A Sudden Recognition Of Unexpected Consequences.

[mamadonna]

Characters: The Dolorosa and YOU!
Setting: Room 1-01; an ill-fated attempt in the hallway; the infirmary
Format: Choose a setting and go for it!
Summary: Dolorosa wakes up to find that nothing makes sense and everything hurts.
Warnings: Crushing sadness, endless fussing, we'll edit if she can't avoid discussing more on the former.

Room 1-01; morning
[ She awakens slowly, uncomfortably. Her head is pounding and her body aches. The room is too bright and the last thing her eyes want to do is focus on that light, her head turning instinctively away from the window. It was only when she registered that it was, in fact, a window that she found reason to be bothered. What new torture could this be, to try to force the sunlight upon them?

She jerks herself up onto an elbow, and every muscle in her body tells her this was a bad idea. t was only then that she realized that she wasn't alone. ]

Hallway; an hour or so later (locked to The Disciple)
[ If she's learned any one thing from the dizzying orientation of her new residence, it's that she needs to eat. She's not sure exactly what "oatmeal" is, but she hopes it goes easily. She isn't sure what she'd be capable of keeping down just now.

Nonetheless, she dragged herself along the hall, but her legs felt weak and her knees like they might explode, so she got little further than outside the door before she had to start leaning against the wall. She'd have to see how far she could get this way. ]

Infirmary; basically whenever you want?
[ She's uncomfortable being so served. The bed was relaxing, and the care much needed, but she can't help feeling unsettled by the entire situation. She'd much rather be up and about, doing what she can here for them. She's got a lot of gratitude to balance out, but her legs wouldn't be able to carry her if she tried to do anything about it.

It's a very frustrating scenario, she hates being such a burden, but she wouldn't want anyone to think she's grumpy, either. Not when they're doing so much for her. ]

Comments

Hallway!

[scriptures]

[The Disciple is patrolling the halls for monsters, trying to make the tower a little safer for it's inhabitants. When she happens upon the Dolorosa, she's frozen for a moment before she rushes to her side.]

Dolorosa! I've mis-- [Her eyes take in her state.] What happened to you?

[She's going to try to help her stand.]

SORRY IT'S SO LATE

[mamadonna]

[ Unfortunately, the shock of seeing her is just enough to cause her shaking knees to finally give out, and her tall form, weak and so much more skeletal from malnutrition, slides down along the wall with her.

Her eyes can't open any wider, this is just one more Big Surprise she hadn't expected! ]

Y-you! They said...our whole word was, but--

[ She throws her arms around The Disciple and clings to her tightly. ]

[scriptures]

[She clings back, tears threatening to fall as she buries her face in her shoulder.]

I don't know it they're telling the truth about it. Signless said they weren't. Oh Dolorosa, I thought I would never see you again after- I'm so sorry.

[mamadonna]

[ Signless... There's a tug on her heart at the mention of the name, and for a moment she thinks that she's about to make an even greater embarrassment of herself here. ]

I--I'd become almost certain... [ Deep breaths, come on. ] Don't apologize, there's no need.

[ She moves herself away a little to look The Disciple in the eye, and despite her best efforts, her cheeks are stained with tears. But still, she manages a smile, as this remains a pleasant reunion, no matter that their separation had been so vastly otherwise. If only she had the emotional fortitude to say all that right now.

Instead, all Disciple will get is: ] Your presence now means more than I can properly describe.

[scriptures]

[She can't help the tears streaming down her face as she reaches out to hesitantly touch the Dolorosa's face.]

I wish this tower were a better place so that our meeting would be so... [She shakes her head.]

You must go to the infirmary. You're in awful shape. What have they done to you?

[mamadonna]

[ She brings a hand of her own around to hold The Disciple's and gives her a wan smile. ] I fear it will be too log a tale to divulge.

[ Her other moves to the floor to bring herself back to her feet, but it isn't a task so easily accomplished. ]

But should you insist that I pay visit to such a location, then I'll ask only that you direct me to such. I will, however, be greatly appreciative of your company on the journey, and perhaps you can share with me the details of how you also came to arrive in such a place.

