guillotineroom | [PHOENIX]

Entry tags:

!phoenix

[PHOENIX]

[when you open your eyes, you find yourself in a pleasant greenhouse. the sweet scent of flowers surrounds you, and the sun shining through the glass ceiling invigorates you from within. there are stone benches on which you can sit, and if you're hungry, there's a garden table with some refreshing tea and scones available to you]

[the voice– the good voice– echoes in your head again]

YOUR DESIRES. . . CREATED THIS REALM. IT IS YOURS. . . IT IS NOT TYPHON'S! I CAN USE THOSE DESIRES TO GIVE YOU A SAFE PLACE. . . FROM WHICH TO FIGHT.

BUT I CANNOT DEFEAT HIM. . . ONLY YOU CAN. ONLY YOU– WITH YOUR OWN DESIRES!! YOU CAN. . . RESHAPE THIS WORLD. . . HOWEVER YOU'D LIKE!

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I-it was just something that happened! Nobody did it intentionally. And I'm really all right now...

[ glancing at the new scars ]

B-but what about you? Are you...I thought you just slept in Solitary?

I ...

[ Hunter winces a little. ]

I must have slept? But - I remembered home. I think ... Belos tried to do something awful to me here too, but he failed.

I--we can buy you an exorcism. I saved up enough coins for it if you misplaced yours! I think the price went down in the meantime, but I saved them all after the elevators. And even if that doesn't work...!

[ she puts your hands on your shoulders ]

You'll be okay! You're so much stronger than he is!

[ He lights up so much at the mention of an exorcism. ]

Really? You - you did that for me?

Of course I did! Ever since that time in the rundown prison, when I saw h-how Belos hurt you, I was saving for that. I just...I didn't want to say anything until I had enough, I didn't want to let you down...

... And I disappeared before you could help me.

That wasn't your fault. I'm sorry I couldn't hold onto you more i-in the emotional way, not physically. I'm still really sorry about your ribs!

It's - it's not your fault either. I think ...

I think Belos tried to hurt me, after you all defeated him in my heart like that. He didn't WIN but ... I still disappeared.

Still, I knew something was bothering you. I just thought maybe if we kept cutting your hair or finding the right foods it would make it better.

[ Yor would, with malice aforethought, intentionally shove the worst of her cooking into Belos's throat for what he did to Hunter ]

He still hurt you.

... Yeah. He - keeps doing it any way he can.

[ DEEP BREATH ]

So I still want an exorcism. If we can still do that.

[ she smiles through yet more tears and nods ]

We can. Of course, we can! I'd go through another five games to get another if you needed it. Or more because I think I'd need help t-to actually win them...

[ but she pulls out her phone and the real struggle begins, which is navigating the thing. sorry she's the most Boomer possible about technology, but after a minute or two of fighting it a Hierophant card comes out and she hands it to you ]

Please...

[ Oh.

Oh, here it is. Hunter takes the card hesitantly, his eyes wide. With this Belos is gone, right? Every last scrap ...

He swallows thickly, suddenly nervous. ]

Right. I just have to concentrate on it. Right?

I-I think so? That's how it worked for the healing cards...

Yeah, um. I think you're right.

[ He's just nervous. But - really, what does he have to be afraid of? What could be worse than Belos.

He concentrates, then, and - well. There's some screaming involved, sorry, as all of the green and black goop starts to drain away from him, consolidating into a dimly humanoid figure. It clings as it goes, struggling to stay attached to Hunter. ]

I-it's okay! It's okay! I'm here!

[ she doesn't know how to make it okay, magical exorcisms are still an uncharted territory. but she hovers nearby and wills whatever of Belos is in there to leave with a deeply murderous intent that she'll find a way to turbo assassinate him again if he hurts Hunter more ]

[ turbo assassinate you say,

Hunter winds up clinging to her with one hand, trying to stablize himself. The green pulls at him -

But the card cannot be resisted in the end. After a few more moments of struggle, the last few tendrils of muck melt away, leaving Hunter still scarred, but free of it.

Belos stands nearby for a moment, seething. ]

You'll regret this, Yor.

[ she's going to run to Hunter and make sure he's okay and not collapsing on the floor before addressing the elephant in the room. ]

I'll never regret loving him. And you should leave.

The grimwalker is mine.

[ Hunter's fine - well, except this horrible goop corrupted copy of himself is lunging at him. But Yor's not going to let him make contact, is she? ]

[ Yor is already up and ready to kick! Belos! In! The! Fucking! Face! her back instantly turning into a spin kick designed to crush ribs (intentionally) and aimed at him ]

[ whoops there goes Belos's head! It's on the other side of the greenhouse.

... the body is now glorping around searching for it. ]

[ this is supposed to be a non-violent healing moment where everyone in Phoenix expresses their love, but Yor's most versatile love language is "MURDER THE SHIT OUT OF THE THING THAT HURTS YOU" so she's taking out her knives and taking a swipe at the body to cut them off at the knees ]

[ Annnnd now Belos is in three pieces! Hooray!

He's TRYING to reform, but he is simply not that strong any more. Not after the heart game - not after the long time spent fighting Hunter in solitary - and especially not now, as the Hierophant card has burned most of the strength out of him.

The goop hisses and roils, losing its shape even more. ]

You're a fraud too! What makes you think you can do better!

[ Yor was busy with her heart getting shoved back in her so she missed out in the monster fog clearing, and she hasn't even figured out how Personas work but since she already bought a tarot card her Empress one flares to life and Hariti comes out looking like the demonic personification of Yor's protective rage, claws coming down to violently smother the goop even as her voice is calm ]

Because I'm not the only one who loves him.

No one loves him--

[ The claws sink in with a satisfying squish, extinguishing the last bit of Belos's life force. At least, this fragment's. Canon will tell us what happens in less than a month ...

Hunter stands behind her, eyes wide. ]

[ the struggle of ongoing canon amirite? well, Yor definitely looks like she is going to disagree with that, having somehow managed to summon a mythical Mother-Goddess to intercede on her fake mom attempts to protect Hunter. the pair of them look kind of intimidating, so when she's satisfied he's truly gone...

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