week 7, friday

[vigilantics]

[ so, sometime after investigation, steph is gonna just

do the blue's clues dance to summon the door to the throne room or however the fuck it works. she's gotta chat with zendragon. ]

Comments

[themodsgrimm]

[ . . . she seems to hesitate.]

I... don't want to make selfish requests.

I already owe you all so much... It doesn't feel right to ask you to think of me.

[vigilantics]

Dude, I just gave you an entire checklist. You can spill.

[themodsgrimm]

['dude'

Dragon can't help a small laugh at that - though she seems surprised at the same time.

It takes another second before she admits, slowly at first:]

... I want to go back to how it used to be. I loved my life, before all this.

[The fondness colors her voice as she goes on, her eyes softening and her smile growing despite the tint of sadness over it.]

I miss my family very, very much. My friends, my love... It's been so long since I've seen them - but my heart aches each day. I don't know if they're waiting for me or... Or where they've even gone.

I just... want to be where they are.

[vigilantics]

[ she listens to all of that, frowning slightly.

if both tiger and dragon have to be alive, then their wishes seem pretty incompatible. ]

Is there, like... any way we could word this so that both of you get what you want in some capacity?

[themodsgrimm]

... she wishes to live, and I do not. I cannot die alone, just as she cannot live by herself. Maybe... I can start to see why she hated these constraints so much.

[She shakes her head, raising her gaze to meet Steph's.]

... but someone asked me something the other day. If I could find a reason to live...

At the beginning of this game, I did not think that I could... just as I did not think that I would win. It is far easier to eradicate one faction than it is to find balance, to believe in the idea that many different sides can coexist...

But you have all surprised me once - and give me hope before.

Maybe I can find it again... so don't worry too heavily about me. If you wish to write a future in which I am alive... I will try to hold my head up for you.

[vigilantics]

[ ... ]

How much ink would something like... reincarnation cost? For people who have been dead for a while?

[themodsgrimm]

... it would be the same as writing any other story anew.

[ . . . ]

You know...

You all have very big hearts.

[vigilantics]

I really hated the two of you at the start. But... it's kind of like hating the people who were picked as Blotters, or as Editors, or whatever. There's no point. We're all stuck in this dumb cycle. We can point fingers all we want, but at the end of the day none of us are happy.

... so, we should try to spread some happiness, shouldn't we? Even if it doesn't lessen the pain that's already there, we can at least make room for something new.

[themodsgrimm]

... you aren't wrong.

[She sighs faintly - and her smile grows a touch rueful.]

I've only wished for all of your happiness.... I promise you that, even if I know that I was rather poor at showing it at first. The rules of the game, the daunting tasks...

But I hope you all will think of yourselves first - and then of the two of us.

If all of you are happy... then I am, too.

[vigilantics]

... that is very sweet and self-sacrificing, but I'm still going to try to get you something too.

[themodsgrimm]

[She manages a soft laugh at that.]

... very well.

I trust you.

[vigilantics]

Good.

[ she holds her hand out.

shake. :/ ]

[themodsgrimm]

[ . . . shake?

Dragon looks to Stephanie's hand for a moment.

And then takes that outstretched hand in both of hers, holding it gently instead.]

... Thank you for all your work, Stephanie.

[vigilantics]

[ she blinks in surprise. ]

I really didn't do much.

[themodsgrimm]

[Dragon matches her expression of surprise.]

Is that what you think?

I think none of this would have been possible without you.

[vigilantics]

... that's nice of you to say.

[ not true! but! ]