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Penance Mods ([personal profile] penancemods) wrote in [community profile] penancememes2021-01-24 03:00 am
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TEST DRIVE MEME #20

Arrival
You remember a dream.

Or maybe nightmare is more accurate.

It was full of hellfire nipping at your skin and a sensation of being pulled down no matter how much you struggle or cry for help. There's a voice that feels like it's coming from all around you at once. Contrasting with the nightmare unfolding around you, it's smooth as silk. It makes you want to listen with every bit of attention you can muster in the moment.

"Judgement has come upon you, but not to worry. It can still be undone."

The voice promises you redemption for your sins. It promises you a better life and everything you could ever want, if only you just stop struggling so much.

And so you do.

While everyone usually wakes up in the same room initially, there has been an unforeseen error. Sinners will not wake in a deceptively cushy room with Hieronymus Bosch paintings lining the walls. Instead, when they open their eyes, they may find themselves in any Penance location, including:

∎ Any location within the hotel, including rooms belonging to sinners who have already settled in. Bar, bathrooms, kitchen, etc. There's a nice torture room as well!
∎ Club Penance, Casino Styx, the movie theatre, or the fondly named Hellburbia, etc..
∎ Locations just outside the gate aren't off limits for new arrivals, but keep in mind that sinners may be chased by random hell beasts or have to call for aid ASAP.

More details about locations available in Hell can be found here.

After feeling a sensation of falling or dropping onto a hard surface, characters wake up feeling like they've just slept for a month straight. Their body will feel heavy and stiff, and they'll have a massive headache at first. They will have a mysterious wound across the palm of their hand that hasn't been healed properly.

They'll quickly notice the list of their sins written with their blood on an old piece of parchment placed upon their chest. These contracts are made with blood magic and will mean the parchment is tied to their individual sins. They can't be changed or tampered with. Next to them, they'll also find their device to connect with others and the network dropped on the ground. It won't be anything terribly fancy. As a matter of fact, it looks like a very old Blackberry type phone.

Once characters are ready to get up, they'll have to find their way to the Hotel Penance lobby. Pushing through the dreaded ominous feeling that lingers upon arrival, they may encounter fellow sinners or demonic staff that will direct them to the front desk to be checked in. The staff may be pushy or they may border on courteous. It really just depends on the mood of the demon at the time and how they're treated in return.

Once to the lobby, you'll notice the front desk manned by a demon who looks bored out of his mind. To the side of him is the door to the kitchen, where guests may help themselves to whatever foods are available. To the right is a small duty free shop that seems to have a surprisingly normal, expected stock of items. There's also a gift shop called Kergak's Gifts and Things, for all those novelty Hell t-shirts and memorabilia. Look around a bit further, there will be a tiny bar tucked in through a corner door. It seems pretty well-stocked and best of all, there's a demonic bartender who seems to know how to mix any drink you can imagine (and a few you can't). Of course there's some seating, bar games, and a jukebox tucked in the corner if you'd rather stay and socialize a bit. There's also a new addition of a karaoke machine.

Please note that all the songs on the jukebox are appropriately hell-themed. Hopefully Sympathy for the Devil is universally loved.


Stand Your Ground
Sinners, new and old alike, will note that the morning in Penance starts off with quite a bang. An explosion rocks the hotel just as Lilith is welcoming the fresh batch of damned souls in after a full month and it seems to spread out across the entire community. Before anyone can so much as react, it feels almost like the dimension of Hell folds in on itself. For a jarring, uncomfortable moment, everything changes. The hotel changes from its usual look to a burned out husk of a building that reveals the gruesome landscape outside, to a castle made of skulls before back to normal again. Similarly, the demons and sinners alike may feel themselves shift a bit, becoming some alternate version of themselves. The demons may become uncomfortably human, sinners may become older or younger. It doesn't last more than a second, but it may leave one feeling a bit ill for a while afterwards.

For a blissful moment after the explosion and weirdness that followed, things almost seem back to normal around Penance. At least until the staff is frantically rushing around. The word is Lilith has been injured and Lucifer has gone missing. There are scared murmurs of The Veiled Order and God breaking through the barrier Lucifer set up to keep him out. Everything feels tense and chaotic, even as the staff tries to keep a brave face for the guests.

