An Ultimatum (LC11)

[04:13] <dreamingTori> [The orchards are quiet. Before Planet Healing, there're no birds, or fruit in the trees. Most times when you sleep, you try to keep it current to your game stage, but right now it feels better to remember when it was the Land of Stagnation.]
[04:13] <dreamingTori> [Fits your mood better.]
[04:13] <dreamingTori> [You've a picnic blanket, and a wicker basket which isn't really from your memory, but at least it has food and drinks inside. For now, you're sprawled beside it, eyes closed and skirt askew. Tired.]
[04:14] <godtierScott> [You slip into the bubble, leaving a...rather unpleasant memory in the last one, thankfully not yours. You didn't care where you ended up, but this one atleast is quiet. You walk around in your Ward of Space outfit, electric blue eyes marking you as a dreamer.]
[04:14] <godtierScott> ["Hello?" You call out, making your presence known. You walk through the quiet orchards, looking for whoever's memory this is.]
[04:15] <deadRache> ["Boy, what a cheerful place!" How long you've been sitting near Tori is hard to quantify. You're wearing a sleeveless shirt in Blood colors with the Blood ideograil as opposed to your regular shirt, and your eyes are blank white.]
[04:17] <dreamingTori> [You jerk up at the two voices, instantly alert- particularly at the one so close to you. "Fucking-" Your heart's hammering as you scoot across the blanket, away from Rache.]
[04:18] <deadRache> ["You'd be surprised how many people don't react to that," you muse. "Heya, Tori. How goes it?"]
[04:19] <godtierScott> [You hear the scuffle in the distance, ducking under the branches to get there. "Hey, everything okay?" You've come up behind Tori. Not recognizing her yet.]
[04:20] <dreamingTori> [Eye him suspiciously, looking more than a touch fearful. "It goes," you respond tersely. Then startle again as there's someone behind you. Next instinctive attempt to flee backfires somewhat, and has you up against the tree- staring right at Scott. "Fuck."]
[04:22] <deadRache> ["Now I'm half expecting someone to drop out of the tree."]
[04:22] <dreamingTori> [Glance up suddenly, as though it might /actually/ happen.]
[04:23] <godtierScott> [You freeze as you recognize the face, for all its differences. You immediately think its just a splinter or something, but she doesn't have the blank eyes. Combined with the fact she seemingly recognizes you..."Hello. Vicky." You give Adam a quick glance as he speaks. "Adam." Your voice very cold.]
[04:23] <deadRache> [You resist the urge to remember something from the tree. "Rache. Not Adam."]
[04:23] <deadRache> ["And Tori, not Vicky."]
[04:24] <dreamingTori> [Eyes back on Scott, you definitely look scared now. "Fucking- don't tell him my goddamn name-" He's /alive/, you're basically screwed as soon as he wakes up.]
[04:24] <godtierScott> ["Well then. Tori. Thats very interesting." There was a new person on the memo going as Tori, now that you think about it.]
[04:24] <godtierScott> ["And apologies, Rache. Hard to tell."]
[04:25] <dreamingTori> [Slump down against the treetrunk with a groan, covering your eyes. "Fucking /why/."]
[04:25] <deadRache> ["It's the hair." You gesture to your hair, cut short. "And the eyes, although that's kinda pointless to see, right now."]
[04:26] <godtierScott> ["I'll keep that in mind." You say pleasantly to him. Before turning back to Tori, studying her. Thinking things over.]
[04:27] <deadRache> ["Because you drew the short straw. Or short tentacle, I think that's more accurate out here."]
[04:27] <godtierScott> ["You were the one that dissapeared into the magicant, the one that didn't see anyone else in the session with the revived dreamers." Its the only explination you can think of.]
[04:27] <dreamingTori> [Try to will yourself to wake up. When that fails- peek through your fingers. Fuck he's looking at you. Fingers shut again, and you resume waking-by-willpower attempts.]
[04:27] <deadRache> ["I can stab you awake, if you want."]
