It may very well be the worst thing that's ever happened to you! | OPEN MINGLE

[vitaelamorte]

Who: EVERYONE!
Where: EVERYWHERE!
When: Friday October 27th - Tuesday October 31st
Rating: PG-13, warn if you're gonna go higher!
Summary: A catch all for the Horrible Memory Truth Event!
The Story:

For the duration of this event, everyone's entire room will be replaced with a memory playing on loop. They will likely recognize the moment as soon as they see it – it is a moment they remember as the worst moment of their entire lives. It could be a memory from home or something that happened in Wonderland. Lengths of the memories will vary, but they will find that these are not memories they can merely watch – they can step into these memories and attempt to make changes to them, and the memories will be long enough that they have time to make changes (though no more than 24 hours). However, anyone who tries will find that it is futile. No matter what you do or how hard you try, the outcome is always exactly the same somehow. No changes you make will prevent that horrible outcome. It just happens over and over and over again no matter what you do.

On top of that, perhaps complicating any attempts to make changes, everyone will be forced to be honest for the duration of the event. No lies or half-truths are allowed, and filters will be gone for the entire five days. If something bothers someone then they will blurt it out, regardless of whether or not it hurts someone's feelings, and no one will be able to simply keep quiet when they have something to say. They must be truthful and honest with every word they say.

This is a catch-all log for all of your Worst Memory needs! Please mark your threads clearly in the subject line with your character's name and Room Number + Floor for character rooms, or just location if you're making a top level for a public place in the mansion (like the tea rooms or the kitchen) so people can see if there's already a thread available. And here's the plot post if you need it!

Have fun!

Comments

» tea room

[mucked]

What I've started -- [ oh flipping hell.

peggy sets the teapot down, spending her energy now on screwing the thermos shut. ] I've not started anything. Yet. Apparently. I'm hardly qualified to pass verdict on your fitness.

[ a beat. they've hashed over this ground before, but: ] I still think you care too much about what I think.

[shorthair]

( Clementine watches Sans' reaction with a smile on her face. She's popping popcorn in her mouth, and she actually laughs too when he's laughing. The whole Event that's to come should probably scare her more (and it does. what's worse than what's already happened?), but after dying, it's hard to reach that same level of emotion- of fear without real, good reason.

It's still nice to have a distraction, and she's just as unaware of the movies as Sans is, but they're fun and funny. )

Speaking of shit that wouldn't actually happening like that, do you think I could get a chainsaw hand if I lost mine?

( Her hand that is. )

That'd probably get heavy.

[walkingheroin]

[That's precisely the problem; he doesn't know anything about this, so he doesn't know how it ends. He believes that she isn't about to be brutally murdered in front of him, considering she's told him of memories that should have happened after this if it were only a few months down the line from his own memories.

Again, that's the only thing that keeps him rooted in place, the knowledge that she doesn't die here, that Trixie survives as well. Someone will save them or she'll save herself. Either way, that's all that matters.]

...Detective?

[He needs her to tell him what to do. He doesn't particularly want to take a bullet, either. He just wants to help.

It's like backwards deja vu.]

2nd floor, room 17; nobody wants to hear you sing about tragedy (cw: body horror)

[sciencelizard]

[When the door to Alphys' room opens, it immediately goes into a sprawling lab space, though it certainly looks more like a maze initially than any kind of lab. Screens dot the walls, and despite the semi-spooky atmosphere, the lights are on this time. For those who were here back in March, they might remember it as the True Lab, and the door of entry seems to be next to the elevator, about halfway through the lab space proper.

Alphys is standing in the doorway to the sleeper room, horrified, looking at the figures inside. A number of dog monsters stand under one larger dog, trying to hold him up as his top-heavy half threatens to fall. Except the lines between them aren't as sharp as living things should be. Bits of them are beginning to drip off line an ice cream cone, melting into one another, a hulking pile of mass. They're not screaming, not quite, but the sound they're making is beginning to become a cacophony in the void of them that's left.

In the far doorway, a bird-shaped woman appears, but much too big; her eyes have been replaced, and she's dragging herself across the ground, croaking out Alphys' name in broken tones. From somewhere else in the lab, a bird call echoes, but it sounds like multiple voices crying out at once, like an echo from a single mouth.

Alphys takes a shaky step back, towards the door, not knowing what to do, tears beginning to stream down her face as the new dog creature starts to materialize into one being, lets out a loud, echoed howl, and charges her.