Fortunately, the Casino Styx, Loki, and Leo Fitz's expertise in harnessing harmless energy to keep the barrier up seems to be holding strong for now anyway. God is not in Hell. The Veiled Order seem quiet as well. Confusion is thick in the air as everyone tries to puzzle out what's going on, but the one thing that seems certain? There's something that managed to sneak in with the souls and it's likely some really bad news. No one knows what's coming next, but still, the show must go on! Whether people want it to or not.

The demon at the front desk does what he can to keep things orderly going forward. He's there to help guests find their way to their rooms, he's there to explain why souls are brought in. Unfortunately, reality isn't quite as back to normal as one might have expected. Doors that are familiar (or aren't, depending on how new you are) lead to entirely different places than one would expect. Go to the kitchen? You may just end up in the torture room! Trying to leave the gym, have fun accidentally stepping into someone's bedroom! This also happens while stepping into the shower occasionally... hope no one has issues with appearing suddenly in the new in the middle of the lobby or any other area in Hell! The staff assures everyone that this will be corrected just as soon as they figure out what's going on exactly.

Unfortunately, this means that sinners may wind up in the room that seems to just be full of blood or the one constantly burning with hellfire... fortunately, the rooms that remain locked throughout the hotel don't seem to change much at all. Still no entrance to these restricted areas at all!

The random teleportation or odd rooms aren't just confined to the hotel. This may happen at Club Penance, Hellburbia, and any other establishment around Hell. Caution is strongly urged for anyone intending on going anywhere. It may be wise to go in a group!


Reach Up High
Since this is the first TDM of the new year, we're offering multiple choices for punishment to give players an idea of what to expect in the game coming up. These are all open to new and all players alike, so enjoy! Just click on the title to expand the information for each.

Prompt I: Just a Little Cut
WARNINGS: mutilation, blood, cutting.

Whether you've been here for months or you're freshly arrived, your demonic overlord unfortunately expects some participation despite the current state of things. You can try and shirk the responsibility, of course. You can bargain your way out of it for a while. But eventually, you may find yourself trapped in a room just off the gym that's been fondly dubbed The Torture Room. It has all manner of equipment in there, along with an iron maiden even.

But don't worry about any of that right now. It probably won't be used.

You can try the door, but even with super human strength or every lock picking skill in the book, you won't be able to open it.

It soon becomes apparent what you're supposed to do when someone else is eventually shoved in with you. Both of your lists of sins will appear on a table that's been placed in the center of the room, along with two handy knives. You can choose to guard these or not care at all that they're on display.

"Know that honesty is a good place to start on your road to redemption-- you know what, it doesn't matter. This is Hell and while suffering may not happen without reason, you don't really care about that right now, do you? Sure, pain can be terrifying at first, but that's why you've been given a partner in this journey. Pick up your knives and carve at least one sin into each other's flesh. Help in the journey to be candid with everyone you should meet here!"

The voice echoes all around you again, just like in the nightmare, but it's different. Rougher. It's a demon's voice without any of Lucifer's calming demeanor.

"Just get on with it or you'll be cut much worse."

It isn't a lie nor an idle threat either. The longer you wait to do what's been requested of you, the more shallow cuts that will appear on both of your bodies. Are you really prepared to endure this pain when giving in would be so much easier?

And more than that, are you willing to let another suffer along with you?

Eventually, the cuts will stop if you suffer them long enough, but you'll have failed this challenge and sustained more damage than if you'd just gone along with it. Satan will also be very disappointed in you.


Prompt II: Just a Chat
"New arrivals!" The demon greets as sinners are led to a room with two seats and a table in between. They then will be made to sit by two burly demon escorts.

"What I am asking of you is rather simple... pick a sin from your contract, any sin, and explain how you got to that point. Simple enough, yes? Perhaps gaining a better understanding of what made you sin in the first place will help. Or humiliate you into never doing it again. Please don't try to get out of it... you will be punished.".

