You know that awful feeling when you're dreaming that you're falling and you jolt yourself awake?
...That's what it felt like to Sigrún to disappear and then wake up....She slowly looked around as her heart raced. Where was she? The girl was unsure but for now she seemed intact and alive. Glancing down at herself she checked quickly before scanning the large crowd of people. Sig began to remember her time in the Silver and Green kingdoms, the memories running through her mind like a babbling brook. Places, conversations, events, and faces planted themselves in her memory.
"Momo" Sigrún gasped sharply and scanned again for her. She would have noticed her the first time if she had been there. Panic set in as she couldn't locate her best friend. She did however spot a gathering crowd of Green kingdom citizens and made her way towards them as quickly as possible.
Sigrún spotted a few familiar faces until....
"MORIKO!" She yelped and moved to her friend and threw her arms around her. Tears began steaming down her face. Sigrún stood back to look at Momo to make sure she was alright. "I didn't think...I would see you again. She had to choke down a sob, it wasn't like her to get this emotionally usually but they had been on a journey that had taken its toll on her.
Sigrún realized she had interrupted Moriko.. And she had been talking to the king. She was about to apologize when a form swooped in and hugged them not tightly. She couldn't help but smile at Belladonna. Sigrún almost wanted to cry even more as the lovely fae spoke to them and thanked them and told them what a good job they had done. Sig thanked her for her concern and kindness in return and watched as Belladonna flitted off to check on her other lovelies.
"Forgive my interruption you majesty" Sigrún gave a nod of respect to Mort. " While I have the chance I want to thank you for everything you have done for us. There couldn't be a more caring king." She smiled and felt proud of herself for not stumbling over her words as she talked to the king. Maybe all this had done her a little good in the long run. Sig glanced at Momo and smiled warmly.
CheshireKttty
Ol-j-man
Ayeavast
Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2013 8:59 pm
Millie took comfort in the small boy's head pat. "I'm just glad you're here." She said, unable to say anything else... Her head seemed more full of guilt than anything else.
I'm sorry that you died. I'm sorry that I didn't do more...If you're here though, where was Henry...? She wasn't even sure what she would say to him. 'Sorry for helping to kill you' sounded like the most hollow apology in the world.
Kailey Koreco
Lilwolfpard
You're here because you're nearby, yes? smile
Nothing Yet
Grey Dragon
Torvil
Sorry for the double post, but I'm dragging you to the most recent post XD
Meegane
Sorry for the double post, but I'm dragging you to the most recent post XD
astrabot
Alicia Firestar
Fluffy Shapeshifter
Offline
kuropeco
Dramatic Marshmallow
Offline
Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2013 9:00 pm
Sparrow had been quiet for the majority of the time spent, absently worrying the cuffs of his sleeves. It felt strange, being in this world that was not a world. Different, yet not entirely unpleasant. Confusing, certainly, but at the same time...
His thoughts felt heavy, but his expression was light, as it always was.
He found Remi first, hesitating only a moment before reaching out to tap the other on the shoulder.
"Remi, I just wanted to...say I'm sorry," he said, twisting his sleeve again and looking properly ashamed of himself. "You tried to tell me what was going on, and I...wasn't listening."
There was a small, slightly sheepish smile. "You're a good friend."
Lilwolfpard
CRAPPY TAG IS CRAPPY YEAHHH
Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2013 9:04 pm
Eva glanced up, startled when she was suddenly addressed. However, when she turned to find that it was Mort who had bee the one to speak, a big grin bloomed over the girl's face, and she bounced over to give her King a hug and a cheek rub.
"It really is a pity, is't it? I do miss my ears, but...well, at least I still possess my nice butt." She laughed cheerfully and then drew away, her expression growing slightly more solemn as she looked at the man who she had spent her existence here serving. After a moment of pause, she stepped back and bowed.
"Thank you, m'lord. Truly, I...it was a great honour to work with you and everyone else. I couldn't ask for a better king." She straightened up, and her expression took on a comical edge, the corner of her lips curving upwards in a wry smile. "Though I am still quite put out that you did not finish that story! Velociraptor race, nngh--it sounds so fascinating!"
