[center][img]https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/345318975846219779/394251903728615424/Faith.gif[/img][img]https://i.imgur.com/KuIZYZy.gif[/img]

~ [i]Aleecia[/i] ~[/center]

As Ice left the party, an uncomfortable feeling dropped to the pit of his stomach. He had seen how Allie’s death had affected the Matchmaker and Ice thought he had seen the lasting effects of it. The way Faith’s smile would waver slightly, the way she held herself. After Aleecia had... given up her life for the other girl, Ice had decided that Faith wouldn’t die, she just couldn’t. He wouldn’t let Aleecia’s life be wasted in vain. And so, the Blood Donor had decided to not only seek Faith out for his trusted metallic companion, but also to figure out what the hell their relationship was... and get her to stop calling him gay!

After a bit of reasoning, Ice headed for the second floor and arrived at Faith’s room. Who know what it would look like, considering what her Infinite was. Taking another breath, Ice fidgeted before giving the door a quick and decisive knock.

[i][center][colour=Gold]"Just give me the book, okay? I've got something I want to put in it, for you to remember! Stop struggling and let me do it!"[/colour][/center][/i]

What music there had been filtering through the walls of the Patient's Quarters died down after a while, on schedule. Together they had developed a fitting series of events - the planning leading to the concert, then the party, ending soon before the Night of Carnage could even muster the chance to spring into action. 

They had made sure on several fronts that the Concert and Party would be safe, could be considered, at the time, and perhaps any time, the safest place within the entire Infinite Killing Game. Every inch scoured, every unwanted exit blocked and every table posited with an appropriate combat equipped member, covering every corner of the room. From an outside view, it perhaps could have appeared a paranoid mind had developed the system by which the Concert would be performed under. Full body checks, the quarantine of any and all unwanted and potentially dangerous implements, effectively round the clock surveillance of the food bar by the watchful eyes of Cyrus and Bliss.

Faith wouldn't agree. Faith wasn't one to cut corners when it came to the enjoyment nor the safety of her guests. Faith had spirited herself away to her room. The violin and the piano permeated through cold, matte, tiled walls and wooden cabinets stocked of varying and assorted [i]"components"[/i], vibrating liquids in their glassy shells until it grew quiet. It was scheduled to start up again soon after, but still, it punctuated a point on Faith's internal timeline, her room lacking the basics of a clock. 

She had remained behind for a short while after the commencing of the Concert simply to observe what Krista had properly planned. Not everything was laid bare to the committee behind it. The poem was seldom shared, and her revelation of secrecy certainly wasn't broadcast prior to their commencement. Faith had never intended to stay in the first place, didn't wish to stick around to watch people galavant and jaunt and dance upon the space. Secrecy strengthened that. Reminded her of her own secrecy.

[i][center][colour=Gold]"There, on the first page. Well... the back of the front cover. I-I dunno what it's called, but it's there! Hmm? What'dya mean why? You take that book with you all the time! I want you to have something to remember me whenever you go off on trips to meet clients, or head to Axis Mundi, kay~?"[/colour][/center][/i]

The music began again. It began again, vibrating the glasses much the same as it had before. Her room was so close the the event, she almost regretted isolating herself there. The distance between them and her felt so miniscule, what purpose she had sought in solitude evaporated in violin renditions of cheerful melodies. It marked an hour. Or just less. 

Through music she could here footsteps, the proximity between her bed and the door voiding the encompassing beauty of strings. One. Two. Three. Three steps of footsteps, exiting their carefully planned event. That certain paranoid mind made thoughts visible. It had checked for weapons and blocked exits. It hadn't thought of insider squabbles. Had people fought, forcing retreats from guests? Did they not find the event to their pleasing? She couldn't check, but she could imagine. 

Knock. Knock. Knock. Faith looked towards the door. Trained it in her sight. Her knuckles tightened white clutching against the Tome, and with it pressed into her chest, she stood from the bed she found herself laying upon, slinking across tiled hospital floors to open the door upon her caller. Why had another person left the Party? What possible reason could they have had to venture from the festivities? So she opened the door.