The memory loops, and you're back at the door again.]

library

[fulllifeconsequences]

They don't spend a lot of time in the library, themselves - they're more content to reread the same plant encyclopedias and worn copy of Kitchen over and over again than seek out something new. They know, however, that Frisk likes the library. All those myths had to come from somewhere. They remember a tiny figure nodding off over a book about determinism. They remember a pair of scissors being thrown at them and a crude little makeshift bed.

When they run away, they loiter in diners. When Frisk runs away, they huddle in a library.

Not surprised, then, when they find Frisk tucked into a corner.

"Howdy," they call.

"I haven't opened your door." Better to get that out of the way. Let them know the boundaries are all in place. They're keeping the line neatly drawn between what's Frisk and what's Chara. Keeping that safe, secure step or two of space between you and I firmly where it needs to be. They're going to be good. This will be okay.

Really. It'll be okay.

"Do... you want to be alone?"

Greg | Third Floor, Room 19 & a tea room

[drummeintheface]

27th | Greg's room, 3rd Floor Room 19 | Closed to Wirt

Nothing changes. It happens again and again and Greg's not fast enough or strong enough or big enough and he watches, in clearer detail than should be allowed. A flash of dull, dirty teeth. Wirt grunts, tries to pull away, and Greg's frozen or too far away or he can't lift the fence post, and the teeth sink in. And suddenly strength returns, Greg lifts the post easy and strikes, and they run, but the damage has been done.

And done.
And done.
And done.

28th-31st | A Tea Room | OTA

Greg thought he was really good at telling the truth. But apparently he's not been good at all. He told Wirt all kind of truth, and that didn't go very well. And yeah, it's better not being in his room for sure, but. He still feels so bad. And he keeps talking about it. It's all he can think about so it's all he can talk about and it makes him feel all tight and bad and tired.

So here's Greg. Sitting in a tea room, looking exhausted and shoving a pillow against his mouth. Because if he's gonna talk, at least maybe he won't have to hear it or make other people hear it.

tea rooms, 2nd floor ; what a match, i am half doomed and you're semi-sweet

[sciencelizard]

[Alphys does not like this event one god damn bit.

She can't go to her room now, which is her usual hideout, but thankfully, she's already carved out another space for herself here. Alphys can be found most of the event in the Anime Club tearoom, projector set up, all of the beanbags in the room piled together into the Omega Beanbag Heap. Alphys herself is in the middle of them, snacks galore, as Mew Mew Kissy Cutie streams from the projector across the entire far wall.

Feel free to join her. If you want, you don't even have to talk; there's a good show going on.]

room 107, floor 5 ; i'll love you long after you're gone gone gone

[normandysbest]

[The room this memory takes place in is incredibly small; only big enough for a single hospital bed, sitting in the middle of the room, the far wall taken up entirely by window. From the scene outside, those who were here in April might remember it as the Citadel, specifically somewhere in the middle of the Presidium. There's a man in the bed, green skinned and quiet, and another similar man stands nearby, hands clasped in prayer. Shepard stands at the side of the bed, one hand gripping the side so hard her knuckles are nearly white.

The other is in his, gentle, and light, but he seems unresponsive as the words from the prayer carry on. She's speaking them with him, her voice muffled by tears.

Kalahira, this one's heart is pure,
but beset by wickedness and contention.
Guide this one to where the traveler never tires,
the lover never leaves, the hungry never starve.
Guide this one, Kalahira,
and she will be a companion to you as she was to me.

Finally, the man in the bed's hand falls out of hers and his head tilts limp, and Shepard screams, something made entirely of anguish as nurses come to force her to leave, still reaching towards him, still begging him to stay.

As soon as the hospital staff get her hands off the bed, the memory loops back to quiet.]

[thevulnerability]

[ She doesn't respond right away, her eyes locked on Graham as she holds in a breath, waiting. Finally, their opening; the paper airplane flutters between them, drawing Graham's attention away and Chloe doesn't hesitate before she bolts forward, grabbing Lucifer's wrist tightly in her grasp. ]

Go.

[ She pulls him with her, dragging him away from the open area of the warehouse and towards the shelves, towards her hiding place. She's tried others, but none of them make any difference besides making it harder to see what Graham does to Lucifer. The location doesn't matter, though; she doesn't have to see it for it to hurt every time.