A laugh, and then she turned greeted whoever else she could find, throwing her arms around Belladonna and giving the girl a tight squeeze. It was indeed a pity that the hair-decorating never happened--and now Eva no longer had her fuzzy ears either--but it was okay!
Ofie was next, and the cheerful girl was more than happy to affectionately rub her cheek against hers. "I was most fond of the cuddles--thank you for that! It is something that we must do again if we can, and perhaps we can rope Alex into it again."
Ol-j-man
...Idk if Mort is still there or what IF HE MOVED/SOMETHING HAPPED assume...she did this before all that >__> <33
Rosy blinks as she was suddenly crashed into by Gilly. With a chuckle, she looks down at her before she nods "Alright, I will join you in a moment." turning away from her, she blinks as she see Spinar back away from her. Her hand reaching out to attempt to grab his hand, but never reached it. Pulling it back, she shakes her head "Spinar..." she was trying to hold back the tears. She really hope to talk to Spinar, she needed to tell him something.
Was she ever going to get her chance now?
Blinking back the tears, she turns to follow after Gilly. Maybe he wasn't suppose to know at all. That was what hurt her the most at the moment, cause she wanted him to know how she felt. Stopping only a few inches as she watch the young one talk to Xiu. Her hands clenched in front of her as she smiles, just watching the interaction between the two of them.
She would wait her turn, and allow Gilly to say her goodbye before she spoke to Xiu.
She wait her turn at the moment. Every couple of seconds she look back to see if she could spot a certain person.
CheekieBirdiee
Your evil, you made me cry.
cheshire
<3
Kaiyumi
<3
Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2013 9:07 pm
The Shadow King's greeting made her puff out her cheek, her hands moving to rest in stubborn defiance on her hips. Yes, her again. WHATTCHA GONNA DO ABOUT IT, SHADOW BOIL?! The words almost escaped, but she held them back, instead sighing out the breath she had been holding and folding her arms across her chest. She had nothing to say about the fact he failed to save her, at least nothing she could think to comment; it was confusing, in a way, to try and save someone that never really existed...but then again, there were memories, and memories meant that they did in fact happen...right?
All it did was confuse her further, and so she opted to not think about it too hard. Or at all.
"...Okay. But if I go home and he isn't there, I swear to Jack I'm going to find my way back here!" That was really the only threat she had to impart on him, knowing full well that she had been quite the thorn in his side since she awoke. Some of the wind blew from her sails as he went on to talk about his Moon, the somewhat-but-not-really Amrita from this world. He really did love her, didn't he? So much so that she was his one true wish...out of everything he could have asked for as a King, he wanted Moon.
Her arms shifted, subtly shifting her arms up to hold herself. It...would be very nice to be wanted like that. She almost felt bad for severing such a bond, just like she was almost jealous over someone that didn't really exist.
"Well...if I could return her, I would." Amrita murmured honestly, shaking her head slowly. Her voice lowered again, really not too keen on saying this to any one but the Shadow King in front of her. "I really do hope that she'll be there for you when you go back. I...really think that's the only place in any world she really exists." The strong, confident Moon certainly didn't exist in Halloween; Amrita herself was weak and clumsy, just trying to keep her head above water. Certainly not Queen or Advisor material. "I know she can't exist in my world, just like you can't." She still had enough hope in the Real Aymet that this beast wasn't him, just a twisted form of him, cooked up by some unknown evil. "So don't thank me, because she's not me, not even slightly." Well, aside from the being stubborn part. Not even she could overlook that one.
Merope piped up and Amrita brightened, only a little bit. "Ah! You're alive!" Of course he was, but it was still good to note. She was bursting at the seams, wanting to smother them all in hugs, but she couldn't bring herself to do it, at least not yet. She seemed to have more to say, but her attention drew towards the creature giving her puppysaur eyes. Rex.
"...Oh! Yeah! Uh...here?" She offered him the sandwich he had given her earlier, bite marks and all.
Hopefully he wouldn't notice.
"Right! That reminds me---" Apparently trying to feed the Puppy-dinosaur was a clear reminder of memories. Clearly. "--Whisper asked me to try and remember something to tell the her on our side later. Did you want me to try and tell Aymet something? Or uh, you...boil?" What was that Dinosaur's name again...?
