CYOA week 3: souji, clementine, alphinaud

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PRELUDE

[ercnerd]

[Suddenly, the dreary mansion is no more. The ground gives way to a dim void where a series of large stone platforms loom in suspension, each emanating one of five colors—blue, red, green, purple, and yellow—from the carvings along their stone bodies. The lights penetrate the dense fog shrouding the platforms like lanterns lighting an esoteric path that spans the dimension, while the very air sways as if to guide the lost souls onto it.

However, the sheer distance between each fenced off platform makes that an impossibility. There's no mistaking that this is a holy place—one unintended to be treaded by mortals.

A rancid stench permeates the air where the fog parts around Souji, Clementine, and Alphinaud, who stand near the edge of a darkened platform. The carvings here glow a vibrant red, and the point of a cross-shaped engraving on the floor under their feet directs their collective gaze toward the scene ahead: a veritable hill of corpses, forming a ring around a large pool of red in the center.]

[illomened]

[UMMMMM HE WANTS A REFUND ACTUALLY BEING DEAD SUCKS.

But okay - okay, this is fine. Souji is a fighter, after all, despite his general demeanor. He thrives on the battlefield more than just about everywhere else, and as soon as he recognizes that he's in unfamiliar surroundings, he's glancing about and taking stock. Clementine and Alphinaud are here, so he's not alone and he has two people to keep an eye out for. No weapons on his person. Saizo is gone, thankfully. The air has the hairs on the back of his neck prickling, and as his gaze eventually falls on the mountain of corpses, his lips purse.

Well. First things first.]

--Has anything like this happened to either of you before?

[sageguidance]

[ Oh. Yeah, actually, being dead hella sucks.

Alphinaud tenses the moment he realizes what he's seeing, which comes belatedly, seeing as he was so suddenly whisked away from the mansion. Well, in part of that; the other comes from the stench offending his senses, and he attempts to hide a gag by pressing a hand to his mouth.

He doesn't need to ask where it's coming from, however. ]

... If you mean finding yourself elsewhere entirely, [ the words are slightly muffled by his hand. ] then I fear the answer is yes.

[stillnot]

[ mmmm, don't like this. clementine looks ready to run. not away necessarily, but just in general. she's used to the answer to danger being 'relocate asap' - especially when she's unarmed.

she is more alarmed by the glowing stuff than the corpses. those are normal. sometimes you put corpses around to deter people. sometimes you build walls out of them. don't worry about it. ]

Hadn't happened yet, here. I was kind of hoping we wouldn't have to deal with this.

[ since they're DEAD AND ALL. we still have to do cyoas when we're dead?! cruelty. ]

MEMORY CORE

[ercnerd]

[When they next blink into awareness with the familiar warmth of celestial blood coursing through their reanimated bodies, Souji, Clementine, and Alphinaud find themselves standing in the middle of a large hall. The hall is as dim as the temple whence they came, but it and the moonlit corridors that empty out in each cardinal direction are clear of fog. Unlike the temple, the air here feels more alive.

"Sieghart" and the bodies are nowhere to be seen.]

[illomened]

[this is the funniest shit help me WELL THAT HAPPENED. Souji blinks back into existence in pretty rough shape, still looking pretty Generally Singed and also coughing up a handful of blood into his palm. IT'S FINE.

It's probably not fine. At least the air here isn't so dead... And nothing seems immediately ready to attack them. He'll glance around, seemingly unbothered by his physical state. He's pushed through worse, after all.]

--I think we should try to stay together...

[Considering they have several directions they could go.]

[sageguidance]

[ Alphinaud too blinks back to existence, the moment so jarring he starts in place. He's singed and lightly battered, but feels... weirdly okay, considering what just happened.

(It did, didn't it? He could almost swear that maybe, just maybe...) ]

Y- yes, but... Souji, are you well?

[stillnot]

[ NO i didn't have the post tracked just the thread and i'm stupid!!!!!

anyway clementine is. a little shaken. okay. this is fine.

yeah souji, are you well? ]

... We're going to have to fight either way, I think.

WEST - SOUJI

[ercnerd]

[Taking the corridor to the west, Souji arrives alone at a moonlit room, where a hooded figure in white-gold cloak receives him. As he approaches, a bright light emanates from the figure and engulfs the room in blinding white.

The flash fades and Hijikata Toshizo stands before him, illuminated by the moonlight.]

[illomened]

[FIRST OF ALL

WHERE'S HIS FCKIN GROUP HOLY SHIT.

Except he barely has the chance to glance around and wonder where's my fckin group holy shit before he's distracted by 1) the flash of brightass light and 2) the fact that--]

Hijikata-san—!?

[--well. Even if he knows it can't be real, it's his reflex to react like this - to call out and to rush forward. It's been such a very long time since he's last seen his vice-commander, after all.]

[ercnerd]

[Hijikata regards Souji with an impassive mien, neither cordial nor hostile. When he speaks, it's perhaps not in a manner that Souji is accustomed to hearing, as if someone else is speaking through him:]

Do you regret failing to pave the way forward for your brothers?

