video | un: CherylBombshell

[sweetwater]

[ Cheryl is sick. despite that, she's done her hair and makeup and dressed herself in a red silk robe. a lot of effort went into her appearance, but it does little to hide the fact that she's unwell. she looks tired. at home she was a pro at snapchat, and she holds the camera out at arms length. all that's missing is the puppy filter! ]

By now you've all heard of the great tragedy that's befallen us. I was caught right in the middle of everything, an innocent bystander in someone's very cruel plan to shake us all to the core. I don't scare easily and I don't wilt, but I could use your help in this trying time.

First: obviously i am confined to bed until I recover. You can entertain me by chatting with me and telling me your stories. Make sure they aren't boring.

And secondly: If you're able-bodied, perhaps you can avenge me. [ she pauses. smiles. ] Us. It's the right thing to do.

[ and as she ends the video: ] Hashtag Olympia Strong. [ yes, that's right. hashtag. this is Cheryl Blossom, after all. ]

Comments

[sweetwater]

I wouldn't think of it.

[ and instead of her own romantic story, she tells a story that she's adjacent to. with some revisions. ]

There was a very handsome young man, who everyone loved. He was smart, and brave, and kind, and handsome. [ yes, she already said that. ] He met a girl name Polly. She was plain but he fell for her anyway and they began dating. Now, it's important to know that Jason and Polly's families have been in a feud for generations and the moment their parents heard about the relationship they were furious.

Jason's parents pushed him to break up with her, so he did. And Polly was crushed. She went completely crazy and her parents had to send her away. Not much later, Jason came to his twin sister and asked for her help with a plan.

On the 4th of July, at dawn, the twins went to the Sweetwater River. They rowed to the otherside, to Greendale, where Jason had a car waiting so that he could meet Polly and run away together. Of course, everyone would wonder what happened to Jason, so they concocted a story. His sister would tell everyone that they'd tipped the boat on accident, and Jason was swept away by the river when he panicked.

It worked. The boy scouts happened upon the sister at the river's edge. They called the police and everyone search for Jason for a week, but they never found him and his sister kept their secret.

[ and now, the lie: ] And they all lived happily ever after.

[vorrutyer]

What a sweet story. Classic fairy-tale.

[ And it's clearly a damned lie. But who is he to call people out on telling comforting falsehoods? Still, he can't resist calling her out on this transparent part of her story: ]

Did you ever see your brother again?

[sweetwater]

[ busted.

she shakes her head. ] He was supposed to call when they were safe and settled, but - [ she catches herself. the lie is better than the truth. ] but the Storm happened before he could. I saw him in stasis.

[vorrutyer]

And now you're waiting for him to wake up?

[sweetwater]

Yes. [ she's not very patient about it. ] Soon, if I'm lucky.

[vorrutyer]

Ah. What a good, faithful sister you are.

[ He thinks, inevitably, of his own little sister up there in the pods. What must he do to see her free again? Whatever it is, he'll do it. No matter what it is. ]

And what a sweet and charming story. Though that must have been quite hard on your parents, no?

[sweetwater]

[ well, she tries anyway. ]

He was their favorite. [ and that's true, even if she's pretty sure their dad didn't miss Jason at all. ] But they're here too. So they'll see him again.

[vorrutyer]

True enough. So are you trying to impress our celestial masters? Get them to let him loose a little sooner?

[sweetwater]

Do you think that will work? [ Cheryl usually gets her way by bossing people around, which she assumes will not work with any of the very powerful beings who are in charge of their lives now. ]

[vorrutyer]

Hm, I don't know. But it seems possible, does it not...?

[sweetwater]

[ it's a good point. ] It does. Do a few favors, and push Jason Blossom to the front of the line. Easy.

[vorrutyer]

Just so. What is it - be a good person, improve the world, et cetera...?

[sweetwater]

Just... simple things like that. not a problem. It's so easy to be delightful here. [ Cheryl is totally a good person who has never been a jerk for seemingly no reason. it's fine. it's fine it's fine it's fine. ]

[vorrutyer]

Well, I certainly find you such. Delightful, charming, and altogether lovely to talk to.

[sweetwater]

[ she beams. ] Thank you. I tend to agree.

[vorrutyer]

[ He lifts his eyebrows and gestures to himself. Come on, isn't he going to get compliments in return...? ]

[sweetwater]

[ oh, right. ] And you are a very handsome, suave storyteller. Completely charming.

[vorrutyer]

Now, that's more like it. Though next time, emphasize the handsome a bit more, won't you? It flatters an old man's ego to hear that.

[ He's thirty-seven. ]

Tell me, dear girl, what do you do back home?

[sweetwater]

[ 37 is pretty old to a teenager, to be fair. some of her friend's parents are 37! ]

I was in high school. I was head of the Riven Vixens cheer squad until circumstances necessitated that i tender my resignation. [ she misses that HBIC shirt. ]

My parents owned Blossom Maple Farms. It would have been mine, one day. [ if not for the Storm and also the maple syrup really being heroin. ]

[vorrutyer]

Ooh, maples. I can't say I can entirely picture you out there, wandering amongst the trees, hammering away at a tap.

[sweetwater]

I've only tapped a tree once, and I was excellent at it. [ she smiles. ] But I'm more suited to the business side of things.

And what about you? How did you fill the time in between seducing beautiful women?

[vorrutyer]

Back home? Drinking, dancing, spreading scandalous rumors...Here, though, I'm an Emperor. I'm really moving up in the world. My ancestors would be shuddering with horror.

[sweetwater]

An Emperor? That's an option? [ that's the kind of job she could go for. ] How'd you get that?

[vorrutyer]

Well, step one, be in line for the throne. Step two, have literally everyone ahead of you in line for the throne be put into cold storage.

[sweetwater]

Oh. [ there goes Cheryl's shot at royalty. ] Seems disappointing to take the throne and have nothing to rule over.