HELIODOR

[dramatispersonae]

You're in a small grove of trees off the side of the road. Somehow, their thick leaves muffle all sound from beyond, leaving only faint whispers and echoes at the fringe of your hearing.

Comments

Re: DISCUSSION

[oedipuswreck]

No, no. I meant . . . in Aather. I play in games, but that's . . . all?

Re: DISCUSSION

[wouldntkilladragon]

...

[Oh.]

The questions she's been asking...do they have to do with what she's been through at all? You don't need to go into details, just a yes or no is fine.

Re: DISCUSSION

[oedipuswreck]

[looks distressed, glancing down and twisting his hands together]

Re: DISCUSSION

[wouldntkilladragon]

I'll take that as a yes.

Then, since we're not exactly sure what the win conditions will be anyway, we can try something now. The games affect the Persona.

We can help her, if you want.

Re: DISCUSSION

[oedipuswreck]

. . .

You can't just—help people because you decide to . . .

Re: DISCUSSION

[wouldntkilladragon]

The Personae are stuck in their stories. Right now, she's focused on the bad things. She'll get stuck in those on her own.

But we can give her more of a choice.

Re: DISCUSSION

[oedipuswreck]

We can't make terrible things . . . not have happened . . .

Re: DISCUSSION

[wouldntkilladragon]

It's not about making them not have happened. They remember, they know, they still feel things. It's about giving them the ability to be more than that.

Re: DISCUSSION

[oedipuswreck]

More than that . . .

Re: DISCUSSION

[wouldntkilladragon]

To be more than the story.

And with the way this game is going...

We could help her be more than the pain she suffered.

She doesn't have to forget. She doesn't have to forgive, but it doesn't have to be the shackles of how she views everything.

Re: DISCUSSION

[oedipuswreck]

. . .

I can't help anybody with something like that.

Re: DISCUSSION

[wouldntkilladragon]

Why not?

Re: DISCUSSION

[oedipuswreck]

Because . . . that's—what I'm like, too?

Re: DISCUSSION

[wouldntkilladragon]

It's surprising how often people can give good advice, but can't follow it themselves.

And sometimes you can learn to do it too.

Re: DISCUSSION

[oedipuswreck]

I don't give good advice, either.

Re: DISCUSSION

[wouldntkilladragon]

Well, that's more a...linear example. More it seems people have an easier time helping others than themselves. Even if you live one way doesn't mean you don't help others.

Not that you SHOULD live that way, but it is kind of...different issues?

Re: DISCUSSION

[oedipuswreck]

. . . never mind. I can't do anything, so . . . never mind . . .

Re: DISCUSSION

[wouldntkilladragon]

[Reaches out to grab his shoulder.]

It's was just a suggestion. Not everyone can do the game thing. There's a lot to do in Aather.

And you can do a lot. You've shown that already.

Re: DISCUSSION

[oedipuswreck]

[doesn't really react to the touch, eyes downcast, breathing a little shallow]

I can't.

Re: DISCUSSION

[wouldntkilladragon]

Shinji.

You can.

Re: DISCUSSION

[oedipuswreck]

I'll make it worse if I try!

Re: DISCUSSION

[wouldntkilladragon]

[Welp.]

[He's quiet, waiting to see if he's going to say more.]

Re: DISCUSSION

[oedipuswreck]

[he doesn't—just stares at him for a moment, then drops his gaze, looking nervous and ashamed]

Never—mind . . .

Re: DISCUSSION

[wouldntkilladragon]

... [He talks and it's very...gentle.]

[Understanding.]

It does happen. When you do things, you can fail. You can try and try and try and everything just ends up blowing in your face.

Then you keep trying and you get desperate and it just gets worse and you believe can't ever make things better.

But.

Eventually you do something. Maybe it's on purpose, maybe it's an accident. You find something you did right. You made things better. And...it get easier after that. You can still fail, but you know you can do it.

Re: DISCUSSION

[oedipuswreck]

[. . . just makes a soft, choked sound, shoulders hunching]