You were successful in repelling the robots attacking the city, but you've been left with far too many questions. For once, Tails doesn't have any answers for you, and a gloomy uncertainty has fallen over your three allies. It probably doesn't help that everyone had a rough time of it last week. A win is a win, but it doesn't really feel like a win when you're not even sure who this unknown threat is...
Regardless, life goes on. Things are a bit different this week in Chicago, however.
THE CITY
You'll need to be careful now more than ever when heading out into the city. Though Eggman's usual robots are still present, their numbers have been cut drastically. Far fewer drones patrol the streets, with only the occasional tank or B33 to be seen. You can still find and fight them, and they will still call for backup, but it seems like you all really have destroyed a lot of them.
But there are the new additions to Eggman's forces. Unlike the white chrome versions, these are here to cause problems. You can find them patrolling sometimes... but usually you'll find them in the city proper, destroying whatever they can. Whenever they catch sight of you, they will stop at nothing to try to pursue you and destroy you.
The city itself is still undergoing changes, with more of that white chrome spreading throughout, as if infecting the structures themselves. The Badniks will still destroy even that, though; it's more like they're mindless machines than carrying out any precise orders.
But in a stroke of good luck, occasionally you'll find that some of the humans recognize the danger they're in. It's only when confronted with a robot - but you might hear a scream, or see them try to run away, and if you save them, you may even be able to get a few words in before they simply return to their monotonous lives. You won't be able to get any truly valuable information from them, but they will thank you repeatedly for helping. They don't seem to realize that they're being controlled by someone else, even if you ask them about it.
VISIONS
If you thought last week was a lot, get ready for the madness of week 4!
You may still have nightmares. You may still be pulled into each others' nightmares (same as last week, if you'd like to play out more of these). Or maybe you'll finally be able to catch a break and get some z's, but even if you are lucky enough for that, you'll still be dealing with everything else.
You may find yourself randomly teleported into the city. This happens at random, and can happen to multiple people at the same time. One minute you may be waking up, the next you'll find yourself surrounded by robots ready to kill you. And yeah, the robots are a feature, not a bug. No matter how it happens, you will always be facing down robots whenever you're brought into the city. Enjoy!
But maybe your luck holds out and you're unaffected by that. Well, there's still the visions to deal with!
There are two different kinds of visions that may happen.
The first are the more minor ones - where you may see the people closest to you (positive or negative). They will appear for others as well, and they will gladly speak with you - though they aren't exactly behaving in the way they should. They will torment you, reminding you of past failures and imperfections, and speaking as though everything is your fault. They will follow you wherever you go, and will only fade when someone else has helped you come to terms with the horrid things they're saying. These visions are a manifestation of a character's psyche and thus are based on their own perceptions of their friends/enemies and their own faults. They're incapable of interacting with the world or the characters, but they sure can insult you!
The second are much larger in scope. No matter where you were, you may find yourself pulled into friend's memory. These memories are one-for-one versions of what exactly happened, though now you're here! Are you playing the role of someone else, or are you just a bystander in all that's happening?
The character having the vision may or may not be aware of you initially, but once they're made aware of your presence, the vision will still play out as the memory would. The only way to stop it - aside from simply letting it play out in its entirety - is to drastically alter the memory in such a way that it cannot get itself back on track. Considering the trauma some of the people in this game have, it might be a good idea to help break them free of it.
Regardless of which happens to you (the nightmares, the teleportation, or the visions), your vision will turn bright red for a moment afterwards - it vanishes quickly enough, but it leaves you with the eerie feeling that you're being watched.
SHARDS
Your powers are growing, and you'll find you're able to defend yourself with your power in some way, even if yours is a power made for support. All characters are now able to fire off a blast of energy in their shard color to defend themselves - this attack will grow stronger in time, but at least everyone should be able to defend themselves (somewhat) now?
As you fight with your allies - particularly those you have a close bond with, positive or negative - you may feel the tug of something in the back of your head; it tells you that you can do more. Together, you can become more powerful. You can use your shards together. Doing so will grant you a new power, or strengthen the one you already have. The more you trust one another, the easier this power will be to use.
It might be good to experiment with these new powers; after all, you never know when you may need them.
TAILS' TASKS
Like last week, Sonic Team is still in need of rings. Rings are still annoying to get. You'll probably need help to get them, but they're worth collecting. So make sure to grab some for Tails!
You may also be tasked with tracking Chaos Energy. Like with tracking rings, Tails will give you a device that can pick up on the signature. You should be careful in approaching, especially if the signature is a large one, considering the three enemies you faced last weekend. Still, Chaos Energy may lead you to more of Eggman's fake Chaos Emeralds, which could prove useful...
Tracking the source down will lead you to one of the weekly enemies with a shard somewhere on its body. It will be much harder to kill than the regular versions of that enemy, and capable of some kind of special power (players' choice). Crushing the shard will weaken the enemy and bring it back down to its normal power level, making it fairly easy to defeat, but if you manage to defeat it without breaking the shard, you can bring it back to Tails for examination.
ENEMIES
Though you can still find the enemies from previous weeks in Chicago throughout the city, their numbers have thinned. Mostly, you'll be running into new faces - robots that don't look anything like Eggman's usuals. They are very rarely actually patrolling or idling, instead focused on destroying parts of the city or attacking any people unfortunate enough to get in their way.
