[IC] [Reverie] SEPTEMBER 2022 - PALACE GAME

[pyrighteous]

[ Welcome to the inside of Hunter's heart! Potential CWs include (but are not limited to):

- Torture
- Character death
- Gaslighting/manipulation/bad parenting
- Child abuse (onscreen and implied)
- Experimentation/vivisection
- Body horror
- Drowning
- Full Owl House Spoilers

Generally speaking the onscreen stuff will be kept PG-13 (this is a Disney cartoon after all!) but the implications may be exponentially more horrific (this is a Disney cartoon after all!!)

If at any point you are uncomfortable or need to me take extra care in glossing over ANY topic, please ping me right away in Discord. I am happy to do everything I can to keep this game fun for everyone! ]

Toplevels:

START AREA - GENERAL
- Session 1
- Session 2
- Session 3

???

AFTERMATH - GENERAL

Comments

[agentgymstudent]

Can you really say you believe that?

Can you honestly say you don't doubt his promise? That he's really 'doing his best?'

[pyrighteous]

[ Silent again. that is absolutely doubt. ]

What else can I do?

[agentgymstudent]

[He steps forward again, holding out his hand.]

Trust the people who offer help without it having to be a 'deal.'

I'm not here, forcing you to be a friend. I won't ask for you to owe me a favor. I don't need anything from you at all. All I care about, is making sure you're okay, and you're given back control of your life. Its like when I gave you the stamp kit. I'm doing this because I can and because I want to help you.

And I know I'm not the only person here with those intentions. I know Flapjack is, and the other people who came from the outside, at least some are the same.

Trust the people who have shown you kindness without demanding you earn it.

[pyrighteous]

[ The stamp kit ... the guard's head snaps up as he remembers that.

He's silent a moment more. ]

It doesn't feel right. Not earning it.

[agentgymstudent]

I know.

When you spend your life doing something a certain way, its very hard to change. It doesn't feel right. It makes perfect sense you feel that way, others in positions like yours have felt the same.

But the truth is, kindness is not something to be earned. People choose to be kind because they want to be kind. Those reasons can vary, sure, but if people say they will only be kind because you do something?

That isn't kindness, that's bargaining.

You deserve more then to live a bargained life.

[pyrighteous]

[ The guard shivers. Then ... slowly, lowers his mask.

It's Hunter under there, but his face is cracked and broken. Pieces missing. ]

I don't deserve much of anything any more.

[agentgymstudent]

[He's going to keep stepping forward, getting closer to the Guard. Undeterred by the broken face.]

You deserve kindness.

You deserve friendship.

You deserve love.

You're too young to deserve anything less then that.

[pyrighteous]

[ The guard keeps stepping back until he's up against a wall. ]

I ... I ...

[agentgymstudent]

[He stops in front of him.]

[He makes sure there is more then enough space for the guard to go to either side. He will not pin him in, won't cut off his escape routes.]

And even if you don't believe you deserve it, sometimes people can get things they don't deserve.

I offer my kindness, I offer my friendship. I can promise those to you now.

[pyrighteous]

[ Look, he appreciates that. It makes him just a little bit less panicked to be receiving a friendship speech.

He takes in a deep breath. ]

You can't go back on that. Do you hear me? If you don't mean it, I don't want it!

[agentgymstudent]

There are a lot of things I don't remember about myself.

But the one thing I know for certainty is I will never stab anyone in the back who trusts me. [He lifts up his hand again.] I swear on the lives of my friends, I mean it.

[pyrighteous]

[ The guard looks down at his feet, the holes in his face even more obvious from that angle. But they're healing just a little bit. ]

Fine. I'll trust you. Just this once.

[agentgymstudent]

[He smiles.] Thank you, Hunter.

I won't take this chance for granted.

Who would you recommend I help next through the portraits?

[pyrighteous]

[ He rubs at his face. ]

The worst spots are in there.

[ He gestures at the muck pit, the mass grave, and the sinking birdcage. ]

[agentgymstudent]

[He looks over and nods.]

I'll start in those places. I can go alone or you can come with me, it's your choice. Or...what weird mindscapes let's you do.

[He focuses on Hunter.] Do you want a hug before I get started? You seem like you could use one, but it's all right if you don't want it?

[pyrighteous]

I - I don't go into the paintings. I mean, I can, but I can't go in very far.

[ He's very stiff, but. ]

F-fine. A hug is. Fine. But only because you look like you need one too!

[agentgymstudent]

All right, that's fair. And if you need me to come right out, you can call for me from the start.

It has been a tough few days. [He's fine, but he'll give the deniability.]

[Then he will move forward and hug Hunter, careful, but sincere because he's actually pretty good at hugs.]

[pyrighteous]

[ And despite his protests, Hunter hugs back. Gently? Then kind of desperately. ]

[agentgymstudent]

[This kid clearly needs more hugs in his life.]

[Will hug him for as long as he needs!!!]

[pyrighteous]

[ he needs SO many hugs

Eventually, he wriggles and detaches. ]

[agentgymstudent]

[He will pull back when he moves to disengage.]

I'll be back soon.

[He's gonna head for the birdcage. The others may be more traumatic, but birdcage probably has to do with agency.]

[pyrighteous]

[ Have fun! ]