APPLE ORCHARDS AND TORN DREAMS [OPEN]

[cordibus]

Who: Open Log (All)
Where: Around the city (one prompt at the Green Valley school
Summary: Welcome Ceremonies, Dreams, Stirring a shadow hornet's nest. No big deal.
Warnings: N/A

"Are you ready my black lambs? Let's get to work..."

Apple Picking (General Prompt)

As September begins, the apple orchards of Greenfield Valley school are bursting with thousands of apples of various flavors and colors. There's even an experimental breed that's blue!

Those who have been attending the school know that this means a few important things. The first (and most important of course) is that it means that fall vacation is coming in just a few weeks (despite school having started just a few weeks ago), the second is that the school's menu is going to have a high number of apple-themed dishes until winter, and finally, the opening ceremonies.

The opening ceremonies are - well - one would consider them mostly boring for typical schools. And truth be told, Green Valley is not an exception. A single camera posed at the school's main gymnasium, a large podium in the center. For those who can't be physically there, the school's televisions all synchronized to a live broadcast as does the audio feeds. You can't quite escape it. Yet most people don't - after all it's one of the rare times of the year where the principal appears to wish students good fortune.

The person who stands in the front, Ms Michelle Andersen, is the very definition of an ice queen. Her face is perhaps locked forever into an emotionless stare. Bright blonde hair with blue eyes, both contract to her orange and black outfit.

Behind her, three men, the vice principals, who tend to play the good cops to her bad cop routine and insist that most students call them by their first names unless something really bad has happened; Norman (the most average man on campus that no one would know who he was if it wasn't for his name tag), Jeremy (the tallest staff member standing at over 195cm, thin, a bit of a lisp but he always means well), and Felix (possibly the hairiest man on campus as far as the rumors go, muscular, and a black beard that matches his scowling face when he isn't laughing - which is usually all the time. In fact, he's holding back himself from doing so when Ms. Andersen speaks.)

The presentation is short, as the Principal wishes all the students a great year, gives a bit of data on the number of students (they are up 300 new students from last year), the number of important guests that have passed, then as quickly as she was there, she leaves, explaining that there are additional meetings and events she will explain in greatest detail in the upcoming months.

Afterwards the students are treated to the vice principals singing a welcome song (it goes as well as one would expect it to go), telling the students that they are free to pick as many apples as they want as long as they all get eaten, but everyone is limited to two of the new apples and report to the hospital wards if any of them feel anything unusual after eating them. Just in case.

When the ceremonies are done, students and staff can return to their day...although some of the staff can be heard commenting that the Principal seemed even more...cold this year. Of course asking them for details would just cause them to shoo anyone away and pretend they didn't say anything.

[OOC: Players are welcome to speak to themselves or go have some apples. It's a general school mingling prompt! Additionally, it will be possible to email the vice principals during that week should the characters want to talk with them or ask school questions. Typical school stuff.]

Sound the Rebellion

(Special Prompt for the Unawakened, Monday the 4th)
The school's opening ceremonies aside, the Unawakened’s Monday was rather...strange. The night was plagued with restlessness as they heard the voice of someone laughing. Waking up feeling 'odd', although that differed between all of then - some would feel sick, others have a headache, or some just deciding that wearing a piece of clothing they haven't wanted to worn would look great right now. Perhaps they got a few comments from their relatives about how strange they were acting that day, or a worried glance if they felt sick. It might get dismissed with a wave of a hand.

After all, how can you explain that when they sometimes look upwards, they hear the sound of a child laughing and briefly see a symbol above their heads? Or that this somehow feels...fine?

Maybe in their new state of mind, they might not even notice the people that keep following them around...

Better than a GPS

(Awakened prompt, Monday 4th, day and night.)
"Alright Lambs, time to get to work."

Luci's voice echoed in their phone, laughing. Was he doing a peace sign?

"There's only a few but they'll be useful. I want you to find them and see what you can do. Who knows! Maybe you might be better at this than me, although I doubt it heh heh heh…Now remember what I said! You have to get them to fall asleep...but there's no real rules for that!"

For the Awakened, the symbols above the Unawakeneds’ heads will be as clear as day - Luci will even go so far as play little musical tunes when the characters are close by or distract them using electronics. "Come on! Stop wasting time and do something!"

