WEEK SEVEN: ENDGAME

[saturations]

ENDGAME

Sunday morning starts peacefully enough. After the events of yesterday, it was probably a relief to go about your evenings, reveling in the presences of your friends and loved ones, grateful to be alive and well. Everything is quiet until around noon when alarms start going off on your phones. It’s a gentler sound than the noise that once alerted you to the executions to take place on Sundays. You can always ignore it until 1 PM, but then you’ll blink and find yourself back in the Central Node once again.

The color in the node seems a little brighter as the archway where the Tree once stood continues to shimmer. The fog has gently blown back, revealing an opalescent area just past the entrance. It’s warm and it’s inviting, little tears in the air around it showing off different places you may know as home.

You get the feeling that perhaps, finally, the Prism has listened to your wants and desires. Nothing is forcing you out right away, though nothing is making you stay either. The clock from the Tree continues to tick, counting down to twenty-four hours from now.

The Prism isn’t what it used to be, though all of the nodes have reverted to somewhat pleasant locations albeit drab. Take a tour of places you haven’t seen before, or say goodbye to the places you grew fond of in your time here.

Take your time to say goodbye. There's nothing stopping you from going to someone else's world - but you'll find you need to be careful. The Prism is a delicate thing, constantly in need of balance. You'll need to maintain it, if you're going to use it to go from place to place. All it takes is color - something strong, both positive and negative. When you come through to visit other worlds, you have to offer something that you have faced from home, big or small. A good day, the happy vibes from a birthday party, the sad vibes from a funeral, the pain of an injury. Coordinate, and take care of the space you have cultivated. It's your responsibility now to make sure the Prism doesn't try to hurt itself in its confusion.

You could even stay here if you wanted, now that the Prism’s cleaned up again. You'd slowly forget, just like the Residents did, but it'd be a long process. You could live a normal lifespan in peace.

Or don’t. So many of you are ready to return from where you once came. And that was never really the point, right? You have to face the music. It was always about taking your problems head on, and not running away.

Your phones will still work no matter where you go. You may not always be able to be together in person, but you'll always be in each other's contact lists.

As for your Residents, both current and past? It seems that Thinker, Revenge, and Scout have all vanished, their items mysteriously missing and pieces of themselves left to be regained. As for Dreamer... you don't know what happened to him.

For the living Residents, well. Fret, Rindo, Caduceus and Ei have a decision to make, too.

Make good choices, now. Balance is key.

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Comments

[vedrskogul]

[ Damn...

Estinien gets booted to the node, I guess, which sucks when he was just trying to get some sleep for once in his life... not that he ever slept well, anyway.

But he's just looking out at the scenery. Of course he just wants to go home, but his expression is a bit pinched.

He doesn't wanna be stuck here forever if he can't return, not that he'd ever give himself a different choice.

Well, this is goodbye. Catch him if you want, or don't. ]

[slashay]

[HE CATCH. Really, he's just reaching out to bongo pat Estinien's arm as he's standing here observing the scenery...]

You can't leave without letting me give you a hug.

[vedrskogul]

...

You're going to be the death of me with all this physical affection you keep demanding.

[ With a sigh. But it's not a no outright? ]

[slashay]

There's no way a little hug's gonna kill a guy like you.

[HE'S NYOOMING IN FOR ONE since that's not a no... HIS ELF HUG!!!]

[vedrskogul]

[ UGH here he is, in sword grasp. He acts like it may as well kill him. ]

I feel as if it wouldn't stop you regardless.

[ But here. You get a pat pat. ]

I don't truly understand what it is you do other than fight, but I pray you thrive, Kashuu.

[slashay]

[A PAT PAT... A pat pat just for him... He beams up at Estinien about it because he's a sap.]

Heh - thanks, Estinien! [Who even knows what he does other than fighting. Harvesting turnips??] Wherever it is you decide to go next, I hope it all goes well for you, too.

