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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[coldseep]

( Oh? His voice takes on a worried tone. )

Will you need help?

( Fortunately(?) for the denizens of Fate/Strange Fake, Hwylryn has obligations preventing him from busting into their little war (or, maybe it's more fortunate for Hwylryn, considering what happened to the last dragon that crossed paths with Ayaka), but !!!! Of course he will do what he can, if he can. )

... I don't think I could forgive myself if I didn't leave with my family now. ( Sariel And G'raha Were Brutalized For Him To Play House, ) But... I could talk to Ish. If you need it, I think I could find something that might help you.

[simulacres]

....No, I think we'll be fine.

[ ayaka smiles up at hwylryn, gentle but genuine. ]

I trust Saber. We'll get through it together... and then maybe we can see each other again once it's all done.

[ though she's not sure if saber will be around once it's all said and done. but that's...fine, too, she supposes. ]

You'll be leaving with Ish, then?

[coldseep]

( Mmmm... He still seems worried, that "maybe" especially, if the way his head seems to rotate slightly - this way and that - is any indication, as if trying to see a better angle to spin it, but he considers... that if she's saying they can see each other, then it may not just be her placating him. )

... Stay safe, and good luck. I do want to see you both again, one day.

( Don't die - his singular, consistent plea.

As for her question: )

Mm, Ish and Junior. Where going to where he's from. I'm a little scared to go somewhere without the spirits of nature I know... But I'm a little excited, too. He said there's "schools" for children, there. I don't know what those are like, but they must be nice, right?

( he will quickly reverse this opinion once he learns they assign this terrible atrocity called "homework" but )

[simulacres]

[ ayaka’s expression shifts just slightly when hwylryn wishes to see them again, and she finds herself unable to admit that there may not be a next time for them.

instead she nods and gives him the best smile she can muster. ]

We’ll do our best.

[ as for the matter of school… ]

They’re places where kids go to learn. It’s kind of a necessary thing to do, in my world.

[coldseep]

( He spots that, and he hesitates - wanting to force it, but knowing there's not much he can do just by asking. He holds that thought for a moment, not satisfied with just leaving it be. (But what else is there?) )

Did you ever get to go? Do people like it?

[simulacres]

…The person who gave me this body did.

[ and she assumes that so did the girl that her face is based on. she met her classmates, the two of them so concerned over their friend’s well-being.

what an odd misunderstanding, now that she thinks about it. ]

I guess some people do, some people don’t. [ A never liked school. she never liked anything that involved being in proximity of others, as the desire for solitude was something engrained into her very being. ] Maybe… if he can make friends, he might like it.

[coldseep]

( Mmm, he makes a vague sound of understanding. )

I guess that's how I came to like this place, too - coming to like the people here... being cared for.

( and we all know how that ended up-- but really, if bonds can make a place like this a fond memory for him, he supposes those same types of bonds could work wonders anywhere, even a school. )

... What was she like?

( The person who gave Ayaka this body. closing my eyes at the pcs still in my inbox it's fine )

cw suicide ideation

[simulacres]

She was… um…

[ ayaka looks down at her hands, and watches them tremble for a few seconds in silence. what was A like?

…she never even bothered to learn her name, huh? or maybe that’s just another memory that’s under lock and key. ]

She was kind. She saved me, even though she should have probably let me die. [ maybe there’s another world where the solitude-loving A would have never opened that door; never have taken her in. ayaka can’t help but think that would have been for the best. ] She liked being alone… she preferred solitude over people.

[ maybe a little too much. her solitude was like poison, corroding her mind and body alike. with ayaka as a catalyst, it’s only natural that her mind would break down. ]

But she was in love, too… [ and ayaka grimaces at that, as if the memory of experience were painful for her— or is it perhaps from the parts of her that are A? the concept of love is nearly impossible for either side to reconcile— which immediately makes her wonder about her feelings for richard. what will happen then? is it even sustainable long term? ] That’s how I ended up having this face.

[ because the only way that A could accept her love for solitude and her love for someone else without a logic error was by simply becoming the girl she loved.

she shakes her head, rubbing her eyes to clear the tears that were forming. ]

I’m sorry, it’s all really complicated.

[coldseep]

( Ah... )

... Don't be sorry. It's your life.

( Though, he supposes Ayaka regrets her perpetuated existence, it's painful to hear her speak of it as such.

Ayaka might not really like even the gesture of touch, but he can't really help it - his hand lifts, fingers curled, toward her face, and though he makes no contact, there's a warm breeze that brushes by her cheek - as if to dry her tears. )

Is talking about it worse than not?

( It feels like talking about herself always makes her so sad... )

[simulacres]

I... don't think it's easy either way.

[ like a frightened animal, Ayaka does freeze when she sees him reach out, but she relaxes somewhat once she feels the breeze against her cheek. unable to meet the dragon's gaze, she looks to the side, reaching around her front to hug her arm at the elbow. ]

But... if I don't talk about it, then I'll just try to run away from it again. I... don't think I should do that anymore either.

[ it's difficult, but maybe it's what A deserves. what Richard deserves. ]