Sora Catch-all;

[misstrust]

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[misstrust]

[ It's great, who needs an actual bed-- ]

You've come to see me, and yet you're so eager to leave me again?

[ It's said with a trace of a smile but then she pats the... ground? More leaves?? Sit. ]

[reconnective]

Come on, it's not like that. [but he seems eager enough to zoom closer and immediately kneel on the ground in this other pile of leaves.]

I would've come by sooner but I thought you could use the break. These things are pretty rough.

[misstrust]

... Ah. Well, you are the more experienced one.

[ She smiles weakly, reaching up to pat his hand. ]

Thank you, though. You weren't wrong.

[reconnective]

Not by much. [but he lets her pat his hand. he's good with that.]

I was hoping we could find a way to prepare people for things like this, but it sounds like everybody was caught off-guard again. Do you remember what was happening before you were taken away?

[misstrust]

... No, sorry. The next thing I knew, we were all somewhere else entirely.

[ She'd really wished there'd been more of an indicator. ]

[reconnective]

Don't apologize. It's not like it's your fault. [it's just terrible.] ...where did you go? We can talk about it later if you want, but if it's the same thing as what happened to us, there might be more to it than we think.

[misstrust]

... Ah. Well, it was a school... though it started off as a church first before we were brought into a classroom.

[ A pause. ]

Several classrooms, after that.

[ It was hell. ]

[reconnective]

A church? [why is there a church and a school?] Were you guys together?

[misstrust]

We took two different paths at the ending, but we were brought together in the end... in the auditorium.

[ Dorothy trails off, her gaze growing a little distant. Apparently, the auditorium was a Time. ]

[reconnective]

The auditorium...[sounds like the endgame stage of things.] ...what happened before that? What was your path like?

[misstrust]

...

[ Dorothy falls silent, eyebrows furrowed. ]

... I'm sorry, Sora. I don't think I should go into details. We just kept finding ourselves in life-threatening situations for the sake of education, I suppose.

[reconnective]

...[he pats her hand like it's meant to be reassuring.] It's okay. You don't have to, I was just...ours was weird and kinda scary to go through, too.

Was someone trying to teach you a lesson?

[misstrust]

I believe so. That... really must have been it. It was just a lesson I didn't want to learn.

[reconnective]

So it was...beat into you instead? [he's mostly concerned because she's way more hurt than he and Alex were after their adventure.] ...how did you guys get out?

[misstrust]

Ah, well, something like that. I tried to stop Rufus from melting and I got stabbed.

[ A careful shrug, before she continues. ]

... But we had to hang ourselves to get out.

[reconnective]

That would explain his hands. [he just looks increasingly horrified though because...wow. bad.]

...I'm sorry. That shouldn't have been the answer. Why would...what would that even accomplish? [that's so scary? what the hell.]

[misstrust]

... [ Dorothy pauses, then extends her arm out to him. C'mere, kid. ]

Sometimes, you can't run away.

[reconnective]

[he'll just scoot closer immediately because AHHHH.]

...I know. But to not even have the option...people who aren't prepared shouldn't have to be forced into it.

[misstrust]

[ Dorothy laughs and tugs him into a careful one-armed hug, resting her cheek against his... spikes. ]

A lot of things shouldn't happen. All we can do is deal with them to the bet of our ability.

[reconnective]

[at least his spikes are very soft, so she's allowed. he'll even lean in a little to let her be more comfortable.]

I know. I guess I just don't like that all the bad things happen to good people. You've never even had to experience something like this before, have you?

[misstrust]

... If you mean suicide, then...

[ Dorothy goes quiet for a minute. ]

I've witnessed it.

[reconnective]

[...]

I'm not sure if that's better or worse, actually. [better in terms of preparation, but worse because wow that's terrible either way. it's fine. he'll just lean in a little more because he doesn't quite have words to make up for that.]

[misstrust]

To be quite honest with you, neither am I.

[ But thanks, Sora. She appreciates the silence and the support. ]

[reconnective]

[silence and support! he is good for that.]

...at least it's over. And you'll never have to go back and do that again.

[misstrust]

... Mm. I really, truly hope so.