[It was unpleasant, and very difficult to keep from thinking hopeless. It was, from everything Freya knew, but she couldn't let herself dwell on it, in any way. She'd already lost enough time to that, and more literally than she ever would have thought.]
you guys going to be home tonight? something i need to tell you.
[It was unpleasant, heart-wrenching, and quite frankly just as terrifying as this whole situation's been for this last week. Even Freya's own worries aside, her roommates were too familiar with loss; it hurt to do this to them. But it had to be done, and they deserved to know, so Freya would do it. She couldn't imagine how pissed off Lucy would be if she never said anything.]
[Freya lingered at Pen's for as long as she could before wandering over to the apartment. It was strange, to be so hyper-aware of the passing time. It would be a lie to say Freya wasn't nervous, but she had a better handle on it than she did even a few days ago. As she stepped into the apartment, Freya smiles down at the (unsurprisingly) first face to greet her, and scratches Koro's ears.]
[Lucy had been taking a nap after a morning shift—fitfully, only staying asleep for so long at a time. She'd answered Freya's text almost on autopilot, just a yes—and she'd promptly rolled back to sleep.
Until Koro wiggled into her room, put his head on the comforter, and barked at her. Lucy mumbled from under her pile of blankets, and Koro barked again, wagging his tail.
...right. She'd said she'd be here. That meant being awake, too. With a yawn and a grumble (a small yawn, and mostly grumbling), Lucy pushed the blankets away to sit up, and at least try to make herself presentable. Koro yipped one more time and then trotted back to the living room, mission successful.
A slightly-sleepy Lucy followed shortly after, in a loose shirt and shorts and combing her hair with a brush as she sat down on the couch.]
Hi. [Was all she said, but it was about as much as Lucy needed to say. Her voice wasn't abrasive and shorn of its usual prickles, just shaking off sleep with the rest of her.]
[...Man, Koro even knew to go fetch Lucy. That dog was almost alarmingly intelligent, sometimes.]
[Freya smiled back at Minako, waving a hand dismissively.] Yeah. Ate with Pen. [That gesture turned into a small wave when Lucy wandered in; a greeting, and not a mumble? She's moving up in the world, Freya thought a bit wryly.]
[She stretched, taking a seat at the other end of the couch from Lucy.] You hear that, Koro? Mina's onto you.
[Koromaru grins and woofs, his tail wagging briefly before he curls up on Minako's lap, after she settles onto her end of the couch.]
He was just excited to see me home early today. [She cuddles the puppy, peeking at Freya over the top of his head.] So...you wanted to talk about something?
[A formal roommate meeting like this hasn't happened in a while...she's kind of worried.]
[Lucy wasn't as concerned, stifling another yawn and continuing to brush her hair, She kept an eye on Freya, but said nothing else; Minako already beat her to it.]
Yeah, [Freya said almost as a sigh, leaning back and hooking an arm around the back of the couch, glancing up at the ceiling.]
Bad news. [She's surprised her voice stays so steady; maybe she's finally come to terms with thia.] I haven't told Pen yet. Figured I'd tell you guys tonight, and her tomorrow.
[She paused, swallowing.] 'bout a week ago, while I was in Magatus, I got another of those little changes. [Trying to 'ease them' into the news wouldn't make it any better, she figured. No point in delaying it. They already had their warning. It's still hard not to pause, but Freya pushes herself.] Been tryin' to keep this quiet, but it didn't feel right, not tellin' you two. If this thing I got does what I remember it doing? Then, I... I think I'm not gonna be around for long.
[Freya kept her eyes on the ceiling; this was already heartbreaking, and she didn't think she could keep her composure if she saw her friends' expressions.]
[The clench in her chest drops and becomes a rock in her stomach, weighing down her whole body with horror. She reaches out to Freya, has to, combating the feeling of lead in her arms for it. But she falls short, and she forms her fist against her side instead.]
Freya-- what do you mean? Don't tell me you're going to--?
[She can't bear the thought, can't finish the sentence. Minako clenches her teeth and grits her jaw, pleading Freya with her eyes to tell her otherwise, even if Freya isn't looking this way. Please. Please.]
[Freya has to swallow hard again, feeling the roiling emotions threatening to rise again. She had to keep a grip on it, this time. It was right to tell them, but having to hear those notes in their voices... a little part of her wished she'd decided against it.]
[It takes her a moment to answer, and Freya reaches over, still looking at the ceiling, to pull up her right sleeve. It's hardly been more than a week, but the strange mark (6) had already changed so much. A testament to her poor ability to handle this, Freya supposed.]