[colour=MediumSeaGreen]"O-oh, Ice... hello."[/colour] disheveled might not have appeared far from the truth, despite the lack of obvious mismanagement in her clothing nor countenance. It felt more, though, as something eminently… [i]Faith[/i], that once may have beaconed from her smile, a champion to eccentric ways, was distinctly lacking. [colour=MediumSeaGreen]”Can I help you?”[/colour]

Ice knew he was taking too much time and that he would take a lot longer. He needed to go after Alice for both his and her sake, but... This was the perfect opportunity for him to have a chance to talk to Faith in private, away from prying eyes. But when the door opened and Faith came out, Ice couldn’t help but again want to make an excuse and leave again. His own insecurities were pressing down on his chest, trying to avoid the situation and reality, but Ice had never been able to let things lie either. 

A sigh slipped out of throat and he rubbed the back of his head as he contemplated how to go about this, really, Ice had no clue. He glanced at Faith’s disheveled look again and awkwardly mumbled, [color=orange]“May I come in? I wish to go over some... Sensitive topics.”[/color]

Hopefully this wouldn’t end as badly as table three had, Ice hadn’t jinxed it, had he?

She tilted her head, gazing at and past and through Ice as she did so. Her eyes trailed along the corridor, towards the entrance to the Resort. They lingered there for some time.
[colour=MediumSeaGreen]"Yeah... sure."[/colour] her body turned in one motion, retreating back into the den she had so created away from prying eyes. 

The door remained open as she did so, allowing Ice's entry. Faith didn't take any notice of him as she sat back down on the bed, Tome kept tight between two sets of knuckles and her knees, just below her skirt. The room wasn't as tidy as at first glance. Books were strewn haphazardly across the floor; few drawers lay open and tipped out, adding to the clutter; broken vials steeped in fluid bordered the curtain heralding the "bathroom". 

[colour=MediumSeaGreen]"What did you wanna talk about?"[/colour]

Considering Ice didn’t feel comfortable being here in the first place, he didn’t take a seat on the bed next to her. The Blood Donor took a few steps into the room before closing the door behind him, hoping that everything would go well long enough at the party for this to be over and done with. Ice spied another chair, but it shined with broken glass and that couldn’t have been sanitary. So the Blood Donor chose to just stand there, his right arm gripping onto the left. He scanned the room around him, his grip tightening ever so slightly as he took in the messy room. If he got a chance, the man would definitely give this room a good cleaning, if just for safety’s sake.

[color=orange]“You know how everyone here seems to have a secret, right? Krista just revealed hers... and I’m not exactly an example of an upstanding citizen.”[/color] He was already starting to regret not sitting down, but at least Faith was, this wasn’t exactly the conversation one should be having without taking a seat. Also, she looked a little like she would keel over without being grounded. [color=orange]“Actually scratch that, I don’t want to start with this. Well um... you see uh, Allie and I were...”[/color] He sighed again, rubbing his temples.

[color=orange]“I wanted to talk to you about... her.”[/color]

A sordid topic. Perhaps Faith might have been willing under different circumstances, but talking along such lines, as of the present, weren’t within her best interest. A grave look crossed her face, darkening her eyes as she looked down towards her Tome, regarding it as opposed to Ice’s conversation.

[colour=MediumSeaGreen]”I heard…”[/colour] her voice finally cut through what silence could be found within the room: in breaks between songs; when they drowned the upbeat music out to focus on serious issues, [colour=MediumSeaGreen]”I heard about you. You had a relation with the previous blackened, and you were the pivotal piece to solving the case."[/colour]

Her gaze drifted from the Tome, finally releasing it from what seemed a cruelly cold and observant gaze, marked in indifference and apathy. That same gaze locked into Ice's eyes. Measuring him. Considering him.
[colour=MediumSeaGreen]"So why aren't you at the party, hmm~?"[/colour] instead of a colder answer, her voice came out lighter and chipper, the staple of her speech - a sing-song attitude in structure, with a giggle soon after, [colour=MediumSeaGreen]"You're a fighter, y'know. I thought putting you and Alice as the guardians of the primary exit would make for some great security~"[/colour] she flicked her gaze towards the door, beyond the door, past the hallway to the party through the walls. And returned with something of a pout, [colour=MediumSeaGreen]"But you had to leeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaveeee! No fair! Is Alice at least still there~?"[/colour]

