requiescat-aria

[requiescat-aria]

jinghei jia || epilogue

There was convenience in waking to an empire that’s already crumbled.

When Jinghei first opened her eyes, it was to condolences aplenty from whoever saw her. To no surprise; the sordid tale of the poor woman who was nearly murdered by her detestable parents, who thankfully lost their lives in a fire that engulfed the home before they could finish the job. None of them can imagine the terror a young woman might feel, trying to protect her younger sibling and herself from people who should protect them.

… She knows that, perhaps, returning to life could make her memory murky, but she remembers very clearly being the one who silently sat and waited to see if the poison slipped into the wine would kill her parents, or if the knife on the table would have to finish the job.

All of that was lost. It was a miracle, everyone said, that Jinghei’s younger sibling managed to drag her out of the house before their parents could kill them both.

Mingzhu always wore an adequately grief-stricken frown around everyone else. The second they were alone, they would smile pleasantly, and whisper how deeply cathartic it was to burn that place to the ground, knowing that their parents' corpses and their previous untouchable legacy turned to ashes with it. And, teasingly, how lucky they were that the big sister was so much smaller than the sibling 7 years younger than her.

The life she had fought tooth and nail for her whole life - the years and years spent planning and working herself to the bone so she could get away with murder –

It simply falls into her lap, and finally, she thinks that she deserves it.

Pages and pages of aftermath, of fallout, of business meetings and shareholder discussions, could be written of the weeks that followed in Jinghei Jia’s life, but in reality, it’s nothing but a distant, forgettable memory. What happened? It was sold, and it was no longer her problem. If the company cleared its corruption under its new leadership, or if it continued along the expected track of capitalism – that doesn’t matter. She doesn’t care.

Those days of her life will, slowly yet surely, be replaced by memories so full of warmth that she won’t be able to remember how cold she used to be.

It will be replaced by memories like this one, that happen so frequently they shouldn’t be special, but to her, are irreplaceable. It’s replaced by two years of a happy life.

It’s replaced by…

[♫♫♫]

A tired, but impossibly fond smile as she watches two cats slink by to sit at the front door of their quaint home in the Japanese countryside. By now, they know the drill, and Jinghei thinks they’re far more clever than dogs to not need to be trained to know. They hop up on the small bench next to their harnesses and backpacks, and wait.

A despaired wail comes from the kitchen that she ignores in favour of dialling a familiar number on her phone. On the other end, someone picks up rather quickly.

Jinghei leans against the wall, unable to hide the mirth in her voice as she speaks.

“Hello? Are you two busy this evening? … No, no, this time it’s the microwave. Sealed condensed milk. 10 minutes straight.”

As she speaks, someone miserably shuffles out of the kitchen and into the hallway. Ken holds a still smouldering microwave, the interior and door blackened and damaged from the force of a five minute hack gone horribly wrong. Like always, she sniffles out mourning words for the microwave that heroically survived two women who cannot cook for an entire month.

“We didn’t have to call the fire department this time. I’m very proud of her.”

Ken goes to toss the microwave outside. Jinghei can’t bite back her laugh.

“We’ll bring something with us. Ken was working at the market the other day, and they were very generous. We clearly don’t know what to do with it.”

She twirls her hair, listening to the person on the other end. Ken packs up the cats.

“Okay. Thank you. We’ll see you soon, Ryuji.”

She knows, like always, he will offer to teach her to cook, and like always, she’ll fail to really learn much of anything useful. Their days are touched with this repetition; things that happen so often she could navigate them with her eyes closed. Every lazy morning with her wife, every evening she spent telling Jinghei what odd job she got up to for fun. Every shared dinner in their eclectic little family, that’s stayed as strange and impossibly precious as it’s always been.

She thinks to herself that the basket of fresh ingredients won’t stop Enji from pretending to complain that they’re in his home again, but Jinghei will ignore him, Ryuji will let them in, and Ken will launch into a long story about how this hack definitely should have worked.

It has happened before, and it will happen again.

“Ready t’go, darlin’?”

And every time, it reminds Jinghei how deeply she loves life.

[requiescat-aria]

My DAIMYO is dead. I only want BUSHIDO. | Nori | Epilogue

It’s hard to stand on your own two feet again.

The theater is as familiar as ever, with its cobwebbed corners and the permeating smell of dust. The constant looping de-deng of a shamisen from the brittle speakers of an old CD player. Little has changed since the last time he was here, though he can only hope that the building’s fixtures are more secure. Having a lead actor shattered under a mountain of wood and cardboard should be a wake-up call for any respectable businessowner. 

He fields the usual questions, the ones he’s been rehearsing in his head so as to not stumble over his words. Going through the motions, like usual. Yes, he’s alright. He’s still going back to the hospital for physical therapy, his limbs atrophied from the medical bed’s stiff frame and starched sheets. It might be a while before he takes another role, but he’ll be back. He just wanted to come visit and see how everyone was doing. It’s been a while, after all. But it’s a real shame what happened to Shishou. Still, he passed away in his home, surrounded by loving friends and family. 

And isn’t that nice? Not everyone gets to die that way. Shouldn’t we all be so lucky.

The hospital’s stark, white interior bore little difference from the clinical atmosphere of the TRIAL. When Nori first opened his eyes, there was a flash of panic. Maybe he’d never left. Could it have been a lie? But before he could process that, he was flung back to reality by arms thrown around him and the sobbing of an-chan, oh, god from his younger sisters. Asuga, red-faced and looking as if she’d like to slap him for making them all worry so much. Kaida, barely restraining herself from pouncing on him like an old friend she hadn’t seen in years.

And their mother, teary-eyed and trying to find the right words with which to greet her son.

Welcome back.

There was some sort of mysterious theatergoer who had gone to see The Love Suicides at Sonezaki that day. A foreigner, one of his fellow actors would later tell him, maybe some kind of tourist. If so, it was kind of strange that he was at their humble establishment rather than a more famous one like the Kabuki-za. The story was relayed to him of how this man, with a strange name that his fellow actor butchered every time he tried to say it, rushed the stage after the collapse of the tree and started digging through the rubble, finally managing to pull the comatose lead actor out by the arm.

Nori listened, and a smile tugged at the edges of his lips. He was met with a scolding. What are you laughing about?! You almost died! 

It was kind of funny, though. Picturing Crocell carrying him bridal-style out from the remains of the set.

But he kept this to himself. How would he explain it to anyone?

He was still at the hospital for treatment, but he went with his family to Shishou’s funeral. People stood and spoke in hushed whispers, eyeing the kabuki master’s portrait sitting on the butsudan. But there were flowers, so many flowers, and the whispers were those of fond memory. His teacher had affected the lives of so many, not just him.

Nori tugged at the cuffs of his suit jacket and tried not to think of how, if not for his luck, his family would have had to sit through another funeral. 

Shishou’s widow approached him as his family prepared to leave. The Yagyu name is yours now, she said. She held his hands in her own, and he could feel her every raised vein and the wrinkles on her palm. Do what you like with it. But know that you are welcome here, always.