And true to his word, so long as sinners comply and share what made them perform a sin on their list, they'll be let go. If, after five minutes, nothing has been shared, a headache will begin. The pain will gradually increase until it floods the body. Nosebleeds may begin to happen, so will bleeding out the ears or eyes. Eventually, a sinner may even lose a sense for a 24 hour period.

Is it really worth potentially going blind just to get out of a little bit of talking? Come now...

(Effects should begin 5 comments in and gradually worsen until sinners either give in or start to lose one of their senses. After this, they'll be released from the room regardless whether they complied or not)


Prompt III: Jesus Wept
WARNINGS: mutilation, blood, torture, extreme gore.

Somewhere from within the hotel is an ominous rumble behind a closed door. There are eerie screams from within, followed by menacing laughter as the door swings open of its own accord. The room within is painted in nothing but darkness and a thick fog.

For those who would dare approach, they will be able to make out the outlines of chains hanging in wait from the ceiling, but most other details are obscured. There may be a brief flash of figures in the shadows, the stench of blood. This feels like a bad idea, but sinners are drawn forward anyway. There's something of a promise inside this room... something new and exciting, greater than anyone is capable of imagining!

You know what they say about curiosity and the cat, don't you?

Before common sense can win out, guests will find themselves pulled into the room and hear the gut-wrenching slam of the heavy door behind them. Once inside, guests will be able to make out the torn apart bodies on the ground, halved or nothing but splatters of guts and bone. Despite all logic, some will still be writhing and moaning still. Whether in pleasure or pain, it's difficult to tell

Look closer still and sinners may notice one has managed to scrawl with their bloody handprint:

There are no limits.

It may feel as if reading those words puts things into motion. Suddenly, one of the poor sinners will find the chains lashing out, hooks sinking in deep as they find their purchase on their bodies and pull. They will find themselves pulled into an almost gruesome mockery of a crucifixion pose. Arms drawn up, legs held in place. Clothes may be torn or shredded as their unmarked bodies are marred with the hooks. Flesh and muscle stretch under the strain. Fortunately, it doesn't go further.

Not yet.

"Dear guests, we haven't explored the depths to which pain can show our true selves in a while, have we? This is a room that was locked off for a while and my demonic brothers and sisters trapped within have found themselves rather bored lately," the demon's voice rings out within both ears of the sinners. "I want to show you the lengths Hell used to go to, the pain and pleasure mix of true torment. It's in suffering that we find our true selves. I do firmly believe that. We find out who we're meant to be, what we're meant to be, giving and receiving pain. Help one another and you will be set free!"

The fog dissipates enough to reveal a table nearby full of all sorts of horrifying instruments. Paddles, whips, some of them barbed in nauseating ways. There's wax to melt, knives. Needles to pierce flesh with. There are instruments that deliver enough electric current into the recipient to hurt and leave them writhing, gags for when their cries become too much.

"Next to your instruments, you will find a list of sins and wrongdoings your lovely captive has done in their lives, both here and back home. Read it and punish accordingly. Remember, there is freedom in humiliation as well as pain. Force them to see who they truly are inside. There's also redemption to be found in the punishment. You are delivering God's divine justice! You are God's hand! He will be so pleased..."

In the shadows, there are those same figures standing in wait, ready to manipulate the hooks.

"You will have no more than four attempts to carry out your punishment. Failure or refusal to do so will result in another hook driving into our poor bound soul here. After your four attempts, I am sorry to say they will be torn apart by my friends in the shadows with you, and you will have murder added to the list of sins tainting you. It would be such a needless shame to fail at this, wouldn't it? And who knows, perhaps you'll find you adore this path..."

There's a short laugh from the demon, as if he just made a brilliant joke. "Succeed in your punishment and you will both be released with one more sin removed from your list. Don't worry about any injuries... there are bandages and other aids available just outside. Now go have fun."