EAST - CLEMENTINE

[ercnerd]

[Taking the corridor to the east, Clementine arrives alone at a moonlit room, where a hooded figure in white-gold cloak receives her. As she approaches, a bright light emanates from the figure and engulfs the room in blinding white.

The flash fades and Cloud Strife stands before her, illuminated by the moonlight.]

[stillnot]

[ huh. well first she turns around, looking for alphinaud or souji, but...

no luck. so, to the cloaked figure: ]

I know you're not real.

[ercnerd]

[Cloud doesn't contest this. His expression is blank and and his manner of speaking, different.]

The death didn't take, yet you still feel guilt. Shall we erase the events of that night? You need only stay your hands.

SOUTH - ALPHINAUD

[ercnerd]

[Taking the corridor to the south, Alphinaud arrives alone at a moonlit room, where a hooded figure in white-gold cloak receives him. As he approaches, a bright light emanates from the figure and engulfs the room in blinding white.

The flash fades and Estinien stands before him, illuminated by the moonlight.]

[sageguidance]

[ He’s shocked at first, but in a few short seconds this goes to relief, and then dread. ]

No—no.

[ Alphinaud looks away. ]

I will not fall for this ruse. You cannot be him.

[ercnerd]

[The figure wearing Estinien's face remains inscrutable before Alphinaud's accusation. His tone is as even as his expression.]

Even with the two of you by her side, the Lady Iceheart perished before the end of her time . . . or perhaps it is because you were there that such a fate befell her.

[ercnerd]

[Souji and Alphinaud awaken in the middle of what can only be described as space. Looking around, all they see are each other, the baseball bat by Alphinaud's feet, and the occasional star that shoots by in the distance. Clementine and their respective figures are nowhere to be seen.]

[sageguidance]

[ Indeed, he awakens—with a startled gasp.

As if he had just escaped a horrible nightmare, he inhales and exhales deeply, eyes darting around frantically, a hand instantly raising to his chest. And there's... nothing? There's a dull ache, in both his body and head, but he dares not undress to view what may or may not be there. ]

I— I... Is that you for true, Souji...?

BODY CORE

[ercnerd]

[The terrain is icy and the air, heavy enough to choke. The party feels a bone-deep chill in their very cores that's only exacerbated by their frigid surroundings.

Farther along the frozen path, a pool of gelid water stirs at their presence. The water churns and rises to harden into the silhouettes of more old faces that glow a chilling blue. They turn brightly lit eyes toward the party.

Passing along the ice that makes up their bodies, their voices are guttural and distorted as they address their counterparts.]

Honey . . . you . . . kept that hair sh-short.

Alphinaud . . . h-how you've grown . . .

S-Souji . . . you look . . better . . .

[illomened]

[Well. He's distracted by Kondo's ice clone for a second, but he's even harder to face than Hijikata's doppleganger. HE JUST DOES WHAT HE DOES BEST IN THESE SITUATIONS which is to ignore his problems.

In this case, he ignores them by focusing on the Real Clem whose head he just took off, looking for her first to make sure she's in one piece. He's also looking for Alphinaud just to make sure he's fine too, and not chewing anyone's neckmeat.]

—Clem?

[sageguidance]

[ Despite Jae's insistence, Alphinaud is here, and he is NOT chewing on anyone's neckmeats.

Instead, he's taking yet another moment to regain his bearings as a chill courses through his entire self. He wraps both arms around himself, when the twisted voice of Ysayle rings in his ears.

Gods. Why would they do this? Like Souji, Alphinaud turns to ignore this poor imitation of a dear, old friend. ]

Is she here—?

SOUL CORE

[ercnerd]

[The party awakens once more at the temple. The bodies have gone, and the crater that once held their blood is no more, as if neither had ever been.

Across the platform, "Sieghart" manifests again.]

How much longer do you intend to go on?

[illomened]

[Well.

As usual, the first thing he does is glance around to take stock of the two Real Companions he's got with him and make sure they're in decent-ish shape despite partying hard in the "dying and killing our friends" club for the last while. In the meantime, he is really suffering from his heal nerf!! He's died so many times and not a single damb time has he come back in good health!! Rapid downhill slopes of physical well-being aren't new to him, at least...

He glances at "Sieghart" as he speaks, brow furrowed, perhaps mildly incredulous even through the volley of coughs that follow.]

How much longer will this go on for?

["That, however long that is" is the answer.]

[sageguidance]

[ Alphinaud is... again, mostly okay!! Poor Souji really could have used his regenerative percentage, huh...

Well. Once again, he jolts to consciousness, barely able to register his surroundings for a moment—until it becomes clear. Alphinaud gasps, as if he's come to a halt after running so far, and looks between this image of Sieghart and Souji. ]

Damn it all... Souji, don't—do not push yourself further...

[ He'll let the other two yell at this guy. ]