During the TRIAL, he had thought of hanging his hat and leaving the stage. It felt like the world was changing around him, but he stayed the same. Had he gained anything meaningful from the experience? It felt like the others had, and that he had fallen behind. The detective and dealer had found love. The idol and the killer had found family. 

What did he have, but a name he felt he could not live up to? But the pity of others as they crested so easily through the water while he floundered and struggled for air?

Maybe what he had found was resolve. A desire to keep living. He had viewed himself as a flimsy reed, incomparable to the might of a great tree. But a reed bends in the wind. It does not break, and it does not fall.

Taneyori Yagyu IV stands on the theater stage in plainclothes, his shoes directly on the tape-marked X where he was meant to stand during that fateful performance. He wouldn’t be returning to the theater for a while. Right now, his stage was the couch in his therapist’s office, and she was his only audience. 

Someday, he’d come back. He’d cake his cheeks in paint again and sing to the heavens in hopes that those who stayed behind would hear. He’d reach out to the others and finally be able to face them without feeling that they had something he fundamentally lacked. He’d grow old and withered and pass on his name to another aspiring actor, like his mentor had before him, and his before that. 

For now, though, he stands on his own. Soon, he’ll be able to run.

「終わり」

[requiescat-aria]

The Dragon Wind Blows Anew | Ryuji | Epilogue

[♫♫♫]

The first thing that Ryuji becomes cognizant of, before even his eyes open, is two voices close to him. Back and forth they pass words between each other, words that are much too quiet for Ryuji to understand...words that even if audible still wouldn’t make sense to a man who hadn’t fully woken up. The seconds feel like years passing him by...his eyes do eventually open though. He immediately squeezes them shut again when he feels a burning behind his eyes from the brightness of the room he has found himself awoken in. It is only a second before he tries again, his eyes slowly open and adjust to the world around him again. 

He speaks nothing at first, he doesn’t even get a chance before the two voices that were speaking are rushing to the side of the bed. He had recognized the sounds of the whispers but wasn’t able to visualize the faces in his head, his brain just wasn’t able to catch up with all the stimuli coming second after second. The two look down over him, blurry at first but those faces come into focus. Standing over his bed, looking down at him with tears in their eyes…

A man who looked somewhat like Ryuji but scruffier, paler skin, and hair that showed more age than even Ryuji’s. With him was another man with long dark hair and a mustache that Ryuji would recognize anywhere. Ryuji thought that there really was the chance that he was never going to see either of them again...having that feeling be put to the grave forever...well...Ryuji couldn’t help but put on the biggest grin that his face could form.

“I’m...home…”

Of course they wouldn’t understand what that meant, just words that were said in a state of post-coma delirium surely. Quick as lightning the two threw themselves at Ryuji and with all his strength he moved his arms to hug the two of them back. Saying the words again...he was home...not yet out of the hospital but in the arms of his family. This was home. Tears shed between the three and eventually small conversation.

Ryuji learned not just of a strange man saving his life but also about the fate of the man whom he had once called his lover. Tomio Yasuda’s attempt on Ryuji’s life had ended in failure now...he was able to be apprehended thanks to the intervention of Crocell Godsent...and now the Tokyo Ripper...the man who brought nothing but misery to those in the area...and brought so much misery to Ryuji...was now behind bars and sitting in death row. Ryuji wishes he could feel more joyful about it but instead...it just feels hollow. From what he learned...Tomio had no remorse for his crimes...he welcomed the possibility of execution with a smile on his face and a wish the he had been able to complete his final murder...and that was more than enough for Ryuji to know. The truth that he had accidentally become involved with someone more twisted than he ever could’ve imagined was more devastating now that he had to face it in the living world again...

But that’s all over now, his time with Tomio Yasuda is a time in his life that he would rather leave behind to collect dust while he moves on...while he moves on to wherever the wind takes him next…he will never be able to forget but he can walk forward...one step at a time...he had a new man to give his love to anyway...

Days pass in the hospital with smiles. Every day, his brother Ryuu, is by his bedside telling him stories and on some days Guy is able to join to liven up the space as well. He missed this...these two idiots making him laugh with their antics. They were going to make nice husbands…

Other days his sister, Taeko, and his niece, Rika, joined in the visits. Taeko was always the more serious and tougher one of all the siblings, chastising Ryuji for what had happened but...having a softer side when Ryuu and Rika weren’t in the room. She had hugged Ryuji just as tight as the others and cried over him surviving the attempted murder…

When night came and he was alone in his hospital bed he tossed and turned, trying to sleep but finding all attempts futile. There was just far too much going on in his head all at once. Ryuji had too many thoughts, too many worries, so much fear that he was going to close his eyes and wake back up in his room that he had in the afterlife...So whenever he was feeling restless he would open his laptop and get to work. Searching up all he can on three certain people. Jinghei Jia. Kennedy Adams. And lastly…

Enji...

Eventually, Ryuji was able to be discharged from the hospital with the only long-term damage to his body being nothing but a stab wound on his stomach...as long as he takes it easy and takes care of it he was told the wound should heal quite nicely. He hates that he will forever have this final reminder of Tomio etched on his body...but he supposes he can’t complain too much when he was saved from much worse happening to him than just the first stab…

Ryuji’s first order of business back in the world of the living was quitting his job as a detective. Though Ryuji was skilled and well-loved in his department it was a decision that surprised no one and went over with a nod and hopes that he is able to find something he loves more than this. It wasn’t bittersweet for Ryuji as he had already decided long ago that this was the first thing he was going to do. He was tired of being a detective...he was tired of always having to look brutality in the face and only be able to keep a neutral expression. Every day as a detective was killing his emotions slowly. 

Ryuji was tired of that…

Ryuji wanted to smile more. 

The days after were easy for him as an unemployed man, he had quite a bit of money set aside in case he had ever wanted to quit his job and selling the ring he had wanted to use to get engaged offered a nice sum in itself. This is all he had wanted right now, he didn’t want to stress, and he didn’t want to have to think too hard about anything. Was it wrong to just lay on the couch in his brother’s apartment playing video games? Probably but he can’t say he cared too much when they were so welcoming. He deserved to rest...he had been through a lot.

And...it wasn’t like he was doing nothing. Every moment he could he was spending figuring out how to get in contact again with those three. The first one was the easiest...the one that he had wanted to see most of all...sorry Jinghei and Ken...surely there won’t be any hard feelings in their dads reuniting with each other first. 

Texting him every moment he could...asking him thirty questions about how he’s been doing since they came back to life. He wanted to know every single thing about how Enji was...Ryuu was quick to notice how Ryuji was always glued to his phone. Teasing him with things like asking what was making him smile at his phone so much...there...really wasn’t an answer that Ryuji could give easily. What was he supposed to say? That it was his boyfriend making him smile like that? How does he even explain he has a boyfriend when he just woke up from a coma and spent the past few...however the hell long in the afterlife? There was no simple answer so...he would just say that he had gotten in contact again with a very old friend who was worried about him after finding out he was in the hospital…

Maybe one day...Ryuji will tell Ryuu the truth…

But probably not…

They set up a time...they set up a place and as that day creeped ever closer. The fear and anxiety built up inside Ryuji’s chest. Has he ever been this scared? What was he even scared of? Going on an actual date with Enji? He’s done this multiple times...they walked arm in arm...they’ve fought together...they’ve slept together...they’ve kissed...so why was his face burning so much as he looked at himself in the mirror. Maybe it was the shirt? Would Enji like him in another Legend of Zelda shirt or was he being predictable with his wardrobe? 

