wroughtandtempered | heart game

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heart game

heart game - Kantera

I’m sorry. I tried— I tried, but I can’t keep going—

I don’t think I can do this alone, so— Please. Please—

I need help.

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Eve-

[He thinks that was Eve's voice, and it catches his attention before his own body does.

This is new. He's never been this shape of dragon before, but it feels comfortable, easy. If this is part of the rules of the game, he will play without hesitation.

There are two obvious ways to proceed, and one looks far more promising than the other. Towards the house he goes.]

The house is in the western style, and hardly more than a cottage. You can just barely hear footsteps inside, and the sound of someone humming to themself.

Well, the only thing to do in this situation is knock politely on the door, isn't it? So that's what he does.

You hardly have a chance to knock once before the door swings open, revealing a short, slim individual with platinum-blonde hair and bright blue eyes. They blink at you, then blurt out a startled “oh!”

“Goodness, we weren’t expecting visitors— but come in, please come in, you must be freezing!” they say, hurrying to hold the door open for you.

Does he recognize this person? No, but he knows very few people from Eve's history, aside from that woman. He'd be happier to see almost anyone else.

"Thank you very much." He gratefully steps inside. "Sorry to bother you without warning."

The air is hardly any warmer as you come into the house (...and oddly smells strongly of smoke), but as the full moon disappears from sight something in you eases. Instincts new and old wane enough to dismiss with only a little effort, now.

You can now shift between your current shape and a human one, if you so wish; you instinctively know how to in the same way you know your current body.

"Oh, no, it's fine! If you're here, it's because you need to be. Or my daughter invited you. Or both! ...Though I'm sorry it isn't much warmer in here. I'm afraid our usual heating's gone out."

Huh, that's new. Kantera transforms back into his usual shape - he somewhat remembers Eve telling him it's usually considered more civilized?

"I did hear someone calling me, as a matter of fact. A friend of mine named Eve."

Fondly, they say, "That's my daughter. You're a friend of hers, then?"

"Indeed I am. Eve has been... an incredible friend and support to me. I would like to help her as much as is within my power."

Is the goal of her heart to restore the heat, or something else, he wonders? Maybe it's too early to tell.

"...I'm glad to hear it. Truthfully, things have been a little..."

They trail off, smile twisting, and then shake their head.

"Well— for one thing, it should have been Eve-chan greeting you, not me. ...As far as I can tell, something's been badly broken in here."

"...She was cursed, recently. An awful thing that affected her mind. I would like to help excise it from her heart, if possible."

"That would explain... well. I'm not sure how to put it, actually. A few things seem to have gotten mixed together...?"

Another headshake.

"I can't really say what, but it should be straightforward if you look for anything too out of place."

"Then, permission to search your house, miss?"

It is her house, it'd be rude to just start wandering around poking things.

"Ehehe, please call me Reika. And of course! ...Try not to worry too much about getting into things, if you have to. Eve-chan's pretty stubborn about change, and she's gentle-hearted enough to keep sharper things put away properly."

They step out of the way, letting Kantera look down the hallway. It has four doors: two on the left, one on the right, and one at the end of the hallway (which is simply an open doorframe). The one on the right and the furthest door on the left are unmarked, but the door closest to you has a small decorated wooden sign on it that says:

Eve’s room

"I can't accompany you beyond this point, I'm afraid, but if you need any help my husband Nysteri should be in the kitchen— that's the room at the end of the hall."

"Thank you very much, Reika."

Let's see... Regarding the doors, of course his first instinct is to go into Eve's room, but... if he has any intuition regarding the progression of heart games, the most personal part is probably the place he should go through last? So, he tries the door on the right.

"You're welcome! Thank you coming to help, Kantera."

The door opens easily, and you step through.

Edited 2024-07-27 18:51 (UTC)

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heart game - Kantera

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