[popdrop] H3: Touko and Raijuu

[warpweft]

[The first thing you notice is how dark it is. It’s really, really stinkin’ dark. You can’t see anything. Even if you naturally have the ability to see in the dark, well, not anymore. Which may be the second thing you notice - any powers you have, any magic is gone. Silenced. You can’t feel it, similarly to when you’re in the theme park, with an additional sense of anxiety and loss surrounding the inability to tap into it. Even a heightened sense of emotion won’t bring them back, like it might in the theme park. If you have other powers of some kind, enhanced physical capabilities or the like, they’re either gone or significantly reduced as well. You feel extremely normal and it doesn’t feel good.]

[Whether you stay still or stumble along in the dark, at least it’s not too long. You eventually catch notice of something illuminating the darkness. You find yourself drawn to it. It's a small spherical glass object. Near the edges, it's black, but bits of purple and violet appear, gradually brightening and swirling together in a spiral shape at the center. The spiral at the center is bright enough to bathe you and the surroundings in a soft violet light. As you get closer, you can feel voices coming from the sphere. You can’t tell what they’re saying, but maybe if you were closer. You feel a deep desire in your stomach to just…reach out….]

What are you doing?

[The voice, a woman’s voice, comes from behind you. You didn’t hear anybody approaching, but you’re immediately filled with an intense sense of foreboding. You turn and look, but you can’t see anything. The darkness is once again overpowering, the violet glow from the object next to you being the only thing that isn’t swallowed up by it. All you can make out in the darkness is what may be someone’s face and…two eyes. With nothing in them. Pitch-black.]

You touched the Heart…

You touched MY Heart!?

[There’s a lot of anger and it’s not making that sense of foreboding go away. The darkness and the person(?) inside it advance towards you, slowly engulfing the violet glow around you. Just when you’re thinking you’re gonna have to decide between fight or flight, here — something moves.

Towards you.

You feel something punch into your chest and before you know it, you’re on the ground, searing pain running through your upper body. A few things briefly pass through your senses. You hear a loud scream. If you tilt your head up, you can see a long black spike…embedded in your own chest. And you can taste… …yup. That’s your own blood.

That’s about as far as you get before consciousness leaves you.]

Comments

[ugly_split_ends]

...Why couldn't I have been a witch?

[Maybe this is the thing keeping 'powers' in check? She knows she doesn't have any. She's not even sure Genocider Shou would be affected, but maybe someone else would.

She tries touching the piece of glass, and if there's no reaction, will take it with her.]

[voidhearts]

[When you touch it...you can hear whispers. They're not anything intelligible, just whispers Somehow, they don't totally unnerve you, they feel....reassuring, if anything. Like you're not alone, but in a good way.]

[You acquired Voice of the Void.]

[This close to the desk, you notice there's a small folder underneath the desk as well.]

[ugly_split_ends]

....Ehhhhn...

[Oops, almost missed that. She'll take a leaf-through of that folder.]

[voidhearts]

[It's a list of printouts of stories and pictures. Tracking...something? Someone? Some kind of magical phenomena? It's missing too much context to fully understand, but it looks like Hex was looking for something and had compiled her research on where it might be in this folder.]

[You acquired Sightings.]

[ugly_split_ends]

...Maybe stonehenge is next.

[She'll take that, then wave to Nell before she heads out... WEST?]

[voidhearts]

Hey! Um! Before you go! [She lightly taps your shoulder.]

So...just the study opened, right? Not the other room too?

[ugly_split_ends]

...Oh, wait, did it? Sorry. I thought this was the last one.

Thanks, I owe you. --Maybe a better poem sometime.

[OTHER ROOM!]

[voidhearts]

[It's...locked.]

[Nell comes up behind her.]

Mmmn....okay, so I was right.

I don't think just sharing memories is going to open this one up. Maybe...cousin Hex needs something more before she feels comfortable unlocking this one.

[ugly_split_ends]

...

[She decides against complaining about the time they outright had sex and 'really, how much closer can you get??', because it's Hex's cousin and Fukawa is a fucking lady.]

Okay, something to make her more comfortable...

Uh. Oh, dear Hex! I'm sorry for all those sarcastic comments I made... and... well, honestly throwing your desire to win back in your face all those times.

--I was kinda stressed, as I'm sure you knew.

But you've been a good... uh... you know... friend.

[voidhearts]

[... ...nothing happens.]

Huh. Maybe it needs...something special...like something significant from her past?

Whatever it is. I guess you probably aren't going to find it here, huh.

[Beat.]

That was still really sweet, though!

[ugly_split_ends]

...Great...

[she can't help heaving a little, chest tight with emotions.]

[voidhearts]

I-I'm sorry. I think. That was very nice, what you said! And it'll definitely make it back to Hex, somehow...

Um. She has a hard time showing it sometimes, because. Of stuff. But.

She really does appreciate it when people consider her her friend.

[ugly_split_ends]

S-She... she knew it was just words! That's why the stupid door didn't open... and even if she thought they weren't words, she'd think "Oh, what a burden I'm being hassled with: for that ugly emotional wreck to think of me as a friend!"

I-I'll find that something special or whatever! It's just part of the g-game...

[voidhearts]

Th-that's not true!

[She suddenly puts her hands on Touko's shoulders and grips them, firmly.]

I promise it's not!

[ugly_split_ends]

...

You don't need to be burdened either. With letting me know.

[voidhearts]

If I knew, I would tell you, I really would. But. Um.

....I-I promise, Hex doesn't view you as a burden. She...she doesn't view people that way!

Sometimes, she's bad at showing it, 'cause she...feels weird letting people in, but. If she spends time with you, it's because she wants to...'cause there's something she likes about you!

[ugly_split_ends]

... "Bad at letting people in," huh?

[She just snickers at that.]

Fine... I have an idea for what it is, anyway.

Did she like dolls?

[voidhearts]

....I can only answer if you promise you won't use the answer to make fun of her and that she won't blame me for it.

1/2

[ugly_split_ends]

W-What? Even I liked dolls... I still like dolls.

[ugly_split_ends]

Are you saying dolls are worth ridiculing!?

[voidhearts]

N-no! Nope! Not at all! I think they're neat!

A-and, she does too.

[ugly_split_ends]

I knew it... suddenly the tumblers are all falling into place.

[She rubs the side of her head]

The other guy I'm sharing a psychic link with says he got the doll, though... maybe there's a spare?

[voidhearts]

Huh...maybe...

Do you know where he found it?

[ugly_split_ends]

He mentioned an angry, deadly grandma.

[voidhearts]

A....

A what?