WEEK 4 - VENUS FLYTRAP

[foundationmods]

Another week dawned.

But after the events at the trial, more than a few people would have wanted for time to stop still.

In this game, even unshakable loyalties....could be broken.🗈

If that were the case, then what was stopping even more horrible crimes from happening this thursday night?
And they knew they could do nothing to stop it from happening.

...Still, they had to continue the game, until one or both of the Witches admitted defeat, or the game itself came to a close.

Yet, they also felt as if something might change. Some big reveal felt as if it was just around the corner....but for now, it seemed as if they had to play the waiting game.

No matter how awful that felt.

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[foundfate]

[Maybe check the head for bleeding?]

[respring]

[ YES, OKAY, SHE'S DOING THAT

How's his poor head look? ]

[foundfate]

[It's not bleeding, thankfully!

But as soon as she touches his forehead, she's going to blink right out of the mansion and into a sea of black nothingness.]

[respring]

[ Okay, good, maybe he'll just be out for another minute or two. She's gonna go get him an ice pack and it'll be fine--

or. it's not fine? ]

...Watanuki-san?

[ did. did he do this? somehow? why is she standing in The Void?

dammit she should have just gone back to her room and read the fucking book in the morning ]

[foundfate]

[If you ask for spooky ghost stories, then you're gonna get spooky ghost stories.

And like most ghost stories, this one starts out with a rather serene setting. Sakura isn't left in the void for long, as soon she finds herself surrounded by small twinkling lights. It might be a bit disorienting, since the lights seem to extend on indefinitely in all directions, even up and down, but if she focuses then she will be able to keep herself oriented and free of vertigo.

The lights closest to her are small, about the size of a firefly, and they only get smaller the further out they go. And the light they give off is not quite enough to really illuminate the area, though being close to the lights will make her hands and body visible under their faint glow.]

[respring]

[ Okay, this is fine, this is fine! Everything's fine! Just give her a secone to take a deep breath and steel herself.

Okay. She's fine. She's going to just pick a random direction and start walking.

(Huh. These lights would actually be pretty if this wasn't The Void.) ]

[foundfate]

[Everything is fine Sakura, it's okay. There is absolutely nothing to be worried about here.

She can walk through the sea of twinkling lights, nothing seems to inhibit her. As she passes each light, though, she will feel a slight tugging sensation, like the light is inviting her to touch it. Should she try to touch it, though, she will find that her hand goes right through the light. It seems like this interactive cutscene vision doesn't want to suck her in to the wrong light.

Eventually, though, she will reach a light that seems just a bit brighter than the rest. And it's growing brighter by the second, too.]

[respring]

[ Oh no, that's not good. Never touch random magic lights, that should be basic knowledge for any magus.

And yet.

And yet.

...she's gonna touch the big one. Touch touch. ]

[foundfate]

[Prodding it seems to encourage it to glow brighter and bigger! By now, it is about the size of a golf ball.

Sakura will also become aware of a ticking sound, though the sound is off slightly. It's like the second hand is catching on something, so it's trying to tick, but it's stuck on a specific time.]

[respring]

[ A broken clock...? Well, poking this orb seems to be giving her results where the other ones didn't, so she's going to ignore all of her baser instincts and keep poking. ]

[foundfate]

[poke poke poke

It grows bigger, and bigger, and bigger, glowing brighter with each growth.

And then, before too long, it snaps open to about the size of a round doorway, and Watanuki comes hurrying out. He looks frightened too, like he has seen something particularly horrifying and is trying to come to terms with it.

He gets a few steps past the glowing doorway, and he turns to wait. Shortly after, a handful of the other pieces in the game step out: Shadow, Ruler, Joey, Gebura, Kurama, Sora. They all seem to be experiencing varying levels of fear too, from Ruler and Gebura's stoic worry to Sora's trembling mess of emotions.

As soon as everyone is through, Watanuki makes a movement with his hands, and the doorway shrinks back to its previous size. Then he turns, and he makes another gesture, and a blue path lights up in front of them, leading towards another glowing dot in the distance.]

That's the way! Follow it, and you'll be fine!

[The broken ticking continues on, the only background sound to this scene.]

[respring]

[ And with that sudden adrenaline spike, Sakura looks back and forth between the path and the orb doorway a bunch of people just sprinted out of. Uh. ]

Wh...what's going on? What's happening? Watanuki-san...?

