Marco's Heart

[peccatore]

You find yourself in a bright white, circular room. It's nearly empty; too bare, almost clinically so. But the bareness of it means that what is visible here stands out:

A podium in the center, where a familiar figure sits, head buried in his hands. Three paths running from the podium to three different spots near the edges of the room - not corners; circles don't have corners - where three doors leading seemingly nowhere stand with no regard for their complete lack of structural support.

It doesn't take you long to figure out where you are, does it? You only have to decide where to start.

Comments

[voidofhearts]

Are you now.

[peccatore]

"Quick question, are you just arguing with me because I'm mean now, or are you paying attention to what's happening?" He sneers. "You're lucky you got Marco's attention before he started hallucinating, you know."

[voidofhearts]

...I am paying attention. Promise. And I'm not arguing that he doesn't hallucinate, or wasn't ordered to civil commitment. But framing it as pity... using it to derride him...

...I guess the answer is "both." I'm arguing because I want to pay attention and judge for myself. And because you're mean.

[peccatore]

"... You're annoyingly good at this, kid."

[voidofhearts]

Thank... you?

... Which part?

[peccatore]

"The part where you won't shut the fuck up and let me make Marco feel like shit. You know what? I'm bored of this memory."

Kaphlar snaps his fingers and, once more, everything shifts until the space around them coalesces into the living room of someone with more money than good sense. Marco stands off to the side, his movements restricted by ankle cuffs - made of silver, naturally - while closer to the center are Kaph--

Hey wait you've seen this.

[voidofhearts]

Oh I know this. This is where you try to get Marco to turn Effy against his will without checking in with Effy about it at all. Right?

[peccatore]

Kaphlar opens his mouth, but doesn't say anything for a good second or two.

"Alright, fuck that one too. Let me...!" He's gesturing in the air now, almost as though he were swiping on a screen; now you're outside the living room, but still in the same building. A half-dozen people aside from Marco are here, picking themselves up. Kaphlar's body lies on the floor motionless--

"Fuck, not this either! What's this one even doing here?!"

He gestures faster. Everything stutters, then blurs beyond recognition, but you might get the distinct impression that you're going backwards, going back past that alley, past that arena -

until you find yourself in the audience for a press conference.

[voidofhearts]

[She can't help but snicker a little at his struggle. It's kind of really funny watching him flail around... until they end up in the press conference. She looks around curiously]

...Okay you got me. I don't... don't know what this one is about.

[peccatore]

Kaphlar isn't close by anymore. If you care to look, you might be able to spot him in the crowd, but it looks like he isn't even giving you the chance to interrupt right now.

In the meantime, intrigued whispers surround you; nobody seems quite sure why they're here. An announcement, Marco Evangelisti had said. Nothing related to current or upcoming products; what is it for, then? Apparently, he'd been vague.

But he's stepping up to the podium now, with a perfectly diplomatic smile on his lips and something distant in his eyes.

"Thank you." That's how he opens. "Thank you all for coming, on this... very important, very non-standard day. Thank you for the trust you have placed in me. I hope I may continue to rely on your trust in the coming days. I expect them to be... unprecedented. Unprecedented, I think, is the word."

[voidofhearts]

...

[Sitting there, watching with wide eyes. A creeping sense of foreboding is dawning on her.]

[peccatore]

Marco seems to glance at you for a moment before he goes on.

"But that is probably enough beating around the bush. You didn't come here to listen to a rich man say nothing of consequence. I'm sure you get enough of that in your job." His smile is a convincing facsimile, from a distance. It may not fool you. "My announcement is as follows:"

The room is utterly silent, awaiting Marco's words.

"From today on, I, Marco Evangelisti, vow to make the public aware of a threat that has menaced mankind since its inception. For centuries, all manners of inhuman creatures with supernatural abilities have lived among us in secret, and they pose a danger to us all."

[voidofhearts]

A threat???

[immediately stands up]

[peccatore]

At that exact moment, many cameras go off. The journalists seem universally hesitant to speak up, but once just one of them does, the dam breaks.

And you feel a hand on your shoulder.

[voidofhearts]

[swivels around to face whoever. her eyes look wide and panicked]

[peccatore]

It's your good old faithful guide. There's a piercing, cold look in his eyes.

"And there you have it."

[voidofhearts]

W-wait, no, that can't be the end of the... wh-what? Why!? I don't get it!

[peccatore]

"What else are you expecting, huh? What kind of explanation do you want from dear Marco?"

[voidofhearts]

Why would he say that???? What was he hoping to do???

[peccatore]

"Gee, I don't know. Sounds like you have one more door to go through!"

[voidofhearts]

I...! Oh fuck you.

[peccatore]

"Why are you telling me to go fuck myself when he's the one lying to people, huh?" He points at Marco, who is avoiding your gaze far too deliberately to be simply reliving this memory.

[voidofhearts]

I can be mad at multiple people...!

[She groans and side-eyes Marco and just, marches up to him]

...Am I going to get an explanation from you?

[peccatore]

"I..."

He looks ashamed, for whatever that's worth.

"You should. Y-You really should."

[voidofhearts]

Should what?