AForestDark— Aspects Game

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Ends on 08/18/2016 at 10pm PST.

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Content warning references to child abuse and drug abuse. Will put more warnings up if they come up.

Comments

[decomposed]

[ if there are stairs then he'll go up them but otherwise I guess. the door ]

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[ There are stairs! ]

[decomposed]

[ UP THE STAIRS WE GO ]

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[ When you get to the top of the stairs, there's a hallway with four doors. One is clearly just a restroom, the door is even slightly open. The other three doors are closed tightly. The music is coming from the furthest door down the hallway. ]

[decomposed]

[ the furthest door, might as well since he was following the music ]

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[ The room is a simple but elegant one, tastefully decorated with a feminine touch. There's a window with a lovely view of the neighborhood— it's a pleasant-looking area, very higher-end middle class Japan. The source of the music seems to be an antique music box that is sitting on a desk near the window. Curiously, the music is playing even though the box is currently closed.

You don't see anyone in the room, but you can hear a young woman's voice humming along with the music from inside of a closet. ]

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[ ... opens the closet??? ]

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[ The door to the closet, as it turns out, was already partially open... but when you do open it, you see a young woman about nineteen or twenty years old. She looks like she was reaching for something at the top of the closet, but she turns around when the door opens. ] Oh! I didn't know anyone else was here...

[decomposed]

--Please excuse my intrusion. I was only curious... about the music.

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[ The girl smiles. ] Do you like it? It's from my music box. [ She walks out of the closet and to the box. ] It was given to me long ago, but it went missing. I finally have it back now, though. It's very important to me.

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[ ... ]

It is fortunate that it was returned to your possession.

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It was... though the circumstances... [ The girl hugs the box to her chest. Gently, because if you look carefully, you can see that it was shattered and only precariously repaired. ]

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... Would you tell me about them?

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It's not a pleasant story. [ The girl smiles sadly. ] You see, when the box went missing... It wasn't long after I'd gotten it, you see. I always suspected I knew what had happened, but I was afraid if I said anything... [ The girl coughs. ] It was my younger brother, you see. I got everything from our father and he hated me for it. I did what I could for him, and sometimes it meant pretending he didn't steal my things. [ The girl pauses to gauge Uriel's reaction so far. ]

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[ his eyes go briefly wide, but... it's not that surprising. he understands, more than he doesn't. ]

Did he return it to you in this state?

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[ The girl shakes her head. ] No... It was... I'm going to be married soon, you see. And Yuu-kun came to my window with a gift. Something wrapped up. I didn't recognize it, hadn't even thought about it in years... I didn't except his gift. I thought it was stolen... Well. I guess it had been. [ The girl looks down at the box. ] Yuu-kun got loud, agitated. "Just take it!" I tried to get him to keep it down, and I let it slip that I knew that he wasn't really our dad's child. He... he was so angry... [ The girl's breathing hitches. ] ...I'd never seen him so angry...

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[ slowly reaches out to touch her shoulder, silent comfort ]

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[ The hand helps. She takes several deep breaths before continuing. ] He... attacked me, and Dad... overheard. He came in and pulled Yuu-kun away and kicked him out of the house. I saw the gift Yuu-kun brought me shatter during the fight. [ She looks back up at Uriel. ] I was so scared, but I think... I think there was a part of him, at that time, that regretted... maybe just a little... And had been trying to make amends with this box. So I repaired it as best as I could, my treasure of "what might have been." If things had happened differently, if he or I had said or done the right thing at the right time to make it a little more bearable...

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... I am sure your feelings have reached him.

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[ The girl smiles faintly. ] I hope so... Though it might be too little, too late.

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You have never looked down at him for his illegitimacy and instead have treated him with kindness and acceptance for all this time. That, and that you hold him in your heart and forgive him even now, are irreplaceably valuable.

[ ... this is an npc and all but look ]

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[ Well, NPC or not, she is based off of Katou's perceptions of her... The girl's smile grows a little stronger, more natural. ] You're important, too, Uriel... It's because of you and Setsuna that this isn't a much worse place to be. Until that time back then... he couldn't hear my words at all.

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[ ah... ]

... Thank you, I'm glad to know it.

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[ The girl places the music box back down on its stand. ] It's not easy to forgive yourself, though, when all you can see is reasons not to. [ She says it contemplatively. ]

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... I am familiar with the feeling.