[foundfate]

[When Watanuki catches sight of Sakura, he looks momentarily relieved.]

There you are! I was so worried that you had been left behind. Come on, we need to go-

[He's reaching to take her hand, so he can drag her along with him. The others are already hurrying down the glowing path, so Watanuki are at the tail end of the group now.

Watanuki will explain in his next breath, though, and he looks over his shoulder worriedly, like he's expecting someone (or something) to follow them.]

She's coming, and our only hope is to get into another fragment before she gets here.

[respring]

[ Well, this is happening. Sakura runs along as best she can, looking at the orb doorway expecting someone to come running out of it. ]

"She"? I-I don't understand, is Nirrti-san chasing you? And where is everyone else?

[ ...unless.

What was it Erhard said about having a 'vision'...? ]

[foundfate]

[Watanuki doesn't get a chance to answer her, because at that moment the fragment he had just come out of starts to glow more brightly. ]

We need to go now!

[Time to drag her along as he runs, following the path he made and trying desperately to catch up to the others.

If Sakura looks back, she will eventually see the doorway open once more. This time, Nirrti steps out, and she looks furious.

The ticking grows louder, almost deafening at this point.]

[respring]

[ Shit, you don't have to tell her twice. About the last thing she wants is Nirrti's anger directed at her, so she'll keep running as fast as she physically can. But she's not letting go of his hand. Don't fall behind or anything, noodle. ]

[foundfate]

[...I was going to say that he would be dragging her along, but. Yeah no she's faster than him, and has more stamina. Before long he's starting to struggle to breathe and his movements slow down.

And then Nirrti throws a spear through his leg, making him scream out in pain and collapse to the 'ground'. Will Sakura let go and keep running, or stay there with him?]

[respring]

[ Damn, dude, she's got to rec you some aerobics tapes when you get out of here.

She wonders how much of this is really real and how much of it is magic. Could she really get hurt staying here? Could he? Sakura looks at the group retreating to the other end of the path before looking back at Nirrti, and--aw fuck, she can't just leave him there, magic vision or not. She'll sling his arm around her shoulder and keep him hobbling away if she has to. ]

[foundfate]

Sakura-san, don't-

[Watanuki tries to tell her to go ahead and leave him behind, but he can't bring himself to say it. As he looks up at her, his eyes show a touch of humanity that Sakura wouldn't have seen before. He's scared, and he desperately wants to live.

The fact that she stays to help him? It significantly helps something, though what exactly it 'helps' won't be known until later.

Of course, they won't get far. Nirrti is going to walk right on up to them and backhand Sakura, her attempt at separating Sakura and Watanuki. She won't let Sakura get too far away, though, as she puts up a wall of black flames between Sakura and the rest of the group, who have also stopped to watch this exchange.]

[respring]

[ That went well. Sakura stumbles a little when she gets hit, but she's learned to (literally) roll with punches, fortunately or unfortunately, so her grip on his hand remains sturdy.

She wants to say something about that look he gives her, but now's not the time for that. Maybe later, if they don't die, or something. ]

Don't...let go, okay...?

[ Ow, though. Fucker, that hurt. ]

[foundfate]

[The fact that Sakura won't let go is frustrating to Nirrti, but ultimately it means little to her. She looks at Sakura as if she is a bug, not even worthy of her attention.

When her gaze shifts to Watanuki, though, it goes soft. She crouches down near him, reaching a hand out to gently cup the side of his face. Her voice is soft when she speaks to him, and carries a decidedly somber tone.]

"You don't have to choose this. You are a Witch, you can do anything you want. This doesn't have to end like this, we could live on and on for centuries upon centuries, playing game after game with each other. Doesn't that sound fun?"

[In that moment, with that gentle tone, Watanuki hesitates. The indecision is clear, and he glances down as he thinks on those words. But eventually his gaze goes up to Sakura. He's searching her face, looking for some kind of answer there. What should he do?]

[respring]

[ Shit, why is he looking for an answer from her? She is not an expert on the subject of witches! Or immortality! But agreeing with Nirrti doesn't ever seem to be a good idea, so. ]

Don't--don't let her get in your head...don't let her entice you into doing something you don't want to do, okay...?

[ a pause ]

I don't want to see you go down that path, but if you want to go with her, there's nothing I can do to stop you. But...you were so mad at her for taking Yuuko-san's face, is she someone you want to spend eternity with? Please...think about it, so you don't regret it...