No no...this was fine...this was fine. He takes a breath...and needs to be hyped up by Ryuu and Guy before he dares step foot outside into the world. He does though...he takes that step out...he walks...each step is one of fear...each step is one of hope...he wishes so hard that he could be texting Jinghei and Ken again...he wants to see Jinghei call him a fool and Ken hyping him up. At least till that time comes he can replay their voices in his head.

Soon enough, Ryuji reaches the shop, his favorite coffee shop in the area...and also thirty minutes early. He cursed himself for leaving so early because now he was nothing but a mess of nerves sitting at one of the tables. A single cup of coffee he ordered early sits in front of him, not a single sip has been taken as Ryuji can’t even think about enjoying it. His fingers tap rhythmically on the table...his leg bounces with no control to it. 

Every other second he gazes at his phone hoping for the time to change but only a minute has passed in what feels like an eternity.

This was painful...this was so damn painful and Ryuji just wanted it to end. Every time the bell on the door rang his head perked up like a dog being asked if it was time for dinner. And every time it was just someone he wasn’t waiting for...every time...he looked down at his phone as the wait became more and more agonizing…

Till finally...the bell rang…

And Ryuji lifted his head…

[♫♫♫]

And there he saw him...the person who he had been so scared of at first...the person that he had felt himself getting close too...that he had felt himself getting so fond of regardless of the uneasy feeling in his chest...the person that betrayed his trust...the person that he lashed out at...the person that he forgave...the person that he once again grew close too...that he grew even fonder of...the person that he had truly fallen in love with during his time in the land of the dead…

Ryuji had no idea how he would react when Enji was actually there in the flesh...so he let his body move all on its own, controlled completely by nothing but raw emotion. He pushed himself from the table and got to his feet. They guided him to the front of the coffee shop...in a pace that was brisk...nothing was going to get in his way, if someone did then it would be expected they would’ve been pushed out of the way. Luckily for the other customers...no one got in his way. No one blocked his single path to Enji…

“Enji-chan!!”

He shouted out as he got close and threw his arms around the other man, bringing him into an embrace...only once his arms were around him did he let his tears begin to run from his eyes...cascading down his cheeks he sniffled, he hugged the other even tighter...finally...after all this time...the two were finally able to be reunited…

It could be said that this is the end of Ryuji’s story but that actually couldn’t be further from the truth...this was just the beginning of it. This was the beginning of an entirely new story and an entirely new life for the man that will one day become Ryuji Kazama…

There was still so much left for him to do...he still had to reunite with Jinghei and Ken...he still had to leave Tokyo with Enji and move to a quiet lakeside town where the two could live in peace together. He still had to become a fisherman that caught the biggest catch of the season...he still had to try and get married...he still had to see his brother get married...he had to see his niece grow up and see what kind of woman she would become...he still had to see all of the milestones in his daughter’s new lives…he still had so so so much to see and so much to do…

This was only the beginning.

Ryuji Kazama’s life from here to the day he takes his final breath is one where he will follow the wind to whatever joy it brings him too next and my...how many joys in this world there were to be discovered...

[requiescat-aria]

Sunset | Finale | Irina Danilova

Irina Danilova stands in the dressing room of a small luxury boutique in Spain. 

The first swimsuit she chose was a scarlet bikini, understated and elegant with gold chain accents. She admires her figure in the mirror, but her hand instinctively moves to the bits of white, puckered skin that dot her stomach—a parting gift from the bullets that shredded her abdomen. 

Even so, there's not a single one-piece among the swimsuits Irina chose. After trying on a few more, she found herself unable to decide and left the store with all of them in tow. She can afford it, after all. Selling her company was the easy part. 

The hard part was saying goodbye. 

When she awoke in the hospital and saw her brother and sister standing over her, she almost thought they were two strangers. It had been so long since she last saw them. But now she saw the gray streaks beginning to color the golden hair Isadora had inherited from their mother. The deep lines setting into Ivan's face, each one signifying an experience in his life that Irina had missed. 

There was little else to do in the hospital except to catch up. Even when they were children, Irina could hardly say she was ever particularly close to her siblings. And even now, there was a distance between them that she lacked the patience to overcome, as much as she desired to. But perhaps that was for the best. They would never understand her reasons for leaving. 

Not leaving, per se. Disappearing, rather. And taking with her all the progress on her military projects. And sabotaging a few others on her way out, for good measure. 

Irina finds her way back to her new apartment, a modest, but serviceable, unit. Smaller than what she's used to, certainly, but the area is gorgeous and near enough to Ricardo as she remains on standby while he sorts out his own life. Irina expects that she'll see Aki soon as well, so she makes a mental note to start online Japanese lessons. 

The Sun begins to set, but Irina only slows her pace. She's in no hurry these days. In fact, she savors the quickly drifting warmth on her skin and the intense red hue currently bathing the town. 

The first thing she does once she gets inside is open her laptop. Before entering her password, she stares, blankly, at the digital clock on lockscreen, until a minute passes. This has become a sort of ritual for her. A comfort, in some sense, that anchors her back to Earth. 

But it is equal parts a reminder that she is one minute closer to death. A permanent one, this time. And still premature, with the loss of her lifespan. 

But if there's one thing Irina has learned, it's persistence. How could she bear to settle for that, knowing now how much there was to the world? So much more to discover and study. To understand. 

She inputs her password, and the screen changes to the program she left off on. Lines and lines of code. Flimsy and inoperable, for now, but the bare skeleton of her greatest project yet. 

Irina had cheated death once, and she'll do it again. And again. As many times as she needs.

With a self-assured smile, she pours herself a glass of wine and prepares for another late night of working on Irina_Danilova_Backup. 

[requiescat-aria]

Live life to its fullest

🎶🎶🎶

You’re in a hospital. Of course, your surroundings wary, but all of you share the same universal experience of being surrounded by the closest thing you can call to loved ones, alongside a single doctor. Honestly, if one was to observe all of these events at the same time, it’d be called an unsolved mystery.

You all awaken at the same time, on the same day. You’re all told word for word how someone saved you from your certain death.

How this happens differs, of course- some of you listen to the explanation and understand that reality has taken quite the harsh rewrite to ensure that you survived your death and only entered a temporary coma that you’ve just recently awoken from.

A page is flipped on the clipboard, and you pause. Who was it that saved you again? The doctor always clicks their tongue, thinks, and shrugs.

“Some man who called himself Crocell Godsent. He stepped up to save you just in time, although you still fell into quite the coma... We couldn’t get a hold of him, though. He just disappeared after the fact.”

Of course, in some of your cases none of this makes sense. A man named that just appearing to save you? But you already know that the gift is a final goodbye, and you choose to accept it as it was. History had to be rewritten anyway to save you.