Moto Bugs are... rather cute. They roll around on their singular wheel and can slash with their front claws, though primarily they deal damage by ramming into things at fairly high speeds. They're fairly weak, all things considered, especially by now. They're completely powerless when knocked over or onto their backs. Though one Moto Bug is weak, you will never find them alone - instead, you'll usually find at least 3-5 of them in a group.
Crabmeats are robotic crabs. Where does the meat come in? Unclear. Regardless, they're stronger than Moto Bugs and are capable of both bashing with their massive claws and snipping, and either way they are capable of a good deal of damage if you get hit. They're slower though, which means getting out of the way shouldn't be too hard. Like Moto Bugs, these usually are never alone, often working in pairs.
Buzzers are bees. Did you think we were done with bees? We are absolutely not done with bees. These bees function almost identically to the B33 models in that they're capable of firing lasers from their stingers, divebombing to try to sting, and generally be(e)ing a nuisance. Unlike the B33 models, they do not have a glaringly obvious weak point and are a bit harder to hit and destroy as a result. Though you may rarely encounter only one of these bees out in the wild, usually you'll run into groups of them and they will not be(e) happy to see you.
coping (cw: weed use) [ While her nightmares have settled a little from last week to allow for some level of sleep, Ashley's still twitchy. And you know what, she's held off as long as she could, but a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do, and you know what Ashley has to do?
Get incredibly stoned.
She finds a dispensary and, fighting back her guilt, takes what she needs and leaves a note PROMISING that she WILL pay them back once the world is saved.
And then, she can be found one of two places. First, sitting outside of the warehouse, alternating between smoking a joint and...knitting, surprisingly. That's her other big coping strategy. She could be working on a scarf, gloves, hats... She gets very absorbed in a project, so if you're approaching you may have to announce yourself! Second, in the kitchen. She has that lingering earthy scent around her and a, uh, special pack of butter set aside. Ashley doesn't like to give in to stereotypes completely, but desperate times do call for desperate measures. She's making brownies, both modified and not. ]
memories [ It's very easy for Ashley to get lost and locked into her memories, when they come for her. The full, captivating experience comes for her often. ] it's just a prank, han! [ You are in a room. Cozy, comfortable. You are a fly on the wall of a prank gone wrong. If you try to look for her, you'll recognize Ashley, who is hiding behind in a partition in front of the closet, but at first glance, there's only two people in the room, both who you don't know. There's a girl and a boy, talking. ] Mike? It's Hannah.
Hey, Hannah.
I got your note.
Glad you could make it. Maybe we should start with a little, you know, making out, and see where it goes from there. [ Hannah starts to remove her blouse. Mike appears to enjoy. ] Oh, hell yeah.
[ A giggle, from under the bed. ] Oh, my God! She's taking her shirt off!
[ Another voice shushes her, but the damage is done. ]
What...? Oh, my God! [ Two girls crawl out from under the bed. Ashley, fully immersed in the memory, pokes out from the partition sheepishly. Another boy emerges from the closet, with a camera. ] Matt? What are you doing here?
[ Mike starts to look...uncomfortable. ]
Uh, I'm sorry, Hannah, this all got outta hand, but...
[ Another girl bursts in. She looks like she's been running around. ]
Hannah! Hannah, hey, honey... Don't... it's just a... [ Hannah cries out Mike's name and then takes off running. ] ...stupid prank.
[ Everyone is left standing around awkwardly. ]
Ugh... damn!
You guys are jerks! You know that? [ She takes off after Hannah, calling her name. The others start to follow, after a moment's hesitation.
Maybe you should too. ]
traps (redux) (cw psychological horror a la saw traps, restraints, gore, gun violence, suicidal imagery) [ Once again, you can find yourself in the scenes depicted in Ashley's terrible nightmares. We're not going to fully rehash them, you can find them here, but they do feature the full panicked screaming instead of the soundless sort her nightmares featured. They're fully accurate now, you see, so you can hear both Ashley and Josh begging for their lives. ]
Dude... buddy... Let's just think about this for a minute... Oh my god! CHRIS! You CAN'T LET ME DIE! Just, just, just... Gimme a second... I, I- can't think straight... shit... Huh? Huh?!
[ A few long moments of deliberation passes, and Chris, well, ] God Ash... I'm sorry.
Chris please! Oh... oh god...
[ Better do something soon. The saw-blade on its track is moving ever forward.
The second memory has may open right where it did before, or it could have a little lead-up. You can witness a heartfelt confession. You aren't the participant this time. Lucky you. That means you get to watch, as Chris, the boy sitting across from Ashley, presses the gun against his chin. ]
Wait, stop. You can't do it, Chris, it should be me. You chose to save me before. Let me choose this time, let me choose to save you.
[ Ashley speaks with resolve. It sounds like she means exactly what she says. ]
Oh, fuck!
If I do one last thing in my life, let me do this! Chris, please! Oh, God...
[ Chris, breathing heavily, terrified... He looks her in the eye and points the gun at her.
And Ashley's eyes widen in shock as he starts to pull the trigger. ]
the door (cw death, decapitation, dissociation, shock) [ Maybe you saw the previous memory too. Maybe, it's run right from the shot of the gun to here, now. That would be convenient. It'd mean you have context, when Chris runs up to the door, banging on it. ]
Ash! Ash, come on! This thing is right behind me! Please, let me in! [ And, you know, she's there. She's stepping forward. She's reaching for the door. But...then she stops. She starts to back away. ] Ash?! What are you doing?!