[foundfate]

[Even if Sakura is doubting herself, it seems like that answer inspires something within Watanuki. His lost look changes to one of determination, and he nods. Yes, he knows what he needs to do now.]

...I refuse. It was a mistake to become a Witch in the first place. I'm human, through and through, and I should have remained as one.

[In that moment, as Watanuki says those words, a 'click' rings out through the sea of fragments. While it's not right there to see, Sakura will be able to identify what just happened, as if she intrinsically knows it.

A stopped clock has begun to tick once more, setting in motion a series of events that nobody could have predicted.

And Nirrti, she does not look to Watanuki. Instead, she closes her eyes and lets out a sad sigh.]

"I see...so your time has started once more. Your mind can't be changed, then. Oh, how I will mourn our lost opportunities...we could have had everything, Kimihiro."

[Something about her tone sounds genuine in that regard.

Nirrti pulls her hand away, and she stands up. Lifting her hand, she uses her magic to remove the spear from Watanuki's leg, freeing both him and Sakura from her grip.

And then she immediately turns it around and shoots it right through Watanuki's chest.

The sheer force and surprise of the attack catches him so off-guard that he doesn't even cry out in pain. He just stares at her, shocked. Like he can't believe she actually did that to him.]

Ah...

[His grip tightens on Sakura's hand, as if to say 'please, don't let go'.]

[respring]

No!

[ Oh fuck. Her first instinct is to call up one of her shadows, if not to retaliate, then to act as a shield against any further blows, but she whimpers when she remembers she can't do that, here. She can't do anything against Nirrti, right now.

So she stays where she is, eyes locked on Nirrti and hand rigid in his. ]

No, no, no, c-come on, it's not... [ It is absolutely that bad. ]

[foundfate]

[Not having powers sucks, doesn't it?

Nirrti's eyes are sad as she stands there, watching the life drain out of Watanuki. He tries valiantly to fight back, to sit up, to do something, but the wound is too great, and with magic involved in making it he just can't heal it.

He bleeds out there, helpless. Though he's not alone in his death, as he had feared all those years ago.

It's still not much of a comfort.

As the light fades from his eyes, his entire body starts to crumble, turning to ash that blows away to the depths of the Sea of Fragments. Watanuki Kimihiro, lost to the sea, never to return.

But his power remains, a swirl of blue and orange smoke, which Nirrti draws in to herself. She inhales the smoke, breathing it deep into her lungs. And as she exhales from that breath, she changes.]

"It's all your fault."

[Vines snap up, grabbing Sakura and the others, wrapping around so tightly that it burns with the same ferocity as the fiery hate that burns in Nirrti's eyes. Gone is the soft sadness that had been there, gone is the gentle tone she had used. What replaces it is an anger that burns white-hot, threatening to incinerate all in its path.]

"...WATANUKI - no, Kimihiro - was but a child in the eyes of Witches - his life had barely begun. He had a life full of hope and promise ahead of him, brimming with fun and delight....

...But no. As always, you mortals - you humans - twist and corrupt, changing what does not fit or make sense to your own ends, so you can 'understand' better!! You made him think you actually maaaaaaaaaatter, you pathetic creatures who'll die like flies as soon as you writhe into existaaaaaaance!! And he threw it away for youuuuuuu!!!"

[The wines twist tighter, so tightly that they threaten to break bones. Nirrti doesn't seem to care, though. No, she seems to take delight in the pain she's causing. It's a medicine meant to soothe the ache in her heart. And indeed, her face contorts into a sickening grin as laughter bubbles out of her, reverberating right down to Sakura's very soul.]

"...But, In the end, I guess...it doesn't matter. After all, you all corrupted him, made him human again.....and now, there's no one to protect you anymore. For the memorial of the Witch of Dimensions, for my friend who I had to slaughter....I will make you suffer.

I will kill you over and over again, until you are begging for death. I will leave you on the precipice of pain over and over, but I will neeeeever, eeeeeeeeeeeever let you diiiiiiie!! Until I am satisfied - until you are punished - I will wring out all the blood from your bodies and drip it on his graaaaaaaaaaaaaaave!!"

[Fortunately, Sakura won't have to experience that eternity of suffering. Because as that last word echoes in her mind, she will find herself back in the library, leaning over the unconscious Watanuki.]