if you've got the moon. wolf, vault day 3.

[ retro gm ] angel lí ✨
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bloomtodeath

if you've got the moon. wolf, vault day 3. Nov 16, 2023 21:17:30 GMT -5

Quote

Post by [ retro gm ] angel lí ✨ on Nov 16, 2023 21:17:30 GMT -5

[atrb=border,0,true]

^{W O L F T U R I N G}

I tell myself it's fatigue that's weighing me down. A convenient lie, almost believable, that justifies why my steps are sluggish and feverent through the starwells of the arena. Down, down, down I go, running away from the opportunity to be a better person than I am.

Fatigue. Ha - it's shame that I cannot shake.

I don't think Emerson followed me. He said something that I could not hear, carried away with the sound of my fleeing footsteps. Anxiety tells me it was a terrible thing. Something deserved. My body spins as I descend: ninth floor, eighth floor, seventh floor, sixth, and my mind falls with it. All the way down, do you think they'll want to kill me for being a coward? For running the first chance I got?

Or had they always known I would run. Had I?

Mac came here yesterday. He's dead now. I stare up at the vault door, stood in its proud and menancing shadow, and press the napkin to the scanner. He's dead now. He's dead now. He's dead now. He's dead now. He's dead now. He's dead now. The scanner beeps. He's dead now. He's dead now. He's dead now.

The door shifts. He's dead now. Something unlocks. I ran away. Creaking, then a voice from the future speaks:

"ACCESS GRANTED."

Do you think they'd take me back?

Do I even deserve to ask?

wolf scavenges gm geiger's vault:
|6TN5tygMn1-10

1-10

“and men said that the blood of the stars flowed in her veins.”

[ retro gm ] angel lí ✨
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8,185 POSTS

Pronouns: she/her
last seen May 16, 2024 21:44:40 GMT -5

bloomtodeath

if you've got the moon. wolf, vault day 3. Nov 16, 2023 21:35:00 GMT -5

Quote

Post by [ retro gm ] angel lí ✨ on Nov 16, 2023 21:35:00 GMT -5

[atrb=border,0,true]

^{W O L F T U R I N G}

I sit in the vault for a while, marinating in a special concoction of self-pity and self-loathing. The can of food I fished out of my bag tastes bland, but the cavernous ache in my stomach is happy enough to subside. The tip of my knife carves a W. and then a T. into the floor, silent teardrops wanting to join the etchings but I wipe them away before they have a chance.

All I can picture are various possibilities of what Jack and Em will do next. Hunt me down, probably, hence the cowering in the vault. If I'm honest, I don't care if Jack kills me. I can take that. I've had it coming with my stubborn refusal to interact with him since our first day in here - it figures I would be the one making an enemy out of an ally. Or an ally out of an enemy. Being back here, bullet-holes still in the walls and our shared blood wiped from the floor, makes me think of Arcadia. (Does she think about me? I cower further into myself, anxiety answering for me with a punch to the gut.) And Emerson, too.

I want Em to be the one to kill me, really. But I don't think I can take looking into those warm eyes one last time and seeing nothing but disappointment. I betrayed Mac by suggesting we leave - but by actually running, I betrayed Em most of all.

One tear hits the floor, and a beep sounds. I stumble to my feet, kicking the empty can with the motions, and grab a knife. Beep, beep, beep, beep. Curiosity might kill me but it's coming from outside the vault, peering my head around the small crack in the vault door to find -

I grin, scurry back inside for a moment, and get to work on the next.

After a while, I'm finished. Eventually I leave. Up the staircase I go. I need to find Emerson. Tell him I'm sorry. Or at least see him and his beautiful smile one last time before he sees me.

MAC WAS HERE & HE WAS ALIVE
is left carved into the doors of the vault.

wolf gets her sponsorship tings, eats, drinks,
& scavenges gm boujee's vault:
dpz7J0I2YA1-10

1-10

Last Edit: Nov 16, 2023 21:49:37 GMT -5 by [ retro gm ] angel lí ✨

“and men said that the blood of the stars flowed in her veins.”

ines izar d11a 🖤 cait
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if looks could kill

if you've got the moon. wolf, vault day 3. Nov 17, 2023 23:44:57 GMT -5

Quote

Post by ines izar d11a 🖤 cait on Nov 17, 2023 23:44:57 GMT -5

arcadia lumiere-fray

It feels like a Fray family reunion with how many people I keep running into. The parallels are eerily similar too, from the way everyone is white-knuckling their weapons and more than capable of maiming anyone within a five feet radius.

Ah. Just like home.

And yet even as the cannons start to ring, and the chances of encountering someone I know climb as rapidly as the death count, there’s still one girl who’s evaded me, managing to stay out of my path.

Maybe she’s avoiding me – it would be easy enough. The vents make a great hiding spot, she’d taught me that already. But I can’t help thinking of the promise I’d made to her on Day One: “I will see you again.”

But promises lost their integrity three days ago. I don’t know why I’m holding onto them.