It was relatively easy to spot Thackary, and with him a few others. One she recognized as among those who attacked the king of the dead, the other...
It was with great respect Agsilved bowed to Jove as she approached. He had done more than she could imagine in his time here. "It's good to see you well." She was no bard, no great speaker or weaver of tales. But she was genuinely happy to see the small boy again. Here. Smiling. Alive. Regardless of their existence's name.
Seeing how Millie embraced the boy, she only smiled and left the two relatively alone. Instead, her attentions turned to Thackary. Her King. Perhaps a meaningless title, given the circumstances. But... Her memories. She'd been given a new start in his kingdom, a chance to make the most of her new existence among the dead. False memories... but they were hers. Did that really make them any less real?
Hesitant, sheepish, and with manners at a complete distaste for what she was about to do... she stepped towards Thackary, wings curled around herself. "I... I just wanted... to thank you. For everything. It--" Was she tearing up? Sort of. She could feel the moisture of ink at her eyes. Likely the whites had taken on a darker tint to them as well. Agsilved was not one to cry. This was... embarrassing. Ugh. That'd likely make her cry more if she dwelled on it. "You gave us a home. Thank you." Her eyes shifted towards Remi briefly as she said this. He had been among those to say it wasn't real. She knew this to be true. She'd heard the Voice, the Pillars. Seen the world shatter, fall apart. But... it was still theirs.
Alicia Firestar
Lilwolfpard
Nothing Yet
Grey Dragon
Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2013 9:12 pm
They were trapped behind this stupid sheet of glass.
The guy with them wasn't bad-looking, at least.
He had the same scars. Harrison had gotten his on one of his first jobs for the previous organization. He got shanked, the guys he was running with ditched, and the intended target spent a little extra time carving him up.
Harrison had lived.
The guy who did it didn't. When you had enough money, nobody was hard to find.
He was broke, now. Fake treasure. B0nez stuck close, looking over at the other body and finding it kind of eerie. He was more interested in the swords. Wicked, elegant, badass. ...Pink. At least it was like, a cool pink. Violent and neon. The color meant assault more than flower picking.
B0nez reached for some of the wiring.
Harrison lifted a hand to touch the scars.
Harrison found himself looking into a familiar pair of eyes. The weapon, too, seemed to stir. "Hey," Harrison said, "wakey wakey. ...You know where we are? Your...your guys should be coming to get you soon, so where's...?"
The other Harrison looked past him. And when he reached, his arm when clean through. Like Harrison wasn't even there.
Woah. Did you see that, he-? B0nez started.
There was a crack.
The gate, the mirror, whatever the Voice had told them to carefully guard, broke. And when the other Harrison and B0nez left, neither of them could follow. They were trapped. In a small space, like a coffin. Considering all they'd done over the years, maybe they deserved it. But...
"What now?" Harrison asked, hoarse.
They were alone. How were they ever supposed to get to...?
The pillar showed up again. You were alone.
Harrison's heart surged with something like hope.
His Crew, his pals, the ones that had helped him get where he was and helped him stay there, and...no. Still not his guys. They were the other ones. It felt like his stomach had dropped out.
Ying gave a speech, toasting imaginary glasses and paying tribute to each member of the family. He bent, last, at Harrison's feet, and Harrison put a brief hand on his shoulder, not trusting himself to speak.
They weren't here. They weren't here.
He felt dizzy and sick. He'd torn through hell, climbed heaven's proverbial staircase, died- how many times did he have to die? Alone, alone, he had been lied to again, chasing vapor trails after...after somebodies that were probably already dead, long-dead, worse than dead... Harrison had died, and here he was. They weren't.
The Other Rep approached him.
They both knew.
It was hard to look at him.
I felt the connection snap.
Harrison tried not to flinch.
he couldn't be there to help you
He'd wept in what he thought was his final moments. Asked for Rep. He didn't want to do it now.
he was pretty intent on finding you
And Harrison knew that intense, searching, piercing ache. And the sick feeling now, thwarted, too late for either of them.
I know he will.