Well, she definitely didn’t like that. It wasn’t like this was the best time for the talk either... It hadn’t been long since Aleecia’s... passing. But this was the best opportunity they had to be alone and by god he had to get it out at some point. Again, Ice wanted to leave and let it lie, but he was pretty sure he’d getting an angry ghost on his arse if he did. This wasn’t for him... this was for [i]her[/i].

Ice’s expression went from sympathetic to emotionless, because by god, if that was how Faith was going to play it, he’d need to be the bad cop. If he had to beat from sense into her, he just might, that was what he would do to get Aleecia’s wish across. [color=orange]“Don’t give me that lovey dovey shtick right now Faith, this is serious. She had something she needed to pass on and I thought, [i]and by god I don’t know why I thought that,[/i] you could help me with that. She wouldn’t have done that for you if she didn’t think you were worth saving and I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t see some of that too.” [/color]

What was he even saying? The Blood Donor had never been good at getting what he wanted to say across, he was an action person. What kind of action could even bring someone to understand this.

What had she expected? Smiles formed quickly and disappeared quicker, her's being no exception. What little radiance she mustered evaporated as she gaze switched from away from her guest. A small bag of power on the cabinet to his right. Maybe if she didn't listen she wouldn't have to deal with him and his attitude. Wouldn't have to deal with his sadness. His glaring and searing sadness.

[i][center][colour=MediumSeaGreen]"Hmmmmm~? What does it mean, what does it mean~?"[/colour][/center][/i]

Expressions were developed for people to convey meanings obscured in riddles. A common place vernacular choice, indecipherable to the outside eye. Only a few people understood that certain expression. The one Faith bore in times of stress and duress and God knew what else; what tumultuous concepts tore at the sky like Leviathans behind the veil. That distinct vernacular. [i]"Ferridium Iodide"[/i] written in felt tip across the material of a bag. A blank, apathetic expression, steeped in inhuman, indescribable [i]nothing[/i]. Pure and simple absence. 

[i][center][colour=Gold]"For Eternity Passes in the Blink of an Eye~"[/colour][/center][/i]

[i][center][colour=MediumSeaGreen]"Ooooooh, that's so pretty~![/colour][/center][/i]

[i][center][colour=Gold]"But isn't it a little sad? What if someone with the Exodus were to blink? - saw all of existence cross their vision? Wouldn't that be sad?"[/colour][/center][/i]

She guessed so. Maybe. Maybe the Exodus could blink through suffering like a tear. Let it drip down their cheek, to tarnish their shirt or dry on a cold, tiled floor. Like raindrops, and she couldn't help but cry. One tear, then another. Drip drip. The subtle incarnation of all nature's disdain.
[colour=MediumSeaGreen]"Aeternitas transit in ictu oculi."[/colour] the tiny tremor of a lip punctuated sadness and beauty, [colour=MediumSeaGreen]"...she shouldn't have saved me..."[/colour]

[color=orange]“Wait- Ah crap... Faith...”[/color] He stifled a sigh that wanted to slip out. He didn’t want it to sound like he was upset with her, because the sigh was just a reflex to the burning self-loathing the Blood Donor was feeling for himself. As he watched the progression from fake smiles to despair, the cold in his heart throttled his veins and arteries, it wouldn’t surprise him if he had internal bleeding. The grief in the room rebounded on him and left him out of breath as Faith’s first tear fell.

