three ♓ video;

[cullscuttlefish]

[Feferi looks...tired. That's all you can really say about her, when she lets the video come on. She looks like she hasn't slept much, and she looks like she's gone somewhere to cry for a few minutes before calming down enough to speak.]

H-hi, everyone. I hope everyone's all right?

I - mm. I was going to ask whether or not anyone else's roommates weren't waking up, but...

Please be all right, Sayaka.

...what do you do when this place finally gets to you? I've been trying not to - to let it, but...I think I just really need some friends right now. I was up by the aquarium earlier and I think I'm gonna go back up there.

[She wipes at her eyes, and she thinks she's cut the feed, but:]

...it's never easy, this whole 'actually needing to step up and make decisions' princess stuff...

Comments

[iron_infidel]

[Upon arriving he walks up to her slowly and gently comes to stand beside her. Calmly he places a hand on her shoulder and brings himself to sit next to her.]

Inform me what is on your mind, young one.

oh gosh incoming tl;dr

[cullscuttlefish]

[She relaxes almost instinctively, leaning into that hand on her shoulder.]

It's not even one thing, so much as...as a pretty long story.

[Feferi takes a deep breath, then curls up in her chair, resting her head on her knees as she talks.]

It all starts when I first arrived here. The very first troll I talked to in person was my moirail, but it was a version of him from a different timeline. It was a timeline in which he'd been through a lot of pain and a lot of hurt. And his moirail, his version of me, was still there, or so he thought. He was so worried about her that he asked the ones running this place to bring her here.

They tried, but it didn't work. What they gave her was a version of her that was half-dead. It drove him to a very dark place, seeing her like that, having to kill her to be kind, because there was nothing that could be done for her and she was in so much pain. And then seeing me, right after...of course I promised I'd be his moirail.

...then the tower took me, for that long month with all those surgeries, all that pain, and when I came back, he was gone. I've tried to keep it together, for everyone else's sake, but I just...between that long month, losing my moirail, the other short experiment...the meeting, over the weekend, to try and discuss what we can all do to keep this place in one piece and try to find a safe escape, and now, one of my best friends not waking up...

[She finally breaks down and cries.]

I can't handle it. I miss everyone.

sorry this is late T^T

[iron_infidel]

[He remained calm as he listened to her sorrow. Ever so often he gently stoked her shoulder and eventually moved to hold her close in a slight hug. It wasn't until she started crying that the sound of a soft 'hush' sounded from him. ]

Shush, young empress it will get better. I wish I could say that this is alright and that things will be okay, but that would be a lie. Clearly things are hectic and to be honest I do not know if things will get better. I can tell you that you can be strong and get through it. Do not say such things, you will handle it. It is the only thing you can do, Feferi.

it's okay, I'm even later ;;

[cullscuttlefish]

[She keeps crying softly. It's hard to calm down.]

It's not all right. It hurts. It hurts so much. I just - I know I should be - be strong, but it hurts so much.

I know I have people I can turn to, but it's not the same as having that one person who I know is going to be there for me, same as I'm there for them.

[iron_infidel]

[Slowly he pats her head as he tries to calm her.]

I will be one of those that you may turn to, but I can understand your trouble. There will be a time where you will be able to fill that void and it may be a long while, but I'm certain it will come.