For the Unawakened who have a relative, it will be somewhat easy. It is the others that will be a pain. Maybe that's why Luci asked for help. Or maybe he just wanted to see his 'lambs' struggle. "Get them to bed! It's not that hard! If you have trouble, just show them the program I've put into your phone and toaster! Or knock them with your toaster first if you want, I don't care! Just go in teams when you go after them, got it?"

It's obvious that 'sleeping' as far as Luci is concerned, is when someone is unconscious - he seems to almost want someone to knock an Unawakened out and then drag him into a room and let themselves go to sleep.

Once the task is done, and the place is secure, the characters will have to do the same. While the hypnotic wheel from the program is the easiest way, there's no hard rule about knocking oneself out either.

MINDJACK
Once the characters get inside, they'll be in the person's mind and dreams. Eddan's memories are predominant, and the unawakened will be standing there wandering around. It will be up to the Awakened to peel back the fabric of reality, much like curtains and show them the true memories of their past...

But beware. Shadows lurk here, and transforming will be necessarily. And if a character dies in someone else's dream...they might never wake up. So be careful...

The main mission is to showcase the person a few memories. Give them an idea that something might be amiss...it can be a little or a lot. Just be careful that the more memories, the stronger the shadows become... When both are done and awaken, ten minutes will have passed. Perhaps it will be time for question afterwards.

[OOC:The Unawakened characters need to be isolated for the program to run, and so do the players, so half the 'fun' will be setting up the traps so that the characters will be alone.

Awakened might decide to have someone stand on guard while the others go to sleep with the Unawakened, or just all stupidly go together, or find an area where they won't be disturbed - everything is up to you.

The dreamscape can be anything the Unawakened desires! It could be good memories of their time in Eddan or bad memories, a mixture of both, or just silly dreams. Whatever it is, the Awakened will need to 'peel' those memories away - for example showing them that their mother was someone else in their other life, or even directing the person to a mirror so that they can see their true selves. But for each memory - both good or bad, shadows will start to attack both the Unawakened and Awakened. Be careful and let the mods know if a mission goes REALLY bad.]

Comments

oh did you mean the hand that shot Valentine for no particularly good reason???

[blacktemper]

"People say a lot of shit," he tosses back at Kit, tone completely devoid of any actual accusation. In the same mystifying way that he enjoys the sound of making his companion truly laugh, he knows that this is a promise that will be kept to the letter. It was just the way things were.

Vincent continues walking even before being giving 'permission' to dictate their location, his steps brisk and unable to contain the energy circulating through him. He does tilts his head back slightly to look at the other boy, sarcastic as always. "Not going to try and figure it out on your own, then? Lazy."

He does have a specific location in mind, though; they'd been fortunate to come out where they had, so close to one of the only parks still surviving in Hagu. It had clearly been built before the district had fallen into the sad state of the present, judging by its comparatively impressive size. The park itself was poorly kept now and often filled with riffraff, but it was also the perfect place for a fight like theirs.

Given the expansive nature of the place, it was easy to seclude oneself from the rest of the world for a time. They wouldn't be bothered at all once they found an acceptable clearing.

they deserved ANY time together ;A;

[failedhandjob]

"Don't worry. I've waited on people a lot longer than that."

After fifteen years of patience and isolation, what was a handful of dream occurrences? Certainly not enough to perturb Reimi, who brushes away his concerns with a way of her delicate hand. She was more than willing to give her companion as much time as he needed to come to terms with this surreal truth.

The good humor of their combined victory doesn't last long. Just as she's about to recall Orias to whatever space in her mind that she resided, those unsettling hands suddenly appear around Kit's neck. Even before her gaze flicks up to identify their owner Reimi is reacting, an instinctive chill running through her body that only one who dwelt in the Spirit Alley could feel.

"Hey!"

Recalling memories are important, but there's no way to tell what apparitions in this dreamscape were harmless recollections and which meant to permanently end their journey into Kit's past. Her persona moves in response to the charge in her veins, lurching forward towards the pair of them to forcefully shove the interloper away, multitude of hands already charged with Light energy.

Nothing should come that close. Not here.

Semi-here

[secretmakesawoman]

Vermouth could argue that Sherry isn't a child.

That is, if she remembered and was willing to bring Ran into the mess Shinichi was in, which definitely wasn't the case.

For the time being, Christina is lying down on the guest bed. Her eyes grow heavy as sleep quickly overtakes her.

we were cheated out of that good stuff

[whitefox]

"Wait!"

