(week 6 - thursday.)

[erythristic]

["In time, you may become what you foresee in those nightmares."

Lady Alice's words, not hers. spoken so calmly, like a promise, like it had been before. their minds were up to something else to determine, why not their bodies. how many times this week had she tried to sleep, and the same images were behind her eyes? if not the suited and blank intruders who pressed her back into the same, it was the execution, except...

pieces fell away. white, smooth metal underneath the skin. there was nothing there that was true. porcelain and metal, cold and without sensation. it could happen. it could have already started.

is she dreaming, when she takes a knife from the kitchen and conceals it in her dress? is she awake, when she goes into the empty viewport with it, where the stars could bear witness to the truth? pushing up her sleeves, she looks at her hands for a long moment. she has to know. she has to know for certain. that's why she takes the knife out with her left hand and cuts, down her right forearm, a gash that should go deep enough to show her if it's there, can expose what's hiding-

no, definitely awake. awake because it hurts, bright heat flaring out instantly and it's enough that she drops the knife, it clattering to the floor with a loud sound. blood pours out from the injury, and she hunches over, trying to look and see. if it's only her flesh and blood, she'll be safe, but she has to know.

people hearing the sound or coming and seeing the blood is the furthest thing from her mind.]

Comments

[thanatosincarnate]

{ Arumat's restless, given this entire week's motive had him on edge, and yet...that doesn't mean he's not up for a late night walk through the ship. He hears a suspicious sound from the kitchen (in his mind, since it's late) and he decides to come himself in a hurried step. He's clutching tightly onto his scythe just in case.

His eyes widen at the sight of that wound. }

...Grell! What are you--?!

{ When he spots the knife nearby, he makes the connection -- that there was no way it could be an accident with the way the wound had been opened. His heart is pounding and for once he has no idea how to approach a situation. }

[breakshot]

[ He'd only been in the kitchen mere moments ago. Just to prepare a late night cup of coffee for himself A small reminder of home ensured some respite away from the constant onslaught of voices and matters weighing heavily in his mind. A small break at the viewport seems appropriate enough, and yet he stops in his tracks when a sight of crimson greets him. One that was normally familiar, calming, and fittingly reflecting the mature, sensible woman Machias respected. Next to her was Arumat.

That wasn't what was wrong. There was more red, it was dripping from her, and his heart might as well have come to a full stop under the wave of panic that strikes him. The cup shatters against the floor, the still-hot contents spilling out as he wastes no moment rushes to Grell's side. ]

Grell! [ His gaze snaps over to Arumat, pale and clearly alarmed, but still keeping his tone firm. ] What even-- Tell me what happened here!

[erythristic]

[nothing. there's nothing. there's pain and blood, but everything is organic - she's still alive. still breathing on her own instead of it being fake. she hadn't started to become that thing. all of this would be reassuring, if she hadn't attracted an audience, and for once in her life she doesn't desire one. a deep breath before she straightens up, and the lost, vaguely frightened expression she wears for once isn't being shoved back to hide behind courtesy.]

I...

[there isn't a way to lie out of this or pretend something happened that didn't.]

I'm still real. I had to check that I was.

[it's not logical, but it was the truth. usually she's fine at playing cool and collected, can be reasonable, can feign nothing is wrong. but she had to make sure she was still a person. it hurts, but that's proof too, isn't it?]

[thanatosincarnate]

{ Arumat has nothing to say for a moment, as he's not exactly sure how to react just yet to something like this. He thought it was utterly insane, but yet, he understand the thought, as it had been running in his own head -- the doubt that any of this was "real" on some level. Even as he despised the fact Grell took this action. }

Hmph. Of course you're real -- no matter what happens here you always will be.

Lad, look after her.

{ He'll go to immediately leave the room.

Arumat was going to grab some bandages and what not from the sick bay himself. She had wounded herself enough that it needed attention and should be patched up as soon as possible. Even if it looked like he might be walking off to just abandon the two, maybe. Ha ha. }