You remember it all. Of course. But how are you to deal with the idea that an afterlife exists, except it was made by some weird aliens or something? Of course you’re never going to forget, but it may be best to not talk about it. Leave it as your own common secret.

You spend a few more days in the hospital. You’re given access to the internet, and while it takes some elbow grease and a lot of work, you will (if you so wish, of course) figure out a way to form contact with your fellow former TRIALgoers. And, eventually...

... You are discharged from the hospital. 

You walk outside, and you watch the world, and you feel the breeze on your face. You breathe and take in the air, your eyes open and staring at the sun. And you realize a simple fact:

You are alive and loved by life.

And in the depths of that world, two hearts intertwine and slumber together in that temple, wasting a thousand lifetimes for their natural wakening. For simplicity’s sake-

love needs time. 

The end.

[requiescat-aria]

A parent’s touch

Well, you have said your pieces. Crocell seems puzzled by those that chose to remain, very nervously wringing his hands together. He didn’t even mean to give them the option honestly, but all he can do is blame his own vague wording. And besides?

Maybe Julio was better kept here.

Before things can get awkward with continued silence you feel a warmth around you, a pillar of light slowly descending from the sky as it splits and engulfs all those who, in their heart, have chosen to go back home. Crocell blinks, and looks over to see that Gaia has already begun to fade away.

“Ah-”

In a way, an awkward goodbye might’ve been better. Now he’s left here to see you all slowly start to fade away as well. The transmission is not instant, and you can still observe your surroundings and the people around you as you slowly begin to fade. Those who decided to stay behind find themselves standing behind Crocell.

“I won’t ever forget you!”

🎶🎶🎶

“Not in a million years! Not in a hundred million! Not in a thousand thousand generations! I will never, ever forget all of you! And I will be waiting for you here to see you off again and again! I will always love you!”

You can hear his voice so clearly as Crocell yells, even when it feels like there’s nothing left of you. And thus, you begin to ascend above and beyond through the pillar of lift gifted to you by Gaia, and as you rise, you see the world for what it is now.

Gaia, finally faded away as a green butterfly slowly drifts off into the distance, their warmth their last gift to their children.

Upon your ascent you spot Amalgam, the glowing unity made whole slowly lifting a hand to wave towards you. They will return to the Lifestream and guard over it, and perhaps eventually they will help someone reach individuality just as you had helped them.

Upon the mountainous heap that made up Terra’s body you see Yojimbo sit and sharpen their blade, their eyes cast heavenward for but a moment before they throw their head back in apparent laughter. A mystery to the end.

Botis and Flauros stand upon the roof of the large building you’ve called home for some time. Thousands and thousands of angels flock around to watch you leave, uncertain of their futures and what is to come. The shades summoned with the generators slowly begin to fade, their mission complete, ready to pass on to the next life.

You finally feel your conscious fade as you drift higher, oh higher...

... And you wake up.

[requiescat-aria]

Glorious Fire || Masaji || Back to the Start

Terra fades, and it's truly over.

Masaji is burning through the last inch or so of a cigarette when Crocell comes stumbling in.

Inhale...

It's a haze in his mind, letting his eyes close as the voices mix around him. Last messages, temporary goodbyes, bittersweet promises. It's all an audio slurry for him. A few words or voices that occasionally pop into focus every now and again, but nothing notable.

... Exhale.

How long has it been since he last smoked? College? High school?? Masaji wonders if it'll feel the same back in the real world... And then he remembers that Ikuyo hates the smell of smoke. Ah... that's when he really stopped... He drops and stomps out the cigarette, before lighting another.

Enjoy it while it lasts...

Masaji turns his head to the sky, eyes opening on an exhale just to watch the smoke billow out. And he tries to remember the beginning of all this. Tries to recall how desperate he was at the start. Back when he was acting exactly how he was supposed to. Back when he thought he knew who he was supposed to be.

He tries to forget everything in between then and now.

Crocell phrased it as a choice, but it feels like a courtesy more than an offer. It's the part of him that desperately wants to believe it's an actual choice that gives him his answer.

"Aha... Don't get all sappy on us, Crocell... Keep cryin' with all those eyes and you just might cause a flood, hahaha..."

Another lungful of nicotine, a lopsided grin spreading on his face.

"... Go on and send me home..."

Masaji wishes his smile was genuine.

[requiescat-aria]

heavy rotation | kousuke | goodbye and shine on!!

The defeat of Terra was made all the better by being able to reunite with the dead. Part of Kousuke hadn't fully accepted just what had happened or had been happening to them throughout their time there but they could at least recognize that now, in the moment, they were happy. Whatever significant changes, whatever new fears, whatever discovered anxieties could settle and fade because for now. For right now. They were happy.

Crocell presents a choice that, at least to them, seems like a no-brainer. The goal had always been to go home and now Kousuke was allowed to. Better yet, she wouldn't be going back alone. Ronny and Julio's declarations allow her a moment to pause and reconsider. Would it feel like home without them? Kousuke couldn't say - it felt like there was something stuck in her throat as she considers all that's in front of her.

A comfortable enough place with two friends by her side or the uncertain future where she'd probably only be able to contact others online. 

It feels like she's fourteen again and standing off the side of the stage, waiting to be announced for the first time. She could hear the crowd before she could see them. But she wasn't anyone at that time. Just someone who got lucky during a survival show. They could hate her. She could mess up. Her throat tightens as the same feelings return.

But, just like at that time, she sees a hopeful smile and feels a gentle hand on her back that pushes her forward. Back then it was her fatherlike manager who had to guide her. Now it was her friends who encouraged her in their own ways.

She's already tearing up, especially as she looks towards Julio and Ronny for what would be the last time in - hopefully - a really long time. But she can smile still.

"O- Okay... You both better stay safe then! I'll make sure to... to make you proud! I'll give Hiromi a good punch for you guys-- And another from me too!"

For now, she gives a smile to Nori and Ayanda. 

"I'll make sure to stay in contact so... so let's all do our best out there! I'm happy I got to know you guys..."

She wiped away her tears. It was no use crying now but even still, Kousuke felt an overwhelming warmth spread throughout her body. Even if she'd have to live with the terrible things she's experienced and done, she knew that she had someone believing in her. Kousuke knew that even she could be happy.

[requiescat-aria]

Dawn of a New Day || Aki || Goodbyes

You will remember all of this, and you will never forget it. Just as I will never forget you.

Crocell’s words echo in his mind with comforting reassurance. This has been an experience he’d never dream of forgetting, ever. Sure, things have been tough, stressful— He’s cried more than he has in years. He’s felt more on the edge than he ever has in his life. But he felt strongly, and so he’ll remember happily.

Besides, not everything has been a terror. There were moments aplenty of pleasure, of fun, of bliss. Of thrill. Satisfaction. Caring. Belonging. Happiness.

The world outside his own head can be beautiful, too. 

Julio’s and Ronny’s decisions are heard. Aki regards them with faint surprise, which gives way to relief all too quickly. Looks like one problem has taken care of itself. The future looks brighter already. Speaking of problems...

A pitiful glance is sent to what he can only see as a mockery of his own past: the sight of Enji and Ryuji. He can’t say he truly hates either of them. They both played a part in shaping this beautiful present he now lives in, after all. But does he want to see either of them again? No. Preferably not.