Even as Emily is moving towards them, Kit is turning to face the shadow at his back. But it's fast, there and then gone again in an instant, leaving only a hazy afterimage in its wake. It appears again as he whips back around to face his companion, this time at her side, and then promptly vanishes into the air, a cloak of black wrapping around it so dense it hides seamlessly in the darkness...

He knows that creature, though. Its shape is familiar to him. He's seen it once before, through the blinding and painful aura of a headache that had ushered in the memory. They'd stood face-to-face in an arena with thousands, maybe tens of thousands of spectators all around and screaming for blood. And that man had marked him, promising a painful demise with just one word and a finger to his head.

Bang.

"I recognize him..." Kit's eyes turn skyward. "...he is a demon, like myself."

He knows it's true, but even so it feels strange to admit. Is the being that Emily summons a creature whose nature is on par with his own? There isn't any time to contemplate the answer, much as he'd like. Maddening laughter echoes from above, and with it a bright light begins to swell...downwards and towards them.

Kit doesn't think. Only moves. Using his own body to shield the young woman who somehow found her way into this nightmare to help him...

i think the dead sea needs its salt back

[whitefox]

If genuine laughter from his companion is what Vincent likes to hear, then he's fortunate. His playful barb earns exactly that from Kit as he slips free of the alley's mouth, one falling swiftly in line behind the other. In fact, he keeps so close that it's questionable whether or not he already knows where Vincent plans to set the stage for their fight.

"I've had enough hunting for one day," Kit answers truthfully, but there's mischief in his voice mingling unabashedly with even more humor. "Of course, if you think you can lose me, you're welcome to try."

But he seems to recall Vincent describing him as impossible to get rid of...which is precisely why the curve of his lips is so smug. Almost daring Vincent to try, and at the same time, almost hoping that he won't. While a chase has a certain appeal, it will without question diminish their stamina and lower their ability to perform once they arrive at their destination.

And that would be most disappointing.

araki continues to just twist the knife in real deep

[failedhandjob]

A demon, hm? It would certainly explain the other being's rapid movement and ability to seemingly melt into the inky backdrop of the dream world. She hadn't even sense it when it had appeared at her side with no time to react before vanishing once more. He'd caught her off guard, but she bets that if she focuses all her energy on scanning for his presence...

Reimi never does get to find out if her hunch would have been correct. The other demon decides to go on the offensive, raining light down upon them from above; while she doesn't know the nature of it, she can't imagine anything good will come of getting caught. Whatever she'd meant to say dies on her lips as Kit crashes into her, transforming instead into an impassioned -

"Don't!"

How could he forget what she'd told him only minutes before? He wasn't ready to take a more active role in this world. There's no time for her to reposition him, not with that determined grip, and so she calls on her persona to do the next best thing. Orias, faster than a mere human, moves to block them both, shooting a bolt of her own up into the oncoming attack. It's meant to halve the power of the enemy, but she supposes they won't know if it's worked until the light hits them.

what the fuck has the dead sea ever done for anyone

[blacktemper]

It really is amazing how easily the tones of Kit's amusement can settle his companion's disposition. A dare like that would typically have flared his temper almost immediately, resulting in his breaking into a sprint wordlessly at best. Instead Vincent merely shakes his head, letting out a noise that sounds faintly admonishing.

"As if I'd fall for something so obviously. You're not ducking out that easily." What better way to meet that smug grin than by spinning his own words back around to make his companion appear to be a coward? He wasn't willing to allow them to tax themselves unnecessarily before the fight, but such an annoying challenge couldn't go without comment.

[sociallyarcward]

It doesn't really hurt that much, but the gesture still elicits an exclamation of 'ow' from Jaune -- more out of reflex than anything. Jaune takes the apple in his hand as he sits up, trying to untangle his feet from the basket. "I guess I was distracted," he started to say 'sorry' again, but caught himself since he'd already said it once.

His eyes flick up at the sight of the symbol and he mentally groans -- this again. It was bad enough when he knew the person, somehow it was even worse when it was a stranger...and a kid. Jaune placed the apple back in the basket and looked around at those scattered on the ground, "I can help pick these up...if that would make it up at all?"

he's gotten really good at that over the years

[whitefox]

Kit hadn't forgotten her warning, he'd simply deemed it worth ignoring in the face of such imminent danger. His decision to act was bolstered further by another brief flash of memory, a glimpse into the true destructive power of the blast the other demon had unleashed.

