livestage | UNHOLY DISORDER

UNHOLY DISORDER

[Something is wrong with the room you are in.

At first blush, it seems normal enough. It's nicely furnished, lavish dark oak, brass and a rich green drapery and carpet. Except in the middle of the room, a simple glass box sits wrapped in chains. Inside, a heart rocks back and forth as it beats, chambers constricting and relaxing around air.

But the more you look around, you might notice that the rafters beyond the brass lamps are made of bone, spine connecting them all. You might notice that the binding on all of the books seems to be an unusual leather. You might notice that teeth have been used as nails.

You almost can't help but notice the strange ... give... under your feet. Whatever is under the carpet seems almost spongy.

You know, instinctively, that the heart is in danger.

But so are you.]

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

It's probably not Forte...

But I don't think it would necessarily be a waste of our last question to verify that.

Edited 2025-01-19 03:21 (UTC)

... Butercup has a point. Things keep happening as we narrow down our options, so if it is Forte, guess it might... not be good. Or it might be what we need to do to break it out, there's no way of knowing.

I think - I'd feel best if we rule out Forte completely, personally. It's a slim chance but at least we'd know. At least we might be able to help him.

Is it Forte's heart?

Yeah.

But I - that works. It's like half of them.

[ looks arOUND OH GOD -

yelling with his face away from the receiver ]

I LOOK AWAY FOR FIVE MINUTES AND YOU'RE BEING EATEN - [ louder again as he turns back ] sorry miss, thank you very much gotta go bye -

[ click ]

[ He shakes his head slightly. Because he doesn't think that's it - but he can't say that. ]

It's easier to just think the bad thing didn't happen.

Yeah. Once we've ruled him out...

Well, we probably weren't meant to win this one, anyway.

Guessing wrong won't necessarily make us lose, we just have to hope we've been clever and creative enough even if we end up not being right. We ruled out a lot of options, so hopefully it counts for something.

Even if we do lose... we did our best, so we can keep our heads up.

[It works. Gentling. Quiet.

Ah, but you. The anxiety and pain seemed to need to go somewhere. Your skin sweats and goes pale, you shudder unconsciously, sick and throbbing. Blood pours from your nose, wells up in your tear ducts and down your face.]

Veto. You cannot guess at a specific person in your question.

You have ten minutes to submit a new question.

[He's dragged further and further. His world becomes ink and pages, flesh and script, bone and everything beyond.

- But she gets to him just before the teeth would close on his head and neck, before his mind would join.

With one amazing heave, he is pulled wetly from whatever was inside.

What side of him was in the book is now stained with words that make no sense and mean nothing. A literary scream.]

Then, does the person's name have five letters?

[ cool cool cool cool cool cool this is fine this is so fine he's fine fine fine no he is not

but he has to be. he has to focus. focus the fuck up, Heron. Disorder needs him, they can't all be panicking and passing out and bleeding out on the floor oh that is so much blood he can taste it, feel it gushing hot and free, see it why can he see it - it's fine. it hurts but that's fine it's fine it's better that it hurts him than Phoenix, who is just a kid, who was on the edge of breaking. Heron won't break. he won't won't won't he refuses to it's just pain pain so much pain and the blood and anxiety - oh, he was already anxious and it's overflowing, his heart rabbiting in his chest but it's okay. he knows how to breathe, when his mouth and nose aren't full of blood at least, breathe, breathe and focus, Phoenix is just a kid and Heron is -

Heron is -

- spitting out blood and shuddering, hunching over with a pained noise right in front of Phoenix, clutching his hand against his chest - ]

Hkk, ahh... nng.

[ - Heron is fine. He's fine with this. Better him than anyone else. He can take it, can shove the pain and anxiety down, down, down, like his - like he's taught himself. lock it up in a box and spin the locks, two, four, eight. breathe.

He slaps his free hand on the ground and raises his head. ]

- Good. Great. That's great. Doing better?

[ There's a click from the phone. After a moment of consideration, the Demiurge's voice responds: ]

Yes.

