Dionysus So late the night before the match

Dionysus You were awakened by Rumbleford slipping into your room.

Dionysus Excitedly babbling about a dream spell he had thought of to improve your chances.

• Avery blinks at him sleepily. "How's it work?"

Dionysus During the days leading up to this, you and Jack had been reworking a song backwards, and the notes to it are in your room. Do you take them with you when you joined Rumbleford in finding an out of the way spot where the magic won't wake anyone?

Avery Yes.

Dionysus He goes into magical theory that makes little sense to you.

• Avery absently listens.

Dionysus He takes you to the Arena, which is empty at this late hour, and up through the tunnels to the good seats--to the Imperial Box.

• Avery admires the view.

Dionysus The Imperial Box is huge, vast, the size of a house, with a throne made not for a human-shaped being.

Dionysus It makes you realize how small you really are.

• Avery is suitably awed.

Dionysus Rumbleford then talks you into a meditative trance.

Dionysus And you dream of a hallway with six doors, each one a different color: red, blue, green, violet, white, black.

Dionysus What do you do?

• Avery takes a closer look at each door in turn. any signs, symbols, doorknobs, etc?

Dionysus There are handles, but no symbols. Each appears to be made of six wooden planks each, stained the appropriate color.

• Avery cocks his head curiously and lays a hand on the purple, blue, and green doors, each in turn. anything odd to the touch?

Dionysus They feel each like dreams, but no more can be discerned.

• Avery cautiously opens the purple one to peek inside.

Dionysus You see a field of mushrooms, dancing to a light ballet.

• Avery cocks his head at it, then tries the blue door.

Dionysus Huge blue bubbles floating in a field of blue. They smile at you, though they have no faces.

• Avery can't help but smile back, then tries the green door.

Dionysus A giant leaf flaps through it as you open it, as if it were pressing against it on the other side, and throws you against the wall.

• Avery yelps in surprise.

Avery and looks to see what it's attached to.

Dionysus After you recover, you see a dense jungle. The leaf is attached to a massive branch to a massive limb to a massive tree.

• Avery stares for a moment, then glances at the red door, hesitates, then carefully opens it.

Dionysus You see what love is, and it makes you weep.

• Avery reluctantly shuts that door, though his hand lingers on the wood for a moment. after collecting himself, he tries the white door.

Dionysus You see particles and waves, interlocking, interweaving, comprising light as it moves.

Avery wow...

• Avery turns to the black door, eyes it for a moment, then opens it.

Dionysus You can't get near it.

Dionysus As you try, green and violet netting appears and throws you back.

• Avery stops and just looks at it for a long moment, then turns back to the other doors. after some thought, he'll try stepping through the red one.

Dionysus It feels like an embrace.

Dionysus You weep to feel it, to know it.

Dionysus It's almost like heaven.

Dionysus Whispers fill your ears, "I love you," "I've always loved you," "You are my son," "You are my brother," "You are my best friend," "You are like a brother to me," "You are like a son to me," "I've known you all your life," "I've watched you closer than you'll ever know."

Dionysus And then.

Dionysus You awaken.

Dionysus Power wraps around you in the Great Arena.

Dionysus And you feel for a moment invincible.

Dionysus And then it fades.

Dionysus And you see Rumbleford in front of you, dropping to his knees, exhausted.

Dionysus "It's... almost time."

• Avery looks around, then instinctively moves to catch him. "time...?"

Dionysus "For your match. You must hurry to the concert hall. My spell.. failed."

Avery "Will you be alright?"

Dionysus "I'm just tired. Send... send one of the entourage for me."

• Avery nods and heads off.

---

Dionysus Leia and Magnum are there, too

Dionysus And they help you up and out.

• Avery asks Magnum to give Rumbleford a hand.

Dionysus Concerned, they tell you Jack is missing.

Avery "He's what?!"

Dionysus Leia rolls her eyes, "Missing. It means we don't know where he is."

• Avery raises an eyebrow at her. "Thanks, I figured that out. Do we know what happened?"

Dionysus "The others might. We've been playing your babysitter."

• Avery flushes slightly and says nothing.

---

Dionysus Where did you go?

Avery to our rooms, to get the others and Little Wing.

Dionysus As you gather them, you find that Leia is not there.

• Avery curses. "Where did she go, does anyone know?"

Dionysus And Rumbleford urgently says, "Avery! There's a new unseelie in our midst."

• Avery curses again, one he learned from Jack on a drunk.

Dionysus Magnum says, "Leia said she was going to bathe earlier. I thought she was still there, but there's no one in her room..."

Avery "Who is it, do you know? We have more trouble than that, ARlie's gathering everyone at he training grounds. Dammit!"

Avery "We have to find her."

• Avery looks at Little Wing. <You should go on and join Jack. He could probably use your help.>

Dionysus "I have no idea. I felt it near dawn, and tried to track it down, but I couldn't... In dreams, anyway. So I'm back here, but..."

Dionysus <Yes, Avery!>

Dionysus Magnum nods. "Let's find Arsul?" Odellino says, "Let's go look in her bathroom?"

