Epilogue

[lesmodsalouette]

EPILOGUE

Your stopped time has restarted. Whether you were in the grassy field or fighting for your life on the castle grounds, you'll suddenly find yourself in an untouched area of the gardens. Ish is back, and so are the items, and the dead.

You return to Chateau Ambregris with the certain knowledge that come Monday, you will greet a new week, in a home of your own choosing. No longer will the chime of the clocks hunt you down, no longer will the oppressive scent of roses haunt your senses, no longer will you be forced to watch the death of those you've come to love and hate.

Parting is such a bittersweet sorrow, isn't it?

Make merry one last time, in this castle of illusions. Ironically, your memories of this stolen time that never existed are the one thing that will truly remain to you.

END NOTES

🔮 All dead are revived as tsukumogami! Congrats on your immortality(?)
🔮 Any other contracts made with Ish will be honored
🔮 Characters may choose to leave for any world they desire.
🔮 Time has not passed while you were stuck in this loop!
🔮 There will be no cross-dimensional world travel, except for on Samhain (Witches New Year October 31st/November 1st). On these dates, Ish will enable everyone to visit each other's world freely.
🔮 Universal Communication will be possible, courtesy of Manba and Ish. Everyone who wants one will be given a small fox that can communicate with other foxes through voice and video; the foxes can talk and are fairly simple creatures, enjoy them and give them fried tofu once in a while.
🔮 Powers are on for the finale, but Ish will step in and yeet anyone who gets too out of hand back to their homeworld, so play nice! (or relatively nice. )

[OOC: Welcome to your epilogue! The timeloop is ended, the evil has been defeated, and you have some time to catch your breath in the castle before the rest of your life begins! ]

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[ocenon]

[ It does not take long for Richard to find Sabo. Whether he's got the hat or Ayaka returned it, it doesn't matter. The man's more important at this point, anyway. ]

Your assistance was very much appreciated back there. It was a little closer than I'd have liked it to be.

[ that +3 was really doing the absolute fucking most for him. ]

AUUUGH

[allrounder]

[ It was traumatic indeed, the feeling of death still leaving him shaken even now. It'll be something for him to unpack in the coming days, he's certain, but for now he only tightens his hold on Urianger. ]

That it is. I feel a sense of relief I have not in a long, long while.

[ A month, to be precise. He pauses, falling into a contemplative silence, the sort that Urianger might know well. G'raha has something he plans to share with Urianger and Urianger only.

The other Scions will find out in due time. ]

There is... something I must tell you. There were conditions for our return.

[ocenon]

[ he ain't in the bushes. but if there's a random arrow from literally out of nowhere that whizzes just past their head and misses



don't worry. :) (this doesn't happen) ]

[siffriend]

We kinda had a lot more going on, my Raha. Memories are pretty much the least of our worries.

[ Sort of. In a way. Not as if they give Siffrin a whole bunch of grief and single-handedly caused all his issues. Nope.

Still, what an offer. It makes their smile warm, and their arms fall to rest on G'raha's shoulders instead, stepping closer to hug him like that. ]

... I could've asked for that instead. To remember my home, to be able to say its name and see it across the sea.

[ But they hadn't. ]

[simulacres]

You're not special. I just don't like people.

[ even after everything, there's still a part of her that is a huge introvert, and that will never change. she's not wary of siffrin, she's wary of nearly everyone.

normally, she'd finish the conversation with that, but she'll stand up and dust her skirt as she stares directly at siffrin. ]

I don't care that you hurt me. You had every right to, and that's fine. [ if richard or whatever part of his retinue guarding her are hearing this, they better keep to themselves. this is her issue and she's taking care of it herself. ] But you baited me by trying to hurt Saber first. Not only will I never forgive that, that also makes you just as cowardly as me. So if you have nothing more to say, then you can either leave or I will.

[vivens]

[ funny that she says this to him, but he'll smile all the same for her. ]

I did what I thought was best.

[ and where did that get him...??? it got him. results. at least within the context of where they are presently. ]

I'm going to go back home and see things through to the very end—I can't exactly abandon everyone who is counting on me. [ ... ] Or the people who don't know that they still need saving.

[littlegentleman]

Me, too.

[Of course, he'd never been dead before, himself. He couldn't imagine what that had been like.]

