AMETHYST

[dramatispersonae]

What do you believe in?

Comments

ROUND ONE

[dramatispersonae]

[ Reality twangs uncomfortably in the Ring around you, and next thing you know, you're standing with your teammates beneath an apple tree. No one else is anywhere to be seen.

Faith's voice sounds. ]

You believe in so many--

[ The crackling of paper, the turning of pages. ]

--so many things. Tell me, which of these would you pick to believe in? To save you and fulfill you.

[ Fourteen scrolls materialize around you, with words on them. Approach, and the words will echo in your head: ]

"Our team." "Ourselves and our ability to persist in being as such, as long as we live and breathe; our own reality." "Kindness." "Family, our own blood." "Bravery, determination, and adventure." "The little things in life." "Change and growth." "Being at the top." "Happy endings." "Justice." "Inner strength." "Friends and friendship." "Delicious pie." "Our own personal truths."

[ At the foot of the apple tree, a silver box appears. It can fit exactly three scrolls. ]

DISCUSS

[dramatispersonae]

Re: DISCUSS

[floorcandy]

Oooookay.

Re: DISCUSS

[stigmateyes]

Mikage? I didn't think you could still play in the games.

Re: DISCUSS

[floorcandy]

That PersoNot with the white hair changed things.

Re: DISCUSS

[brilliantstar]

Mm... but I want all of them!

Re: DISCUSS

[floorcandy]

I can get you a pie later.

Re: DISCUSS

[brilliantstar]

Really?!

Re: DISCUSS

[stigmateyes]

Just three.

Re: DISCUSS

[brilliantstar]

But people believe in a lot of things!

SUBMIT

[dramatispersonae]

Pick three of the ideals presented to you.

Re: SUBMIT

[brilliantstar]

Happy Endings
The little things in life
Change and growth

Re: SUBMIT

[dramatispersonae]

[ The box snaps shut. In the distance, there's a sound like faint thunder or the turning of pages--funny, aren't those very different sounds? For now, nothing else happens. ]

ROUND TWO

[dramatispersonae]

Explain to me why

explain to me why

[ Reality stutters around you. ]

you believe so much

you believe in each other

[ Crack. A break runs down the center of the world before you. ]

What have I believed in?

Who am I?

I am...not what the Story made me.

I am not virtuous. All I have is pain.

I can be bad.

[ Reality dissolves, and then you're back in the Ring... ]

Round Three

[dramatispersonae]

[ Reality warps once more, and you're falling through warm rain to the distant sound of weeping.

You land on the bottom of a huge, open-topped glass case that towers over you. Water sloshes around the glass, slowly but surely rising. Beyond the waters, you can see the blurry outlines of several other teams trapped in glass like you.

There is nothing here except the silver box from the first round. The scrolls are still inside it, but each of them is now wrapped around a handful of small glittering tokens--some silver, some gold.

Sorrowful's voice sounds once more. ]

Each of you shall take a token from the box and suffer the punishment bound to it. Refuse to do so, and your shelter will shatter and you will drown immediately. Take them, and you may survive long enough to be rescued. If anyone takes pity on you!

[ In the distance, somewhere, there is still the sound of weeping. ]

Discuss

[dramatispersonae]

Re: Discuss

[floorcandy]

What a brat.

Re: Discuss

[stigmateyes]

WHY DOES THIS ALWAYS HAPPEN?

Re: Discuss

[brilliantstar]

He's worried... It doesn't make it right! But I don't think he's had a good time either...

[ Trying here :u ]

Re: Discuss

[brilliantstar]

[ !!! ]

No!

Submit

[dramatispersonae]

[ All characters present should comment with what token they're taking--silver or gold, and what scroll it was wrapped in. Silver tokens inflict physical punishments and gold tokens inflict psychological ones. This is not IC knowledge. ]

Re: Submit

[brilliantstar]

[Mikage is doing actual turn-in things, but Rin isn't going to stop. Even if it's hopeless she wants to believe in Faith and by extension Sorrowful and everyone else-- the heroes and knights. So!!! She pours all of herself into the rest of the song.]


Oh, you may dream
Let's create our own happy story
After all, I always want to go places with you
Oh, you may dream
You'll succeed, right? Of course!
Smile even if you're in a pinch, because it'll work out somehow

On this frustrating, sleepless night
Dawn will come soon, so you may dream

Even if it's only the slightest ounce of courage
It'll definitely be enough for things to change
Everyone starts out small like this
But if you stay optimistic, one day it'll become a great freedom

Oh, Love & Peace
My heart will become a gentle wind
I'll give you my strength, so do your best
Oh, Love & Peace
I swear to always be there to embrace you when you're in despair
Don't forget that

Even if it hurts, don't cry, okay?
Let's graduate from our loneliness with love & peace

Re: Submit

[floorcandy]

[Mikage and Night are trying to turn-in paper tokens]

[Mikage is also doing background vocals for Rin]

Re: Submit

[dramatispersonae]

[ There's a long pause while the weeping continues in the distance.

Then the paper tokens turn into tiny white birds and start to flutter in time with the singing...

Sorrowful's voice sounds angrily. ]

You'll regret this when you drown! You'll see!

IN THE END...

[dramatispersonae]

[ The weeping in the distance grows louder and louder as you attend to your terrible tasks, until finally, the voice of Handless Faith reaches you again. ]

Stop! I remember--

I remember--

I have learned of hope.

[ The voice of Shinji of Sterling reaches you from somewhere far away. ]

Hope is . . . really scary. And there are definitely times where it feels like it isn't worth it—that it's just going to make it hurt more when you inevitably get let down. But I think . . . even having gone through that devastation, that finding the ability to hope again has been really . . . um. Well it's the only thing that makes things worthwhile. So I'd keep trying.

[ Your surroundings shimmer and fade, returning you to the Ring... ]