He had no regrets. Even as his ears were filled with Emily's terrified protest, he felt he had taken the right course of action. He could never forgive himself if he'd allowed harm to come to her after she had come to his rescue twice. He was a demon and a thief...but he was not without honor.

They were fortunate, however. By some miracle, the evil that was stalking them through his dreamscape was weaker than the real thing. As Kit shielded Emily with his body and the demon's reign of fire descended...her storm of light cut through the blinding glare, through the shadows, and pierced the heart of the monster above. He died silently, the way he had back then when it had been his own powers that had stopped that creature's heart...

...by sucking the blood straight out of it.

Releasing his companion, Kit sat back with his knees drawn to his chest, and both arms draped atop them. This was all so much to take in. His head was swimming with revelations. He was a demon. He had a human mother who loved him. A friend who'd been willing to halve his own life to spare his. And enemies who had brought him to the brink of death...whom he'd killed instead.

He took a slow, steadying breath and when turned his gaze in Emily's direction he was smiling.

"That power..." No, that wasn't right. It was a part of her, as much as this dream was a part of him. Her ability wasn't deserving of praise, she was. "You're really quite amazing."

provided salt. and maybe other minerals. idfk. i'm not an encyclopedia i just play one

[whitefox]

Kit didn't respond except to smile at his companion's back, equally moved by the ease of their banter. It shouldn't be so simple for two virtual strangers to develop such a rapport, but then, they'd already established that they weren't the sort of people who mindlessly obeyed all the rules.

He was silent until they reached the park, the territory one that he recalled having passed through often enough a year go. For existing within a city as green as Eddan, it was a wonder such a place could smell so foul...but perhaps that less to do with the park itself and more to do with the dregs of society that it attracted.

They weren't Vincent's and his concern, of course. All that mattered now was finding a suitable place there far removed from any busybodies, a place where Kit could remove his jacket and lay it down and out of the way without needing to fear turning his back and having it stolen. Such a place didn't take them long to discover, and after folding his coat beneath a tree, Kit stretched his arms overhead.

"Anything goes?"

[miseris_socios]

"Look, I've gotten in trouble for using bad language before." He'd never used it when he was in his mom's house, but when he started getting picked on in the orphanage for being so proper, he'd tried to go the other way. That didn't work out at all.

"Why do you even care, other than the old woman on the corner?"

[miseris_socios]

He huffs a bit, and shrugs. "Do what you want. It... doesn't matter, I guess." It's not like he can un-spill the basket, only pick them back up again. He takes a few moments to just... stare at the guy, before going back to picking them up. "Just don't take them."

He's had too many older kids steal his things. Not since he got here, at least, but he's too used to protecting his stuff lest it get yanked from under his nose.

doesn't sound very useful. mine now.

[blacktemper]

He makes a vague noise of assent as he follows Kit's lead and unburdens himself of anything that might get in the way during their fight; the jacket is flung carelessly on top of his companion's while his guitar case is hung gently from a low tree branch. They may be in a secluded area, but he refused to make it easy for any potential thieves to make off with his instrument.

His gaze wanders idly across the clearing they've staked for themselves, mostly checking to ensure there weren't any stray needles laying in wait. As he removes the more easily grabbed piercings in his face and ears he deigns to give a verbal response. "So long as you keep away from the guitar, otherwise I'll really kill you."

It's phrased as a hard-edged sort of joke, but Vincent doesn't doubt that there's a kernel or two of truth in the matter. He didn't react well to people tampering with his things.

[spoilsfun]

Conan had been about to protest. Being sent to bed would interfere with his own plans to keep an eye on Vermouth. But that issue was rendered moot when she went off to bed herself. In a sudden capitulation he simply yawns and puts his book down.

"Okay, Ran-neechan. I'll see you in the morning."

He walks toward the cot in her room, fully intending to fake sleep until she wasn't paying attention.

i guess it's what keeps him so youthful :c

[failedhandjob]

A long breath escapes from Reimi as her spell finds its mark, although whether from exhaustion or relief she can't quite say. Either way she's more than happy to bring the conversation down to her companion's level and take a seat on the ground herself, pulling her legs neatly underneath her. This was a dream, true, but it was using up a great deal of mental energy all the same.

She gladly gives Kit as much time to himself as he needs, both for his sake and her own. Even as part of her mind continues to reach out into the world to check for enemies, it's enough of a rest to be exceedingly welcome. When he finally deems himself ready to speak again, his smile is met with a small one of her own.