[As this is a Hellraiser based prompt, feel free to assume anything with a sadomasochistic bent to it can be found within the room. Attacking the demons controlling the chains will not stop them. They seem to be invulnerable to attacks and are only there to observe and add additional hooks when they deem fit. When a punishment is deemed worthy enough to release the hooked partner is left up to player discretion, but a character is only allowed to fail a punishment four times before they have to witness a horribly gory scene.]


Follow Me Down

Prompt I: Bare All
WARNINGS: sex, drugs, alcohol, aphrodisiacs, body changes, potential kinks, violence, potential non-con or dub-con.

Club Penance seems to be returning to its old charm! Themed nights have returned. This night's theme is: Anything But Clothes. Guests who enter the adult oriented side of the club will notice the incubi and succubi who serve in it are entirely without clothes (and any ounce of shame!). They're very encouraging of others to do the same whether it be immediately or in sexy strip shows.

On their trays, they offer drinks and drugs of all sorts. Shows are being put on on the stage, the offer of sex demos with guest participation is still on the table.

As usual, these demons play under respectable rules, safe words and all. They will also gladly exit the stage and let guests entirely run the show. They're on their best behavior tonight, even if the natural aphrodisiacs they give off seem to be amped up

Guests who refused to undress may also find their clothes randomly disappearing, or being torn off by some eager patron or demon who is a bit too into the theme! Ah, well, no need to worry too much, even if there's an undercurrent of desperation or fear in these demons, like they want guests to... well, sin. What could they need all that extra energy for? Well, considering how crazy things are around Penance right now... best to not worry about it probably.

There will be costumes and lingerie to slip on to go home in. There's absolutely nothing wrong with a walk of shame back to the hotel in nothing but a thong, they'll assure. It's just another night in Hell.

For those who are really adventurous, there are also special concoctions that the club offers. These include:

  • Frenzy ○ The drug will be given to anyone anyone who asks for it. It can be snorted, injected, taken in pill form, or smoked given user preference.

    Despite the questionable name, guests who partake really will feel the best they've possibly ever felt. They won't need sleep or to rest, but they won't necessarily feel the strain on their bodies either. They'll be full of energy and their mood will be amazing with no hint of nightmares or dreams anywhere.

    The demons won't let anyone come down either, not once they've started and not until they're told a guest doesn't want any more.

    Even then, they may still try to convince them otherwise. It's a party for as long as you can go, or until you completely burn out, it seems.

    But with all good things come bad. It seems a side-effect of the drug is an actual frenzy as well. A frenzy for sex or violence or anything a character might want that they deny themselves on the regular. They'll feel this growing hunger, this ravenous need to have and to claim everything they think is theirs.

    Some may even fade away into an almost animalistic sort of state.

    The more the guest takes, the more they'll experience this sensation. Fighting it won't help either. Though they did sort of bring that one on themselves, didn't they?

    Other symptoms of coming down won't be too different to those of other drugs. Fatigue, depression. Guests will begin to feel the effects of staying up for so long without rest or stopping to take care of themselves. They may also feel a certain longing for more, but it can be fought off with enough strength of will.

    The drug isn't free either. The succubi expect to be paid in energy or through actual work in the club.

    Bond ○ A potion that will bond guests together the minute one speaks to the other. The encouragement is that this should be done consensually, but the demons won't necessarily be checking. Once bonded, guests will feel what the one who took the potion feels. This includes pain and pleasure both with effects lasting a full night. Give someone the most intense pleasure of their lives or torture them until they beg for mercy!

    For a really intense experience, both participants can consume the potion with mutual effects.


  • For the dance oriented portion of the club, the theme is a little more lax. Instead of outright nakedness, patrons may be offered revealing clubwear instead. Things that will look mesmerizing in the lights of the club ranging from neon colors to clothes that seem to flash on the dance floor. The music will be thrumming in the air, pumping down to your very bones as you dance the night away, and all patrons will feel good. It will feel as if they could actually dance all night if they so wanted, even without the aid of any drugs.

    It will be an all night rave with all the party drugs and drinks one could want! Live music plays all night. The band also loves to receive requests, so knock yourself out! They seem to strangely know any song they're asked to play.

    Knock yourself out, give up any care in the world and have fun. You're already in Hell, so don't you deserve to feel good for a while?