Once she drags Lucifer behind a palette, his voice starts to carry from behind him - the memory of him approaching Malcolm, taunting him. Chloe's grip on Lucifer's hand tightens and she turns to look at him, her eyes wide. ]

You weren't supposed to be here. [ It's the only thing she can manage to say, as if it will somehow make the next part of the memory any easier. ]

Mansion

[forwearemany]

(Oh, hello tiny robot friend. After a moment, they decide to approach.

...They have a pretty good idea what the swearing is all about.)

We agree with this sentiment.

the beach ; you're my head start, you're my rugged heart

[normandysbest]

[Shepard's doing the thing she always does during tough events like this- she's at the beach, but without the Mako this time. This time, she's down by the shoreline in the sand, shoes discarded next to her, pants rolled up to her knees as the surf rolls in, slowly burying her toes in the sand as each wave crests.

Shepard herself is leaning back on her hands, letting them sink into the sand, too, eyes closed, letting the late October wind crest over her face.

As always, she'll talk if asked. But maybe, for a moment, it's quiet.]

[livemoore]

[ Liv looks up at him, then takes the coffee, holding it for a second and then taking a sip. A faint smile comes to her lips because he knew what to do, but then she swallows and looks up at him again. ]

Thank you. I can go, though. If you need some time.

[ Everything is so heavy, she wouldn't blame him. ]

[livemoore]

I know.

[ She does know, and she steps forward. ]

We can't change anything in our memories. And that's why you need to get out of here. Just come with me, Frank.

[thevulnerability]

[ Even if she had been hurt, Chloe realizes it was silly to even ask. She knows first hand now about the healing properties of being a vampire, having lived through it herself briefly.

For Chloe, being burned by the sun and having to drink blood to heal is preferable to what they are going through now. Of course, her pain was far more brief. ]

It doesn't feel like it when you're in the middle of it. [ It kind of just comes out of her mouth, but Chloe knows, having just been through it herself. It being a memory doesn't make it any easier. ] Do you wanna go somewhere else? You don't have to stay here.

room 75, floor 10 ; there is very little left of me and its never coming back (cw: violence, injury)

[voidfished]

[The memory, as entered, is absolute chaos.

The sky is black, filled with some moving, tar-like force, pillars of it slamming down into the ground and sending out soldiers, shaped like people, animals, robotic forms. Within them, spirals and stripes of blue, green, and red swirl, making them ever-moving as they advance on the crowd.

On the ground is a group of rebels, barely armored and hardly armed, but they're screaming, cutting a path through the darkness. And among them is Lucretia. She looks almost 30 years younger, and much, much worse for wear; an eyepatch covers the left side of her face, the blood coming through it still looking fresh. Burn scars move across her left arm in spiderwebbed patterns that extend up to her shoulder, and a wound is already open across the right side of her stomach from a blade. She has her left hand pressed against it to stem the bleeding, her right hand clutching a large axe, and she's running as fast as she can through the chaos. Everywhere around her, people are dying, being ripped apart or impaled by these living shadows, and she looks utterly, completely desperate.

Finally, her goal becomes clear- a banged-up, hastily repaired ship tucked against a rock outcropping by a cliff, one part spaceship and one part seafaring boat. It's most distinctive feature are two interlocking rings that spin opposite directions, like a gyroscope, a contained light within it currently unmoving. As Lucretia approaches, it begins to light, and she slams a bloodied hand against a panel on the side that opens a door.

She pushes her way inside, running towards the front into a cockpit designed a little too small for her, slamming on the buttons and panels on the front as the ship begins to take off. It's a harrowing, horrible struggle as the ship moves, and at every moment she looks like she'll be struck down as she dodges tendrils of this consuming darkness. Finally, however, it rockets out of sight, hits what looks like the edge of the sky, and everything goes white.

And the battle starts again.]

[testcase]

“Um.”

There was a reason she was opening this closet door. She can't recall why exactly. But there was definitely a reason. But whatever that is is gone now because there's this weird kid eating in the closet, and she's pretty sure that has nothing to do with why she came here in the first place.

“I'm sorry. I didn't know anyone was in here."

And she'll just go to close the closet door, unless he has something to say.

[postictal]

[Thankfully, the entirety of the scene just amuses everyone instead of terrifying or offending them, which is really for the best. Tim even manages an amused huff and a right-handed smirk. Something about hearing Sans laugh instead of those tired, half-hearted chuckles is - it pulls something out of him.]

[It pulls something answering out of him.]

