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

[retellers]

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[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.]

[retellers]

[ They walk out into another hallway, except this one appears to be more like a modern high school hallway than the last one they were in. Lockers and classroom doors are everywhere, as well as students walking down the hall. They're all in the same uniform as the ones from inside the classroom. They all also look at the pair as they pass by them.

In the distance, they can hear organ music again. ]

[misstrust]

[ Can she be free of the braids yet--

But Dorothy has never been inside a modern high school and is also a great deal more wary for Some Reason, but she will let go of Rufus' hand and just focus on proceeding. ]

[soulus]

[He ignores the students. And now that his hand has been released, he straightens to walk briskly beside Dorothy toward the source of the music.]

[retellers]

[ It'll be hard to find the source of it, since it sounds like it's coming from the broadcast system.

One of the students does step in front of them. ]

Hi! Are you new?

[misstrust]

[ What a terrible school. ]

Just exploring. We're on our way out.

[ Hopefully. ]

[soulus]

Yes.

[They're new and they're on their way out.]

[retellers]

But there's a football game today. We're going against our longtime rivals!

[ Passing students start to whoop excitedly. There's a lot of team spirit here. ]

But next period is going to start. You should get to class.

[misstrust]

Yes, we'll be sure to do that. We wouldn't want to be late.

[ Narrator Voice: Dorothy was not sure to do that. ]

[soulus]

[Rufus does not want to go to class. But they don't have much of a choice, do they?]

[retellers]

[ She points to the nearest classroom. A few students are trickling into it. ]

Remember, it's for a brighter future.

[misstrust]

...

[ This smile is so beatific. ]

Right... of course.

[ Fine, whatever. INTO THE STUPID CLASSROOM. ]

[soulus]

[They didn't even go down the future road. Into the classroom, they go.]

[retellers]

[ The man isn't in this room, but it's filled with students like the last one was.

At the front of the room, are three of the robed figures who were sitting in the church pews. They're still praying. There are also two empty seats for Dorothy and Rufus. ]

[misstrust]

[ The first thing Dorothy does is scan the room for that man and-- well, he's either not here or cosplaying, so she takes a quiet breath and moves to sit down.

She doesn't entertain any notions that this will be pleasant, but maybe they won't try to make Rufus kill himself again. ]

[soulus]

[While Dorothy scans the room, Rufus watches the robed figures. Once it's evident that they'll just continue to pray, he moves to sit down.]