Ultimately, he’s apathetic.

A glance is given to Kousuke as well. He’s already come to the conclusion that they were never truly friends. Aki was but the image of a friend that had never existed to Kousuke, and Aki cared more for this tragic connection between the two of them than he ever did for Kousuke herself. He’s since thrown away chasing the idea of an unfortunate friendship.

Ultimately, he’s apathetic. 

The same apathy is given to the majority of everyone else, all of whom Aki spares a sweeping glance to. There are those he respects more than others among them, and those he disfavors more than others. He’ll miss their memory, but he won’t miss them.

Ultimately, he’s apathetic. And that’s okay.

But a select three manage to escape this haunting indifference of his. To them, Aki casts a fairly loving look: Ken. Ayanda. And, of course, Ricardo.

Standing tall, Aki welcomes Ricardo at his side with the hidden confidence he’s always had. Their fingers intertwine, just as they always have, too. This time to brace for whatever’s ahead, just as much as it is for the comfort of the connection.

Oh, dear Ricardo.

"I made my promises. I intend to keep them... You won’t be alone anymore, Ricardo."

For Ricardo, Aki smiles warmly. A goodbye isn’t necessary.

"I'll see you soon."

[requiescat-aria]

when the morning comes || ken || goodbyes and a new beginning

Life, Kennedy had come to realize, had a lot more to offer than she had initially thought which was really saying something coming from the woman who dreamed bigger than any universe out there. It’s just that you didn’t notice how much there was to it until you didn’t have a chance to follow through on those possibilities. You didn’t notice until you had made plans that would never come to be. It really put things into perspective, and she was forced to realize that, yeah, maybe Enji had a point when he basically said that it was wholly unfulfilling to live a life where all you did was work to please others.

She’d learned the hard way that nothing good came from putting all of your eggs into one basket or all of your faith into one person. Hedging all of your bets on one lifestyle would only lead to feeling trapped and miserable, and there was no grinning and bearing it for very long.

Looking around at the people she had surrounding her, though, she knew that there was exactly nowhere else that she could possibly want to be. None of these people would expect things from her that she couldn’t give, and, hey, maybe she would give that whole “communication” thing a go once in a while just to make sure that things were going as smoothly as she thought they were. Once she learned Japanese, that is. Goddamn fountain couldn’t do anything worthwhile for her.

Aki. Good fucking god did that boy concern her like nothing else, but she wouldn’t change him for the world. Well. She wouldn’t change him any way that therapy wouldn’t. But it wasn’t like she could suggest it to him without being a massive hypocrite, so, hey, as long as he didn’t go chairing any other of her elderly men, then it was all fine(?). Besides, it just gave them more time to watch that list of movies they had curated together by just naming a couple of their favorites, and ice skating was something that took a while to get the hang of, even if he’d already shown promise. For him, she’d lace them up every now and again. What are besties for, right?

Ryuji. He had been her stability the entire time here. Offering him her shit romantic advice and just goofing off with him when he would loosen up were half of the things that kept her sane here, and he introduced her to one of the other things, that being listening to DECO*27 even if that shit hit a little too close to home for comfort sometimes. He reminded her a lot of Jesse, now that she thought about it a bit more. Maybe that’s why she took one look at him and decided that she had to befriend him. Now, she was already making plans for what to buy him for Father’s Day and whether or not they sold novelty Pikachu suits. If they didn’t, well, she would make it work.

Enji. Back when he had been LARPing his OC and had been a soft spoken and timid little guy, he had reminded her of her own father in his mannerisms and interests. There’s little wonder to her why she felt the need to gravitate towards him and enter his circle of friends. When his ruse was revealed, there had been the stab of betrayal but only for a short moment. All it confirmed for her was that he understood. He comprehended her ever gnawing need to be free no matter the cost, and he continued to understand and make statements that she could only nod her head and agree with. He became the person who she trusted most to give advice for her woes, and he was a constant sort of comfort and stability. No matter what happened, he would always be Enji. He would never act any different. He would always just be her new dad.

Jinghei. Finally, she allows her self-control to loosen the grip on her mind that had been holding her thoughts back from drifting back to the other woman who is standing by her as they listen to the last words they’ll hear from Crocell in hopefully a very, very long time. Looking at her, Ken feels that warmth she realized she’d long since stopped feeling for her ex. Thinking of the adventures they would have together, the things they would see, the dinners they would bug out of Enji, she felt that verve for life return. It had been so long since Ken felt like tomorrow really did hold anything and everything for her. Teenagers were a new thing for her, but she supposes she should get used to it and get used to it fast. Apparently, she would be helping to raise one now. It sounded fun. She couldn’t wait to meet the person who the woman she loved cared about so much.

Her besotted pondering is broken by the voice of the person she would have given her everything for--the one she had given her everything for only to get it thrown back in her face. When she hears what she has to say, it takes a lot of her energy to keep her face straight and just nod her head.

“...If you ain’t tell them nothin’ ‘bout what I kicked ya out fer, then I ain’t gon’ say nothin’ either. Consider it m’last act o’kindness t’ya. They ain’t deserve t’lose their daughter an’ then find out they ain’t ever even really know her. Yer a coward fer stayin’ here instead o’goin’ back an’ figurin’ shit out fer yerself, Veronica. A goddamn coward. But I won’t let them know ya were too scared o’consequences t’consider goin’ back t’them. Yer family ain’t done nothin’ t’me but be kind, an’ I won’t let you ruin’em for me.

Have fun up here. You an’ Jules got a lot t’bond over, yeah? See ya. Or not. Prob’ly better if I ain’t never hafta look at ya ‘gain.”

That last statement isn’t said with any sort of malice or venom. It’s just a simple statement, even if it might hurt to hear. Kennedy had no desire to see this woman ever again, and, now, she probably wouldn’t have to.

Ken’s eyes wander over to the man who taught her that, yeah, she could hate someone more than she hated Veronica, and she grins at him. Julio Reyes has pissed Kennedy off for the last time, and that smile has no kindness in it. It’s more of a threat than any posturing could give. After all, she doesn’t need to square her shoulders for him to know she means it when she speaks.

“We’ve learned here that people c’n beat th’fuck outta angels, yeah? Defeat'em, even. See ya in more than a few decades, y’piece o’shit. You’ll be here, an’ I ain’t care what kinda rules I gotta break t’find ya b’fore they put me in th’goo. Hope yer angel form makes ya real fast for yer own good.”

She gives him a wave as though finalizing her promise, and a kinder wave with a genuine smile is given to Ricardo, Ayanda, and Aki (who also gets a hand motion resembling and phone and a mouthed request to “call me!!”).

Now, she’s free to turn back to her new family, and she sees Ryuji standing there with his arms open. Taking the invitation, she runs into them and squeezes tight while making sure to watch her strength this time, not wanting to crush him too much. He’s right. It’ll take a while for things to be worked out, especially now that she’ll have to play the part of the broken hearted girlfriend for a while longer than she thought she would have to, but they’ll make it work. They’ve always made it work.