This thing. It's the reason behind all that crazy stuff I can do. A "curse" is the best word I can think for it; you get a bunch of fancy powers in exchange for a task and expiration date. When this thing's up, it's... gonna turn me into a monster.
[Presented with this, Minako can't help herself anymore, reaching out and thumbing the skin near the mark, as if pressing her vitality into Freya might rid her of this curse. Koromaru wiggles into Freya's lap, whining softly, while Minako bows her forehead over where she's holding Freya's arm.
A monster. No, no, no. This can't be happening again. Why does it keep happening to the best people in her life?]
[Freya finally couldn't help looking over at Minako's touch. Poor girl. Her hands find Koromaru automatically, idly scratching at the dog's cheeks. She glaces over Minako's head at Lucy.]
Haven't tried cuttin' the arm off, obviously. [It's a joke. Kind of. She's considered it.] I remember these brands. Far as I--she knows nothing makes 'em come off. You complete your task, you turn into an immortal hunk of rock, until... whatever put the mark there's got use for you again. You keep doin' it, until you keel over or fail.
Already tried talking to someone about it, in case I remembered great secret or whatever, but... nothing.
[That confession of her mortality was something she never wanted to experience again, Freya thought, as she gathered the will power to experience it again. If it was that hard to tell Minako and Lucy, well... She wasn't sure she'd be able to hold it together this time around--telling Pen.]
[Pen didn't need her. She was strong, but Freya still knew her significance in the shorter woman's life. Just like with the other two, her... condition still felt like some sort of failure or betrayal on her part. She'd come to be the steadfast one. The unflinching one. The one that never left.]
[Deciding to wait until the next day was a good decision. Freya felt much sturdier, emotionally, after a night's rest, but not that she knew what to expect... it didn't help.]
[Freya stepped into Pen's house. She'd gotten into the habit of not calling out greetings, in case her partner was working on a video--though she didn't think there was one of those today.]
[Freya's guess was quite correct, Pen was not working on a video today. She didn't do uploads on Saturdays, and while Freya hadn't been around the previous night that'd been fine too. They weren't joined at the hip, and Freya wasn't going to leave her to spend a night with some other girl. That was a no brainer.
When she hears the door open, she peers into the front from the living room, pulling off her headset and waving before closing out of Stellaris. There were only a couple of people who had keys, and Yuffie would've called.
Freya'll find herself greeted by the pitter-patter of a nightshade's feet, the tomato scampering in to jabber at her.]
Hey. Wasn't expecting you till later. I didn't think I slept that late.
[Answering immediately, Pen steps back and heads over to the couch. A question like that could be really good, or really bad and as usual Freya's not betraying much in her voice.]
[Freya swallows, meandering the last few steps before sitting beside her partner. It still didn't feel right, knowing what pain this would cause.]
[But... Pen never had much tolerance for bullshit. It needed to be said, no matter how awful, no sugar coating. Freya turns her head to look at Pen, unlike how she'd told Minako and Lucy. Penelope, at the very least, deserved that, no matter how much that hurt, too.]
It's a death sentence. [Even just saying feels like a punch, the kind that knocks out wind and leaves her chest feeling hollow and jittery and a sickening sort of leaden all at the same time.]
[Pen settles herself, breathing in and out, ready for bad news. It must be awful, if her face is any indication. She steels herself to say something about being ready to fight. A demon, some monster they can take on...but when the words come out of her partner's mouth her voice sticks.]
Ah...
[Then it sinks in.
There's no way Freya would joke about this. Not something this serious. The tone alone, and the sick look in Freya's eye shreds what she was going to say like ragged old clothes. Pen's mouth snaps shut and she shifts, squeezing the tomato tightly as she stares up into her partner's eyes. Her stomach twists, roiling...but she forces herself to croak out a question.]
[Her mouth felt dry. Freya fights down the urge to glance away, or any of her other nervous fidgets. Funny; Freya had thought it'd be easiest to keep up the bravado for Pen, but she could feel it cracking under the surface. She couldn't let it break, no matter what; that'd likely cost them time.]
It's... a countdown, kind of. A curse. That mark's gonna keep changing until that eye in the middle opens wide. When it does... I'll turn into some soulless, miserable monster.
[The urge to look away surges this time, and Freya's eyes twitch away before resolutely finding Pen's face.] I don't remember any way out of it, Pen; I've tried. [She takes a deep breath.] Didn't want to say anything unless I had to, but... I've got nothing. I've remembered other things about it. ...nothing helpful.