    Prompt II: Your Average Hotel Night
    WARNINGS: Alcohol and drug abuse, potential non-con/dub-con

    With all the sinners, new and old, the hotel bar will be lit up with activity. Drinks will be readily available, there's food in the kitchens, music will be blaring, and overall, there will be an energy to the atmosphere that's absolutely contagious. Even if you aren't typically inclined to linger at these sorts of events there may be be a certain pull to stay and have a bit of fun.

    You might not get much of a chance to have that in Hell, after all. One drink won't hurt, right? Nor will one more after that, and after that. Ah, sweet gluttony. Why not have a pastry next? There's some delectable sweets available just a few steps away. More of a meat person? Like things salty? Fear not, it looks like someone graciously brought all sorts of snacks and foodstuffs from the kitchens to the bar as the night progresses. Indulge! You deserve it.

    Similar to Club Penance, the bar also has every sort of drug available that might tickle your fancy and some you've never heard of. There's no harm in experimenting, is there? You're already in Hell. The staff will offer to show anyone how to use the drugs or give advice for what to try if you tell them what you want to experience. Shockingly, they won't lie! Their advice is good word its just you might not have been exactly prepared for it.

    There's a stage and a karaoke machine for those feeling brave or just wanting to torture people with some sweet, sweet renditions of The Devil Went Down to Georgia.

    There are tables set up for all sorts of gambling and various bar games to entertain yourself with. Since currency as most are familiar with it doesn't quite exist down here, most of the demons seem to be accepting bits of your soul or offers to do chores around the hotel. You may also get pulled into a fun game of strip poker against one of your fellow guests for a few succubi that are having a night out.

    Relax and enjoy your night. Coming here and facing your sins is the hard part, so surely you deserve to have a little fun.


    Wildcard/Misc.
    Don't see something you love but still want to get a feel for the game? Check out our extensive list of LOCATIONS and write up your very own prompt however you'd like to! You can also add a "NETWORK" post option to your TL for quick, easy, and fun interactions.



    And without further ado: Welcome to our new TDM for the February 1st app round! A.K.A. The Torture Extravaganza! It's been a while since Hell has been properly mean and, with a return to the norm, we wanted to offer players a chance to really explore what Hell has to offer. There will also be an upcoming mystery to solve with the introduction of whatever this new threat in Hell is and whatever has become of Lucifer and Lilith.

    All will be revealed in the upcoming February plot! If you app and are accepted, TDM tags become game canon and can be used for AC! Please have fun and don't hesitate to ask any questions you might have down below.

    If you have questions, comments, suggestions, etc., go here.


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    polydeukes: (Default)

    [personal profile] polydeukes 2021-01-26 03:27 am (UTC)(link)
    [Josie nods, playing with the sides of her cup.]

    I had just spent a month in a place where I had no magic. I was drugged and alone and disoriented and I felt really ... powerless. Then I was just released back into Hell and Landon and I were talking about some things that happened back home. Things that I couldn't stop because I was too busy being evil and ...

    [She shakes her head as she tucks her hair behind her ear.]

    I guess I thought I needed it to be more in control. Or if I didn't break it, someone would steal the magic for themselves. Which makes no sense because I knew that it didn't matter who broke it - the magic would rebound back into me no matter what.

    [She looks up at her mom, trying not to seem like a kid who's worried about getting into trouble.]

    It doesn't really matter because I wasn't thinking about Lizzie or the consequences, or any of that. All I wanted was to feel powerful, and I couldn't get it out of my head.
    incontrovertible: (be a good parent-friend-whatever)

    [personal profile] incontrovertible 2021-01-26 03:46 am (UTC)(link)
    ( She purses her lips again, setting her cup aside first. Drugged? Alone? Dioriented? Being evil, she'd question. Not that she didn't have her own - she'd call it selfish, time. But, she did evil things, too.

    Lightly, she takes the cup out of Josie's hands. Reaching out, she grabs them herself.
    )

    Josie. What's important is that you didn't. You didn't break the hourglass. Power can be -- tempting. And, so can darkness.

