Trials, Traits and Truth

Game Plan

TW: Mentions of suicide, but there is a focus on self care!

"That's...wow." Thomas rested his elbows on his knees and his chin on closed fists.

They sat in silence and a shared exhaustion. Thomas' phone buzzed, but he ignored it.

"So...what are we going to do now?" Thomas frowned.

Patton and Roman looked to Logan and he flushed a little - he could get used to that.

"Well, my first two steps were to remedy our immediate health concerns, and start to share our feelings honestly. I think I was immune because I stopped ignoring my feelings and started dealing with them head on..."

"I'm so proud of you." Patton's eyes shone.

Logan shifted a little. "I had a bit of help."

He described the odd voice in his head.

"Do you think that was..." Roman began.

"Tristan? Yes I think so. At least, the chunks of Tristan that Pitch did not want. My guess is that he did not actually dispose of the extra essence, but just cast it loose in the back of the mind. It managed to latch onto me and communicate, possibly because I was actively trying to confront my feelings...or because I was the last."

Patton nodded. "What's going to happen to him?"

Logan shook his head. "I honestly don't know, but we'll have to see what we can do after Pitch is obliterated." Logan's expression hardened.

"Pitch is going to want to win no matter what." Roman said bitterly.

Thomas looked around nervously. "What exactly is 'winning' to him?"

Logan gave him a hard look. He couldn't exactly be blunt, but it was a delicate subject and time was of the essence. "Please call some friends or family who can watch you. Tell them to remove all sharp objects from the room and preferably stay with you somewhere downstairs..."

"WOAH WOAH WOAAH!" Thomas looked alarmed. "Really? I don't feel...like that?"

"He has Virgil." Patton whispered.

It clicked.

It wouldn't be Thomas actively looking to end his own life: with the prolonged absence of anxiety, he would be at risk of doing that by sheer recklessness.

"Okay." Thomas nodded. Logan relaxed a little.

"Hey, being with your friends might even help Virgil out, wherever he is." Patton piped up hopefully.

Thomas flicked open his phone and sent the texts. Though he didn't want to point it out, Logan tensed at the fact that Thomas didn't need more convincing or psyching up. Virgil was being dulled already.

"Okay. Today we are going to self-care the heck out of Thomas." Logan said firmly. "Did I use that term correctly?"

"A bubble bath and a cup of green tea ain't going to defeat depression, Logan." Roman huffed, folding his arms over his chest.

"I am quite aware of that Roman." Logan said. "We do need to temporarily weaken Pitch though, enough to get Virgil back."

"And then what?" Patton asked softly. Logan bit his lip and leaned back in his chair.

"I guess we learn how to move forward."

They sat in a contemplatively silence until the doorbell rang.

"That's our cue." Logan groaned as he stood.

The three sides each hugged Thomas, then sank down into the mindscape.

"How do we get to the back of the mind, Logan?" Roman asked gruffly, now in his pale Royal garbs.

Logan tapped his chest then grabbed an arm each of the other two.

"I think...I think the truth can get us there."

'Hold on Logan.'

The three blinked, and they were suddenly in darkness.

Standing before them...no...floating before them, was the hazy ghost of silver, but with a green beanie.