[ Around you, sound echoes, the click of a trigger, the sound bang of a gun. Ashley stares ahead at Chris as he begs. Her eyes may as well be empty. ]
Ashley! Argh!
[ A monster, tall and spindly, grabs him from behind. As he screams, its claws stab fully through the back of his neck. It pulls him apart, throws his head onto the porch, and the whole time Ashley just watches.
Mike, a player from an earlier memory, rushes in, seeing the scene. ] Ash! CHRIS! Fuck! What the fuck?!
[ And Ashley raises a shaking hand, pointing at Chris' remains. Sounding as empty as she looks, ] It was... it was too late. It was too late.
We gotta go, like now, okay? [ Ashley's still staring at Chris' body. Mike puts his hands on her shoulders, and then cups her chin, to get her to look at him. She moves as he moves her, like a rag doll. ] Stay with me, Ash! Come on! Stay with me!
[ Faint, breathy, distant: ] Okay.
[ And then, as they rush off, there's a flash of light.
And Chris is running to the door again. ]
Ash! Ash, come on! This thing is right behind me! Please, let me in!
[ What do you do? ]
visions (cw body horror, burns, fingore, evisceration, eye gore, misogynistic language (bitch), decapitation, optional weed use) [ And, considering all of that... It's not surprise that the ghosts of her memories haunt her, even more often.
The first ghosts that appear to her are charred to a crisp. They're twoparticipants in a previous memory, if you've happened to see that. Sam has a hole in her stomach, and if you look closely enough, you can see her burned innards. Mike walks with a heavy limp, his bones shifting with every step. He's missing a two fingers on his left hand. They tend to appear when she's journaling. They mostly talk to each other, not trying to elicit a response from Ashley. ]
Mmmnn, I dunno, Sam.
Mike. Be nice
Nice? Really? After we went and got ourselves killed to save her?
I know. I know if they had a choice, one of us would be a much better choice, but we just have to live with— Oh, well. You know what I mean.
I know, but, like, seriously... All she did was stumble around, cry... Couldn't they've come maybe ten minutes earlier? Then we could be doing our hero thing, and she could be... Oh, well, I guess without us she'd be up shit's creek, huh. Oh well. That'd be for the best.
[ Ashley tries to carry on with what she's doing and ignore them, but she's obviously close to tears. ]
Mike. Look what you've done.
Am I wrong?
No. But you could at least stop making girls cry, now that we're dead.
[ The second ghost to darken her door has an acerbic wit and a fully missing eye. It was shot out. She doesn't let it stop her, though. Emily is one of her most frequent visitors. She can be found at all times of the day, berating Ashley, generally giving a running commentary about how she sucks. She never lets anything stop her. Unlike the first two, she's determined to get Ashley to interact with her, getting in her face. Even though she could phase right through her, Ashley always startles and backs away. ]
E-Emily—
Don't you E-Emily me, you little bitch. Do you remember what you did? To us? To me? Do any of your new little friends know, what you'd do to save your own skin?
Emily... Emily, please, you ha- have to—
I don't have to do anything. I'm dead, thanks to you.
Emily, I-I wasn't the one who—
Who shot me?! You sure didn't do anything to stop it, now, did you! Sure were reaaally fine, telling me to go on out to my death, too!
You- you wouldn't—
You don't know what I would or wouldn't have done, because you got! Me! Killed!
[ Eventually, Ashley stops arguing back.
The last ghost mostly appears after she's woken from nightmares. He never says anything. Maybe it's because he can't. The ever-present Chris just walks behind her, completely missing his head. Sometimes, there's a burble of blood, a spurt of it from his neck. But mostly he just follows her. Ashley can always tell when he does, even if it's before he's started walking. The air just feels colder. She feels colder.
Walking through the halls, making tea in the kitchen, trying to smoke up outside—wherever she is, he follows. ]
Ch- Chris... Chris, please... Chris, I'm sorry.
[ She can be heard murmuring these things, wringing her hands. She was already worn thin. This may very well cause her to snap. ]
wildcard [ great googly moogly that was a lot. uhhh you know where to reach me, if you want to do something else let me know!!! ]
[ Seeing a man being beheaded is shocking. Knowing that this memory belongs to Ashley is far more horrifying.
Percy freezes up just as much as Ashley does, and in that moment, he is her. He feels empty and hollow and really just cannot process what's happened, because that is the Chris she was talking about who just got his head torn off, but...also...this is the guy that would have killed her, if given the choice.
He has no words. Nothing he can say will make this better. So when the memory replays, Percy just simply stands in front of Ashley to keep her from witnessing this a second time. He pulls her into his arms and stays there, unmoving despite Chris' pleas. ]
[ What a surprise. Ashley's stuck, on a stupid little loop, so while she's not entirely conscious of it, she is prepared for it to happen again. It's what she's always thinking about, on some level. Even without the visions, the ghost of what she's done has hung over her consistently since the moment she took her first step back from the door.
So. A surprise, when instead there's Percy. Percy. Awareness floods her, and while she's still eyes wide and body cold, arms hanging slack at her sides, she leans her head into his shoulder.
Outside, the memory shudders, but continues on track. ]
Ash?! What are you doing?!
[ The sound of the trigger, the bang of a blank-filled gun.
