i've ended kings and countries

[crittersheep]

WHO: Rose
WHERE: Rose
WHEN: Day 70+

[how does it feel to be one of the beautiful people now that you know who you are]

Comments

[lustfall]

[ uh. ]

I told him about my self-destruct mechanism. It induced some, um, strong feelings in him.

Also, we cuddled. [ "cuddling" is a strong word for it. ] He was very soft.

[finalbows]

Your what.

[lustfall]

[ in the tone of someone that's spent far too long agonizing over it and ultimately decided to compartmentalize the fact ]

Self-destruct mechanism. Magical bomb. Eliminates all life within a certain radius.

It's my "heart".

[finalbows]

Let me guess, it's also integral to your functioning.

[lustfall]

[ bites lip and looks away ]

No.

[finalbows]

Then-- why in the world do you still have it in you?

...No one's been there who could safely disarm it?

[lustfall]

...

Only I can activate it. And I never would. I... I love life more than anything. I don't know why he'd--

[ nope he's not gonna cry here ]

It didn't seem worth mentioning. It's not like it's a risk.

[ local doll has not experienced level 99 demons activating player character bombs ]

1/2

[finalbows]

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2/2

[finalbows]

And what happens if something tries to mentally compel you to do so... and we don't know you might need help to resist?

[lustfall]

[ puzzled head tilt ]

That seems. Counterproductive.

Why would something compel me to use it?

[finalbows]

Sheer desire for chaos and suffering.

1/3

[lustfall]

It's quite a massive radius. Even with limitations, there wouldn't be anything left to —

2/3

[lustfall]

[ thinks. thiiiiinks. ]

[lustfall]

Could something here force it to detonate slowly...?

[ his pale little doll face grows a tad whiter. THAT SOUNDS UNIDEAL ACTUALLY ]

[finalbows]

Yes. And even besides that, its potential detonation at all could be used to try and compel our behavior, one way or another.

[lustfall]

[ gives him the stupidest most dumbstruck of stares. parse error ]

[finalbows]

Never had your very existence or that of who you prefer remain alive held for ransom over you before, hn?


Familiarize yourself with that sensation. Prepare yourself for it.

[lustfall]

... It's strange to imagine myself being unable to resist a compulsion. If that board game hadn't happened, I wouldn't believe you.

[finalbows]

Hmph. Not my job to convince you to be ready for a nasty surprise.

Yet, it is my job now to think of a solution to your literal ticking time bomb. Thanks for that~.

Make it up to me by telling me more about its workings in explicit detail.

[lustfall]

Um.

[ DEER IN HEADLIGHTS MODE ENGAGE ]

[finalbows]

[ smiles. Waiting. ]

[lustfall]

I don't know. It's... do you remember that puzzle ritual with the names? We knew inherently what the rules were, but not the inner workings of the ritual itself.

It's like that.

[finalbows]

Then give me. The context clues.

[lustfall]

It feels like... it was put inside me after my initial creation. Like it wasn't part of the initial blueprint, but molded flawlessly to my construction after. If it weren't built so well, I would call it an afterthought.

[finalbows]

You think it was your original creator's idea?