I was always alone, before. Mostly, at least. [In every way that mattered. The scientists, the government agents, that was hardly having company.] It's been...intimidating, being around so many people. But I really...I liked it.

[vivens]

[ THE HARDEST WORKING HAT... he might not have said much like the others but them +3 doing god's work. ]

We did have a scare a few times, didn't we? But it also might have been too boring if there was no challenge to it.

[ because they probably enjoyed themselves, let's be real here. ]

[siffriend]

He would've stepped in if I hadn't. We both know that.

[ It was obvious, after all. ]

It was supposed to hurt him in a different way. I don't know if it did, but it was the only way I could manage both. It's fine if you don't forgive that, and think I'm cowardly for it.

[ ... It isn't said with ire, or anything. Just kind of neutral, factual, not so different than their talk in the promenade. ]

[siffriend]

[ It's why he clung to Hwylryn, Siffrin knows. That dragon... is intoxicating in his overflow of affection and care. Want of company and love of seeing others smile. Experiencing what it means to be human.

They almost fell for it, too. ]

What're you gonna do now? Not go back to being alone, I'm guessing.

[diel]

[ it is strange to be something other than maga now. yoru wonders what parts of him are still disaster beast and what parts are tsukumogami? (not that any of this stops him from being a disaster - like, overall.) it's not as though he was strictly mortal before this. but now... would yomi still have need of him?

(does he still need to kill? for yomi? for himself and jin?)

despite being alive again (again), he carries the same melancholy air he'd had on the other side. but he wears it well, settled and calm. his ever present smile more gentle than ever.

this was a temporary journey and he is glad to have had it. something in his chest beats and he wonders if it's his heart remade with all the cracks and scars from his time here. he hopes so. he thinks... he thinks he'd like to keep it the way it is.

some things still hurt, but he is alive to feel it. and that is... a gift. not from ish, but from the people here. he accepts. ]

Good morning. And I suppose, goodbye?

[ find him around the gardens. occasionally, the flowers, their petals, their leaves will dance for you at random. and if you look around and meet his gaze, he'll smile, wiggling his fingers. later, he'll wander off to the solarium to sit and think, humming a nonsensical song. and finally, before he leaves (if... he leaves), he visits water lily suite for the last time.

AND he also needs to wake jin up eventually. that is... for later. privately. and perhaps one day, they can meet properly. ]

[allrounder]

[ THEY SURE FUCKIN ARE ]

You could have.

[ Yet they did not, and seem to carry no regrets for what they did ask for. His hands settle on their waist, easily.

At least Siffrin has color back, and that's a sure thing. What G'raha has in mind is only a potential. ]

Even so... knowing that it may not work, would you be willing to attempt some method of recovery?

[ocenon]

[ It's like the most natural reaction in the world, as Richard meets her movement with his own, clasping his arms around her and picking her up for several beats. Even if he could tell that she was fine the instant their connection came back online, he's glad that she didn't have to go through anything like Blade and the rest of them did. ]

All the items of the deceased gave those who were fighting some sort of enhanced ability. I didn't have any kind of reliable way to fasten the hat to my armor without further damaging it, so...

[ He's more interested in what she had to do, though, as he sets her down gently. ] But you were in a play? I would have loved to have been there to see that. Was it a dramatic sort of affair?

[simulacres]

Then your imagination just isn't good enough. He wasn't superhuman then, I'm sure you could have managed to catch us off guard.

[ now? different story.

anyways, ayaka doesn't raise her voice either, her own tone equally neutral. she really doesn't want to start anything, especially after they all got the happy ending that they may or may not deserve. ]

We're even now. So go find someone else to stare at.

[ because she's walking away, her fox trotting next to her. ]

[thesharpestroy]

[Oh. Shiv isn't quite sure what to make of being alive at first, but she seems to be a bit concerned when she first returns. She touches her face as if to make sure that it's really flesh, then puts a hand on her chest to feel her heart beating. It worked, huh? All of that, and...]

It actually worked out. Everybody lives happily ever after? [Her face briefly scrunches up in a bemused grin.] Not what I expected, but I'm not fucking complaining either.

...has anybody seen Ish? We've got a deal.

[After her business with Ish is taken care of, Shiv can be found keeping to herself in the garden, staring at a crystal in her hand in thought. So, this is it, huh? Back home. Back to a world with no magic. Back to a shitty husband and a dead father. All in all, a blip of time that she'll remember but also never get back.]