[ boy he is sure Forte cares about one particular Siren on that list the most but Sirens in general are pretty okay so. ]

Let's see if we can rule them out, then.

[ YOU KNOW. You know in another universe this would feel....

Okay, familiar is not the right word. But it sure is ironic. Like being pulled into another life, another make believe world except -

He can feel their pain like its his own, from the crazy loud voices. He is one of them - wherever they are he belongs there. He has to. He's pulled and pulled and the story becomes his own, the pain becomes his own. Words and stories and lives tear and etch and then -

He hears Buttercup in a distant way, unreachable. Unable to truly be known because she is there and he is here and now -

Now, in the last moment, before he can be pulled he's back and gasping for air, the scream is still in his throat and the book is dropped. Forgotten (fully). But the lingering feeling doesn't loosen.]

Five letters...

That's Forte or Satin. At least that decision is easy.

Forte.

[Do not perceive him.]

Yeah... might as well. It makes the most sense.

[And not because he has a personal stake in Siren's whatsoever.]

[ sighs - actually spits out some blood then sighs ]

Yeah, if it's between those two, then Forte is the priority. I like Satin, but Family comes first, and if we're wrong... we can deal with it.

[ WHAT THE FUCK ARE TIMELINES WE DON'T KNOW IT WE'RE ONLY HERE FOR THE SPICE TBH. ]

[ Which is to say, Heron blissfully turns everything off - Forte who he hears almost as clearly as Dove most days. Maybe not as clearly as Gingham's become, but so so loud. He turns off the screaming that's consumed him - literally, almost. It's quiet. He's not getting those spike of thoughts with those feelings. ]

[ And he can't linger on how strange it is or the sensation of loss, because as suddenly as he looks up - Phoenix has been intune with people for so long that he doesn't need the other knowledge to see something wrong. He doesn't need it as he breaks a little on the inside, swallowing something down. ]

[ Because Heron is not okay. Visibly. The expression the blood and then - He gives a sharp breath. ]

You're not.

[ It's quiet and shaky and not entirely solid as he tries to figure out what to do. The only panic that rises in him is his own and for as crazy as that is - He can compartmentalize. Focuses on a stillness on a desire to do something more,]

You're not. But I am - I can help -

[ And he, unthinkingly, as impulsively as ever when it comes to someone not his own raises a hand that glows a light blue as he tries to focus (a 12/20, so he can but only just) and tries to think to give the words, pausing so the light dimmers down because he asks first (6/20) ]

If - you want me to.

C'mon, c'mon, there's. . . like. You can't just leave like that, you know? There's a lot going on!

[ ... He's trying Really hard not to think selfishly at the second part. Sill like unnerved, also bloody. And half of him is like wordsy painted now dont worry about it -

He is being v good and sitting next to Forte. ]

Forte has to be firt.

Where -?

[ Where am I? He means to say. Not here. This is wrong. This is all wrong, those melancholy voices scream and his throat feels raw as he turns wildly to Buttercup. ]

Here. [ He's here. That's right. With them. ] Right - I'm sorry - I don't.

Don't touch the books.

[ his shirt and nose are bloody and he's likehalf painted in words it's fine don't worry about it. ]

If there's any chance it's him we have to take it.

[ but, well ]

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

Page 8 of 9

UNHOLY DISORDER

Re: DISCUSSION

Re: DISCUSSION

Re: SUBMISSION

Re: DISCUSSION

Re: RING RING

Re: DISCUSSION

Re: DISCUSSION

Re: DISCUSSION

Re: DISCUSSION

Re: SUBMISSION

Re: DISCUSSION

Re: SUBMISSION

Re: DISCUSSION

Re: SUBMISSION

Re: DISCUSSION

Re: DISCUSSION

Re: DISCUSSION

Re: FINAL GUESS

Re: DISCUSSION

Re: DISCUSSION

Re: DISCUSSION

Re: DISCUSSION

Re: DISCUSSION

Re: DISCUSSION

Re: DISCUSSION