[Room #1]

[dramatispersonae]

You find yourselves in a large, square Japanese-style room. It was likely lovely once, but time and neglect have taken their toll. The screens are crooked and the tatami of the floor has come unwoven in places. The scent of incense hangs in the air, but it does little to mask the pervasive odor of decay. Flickering candles of different heights ring the outskirts of the room, causing your shadows (they are your shadows, certainly?) to dance.

A curtain covers something bulky against one wall. Silk cushions in your team's color have been placed on the floor in front of the curtain, around a makeshift table that looks like it began life as a box of drawers. It's a flat surface, anyway.

The Masked Lady's voice seems to come from everywhere and nowhere at once, echoing in your ears and down your spine.

"Central to any scary story are two things: an injustice, and a monster created by that injustice, wouldn't you agree? Otherwise it wouldn't be scary. So, children, tell me about your monster, and how she came to be."

Comments

Re: DISCUSSION

[ahorseforgood]

Clear. . . why do you think the Persona is asking us to tell this story?

Re: DISCUSSION

[hushabyte]

[ swallows, looking down ]

She must feel very broken already.

Re: DISCUSSION

[ahorseforgood]

. . . the bravest man I know endured a blow that shattered him, and rebuilt from those pieces, because the core of him was good. I don't. . . I don't know that I want to write out the fact that that can happen too.

Re: DISCUSSION

[hushabyte]

I see... it's true, breaking isn't always the end if you can be rebuilt. I know that.

Re: DISCUSSION

[ahorseforgood]

You have to be a monster to come back from being a monster, though. So I... mm. I wonder what would make her feel monstrous. Too many people do.

Re: DISCUSSION

[hushabyte]

Right now, not acting according to his wishes might? If she loves him more than anything, even when he isn't trying to understand her. But I'm not sure.

Re: DISCUSSION

[ahorseforgood]

If she tries to reassure him, and he shows her that her best isn't enough... he seems like that kind of man, if he is this hypocritical already.

[a bit of sharpness in that]

Re: DISCUSSION

[hushabyte]

And it only makes her human! Whether he wants to acknowledge that or not— she'll have asked him honestly, and she can come to realize it.

[ finding a bit of strength ]

Re: DISCUSSION

[ahorseforgood]

[nuzzles his hair again]

Re: DISCUSSION

[hushabyte]

Will that be all right?

[ hugs her neck ]

Re: DISCUSSION

[ahorseforgood]

. . . I hope so. But I believe people are strong enough.

Re: DISCUSSION

[hushabyte]

[ tightens his grip, not hard but reassuring ]

Yes.