Don't mind me. Just catching my breath before I fuck off.

[siffriend]

[ ... She was bright before, but they don't know the colors she is now.

Still, they'll watch her start off, then turn and go themselves. Even's even. ]

[siffriend]

Hmmmm.

[ ... ]

I dunno. It'd be kind of lonely, being the only one in the world outside of the island who knows. They can't hear the words we say, or read the books we do.

[ (Oh.

Oh!!!!! Right!!!! You should be able to read those now, shouldn't you? Wow. Awesome. You're so glad you remembered that now! It must be because you have the memory equipped.) ]

Well... Um. Okay. So, you're... gonna have to bear with me a little, but... I do kind of remember already. Things. From home, sort of. Ish. Some stuff. I can probably read books and writing. It's hard to explain why. But it's not complete.

[ Sorry. It's. It's weird, they get that. Also: Not... exactly an answer! ]

[calamitish]

last chance;

[ you won't find ish immediately among the others in the gardens: he has several other contracts to fulfill, and work is his priority. for the last time, at least. but eventually that's all said and done with and he can be found roughly in the center of the gardens, floating as he tends to do (hat on this time!) and watching everyone mingle. ]

Wellll that sure was a game, huh? I couldn't have done this without you, so you have my thanks! Oh, but I'm your host for just a little bit longer, so if there's anything else on your mind, last chance!

🔮 closed to hwylryn;

[ there's other private places on the grounds, but this is his favorite space here, with his favorite person. high above in the clouds away from everyone else, a certain dragon (in human form) in his lap. ]

Hmm...I've never really had a day off before. What ever shall I do with myself?

[ sing-song, teasingly. ]

water lily suite it is

[siffriend]

So I'm not the only one who wandered back this way, huh.

[ Couldn't help it, after all this time. They... wanted to see, what all the colors in here were. What "water lilies" looked like beyond the shades.

...

It really is a busy place, design wise. ]

Feels like it's been forever.

[ Because it has been. For them. ]

[allrounder]

[ Yeah, that's not an answer at all. That thought is pretty plain on G'raha's face when he pulls back from the hug. ]

Do you plan to read historical records, then? Build a base of memory for others to work off of so that you can recover them at large?

[ why is he always like this ]

[distain]

[Andrew approaches him, looking slightly damp from having washed the blood off the capybara. She wordlessly holds out a hand for a cigarette.

It's the least he can do so she doesn't jump someone and make him have to work again.]

I already told you I have something to finish. Though now that circumstances are different... I need a new plan. Where are you going?

[siffriend]

[ The Witch had one request for them, after all.

... So, um. Sorry. Siffrin is just gonna be staring at him for a while. Couple minutes, if he's granted that. ]

[remainsilent]

[ Imagined if he played random extra number 5 for Mamma Mio 2...

Dan Heng is here though, and he's fetching Cloud Piercer out of the random bin of their things as well as grabbing their phones.

When he hears his name, he will turn his attention to Blade. His gaze is sweep across his partner slowly to make sure that wounds have indeed been taken care of as he dismisses his spear. ]

There you are. [ A lot has changed between them. They no longer are the same as they started here and they may be better for it.

Well Dan Heng is something more for it, but Blade is better for it. He'll pocket their phones for the moment, deciding there is something more important than handing it back. Stepping into Blade's space as he reaches for his hand. ]

Are you alright?

[simulacres]

[ ayaka gasps as richard picks her up, clinging onto him just a little tighter as the armor allows. though as she's set down she still stays close to him, looking up as she thinks of the play. ]

Oh it... wasn't that big of a deal. [ she's trying to play it off as chill as possible, because really if she thinks too hard about the idea of richard seeing her perform she might just die of embarrassment. ] We kind of mashed a bunch of fairy tales together... really it wasn't that great.

I was uh... Rapunzel? And I got married to Cain who was playing the prince. And then for some reason we chose to have the Snow Queen and the Sorceress marry as well... and then for some reason Sousuke was playing an arms dealer? And then Hwylryn was a tiger... honestly, the only one with a normal role was Urianger as the narrator.

[calamitish]

[ did someone say his name? here he is!!! popping up as obnoxiously as always. ]

Hello, hello! You rang?