Yeah, no way that would work.

[There's almost no break between that and what he says next, which is - ]

I think this might be the happiest I can remember being in years.

[walkingheroin]

[His eyes catch the sight of the airplane just before Chloe is practically half dragging him toward the other side of the warehouse. Just as he's following her lead and crouching down, he hears the sound of a voice.

His voice.

Well, isn't that strange? Or perhaps, not strange at all.

He turns toward the scene with obvious curiosity, peering through the openings to watch.]

Yes, well, if you've learned anything about me, Detective, it's that I tend to be drawn to places I'm told I'm not supposed to be.

[In this case, he must have followed her or something. It isn't as if it doesn't happen the other way around, too.]

[jivitadana]

[Minato nodded, making sure the door was locked when Souji closed it this time.]

I want you to see it.

[That fight was escalating. It didn't take long before the car was engulfed in flames.]

KITCHEN

[alphyswhatsabara]

Asgore may have a cooler full of pies, but at some point, you need to get something else to eat. At the very least, a cup of tea.

But... not golden flower tea. Not today.

And so, in the kitchen, making an ink-black cup of Darjeeling (no cream, no sugar, he's getting enough sugar in the pies lately) is Asgore "King Fluffybuns" Dreemurr.

He waves to you feebly when you enter. "Hello, Frisk the Human. I have been reliving the deaths of my children."

Well that's brusque.

the library ; and i'd love to tell you stories, but i can't remember how they went

[voidfished]

[This is Lucretia's first event, and it shows. She's tucked herself in a far corner of the library, books piled on a side table, one in her lap, and a journal tucked tight into the crook of her arm even as she reads. She looks stressed, like she's not really concentrating and simultaneously couldn't be more intent on the words on the page. It's the face of a woman who is trying, desperately so, to distract herself with some sort of comfort, and utterly failing.

She doesn't have her staff with her this time, as it's trapped in her room, but she still seems she could be formidable if it was necessary. For now, though... she's just trying to forget about what's happening until it's over.]

[persevere]

[It wasn't the sun that stuck with her. It was the rest of it, the who, what, and why.

It isn't the first time someone's done something horrible to her, and it sure as hell isn't the last. But there's a reason this one is ranked up there in terms of being the worst.]

But I do, don't I? [Caroline looks at her as if searching for some kind of direction.] I mean, if I don't, someone's going to go in there because they think they have to help me and I don't want them to see me like that, you know?

[nascensibility]

[Ah, and the library ghost shows himself. For a moment there, she thought he might have pretended not to hear her. Evelyn's hand lingers on the spine of the book for a long moment, as she contemplates what next to say. One look askance - cursory, brief, assessing - to determine where he is, when he is. Rode hard and put up wet.]

I'm not the only one who needs looking after.

[She raises an eyebrow, but doesn't linger on the words themselves before turning to lean against the shelf.]

And I didn't say it was a problem. I just...don't like it, it's like- like being in a cage, or a box. Like an experiment.

[thevulnerability]

[ Lucifer certainly shows up in the wrong place at the wrong time often enough, but his flippant response does nothing to help Chloe feel any better.

She knows how he's likely to handle this. Watching himself be shot; he'll probably look on it with bizarre fascination, shrug it off as no big deal. Maybe he can help her understand how she was sure she watched him die only to see him get up again to save her and Trixie.

It is then that is also occurs to her how different this situation is, now that she knows the truth. He knew she made him mortal, knew that he was putting his life in danger, and yet he followed her anyway. She would have done the same for him, of course, but it carries a different meaning, knowing what she knows now. ]

He's going to shoot you. [ Their voices are still filtering through, and Chloe looks at Lucifer instead of trying to see what's going on. She has time now, at least, to fill him in, to let him know how this all turns out. ] Then he's going to come after me... Us, now, I guess. Then you distract him and I kill the son of a bitch. [ She takes a breath, pausing long enough for more of their conversation to filter through. ] We'll be fine, we just have to get through this.

[burntvideocassette]

[Oh thank god, Sans likes it. He really likes it, more than Jay would expect anybody would like this movie. And then Clem laughs and talks about getting a chainsaw hand--her, somebody who's fought actual zombies--and it's enough to pull a wheezy snort out of him, and then Tim--]

[Jay looks at him for a second and cocks his head in silent disbelief, crooked half-smile frozen on his face.]

Y'know, honestly? Same. Since school, at least.