selfpreservationist | [RAVEN'S HEART GAME

The first thing you hear is the sound of rain faintly hitting the exterior of the house. The soft pitter-patter is almost soothing, in a way, but it’s quickly followed up by rumbling thunder in the distance. You open your eyes, and for a second all you see is a flash of light--at first it seems like it’s lightning, but then you see something. A vision of a man dressed in rags, hunched over, waves of demonic power rolling over him. He howls, and something terrible starts to grow out of him: the bloody roots of a massive tree. An immense wave of panic hits you, and you can’t move, you can’t speak, you can’t breathe--

And then it’s over. It’s over. You’re fine.

The sound of rain returns. (This time it’s definitely soothing, compared to what you just saw.) You’re standing in the foyer of a mansion, a wide open living room in front of you. The door behind you is faintly ajar, leading outside.

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He huffs and shoves her for real now. And steals the kitten when he can.

"It's kind of cliché but it's not bad. Just the kind of sentiment I'd expect from you."

[ falls off the bench and then just lays on the ground, looking up at him and the cat. ] ...oh? You say that like you already know me so well, Vergil.

I can't help being sentimental. But there's nothing wrong with that. Just means I'm alive and not some... zombie. [ snatches his ankle with her tail and yanks him off the bench. ]

"I know who you are."

He says simply, and lifts his leg out of the way so he can pet the kitten without being knocked off his perch.

:P

[ WHY YOU LITTLE-! ]

[ but also... she hadn't expected him to know who she is, so she looks a little... stunned... confused... stunfused??? ]

[ sits up. ]

Who am I?

"You're Dva. Song Hana. Just because I'm left outside doesn't mean I'm entirely ignorant, you know."

[ makes a face and reaches up to flick his forehead. ] I didn't say you were ignorant you little spitfire. I guess I just assumed since you were the tiny version that you wouldn't know me yet or... something...

But I guess that doesn't make much sense. [ snorts, averting her eyes. ]

He just raises an eyebrow at you. "You get that I'm not really a child, right? That this isn't really a playground outside a house?"

[ she leans against the bench and sighs. ] I know, but, like, sometimes this stuff feels realer than it probably should, and when it's not completely fucken awful it's easy to forget that it's all just a bunch of set pieces strung together in his heart or mind or... whatever.

Being outside a house on a regular old playground is so... normal...

"Compared to everything else that's happened, maybe. But Raven's just a human. And he's the part that holds onto those memories of childhood--the last days when Vergil was truly human."

The way he says it, it's a little dispassionate, like he's stating a rote fact read from a textbook instead of words a child would come up with.

"Those human memories and attachments are what make up this place."

I get needing to be stronger and more powerful. I mean, like, I... have done some shit because I have felt helpless, and there's no turning back, but... [ she sighs, her shoulders sinking inward a bit. ] I'm glad he's hanging onto them. It's a part of him. And Vergil too... even if he thinks he's better off without him. All this stuff's made him who he is. Who they are, y'know, ...

"Yes."

The boy quiets down, focused on the kitten.

...

But I shouldn't throw stones at glass houses, huh, since I've turned my back on the past to, instead, press on...

I want to become stronger too, because I want to protect Raven and myself and... secure the happiness I believe he deserves...

"He believes you deserve that happiness too, you know."

...

A- And that’s why I... [ she just trails off and gets back to her feet, wandering over to the playground. ] Nevermind.

[ are there swings here? please tell me there are swings. ]

I’ll get there one day.

[RAVEN'S HEART GAME - SESSION FOUR]

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