[speaking of memories! there's another shower of stardust.
You walk alongside your companion, following a much smaller guide to your destination.
The mood is somber, which is unsurprising. Morale in general has been low for weeks now, and your own morale has absolutely tanked this weekend. You can still hardly believe that he is gone. Having found the person who took his life does not make it better at all; you had thought that you would feel something, having avenged him, but mostly you feel numb.
Your companion speaks.
"—So you know, what you see will probably alarm you some. But I can guarantee it's an excellent method of preserving the dead."
You go a little tense, but you nod. Better for him to be preserved than not.
"I... I see. I will attempt to steel myself."
Your guide leads you on until you arrive at your destination. You step through the entrance, are welcomed in by the person whose space this is - "Please come in. I'm... sorry if it's a little alarming." - and look around. It's a cavern, with some touches that make it look lived in, but the most striking thing about it is the pool of deep red water.
It smells of blood.
Your companion explains your purpose in coming here and makes his way to the edge of the pool of blood, unpacking suture kit; you follow, trying not to breathe the scent of the blood in too deeply. You know from their explanation that it's necessary to preserve the bodies, and you're not unfamiliar with the scent; you're a healer, and you've seen your fair share of bloodshed. But that doesn't mean you revel in it.
You certainly don't revel in this, either.
Your companion and your host look down into the pool for the body - and the head - of the person you have come here for. You start to reach out, as well, but your companion asks for your host's help, rather than yours, and you're left feeling a little uncertain. Your host, when he gets hold of the body, is careful not to pull him all the way out.
"I know this must be... difficult to see. They can't leave the pool entirely. But I can... hold him, for you both. To let you work."
Your companion retrieves his head, asks you to thread the needle, and then -
"I'll show you how to do the first few stitches, and then I can help hold him steady if you'd like to take over from there. We could do it the other way around, too."
"I can do that." You want to help. You need to do something to help, because you could do nothing to prevent this death. This feels like it's the best you can do for him. "...I would like to do the stitching, once I have seen how. I know in theory, but..."
You think back to the needlework you've done before. The delicate sprigs of lavender you stitched into a scarf, so you could hide it and surprise him with the gift, and your heart feels heavy. You hand the threaded needle over to your companion when the head is back in place where it needs to be, and he shows you just how to stitch.
It isn't so different.
He holds the needle out to you, and you take it. It's slow going, and you struggle with detail-oriented tasks even at the best of times. But this is important, and you give it your all. One stitch, after another, after another. Slow and methodical, but precise.
It takes time, but you had spent so much time with him before he died.
You can at least spend this amount of time with him now.
Fuck you, I have a much bigger stomach than you would expect! My appetite is second to none! Hahahahaha, you think I wouldn't be able to eat you? Wishful thinking...
[they do not acknowledge the second part of what he says.]
Tch. Did you have any other questions about the weird memory shit that the hotel is just don't on its own and no there's no way to stop it why do people keep asking that even when they came from places where it happened for a full week before...
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[speaking of memories! there's another shower of stardust.
virgo freezes.]
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this doesn't seem like them at all?
it takes a moment to shake off the sight, the body and the pool of blood and what they were doing.]
-Virgo?
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What?!
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[and, because they certainly didn't speak so roughly in that memory:]
...nor do you need to continue speaking so, if you do not wish to.
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[they do not acknowledge the second part of what he says.]
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It was still your memories being shown whether you wanted them to be or not for a full-ass week, wasn't it?!
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[...he shakes his head, exhales a huff of a breath.]
If you've no insight on the matter, then no, I've no further questions.
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they shadow portal away]