Coming closer, he gently sat down on the bed next to her and hesitantly brought a hand to smooth her hair down, before pulling her closer so that Faith’s head was on his shoulder. [color=orange]“Hey, just because you might not be able to see it, doesn’t mean you aren’t worth it. You’ve got oodles of awesome sauce glued to your back, but it’s in your blind spot, so it’s hard to tell.”[/color] He gave a small, embarrassed laugh, [color=orange]“And now I sound like a pansy, but I mean it.”[/color]

Things didn't feel right. She couldn't comprehend them properly, compute them in a way that made logical and reasonable sense. Progression from points A and B translated to lost causes, drifting aimlessly across voids and inconsequential spaces, unmarked territories of "unknown". Nocent whispers and rampaging struggles, explaining away the insane with remarkable ease - endless expanses, breached by a lack of understanding.

[colour=MediumSeaGreen]"For Eternity Passes in the Blink of an Eye..."[/colour] boundless recollections cramped the voids, multiplying out, around, inside the breaches as cancers, [colour=MediumSeaGreen]"She really liked the phrase... She would say it was[/colour] [colour=Gold]'Sad and beautiful at the same time'.[/colour][colour=MediumSeaGreen]"[/colour] still sadness pervaded,  [colour=MediumSeaGreen]"I don't get it... why... why save me..? I don't deserve it..."[/colour]

He wasn’t getting through to her, that was obvious. And while he may have been known as a hardass, Ice wasn’t going to keep trying when she was like this. So instead, he just slipped his fingers through her hair, trying to reassure her with actions since his words hadn’t been able to get through to her. It wasn’t like this problem would go away with this little amount of comforting, but hopefully she could at least know he was there and with her.

[color=orange]“I made a promise, maybe not with words, but just as important. I’m going to protect you, because that’s what she wanted and it’s what I want to do. People may say it’s the right thing to do, but I don’t care about that, I’m just being selfish.”[/color] The Blood Donor had told himself he wouldn’t care about anyone else after what he had been through, but everyone at Axis Mundi were worming their way into his heart and melting him inside. [color=orange]“So I’ll be here when you need someone and here when you get sick of me.”[/color]

An unfocused beam of light. Faith wasn't one for staring off into space, one for zoning out, but at times it came as natural as breathing, to distance oneself from everything, in the safest refuge she could find.
[colour=MediumSeaGreen]"I promised them both that I would protect them and I failed. I promised them... I promised [i]her[/i]... and I failed... I failed... I promised and I failed..."[/colour] her voice grew a distant quiet, drifting softly into the tiniest, recursive whisper, over and over, a melancholic chant. 

But she knew. Faith knew. Faith knew. She couldn't do this, couldn't waste time, hers or his. More important issues were at hand. She stop talking, formulated a sentence, tried to join words in her head that should have gone together but didn't seem to fit properly. 
[colour=MediumSeaGreen]"You should get back to the party, y'know?"[/colour] they were slow, a disjointed attempt, more like an experiment of pronunciation that any true statement, [colour=MediumSeaGreen]"People will wonder where you got to."[/colour] the next experiment came a light giggle, [colour=MediumSeaGreen]"They might start rumours~"[/colour] 

Faith couldn't keep sitting down. She didn't want to. Clouds raged and storms thundered, but the rain was cool. And blood spilt, but at least the view was pretty. She stood from the bed, lightly shrugging Ice off to push away, twirling on the spot to face him.
[colour=MediumSeaGreen]"What was it you wanted to tell me, anyway, hmm~? You said Allie had something to pass on- is it really okay for me to know~?"[/colour] the right intention, but the playful, childish giggle felt wrong. 

He wanted to pull her closer when she started mumbling, but before he could she pushed him away. Now, Ice knew he had to be careful, more so than he had been before. Faith was the person that was supposed to lift people’s spirits and could change the atmosphere immediately, plus she was a mean fighter. While her normal banter was a bit annoying, at the very least it sounded more like the everyday Faith. Ice let his hand fall to his lap as he watched her get up.

[color=orange]“It comes with a bit of a backstory. It wasn’t something she wanted out of the open, but it really helped her to tell me anyway and I need help after we get out. She’s... She was a godmother, you know? It didn’t matter that she had a disability, her brother thought she would be the perfect parent if anything went wrong... But this also has to do with how she went blind in the first place.