[04:28] <deadRache> ["Or you can do the bubblewarp thing and force him out."]
[04:29] <dreamingTori> [Shoot a glare at him, hands dropping from your face. "What's the point? It's all fucked up already now." Avoid looking at Scott right now.]
[04:31] <deadRache> [You shrug. "Quick removal from the situation? I'unno."]
[04:31] <godtierScott> [You ignore Rache and study Vicky, Tori you suppose, some more.]
[04:33] <dreamingTori> [Ok you look back at him now. "What." You cross your arms, looking disgruntled, but still a little fearful.]
[04:34] <deadRache> [You watch the both of them and consider remembering popcorn.]
[04:35] <godtierScott> [You're looking a little puzzled right now, more than angry. "I'm puzzling some things out right now. Mostly why you came back to memo. You know what would have happened..." And will happen "...if you were found out."]
[04:37] <dreamingTori> ["So I'm not allowed to try and have some company? I was stuck in that fucking treehouse, with no-one to talk to but the lusus, for almost a fortnight before I caved and signed on."]
[04:37] <deadRache> ["Because everyone loves to stay away from everyone, especially staying away from friends and loved ones."]
[04:37] <dreamingTori> [You wince at the 'loved ones' thing. Slightly.]
[04:39] <godtierScott> ["There are other communities that you could have gone unnoticed." You point out. "Or, atleast, communities where you wouldn't be banned once people found out."]
[04:40] <dreamingTori> [Laugh, an odd mixture of disbelief and defeat. "So you wake up and I get banned? Is that how it's going to go?"]
[04:41] <deadRache> ["Didn't I just mention the whole 'friends and loved ones' thing?"]
[04:41] <godtierScott> ["Sally's friends and loved ones."]
[04:42] <deadRache> [You shrug. "Tori still cares about them, even if they don't know."]
[04:42] <deadRache> ["At least, that's what I'm betting."]
[04:43] <dreamingTori> [Your eyes flick away, shame and a touch of misery showing pretty clearly.]
[04:44] <godtierScott> ["She had a funny way of showing it while she was an AA." A touch of anger now.]
[04:45] <deadRache> [You shrug. "Has she done anything since her ressurection to deserve banning?"}
[04:50] <godtierScott> ["I don't know. I'd expect there was something though." You'll make a note to check for it.]
[04:51] <dreamingTori> ["I'm not-" You swallow. "It felt different then. Nothing really- nothing really mattered aside from hurting her." You run your hands through your hair. "I haven't done /anything/ since I went through the Door."]
[04:53] <deadRache> ["If she has done anything, neither I nor Adam has seen it, as well."]
[04:54] <godtierScott> ["And I'm suppose to just...take your word on it that you're not going to do anything. Bloody hell, simply /exsisting/ might hurt Sally."]
[04:56] <dreamingTori> ["If I stay away from her- if I never even /talk/ to her- how the /fuck/ is my very existence going to hurt her?" You're starting to sound angry and desperate, voice rising. "She doesn't know I'm anything but dead, she'll be /far/ happier."]
[04:58] <godtierScott> ["Yet you chose the one place, save Ribbit, that Sally spends any real time on." Or, atleast, as far as you know. "For wanting her to never find out, you picked the one place it could happen."]
[05:00] <deadRache> ["Seriously, is what I keep saying just falling on deaf ears?"]
[05:01] <dreamingTori> ["The IRC was the first place I- we didn't have a fucking /home/ for /years/, and we managed to find somewhere that we were comfortable. Even if I hated her, I felt /that/. To try and go anywhere else- nothing else would live /up/ to it."]
[05:04] <godtierScott> ["I guess I don't have the soft spot for these sorts of people like you do, Rache." You wave him off and go back to focusing on Tori. "Tough. Your comfort is /nothing/ next to Sally's."]
[05:05] <dreamingTori> [You look crushed, eyes widening.]
[05:06] <godtierScott> [You look momentarily chastised at the look, but it doesn't last.]