    ( She pauses, not going into an analogy on her own darkness. There was a time Klaus saw a darkness in her, one that she didn't see. And then she did one of the darkest things. She killed twelve witches in trying to stop a spell. To this day, that remains the most blood she's had on her hands. But, what comes to mind happens two years after that. )

    You never met her, but, your grandma Liz, she died before you were born. Cancer. I tried everything. I even tried vampire blood. Losing her... ( She tries to choose her words carefully, to keep them relevant to what Josie is going through. ) I felt more pain than I had ever felt. And I lied to everyone about it. After her funeral, I ... broke my hourglass. I turned it off. I couldn't feel it anymore. I didn't want to.

    You didn't break it.

    ( Her lips drawn together as her brows lower. )

    Both you and Lizzie have remarkable power together. And apart. She knows you weren't thinking. Does she know you were somewhere else? Alone? Without your magic? ( She pauses, needing to close her eyes. ) Drugged?

    ( Okay. She said it. It makes it real. She opens them again. )
    Edited 2021-01-26 03:53 (UTC)
    polydeukes: (85)

    [personal profile] polydeukes 2021-01-26 03:53 am (UTC)(link)
    Yeah, she knows. She's been there too.

    [Lizzie was there first, and she handled it way better than Josie did which also may mean not at all. Jose picks at her coffee cup again, trying to process what her mother said.

    True, she didn't break it. But does she say that the only reason why is because Jon was there to remind her that she wasn't alone?

    It's hard to say.]


    And she does understand. We're okay. But she needed space to be angry about it without worrying about me.
    incontrovertible: (in that case I'm taking over)

    [personal profile] incontrovertible 2021-01-26 04:00 am (UTC)(link)
    ( Her eyes turn a more intense shade as she takes that in stride, tongue meeting her lower lip. She looks away, above them, back toward the demon barista and finally - back to her daughter. They've both been in this place. )

    That's okay, too. Sometimes, we just need space. We feel what we feel, we don't deny it or - push it down - and then we work through those feelings. Including the guilt. You've been living with that for some time, now.

    ( Not being here, not being able to help? It's already taking a toll on her nerves. Coming in halfway through is not what Caroline likes. But, with her job, with recruiting and traveling and merge-research - sometimes she does. )

    Where is the hourglass now?
    polydeukes: (76)

    [personal profile] polydeukes 2021-01-26 04:03 am (UTC)(link)
    I don't know.

    [Which is more of a relief than it probably should be, but honestly not knowing where to find it has made the temptation easier.]

    My friend Jon has it. He's one of Elena's roommates. He was there. He talked me down.

    [And she was very, very grateful for that.]
    incontrovertible: (after the conversation)

    [personal profile] incontrovertible 2021-01-26 04:08 am (UTC)(link)
    Jon.

    ( Just imagine a nice post-it tab in her mind. Elena's roommate, Jon. )

    Okay.

    ( Now is probably not the time to discuss how the Merge came about. Though, it sounds like that magic, that dark power pushed the issue. She'd also rather have that conversation with both girls.

    Her hands find the coffee cup again.
    )

    My girls are in Hell.
    polydeukes: (Default)

    [personal profile] polydeukes 2021-01-26 04:10 am (UTC)(link)
    [She nods, because she knows that's a lot.]

    I know this place can be a lot and really messy. But ... we've been okay. Close call with magical sandclock aside.

    [She doesn't want Caroline to worry any more than she has to.]

    We've been keeping each other safe. Mostly.
    incontrovertible: (is this worse than I thought?)

    [personal profile] incontrovertible 2021-01-26 04:20 am (UTC)(link)
    I was going to ask. About you being okay. It's relative here, I gather, but. I'm happy you've been okay. Mostly safe.

    ( She has mostly settled. Her hear will probably not slow down until she and her girls and Elena and, hell, everyone in Hell get out, but, she's here in front of one of her daughters. She'll see her other daughter. They will find each other again.

    Caroline has been there. Caroline has needed time away from friends or family. Their Aunt Bonnie needed to take time often. And that was warranted. From Caroline, the vampire. From Elena after what happened to her mom. All three of them needed time after the Damon-Elena reveal. It's natural.

