vulpeculaet | (no subject)

[TWO HEXAPATH PROMOPTS (hexaprompts, if you will:)

A: Sometime mid-to-late game! It's time for a save point! Which means the party is now making camp in front of a large, glowing crystal, someone has brought out a full cottage from their inventories, and Alice is currently stirring a pot on the campfire. What is everyone else up to while Alice tries to keep dinner in one piece?

B:

Alice has just betrayed the party, and given Ulrich the relics they were collecting. Immediately afterward, Ulrich tried to kill the party, keeping Alice on his side. Alice instead did nothing, paralyzed by fear and confusion, as Ulrich grew steadily more unhinged, until finally his attacks fell on Alice herself.

"Useless son", he called her. And as he attacked, she was protected by the party, telling the party everything- She was truly Lucifer, the heaven-sent child, an assassin, his very own child- Son, he always called her. Why would they cover her? Lucifer was nothing more than his own tool.

Finally, they drove him to retreat. And Alice hasn't moved since, slumped over on the ground, staring blankly at nothing. She seems like a doll whose strings have been cut, or perhaps... Someone waiting on death row.

She isn't moving. There's no reason to.]

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[This... only confuses her more. She flinches at the touch to her shoulder, but... The words don't make any sense.]

What?

I meant we should give you some proper rest before anything else.

[This is... well, it sure is a thing. He gets where this is coming from. Oh, does he get it. Now he just needs to clear this up.]

No one here is going to hurt you, Alice.

[... ???]

Why... Why not?

Why do you think we protected you?

Just so we could hurt you now, instead?

Yes?

[alice no]

I deserve nothing less.

You deserve to stop beating yourself up this way.

[So he says, as if he doesn't know it's not that simple.]

For someone who's so observant, you're missing what's right in front of your face. They... We care about you, Alice.

I don't understand why!

[Her voice cracks.]

I don't deserve it! I don't deserve any of it! You know who I am, you know what I've done! I betrayed you all!

I could give you a lecture, if you really want.

[It's... a pretty lame attempt at a lighthearted comment, all things considered.]

...Did you want to do it? [He really looks at her, now. It's a very intent gaze.] I'm not asking if you needed to or if you had a choice in the matter. Just your feelings.

-- No!

[She looks down at the ground, clutching her arms.]

I just... I wanted him to praise me... I... All I wanted was...

[And doesn't that hurt? Doesn't that just pierce right through him, because he gets it. He gets it. That feeling of wanting to be praised, acknowledged. Cared about. How many times had he sought out the same thing?]

I know... I know. [His voice is a lot... gentler, now.] It's alright. You didn't want this.

That's good enough for me. So I can't imagine the others would protest.

[Her voice breaks, and tears fall from her face.]

I don't... know what I wanted... I... thought maybe, somehow... He could praise me, and I could stay with everyone anyway... That somehow... We and he could come to terms with each other...

I don't... I wanted...

[She tries to choke down her own gasping breaths.]

.... I was scared of failing him again...