randangonpa | ENDGAME/EPILOG

ENDGAME/EPILOG

[In the control room, the raccoons float quietly in their pods; none of the wild cackling from before, no raucous mocking—Where did those pesky animatronics go, anyway? Maybe not every question has been answered, but...how much does it matter? The lost souls are back, tangible and whole, though marked still by whatever's done them in. Maybe those scars and aches won't fade, either.

A metric fuckton of experimenting has gotten us to the answer of how to get back to where we belong: the first control room console makes it easy to find the thumbnail of your world, and, when selected, it automatically brings you to twenty two days from moment you were kidnapped from. It's easy to see an image where you should be there and aren't, and simply select it. The program confirms that you'd like to initiate the transport process, and directs you to stand on the glowing platform; have someone hit the button to shut the process down, or it will time itself out in five minutes.

Is the moment you were brought from not good enough? What about the rewards you were promised? It seems as though specifying those offers or threads isn't quite possible, but the console has two options, each manipulable independently of each other: you can control the date and time, allowing yourself to return as though you hadn't been kidnapped at all. You can also use a slider at the bottom to control the quality of the universe you're brought back to, sliding from the carrot to the stick side: A world where everything that possibly could have gone right for you and those you'd want it for does, where every choice and chance resolves in your favor...or one where there isn't a single moment that isn't conspiring to work against you.

It should be that simple, but...none of those are your universes. Trying to go to any universe but the one marked for you, and/or at any point but that three-week span you've been gone, prompts a warning message about a duplicate version of anyone belonging to that world. It asks if you'd like to proceed, and warns you once more by giving names of potential "doppelgangers"—but will not stop you from stepping onto the platform as it twinkles blue light, regardless. Is improvement worth interfering, maybe destroying, the life of another you?

That choice is up to you. For the first time in a long time, these choices are yours.

It's over. Happy graduation day.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I dunno about that. I've done a lot of bothering in my time, lemme tell you, and no one's ever been half as good at keeping up.

[okay no be serious HE'S NOT GETTING OUT OF THIS ONE]

I don't really get over anything so I'm gonna try focusing on the positive parts of this hellhole, and for one, I'm glad I met you.

Ah...

[f u c k]

...Yeah. Even though it probably just seems that way because of juxtaposition...the meeting you part wasn't so bad, I guess.

[his ears are very red]

Aww, that's the closest you've ever come to admitting you actually might enjoy my company at all. I'm touched.

I thought it was obvious I don't like being around people enough to deal with their presence if I don't have to.

I dunno if you've noticed, but, like it or not, I am awfully persistent. It gives you a real nice out in case admitting you like someone at all out loud is going to actually, literally kill you, 'cause I worry it might.

...

I don't dislike you.

Gods. And to think— [she's trying to goof but that soft sincere tone is back, a little quieter] —I'm actually disappointed that I'm not gonna have to deal with this stuff anymore.

...

[straightens up, looking her in the eye (which is further away the more he straightens but it's the principle of the thing)]

I don't think I ever formally thanked you for what you did... Not just speaking out at the trial, but also...just being there that night. It was only a somewhat scarring experience, thanks to you. It's only been a couple days, but...I'm going to miss you, despite myself.

[get back down here where she can hear you]

Oh—

[well now it's her turn to just kind of be struck dumb for a moment, flushing a little pink—she recovers fast, though, and smiles wide.]

Aw, I didn't ever do anything you have to thank me for. Really. I mean... It was the same thing for me that night, y'know? And, hey, most people I've known can't figure out how to deal with me when I'm only kind of freaking out, so, you know—like I said before, I appreciated the company. And all the help, and everything else.

[ugh she's been doing SO GOOD at winning the Having And Dealing With Feelings game and now she's getting misty-eyed, she's RUINING HER PERFECT SCORE]

[GOOD even if it's feelings, Kaibas always play to win]

[except how he's not trying to soften his tone or give that weird little smile, they're just coming out that way, balls]

Most people I know would've been happier freaking out on their own than freaking out around me. It's... Uh, anyway, don't worry about it. If I'd minded, you would know.

It's a liiiittle late to worry about how much you minded a half-week-old panic attack.

[never mind that she has EASILY won the feelings war, no one wins this battle today!! instead everyone just leaks sad feelings everywhere, and Mae's voice is getting kind of watery, because she's about to have to turn around and know that that'll be the very last time she ever sees this jerk who's very rapidly become very important to her, and—that's a lot to deal with? and she's finally realizing how final this is at once? fuck]

—Ugh, all right, not that either of us are in any shape for this but if I'm never seeing you again, I want a goodbye hug, how do we arrange this so it hurts the least.

[makes a face]

[and pats her on the head]

Seriously.

[and with the most put-upon sigh, she carefully sets the crutch against the wall while trying to keep at least a modicum of balance]

Wasn't askin'! C'mere!

[and she kinda, falls forward at him in something hopefully vaguely hug-shaped, struggling to get on her toes so she can loop his arms around his neck for minimal collateral damage, if he drops her she might die]

[okay fine, he was gonna go down there but this works too. believe it or not, he's actually not terrible at this, scooping her up into something impressively hug-shaped, all thanks to mokuba kaiba for good home training. no guarantees on the 'painless' bit, though, since despite his put-upon expression, the thought of only being bothered by non-mae randos in the future is an unpleasant one, and he squeezes back pretty tight]

Oof—

[yeah, okay, ow, she wasn't expecting him to be good at hugs?? this was going to hurt either way though so you know, may as well get the most bang for her buck here, so now that she's got her balance steadied she hugs him tight, burying her face in his shoulder because what's one more ruined jacket, now with just a little bit of tear snot. just a little.]

Seriously—Take care of yourself, got it? Or I'm gonna be so mad. And once you're all patched up, have fun at the...the... [shit shit fuck what was it called] ...monster...disk...duel party. Thing. The thing. The thing you did.

[she's trying???]

[see, it's okay, he is dual-classed asshole and big brother, so hugs and tear snot he can handle until she cares to pull away. and he genuinely laughs at that, not even meanly, hell, he is gonna have to go home to regain his street cred]

Alright. I'll make sure it's the best monster disk duel party thing ever. I'll even try to enjoy myself.

And you make sure you keep a handle on those friends of yours, don't let them get gnawed on by any undead. Maybe you can start up a basketball league when you get back.

You? Enjoying yourself? I can't believe it.

[but, ugh, okay, if only because everything hurts, she does have to break the hug off, and when she wipes her nose on her arm she makes a big display of sneering at it and mumbling gross like that will win her any points in the feelings war

she allows herself a moment to get her crutch and also her balance back and then, gravely serious:]

If I go home and anyone mentions basketball to me ever again, I'm going to kill someone. Again.

[snorts]

You'd win every match. Think of all the hustling you could do. Fame, fortune, pretty girls, nice cars. --Palanquins? Golemobiles? However you people travel where you're from. Magic carpet?

Sorry to disappoint, but I mostly just walk everywhere, even if a magic carpet would be pretty sweet. Hanging out with the princess basically covers the other stuff, so instead of hustling, what if I just wrap up the Terror problem and then go home to the priory and take a nap?

I guess, if you want to save the world in non-sportsball-related ways.

Can I tell you a secret? [conspiratorial stage whisper:] I still don't know any of the rules to that game, which is just the way I want it.

You can't run from responsibility forever, Mae. Someday you're going to need to fight for the multiverse with a powerful Chaos Dunk whether you like it or not.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

ENDGAME/EPILOG

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