    Being in Hell is not natural.
    )

    Tell me more, tell me everything. You're - you said it's been a few years. And you mention Hope, she erased herself from existence? So we all - we forgot her?
    polydeukes: (39)

    [personal profile] polydeukes 2021-01-26 04:27 am (UTC)(link)
    [She nods, because Hope is a good place to start. It's a lot less personal.]

    There's this pit called Malivore. Anything that falls in it gets erased from the collective memory. That's how creatures like dragons and gargoyles and ... Santa became more myth than fact. But last year, the monsters started getting released because Malivore wanted to be freed from it's useless pit form.

    Hope figured out that because Malivore was created by a witch, a werewolf and a vampire working together, her tribrid blood might be the solution to getting rid of it for good. But since her vamp side wasn't active yet, it didn't do the job completely.

    Eventually Malivore spit her back out again, but the damage was already done.
    incontrovertible: (I did not see this turn coming)

    [personal profile] incontrovertible 2021-01-26 04:37 am (UTC)(link)
    ( For the first time today, she feels like she needs alcohol. But, all she has is coffee. That's fine. She takes a nice, scalding sip. Santa. )

    Because, when she went into the pit she was forgotten. But, coming out of the pit - it doesn't undo being forgotten. Because, anything else that would -- escape -- we'd forget. Like gargoyles. ...Santa, really?
    polydeukes: (68)

    [personal profile] polydeukes 2021-01-26 04:41 am (UTC)(link)
    Santa's a badass. He kicked Krampus's butt all over the common room. It was amazing.

    [She will tote that to the day she dies. The gargoyle was more dangerous though. Lizzie almost died. There's been enough bad news for today.]

    When I saved Lizzie from the oni? The dark magic spell I did somehow jolted her memories of Hope back into place. So I went to Freya Mikaelson for help, and she helped me figure out how to cast it one everyone else.
    incontrovertible: (before dawn)

    [personal profile] incontrovertible 2021-01-26 04:47 am (UTC)(link)
    Krampus, the German - who kidnaps kids?

    ( Okay. That she can - applaud. She's impressed. )

    Well, that was very resourceful of you. What did she say when you told her she had a niece she didn't remember?
    polydeukes: (78)

    [personal profile] polydeukes 2021-01-26 04:51 am (UTC)(link)
    He actually kidnapped Santa before he fell into Malivore, taking Santa with him.

    [But yeah, that guy.]

    I, uh.

    [Well. She didn't handle that the best way, if she's being entirely honest.]

    I came at it as more of a general thing. I said just enough to help her to believe me, but she was kind of pissed when she figured out I might know who Hope was.

    So I sort of bamboozled her with the spell and ran.

    [Because that's the smart way to deal with an Original.]
    incontrovertible: (drawer whiskey)

    [personal profile] incontrovertible 2021-01-26 05:02 am (UTC)(link)
    You - bamboozled her.

    ( Okay. Great SAT word. )

    Well, why did you do that? Were you afraid she wouldn't believe you? You believed your sister when - she told everyone Hope was real? Or, did Lizzie only come to you?
    polydeukes: (83)

    [personal profile] polydeukes 2021-01-26 05:06 am (UTC)(link)
    Uh. I didn't ... Lizzie didn't tell me.

    [She takes a deep breath, before closing her my eyes.]

    So my ex-girlfriend Penelope? She gave everyone these spelled pencils that transcribed everything they wrote into a journal that she could access. She gave it to me when she left, and that's where I saw Lizzie's journal entries about it and my boyfriend at the time had written some songs about her because he used to be Hope's boyfriend before she erased herself from all our memories and I was feeling jealous and petty and then I decided to go poke a Mikaelson witch about it.

    [She makes a face.]

    It wasn't really my smartest set of life choices.
    Edited 2021-01-26 05:08 (UTC)
    incontrovertible: (headmistress salvatore)

    [personal profile] incontrovertible 2021-01-26 05:10 am (UTC)(link)
    ( She narrows her eyes. )

    No. No it wasn't. But, it all worked out. You remember Hope. And - your boyfriend? And Ex-girlfriend. ( She chants to herself. ) Years. It's been years. ( Okay. She's okay again. ) Were those pencils going around?