(You know why.)

scavenges holo-lesson archive

QI5hw3loFi1-22

2 | target practice holo-lesson

BY CHELSEY

1-22

Last Edit: Nov 17, 2023 23:50:42 GMT -5 by ines izar d11a 🖤 cait

i always used to be into writing sort of modern abstract
lyricism stuff (that were like) slight vague indications of a feeling.

ines izar d11a 🖤 cait
Veteran Member

1,399 POSTS

Pronouns: she/her
last seen May 13, 2024 7:54:56 GMT -5

if looks could kill

if you've got the moon. wolf, vault day 3. Nov 17, 2023 23:47:28 GMT -5

Quote

Post by ines izar d11a 🖤 cait on Nov 17, 2023 23:47:28 GMT -5

arcadia lumiere-fray

Cannons continue to fire, and I find myself hoping one of them isn’t hers. Not yet; not before having the chance to see her again. To thank her for getting me out alive, because I’m still not sure how close I would have been to never making it out of that Training Room if it hadn’t been for her. I guess I’ll never know.

As I enter the Vault, goosebumps start to prickle at my skin. As if my inner self knew someone was close by. I confirm my suspicions when I catch a carving in the ground out of the corner of my eye.

W T

My heart races. She was here after all. In fact, still is, if the shadow creeping up the stairs is anything to go by. I whisper into the darkness, “Wolf?” but I don’t make a move towards her.

If she wanted to be alone, then so be it. Maybe it’s for the best that our paths don’t cross anymore.

scavenges gm bourgeois' vault

BUCA45CCsq1-10

1. Opera Gloves

BY CHELSEY

1-10

Last Edit: Nov 17, 2023 23:50:51 GMT -5 by ines izar d11a 🖤 cait

i always used to be into writing sort of modern abstract
lyricism stuff (that were like) slight vague indications of a feeling.

[ retro gm ] angel lí ✨
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8,185 POSTS

Pronouns: she/her
last seen May 16, 2024 21:44:40 GMT -5

bloomtodeath

if you've got the moon. wolf, vault day 3. Nov 18, 2023 15:02:24 GMT -5

Quote

Post by [ retro gm ] angel lí ✨ on Nov 18, 2023 15:02:24 GMT -5

[atrb=border,0,true]

^{W O L F T U R I N G}

There's a gentle voice in the dark and my breath hitches.

"Wolf?"

Not Emerson. But I know who. She makes my heart scatter, pulled apart at the seams. Light bleeds in and there she is, the outline of a blonde head haloed by the flourescent glow of the training room.

"Hi," I croak, curled up in my hiding place. "Come in," if you'd like, would you like to? Would she like to? Does she like me? Is she here to kill me? Would I mind? I don't think I'd mind.

She does. I shuffle over, making room in the dimly-lit floor. There's leftover bits of twine in my hands and I shape it, pull it apart again, create something new, flatten it out. Funny how it's never quite the same each time I force it to change and mold to the whims of my imagination.

"I ran," a confession - she's something holy, something divine. "Mac died and I just... left him there," the twine returns to my bag, the tip of my knife back to scratching the floor. "All of them."

I don't know why I'm telling her this. Maybe I'm talking to myself more than anything. I don't dare look Arcadia in the eyes because I'm scared of all the possibilities that follow, but every cell of me is on high alert in her presence. I will see you again, but will I be the same? Will she? I don't want to look. I don't want to see how she sees me, afraid of what confronting truth I might find. Am I just like her? Am I nothing at all? Is she proud? Impressed? Disgusted?

I sniff back tears, look up to blink them away and laugh at myself. "Do you think I'm pathetic?"

I do. I do. And I don't blame Arcadia if she does, too.

scavenges the plants station

AlqwYVQbEB1-17

1-17

Last Edit: Nov 18, 2023 15:02:59 GMT -5 by [ retro gm ] angel lí ✨

“and men said that the blood of the stars flowed in her veins.”

ines izar d11a 🖤 cait
Veteran Member

1,399 POSTS

Pronouns: she/her
last seen May 13, 2024 7:54:56 GMT -5

if looks could kill

if you've got the moon. wolf, vault day 3. Nov 19, 2023 6:50:12 GMT -5

Quote

Post by ines izar d11a 🖤 cait on Nov 19, 2023 6:50:12 GMT -5

arcadia lumiere-fray

“Hi,” it feels familiar to be recognised. “Come in,” it feels comforting to be wanted by her.

I do as she says, and we sit on the floor together in the near darkness. It’s just our breathing filling the air for a while, before she confesses her sins to me. I hadn’t asked for that, but mother always said I had this presence. Something that made people feel safe enough to tell me anything. I give her the courtesy of my utmost attention. Find that it’s not a chore to sit with her and comfort her.

Machiavelli’s death splinters the arena – first Jack, now Wolf. Seems he learnt what I’ve known all along, whether he knew it himself or not – the way to make your mark on the world is by embedding yourself into the hearts of all those around you. They’re the ones who carry your legacy, long after you stop being able to.

Such a heavy burden to bear.

I try to study Wolf’s face, but she won’t look at me. Gently, I tilt her chin towards me so she can look into my eyes and feel the brevity of my reply when I speak to her. “They’ll forgive you. We’ve all done things we’re not proud of.” My eyes darken; my gaze falls. I let my hands drop into her lap and lock our fingers together, a promise.

“Do you think I’m pathetic?”

No, little Wolf. I think you are brave and beautiful and too good for this world.

“You saved my life, remember? That just about makes you the bravest person in here. Far from pathetic.” My debt to her calls to be repaid. I know soft words and kindness and held hands isn’t enough to call us even. An uncomfortable lump rises in my throat like an illness; I swallow it down. “Your allies know it, too. And I know you don’t think it’s true, but I think they need you now more than ever.”

I know it’s so easy to hide, but you deserve to be remembered, too.