Into Percy's shirt, she murmurs, ] I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm so...so sorry...
[ The sound of the bang gets him to nearly jump, and Ashley will be able to feel him tense up and shake when it goes off. It's not surprising – what may be is the fact that he's staying despite himself. ]
Don't apologize, okay?
[ His good arm moves to pull her closer. ]
We got out of this before, and we'll get out again.
[ He is pointedly ignoring Chris' pleas. Honestly, after what he did to Ashley, Percy has zero qualms with letting him fend for himself. (The beheading is pretty bad and excessive, but also, buddy. What were you expecting.) He'll help Ashley let him in if she asks, but otherwise, nope. He's here for his girlfriend and his girlfriend only. ]
[ This doesn't make sense. Why is he doing this? He...he saw, didn't he? But he's holding her. The worst thing she's ever done, and he's holding her, comforting her. ]
P- Percy... Why? Why are you—
[ A long, clawed hand pulls Chris back from the door as he shouts in surprise, voice ratcheting up an octave and a half. She'll never forget the way he sounded. ]
[ All at once, one great shiver goes down her spine, down her arms. Unlike the pretty empty words she'd said to Chris, these are ugly and heavy and real. It's a fundamental truth inside her that she'd never want to say.
But she thinks them, when the guilt isn't suffocating her. ]
You don't think I- I'm...horrible, for it?
[ She can't see it, but she can hear it. Screams cut short, cracking, tearing, wet and sharp and sudden. Chris is dead, again. ]
[ And he means it. He sounds earnest, and judging by how he buries his nose in her hair, he's pretty serious about comforting her, at the very least. ]
I mean...it's not like a heroic thing to do, but I don't want that. I just want...Ashley. I want to know you.
[ Well, Ashley's more than a little stunned at just who is stepping in to try and dissuade the one-eyed ghost. She can't quite express it, because the specter of Emily cuts in acerbically: ]
She'll have more luck turning back time than blocking me out. Maybe she's got you fooled, but she knows what she did.
Em... [ Her voice cracks a little. ]
What? Are you going to deny you hear me begging for my life in your sleep?
One of which they have no idea about and could very well not do all that good in assuaging matters. But, they're not exactly a quitter. ]
Oh, does she now? I'm not so easily fooled, just so you know. And really, being unable to assist someone is suddenly a crime? That doesn't sound very reasonable.
[ It sounds potentially more than being unable to assist, but the mind can twist events too from one's own perspective. ]
Unable to assist? The bitch encouraged that fuck to shoot me!
[ And now, now Ashley can't help but cut in. ] I-I didn't! I didn't want him to- to kill you! I-I just wanted you to-
To leave, to stomp right back out, gift wrapped for the monster, 'cause you couldn't stop and think for a damn second that maybe, maybe, the first thing you jumped to wasn't the truth.
[ Well.
She's got her there.
Ashley has again fallen silent, and Emily turns her one-eyed gaze on Void Archives. ]
She cares about one thing and one thing only: Her own safety. If you get in the way of that, she'll leave you for dead. I know, from experience.
If there is anything Void Archives doesn't doubt, it's the assertion that Ashley would be the type of individual who prioritizes self-preservation - a selfishness that is inherent in many individuals, to the detriment of others. But, they don't see anything wrong with it. Instead, they chuckle, looking back over at Emily. ]
What of it?
Is it wrong for people to prioritize their own safety above others? While it is a shame that you died, what is done has been done, hasn't it? Though, of course, it doesn't mean that she didn't care - and perhaps there was an opportunity to make another choice.
But, does it mean she should be condemned forever for it? I don't think so.
And, if there should be a time where she leaves me for dead, then she can very well do that.
[ Their words spoken, it's up to how Ashley will choose to face this ghost of regret. If she can face it at all. ]
If she should toss myself to the side, I can easily find my footing, and make the most of it - as well as turn the situation to my favor.
[ Void Archives says...with all of the honesty in the universe. Though, of course, since the blond has no intentions of doing anything but brag for a bit, they spread their hands outward, grinning as if possessed by a mad loon.
Though, it's a bit more layered than that. This is their conviction in helping Ashley see through this...as twisted as it is. ]
How many can claim the same? None!
Selfishness is inherent to most living creatures. There is nothing that can be done about that.
Though, for what it's worth, the nature of an individual is never so one-sided. She doubtlessly must have regretted her actions. For whatever matter of self-preservation you claim for her to embody in this situation, she doesn't strike myself as one with simply a heart of stone.
But, does it serve anyone to allow themselves to be insulted so consistently by actions they can't take back?
At the end of the day...is it not what matters most is how one would face them down? Acknowledge them? Accept those truths, for one to use it to better themselves to become even more than they were before? And if there is something to improve from it...if that person holds themselves 'accountable', learn to live with what has happened? Yet not in a way that pulls themselves so down?
[A gruesome pair becomes a trio as Ashley gets company - not that Basilio had been looking for her outright, but he'd noticed that others were having a harder time ignoring the presence of their ghosts than he was, so... he was taking a bit more notice when words were hitting hard.
Ashley, for her part, looks about to cry.]
That idiot sure picked 'em good, didn't he? Bunch of cowards who just go an' let others die for 'em, ey?
[ The boy, Mike, huffs. A crispy part of his lip cracks as he does. ]
Wouldn't be too certain of that, Ashley. You can't deny, we were all kind of pieces of crap. You included. Wink.