[scriptures]

[The Disciple slips an arm around her to help her stand. The height difference is incredibly awkward, but there's no way she'll just let her try to walk on her own.]

I'll go with you, of course. I haven't been here all that long. Signless and Psionic have been here longer than I.

Infirmary

[2nd_dii2ciiple]

[He's only there because he wanted to check in on Signless, see how his moirail is doing. He stops dead in the door when he sees a familiar face he'd half longed for and half dreaded seeing in this place. It's her - not Kanaya, HER.]

Dolorotha! You're HERE! [Have a hovering Ψiioniic, totally unsure of whether he should throw himself at her in a hug like a wriggler or hold back and be the mature one.]

gosh this is embarrassingly late i'm sorry

[mamadonna]

[ She's had so many happy surprises already, today, this one was just another to add to the pile. Not the incredible shock this time, but still a face she's ecstatic to see.

She spreads her hands wide and offers a smile. ]

Do you intend to simply levitate in that position indefinitely, Ψiioniic, or will you take a greater degree of debate to approach further?

No worries! I tend to be slow, too

[2nd_dii2ciiple]

I don't... I jutht... [Yeah, he's dithering. He knows she was turned into a slave after everything was over, but he doesn't know if SHE knows that, and he doesn't know how to react if she does. Or even if she doesn't. Hell, he's even wringing his hands.]

[mamadonna]

[ He may not recognize it immediately, especially with the hospital blankets, but there's a looseness to her sleeves, a hollowness to her cheeks that wouldn't have been there before. Her weariness is visible.

She hadn't learned exactly what had become of him, herself, and that always worried her. She expected that he might've come into similar circumstances as herself, but such perils were too ghastly to be imagined for long.

Eventually, the strength necessary to keep her arms extended, and she has to let them rest again. ]

I've had to wait so many long sweeps already, must you force me to practice longer in my patience?

[2nd_dii2ciiple]

N-no, 'Rosa, I... [He makes himself take a small step towards her, and then another, and then he's pretty much flying across the room to hug her. Literally flying, actually. He's only a few sweeps older than the Signless, and she's pretty much the only lusus-figure HE can remember, too, even if he met her much later in life.

He's lost a lot of weight too, which is saying something considering he was always underfed. He might be crying, just a little, a slow trickle of watery yellow from his eyes.] D-doeth SS know you're here?

[mamadonna]

I have been already reunited with him, yes. [ And she wrapped her own arms around him and held him close. Even if her relationship with them hadn't been quite the same as with Signless, she always considered the Disciple and Ψiioniic like her own children, as well.

But something still bothers her. ] How much of our eventual fates are you, at present, aware of?

Room 1-01

[metawoof]

[Alone she was not, because across the room, Echidna was sitting on her bed with an array of books around her; some of them were her old textbooks, some were from the library, and she even had some of her D&D manuals scattered about them.

When the Dolorosa awoke, she looked up from her books and gave her a smile.]

Hello, miss!

sorry i didn't get to this sooner!

[mamadonna]

[ She slowly leas herself up against the wall, turning to face this new voice. She's met with a oddly pale child, her horns completely missing. Surely the result of their slavers' actions. The girl couldn't be more much than eight sweeps, and to think someone take such monstrous action against her, Dolorosa thought she would be overwhelmed.

Her small request seemed almost paltry now, but skin like that seemed so much likely to burn! ]

The window, little one, the sunlight's breaching the glass! I can't expect it to filter so effectively as to render that harmless.

no worries! <3

[metawoof]

[She seemed kind of panicked by the window, which she looked at curiously. It took her a moment to remember trolls didn't like the sun, so Echidna set her current book aside, and hopped off her bed towards her trunk. A moment of digging around and she came back with one of her darker coats, rushing over to the window and spending a good few minutes trying to cover it up and make it stay there. Which, took awhile. But she got it eventually!]

There! Better? I am sure we can get it fixed better if you want later.

