WEEK 3: CYOA (Rufus, Sumire, Taako, Dorothy)

[retellers]

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[soulus]

[Yes, now let's get started on this lesson.]

[retellers]

[ When Dorothy sits down, they will both find that they're also now wearing the school uniform. It's a fairly generic outfit that they'd find at a boarding school--slacks and a vest for Rufus, and a skirt for Dorothy. Her hair is now pleated in two braids as well.

All of the other students stare intently at the front of the classroom, when the man speaks again. ]

Mr. Wilde, would you please tell us your thoughts on God? Do you agree with Miss MacBean?

[misstrust]

[ Well. Rufus could only get out of this for so long.

Dorothy stays quiet, though she does begin fiddling with a braid. Can she undo it? ]

[soulus]

[It's only temporary—probably. He answers evenly:]

Yes. The gods departed the world long ago. It's been the way of life for all beings to rely on their own strengths for millennia. On this, I agree with her.

However, I don't know anything about your god.

[retellers]

[ If she tries to undo it, it will immediately braid itself again. Wow.

The man nods along to the explanation. The other students stare at Rufus as he speaks, and some of them even take notes. ]

Excellent, excellent. I believe it is time for a pop quiz. Miss MacBean? Please stand.

[ It seems like it isn't a request, as Dorothy will find her body moving on its own to stand up. ]

[misstrust]

[ Rude.

Not that Dorothy can really spare the irritation right now as her body promptly betrays her and she finds herself moving against her will.

She's glowering now. But hey, she's standing! ]

[soulus]

[He watches Dorothy, and her expression tells it all. Whatever this pop quiz is, they should probably brace themselves.]

[retellers]

First question, Miss MacBean.

[ A blackboard appears on the wall, and the man points to it. ]

Will you be forgiven?

[ Her legs will move on their own to the board. It looks like she is expected to write her answer on it. There's even chalk, how old fashioned. ]

[misstrust]

[ It's no use. Dorothy tries in vain to break free from whatever's forcing her to move, but once again, her legs carry her forward and there's nowhere else she can go.

Will you be forgiven?

That's what religion says all the time, isn't it? That you'll be forgiven for your sins?

But--

She picks up the chalk.

And she writes.

"I don't need to be forgiven." ]

[soulus]

[What an absurd question.

His expression tightens, and his eyes narrow once she finishes writing her answer.]

[retellers]

I see.

[ The students that are sitting close to Rufus all suddenly stand up and move towards him. They grab at his limbs, and hold onto him as tightly as they can to try to keep him from moving from the seat.

He speaks again. ]

Will you forgive her, Mr. Wilde?

[misstrust]

[ What the hell, students.

Dorothy still can't move, so she's just going to look over her shoulder in slight dismay.

Wow, Rufus must dislike all of this personal space infringement. ]

[soulus]

[He hates it. But he doesn't move.]

Forgiveness isn't for me to give.

[retellers]

That is the incorrect answer.

[ A few things happen. The first is that, Dorothy will suddenly regain control of her limbs, which is probably nice.

The second is that a noose drops from the ceiling, over Rufus' desk. As soon as Rufus sees it, he'll be hit by a strange compulsion to stand on top of the desk and to put the noose around his neck. Despite the fact that it's a compulsion, he'll still be aware that it's kind of fucked up? But it's fine, the students will help him up. ]

Miss MacBean. When Mr. Wilde steps off this desk and breaks his neck, will you be forgiven?

[misstrust]

--! St--!

[ The look on Dorothy's face in that split second is... very honestly raw and horrified and for that split second, her breath stops.

She can't hear anything. She only sees lips moving.

She only sees the noose, sees Rufus begin to move to welcome it, and for that second, a smiling face flashes through her mind but she can't remember what was said--

But she can move.

And move she does, sprinting towards them and attempting to flat-out tackle Rufus off the desk before he can get the noose around his neck.

Or, you know, knock a few of those helpful kids out of the way. Regardless.

She looks a wee bit upset. ]

[soulus]

[Of course, he's unable to see her expression when he's busy handling the noose. His hands welcome it, yet his mind—still his own—rebels at the compulsion. He expected it from the moment Dorothy moved with that frown on her face, but that doesn't make him any less furious.

And then she comes in like a wrecking ball, shouting something the while.]

[retellers]

[ They all crash together rather spectacularly.

The problem is that now the two of them are on the ground, surrounded by other students who are also on the ground, while the compulsion is still with Rufus. The other problem is that the students are immediately going to attempt to grab Dorothy this time. ]

Mr. Wilde, isn't she being rude? Don't you have anything to say to her?

[misstrust]

[ Dorothy's eyes are narrowed with a mixture of that same rawness from before and just plain rage at this point, and even as the students grab at her, she struggles to keep (and kick) them off of her and to-- well, pin Rufus on the ground so he doesn't try to sashay back up to the noose.

Granted, this is a lot of opposition she's facing and it's not like she can fend them off forever. ]

Stop it!! He has nothing to do with this!

[soulus]

[He has nothing to say, actually, so he says nothing—even as he catches a glimpse of the noose and the overpowering compulsion returns. She attempts to pin him down, succeeds perhaps two or three times, but ultimately fails between the meddling students and his body's unceasing desire to climb back onto the desk.

There he goes. The noose is within his grasp again.]

[retellers]

Of course he has everything to do with it. The Father may forgive sins, but... what of the other father? Children are always a disappointment.

[ There he goes.

Rufus can get on the desk, and he can put on the noose, and if he does, the exact moment he has it fully settled, the students will shove the desk out from under him.

The other students will choose that moment to also move away from Dorothy. ]

[misstrust]

[ Dorothy's eyes flash-- but this time she says nothing.

Instead, the instant the desk moves, the instant the students move away-- she lunges to kick the desk back into position, whirls to grab a pair of scissors off a neighboring desk and uses the desk seat as a step up to slice though the noose.

I mean, her balance is not the greatest in this moment, and she topples over almost immediately from the momentum as the scissors clatter to the floor.

But Rufus does not get to die just yet. ]

[soulus]

[His feet touch the air and the noose constricts when he finds purchase again by Dorothy's miracle. His hands reach for his neck, but at that moment she cuts the rope. Rufus sways from his own imbalanced stance, drops from the desk to the floor, and has enough of his bearings together to roll onto one knee.

He digs his fingers in to loosen what remains of the noose and throws it off of him. The scissors clatter a short distance away from him and he glances at it, then at Dorothy, and then past the blur of students at the priest.]

[retellers]

[ The priest just shrugs, as if this wasn't odd at all. The other students all get up and return to their seats, straightening any desks that were pushed or toppled over earlier.

A door to the left suddenly appears, ready to be opened. Everyone just stares at the two, their expressions annoyed, like it's their fault for holding up the lesson. ]

[misstrust]

[ Dorothy slowly pushes herself up, blinks back moisture in her eyes that certainly isn't tears, and just silently moves over to take Rufus' hand and pull him towards the door.

He can deal with it, she's not letting go until they're through. ]

[soulus]

[He can deal with it.

There's nothing more to be done here, apparently. Through the door, they go.]