[ The girl, Sam, rolls her...well, her eye sockets, considering the actual eyes have melted from her head. ]
Really, Mike? Is now the time?
When you're dead, there isn't really a bad time—
There's a kid here. [ Gesturing at Basilio's ghost, her insides spilling from the hole in her gut as she does. She addresses: ] Sorry about Mike. He's a little crass. But he's good deep down. The kind of guy to blow himself up for someone who doesn't even like him. Right, Ashley?
[ Sam turns her head to Ashley, to keep her involved.
Ashley, to her own credit, is not crying (yet), but she is gritting her teeth and very quietly murmuring: ] I'm in hell, I'm in hell, I'm in hell—
Nah. Missing a few more stooges for that. [ And now, he starts to address Basilio's ghost too, casually despite everything. Just a friendly, popular guy who's been burned to a crisp. ] Hey, furry dude, you really got the same problem as us? Big noble act, wasted on a chump? Woooo, that's a trash heap you don't wanna visit twice.
[He wishes he could say he didn't recognize the remains that hobble after Ashley like a ghost on a string.
It's dim, buried in the cacophony that had been his nightmares like so many of the others. But this -- this was the one that had gotten her to lock up so intensely. The bleeding of red under a blanket of white, and a head tossed separate from its body--
He sees the body vanishing around a corner before he hears her, but on the feeble plea of Chris's name, Vakama immediately rounds the halls, trying to find her.]
blanket decapitation cw for the thread, mild dissociation
[ The sound of footsteps, heavier than normal, quick, and Ashley turns, half-scrambles back. The body turns with her, even though it has no eyes to see. ]
No- no— [ The way her eyes dart and search for something, like it's going to hunt her— it stops once she lays eyes on Vakama. Once she realizes where she is. ] V- Vakama. Sorry. I- I'm sorry. I was- I thought- I'm sorry.
[ She can't stop apologizing. Maybe if she apologizes enough, Chris will forgive her. ]
[Let's just casually forget what happened the last time the two of us were together and this body showed up (everything got super horrible! yippee!)]
Shh, hey--- hey. It's all right.
[He's careful as he tries to break the distance, extending a hand to her even as his eyes flick to the corpse that trails behind. Just as much a haunting, it seems, as the elderly figure of gold and red he knows sits around a corner somewhere or other in this same building, patient but coldly persistent. The dead, the lost, clinging to their minds.
[ Just as she's about to take Vakama's hand, the corpse wraps its arms around her from behind, in a tender hug. Her blood runs cold in her veins, freezing her in place. ]
[As strong as the urge to intervene is, Vakama at least knows from others' visions that there's no touching these things, even if Ashley might feel incredibly trapped by it. So he focuses on breaking that gap, reaching out for her hand as it freezes to take it.]
No. No, he- [ His torn neck leans on her shoulder. There should be blood coming from it, but it appears frozen. ] Chris, st- stop.
[ She grips Vakama's hand with force it may be surprising that she possesses. ]
H-he... My...b-best friend.
[ It sounds so sweet when she says it like that. Maybe that's why the hug tightens. It may look innocuous, but to Ashley, it's- it's like a vice. She trembles harder. ]
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[ While her nightmares have settled a little from last week to allow for some level of sleep, Ashley's still twitchy. And you know what, she's held off as long as she could, but a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do, and you know what Ashley has to do?
Get incredibly stoned.
She finds a dispensary and, fighting back her guilt, takes what she needs and leaves a note PROMISING that she WILL pay them back once the world is saved.
And then, she can be found one of two places.
First, sitting outside of the warehouse, alternating between smoking a joint and...knitting, surprisingly. That's her other big coping strategy. She could be working on a scarf, gloves, hats... She gets very absorbed in a project, so if you're approaching you may have to announce yourself!
Second, in the kitchen. She has that lingering earthy scent around her and a, uh, special pack of butter set aside. Ashley doesn't like to give in to stereotypes completely, but desperate times do call for desperate measures. She's making brownies, both modified and not. ]
memories
[ It's very easy for Ashley to get lost and locked into her memories, when they come for her. The full, captivating experience comes for her often. ]
it's just a prank, han!
[ You are in a room. Cozy, comfortable. You are a fly on the wall of a prank gone wrong. If you try to look for her, you'll recognize Ashley, who is hiding behind in a partition in front of the closet, but at first glance, there's only two people in the room, both who you don't know. There's a girl and a boy, talking. ]
Mike? It's Hannah.
Hey, Hannah.
I got your note.
Glad you could make it. Maybe we should start with a little, you know, making out, and see where it goes from there. [ Hannah starts to remove her blouse. Mike appears to enjoy. ] Oh, hell yeah.
[ A giggle, from under the bed. ] Oh, my God! She's taking her shirt off!
[ Another voice shushes her, but the damage is done. ]
What...? Oh, my God! [ Two girls crawl out from under the bed. Ashley, fully immersed in the memory, pokes out from the partition sheepishly. Another boy emerges from the closet, with a camera. ] Matt? What are you doing here?
[ Mike starts to look...uncomfortable. ]
Uh, I'm sorry, Hannah, this all got outta hand, but...
[ Another girl bursts in. She looks like she's been running around. ]
Hannah! Hannah, hey, honey... Don't... it's just a... [ Hannah cries out Mike's name and then takes off running. ] ...stupid prank.