    ( Did Caroline take a pencil from Penelope? )

    Wait. What - what happened with your boyfriend? Hope's - the boyfriend?
    polydeukes: (86)

    [personal profile] polydeukes 2021-01-26 05:21 am (UTC)(link)
    She gave them out for Christmas.

    [Her ex-girlfriend was a winner. That's also ... how Josie found out about the Merge but she's not going to bring that up right now.]

    Uh. He ... picked Hope. Which, remembering them now makes total sense. But that doesn't mean it didn't suck at the time.
    incontrovertible: (just because she doesn't)

    [personal profile] incontrovertible 2021-01-26 05:27 am (UTC)(link)
    ( She wasn't. She is not Caroline approved. But, Caroline sure could pick 'em at one time, too. Damon didn't count. Her girlfriend was a witch, which is better than vampire, but not when she duplicitously hands out pens. )

    Of course. I'm sorry. It never feels good to be the second choice.

    ( Way to hit home without trying. Like mother, daughter. )

    Despite that, despite the possibility that he might remember her and choose her? You still restored everyone's memories. You still did the right thing. There's nothing wrong with being a little petty every now and then.
    polydeukes: (Default)

    [personal profile] polydeukes 2021-01-27 02:37 am (UTC)(link)
    Yeah. That's what you told me.

    [She gives her a small smile.]

    I called you while I was waiting for the bus back to Mystic Falls. You also said that it wouldn't be a real choice if he didn't choose me with all the information on the table.
    incontrovertible: (gathering)

    [personal profile] incontrovertible 2021-01-27 02:42 am (UTC)(link)
    ( Caroline smiles. Josie called her when she was conflicted. Knowing she's still there for her girls, that - that makes this 1% better. Only 1%. )

    It wouldn't. And, it wouldn't be fair to Hope. Did she keep it from everyone because you and your boyfriend had moved on without her?
    polydeukes: (Default)

    [personal profile] polydeukes 2021-01-27 03:43 am (UTC)(link)
    A little. I think there were a lot of things, honestly, but Lizzie would know better than I would.

    [She was actually there for Hope, while Josie was busy being catty and jealous.]
    incontrovertible: (followed)

    [personal profile] incontrovertible 2021-01-27 03:46 am (UTC)(link)
    And after. How did you feel? To know everything again? To know Hope again?

    ( This is about how Josie feels. Hope is important. Caroline cares about Hope. But, Josie is hers. )
    polydeukes: (Default)

    [personal profile] polydeukes 2021-01-27 03:51 am (UTC)(link)
    Not great.

    [There were a lot of different reasons for that, but in general the resounding assessment was "not great."]

    Of course, I was happy to have my friend back, but at the same time I now had feelings for this person who I should have never had feelings for in the first place. It was ... messy.

    [And she doesn't really like messy.]
    incontrovertible: (sometimes I'm that 17 year old)

    [personal profile] incontrovertible 2021-01-27 04:05 am (UTC)(link)
    Things tend to get messy. I'm sorry to say, that doesn't stop. The older you get, life gets even messier. Literally, if you have kids.

    ( She tries to get a smile out from her with that, giggling. )

    I'm proud of you, for doing the right thing, as I'm sure I was when you called me about it. And. Now that I know about this mora miserium hourglass, well, we can do something about it. That's the first step. Recognizing the problem.

    ( She is quick to add something. )

    You are not the problem. Other - darker magicked up you. Also not the problem. The magic itself and its' vessel? The problem.
    polydeukes: (Default)

    [personal profile] polydeukes 2021-01-27 04:16 am (UTC)(link)
    [Josie nods, because she's still trying to get around that mindset. That she's causing a problem and therefore being a problem. But Elena and Lizzie have both been working on setting her straight, so at least there's that.]

    We did find a spell to keep it from degrading. Now we just need to figure out how to get rid of it safely.

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