mini-memoria memory: tea-time in hell

The hazy dream of a parlor was a mess of red and roses. Behind the queen's head hung a tapestry of a sundered sword, encircled by a pair of angel's wings. He couldn't help a lingering stare -- it was the first sign he'd seen in this place, of the Eidolon the Invincible had been used to slaughter.

"Do sit. Or leave. I'd dearly not mind if you did." The queen wouldn't look up at him, occupying herself with the motions of putting together a cup of tea. Kuja didn't sit.

"Brahne!" He was affable and sweetly fake as could be. "You do look well, considering the circumstances."

"Being trapped here, you mean. By your hand."

"Right~! The trip in is normally only one way... you simply can't turn back the clock on death. But I have a proposition for you, Your Grace..."

"The answer is no."

"Don't be so hasty! Of course, our trust in one another is broken, after what we've been through together... But I seem to recall it wasn't me that fired the first shot. And I really do think you'll find it a matter in which you'll be invested, just as much as I a--"

"What is it you believe you can get out of me, Kuja? What do I have left? Alexandria belongs to my daughter, now."

"I don't require anything of Alexandria." Not any more, anyway. "I need... someone with a strong will. A strong soul. You won't even have to do anything. Just go along for the ride! Anyone would do, you know, if I could trust they have that right spark -- but I thought, wouldn't it be lovely, to give my old nemesis a helping hand out of the abyss? I do so miss our time spent matching wits."

For the first time, she looked up.

"You're here for my soul? Kuja, I always did think you were a soulless wretch. What could you possibly want with it?"

"For a Trance. All I need is once. I want to rid us all of a man who would take Gaia to its doom! Is that not a noble goal? Call it.. redemption, for us both. Don't you regret the things you did? All of those deaths..."

"...So now you come crawling to me, like the worm you are...Because no one else would help you."

Kuja crossed his legs and leaned back against the table, supporting his weight with his palms. "This worm's the only way you're getting out of here. Or would you prefer to stay in your current accommodations? Perhaps it's felt like a vacation from the heavy weight of the crown... But there's no way out except for mine. You're all caught like flies in amber, disallowed from moving on... I can only imagine what that would do to someone, after too long. Can you?"

"If it ruins your day? I'll accept it."

"It won't ruin just mine."
Kuja reached out to the little bowl of sugar cubes, snatching one up. Something sweet, yet fragile... yes, he has one last card to play. "Do you want to know what's happening, right outside the ship? Your daughter stands in conflict with my Master. He's even more powerful than I. He's who I would have you help me defeat. Who knows what's happening, while we sit here arguing?"

"..."

"Do you love her? After what you've done to her?" He was genuinely curious. "Even if you don't, Alexandria will suffer, left again without a head of--"

"Enough!"
Brahne had slammed a fist down upon the table, rattling the crockery enough her cup overturned. She'd even risen from her seat.

Kuja's smile was downright vile.

"If you want, you can take time to think about it... that's time I have, but I'm not the only one involved here." He didn't, actually, but this was all part of the grift. "If you help me, I swear to you... Garnet won't die."

(no subject)

welcome to
~*~The Horrible Chair Room~*~

Voice A (Kuja's, but a bit higher than he normally talks & the singsong is gone, near monotone by Default but lots of emotion leaking through when he loses his composure)

Voice B (a very old man's. if wave's here, she's heard this voice before. vivi knows this guy, it's garland. firm, unmoved, doesn't change in tone or emotion at all.)

 

Voice A, uneasy: "This isn't... where I thought we were going. I've never seen this part of the castle before...

Ugh, the light in here is so...dizzying. Oh. It's from the crystal."

the strong light beaming in through the windows is pretty, at least.

weird engine things? start them running for door?
four structures like wheels, connected by thick, dark red tendons. three are filled with disks in the middle, but the fourth has a hollow.
eerie pale light beaming in through the windows - when you look at the sky, there's something glaring with light that looks sharp and icy blue, instead of a sun.
a rat's nest of veins running out from the side of the walkway, connecting to and filled with who knows what.

Voice B, stern: "This should not take long. Do not tarry."
Voice A: "Yes, Master Garland. No more distractions."

Voice A, uneasy: "Master Garland, why are we h--R-rather, what IS the purpose of this place? Ahead of us, that's... a chair?"

Voice B "Consider it a surgical suite. There is a particular flaw in your making that needs to be addressed, and today it is resolved."


some of the veins run into this room, connecting with a garden patch of strange little cages with a red inner glow, shining through material that's papery and thin. It's like... holding a flashlight up to the webbing between your thumb and forefinger.

there's a closed gate at the end of the room. through the bars, you can see an empty throne further on.

door closed at first. let whatever they try that seems cool open it.

Voice A: "..What...?"
Voice A: "No... I'm... I'm not going in. I don't need any changes. I'm fine!"

The 'petals' around the chair are all curled inward, blocking the way to it.

Anyone who's dawdling on entering the room is surrounded by a red glow, and YANKED in.

wordless startled sound from the voice from the past along with them as they're pulled.
Voice A: Awah!

The gate slams shut.

Voice A "..Please consider my words! I am MORE than good enough already! Have I not proven my ability through every trial? I promise, Master, if you let me go to Gaia -- I can do everything you need and more! At least let me try!"

let them fuck around with the room for a bit.

fuck around a little more

Voice B "...Very well. We will make the proper preparations."

Voice A "Thank you, Master Garland!"

Voice B "But first we finish our business here. After this alteration, you will at last be ready to serve as Gaia's Angel of---"

The petals around the chair unfold. The way is clear.

- tubes like empty wasp nests
- leaving feels like climbing into some kind of... upsetting maw
-  the little cage things light up brighter?
- horrible pod things bloom/hatch??
- the weird strands walkway bounces slightly under your footsteps, springy, like you're walking on tightly-bound ropes.

 
hallway leading to chair rooms? sounds of the machines in the hall. bad sounds. give vivi a chance to recognize this place before Chair.


how to open the door: Sit in chair (this will hurt)
destroying the room/chair is possible and will open the way out, but you'll just walk into the same room again but undamaged.

 

Optional: destroy the room. Way opens behind chair. Pass by the chair-- a sudden, wordless scream of pain from Voice A.

 

Dialog trigger as you leave:

Voice B "That is enough. This tantrum is finished. We will resume this later."
Go through exit, come into the same room again but it's been totally fixed.

 

Option 1: sit in chair. No dialog trigger this time. Sensation of the chair activating and then a blistering pain like something carving into you. It's in you, but not quite in your body. then it's over.

 

Last dialog trigger as whoever sat down is, like, catching their fuckin breath. Voice A, groggy with pain: "Is it over? You fixed me?"

 

Nothing else to find, after that. The way opens behind the chair, a jagged flower blooming to show a yawning black maw.