[ Everyone is left standing around awkwardly. ]
Ugh... damn!
You guys are jerks! You know that? [ She takes off after Hannah, calling her name. The others start to follow, after a moment's hesitation.
Maybe you should too. ]
traps (redux)
(cw psychological horror a la saw traps, restraints, gore, gun violence, suicidal imagery)[ Once again, you can find yourself in the scenes depicted in Ashley's terrible nightmares. We're not going to fully rehash them, you can find them here, but they do feature the full panicked screaming instead of the soundless sort her nightmares featured. They're fully accurate now, you see, so you can hear both Ashley and Josh begging for their lives. ]
Dude... buddy... Let's just think about this for a minute...
Oh my god! CHRIS! You CAN'T LET ME DIE!
Just, just, just... Gimme a second... I, I- can't think straight... shit...
Huh? Huh?!
[ A few long moments of deliberation passes, and Chris, well, ] God Ash... I'm sorry.
Chris please! Oh... oh god...
[ Better do something soon. The saw-blade on its track is moving ever forward.
The second memory has may open right where it did before, or it could have a little lead-up. You can witness a heartfelt confession. You aren't the participant this time. Lucky you. That means you get to watch, as Chris, the boy sitting across from Ashley, presses the gun against his chin. ]
Wait, stop. You can't do it, Chris, it should be me. You chose to save me before. Let me choose this time, let me choose to save you.
[ Ashley speaks with resolve. It sounds like she means exactly what she says. ]
Oh, fuck!
If I do one last thing in my life, let me do this! Chris, please! Oh, God...
[ Chris, breathing heavily, terrified... He looks her in the eye and points the gun at her.
And Ashley's eyes widen in shock as he starts to pull the trigger. ]
the door
(cw death, decapitation, dissociation, shock)[ Maybe you saw the previous memory too. Maybe, it's run right from the shot of the gun to here, now. That would be convenient. It'd mean you have context, when Chris runs up to the door, banging on it. ]
Ash! Ash, come on! This thing is right behind me! Please, let me in! [ And, you know, she's there. She's stepping forward. She's reaching for the door. But...then she stops. She starts to back away. ] Ash?! What are you doing?!
[ Around you, sound echoes, the click of a trigger, the sound bang of a gun. Ashley stares ahead at Chris as he begs. Her eyes may as well be empty. ]
Ashley! Argh!
[ A monster, tall and spindly, grabs him from behind. As he screams, its claws stab fully through the back of his neck. It pulls him apart, throws his head onto the porch, and the whole time Ashley just watches.
Mike, a player from an earlier memory, rushes in, seeing the scene. ] Ash! CHRIS! Fuck! What the fuck?!
[ And Ashley raises a shaking hand, pointing at Chris' remains. Sounding as empty as she looks, ] It was... it was too late. It was too late.
We gotta go, like now, okay? [ Ashley's still staring at Chris' body. Mike puts his hands on her shoulders, and then cups her chin, to get her to look at him. She moves as he moves her, like a rag doll. ] Stay with me, Ash! Come on! Stay with me!
[ Faint, breathy, distant: ] Okay.
[ And then, as they rush off, there's a flash of light.
And Chris is running to the door again. ]
Ash! Ash, come on! This thing is right behind me! Please, let me in!
[ What do you do? ]
visions (cw body horror, burns, fingore, evisceration, eye gore, misogynistic language (bitch), decapitation, optional weed use)
[ And, considering all of that... It's not surprise that the ghosts of her memories haunt her, even more often.
The first ghosts that appear to her are charred to a crisp. They're two participants in a previous memory, if you've happened to see that. Sam has a hole in her stomach, and if you look closely enough, you can see her burned innards. Mike walks with a heavy limp, his bones shifting with every step. He's missing a two fingers on his left hand. They tend to appear when she's journaling. They mostly talk to each other, not trying to elicit a response from Ashley. ]
Mmmnn, I dunno, Sam.
Mike. Be nice
Nice? Really? After we went and got ourselves killed to save her?
I know. I know if they had a choice, one of us would be a much better choice, but we just have to live with— Oh, well. You know what I mean.
I know, but, like, seriously... All she did was stumble around, cry... Couldn't they've come maybe ten minutes earlier? Then we could be doing our hero thing, and she could be... Oh, well, I guess without us she'd be up shit's creek, huh. Oh well. That'd be for the best.
[ Ashley tries to carry on with what she's doing and ignore them, but she's obviously close to tears. ]
Mike. Look what you've done.
Am I wrong?
No. But you could at least stop making girls cry, now that we're dead.
[ The second ghost to darken her door has an acerbic wit and a fully missing eye. It was shot out. She doesn't let it stop her, though. Emily is one of her most frequent visitors. She can be found at all times of the day, berating Ashley, generally giving a running commentary about how she sucks. She never lets anything stop her. Unlike the first two, she's determined to get Ashley to interact with her, getting in her face. Even though she could phase right through her, Ashley always startles and backs away. ]
E-Emily—
Don't you E-Emily me, you little bitch. Do you remember what you did? To us? To me? Do any of your new little friends know, what you'd do to save your own skin?
Emily... Emily, please, you ha- have to—
I don't have to do anything. I'm dead, thanks to you.