“Her parents were the scum of the earth, I couldn’t tell you if they were better or worse than mine. After finding out her [i]talent,[/i] they used her as their super luck charm, basically winning everything as long as it was a 1-in-6 chance. When she won anything big, they’d buy her presents like candy or toys, but if nothing came through they would either starve her or berate her. The only one that stayed with her was her big brother, but he was forced to move out of the house once he turned eighteen. When she got a bit older, she started saying she wouldn’t go to anything, but then the starving went on to beating.”[/color] His hand clenched as he spat out the last words, his face dark.

[color=orange]“One day her parents decided to go out to a horse race and brought her older brother with them. It was some big shindig or something and they were already talking about going on vacation after they got the big bucks. Seeing her brother gave her the strength she needed to make a difference. Instead of saying no, she chose the wrong horse on purpose. Allie’s parents put everything on that one win and lost it bad, not even having the right amount of money on hand. Her father got so angry that he threw her and bam her head cracked against the wall. When she woke up, she was in the hospital and her parents were gone. Her brother stayed with her and the Infinity Initiative saved her life, but just barely. Something went wrong or other and she ended up going blind because of it.

“Faith, her brother was the only one there for her, but he went and had a kid. He and his family are still out there thinking god knows what and... I’m not sure I can break it to them what happened.”[/color]

Faith took in the story quietly, standing afront the bed, watching as Ice recounted the story of Aleecia's life. Her face was hard to read, bearing no smile nor emotional mark to speak of. Instead she just listened. Maybe she thought her usual attitude was inappropriate for the situation, or she understood the gravity of what was being regaled to her. Whatever it was, it made telling the story easier.

As the tale wound down, she opened the Tome, skipping pages, until abruptly stopping, tracing the words or lines with a finger. She nodded. 
[colour=MediumSeaGreen]"I can't believe people like that can exist in the world... I have to remember to give Allie a hug next time I see her!"[/colour] she smiled, pulled a pen from her jacket, and noted something down, [colour=MediumSeaGreen]"As for you, your wish is my command~! We'll get out of here for sure, then we'll definitely find her family! I swear it upon my Astral Bond!"[/colour]

A sigh of relief slipped out from Ice’s lips, he had been really worried he’d have to face this plight alone. Of course, we was still worried about how Faith was acting, but Ice felt like if he brushed that topic again, some scary caw-caw would go down. Instead, he gave a small nod and moved to another subject. [color=orange]“So, besides that, I heard you were the gal to talk to... I wanted to take my weapon back.”[/color]

Faith tilted her head to, eyeing Ice somewhat curiously with his brisk and abrupt change in conversation. 
[colour=MediumSeaGreen]”Your weapon, hmm? You mean the little chain thing~? I might know where it is~!”[/colour] she chirruped, smiling down at him, before flipping open a few pages of her book, [colour=MediumSeaGreen]”Buuuuuut, I am of the strict order not to relinquish any weapons until party end! For the safety of the guests, after all; I’m sure you understand~”[/colour]

[color=orange]“I know that it’s for the good of others, but I didn’t agree to this, I was pretty much forced to go to that blasted party and I’m not even going to be there anymore. Without my left hand working I need some kind of edge and I’m not leaving this room without it, capiche?”[/color] Time for plan intimidation and no budging. Ice stood up and gave her an intense stare down, not looking ready to be defeated on any front.

[colour=MediumSeaGreen]”Awwwwww~”[/colour] Faith giggled, retrieving a blue felt tip pen from the lining of her outfit, before scribbling down a few what seemed to be words, but could easily have been nonsense squiggles, [colour=MediumSeaGreen]”He thinks he’s intimidating~! It’s cute that the sub plays the tough guy, it really is, buuuuuut~”[/colour] she turned, and from a cabinet behind her, slightly protruding from the shelves, pulled out his chain - spinning it in her hand with odd dexterity, as though she had used something similar to it in the past, [colour=MediumSeaGreen]”I’ve got all the power in the world~! I mean, I [i]am[/i] a prodigal Magus, after all~”[/colour]

