 nce upon a time...
There was a Town. And in this Town, there were many brave people who worked together to return color to its walls, its trees, its life. For many, many months they toiled, and in the end, they were able to avoid the pitfalls of those who had come before, and save not only themselves, but a Town that had originally borne no connection to them.
And in the end, they were given the opportunity to write out the ending to their own tale.
Two wrote into existence doors, leading back to the homes of these brave people. One wrote keys, another the way to find them. Another purified and protected the fairy tale, keeping it safe from evil.
One found herself holding a multitude of pastries, and was delighted.
Two worked together to find a way to access another, blue dimension that had always been a part of their lives, and two more focused on making certain that memories could be retained or forgotten by the wishes of the townsfolk -- in the form of red and blue pills. Yet another wrote to give courage to everyone who remained.
Others thought more personally. Two chose to make certain that they could follow their loves home. One chose to remember all he had learned in the Town, to carry those lessons back home.
And the Town itself was not forgotten. One chose to keep supplies generating in the Town, and another to keep a cafe there running for those who remained after. Another wrote to make certain that any that came after would remember the sacrifices, heroism and efforts of everyone in the Town. Another summoned a grandiose place that would remain no matter what, a place of refuge for any who might wander into the Town.
And so the end came, and with keys in hand, the doors to their homes opened, and those who were in the Town were granted the choice -- to return home, or remain. They looked deep inside of themselves, knowing that such a decision could come only from the heart, and one by one, made their choices.
The Town was left as it was, colorful and bright and vibrant, but empty of all but those who chose to stay. And the others...? They returned home, standing tall, new hardships conquered, and ready to face their own struggles in their own worlds.
THE END
Thank you for sticking with us to the end, everyone! We hope you've had a good time -- and that you're satisfied with the outcome of this story.
If there are any questions, please ask them here. A final, proper farewell from the mods can be found here. Thank you! |
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[He preferred honesty in all things but at the same time. He worries.
His expression became worried. Was she simply sad about parting...or was it something else?]
Pyra, is everything all right?
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Stated so openly, she looks at him as if he's speaking in tongues. Her mind reels from the single question: is everything all right, why wouldn't it be, because it should be all right, everything will be all right. She's been saying as much, too.
Because it is, all will be right once she returns to her world, when... ] Do... I not seem all right?
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[Yes? No?
He presses his mouth into a line.]
How should I know?
[Maybe he's wrong and she's just feeling sad because they all have to say goodbye? He's not good at this sort of thing, after all.]
If you...if you need anything, you should ask.
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You do not understand, because you were created to destroy.
That is what Berkut had told her, and the words had resonated within her since being bound to him.... ]
You... truly are kind, Chu Wanning. [ She says, her voice wavering. At least she acknowledges his encouragement with the barest hint of gratefulness. He really is a good person, to tell her to speak when she shouldn’t. He’s kind and he doesn’t realize it, he’s soft and thoughtful. When he speaks, he sounds sincere and purposeful, while her own voice is... hoarse and lost.
What will happen to this man in his own world? Where will his powers take him, what sort of mecha will he build? How many others will he help, all on his own and without ever asking for something himself? ] Be careful, that your kindness is not... is not taken advantage of.
I... [ She wants to offer protection of some sort, that he won’t ever be harmed. But she knows that she won’t be there to fulfill that promise. She can’t protect anyone; even the one who had claimed her power has left her. ] I hope that you will be safe. And happy. And I hope that whatever you find in your future... does not deter you from showing that kindness to others.
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If she were being attacked, if she were being plagued by something he could exorcise or fight then he'd at least be useful. But...what did he know about matters of the heart?]
What no one believes exist isn't something that can be taken advantage of.
[Probably. At least, he'd probably never consider it as him being taken advantage of.
And what else could he say to reassure her? His life, by the very nature of his being a cultivator will never be truly safe. And as for happy...he can be content with what little he had but he doesn't feel it's what she means.]
...worry more about yourself. [It's gruff, but not unkind.] You-- [Why is this so hard to say!? But he feels like...he has to say it. After all, when they go back to their own worlds, they may not...meet again. And he can't help but feel uneasy. As if this may be the last time they speak to each other.
And really, he had already confessed to someone he knew didn't love him back while that person saw him as someone else. This should be easy in comparison.]
You are someone that deserves happiness. I hope you find it.
1/2
No.... no. [ Slowly, she shakes her head once, stiffly. ]
I should be saying that to you. [ He cannot say another deserves something, she thinks, without giving a reason why; with nothing to back it, it begets entitlement. He gives no reason. For him, however-- for her to say that he should have his own course of happiness... she can give a reason why-- many reasons, in fact-- reasons that he has proved through action in the short time she has known him, rather than just paltry, pleasant words: ]
You... [ She starts out softly, thoughtfully, but it is a shadow of her former self. ] You, who lent your talents and expertise to forge a sword... all without payment or expecting anything in return.
You... [ She continues, her hands idly at her sides, her gaze slowly raising from the ground up to meet his gaze. ] who cared enough to check in on a friend.
You, [ She steps forward, raising a hand up and towards his cheek, if she can. Her touch will be no more than the grace of a fragile breeze. ] who fought valiantly against the trees as they assaulted this town that we all love so, so very dearly... to the point you had exhausted yourself to revert to your child form.
[ And all of that, she has seen of him within the short time she's known him; if there are those in his world who have known him longer and do not know his kindness, then they are blind, stupid, or willfully ignorant.
Even now, he tells her to worry of herself. ] You are charitable and gracious. You are mindful and sympathetic. You are selfless.
no subject
It's fractured. ]
That is all why I say that, without a doubt... your happiness... it is worth fighting for, whenever you do find it.