Stephanie's Heart: The Archive

[reading_rainstorm]

In your dreams you are in a thick and foggy forest. It could be mistaken for the woods around Tributary if you don’t know your plants. You are on a trail leading into a clearing, in the center of which is a simple, concrete structure with a single door. A chaos star has been spray painted on it with a stencil.

You approach the structure. Looking over your shoulder you see a large shape lurking in the fog, obscured by the foliage. Two shining Feline eyes peer at you from the brush. You feel your heart rate spike as you turn the knob and find an old fashioned elevator tucked neatly inside with an accordion grate standing between you and the ornate, gilded interior. It creaks open as the presence behind you steps into the clearing. It is a sphinx, an eight foot tall lioness with the face of a woman and the large brown wings of an eagle on her back . The feminine face and olive skin tone of a Greek woman from antiquity smiles as she readies herself to to pounce, the wings on her back stretching and give a few readying flaps.You back into the elevator and close the gate with shaking hands as the sphinx leaps at the elevator. Her claws twisting and shearing the metal of the grate slowly, but she is too late. The elevator springs to life and you descend.

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A small light above flickers on as it illuminates your view outside the exposed elevator as you sink into the concrete structure. You descend for a few moments before an opening in the concrete gives you the view of an observation deck on a hill, looking down on the sprawling suburbs and campus of a college town. The elevator continues downward. The concrete gives way to old, dusty marble as you continue sinking. You see a vast maze stretch far and away that gets nearer and nearer. This has to be it, right? Your destination? No. You plunge further down, past the walls of the maze and the marble is replaced again by well polished wood. Beautiful stained mahogany rises past you as your descent finally starts to slow. You are greeted by another grate that creaks open for you. Entreating you to enter.

Comments

[reading_rainstorm]

The girl sitting at the end of the hall notes your reaction.

"Heh. She always thinks she knows what's going on with people. I think she's blind to more than she realizes."

[dragonindungeon]

Blind?

[reading_rainstorm]

"Yeah. She's real bad at seeing how people actually feel about her.

She can jump to some unkind conclusions."

It may have been hard to see in the low light, but now that she's talking and put her book down, you realize this is Ava. The girl from the hospital. She is made of wood as well, and moves like Harmony did.

[dragonindungeon]

. . . nothing seemed unkind to me.

[reading_rainstorm]

"Hm. I guess that's growth, right? Do you think it was accurate though?"

[dragonindungeon]

Maybe not completely, but... no one can be truly accurate.

[reading_rainstorm]

"Hrm. Leave it to Steph to so proudly display her misconceptions.

Anyway, I'll let you get back to your wandering, miss dragon."

[dragonindungeon]

Thank you. May I go past you?

[reading_rainstorm]

"No, none of the displays back there are finished."

It's real hard to see in the darkness but you think you can make out the silhouette of a sphinx in one of the unfinished alcoves.

"Hey! No peeking."

[dragonindungeon]

But - I need to find more cards . . .

[reading_rainstorm]

"Well there sure as hell won't be back there. If anything finding, cards is gonna help put those the new displays together.

Might be something in the ones out here though."

[dragonindungeon]

... alright. I'll go look at the others.

[reading_rainstorm]

There's the bunks with the man about to burn a journal. Two cloaked women kissing in an office and Stephanie and a different woman in an empty storefront.

Does Falin pick one to examine further or ask the cards for help?

[dragonindungeon]

[ She goes to the man about to burn a journal, alarmed!! ]

[reading_rainstorm]

Focusing on the diorama, it seems to gain depth and width Beyond the bounds of its alcove. The first figure is the man who was shelving books in the remembered rooms hall. Dusty and poorly maintained, he is an anxious looking man with dark hair and glasses staying off to the side, observing with a grimace you have seen on Stephanie's face before. The other figure seems to have been defaced, chunks chopped out of it in places. It holds Stephanie's journal above a fire that looks a lot more real than it did a moment ago. His gaze seems to meet yours with a smug satisfaction. He stands rigid and upright, dressed in well pressed dress shirt and slacks with a stole over his shoulders. The stole has a symbol of eyes with crosses for pupils at its ends.

The room is lit with buzzing fluorescent lights, a row of child sized bunks stretch to the end of the room. The bunk behind the men is in disarray, the cot has been removed from its frame and lays on the floor In a heap. Having gotten closer, you notice a third figure: A child probably eight or nine. They are watching in horror at the scene, tearing at the hem of their shirt as tears stream down their face.

The velvet rope that separated you from the diorama falls to the floor.

[dragonindungeon]

[ steps protectively in front of the child and tries to grab the journal ]

[reading_rainstorm]

These figures seem inanimate, unlike the others you've met. You easily snatch the journal. Handmade and leatherbound, there is an owl embossed on its cover. A child's voice fills your mind.

"May 2007: Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. I’m so stupid. I should have known they would find my books. Especially after that tattle tale Caleb saw me reading in class. Now they are all gone along with my journals. Even the one mom made special for me. Dad didn’t even try to stop Father Renvo. It’s clear he doesn’t love me anymore. He’s too obsessed with his new wife. I can’t believe he’s forgotten mom so quickly.

Father Renvo went easy on me, though. A week of no breakfast, and I have to pray for forgiveness for holding blasphemy in my heart in front of class tomorrow. I need to not cry this time or the teacher is going to hit me again. I hope god is not confused by the prayers they make me do and the ones I do myself."

[dragonindungeon]

[ FROWNS. And... places the book by the child figure. ]

[reading_rainstorm]

The journal fits easily into their arms, their expression softening. The Emperor card falls from inside the journal to their feet.

[dragonindungeon]

[ Sighs and picks up the card gently. Giving a lingering look to the child before exiting again, and heading towards Steph's Father. ]

Excuse me.

[reading_rainstorm]

Gene turns from his shelving and looks up at Falin, trying very hard to be polite, but also not making eye contact.

"Y-yes? Is there any way I can help you Miss Touden?"

[dragonindungeon]

...

Do you have a card?

[reading_rainstorm]

"N-no? I know we are supposed to find them for Harmony...but I really don't like going in the memories too much.

Have you found any?"

[dragonindungeon]

Mm, some. I'll move on then.

[reading_rainstorm]

If Falin consults the cards again she might notice she has all six of them at this point. The Tower, Hermit, Strength, Death, Lovers and Emperor.

All that's left is to do a reading. There's even a table set to do so by the Hall of Fate.