“Y’all know we’re all too stubborn t’let language barriers an’ half a globe keep us ‘part fer too long! Don’t you worry! We’ll all be t’gether quicker than ya’d think! Oh! We gotta make plans fer a meet th’family dinner! My parents’ll wanna hear all ‘bout ya, I’m sure! Once I figure out how t’explain anythin’ to’em. I’ve cheated death twice t’get t’meet y’all ‘gain. A few miles ain’t nothin’.”

She lets the two men walk off alone for a moment and looks off to the horizon, trying to commit it to memory. It was the first step to her new life, after all, and isn’t it a beautiful sight?

[requiescat-aria]

sword of the stranger || 18 || 挨拶

-- A son. When asked by August (who he did not know as Jinghei) regarding people within the realm of the living that may want his final words or news of his death, Tomomasa Hasekura had readily stated those words in reference not to his son, but to Tabitha’s.

Why is that?

It isn’t as if he has a bad relationship with his son, but it isn’t like he has a good one, either. Maybe that’s why he’d been so dismissive - because the opposite of love is not hate, but indifference, yes?

“...”

Standing around, still in a daze it seems. As people say their goodbyes to one another. As they promise to meet up. As they choose to stay behind.

-- All he can think about is his son. Of going home. He’s never thought about that before. Never dreaded it, but never looked forward to it either. Home, where his son would be waiting patiently, always. It was something he’d taken for granted, for sure, just like lots of other things in his life, but the son waiting patiently for his father’s return had to be one of the bigger things.

Sure he’d been asleep for most of it - the revelation of Jules’ identity, of Enji’s attempted crime, Dulcea’s tragic death, the rift between Ken and Ronny, Ayanda’s transformation, the change of management to some guy named Jim who was apparently the worst - and now that he’s back, you’d think he’d feel overwhelmed at least.

But only one thing has stuck in his mind: he gets to go home. Not home as in the realm of the living, but home as in home.

Why did it take dying for him to realize it: that before he is a sword, he is human? Maybe it was because he felt as though he couldn’t protect his family as a human, so he became a sword instead. A sword who’s failed to come home as Tomomasa Hasekura for years and years and years. But now he sees it, the family he’d been neglecting.

The son he’d kept at an arm’s length. The son who regarded him with utmost respect. The son who was surely waiting for him, alone. The son who would still cry for a sorry excuse of a father like him.

Amidst this scene of goodbyes, he’s already thinking of how he’s going to greet him. Not with a stiff nod. Not in utter silence. Not by tossing his blade to the ground and walking past him.

But with a smile, a wave. I’m home.

Or maybe something else. Something he’d been wanting to tell him, as his father, words that a sword couldn’t say: You’ve become a fine man, Jinzaemon.

Whether he lived for several more years or a mere few weeks, he wants to say it. He’s going to say it. And though he doesn’t know Gaia, doesn’t know the extent of what Crocell did for them, he feels grateful.

Maybe the chase between himself and the woman he’d risked everything for would continue. Maybe not. Maybe he’d grab a drink with his nephew, tell him a funny story about the time that he died. Maybe not. Maybe his son would regard him no differently after all was said and done, and that icy indifference would settle back in. Maybe not.

(Maybe he’d even cook him up a good ham and egg scramble... maybe not. He’d better not.)

All that is certain to him is that finally, finally Tomomasa Hasekura is going home.

And that’s enough for him.

[requiescat-aria]

tomorrow and tomorrow || enji || goodbyes

For a man who lived for new experiences, killing God-- or, well, whatever Terra was-- was probably the best Enji would ever get. How appropriate, that it come before he decides to try something completely new. One final pinnacle before he does the unthinkable and stops running in search of some goal that was ultimately unattainable. A final, decisive blow sealing the fate of the man he'd once been.

As he watches Terra and Gaia and attempts to muster some sort of sympathy or solemnity, he fails. The closest he gets is a faint understanding, an unusual sensation for him in of itself. He understands the desire to see someone besides himself happy now. He will never understand being trapped in the past, or living for only one person. When he looks at Terra and Gaia, ultimately, Enji finds his selfishness winning out as it always does-- this means he gets to go home. He gets to live. The one thing he'd wanted above all his entire time here. So maybe he hasn't changed so much.

...But he has, and it becomes clear when he turns to say goodbye to those who are left. Not all of them, of course-- he stifles disappointment at losing his chance to personally ruin Jules, and he'd rather Kousuke shrivel up into dust, and he mentally notes the account Ricardo mentions so he can cause it problems later. Some things don't change. But others do.

Before he can do much else, he finds himself pulled into a hug. In the past few hours(?) he's been hugged more than his entire life beforehand. It's strange, and were the people doing it anyone other than who they are, it would be completely unwelcome. Even given who it is he's still a bit awkward, standing there and gingerly patting Ryuji on the back before he pulls away.

A faint smile remains on his face. It's not the same as his usual sarcastically pleasant one.

"Well... I've got some affairs to settle at home before I can uproot, but I trust it won't be too terribly long before we all see each other again. Jinghei-san, I believe you have my card, and Ken-san... if you show up at my door I'm not letting you in." 

He would let them in, of course, and they all know it. Enji's hands twist together idly as he tries to think of what else needs to be said-- what else could someone like him say, even? He was completely useless at expressing any sort of feeling. 

"I'm glad," he eventually settles on. "I'm glad... I came to not regret caring."

With that said, and with one slightly larger, more genuine smile, he feels his cheeks heat and turns to pull Ryuji away, off to the side. If he has to say anything else in range of Ken he'll never live it down, and he's already red enough as is. His aversion to being perceived isn't enough to stop him from standing on tiptoe and wrapping his arms around the other man's shoulders in one last hug. It's a convenient enough position where he can speak quietly. 

"Thank you, Ryuji-san. For... what you did for me. I look forward to... to getting to know you more. As myself. And... to the future. So I'll call you as soon as I can, alright?"

There's no sappy declarations of love or feelings. That sort of thing can't just happen overnight, and especially not for someone like Enji, who had only managed to get past his own barriers very recently. He suspects that he'll run into even more difficulty in the outside world, once stress and emotions aren't forcing him to change. But the promise of the future is enough-- those things can, and he hopes, will come. 

Eventually, he steps back and waits to be delivered back to the living world. Even as he goes, though, there will be a casualty. 

Isao Matsuzaki is dead. Shigeo Saito is dead. Yasuo Yoshinori, Fumihiko Furui, Hideya Hoshi and Momoe Mori are dead.

Enji Enomoto, as he was, is dead.

Enji is alive. He looks forward to it.

[requiescat-aria]

7 Rings | Ricardo | Goodbyes (?)

This had been...

Fun!

If you had told Ricardo that he would end up battling the god of the afterlife dressed as a knight on a horse holding a sword and shield for his freedom and the fate of the earth's lifestream a few months ago, he would've laughed and called it ridiculous.

But now, well, he is ridiculous. Always have been. It was then when he got a chance to embrace being ridiculous and enjoy himself outside of an office, a business meeting or a pompous cocktail event. This had been a fantasy moment that people would've mocked him for dreaming of. 

