today, she is among them and deducting as such would be a logical conclusion to make. She's not raving or trying to attack anyone at least, for better or worse.

She almost bumps into him, but effectively stops when he places himself in front of her. There's a small noise of her breathing in, and she might have shown mild surprise for a second, but her expression drops back to that empty and lifeless look shortly after.

For a few moments, she just stares back with dull and tired eyes.]

...To the Burial Chapel. [The second question seems to have went unheard, but nevertheless, that likely wasn't the most reassuring of answers...]