paradisa | four paintings burned

[It's a (mostly) peaceful day in Paradisa. The sun is shining, the birds are singing, and some guy is shrieking at the top of his lungs in absolute terror over the journals.]

[Wait, what?]

HHHYYYEEEEEEEKKKKKKKKKK!!!! NO! NO NO NO NO NO no no no nooooooo...

No, I don't want this! I don't want you! I never wanted you! So, if you please, just go bug someone else...really, that would be the best thing!

[There's the sound of running, and then it stops and there is a slight gasp.]

Oh! Oh. Why won't...just leave me alone, okay?! I don't want to take you! Nor play your games...just go. Go! Oh...this has to be a dream. I'm dreaming, right? First the rose, now this...

[And now, Garry sounds annoyed- annoyed that the gallery is coming back to haunt him (or is it the castle's doing...? he doesn't want to think about it), annoyed that he has to be reminded of everything that he went through, especially that room...]

I don't think this is doing well at all for my mental state at all...

[He lets out a shuddering sigh and then realizes that he's been holding the journal open the entire time. Welp, that is kind of embarrassing- he moves and turns away from the doll that has been following him everywhere, and speaks in a rather horrified whisper, as if he's afraid the thing can hear him, somehow.]

Um. Sorry. About that...though I have a quick question.

If...you had a specific problem that came back to bother you, what would you do about it? And this isn't a problem that I can get rid of that easily...

[ooc: Garry's first loss! And he'll be found all over the castle in a hysterical state, if you want to run into him. YAY FOR CREEPY DOLLS.]

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W-What do they do?

They...

[And he suddenly pauses, because he's never really revealed what happened in that room. He doesn't want to. But he has to give some sort of explanation, so after a minute or so, he speaks, hesitantly:]

Let's just say that your mind isn't the same once they've got you...

[ She's not sure she follows. ]

Um...

[Another long pause, and he then mumbles, so not liking the vague memories that are coming up with the word he's about to say.]

Insane. They make you go insane...

[ She's silent for a minute. ]

Will you be okay?

Yeah, I'll be fine...I'd rather it be me than anyone else, because I at least I have experience with these things.

[He tries to sound cheerful, because he doesn't want to worry her.]

Really, don't you worry about me! I'll get through it until somebody helps.

[ Her concern still seeps into her voice. ]

You shouldn't have to deal with it alone!

No, really, please, I'll be okay! [Don't be upset, Uru, HE DOESN'T WANT YOU TO BE UPSET. Sacrificing himself and his sanity for the benefit of the populace is just something he does, okay?]

Besides, the thing only wants me...I don't want it getting to the point where it wants other people, too.

Then you definitely can't deal with it alone! [ SHOUJO LOGIC.

But really. >:( ]

I can.

[It's said with a certain amount of finality, as if he's not going to let her keep going on it anymore.]

I mean, of course I'd appreciate help, but...this thing is my personal problem. I'm just the guy it likes a lot, alright? That's just how it is.

I used to be like that too, but when you have friends, it's okay to lean on them a little.

And we're friends, right?

[There's a long pause.]

[Garry...has never really had any friends. He's always been the loner, the odd one out, the boy-turned-man still lost in his own little world where things are nice and beautiful and definitely far away from anything dark and creepy.]

[He's just a gangly thing who liked pretty colors and broken clothes, and in the end, no one wanted to be friends with a person like him. He was too far off the beaten path.]

[And then, in the art gallery, there was a little girl who didn't care about any of that. All she saw was somebody to take comfort in when the mannequins and paintings tried to tear her to pieces, and he took that role of protector and companion quite easily. Of course, she was the stronger one of the two, but even so, it wasn't like he was lying to himself or changing himself so she could like him better.]

[She liked him the way he was, that ugly duckling of a man who could never fit in anywhere else.]

[So, when he hears this from Uru, he flushes red even though she can't see. She thinks they're friends. Friends.]

You...you really think so? You would consider me a friend?

[ Uru laughs, her voice bright and lively. ]

Of course! Why wouldn't I?

I don't know, because...

[Because I'm weird, and you might not like me the way I am.]

[But he can't really say that, and just shakes his head, sounding rather touched.]

Nevermind.

I...I would be glad to be your friend too, Uru.

four paintings burned

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dictated; SORRY FOR TL;DR ;;

dictated; IT'S OKAY

dictated;