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

[retellers]

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[retellers]

[ There's a pause, and they all remove their hoods. While it was the small brunette who spoke first, this time, the blonde steps forward with a smile. ]

Would you like to see the lecture? Your friend will enjoy it.

[misstrust]

[ Dorothy can only stare at them, looking both conflicted and resigned. Of course. Of course.

They're not really here. Rather, she thinks, they can't all be here like this. But her eyes still darken a bit. ]

If I say no, you'll show it anyway, won't you?

[soulus]

[That's different.

Rufus remains silent. Enjoying it is doubtful, but it seems they must let this nonsense run its course to proceed.]

[retellers]

[ Princess just smiles. ]

I'm sorry, but you know how school is. [ There's a gentle laugh. ] Although this one's a little different from ours...

[ All three girls look towards their right. If Dorothy and Rufus do as well, they'll see that there is now a new addition to the wall. Specifically, there is someone chained to it, a gaping wound in her stomach as blood and, probably organs, pour out of it and towards the ground. She's staring right at Rufus.

Princess speaks again. ]

Sorry about the mess.

[misstrust]

Wh--

[ Wait, she's... has she seen this woman before? She looks vaguely familiar, but she can't quite place where--

Rather, the woman's also got a hole in her stomach and she's bleeding and Dorothy reaches out to hook her fingers into Princess' collar and drag her in close. Please go to the bleeding woman, Rufus. ]

What are you doing?

[soulus]

[Rufus hasn't seen his mother in many centuries—at least, not the mother from whom he inherited the colors of his hair and eyes. Seeing her like this in the flesh now, he can only convince himself that she's nothing but an illusion. After all, she passed away so many years ago.

Why is it that, no matter where he sees her nowadays, she never smiles? Why must misery dog her very existence at all times?

Well, he has a feeling as to why.

He stares back at the tortured image of his mother on the wall, unmoving.]

[retellers]

[ Princess allows herself to be grabbed, as Beatrice and Chise just watch. ]

This is the lesson. The mothers always die, don't they?

[ Melanie makes a soft gasping noise, and one of her hands reach out. ]

[misstrust]

You know that's not true!

[ She should probably not shake Princess, even her murderous doppelganger. Ange would be so scandalized.

... But Ange is also not here, so she shakes her anyway before she shoves her back.

God, can they just leave

Is there a door ]

[soulus]

[They do, actually.

No matter how much his heart may ache, he's arrested by the simple fact that this has to be an illusion. He knows better. But the sentimental part of him continues to look at his mother while he coldly addresses the three girls.]

When does the lesson end?

[retellers]

[ Beatrice speaks this time. ]

It ends when you end it.

[ Because the only door is the one they came from, and it won't open.

But Rufus will find that there is now a knife in his hand. His mother stares at him. ]

[misstrust]

...

[ Dorothy... doesn't have anything to say to that. Nothing she could really say would help him, anyway.

So instead she falls silent, frowning. ]

[soulus]

[It ends when the mother dies. Of course.

The noose was the same. He had to hang before Dorothy could cut him down. Rufus feels the knife in his hand and approaches the wall on the girls' right where the image of his mother is chained.]

[retellers]

[ The three girls fall quiet. Princess, still smiling pleasantly, will reach over to grab Dorothy's other hand. Very tightly.

Melanie continues to just look at Rufus... until she speaks. Her voice is weak, although it's hard to tell if that's from sickness or the whole disemboweled thing. ]

Maybe he'll come back now...?

[misstrust]

[ Dorothy pauses, glancing down at Princess and her tight grip on her hand.

What, does she think Dorothy would be able to stop him? She just shakes her head and doesn't move. Princess will probably let go when Rufus... finishes.

But it does make her feel a little sick to watch. ]

[soulus]

[Rufus stares.

He never could fault his mother for her undying attachment to his father when he's the same way. Perhaps this is another quality he's inherited from her. No matter how painful or out of reach someone may be, love endures.

His grip around the knife tightens.]

. . . He already did.

[Despite everything, a part of him is happy about that.

In the next breath, he drives the knife above her gaping wound—between the ribs—into her heart.]

[retellers]

[ She doesn't look away from him, until she can't look at anything anymore.

There's a quiet moment, but then Princess lets go of Dorothy to clap her hands together. ]

It's time for the next lesson!

[ The door opens, but it looks like the three girls are going to follow them. ]

[misstrust]

[ Why.

Dorothy will wait for Rufus to start moving before she heads out of the classroom with a grimly set expression, but why does the posse have to come with them. ]

[soulus]

[That's two down. Rufus turns around to stride out of the classroom without a word nor a backward glance at the four of them.]

[retellers]

[ It's fine.

Oddly enough, no one else in the hall seems to bother them. In fact, they're all looking away as they pass by, like they're nervous.

When they pass by a certain door, however, Princess, Beatrice, and Chise stop. ]

This one is next.

[misstrust]

[ Can't imagine why people would be nervous, Rufus only just stabbed his mother in the chest!!

Dorothy prefers not being approached though, and as they come to the next door, she merely looks at the three of them.

And sighs.

And into the classroom!! ]

[soulus]

[The students aren't important. Rufus follows Dorothy inside.]

[retellers]

[ This classroom is also full of students. They're all wearing the weird cult robes? They're also standing in a circle. In the middle, drawn on the ground in what is probably blood, are some strange symbols.

They all look up at the group as they enter. Princess steps forward. ]

Here we are! Into the circle.

[misstrust]

... [ Yeah, no. She's going to stop short.

She's agreed to a lot but this just looks Problematic. ]

Afraid I'll have to pass.

[soulus]

[Well, nothing's going to happen if they dawdle. The two of them can deal with the consequences as they come. Dorothy can stay, because Rufus walks past her to enter the circle in her stead.]

[retellers]

[ I love Rufus.

However, the love is probably not mutual. When he steps into the circle, he will probably feel an odd sensation on his body. It's probably nothing? Until he looks at his left hand, and he still see that the skin on it is currently melting off. Still, probably nothing. ]