"This is it," Harrison finally croaked out an answer. Unable to add any more on without breaking down. There weren't any more chances. They'd all been stolen.
He stepped back, and watched B0nez wave an enthusiastic goodbye, then turned his shoulder.
"If you can visit or whatever then don't be shy about it, you guys were really cool in there, the Voice was all nooooo, nooooo, and you were all ZOMBIES ********, and then it was like HA IT WAS A TRICK but then you were like NO YOU. It was great. I'd have another go. ...Except dying sucked, really brutal. But kind of cool too. I wish I'd been able to keep the logs I bet like, my face melting off was like- eeeeeeek rraaargh kkksh."
It was the end. And he wasn't here.
The cheering, the kissing, even the Black King over with his soldiers. It was almost like a New Years Eve party. The end of an era. The end of him.
Harrison sat down and buried his face in his hands.
He'd been brief. Distant. Busy, when it mattered. Trying to defend the Kingdom and win a rigged game, if that's what it took to keep them. There had been small touches. He remembered Rep's hands, curled into claws as he embraced him, clinging to the last shred of contact they'd have. Not Rep. Harrison had kissed Jordan. Brief, public. Told he loved him. Had it softly answered in return. Their rings had clinked together as they held hands for a stolen moment. Harrison promised he'd see them through the dangers ahead. Not Jordan.
Jordan, being ripped away from him. Not having time to speak.
That had been him. That last glimpse.
He wept bitterly, because what did it matter.
In that moment, he registered hands on each of his shoulders. One smaller than the other, but with a deceptively firm, strong grip, the other heavy, already pulling him to his feet, and he wasn't sure who started the embrace but they all had fistfuls of each other's plain, soft, silver fabric in hand, gripping each other tightly, determined this time not to be torn apart by any force-
"Rep," Harrison choked, "Jordan."
His Rep. His Jordan. He kissed them each so hard it hurt, long kisses, deep kisses, any other pain was light compared to the depth of separation.
"I went through hell-" he tried, the story cycling. Heaven. Earth. In between. I would have ripped apart each of the 7 Kingdoms, overturned every rock, waded through every gutter- "You're back. You're here." His shoulders shook again, but this time they were supported. He leaned into them, and had somebody else to bear the weight. They were strong, stable. They were right again. The money had been nice. But he didn't need fake walls or treasures.
"I love you," he told the right people, kissing Jordan with fierce emphasis, "-I love you," and Rep with the same determination, holding them upright too, and letting his head rest between them. "We're here," he told them, "we're here at the end."
....
"and it's not Game Over!" B0nez called, still waving, "I mean, maybe this session but it's like, it's like just one genre right? We beat it! We won! Haha, we did it-!"
Overhearing the pirate ask them to try and find the ship, Poke thought for a moment. Roch did have a point. If they were all going to go out, it would be best to do it up there in space. A very fitting end to the space travelers lives in her mind mind.
"Sounds like a bad a** idea to me." She replied. "I'm."
Hell, maybe the ship was even repaired.
Syusaki
Kanth
Ice Queen
iloveyouDIE
LOLTERNATIVE
Inu-Mitsu
Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2013 9:16 pm
Gilly slowly looked up, her eyes were all gummy from the tears. "You'll always be my king Miss Xiu." She motioned like she wanted to hug Xiu, but stopped. Feeling it was inappropriate, she instead bowed once more.
Rosy had caught up to Gilly and she smiled as she stepped back. "I think I'm good to go now. See you on the other side!" Gilly smiled at them both, and started to fade.
Imryn shielded her eyes against the light as they adjusted, smiling a bit and giving a little wiggle of her fingers, relieved to be able to have all her senses back for a little while at least. All of the anxiety and fear from before seemed to just slip away as she looked about the room to see all of the other fragments gathered there as well, saying their goodbyes. She was grateful to the White Pillar for giving them this last chance to go on their own terms, more or less.
Sadly, there weren't many people that she would have wanted to say goodbye to there. There hadn't been a whole lot of time to become better acquainted with the other members of the court and among the mass of fragments all the same color, she didn't know who would be where as it was. The only person who came to her mind was the Emperor. He'd given her a chance to do something more with her life, and while she felt that she hadn't lived up to her potential or contributed much, the least she could do was thank him for the chance before passing on.
