audience: daan

[mygod]

Comments

[mygod]

... sorry.

[ they go quiet for a moment. ]

I do think there is a point, though. The people who died deserve that belief.

[recession]

...The dead aren't typically around to tell stories when we're all just slated to join them.

There's really no way to reverse this scorch...? Or stop the festival... the ritual at all?

[mygod]

That's what we're trying to figure out. I don't think it's impossible. It's just...

[ they fold their arms over their chest. ]

Finding an answer just isn't going to go quickly.

[recession]

... Do you have anything at all you could share? Even your own theories...

[mygod]

... well, I don't think the huge body count each week is what they want. All of you dying before the final ritual being ready would screw everything over, so once they notice the numbers are getting weirdly low, they may panic.

[recession]

Wasn't it mentioned that if they run low, they'd just pull more folks from more worlds?

I don't understand. Their goal is mass slaughter, but not too much...? Is there a set number they need as living sacrifices standing on top of the bodies on the final day?

...

I heard that you store away the bodies of our deceased.

[mygod]

Basically, once they summoned you guys in, it was locked in to you for this attempt. If they are to bring another group in, they would have to completely start over. Doable, but frustrating to deal with, especially since most of them aren't really patient.

They don't need all of you alive for it, but it's... For example, for an experiment, you don't bring the exact number of materials you need for it. You have to have extra, in case something goes wrong. It's why they don't mind if they lose some of you to the monsters going berserk, since the high number was suppose to make up for any potential losses.

[ they tilt their head. ]

We handle them, yeah.

[recession]

So what's the minimum number they need for it, then? And do they have to be unpossessed?

[ I'm manifesting a Final Girl joke in here 🙏. Please. All girls for the finale. ]

...Why? As opposed to say, a proper burial...

[mygod]

I don't know, is the thing. They didn't want to give us too many details because of how close we would be to you all in proximity. They said in case you guys somehow overpowered and information from us.

[ they hum lightly. ]

... sorry. I don't really trust putting people in the ground here.

[recession]

...I guess not.

[ The tension leaves him temporarily for exhaustion and hollowness, sinking back into the bed or whatever he's resting on. ]

It's just been -- a good while now, and I still feel like I'm not much closer to actually solving anything.

It really is like Prehevil, all over again.

[mygod]

[ there's a pause, and they dig into their pocket and hold something else out to him. this time it's sunflower seeds. ]

What was it like?

[recession]

[ ...?

He opens his hand and accepts these, turning them over in his hands. He frowns, a little pained. That's right, he'd entrusted the lavender Pestilence gave them to Aerith... ]

Prehevil? God-awful. Nightmare of a city... thought it was like that when I just thought it was the backwaters capital of Bohemia, but I happened on it at... I guess, the only thing I can really say is at an extraordinarily bad time.

Festival of Termina. Three days to kill everyone else there and be crowned champion, or... I don't know what else. A terribly long three days, though...

[mygod]

Oh.

[ if they knew what battle royale was, they would make the reference. instead, they try to imagine it. ]

But you made it through the three days?

[recession]

[ It was in fact somewhat framed as a Battle Royale, although there's a lot of friendship you can make in it. I guess you can kill everyone too though that's fine. ]

...I don't know that I'd say I made it through them...

The moon was rising on the third eve when I was suddenly pulled here. I'd... made it to Prehevil's Moon Tower, but I never found out what was behind those doors. I felt... an oppressing headache, and darkness.

And then I was here.

[mygod]

[ it is always one bad situation to the next one. ]

Disorientating. [ and a little worrying, but it doesn't seem like pestilence needs to point that out. daan would know that better than them. ] What did you want to be behind them?

[recession]

...

Something better than this.

[ No offense. But he means that pretty broadly -- better than the war, better than Prehevil, better than that immediate situation he was in, bloodied and harrowed and none closer to any sort of closure or truth and, or so he's convinced, on the precipice of transforming into something worse. ]

...

Sorry to turn the conversation around so sharply, but...

Are these seeds viable?

[mygod]

They are, yes. It'll be a little tricky, because of all the fog around here.

[ they look upwards when they say that, frowning slightly. ]

But they should be able to bloom quite nicely.

[recession]

[ He rubs his eye tiredly, but. ]

Would you mind teaching me the basics of how to germinate them?

I think the church exterior could do with something like this.

[mygod]

Hehe, of course. that's my specialty, after all. And it's nice, to learn how to care for these things.

... any reason why the church in particular?

[recession]

Ms. Gainsborough said the church from her home was a place where some unique flowers grew.

Thought it'd be the most appropriate.

WHat ppened here

[mygod]

[ they think about the flower fields in the stained glass, at the church in the side rooms. ]

Everyone always mentioned her and flowers. [ ... ] I think it'll look really nice in bloom.

[recession]

It was in our first conversation, and she's the one that brought up the idea of lilies for a memorial the previous week. It sticks out a bit.

Seemed fitting, though.

[mygod]

It does. I think she'd really appreciate it. Plus, it's always nice to be thought of.

[ even when the situation isn't ideal. ]

We can plant 'em and I'll write some instructions.

[recession]

Thank you, Pestilence.

[mygod]

Hehe, any time, Daan.

[ they can go plant some flowies ]