• Avery nods, pacing restlessly and trying to stay calm. "I overheard Arlie talking about someone hunting contestants when I left to get all of you. Arsul's gone with Aurelia to take care of some monster that got fed a child earlier."
• Avery looks over at Odellino. "...Well, we can at least knock."

Dionysus Odellino shrugs, "Tomerane said no one answered in there. I trust her. But maybe Leia's just asleep."

Dionysus He smiles and walks toward the room

• Avery takes a breath to try an steady himself and follows.

Dionysus Odellino knocks on the bathroom door. No one answers again.

Dionysus He looks to you and says, "I can have the lock off in a moment?"

• Avery nods. "Do it."

Dionysus He just turns the knob and it opens, despite obviously being locked.

Dionysus He starts to walk in, then stops and stares.

Avery "That's han-..." he moves to look himself.

Dionysus Blood

Dionysus The tub is full of blood

Dionysus Nothing else is around.

• Avery pales - more than he is already. "No..."
• Avery pushes past into the bathroom, looking for something, anything to tell what happened here.

Dionysus There's nothing in here but the blood and some bath oils, a towel, her clothes.

Avery Does it look at all like it's just a lot of blood in the water, or is it actually full of blood?

Dionysus It's bloody water, but a lot of blood in the water, and spilled over on the ground

• Avery stares at it for a long moment, unable to move, mind static, then slowly turns and walks out. He can't raise his voice much beyond a whisper. "...we should join the others."

Dionysus Odellino nods.

Dionysus Magnum wretches.

Dionysus Rumbleford puts his hand on your shoulder, comfortingly.

• Avery looks over at him, the movement slightly jerky.
• Avery could be trying to convince himself as much as anyone else. "...there's a job to do...we have to do it..."

Dionysus Rumbleford nods.

• Avery nods as well. "Magnum? You okay?"

Dionysus He gets up and wipes his mouth, "No. Let's go."

Dionysus He starts to go for the stairs.

Dionysus The others start for them, too.

• Avery nods and goes with, unconsciously tightening his grip on his guitar.

Dionysus Back to the training grounds?

---

Dionysus Conell is in your room when you arrive.

• Avery glances at him, then just sits on the bed, still crying a little. he tries to hide it.

Dionysus "I heard about your bandmate."

Dionysus "I am sorry."

• Avery nods, fighting back a fresh wave of pseudo-tears. "...you were on fire tonight."

Dionysus "I put everything I had into it."

Dionysus "Thank you."

Dionysus "I..."

Dionysus "This might not be the right time, but."

Dionysus "Will you... The judges told me that I could not go to the next round without a full band."

Dionysus "Would you... consider being in my band?"

• Avery just looks up at him, so tired he looks almost defeated. "...kind of expected you'd ask, once I heard. I...don't know."

Dionysus He pauses. He looks like he doesn't want to say something.

Dionysus He waits a moment.

• Avery sighs softly and looks back down. "I don't know anymore...Leia's gone, I...haven't been able to think...about anything..."

Dionysus "I... can make it simple for you."

Avery Quietly, "The favor I still owe you?"

Dionysus He nods, "If you wish to put it in those terms, it would... take away the decision, make it easier."

Avery "I'll warn you now. I don't know if I'll be able to play properly, given...recent events."

Dionysus "Or you could channel that pain into music of untold beauty. I know that pain, Avery. Trust me."

• Avery just nods slowly. "I'll play."

Dionysus His... eagerness shines through, "You mean it? With me?"

• Avery hesitates. "We've got a day between now and the final concert, right? I...let me...let me sleep on it...please..."

Dionysus "Less than 24 hours, but... I. Okay. Until dawn?"

• Avery nods. "That's enough. Thank you."

Dionysus He nods, then pauses. He seems on the verge of something.

Dionysus He takes a deep breath, then offers to hug you.

• Avery starts a little in surprise, then hugs him back tightly.

Dionysus He hugs back, a touch awkwardly at first, but warmly eventually, until he finally has to go. Tears roll down his face as he leaves.

• Avery watches him go, then curls up on his bed to cry some more.

---

Dionysus Rumbleford appears in your room.

• Avery is laying on his bed staring at the ceiling. he doesn

Avery t move.

Dionysus "A faerie prince with honor is sorta like a gnome with a sense of caution, you know."

Dionysus He grins.

• Avery can't help the laugh.

Dionysus "You've turned the world upside down."

Avery "It...just seemed the right thing to do."

Dionysus "They'll come around to taking that deal."

• Avery sighs softly. "I hope so."

Dionysus He shrugs, "If I were in your shoes, I'd have told Conell I was out, and then played anyway. I don't have much use for honor. Don't worry. You've forced them to do it this way. The chips will fall as they may."

Dionysus "Anyway, I'm gonna go watch the guests arrive. Go back to practice."

Dionysus He walks through the wall.

• Avery looks away, guiltily. "I never meant...I just...I didn't want to force anyone into anything..." he looks up as Rumbleford leaves and just sighs.