"Thanks, but that's not really true. You've got the same potential locked up inside you."

Every awakened person in Eddan was more than capable of accomplishing the things she was doing now. It didn't make her worthy of praise or admiration - just a little further along in her development than Kit.

[voodoo_revenge]

You don't understand what it means to sparkle, clearly, Squalo. It's a shame.

Natsu isn't very impressed with the caramel but the rest looks pretty good. Her phone is out as soon as he puts it on the counter and she takes a moment to get just the right shot of the drink in all it's glory before plucking out a debit card and running in through the machine. The prices is probably closer to five bucks and she pays it up for whatever it is, because it doesn't matter to her. She's a little spoiled.

Picking up the drink she grins at him. "You're the best." And a tip plunks into the little tip jar as she takes a sip. It is awful, sweet and full of sugar and the apples make it hard to drink right and she loves it. She makes a sour face in reaction before everything in her face lights up in delight. He has other customer's so she stays out of the way but she's going to stay right there glorying in it's terribleness as a promotion for the drink he hates to make. And she's flashy enough that some people do take an interest.

so that was his secret all along

[whitefox]

She didn't understand, but that was alright. Not everyone knew what it took to make the kind of decisions she had made in the heat of battle. Not everyone could. Some hearts were too fragile, some minds too soft.

But Kit didn't doubt his own potential. He'd lived with the monster inside of him his whole life. Glimpsing the youko earlier hadn't been frightening...it had been a relief.

To finally come face-to-face with what he was, with what he'd known lurked beneath the surface all along...he wanted to know more. To do that again. To unlock everything.

"How do I unlock it?"

He had a feeling it wasn't something that could be picked the way he was used to. Unless this exercise of dream diving was, in a sense, another form of lock picking?

well, at least i know you'll make good use of it

[whitefox]

"Did you forget already?"

He wasn't the type to take hostages. There was no honor in fighting that way, if such a thing could be fighting at all. Kit would manipulate his opponents or play mind games with them, perhaps even lead them into believing he might harm something of theirs, or someone, but he would never take a real hostage. His opponent always would be the person standing before him, and while he would be their adversary, he would not be the greatest challenge they had to face.

Their own minds presented the greatest hurdle of all, and if they failed to clear the doubts that would arise, they would tear down their own walls for him.

Perhaps it was cruel to turn a man against himself, but it was also smart. Kit seldom had regrets letting another be the cause of his own defeat. It was the cleanest way to win any battle.

Nevertheless, he offered his guarantee, "You needn't worry. Personal effects are off limits. The only one I am interested in fighting is you."

and we just thought it was the stone mask

[failedhandjob]

For a moment she remains silent, expression stilling as she contemplates whether to divulge that truth now or not. It wasn't that she doubted he could handle it, just...could it be done without the presence of shadows? Or, if it couldn't, might they bait it out by seeking those creatures themselves? It would be cruel to give him false hope and then leave him to stew in only partial knowledge of himself.

But there was no way to know without trying, right? Reimi was prepared to give all she had for her companion, and she knows that Kit would do the same to finally see the truth. So she nods to herself before leaning forward on her knees, a hand stretching out until it gently comes to rest on the left side of his chest.

"You have to tear out your heart."

[whitefox]

At first, when Emily pressed her hand over his chest, Kit said nothing.

Her instructions were clear, leaving no room for misinterpretation. What else could those four words mean? Tear out your heart. He believed them. His heart believed them, too. With a gentle thrum from beneath the cage of his ribs, Kit knew it understood as well as he did.

But if he ripped out his heart, wouldn't he die?

Gently, his hand falling atop Emily's, fingers curling such that they held her hand before pushing it gingerly away from him, Kit laughed.

"Is that all?"

He wasn't afraid. Death stood before him, and he had the chance to cheat it. If his memories served him...he'd been reborn once already. Twice, if he counted the life he led now. He had a devil's luck.

The rewards would be his.

yeah, in poisoning myself and everyone i can take down with me

[blacktemper]

He hadn't forgotten, but he also knew how fights went, especially those without restrictions. In the heat of battle it was all too easy to be overcome with bloodlust and toss someone into items that weren't meant to be involved in the clash. This way he'd covered his own ass in the event that he really did have to attempt to break Kit's neck.