[Countdown. Curse. Words that strike her heart like hammerblows. Not something they could fight. Just a slow, steady, inexorable march towards oblivion?
No.
That didn't fit. It felt wrong somehow...to go through so much and then for something like this to happen. Her eyes begin to water as Freya continues, her body forcing them even though she tries to cling to some semblance of calm.
Gritting her teeth, Penelope jerks her head from side to side, forcing her gaze to remain steady after that little break, despite the tears welling up there.]
...Will you die...or will you become a monster?
[Her hand finally loosens on the tomato as the creature chirps in pain, her hand flying out to grab Freya's.]
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Lucy and Minako
[It was unpleasant, and very difficult to keep from thinking hopeless. It was, from everything Freya knew, but she couldn't let herself dwell on it, in any way. She'd already lost enough time to that, and more literally than she ever would have thought.]
you guys going to be home tonight? something i need to tell you.
[It was unpleasant, heart-wrenching, and quite frankly just as terrifying as this whole situation's been for this last week. Even Freya's own worries aside, her roommates were too familiar with loss; it hurt to do this to them. But it had to be done, and they deserved to know, so Freya would do it. She couldn't imagine how pissed off Lucy would be if she never said anything.]
[Freya lingered at Pen's for as long as she could before wandering over to the apartment. It was strange, to be so hyper-aware of the passing time. It would be a lie to say Freya wasn't nervous, but she had a better handle on it than she did even a few days ago. As she stepped into the apartment, Freya smiles down at the (unsurprisingly) first face to greet her, and scratches Koro's ears.]
Hey, boy. Been good like always, I bet.
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Don't let his smile fool you, he put all of his toys in my path so he'd have a frog-hop partner to play with, when I picked them up.
[She walks into the living room and shoots Freya a warm smile. Koromaru yips and runs off to go fetch Lucy.]
Welcome home. Have dinner already?
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Until Koro wiggled into her room, put his head on the comforter, and barked at her. Lucy mumbled from under her pile of blankets, and Koro barked again, wagging his tail.
...right. She'd said she'd be here. That meant being awake, too. With a yawn and a grumble (a small yawn, and mostly grumbling), Lucy pushed the blankets away to sit up, and at least try to make herself presentable. Koro yipped one more time and then trotted back to the living room, mission successful.
A slightly-sleepy Lucy followed shortly after, in a loose shirt and shorts and combing her hair with a brush as she sat down on the couch.]
Hi. [Was all she said, but it was about as much as Lucy needed to say. Her voice wasn't abrasive and shorn of its usual prickles, just shaking off sleep with the rest of her.]
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[Freya smiled back at Minako, waving a hand dismissively.] Yeah. Ate with Pen. [That gesture turned into a small wave when Lucy wandered in; a greeting, and not a mumble? She's moving up in the world, Freya thought a bit wryly.]
[She stretched, taking a seat at the other end of the couch from Lucy.] You hear that, Koro? Mina's onto you.
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He was just excited to see me home early today. [She cuddles the puppy, peeking at Freya over the top of his head.] So...you wanted to talk about something?
[A formal roommate meeting like this hasn't happened in a while...she's kind of worried.]
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Bad news. [She's surprised her voice stays so steady; maybe she's finally come to terms with thia.] I haven't told Pen yet. Figured I'd tell you guys tonight, and her tomorrow.
[She paused, swallowing.] 'bout a week ago, while I was in Magatus, I got another of those little changes. [Trying to 'ease them' into the news wouldn't make it any better, she figured. No point in delaying it. They already had their warning. It's still hard not to pause, but Freya pushes herself.] Been tryin' to keep this quiet, but it didn't feel right, not tellin' you two. If this thing I got does what I remember it doing? Then, I... I think I'm not gonna be around for long.
[Freya kept her eyes on the ceiling; this was already heartbreaking, and she didn't think she could keep her composure if she saw her friends' expressions.]
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Freya-- what do you mean? Don't tell me you're going to--?
[She can't bear the thought, can't finish the sentence. Minako clenches her teeth and grits her jaw, pleading Freya with her eyes to tell her otherwise, even if Freya isn't looking this way. Please. Please.]
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...not going to be around?
She stopped mid-stroke, putting the brush down slowly. Nevermind the tangles. She stared past Minako, to Freya who wasn't looking at her.]
...what?
[Her voice was small. Not a whisper, not a disbelieving cry, a question thoughts hadn't caught up to yet.]
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[It takes her a moment to answer, and Freya reaches over, still looking at the ceiling, to pull up her right sleeve. It's hardly been more than a week, but the strange mark (6) had already changed so much. A testament to her poor ability to handle this, Freya supposed.]
