+ Guilt Runs Deep

[vitaelamorte]

Who: Everyone!
Where: The Mansion
When: Feb 23-25
Rating: Please warn in top level subject lines for potential triggers/NSFW
Summary: Various residents are trapped in their own guilt, watching their guiltiest memory play on a loop.
The Story:

Welcome to the gathering post for the event. Please see the plotting post for more information + the bulletin board link. Have fun!

Comments

[powerofmabel]

Where's Fluttershy when you need her???

"I don't know! I mean, you'd think that, but it's like picking your favorite children. It's like if I said I loved Waddles more than Boris." She gasps. "Oh no, what if this means I do love Waddles more than Boris."

And now it's escalating.

[bibliocorn]

He could use some serious Fluttershy Aid right now.

"Um," shit. "I'm pretty sure it's not the same thing. I- Imean they're not like...alive? Right? So I'm sure they...don't mind? On account of the fact they can't really mind anything?"

DID HE MAKE IT BETTER?!!

[powerofmabel]

Several tiny button eyes and a set of very human brown ones turn to Sunburst and just stare in horror, like he might as well have cursed the very fabric on which they were stitched. "Why would you say that?"

[bibliocorn]

Oh no, he didn't make it better at all. He realises he's dun fucked up and steps back with a nervous laugh.

"W-well, what I mean to say is that they're...um... toys? They are toys, right?"

[powerofmabel]

"They're so much more than that!" She picks up a bunny rabbit. "Look at its soulful eyes, and tell me that doesn't have heart!"

Admittedly, it's not the cutest or most interesting bunny rabbit plushie ever, hence why it's probably unloved, but it is wibbling.

[bibliocorn]

Sunburst stares at the toy. He feels it staring right back into his very soul and he doesn't like it one tiny little bit. He takes off his glasses- mostly so he doesn't have to look at it= and cleans them. A poor distraction from the question, but there you go.

"Um. I guess maybe it does? Is...is that a side effect of your home? The toys being ...alive??"

[powerofmabel]

"What?" Well... It distracts her, anyway, from the unyielding horror that is her tragic unloved stuffed animal suffer pit.

"Oh! No, that doesn't happen... Okay, it probably does. One time there were all these wax sculptures and they came to life so me and Dipper had to kill them. And then there was the time Dipper's ghost possessed one of my sock puppets..."

Yeah. Anyway. "But this is different. This is, like... Like my conscience is eating me up inside."

[bibliocorn]

"Oh, thank Celestia, they're not actually alive."

He was worried. He kind of wants to ask about the wax sculptures and the sock puppets, but he's also aware he should probably be helping Mable with her thing. Yeah. Priorities.

"Well. If that's the case, maybe you can sit down and...explain to the- the toys that it's impossible to love everyone exactly the same, but it doesn't mean you don't love them at all?"

He's just throwing ideas at the wall until one sticks, honestly.

[powerofmabel]

Well, it's an idea that isn't sitting here, trapped in this room, being smothered by stuffed animals while she's unable to process the guilt consuming her. "Um... Look guys, you're all basically my babies, but there's some of you that just don't have that spark. If I didn't care, you'd be in the garbage with all my letters from Lil' Gideon and the Sev'ral Timez CDs I can never listen to again."

She looks up at Sunburst like AM I DOING IT???

[bibliocorn]

Sunburst understood exactly half of that. If he had thumbs, he would offer one primo thumbs-up to encourage her. Alas, he is thumbless, so he's going to have to live with an encouraging smile and head nod.

"Yeah! Exactly! It's just-uh. Natural?"

[powerofmabel]

"Definitely natural," she nods enthusiastically and then pats one of the stuffed animals as it snuggles gratefully into her lap. One by one they begin to pop out of existence and leaving her and Dipper's room normal. Not much has really changed except the stuffed animals are now on the bed properly and not right on top of her.

"It worked!" She flings herself off the bed and tackles Sunburst for a big hug around the neck. "You saved me from myself!"

[bibliocorn]

Holy cow he actually managed to fix something instead of completely screwing it up. It's a minor miracle! He smiles, returning the hug, still somewhat bemused that his stupid idea actually worked.

"Well, uh, good! I'm glad I got you out of that. Now you can go find your brother, right?"

[powerofmabel]

"Oh crud." She lets go of his neck, but only slightly. "Is Dipper even guilty about anything? Was it just me?" And it was such a minor thing that she isn't even sure if it counts. "We've kinda worked out a lot of stuff since we got to Wonderland..."

[bibliocorn]

"Um. I don't think I've seen him around? I mean, he's not in here, so maybe he's...fine?"

He doesn't freaking know. Maybe Wonderland trapped him in another room, who knows. He's pretty sure Dipper's okay, though.

[powerofmabel]

"I need to go find him." She gives him another quick hug and then bolts down the hall, yelling, "THANK YOU, SUNBURST!"

Their relationship is special.

[bibliocorn]

"Y-you're welcome?"

He'll leave her go on her adventure because kids can obviously take care of themselves. It's how it works in Equestria and he's seen nothing to suggest it doesn't work with humans, too. GOOD LUCK, MABEL, DON'T DIE!