castaside | [Heart Game] From the ashes we can build

Another feeling. Things are going wrong. You've slowly stopped feeling anything for first Wukong, and then MK. Stopped being able to fake it, even. So you try your best to carry on, and you worry.

You worry about Wukong hating you when he realizes what you've done. About hurting him worse, the opposite of what you intended. And that should make your stomach churn, but it doesn't. You can't feel anything.

They're just feelings.

About...the surgery...

[Fuck. He fucked up. He shouldn't have done this. He Shouldn't Have Done This.]

"Just" nothing; feelings are a lot. And the surgery is personal for you as well as him.

[ ... She pulls out her themos of hot chocolate. ]

I know you're not gonna want to dive into this here and now, but maybe we should take a minute to re-center ourselves?

....

[He will sit down on the ground then.]

[He's gonna pull out the blanket.]

[And holds out a hand for the thermos.]

[ She pops up the pillowfort, too, before handing the thermos over.

WE ARE TAKING A GODDAMN BREAK. ]

There we go. Good. Thank you, Dokkun.

[He nods. HE will sit in the pillowfort.]

[Sadly no cuddles for Korone, but he will offer robot hands for her to hold onto.]

Edited 2024-03-10 00:53 (UTC)

[ She'll take a robot hand or two, absolutely. Cuddles can (and will) come later, when Donnie is up for it.

She doesn't speak. Just settles in, breathing slow and steady and deliberate. ]

[Time to take a minute.]

[Properly shove some traumatic memories away.]

[Guilty feelings away.]

[Drink some hot cocoa and cuddle in a blanket.]

I love you.

[ She wants, so badly, to ask.

To talk to him like she's wanted to for what feels like months —

… It's not the time for it, though. Is it? Later. Later, when they're out and safe, when they know Macaque is going to be okay and they can all breathe ... then they can talk. They will talk. ]

- Donnie? I love you too.

I just...

Wanted to remind you.

That you're loved.

A great deal.

What brought—? [ She doesn't finish the question.

The way he'd frozen.

Immediately hidden the item and told her not to touch it, and the way he'd all but thrown himself at the vases rather than talk to her about what he'd seen ... ]

... Oh. [ She squeezes the robot hand she's holding, lifting it to press it against her cheek. ]

You remind me every single day, Dokkun. [ Softly chirps, love, mate, family, belonging, promise. ]

You deserve the reminders.

He loves you too.

A lot of people do. [The robot hand gently strokes her cheek. Chirps. Love. Skymate.]

[ A chirp back of her name for him. After a moment, she says, softly, ]

I'm pretty lucky. [ She nuzzles the metal, brushing a kiss against it. ] To be surrounded by such an incredible family.

[He nods, rubbing at his face.] We're lucky to have you.

We should....

We should keep going.

Hey … Donnie? Before we get back out there …

[ … ]

I just want to say —

You too. You're so loved, and cherished, and even when there's parts of you that doubt and worry and hurt ... we'll stand by you.

Now we can go.

[He takes a shuddering breath.]

[Then nods.] Noted. [Its not a dismissal. Its just]

[The feelings. They are hard.]

[But it IS noted.

Do you....want to touch the feather?

[ She isn't stung by it. The feelings are HARD and Donnie is trying to shoulder ... so much. Too much. She gives a little chirp of love and here for you. ]

Mm. I'll give it a try.

[ Okay. OKAY. Heading out of the pillowfort to touch the feather. ]

Before you can crawl out of the pillowfort, another shard zips in from the ceiling and rips a void into the area of the stage just past the items.

It seems to have bounced off the pillowfort rather than hit you directly. On the upside, the pillowfort is also protection! Downside, you didn't have the chance to catch the shard or get a peek at it.

[Donnie jumps at the sound, a hand going to Korone's shoulder to still her.]

....go out with a shield active.

[ TH...THANKS, PILLOWFORT. ]

[ Lets out a breath, nods, and casts a shield. THEN it's time to go investigate that feather. ]

[He lets her go and looking out for any other signs of danger.]

No other shards are forthcoming. Yet(?). So you are able to get to the feather without further issue.

You are Macaque, and you are thinking.

You learned a bit about MK, the Monkie Kid, back when you were trying to kill Wukong and, incidentally, MK -- sorry kid, it wasn't personal. Just like it won't be personal this time.

There's a lot that you have to balance right now. The Lady Bone Demon's magic is inside you, she'll know right away if you try to run again. So that's out. But you can't actually turn MK over to her as requested. No, it's unthinkable. Bad strategy.

MK lost is powers, and you're going to help him get them back, just as he stole them back from you before. That's the only way forward. And you're going to have to do it while it looks like you're trying to kill his friends and capture him.

You sigh. Nothing's ever easy, is it?

But fine, this is reality, no sense in mourning for what-if. Besides, the kid isn't that complicated. If you put his friends under threat, he'll crack like an egg. And possibly kill you in the process.

Whatever. It's not as though your current life is much of a life.

[ A sharp breath in, closing her eyes. ]

You guys really do have a complicated history, huh ...

[ Turns the feather over in her hand, tracing the edge of it with her thumb. And then she speaks up properly, ]

It's from when he was being forced to work for that awful witch. Trying to … toe the line, I guess. Play the villain convincingly enough that it wouldn't tip her off.

His history does seem very complicated.

[Toe the line though...]

Well, with that and the stage, I guess this would be him putting on a show?

[ Hums in response, considering]

Kinda ... [ Turns the feather over again, again, again, thinking it through. ]

The vibe I've been getting is ... [ Flaps a hand. ] Sensei maneuovering people. Reading them, reflecting what they want to see, so he can get what he wants or needs, or give them what he thinks they want or need.

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Re: Level S - North Room

Re: Level S - North Room

Re: Level S - North Room

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