Not only that, it made him feel like someone. Someone else outside of the reputation he had to keep constantly. Someone else outside of his family. Someone else outside of Caballero.

He was...a hero! Maybe? He certainly thinks so. And that's kind of romantic, isn't it? Ah, yes, this had been fun.

Julio's and Veronica's decision to stay makes him blink in awe. But he has to admit that having the guarantee that you won't be turned into goo and instead ascend into an immortal angel was kind of neat. 

“Hey. If you save me a spot for when my time comes, I'll do anything for you back on earth. I've got the funds for it. Be my references, will you? I think I'd do great in human resources.”

Said to Crocell, Julio and Ronny, followed by a wink. It was worth a shot.

“I can't thank you enough, Crocell, and Gaia. You two will do the right thing, I'm sure.”

The right thing. What is the right thing. Ricardo doesn't know. But angels and gods? They surely must.

He sighs, then turns to the rest.

“Well team, I can't say I had the best time of my life here for many reasons. But what was a predicament in the past is always a funny story for the future.”

“Look me up on Inst*gram at @ricardoadrianocaballerodelossarmientos. Should be easy to remember. Let's stay in touch, yes?”

Yes, even to Enji and Julio twitter. Because then he'd know who to block.

“Aha, good work out there! It was...fun. I'm sure we're all proud of ourselves for going through this and, achieving things we never thought we would!”

He approaches Nori in particular and puts his hands over the other's arms' sides. 

“Be proud, alright?”

You did great, buddy. You need to KNOW you did great.

His eyes go to Ayanda, then Irina too. He holds the latter's hand for a moment and sandwiches it between both of his.

“But really, let's stay in touch. You know how to find me.”

They're having that yacht party with oysters and ostrich medallions you like it or not, Ayanda. Jinghei and Ken also get a small smile. He can forgive them a little. They're cool enough.

Either way, the time is coming. However this will go, he probably needs to mentally prepare himself. Ricardo stands next to Aki and does some breathing exercises. 

“Hooh. This is a little scary, isn't it?”

What is, exactly? Being catapulted into earth or what Ricardo will have to go back to? A chuckle, then he looks down.

“Much to think about. I don't want to bother you too much with that, but, it would be nice to...not be alone, as I go through this. You...you figure out what you want to do and let me know, okay?”

At least through this trip back to life, Ricardo won't be alone. So he grabs Aki's hand.

“Thank you for being there for me, Aki.”

Perhaps the final words that the other will be able to understand from him. Time to download duolingo. 

[requiescat-aria]

Fleeting Requiescat Aria | Ryuji | After The Battle

[♫♫♫]

The battle had come to an end...and Terra's current life came to an end...Ryuji felt odd about it all. It wasn't a good feeling but it wasn't a bad feeling either. Ryuji really didn't know the scope of the feelings between the two of them, the most he could go off were his own experiences and feelings with love...none of which were particularly good...but he still couldn't understand millions of years of yearning...

It didn't matter what he thought in the end...whether he wanted Terra and Gaia to make up and be able to both live peacefully with each other...or just wanted Terra to die...this was the conclusion that was reached and there was nothing that was going to change it. The soft breeze blew through the world that once was as Ryuji leaves the battle with a heavy heart. 

That load would be lightened very quickly though...with the hand of his love in his...and with his arms wrapped around the two that he never thought he would see again. Once they had split apart, the four of them got to sit and just enjoy their time together once again.

Teasing Enji, giggling with Ken, and hurling some insults with Jinghei. There were an endless amount of things they could talk about, an endless amount of plans for the future now that they were all together again. They were plans that Ryuji had never really thought about...he didn't think he'd need to what with them having ended up getting killed...but now they were here again...

Between the laughs and joyous air, Ryuji gave attention to the others that were going to rejoin the world of the living, he wishes that he could say he wanted to say goodbye to the rest of them, that he would possibly want to meet up once they were home but that really couldn't be further from the truth. He didn't have much care quite honestly. A small goodbye would suffice he thought. Perhaps that was cold-hearted of him...

But he didn't mind...

His attention comes back to those that were on the ground with him in this moment. The first one that caught his eye, Jinghei Jia. The first one out of them all that really caught his attention when he had arrived here. This stoic and cold woman that he saw a little bit of himself in. He felt close to her and soon enough that grew more and more. He came to trust her, to see they had quite a bit in common...how he wished to protect her...he had failed in that before but he wasn't going to fail again. 

He loves Jinghei Jia...and he will continue to protect her smile for as long as he can...he'll always offer her the hand of a loving family...a hand that will be extended to their younger sibling as well. 

The next...was Kennedy Adams...the loud and tall girl that he felt attached too for so many different reasons than he felt connected to Jinghei. When it came to Ken he felt he could be more dumb and rambunctious, that he could act out and let his true colors shine. He'll never forget how much she did for him, he'll never forget their drunken talks and rolling around with the biggest grins on their faces...he'll keep her safe as well...he won't fail...

He loves Kennedy Adams...and he will continue to always be a source of joy and amusement in her life...as well as her in his...he wonders if he'll be able to see all the milestones in her life. He hopes...

And finally, his eyes landed fondly upon Enji Enomoto. How this man has changed so much since they had first met. Ryuji still remembers that shy demeanor that set off the alarms in his head from the first moment they met. Enji was dangerous he had told himself, then soon enough he rolled back that opinion to see that the man was soft-spoken with some hidden depths that he didn't find troubling...and then he was played for the fool again...

His hand had smashed into his face, his hands had held him by the collar off the ground, his actions filled with anger at him, himself, and the man that sent him to the afterlife. Slowly though, those hands softened and they came to wrap themselves around him, to hold his body against his, to hold his hand in his...so much had changed. So many things that Ryuji didn't think would be capable. 

He took a blow to the head for his man, and he would take many many more if it was needed. Though he knows Enji would protest to not throw himself on the line, he would probably do so anyway if he knew he could survive it. It was a selfish desire to not want to see him get hurt, to protect him with all his might...that was what Ryuji always wanted to do for the people he loved. He wanted them all safe...them all to smile...

And that's what Ryuji was going to ensure when they all return home...not just them. But his family back home as well...his family that had been left behind by his death. Ryuunosuke, Guy, Taeko, and Rika. They were all surely waiting for him...and he was going to come back. He couldn't wait to hold them in his arms again. To shoot the shit with Ryuu and Guy, to take care of Taeko, and to play games with Rika again...

Soon...soon he will be back...with a bigger family...with more love in his heart...and more joy than he ever thought he was going to get in life...

He could feel himself tearing up, still something new and strange to him as he thought about everyone back home. He had turned his head to the sky and then finally back to his family. He grins....

"Hehe, come gimme a hug 'fore this is all over! Once we're back, is probably gon' be awhile till we all see each other again! I wan'...I wan'remember till we can all be together again back home..."

He opens his arms wide for his family...

"I love y'all...y'know? Ken-han...Jinghei-han...an'especially ya, Enji-chan..."

Soon there will be a happier life where Enji, Jinghei, Ken, and himself are gathered around a lake…fishing poles in hand and smiles on their faces…the sun is warm…and the breeze is calm.

