No... I agree. You already have some context for this, so...
[ she thinks for a few moments. ]
I mentioned that there were kind people in that place. I had none of my true memories, so every face was a stranger, but... while searching for safety, I first came across Basilio. He helped me flee, and fought the monsters that pursued us.
[ there is a little warmth at this. if there is one thing she actually does want to remember about this, it is the part where she became friends with basilio all over again. ]
But when we explored deeper, we encountered creatures that were... familiar, in some ways. Some of them were shaped like people, while others were more beastlike... and they all had such twisted, terrifying faces.
... At last, we came to a dead end. A room with a corpse... and what looked like you, huddled in the shadows nearby.
... It spoke with your voice, but not in any meaningful way. It was as if it simply repeated things that were said in the distant past. And when it lifted its head... It had not your face, nor that of any person.
It lunged forward to attack, but it did not reach me. We worked together to take it down...
[ wincing... ] I thought that it would die when its neck broke, but it kept moving. That was when I was grabbed.
Right. Well, you weren't nothin' bad in it like that.
[ kind of embarrassing comparing these things, actually. ]
...I said before how we were meant to get that manuscript back to that friend of Richie's and get their other friends out of that building, right? After we died the first time and got sent into the future, it was finally time to deal with that.
We were all split up at that point, but I got the manuscript back to the fella who was s'posed to have it... somehow, and then all that was left was gettin' those people out of that building. The ghost kid who'd given us the assignment at the start showed up again and gave me a list of a few room numbers, so I went around knockin' on those doors at this hotel. First door I tried, you opened it.
You were just a random guest there, didn't have any idea about any of what was goin' on, and... honestly, I barely did either. Think I just told you there was a murderer on the loose and I was there to evacuate the building. Told you to grab a knife so you could defend yourself just in case, but you didn't have one, so I ended up just dragging you along to the other doors with me.
[ it's a peculiar feeling, to hear a story told that features some other version of herself. eupha follows along, nodding...
it seems kind of appropriate, for fidelio to be in the role of leading an evacuation... considering that was basically how she first met him in the real world. ]
Yeah. Though I reckon it probably just looked like I was the killer and I was holdin' you hostage or somethin'.
Anyway, we went to the other rooms on my list, got some of Richie's friends out who left on their own right away, and then Taair on the top floor. Took you both down to the lobby with me, where we finally met up with Shadowheart and Anders.
[ just going to be polite and not talk about what they were doing while he was doing this... ]
But... couldn't hardly get two words in before the police showed up, and they just started shootin' their guns at every person there, us and those of you we'd brought down. The monster was there with 'em, gettin' a real kick out of it. Think it was probably influencing them somehow.
[ ... ]
Either way. All of us died and that was that.
[ unfortunately there's no way to end this one on a hopeful note. he figures she probably would have been safer if he'd never knocked on her door in the first place. ]
... You mentioned that those experiences were based on Richie's memories, yes? [ which is worrisome in itself!! ] And the others I have heard of seemed to also relate to us...
[ well. he did still try to get in front of them to shield them, because of course he did. ]
Maybe...? I know that was definitely the case with some of them, but there are others I never really asked much about, so I'm not sure if it's a rule or not.
Does anyone other than Charlie even have connections to Hell?
... But truthfully, it is not Hell that I am thinking of, but one of the other dimensions... It did have some qualities that called to mind someone who is with us.
Yes. What I saw was not real, but I worry that it may be part of reality for someone here. Someone who would be devastated if he knew his memories were used to harm others.
I will say that personally, I'd wanna know anyway. Don't like havin' things hidden from me, no matter how unpleasant they are.
[ and it makes him pretty uncomfortable that he has no idea what personal memories people may have gotten about him from basilio, which is the closest he can get to relating to this subject. ]
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[ she thinks for a few moments. ]
I mentioned that there were kind people in that place. I had none of my true memories, so every face was a stranger, but... while searching for safety, I first came across Basilio. He helped me flee, and fought the monsters that pursued us.