This thing. It's the reason behind all that crazy stuff I can do. A "curse" is the best word I can think for it; you get a bunch of fancy powers in exchange for a task and expiration date. When this thing's up, it's... gonna turn me into a monster.
[Looking at them was too hard--too dangerous.]
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A monster. No, no, no. This can't be happening again. Why does it keep happening to the best people in her life?]
No.
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A monster. That was all?
Lucy had become so used to thinking of herself as one that it seemed second nature.
Not Freya. It couldn't be happening to Freya.]
You can't do anything about it? Anything?
[Her voice had gone from quiet to agitated and desperate in the time it took to think.]
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Haven't tried cuttin' the arm off, obviously. [It's a joke. Kind of. She's considered it.] I remember these brands. Far as I--she knows nothing makes 'em come off. You complete your task, you turn into an immortal hunk of rock, until... whatever put the mark there's got use for you again. You keep doin' it, until you keel over or fail.
Already tried talking to someone about it, in case I remembered great secret or whatever, but... nothing.
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Penelope
[Pen didn't need her. She was strong, but Freya still knew her significance in the shorter woman's life. Just like with the other two, her... condition still felt like some sort of failure or betrayal on her part. She'd come to be the steadfast one. The unflinching one. The one that never left.]
[Deciding to wait until the next day was a good decision. Freya felt much sturdier, emotionally, after a night's rest, but not that she knew what to expect... it didn't help.]
[Freya stepped into Pen's house. She'd gotten into the habit of not calling out greetings, in case her partner was working on a video--though she didn't think there was one of those today.]
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When she hears the door open, she peers into the front from the living room, pulling off her headset and waving before closing out of Stellaris. There were only a couple of people who had keys, and Yuffie would've called.
Freya'll find herself greeted by the pitter-patter of a nightshade's feet, the tomato scampering in to jabber at her.]
Hey. Wasn't expecting you till later. I didn't think I slept that late.
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[Freya smiles back, reaching down to pick up the tomato and tuck him under her arm without even looking.]
Don't sweat it. Didn't have many places to run this morning. Thought I'd take it easy.
[Freya crosses over to her partner, kissing her on the forehead.] Get in any trouble while I was gone?
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Started an interstellar war. Nothing big.
[Really, you know, that's all.]
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[Freya ruffles the... leaves? of her passenger absentmindedly.]
You got anything major today?
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[Answering immediately, Pen steps back and heads over to the couch. A question like that could be really good, or really bad and as usual Freya's not betraying much in her voice.]
I'm wide open. What's up?
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I'm ready as I'm ever gonna be to talk about that weird mark. It's... not good, Pen.
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She straightens, folds her arms into her lap, and nods.]
Alright.
[Breathing in, she scoops up the little tomato, holding it tight.]
Hit me.
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[But... Pen never had much tolerance for bullshit. It needed to be said, no matter how awful, no sugar coating. Freya turns her head to look at Pen, unlike how she'd told Minako and Lucy. Penelope, at the very least, deserved that, no matter how much that hurt, too.]
It's a death sentence. [Even just saying feels like a punch, the kind that knocks out wind and leaves her chest feeling hollow and jittery and a sickening sort of leaden all at the same time.]
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Ah...
[Then it sinks in.
There's no way Freya would joke about this. Not something this serious. The tone alone, and the sick look in Freya's eye shreds what she was going to say like ragged old clothes. Pen's mouth snaps shut and she shifts, squeezing the tomato tightly as she stares up into her partner's eyes. Her stomach twists, roiling...but she forces herself to croak out a question.]
...How? And...how can we stop it?
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It's... a countdown, kind of. A curse. That mark's gonna keep changing until that eye in the middle opens wide. When it does... I'll turn into some soulless, miserable monster.
[The urge to look away surges this time, and Freya's eyes twitch away before resolutely finding Pen's face.] I don't remember any way out of it, Pen; I've tried. [She takes a deep breath.] Didn't want to say anything unless I had to, but... I've got nothing. I've remembered other things about it. ...nothing helpful.
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No.
That didn't fit. It felt wrong somehow...to go through so much and then for something like this to happen. Her eyes begin to water as Freya continues, her body forcing them even though she tries to cling to some semblance of calm.
Gritting her teeth, Penelope jerks her head from side to side, forcing her gaze to remain steady after that little break, despite the tears welling up there.]
...Will you die...or will you become a monster?
[Her hand finally loosens on the tomato as the creature chirps in pain, her hand flying out to grab Freya's.]
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