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

[too_cleverfox]

I suppose. I'm not one to listen to long-dead spirits whose values are hundreds of years behind modern times and concepts.

[peccatore]

He takes a deep breath.

"They're not real spirits, Nikolai. I'm sick."

[too_cleverfox]

... Physically or?

[peccatore]

"... Mentally."

[too_cleverfox]

Huh.

Okay.

[peccatore]

"... 'Okay,'" he repeats like he's not at all sure what Nikolai means by that.

[too_cleverfox]

I'm not very well-versed in mental illnesses.

Most people don't live that long, or get locked up in some tower.

[peccatore]

"Ah."

Marco looks away, pondering this.

"I... already tend to worry it's obvious, when I'm awake. I guess that's why I assumed you would have..." He shakes his head. "Not that it excuses what I tried to do. Nothing does."

[too_cleverfox]

Have you seen the people around us?

So. You outed the supernatural, almost got revealed yourself. You know all this. What's your next step?

[peccatore]

"... Not almost. I did get unmasked. But... But that doesn't matter. I don't know. I don't know what I'm going to do. How I'm going to face everyone."

[too_cleverfox]

... Your friends? Do you have people who know who you are? Other... vampires?

Do you actually want to undo it?

[peccatore]

"Not just... back home. I have other things going on back home. I, I meant here. Everyone here. I don't know how to..."

He shakes his head.

"I can't undo it now. I'm aware of that."

[too_cleverfox]

Admitting you fucked up is a good start.

Accepting that not everyone is going to accept an apology is another. And then you ask for help. If you don't know what to do, that's the next step.

[peccatore]

"Of... Of course."

[too_cleverfox]

Have you considered using your ridiculous wealth to try and cover up what you did?

... have it lauded like a very realistic publicity stunt. You're making... ah... shows. About the supernatural.

[peccatore]

"Too late to put the genie back in the bottle, I'm afraid. People came out of the shadows. Even the justice system was beginning to adapt."

[too_cleverfox]

... Then, funding support systems.

[peccatore]

I... do like the sound of that.

(He does, and he's already started doing it, back home. He just doesn't remember it yet.)

[too_cleverfox]

There's a lot of people who will have a pretty rough time going, so that's a start.

And frankly, have you considered funding research to see if there's food alternatives?

[peccatore]

"I... I suppose that's an idea, too."

[too_cleverfox]

But...?

[peccatore]

"... We'll see if that's even possible."

[too_cleverfox]

Nothing is impossible.

[peccatore]

"It... would be excellent, if you were right. And there really was a possible substitute."

[too_cleverfox]

You don't know unless you actually find out?