Emily, I-I wasn't the one who—
Who shot me?! You sure didn't do anything to stop it, now, did you! Sure were reaaally fine, telling me to go on out to my death, too!
You- you wouldn't—
You don't know what I would or wouldn't have done, because you got! Me! Killed!
[ Eventually, Ashley stops arguing back.
The last ghost mostly appears after she's woken from nightmares. He never says anything. Maybe it's because he can't. The ever-present Chris just walks behind her, completely missing his head. Sometimes, there's a burble of blood, a spurt of it from his neck. But mostly he just follows her. Ashley can always tell when he does, even if it's before he's started walking. The air just feels colder. She feels colder.
Walking through the halls, making tea in the kitchen, trying to smoke up outside—wherever she is, he follows. ]
Ch- Chris... Chris, please... Chris, I'm sorry.
[ She can be heard murmuring these things, wringing her hands. She was already worn thin. This may very well cause her to snap. ]
wildcard
[ great googly moogly that was a lot. uhhh you know where to reach me, if you want to do something else let me know!!! ]
you know. (same cws as the door prompt itt)
Percy freezes up just as much as Ashley does, and in that moment, he is her. He feels empty and hollow and really just cannot process what's happened, because that is the Chris she was talking about who just got his head torn off, but...also...this is the guy that would have killed her, if given the choice.
He has no words. Nothing he can say will make this better. So when the memory replays, Percy just simply stands in front of Ashley to keep her from witnessing this a second time. He pulls her into his arms and stays there, unmoving despite Chris' pleas. ]
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So. A surprise, when instead there's Percy. Percy. Awareness floods her, and while she's still eyes wide and body cold, arms hanging slack at her sides, she leans her head into his shoulder.
Outside, the memory shudders, but continues on track. ]
Ash?! What are you doing?!
[ The sound of the trigger, the bang of a blank-filled gun.
Into Percy's shirt, she murmurs, ] I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm so...so sorry...
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Don't apologize, okay?
[ His good arm moves to pull her closer. ]
We got out of this before, and we'll get out again.
[ He is pointedly ignoring Chris' pleas. Honestly, after what he did to Ashley, Percy has zero qualms with letting him fend for himself. (The beheading is pretty bad and excessive, but also, buddy. What were you expecting.) He'll help Ashley let him in if she asks, but otherwise, nope. He's here for his girlfriend and his girlfriend only. ]
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P- Percy... Why? Why are you—
[ A long, clawed hand pulls Chris back from the door as he shouts in surprise, voice ratcheting up an octave and a half. She'll never forget the way he sounded. ]
Ashley! Argh
[ She shivers in his grasp. ]
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[ It might be in someone else's eyes, but not his. ]
If he didn't want this, he shouldn't have tried to kill you.
[ That's how he sees it, for better or worse. Either way, he's not leaving. ]
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But she thinks them, when the guilt isn't suffocating her. ]
You don't think I- I'm...horrible, for it?
[ She can't see it, but she can hear it. Screams cut short, cracking, tearing, wet and sharp and sudden. Chris is dead, again. ]
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[ And he means it. He sounds earnest, and judging by how he buries his nose in her hair, he's pretty serious about comforting her, at the very least. ]
I mean...it's not like a heroic thing to do, but I don't want that. I just want...Ashley. I want to know you.
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The second ghost;
Saying such things with such vitriol...I can't help but feel as if those words are hardly near anywhere being correct.
[ There's a pause on their end, thinking of a way to either try to dispel or serve as a distraction? Whichever seems far more apt. ]
...I do wonder if it may be wise to invest in some earplugs, hmm?
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She'll have more luck turning back time than blocking me out. Maybe she's got you fooled, but she knows what she did.
Em... [ Her voice cracks a little. ]
What? Are you going to deny you hear me begging for my life in your sleep?
[ Ashley just quietly shakes her head. ]
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[ This sounds like a very complex situation.
One of which they have no idea about and could very well not do all that good in assuaging matters. But, they're not exactly a quitter. ]
Oh, does she now? I'm not so easily fooled, just so you know. And really, being unable to assist someone is suddenly a crime? That doesn't sound very reasonable.
[ It sounds potentially more than being unable to assist, but the mind can twist events too from one's own perspective. ]
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Unable to assist? The bitch encouraged that fuck to shoot me!
[ And now, now Ashley can't help but cut in. ] I-I didn't! I didn't want him to- to kill you! I-I just wanted you to-
To leave, to stomp right back out, gift wrapped for the monster, 'cause you couldn't stop and think for a damn second that maybe, maybe, the first thing you jumped to wasn't the truth.
[ Well.
She's got her there.
Ashley has again fallen silent, and Emily turns her one-eyed gaze on Void Archives. ]
She cares about one thing and one thing only: Her own safety. If you get in the way of that, she'll leave you for dead. I know, from experience.
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If there is anything Void Archives doesn't doubt, it's the assertion that Ashley would be the type of individual who prioritizes self-preservation - a selfishness that is inherent in many individuals, to the detriment of others. But, they don't see anything wrong with it. Instead, they chuckle, looking back over at Emily. ]
What of it?
Is it wrong for people to prioritize their own safety above others? While it is a shame that you died, what is done has been done, hasn't it? Though, of course, it doesn't mean that she didn't care - and perhaps there was an opportunity to make another choice.
But, does it mean she should be condemned forever for it? I don't think so.
And, if there should be a time where she leaves me for dead, then she can very well do that.
