![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
You open the door to find what looks like a storage room, with marionettes hanging on the walls that look like yourself and the other guests of the Starlight Hotel. The strings belonging to any guests who are dead have been cut, and the expressions on their painted faces are grotesque and in pain. The marionettes of the living stare eerily at you with glassy, lifeless eyes, as if they're waiting for someone to pick them up and make them move. If you try to touch any of the marionettes of the living, you will hear a voice hiss "M̶̦͕̰̼͊̆i̴̱͒̌͜N̵̘̎̏̔e̸̛̟͆͝ͅ". You will then suddenly find yourself back in the hall, disoriented and feeling like you've just been slapped on the wrist. Only four minutes have passed.
[ it's no #1, but 7 is supposed to be lucky, right?? so this seems like as good a room as any to check out! (it is not.)
sebastian opens the door and peeks inside. time to find out what fresh puppet hell awaits us here. ]
Well, not yet, anyway...
[ but he sure wouldn't be surprised if they started!!!
he'll go over for a closer look too, though he's still hanging a little further back, because yikes. and speaking of yikes, now that he's actually seeing the face on one of these things— ]
H-hey, isn't this...
[ but he sure wouldn't be surprised if they started!!!
he'll go over for a closer look too, though he's still hanging a little further back, because yikes. and speaking of yikes, now that he's actually seeing the face on one of these things— ]
H-hey, isn't this...
Right?! It's weird!
[ also stepping a little closer! he's curious about the craftsmanship, but once he realizes how they were designed, he pulls back. ]
What the heck...? It'd be one thing if they just wanted to put on a show, but why would they look like they're being hurt?
[ also stepping a little closer! he's curious about the craftsmanship, but once he realizes how they were designed, he pulls back. ]
What the heck...? It'd be one thing if they just wanted to put on a show, but why would they look like they're being hurt?
Yeah, that's exactly why I carry it everywhere! You never know what kind of dangerous or gross stuff you might find at a crime scene!
[ nods ]
O-okay then! ...This one's you, right?
[ double checking because you are relatively normal looking?? anyway, okay, with confirmation on that, he's just going to... gently touch the marionette's hair with the tip of the baton... ]
[ nods ]
O-okay then! ...This one's you, right?
[ double checking because you are relatively normal looking?? anyway, okay, with confirmation on that, he's just going to... gently touch the marionette's hair with the tip of the baton... ]
It's a really good idea! I never even thought of it before.
Yep yep! Look, it's got my hat and everything.
[ it'd be cute if not for the grotesque expression. anyway he waits for seb to do his thing! ]
...I didn't feel a thing! So that rules out the voodoo doll theory.
Yep yep! Look, it's got my hat and everything.
[ it'd be cute if not for the grotesque expression. anyway he waits for seb to do his thing! ]
...I didn't feel a thing! So that rules out the voodoo doll theory.
No, you don't have to apologize. I'm just worried about you, is all. It sounded kind of personal to you...?
...Ah, but you don't have to tell me anything if you don't want to. I know talking about some things can be hard, so I just want to make sure you're okay. We could also just try to find something to get your mind off of it for now.
[ does seb want to talk or does he want a distraction? kazu's here to offer it either way. ]
...Ah, but you don't have to tell me anything if you don't want to. I know talking about some things can be hard, so I just want to make sure you're okay. We could also just try to find something to get your mind off of it for now.
[ does seb want to talk or does he want a distraction? kazu's here to offer it either way. ]
[ he nods slowly. ]
Yeah, I... guess I got kind of, um.
[ he bites his lip, not sure what adjective he wants to use there, and finally just drops it. ]
Well. My mom just... disappeared a few years ago. Like, I came home from school one day, and she wasn't there. And I still don't really know what happened, or why she left.
[ he fidgets with the hem of one of his gloves. ]
I-I'm not mad at her, because, you know, maybe something happened, or maybe there was a reason.
[ and maybe it was him. ]
...But when I asked that guy why he didn't tell his wife he was okay, he just said he didn't feel like it! So... I got really mad about it. I know it's not even the same situation, since she was probably sure he was dead, but still... I mean, I remember Pops cried a lot when he told me he couldn't find her...
Yeah, I... guess I got kind of, um.
[ he bites his lip, not sure what adjective he wants to use there, and finally just drops it. ]
Well. My mom just... disappeared a few years ago. Like, I came home from school one day, and she wasn't there. And I still don't really know what happened, or why she left.
[ he fidgets with the hem of one of his gloves. ]
I-I'm not mad at her, because, you know, maybe something happened, or maybe there was a reason.
[ and maybe it was him. ]
...But when I asked that guy why he didn't tell his wife he was okay, he just said he didn't feel like it! So... I got really mad about it. I know it's not even the same situation, since she was probably sure he was dead, but still... I mean, I remember Pops cried a lot when he told me he couldn't find her...
[ whoa he didn't actually expect seb to talk about it but honestly? good for him. he probably needs this. ]
Oh...
[ yeah, the trial outburst is totally understandable now. kazu touches his arm, gentle and reassuring. you're not alone, little guy. ]
It must have really hurt to hear that, after what you and your dad went through. I'm sorry, buddy.
Oh...
[ yeah, the trial outburst is totally understandable now. kazu touches his arm, gentle and reassuring. you're not alone, little guy. ]
It must have really hurt to hear that, after what you and your dad went through. I'm sorry, buddy.
[ well, he'd already done such a bad job of keeping it bottled up like usual today that he might as well give someone an explanation so he doesn't just look insane... besides, he doesn't usually have anyone actually offer to listen to anything he has to say.
...well, not back home, anyway. the touch on his arm reminds him a little of jeanne. it's nice. ]
Yeah... I-it's okay, though. I mean, it's usually fine.
There's just... a lot going on.
[ obviously. ]
...well, not back home, anyway. the touch on his arm reminds him a little of jeanne. it's nice. ]
Yeah... I-it's okay, though. I mean, it's usually fine.
There's just... a lot going on.
[ obviously. ]
[ what the fuck that's so sad?! WHY AREN'T THEY NICE TO SEBASTIAN?! ]
Maybe it's something you've gotten used to, but that doesn't make it okay. It still hurt, didn't it? No matter how smart or how good of a prosecutor you are, that kind of thing doesn't just go away.
Maybe it's something you've gotten used to, but that doesn't make it okay. It still hurt, didn't it? No matter how smart or how good of a prosecutor you are, that kind of thing doesn't just go away.
...Do you get a lot of time to yourself? Or are you always busy working on cases and stuff?
[ he gets the feeling seb is the type of guy who needs to prove himself to everyone and does that by not letting himself feel his feelings when he needs to and that's? really worrying? ]
[ he gets the feeling seb is the type of guy who needs to prove himself to everyone and does that by not letting himself feel his feelings when he needs to and that's? really worrying? ]
Page 1 of 5