Nervously Imryn made her way over to him, glancing around to see a few familiar faces there as well and offering them a small smile and a wave before approaching Mengyao. "Excuse me... Emperor? I realize that you don't know me very well but I just wanted to come and say thank you. Thank you for giving me a chance to do something with myself... to fight for something more than just myself, even for just a little while."
kurotomato
Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2013 9:20 pm
Belladonna articulated the idea before he could and merely nodded, buoyant in spite of the tiefling's words. "Multiple endings . . . I like that. Yes, perfect. This is just one of many - who's to say we can't have something similar in another playthrough on a different system, hmm? Aren't we in control of the dialogue choices after all?"
"You say goodbye, I say hello!" chirped the green king to his champion - or maybe just Alex, rather. There was no swagger, no witty banter, no lewd comments to suggest the dhampir was anything other than saddened. Or perhaps just tired. He didn't blame the guy if he was both at this point. "I'm sure you'll not miss me nattering you're ear off. Go on then, Alex the Quickwitted, you have a sister to attend to and a life to relocate!" He made a shooing motion and grinned. "No harm no foul, right? Be off then, these are not partings but only the space between passages - the loading screens before the next level is rendered." He would not have sappy endings occur between bros in this world or the next; all Alex needed to know was that the king understood why he did why he had now.
For the thief's sake, he did not get a goodbye a** pat. Even Mort figured the joke wouldn't do his friend any good.
And speaking of books, the learned halfdragon bowed to him and he had to gesture for her to stop, please, the motion was no longer needed - even if lingering loyalty warmed his heart nevertheless. "Exactly so," Mort answered with a nod and a smile. "Who's to say something of us won't remain behind? Not the twisted grays or the the echoes of a Voice, but just the memories of a time in a land far far away~" The idea comforted him more than he thought, and it made the king turn introspective. "Take care then, Tori, and should we remember this little story, I hope we meet under fairer skies to retell it~"
Eva's intrigue had him laughing a bit. "I know better than to comment with Belladonna nearby," he quipped in return. "But I owe you a story, by the gods! Well to keep it short, it was supposed to be a chocobo race but at the last minute a drunk handler tried to breed two of them - gold chocobos are time-consuming after all - and things got . . . messy. Velociraptors were apparently the closest things we had at the Gold Saucer. The real fun part was that said drunk handler tried to pick up the feathers and glue them on to pass the velociraptors off as a reptilian subspecies of the birds!" Mort wheezed with laughter and pushed his glasses up. "It was one of those had to be there moments, you know. Now why don't you go into that great beyond and come back to tell me another story, dear Eva? You owe me now after all." And then he let the Viera without her ears go about her business with a simple smile and a wave.
There had never been such a race in Om's history; the tale had simply been something to keep the sniper going, a promise tugging at her curiosity to see through til the end. She had recieved the one about her fellow viera so well, the king could not help himself by gabbing. But then, after all, what good was a parting without some closure? A little Imagination?
He then watched the touching scene between the two silvers who had clung to one another shaking when they had first arrived at his kingdom. It felt like an age had passed since then. Mort beamed at the two of them, a hand reaching out to touch their shoulders. "I couldn't have asked for two lovelier and more loyal fighters, given your circumstances! No tears, dears, no tears needed." He offered them a warm smile. "After all, this is a good ending~ Mayhaps in another lifetime we might meet and become friends nevertheless. From my understanding, bonds reach past even the layers of reality."
That much he understood when he realized that love had.
"Go in peace," he told them, squeezing their shoulders before letting them go to have their moment - as he wanted to have his.
He grasped the faerie's hand gently and tugged her off to the side. "This is it, isn't it?" he asked softly, still smiling but with a bit more of a wistful edge to it. "The ending scenes coming to a close, the credits soon to roll. Before you go, might I ask something of you?"
Aezeloth smiled when Maple appeared and quickly bowed his head. "Yes, let us find the rest of our friends,"
It was time for final goodbyes, of sending messages, of welcoming the next step of their journey together.