This happy family...is finally together again...

[requiescat-aria]

Tsubana-Nagashi | Nori | Final Decision

And so the curtain falls on this sordid affair. The players all reconvened, even those whose characters perished during the story. But there's no audience to give them applause, let alone a standing ovation. Just the imposing figures of the two titans above them, an apology from Crocell, and a decision.

Nori watches with a mix of fascination and fear as two of their number choose to forego life entirely. Jules was to be expected - his life, if he chose to return, would be a dangerous one. There's altogether too many chances for him to kill again, or for him to be killed himself. He understands. Ronny, though, is a complete surprise. He didn't expect to convince her that life was worth living or anything, but it's still a lot. She's fallen even further than he has.

There's one thing keeping him from saying yes to returning to earth immediately.

Nori turns to see his master, standing a short distance away from the group. An interloper with no stock in this whole thing, but no hope of returning home. Even if he did - like Jules, he wouldn't have much time left, either. He was still sickly and weak. It wouldn't be right to drag him back with him. But he didn't want to lose Yagyu III, either. He was the only person who ever really saw potential in him. 

He uses the time when the others are talking and ruminating over their own decisions to slip away, looking up at his sensei for what might be the last time. The old man takes his hands in his own calloused, withered ones, and squeezes slightly.

"It seems as though this is the end of the line for me," He chuckles. "Sooner or later, when all of this fuss is resolved, they'll likely usher me back into the processing line and proceed as usual."

Nori swallows, hard. He's seen what happens to the double-dead here, and...

"I d-don't want that to happen to you. I, I mean- I c-can stay. Maybe stop them from d-doing that to you. They, uh, let us run around. Maybe they c-can do the same for you, if I try hard enough-"

Almost like how Ricardo tried to reason with them for their freedom. But that was impossible. This seems like even further of a stretch. And it seems like the old man knows this, because he smiles sadly and shakes his head.

"No. My boy, you're still young. You have many things to learn and figure out - about kabuki, and about yourself. I don't want you to give all of that up for a sorry old fool like me. I've lived a long life. It's time you go out and live one, too."

Despite himself, Nori's eyes start watering and his cheeks redden. He tries to hide it by pressing his face into his master's chest, wrapping him in a hug that the old man returns.

"I d-don't want you to go."

"I know. But we'll certainly meet again one day. That I know."

Nori eventually manages to pull away, managing to look his mentor in the eyes one last time. He can't bring himself to say goodbye, because that'll make it all too real. But Taneyori Yagyu III nods in understanding. Their farewell is one without words. 

Nori turns and walks off, leaving his mentor behind. He rejoins the crowd. His face being red and wet with tears isn't an unfamiliar sight, but there's an air of finality to his expression. He closes his eyes and exhales through his nose.

"...I'm going to leave. G-go home. Back to my family, and the theater."

"Crocell... good luck." 

[requiescat-aria]

Human After All ∞ Ayanda ∞ Duty

Ayanda is silent as Crocell apologizes. She does not want to be - not really. She'd like to stop him, tell him he has nothing to apologize for. That he has already done so much more for them than they ever could have asked for. To tell him how lucky they are to have him. She'd like that very much. But she's quiet.

She's quiet, too, as the others around her deliberate - say goodbye to those who wish to stay. Speak in hushed words about the things they're going to do together. She's quiet, but she's aware - her eyes scan the crowd that's formed around their angelic patron saint.

Someone is missing. She thought she saw them before, with Gaia, when they were all fighting. Maybe she did. Maybe she didn't. She wasn't sure it mattered - it certainly didn't now, when she's not here. The strange thing is, she felt like she understood why. She must've known, when they shared that moment, when Ayanda had ascended, in her own way. Known what she'd done. What she'd kept from her.

∞∞∞

She reaches a hand up to her left shoulder and feels the solid state drive she's inserted into her arm - that last remnant of the person she'd known, once, and had betrayed so completely. That person who kept her safe and happy, and who she never once treated the way that she ought to be treated.

Slowly, she pulled the drive out of her arm. The wires loosened and the sparkling liquid from the font spilled out in tiny rivulets. With a noise somewhere between a piston and the exhaust of a steam engine, her constructed arm fell out of her jacket and onto the floor of the Formless below, hand curled inwards like a dead arachnid.

She held the drive in her remaining hand, staring at it like it was a mirror reflecting the best parts of someone she truly loved. Every time before this moment, crying was a battle - a matter of attrition which she lost as a rule, succumbed to the horrors of and was soundly shamed in the aftermath.

This time, the tears come with purpose, and even though they fall on the electrical component in her hand, she knows there's no need to worry. Dulcea's soul is more than this simple compact chip. It's more than what she or her colleagues made it to be. Dulcea's soul is its own thing - and it's free, now.

No. This simple SSD is functionally useless - its role, really, is as a symbol. A symbol of the absence of progress - a wrong that has to be righted. She would not give up on her goal of creating artificial life - far from it. But the next time she embarked on that journey... she'd do it right. She'd treat them with the respect they deserve, and not as a science project to be reviewed and regarded. As a person.

It would be cruel, then, to stay here in heaven. There are people who need here out in that world - people who will be in that world, even if they aren't just now. People who will enter that world long after she returns...  and those who will reenter it with her.

She kneels down to the ground and places the drive inside the robotic arm's grip, closing it around the mechanism snugly. Then, she lifts her head up to the sky and opens her mouth to speak to no one in particular.

"I'll let Arno and Sekai know you're safe here, in my own way. I'm sure they wouldn't understand the truth of it. We'll all miss you very much."

She rises to her feet, gaze still fixed on that bright blue sky above them. If you were to look, you might catch a glimpse of a swan flitting between those vast rays of light.

"Goodbye."

It would be cruel, then, to stay in heaven... because she has so much work to do.

[requiescat-aria]

You were my New Dream || Ronny || Choice

Veronica tried. She did. She tried to reassure some people that she was going to make plans. See people. She didn't think she had a choice. 

It's not that she was sad. She was, but she did… Want to live. She missed her family. 

She just didn't see the point in having to figure out her new life. In going back to them and having to tell them that she's a cheater. In having to deal with abuelos and tios and primos who are going to gossip about her every day. The one cousin in the family who everybody hates. 

Thinking about Andre just makes her skin crawl now. 

She never wanted to skate with anybody but Kennedy. Fuck the Olympics. 

The whole state was ruined. She had seen every inch with her. 

So. That was it. 

Veronica took a deep breath and started to approach Kennedy. What did it matter if she broke another promise? They weren't going to see each other again. Nonetheless, she couldn't bring herself to look her in the eye anymore. 

"... You don't owe me shit, I know. Just… tell my family whatever you want. You can drag me through the mud, I don't care. Just say goodbye to them, please. They don't have anything to do with me. And they'll be heartbroken if you just leave without a word. Take care of French Fry. Have a good life. Do everything you couldn't do with me holding you back." 

She bit down on her cheek to calm herself down lazily waving to everyone else in the group, and then walked to plop herself next to Crocell. 

"I'm not virtuous, but I'm a hard worker. You'll get plenty from me. Thanks, Coach Crocell."