[mamadonna]

[ She sits up more properly against the wall, bringing her legs out from under the blankets and folding them underneath her. The white outfit she found herself in now was one of the tackier ones she'd been forced to wear since she'd begun her time in slavery, but she's long since accepted such indignities.

It's with a mixture of tension and curiosity that she watches Echidna block the window. Not only the girl's strange lack of discomfort in the sunlight, but also that she did not move as one afflicted. Dolorosa had seen few in their position move with such ease without the threat of the irons behind them, especially one so young. Usually they would try to break them quickly at that age, but perhaps she'd acquired some favor with their masters. An unfortunate position for such a girl to have to take, but surely the alternative must be worse. ]

I pray you'll forgive me, I hope, should my concern be misplaced, but you suffer no discomfort when met with the light?

[metawoof]

Oh, you do not have to apologize! The sun doesn't bother me. It's normal for me and most of the others I know.

[She folded her hands behind her back and rocked back and forth on her heels a bit as she smiled.]

[mamadonna]

[ Well, that sounds...really weird. Dolorosa begins to wonder if perhaps her initial assumption of the situation hadn't been entirely incorrect, but she can't offer one in its place.

Really, she'd much rather be incorrect, such a lovely girl shouldn't need suffer such ghastly circumstances. She offers Echidna a weak smile. ]

I...I hope you'll excuse what is sure to be a terribly rude question, but I couldn't help but notice your lack of horns and-- If it's due to uncomfortable circumstances, then I don't wish to pry...

[benigncancer]

[He was busy when she was brought in, dealing with a monster victim attack and elbow-deep in entrails and blood. But after cleaning himself up, he no sooner turned around but he caught sight of a familiar form lying on a bed]

Mother!

[He almost never calls her that, but as he rushes to her side, terrified of what he might see, he isn't conscious of that or trying to seem strong and independent at all, as he is often wont to do. He hovers over her worriedly, still dressed in pale blue scrubs that are dyed crimson with some poor human's blood]

[mamadonna]

[ It...it can't be possible. But it's him, right in front of her. There's no doubt.

She doesn't care if the doctors told her not to move too much, she doesn't care how many tubes get thrown into disarray or torn out of her arms, she is getting out of this bed right this instant and throwing her arms around her son. Of course, that doesn't really...work for long, and she ends up falling back against the bed, dragging him along with her. ]

Signless! My little Starling, you're alive!

[ She places her long, thin fingers on his cheeks to get a good look at him. It's been so long since she'd seen his face, she was almost afraid she'd forget it. She's a mess of pale green tears as she draws him back in and touches his cheeks against hers. ]

Oh, my blessed child... It's really you, isn't it?

[benigncancer]

[Oh shit, now he's going to kill her just by showing up. He grabs her as she throws her arms around him and guides her back down to the bed, papping her and shooshing her a little, even as he holds her so tight.

God, she looks awful. Wasted and bleeding, and once again it's all his fault.

She's not the only one shedding tears as he buries his face against her]

I'm fine...I'm fucking fine. Fuck...what did they do to you?

[mamadonna]

[ And he's so vital in comparison! Her dear Starling, still in his prime... ]

Not--Nothing that cannot be overcome. [ Maybe not entirely accurate. ] The one thing that was taken that could not be returned I have already regained.

[benigncancer]

[For once, he isn't ashamed of sniffling a little, holding her close. He's the protective one, here, urging her back onto the cot and gently trying to get her to lie down without letting go]

I'm sorry...I'm sorry. All of you have suffered so fucking much over me, and I... I haven't even gotten that far.

[He can't help but feel guilty. As if maybe if he'd experienced his own suffering on the Punishment Gibbet, it would be more fair. Instead he has to see his lusus, hurt, his matesprit, all but feral, his best friend, enslaved. And all for him]

[mamadonna]

[ It's not an impulse she'd be unfamiliar with, she'd have felt something similar as she was forced to bear witness to his own torturous end. After thing afterwards seemed almost inevitable in comparison, a foregone conclusion.

She stops fussing, trying to calm herself to properly face this sobering fact. ]

Yet you...you've been informed of such events already? That seems itself a sort of cruelty greater than you deserve.