[05:06] <dreamingTori> ["I-"]
[05:07] <deadRache> [You go still at the comment directed at you.]
[05:07] <deadRache> ["There's nothing you can do that can't be undone."]
[05:08] <deadRache> ["Nothing that /won/t/ be"]
[05:08] <deadRache> ["Everyone deserves a second chance."]
[05:08] <dreamingTori> ["I'm /sorry/," you choke out, tearing up. "I wish I could just have never done /any/ of it, I wish I'd- I wish I'd just stayed an idiot dreamself."]
[05:09] <godtierScott> [You huff and start pacing, hand stroking your forehead.]
[05:10] <godtierScott> [You've made mistakes too, a small voice inside you reminds. And as much as you try, it won't be silent.]
[05:11] <dreamTori> ["I don't want to be real because it /scares/ me but if I've ended up like this then I'm still s-scared of dying, and I don't want to be /alone/."]
[05:11] <dreamTori> [Purple tears are streaking down your cheeks now, and you can't take your eyes off Scott right now, looking for a way out of this.]
[05:13] <godtierScott> ["Fine. /Fine/." You stop pacing, not looking at them. "You can have your second chance." You turn and look at Rache. "There are some things that can not be undone though. Despite anyone or everyones intentions."]
[05:13] <deadRache> ["If you knew what I've been through, you telling /me/ that would be frankly insulting."]
[05:14] <dreamingTori> [Your breath catches as you process what he's said. Struggle to think of anything to say.]
[05:18] <godtierScott> [You study him now, then shake your head. "We must have different definitions of undone then." You turn back to Vicky. "Let me make this clear though. If you hurt Sally directly or indirectly through your actions or inactions, you're done."]
[05:21] <dreamingTori> [You meet his eyes. Scared and grateful, like he might take it back at any moment. Nod quickly, throat too thick to speak.]
[05:23] <deadRache> [You, on the other hand, narrow your eyes and say nothing.]
[05:25] <godtierScott> ["I hope..." what do you hope? You hope that this doesn't come around and bite you, or more importantly, Sally in the ass, but thats neither here nor there. "I hope you make the most of it. Tori."]
[05:26] <dreamingTori> [Nod again, mechanical now.]
[05:27] <godtierScott> [Another glance at Rache, then back at Tori. A nod, then you start making your way out of the bubble.]
[05:29] <dreamingTori> [Watch him leave, tears growing heavier. Your head sinks into your arms as he vanishes from sight.]
[05:32] <deadRache> [You clench your fists, red rising around them. When he leaves, one hand lashes out at the tree. Things snap. Your hand doesn't.]
[05:33] <dreamingTori> [Flinch as you hear the snap, and the crash that follows. Your crying worsens, breath in short gasps now, trying not to outright sob.]
[05:35] <deadRache> [Wow, you feel better. And then you see Tori. "Ah. Um. Sorry about that." You shift closer to her. "Well, hey, you didn't get banned, so that's good!" That sounds forced even to you.]
[05:36] <dreamingTori> [You're not really able to respond right now. Too busy with the crying thing.]
[05:37] <deadRache> [You shift closer. "D'you want a hug, or should I leave you?"]
[05:38] <dreamingTori> [Sorta lean-topple towards him at that.]
[05:41] <deadRache> [You guess that answers that question! You hug her. "It'll be alright. I doubt the alpha Spectors will let him ban you if he changes his mind, you'll still be able to be on the memo."]
[05:42] <dreamingTori> ["I s-still remember being f-f-friends with him-" you sob, trying to find the balance between hugging him tightly and not /so/ tightly that you might break a rib. Blood or not, you don't want to hurt him.]
[05:44] <deadRache> [That explains a couple things, you have to admit. "He won't be like that forever. That stick up most of his digestive system has to come unlodged /some/ time, right?"]
[05:48] <dreamingTori> [One of your sobs spikes almost like a laugh at that. Your head hurts.]
[05:50] <deadRache> [You rub her back with one hand. "Don't worry. Everything's gonna be alright in the end."]