"Let's see where they might be," He chuckled, casting his eyes around for familiar faces. When they fell upon the Black Kingdom Queen and several others, he motioned for the other two to follow.
Face your demons
chirigami
Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2013 9:22 pm
Rex eyed her suspiciously, looking between her and the half eaten sandwich then back again. Did he recognize that sandwich? Maybe, maybe not, but he took it just the same, a happy chirp as he scarfed it down. Delicious.
However he only looked at Amrita in confusion at the question, uncertain of what she meant. He had barely grasped the concept of fragments (or at least as much of it as he could understand), it seemed the idea of another side, or those who did not belong to this one, was one he had not grasped. Later however, he at least understood that word.
"Sandwiches...later?"
Enoh Love
Amon Larethian
Swashbuckling Sentai
Offline
kuropeco
Dramatic Marshmallow
Offline
Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2013 9:23 pm
He stood alone for several long moments, watching as Lifen - (no, not Lifen,, he kept reminding himself) made her way towards the subjects of his kingdom, greeting them in turn. She was like the caretaker of them all, Mengyao thought, and somewhere inside of his chest, his heart gave a painful squeeze, reminding him that this was all about to end, that he himself would not ever get the chance to tell her - tell his Lifen - that he had not merely thought of her as a simple friend.
No, his feelings had been much, much more complex than that, but he had been a fool, he had been selfish, trying to keep everything minimalized within himself because it was easier that way, easier to merely push aside those questionable feelings and pretend that he felt nothing at all instead.
Easier, perhaps, but less satisfying. An emptiness had settled inside of him long before he had discovered the real intent of those who had been placed inside of his kingdom.
And now he understood why.
Footsteps approaching him made him turn his head a little, Mengyao catching sight of Shaheen. He wasn't sure what her reaction would be, seeing as how she was one of them, and for an instant he stiffened automatically, wondering if she might attack him.
But then she sank to one knee, bowing her head in respect and the gesture was so overwhelmingly familiar, so very unexpected that for several moments Mengyao could not find the right words to speak. He stared at her for a long minute.
"...stand up."
He was shaking his head, and he reached down, his fingers light as they grasped her upper arm, pulling her gently.
"Stand up," said Mengyao quietly. "You do not owe me such a tribute. You have done enough to prove yourself worthy, and I am...honored...to have been able to call you my General...and my friend."
He stepped back and ducked his head in a small bow, returning the gesture. Then he straightened, gave Shaheen a small, faint smile and stepped away.
Imryn's voice made him turn towards her, his footsteps slowing until they stopped, and Mengyao's gaze flickered down, shifting so that he faced her entirely.
"No," he said, and his tone was surprisingly gentle, Mengyao shaking his head. "No, I know you well enough. You are...you were a good and loyal member of my court, and I have been well pleased to have known you."
He reached out and took her hand, turning her arm over so that the golden mark of Edric upon her wrist was visible, pointing upwards towards the sky. Mengyao lifted his hand and pressed his fingers lightly to the mark, as though giving a salute, and then let go, stepping back, and giving Imryn the same bow he had given Shaheen.
"I wish you well, Imryn. Very well. Please find happiness in the world you seek."
And then there was only one left.
One last person. One face that he wanted ingrained within his mind so that his memories - all of them - would be her and only her, even if this version of her was not quite the same as the one he thought it was.
"I love you."
The words came out before he could stop them, though he didn't regret them. Mengyao's eyes locked with hers, and he held her gaze, his expression utterly calm.
"I love you," he said again. "I know you're...you're whatever you are, but I cannot keep pretending any longer, even if you are not the same Lifen. I love you, and I have loved you since we were children."
Behind the other Lifen he could see her, see the familiar, long dark hair in a plait down her back, see the knowing, dual colored eyes, see the glint of mischief, the way her gaze seemed to shimmer a little, a few tears wetting her cheeks. A smile - a real smile found its way onto his face, Mengyao's expression shifting, just a little. He lifted a hand and put it against his chest, over his heart, and though he spoke to the other Lifen, it was her eyes he held.
"I will always love you, even when the heart that holds that love ceases to exist."
