Sea Witch/Hook Game

[oceansoftime]

*So, here we are, stuck in a cell on a boat. Homura is pacing, trying (and failing) to keep a cool head as she ponders the options with which they've been presented.*

. . . . . .

Comments

[becoming_hope]

[tearing up] I don't want you to die.

B-but if the Personae take out bargain, then you won't right?

[oceansoftime]

Right. If they take it, we'll both be all right.

[becoming_hope]

[holding out a shaky hand] They- they have to accept!

Why do games like this even have to happen?

[oceansoftime]

*Taking her hand, drawing her close for a hug* Because they can. They have the power to inflict any torment they can think of upon us, and they don't hesitate to use it. That's the kind of being the Personae are.

[becoming_hope]

[holding on as tight as she can] Not all of them, surely.

[oceansoftime]

No. But the ones who are are more than enough.

[becoming_hope]

They're horrible.

[oceansoftime]

Mmm.

*Falls into BROODING SILENCE, someone is starting to have second thoughts 8'D*

[becoming_hope]

Homura-chan...

[noticing brooding]

[oceansoftime]

. . . Madoka. About the offer we were discussing . . . are you really sure?

[becoming_hope]

I am. But if you're not, that's fine. We can think of something else.

[oceansoftime]

I think we had better. No matter how painful the outcome of this game might be, it won't be permanent. But what we'd be risking just might be. It's too much.

[becoming_hope]

So we have to think of something else. Something else which we can regain, or won't miss that much, but which would still work.

[oceansoftime]

Right. Perhaps the offer to do a task or a quest? I don't relish serving the Personae, especially these two, but . . .

[becoming_hope]

Though it sounds like they'd want us to decide what the task or quest would be.

[oceansoftime]

You're right . . . an open offer probably wouldn't get us anywhere. And would be far too dangerous, at any rate.

[becoming_hope]

Yeah, I think those two have really good imaginations. [feeling kinda sick]

[oceansoftime]

Quite.

*ugh back to pacing as Homura tries to think of something that even kinda might work*

[becoming_hope]

[eventually joins her in pacing, head going blank]

[oceansoftime]

*Stops, sighs*

. . . I can't think of anything. In a situation like this, you'd think all sorts of things would occur to me, but . . .

[becoming_hope]

But that's just the problem. There are no limits, no hints...

[oceansoftime]

Right. We can infer that it would have to be something that would be a major sacrifice--otherwise it wouldn't be worth a life. Not to mention the fact that we're competing against other offerings.

[becoming_hope]

I wonder how many people are here...

[maybe that was a bad thing to wonder about]

[oceansoftime]

. . . Don't think about them, Madoka. I know it sounds cold, but there's nothing we can do for them right now.

[becoming_hope]

[nods slowly] I can't shut it off, but I can focus on making sure we don't... We don't...