[countermeasures]

[she does in fact want to! so, she catches him.



not like, literally, she would probably die.]

Estinien. It's just about time, isn't it?

[vedrskogul]

[ I think Jiuqing could take him it'd be funny. ]

...Aye, time to all leave our own ways, whatever way those are.

And you'll be heading home as well, won't you?

[countermeasures]

That's right.

I guess I'll be finding out whether or not the war there is over, soon.

[vedrskogul]

I pray that it will be -- or at the very least, close to its end.

Suppose we won't be having our light conversations over tea anymore.

[countermeasures]

...well, maybe not as often, anyway.

But passing through the Prism from place to place shouldn't take anywhere near as long as traveling by carriage back home would. So I might stop by from time to time, if that's alright with you.

[disestablishment]

[ STUPID BITCH of course he comes to hold his hand. ]

[vedrskogul]

[ WHY MUST YOU INSULT ME but Estinien holds it back, of course. Fingers finding purchase like it's natural, like it's home.

...Well, now it's time to see what it is for real. If he can return, if he can fulfill his promises. But usually, Estinien doesn't do things without having his own sense of certainty and peace with his decisions --

This one, he wouldn't be at peace with the alternative.

...If he can't come back, he's certain Aymeric would come visit him through the Prism instead. But he would be breaking almost every promise made, then. ]

I should be seeing you soon, shouldn't I?

[disestablishment]

Aye, that is your promise.

[ And Estinien would be right that he would come visit, but how often we wouldn't know... They don't know what waits. ]

Mine is to keep Ishgard safe for when you deign it time to return, as I've always strived to keep.

[vedrskogul]

You don't need me as your motivation to keep Ishgard safe. It has always ever been in your wont to do so -- rebuild it into something worth standing alongside the rest of our fellow nations, no?

[ HOLDS his hand, firm. ]

And I would be full proud to see it.

[disestablishment]

Astute observation as always. [ Or simply understanding him very well from their ten years. ] And you're also sharp enough to know you are part of the motivation.

[ And Estiniein should accept that instead of stepping out of the narrative. He gives his hand a tight squeeze. ]

... I will away first?

[bestaround]

[ hassles you here too

Anyway. 9S is still around, so: ]

In a hurry?

[vedrskogul]

[ Wowie!

Estinien just crosses his arms, frowning at the Prism as a whole. ]

I suppose I should be.

[ Something something fucking stop the apocalypse, except he has no idea what's going on on the other side. Hell, he doesn't know if he can get back, despite all the determined promises he'd made to do so.

Rare for him to show hesitation, but this scenario warrants it a little bit. ]

[bestaround]

[ Huh... It is, actually. ]

Well—then... I should at least say I'll see you later. [ ... ] And I'd still be willing to take you up on your offer.

[vedrskogul]

Aye, provided I return successfully.

[ He looks at the archways. Then back to 9S. ]

Returning to your own, first?

[bestaround]

[ 9S shakes his head. ]

I already decided I don't have a reason to go back, so... I'll be heading somewhere else.

[fretbro]

[i know this is like three days late but

he comes up behind estinien and just hugs him? hi. don't go yet.]

[vedrskogul]

[ It's fine work has been killing me so fucking hard that I've been terrible with my stray chroma tags anyway help...

But yeah hi Fret. He manages to still be surprised every time, but after a hesitation, he pats Bass on the head. ]

Made a decision on where to go, yet?

[fretbro]

[nooo lowe your work...]

Home. [he says, after a moment, with a little sigh. he lets go of estinien, though.] I think me n' Rindo are gonna try going back to the point where I came from.

[looking up at him, here.] ... And you're going back to your point.

[vedrskogul]

I think that is a fair decision.

[ Fair as in, you know, good. He's glad Bass could make that decision to try. He nods, regarding the other half. ]

Aye, to that, too. I know not awaits, but there's little I can do but hope.