Before long it seemed she had gotten bored of playing with the chain, and let it coil up in her hand and drop to her side.
[colour=MediumSeaGreen]”So lets make a deal, kay? [i]You[/i] promise to answer questions about Calvin and Alice after the party, and [i]I’ll[/i] give you your little chain. Sound like a good trade? Yeah it does~!”[/colour]

This assault on his masculinity at first made him almost a little scared, before diverging into anger. Sub? [i]him?[/i] [colour=orange]“[i]First[/i] of all, we need to talk about this ‘gay’ thing, because it really is too much. And why would I be the bottom anyway?! And I [i]am[/i] a tough guy!”[/colour] He moved in front of the door and tried to keep his composure, his feet planted, but he couldn’t help fidgeting with nervous energy, he really wasn’t good with dealing with this side of Faith. [colour=orange]“And fine... I’ll say what I can.”[/colour] He held his hand out for his trusty sidekick.

[colour=MediumSeaGreen]”Trade deal accepted!”[/colour] she chirped, sliding the chain from her hand before tossing it somewhat haphazardly across the room towards him. [colour=MediumSeaGreen]”Pleasure doing business with you, Mr. Matthews~!”[/colour] then she walked up next to him, opened the door, and stepped out into the hallway, [colour=MediumSeaGreen]”And anyway, we don’t need to talk about it, y’know? I get you’re uncomfortable - just come find me whenever, [i]tough guy~[/i]”[/colour] in a second she turned and took of somewhat running towards the party venue, waving behind herself as she went, [colour=MediumSeaGreen]”Laters~!”[/colour]

His hand instinctively shot out and caught the chain with a fair amount of dexterity as he watched her leave. He gave an exasperated sigh after sticking his head out the doorway and watching her run for the venue, violin playing loud and clear from the brightly lit area. Shaking his head, he closed her door before checking if it was locked. That Ruella was a piece of work.

[center]~ [i]Hopes End[/i] ~[/center]

Some time had passed, since Ice and Faith’s meeting, as within that time, though Faith wished she didn’t have to think about it, she held some minor regrets in returning to the festivities, as opposed to remaining in her room. She sat in the desolate remains of Table 3, watching as others danced their evenings away, and Krista played her violin like the last night of her life, and everyone enjoyed themselves, and the world turned slowly, and nothing could hurt anyone, in their sanctuary, their safe haven, wrought in hope.

Her goal from the start had been to create an utterly safe space, a place in which nothing bad could happen. She hadn’t quite met that goal, the empty table at which she sat was testament enough to that, but her primary goal had, at least for the moment, been met: no one was dead. Every measure had been taken to ensure a murder [i]couldn’t[/i] happen. That wasn’t to say it was completely secure. She didn’t want to admit it, but there did remain the possibility. There were things she couldn’t account for, there were places she couldn’t blockade, or guard, few and far between, yes, but still, they existed.

And to think, the unthinkable could happen, before her eyes. Her curiosity peaked at Monokuma’s unwelcome arrival. His fascination and obsession with despair had left Faith the impression he would be more than deterred from coming to a party who’s soul directive was hope. And then she blinked, and the world started turning again. Mercy was [i]dying[/i], choking up blood and gripping at her throat. Perhaps she was too calm for the situation. Faith hadn’t thought it would be necessary, but she had scoured the entire area, and come across it. In the first second after reacting, she stood from the table, running her way off to the side, just behind Table 4 where, outside of sight, somewhat hidden, she tore a medkit from within the wall. 

Yet too late. She got there [i]too late.[/i] Again. The medkit fell from her hands, and she dropped to her knees behind Felix and Max, taking in Mercy’s body. Number ten…
[colour=MediumSeaGreen]”Yes, Thomas…”[/colour] his cruel, cold, and off handed approach to addressing the situation left a bad taste in her mouth, but it wasn’t the time for infighting, [colour=MediumSeaGreen]”There’s going to be another trial… of course there is… another…”[/colour] she let out an unsteady breath, looking up from Mercy towards Monokuma, [colour=MediumSeaGreen]”Well, Monokuma? Our doctor has pronounced the patient dead. Give us the Monokuma File…”[/colour]