[ there is a little warmth at this. if there is one thing she actually does want to remember about this, it is the part where she became friends with basilio all over again. ]
But when we explored deeper, we encountered creatures that were... familiar, in some ways. Some of them were shaped like people, while others were more beastlike... and they all had such twisted, terrifying faces.
... At last, we came to a dead end. A room with a corpse... and what looked like you, huddled in the shadows nearby.
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he nods. this definitely isn't flattering, but that's fine. ]
And that corpse was someone I'd killed?
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I think it might have been.
... It spoke with your voice, but not in any meaningful way. It was as if it simply repeated things that were said in the distant past. And when it lifted its head... It had not your face, nor that of any person.
It lunged forward to attack, but it did not reach me. We worked together to take it down...
[ wincing... ] I thought that it would die when its neck broke, but it kept moving. That was when I was grabbed.
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[ there's a little dark amusement at how he keeps coming back from snapped necks in these things, though. ]
You managed to take it out after that?
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Not me, but...
[ ..... ]
... We found a way out after that. Mister Dojima and myself, and even Basilio, even though it wasn't really him...
[ to try to end this on a hopeful note. ]
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[ huh. ]
...That's good, though. Glad you got past it.
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He was. The real one, I believe. I owe him a great debt.
But... I believe it may be your turn now.
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[ kind of embarrassing comparing these things, actually. ]
...I said before how we were meant to get that manuscript back to that friend of Richie's and get their other friends out of that building, right? After we died the first time and got sent into the future, it was finally time to deal with that.
We were all split up at that point, but I got the manuscript back to the fella who was s'posed to have it... somehow, and then all that was left was gettin' those people out of that building. The ghost kid who'd given us the assignment at the start showed up again and gave me a list of a few room numbers, so I went around knockin' on those doors at this hotel. First door I tried, you opened it.
You were just a random guest there, didn't have any idea about any of what was goin' on, and... honestly, I barely did either. Think I just told you there was a murderer on the loose and I was there to evacuate the building. Told you to grab a knife so you could defend yourself just in case, but you didn't have one, so I ended up just dragging you along to the other doors with me.
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it seems kind of appropriate, for fidelio to be in the role of leading an evacuation... considering that was basically how she first met him in the real world. ]
So we went to evacuate the other people together?
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Anyway, we went to the other rooms on my list, got some of Richie's friends out who left on their own right away, and then Taair on the top floor. Took you both down to the lobby with me, where we finally met up with Shadowheart and Anders.
[ just going to be polite and not talk about what they were doing while he was doing this... ]
But... couldn't hardly get two words in before the police showed up, and they just started shootin' their guns at every person there, us and those of you we'd brought down. The monster was there with 'em, gettin' a real kick out of it. Think it was probably influencing them somehow.
[ ... ]
Either way. All of us died and that was that.
[ unfortunately there's no way to end this one on a hopeful note. he figures she probably would have been safer if he'd never knocked on her door in the first place. ]
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[ wincing a little. ]
And after you'd tried to help all of us...
I'm sorry.
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[ so it wasn't a terribly traumatic experience or anything... but it did feel bad seeing the real her with a gunshot wound this week. ]
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[ it must have felt bad, even knowing that. ]
... You mentioned that those experiences were based on Richie's memories, yes? [ which is worrisome in itself!! ] And the others I have heard of seemed to also relate to us...
... I suppose mine must have been, as well?
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Maybe...? I know that was definitely the case with some of them, but there are others I never really asked much about, so I'm not sure if it's a rule or not.
Does anyone other than Charlie even have connections to Hell?
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[ guy fieri. ]
... But truthfully, it is not Hell that I am thinking of, but one of the other dimensions... It did have some qualities that called to mind someone who is with us.
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It did? Was this that weird town you ended up in?
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[ or saber, but. not like they can say now anyway. ]
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It was only myself and Mister Dojima.
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[ but it is helpful to hear fidelio's opinion on it. ]
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[ and it makes him pretty uncomfortable that he has no idea what personal memories people may have gotten about him from basilio, which is the closest he can get to relating to this subject. ]
But I think it probably depends on the person.