Not that he really expects he'll have to, if he's being honest with himself. They were both too thrilled to be facing each other to do anything that might compromise the purity of this fight. It was unspoken but still tangible, like the electricity crackling in the air between them.

With one last toss of the piercings onto his jacket, Vincent strides away from the tree to put a more acceptable length between them. His expression is nonchalant, but there's no disguising the flames burning behind his eyes. He's been waiting for this since they made their little agreement.

"You damn well better be," he laughs, cocky as always. "Just remember that you asked for this."

[failedhandjob]

She smiles a little when he cradles her hand before shooing it away, the expression faintly wan thanks to the precautionary worry still in her eyes. It wasn't terribly uncommon to be able to face down death bravely, but awakening was so much more than just loss of life. She couldn't let him proceed in good faith until she was certain he completely understood.

"It'll kill you," Reimi begins, settling her hands back into the lap but refusing to lean away. "The person you are right now - that won't ever come back."

That was the price every demon demanded for its use. Not only to permanently discard the skin they'd been walking around in, but to face that loss every single day as they pretended such a bargain had never been struck. There was more to be gained from such pain than just power, however, as she herself knew well.

"Who you'll become after, though...that's the real you."

Such was the conundrum all unawakened faced. Murder themselves for the chance at embracing both truth and pain, or let go of the mystery forever in order to preserve their own psyche. It wasn't a choice anyone but Kit could make.

what a delicious way to go

[whitefox]

Kit's cheer was uninterrupted as he followed the other boy away from the tree, but the moment they'd settled upon a safe distance away from their belongings, his disposition changed at once.

It was as if a curtain had been pulled back, and the face revealed to have been behind was cold and hard. His green eyes burned with a similar fervor, his anticipation for this fight having been mounting since they'd made their promise, but it seemed Kit wasn't eager to waste even a single ounce of energy on anything unnecessary between them.

Rolling up the sleeves of his sweater, his left arm first and then his right, he addressed his opponent.

"Anything else goes, then. Except killing." Simple rules. With only one final amendment. "There are two ways to win: knockout or forfeiture. If you accept...then we can commence."

When was the last time he'd really fought someone? Their clash at the aquarium didn't count, not for true. And it had been several months since he'd been released from juvie. Even then, during his year in that place, he hadn't gone toe-to-toe with anyone who looked at him with the same fire behind their eyes that Vincent possessed. As though, if he was reckless, he could be reduced to nothing more than a smoldering shadow scorched into the earth's crust.

It made the blood within him boil like it was alive.

[whitefox]

With a sigh, Kit pushed himself back to his feet.

"If what you say is true, then it won't matter if it kills the person I am now. He was never meant to exist in the first place." But that is just one perspective, and Kit is well aware of it. In fact, the eye-opening memory of Shiori Minamino has made him consider what the death of Kit Florentine would mean to the family he has come to know in this life.

They were still very new to each other, but that woman and her husband, they were both very loving people, weren't they? They had invited him to stay with them, but he had insisted upon taking up residence at the school and they hadn't even thought to object. Because it had been what he'd wanted. They had provided him with the opportunity to attend the Leviathan Habitat's overnight event, too. They did not judge him for his past, but encouraged the potential they knew he possessed. And promised that their door would always be open.

Could he walk a path leading to his own demise knowing that he would be stealing from them someone they...might not actually despise?

It seemed like it was a choice he didn't need to make tonight at the very least. Perhaps he had time to say goodbye.

"How much time do I have?"

He didn't expect her to know for certain, but even an estimate would be better than nothing at all. Were there people besides that woman and her husband that he would want to see one last time with these eyes? Before the belonged to another? It's a strange thing to find that there are actually names that come to mind when all this time he'd thought he'd built a fortress around himself.

[failedhandjob]

Reimi follows suit soon after, smoothing down the edges of her dress simply to give herself more time to mull over the question. In some ways she's glad that he doesn't want to try it now - not for lack of commitment on her part, but because it means that he's taking the weight of all this seriously. He deserved to have the gift of foresight that had been denied to those who had awakened alongside herself.

"I don't know," she responds candidly, meeting his gaze evenly. "The last time there was a counter, but I haven't seen anything like that yet. If it's similar to what happened to me...maybe a few weeks."

Time enough to get his affairs in order, but still a startlingly brief lifespan to be saddled with. It was a false life they were discarding, yes...but those facades had still been people in their own right. Putting them into their graves was a heartbreaking thing to be forced to do.