[ Their words spoken, it's up to how Ashley will choose to face this ghost of regret. If she can face it at all. ]
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What?
[ And, quieter, with a great weight to it, Ashley echoes: ] What?
[ She looks at Void Archives, eyes wide...and she can't find a single other thing to say.
But Emily can. ]
Bullshit! You don't care? How can you not care about that, about her throwing you under the bus to save her own damn skin?!
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[ Void Archives says...with all of the honesty in the universe. Though, of course, since the blond has no intentions of doing anything but brag for a bit, they spread their hands outward, grinning as if possessed by a mad loon.
Though, it's a bit more layered than that. This is their conviction in helping Ashley see through this...as twisted as it is. ]
How many can claim the same? None!
Selfishness is inherent to most living creatures. There is nothing that can be done about that.
Though, for what it's worth, the nature of an individual is never so one-sided. She doubtlessly must have regretted her actions. For whatever matter of self-preservation you claim for her to embody in this situation, she doesn't strike myself as one with simply a heart of stone.
But, does it serve anyone to allow themselves to be insulted so consistently by actions they can't take back?
At the end of the day...is it not what matters most is how one would face them down? Acknowledge them? Accept those truths, for one to use it to better themselves to become even more than they were before? And if there is something to improve from it...if that person holds themselves 'accountable', learn to live with what has happened? Yet not in a way that pulls themselves so down?
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tacks a body horror/gore and survivors' guilt cw on this whole thread, tbh. (And metaphor spoilers)
Ashley, for her part, looks about to cry.]
That idiot sure picked 'em good, didn't he? Bunch of cowards who just go an' let others die for 'em, ey?
[Hi, Fukuda, take your holes back, please, we don't want them.]
Don't listen to what they've got to say, Ash. They're not real. They wouldn' be sayin' such awful shite if they were here.
[His tone says he believes that, without a doubt. His posture indicates that he's not quite as unaffected by the words as he would like to be.]
cw burning related gore, eye and body horror itt
Wouldn't be too certain of that, Ashley. You can't deny, we were all kind of pieces of crap. You included. Wink.
[ The girl, Sam, rolls her...well, her eye sockets, considering the actual eyes have melted from her head. ]
Really, Mike? Is now the time?
When you're dead, there isn't really a bad time—
There's a kid here. [ Gesturing at Basilio's ghost, her insides spilling from the hole in her gut as she does. She addresses: ] Sorry about Mike. He's a little crass. But he's good deep down. The kind of guy to blow himself up for someone who doesn't even like him. Right, Ashley?
[ Sam turns her head to Ashley, to keep her involved.
Ashley, to her own credit, is not crying (yet), but she is gritting her teeth and very quietly murmuring: ] I'm in hell, I'm in hell, I'm in hell—
Nah. Missing a few more stooges for that. [ And now, he starts to address Basilio's ghost too, casually despite everything. Just a friendly, popular guy who's been burned to a crisp. ] Hey, furry dude, you really got the same problem as us? Big noble act, wasted on a chump? Woooo, that's a trash heap you don't wanna visit twice.
coping- warehouse
Otherwise he does nothing to make Ashley notice he’s there; he’s just bending over her shoulder to get a closer look at the knitting.]
Hey, loser. What’cha working on?
blanket weed use cw for the thread
As if on delay, once he's finished asking his question, she rolls her head back. Her expression is so chill and zen. ]
Making a scarf for Percy.
cw: decapitation until otherwise stated? aka the third ghost
It's dim, buried in the cacophony that had been his nightmares like so many of the others. But this -- this was the one that had gotten her to lock up so intensely. The bleeding of red under a blanket of white, and a head tossed separate from its body--
He sees the body vanishing around a corner before he hears her, but on the feeble plea of Chris's name, Vakama immediately rounds the halls, trying to find her.]
blanket decapitation cw for the thread, mild dissociation
No- no— [ The way her eyes dart and search for something, like it's going to hunt her— it stops once she lays eyes on Vakama. Once she realizes where she is. ] V- Vakama. Sorry. I- I'm sorry. I was- I thought- I'm sorry.
[ She can't stop apologizing. Maybe if she apologizes enough, Chris will forgive her. ]
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Shh, hey--- hey. It's all right.
[He's careful as he tries to break the distance, extending a hand to her even as his eyes flick to the corpse that trails behind. Just as much a haunting, it seems, as the elderly figure of gold and red he knows sits around a corner somewhere or other in this same building, patient but coldly persistent. The dead, the lost, clinging to their minds.
He exhales, eyes back to her.]
Take a breath, Ashley. Talk to me.
What is it you're seeing?
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He won't stop. He's following me. He-
[ Just as she's about to take Vakama's hand, the corpse wraps its arms around her from behind, in a tender hug. Her blood runs cold in her veins, freezing her in place. ]
I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry.
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Shh. Eyes to me, my friend.
I see him, too. Behind you, embracing you.
Would you tell me who he was?
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No. No, he- [ His torn neck leans on her shoulder. There should be blood coming from it, but it appears frozen. ] Chris, st- stop.
[ She grips Vakama's hand with force it may be surprising that she possesses. ]
H-he... My...b-best friend.
[ It sounds so sweet when she says it like that. Maybe that's why the hug tightens. It may look innocuous, but to Ashley, it's- it's like a vice. She trembles harder. ]
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