SING, O GODDESS

[strangerpeople]

SING, O GODDESS


[The place that Zagreus brings them to is an abandoned house. Like the rest of Greece, at first the grass and plants are dead, withered. But only at first.

As everyone files into the garden, it starts to slowly come to life. flowers begin to bloom. Fruits and vegetables start to sprout from the soil. The trees begin to grow once more. Wheat stalks slowly pop up out of the ground. Wherever this is, it's clear that life is returning-and the gods are awakening.

It's probably best that they don't return to the underworld, to the House of Hades-but, if anyone wishes to, Charon has arrived with the dead from the previous rounds-now alive-and little baby Ayame. If anyone wishes to go there-though, why would anyone ever willingly go back to the House, knowing you-know-who is probably awake by now?-they can.

But for those who stay here, there is food and drink, wine and bread, fresh meat and ripe crudités. Talk. Plot. Say your goodbyes before you are SHIFTed back to your homeworlds.

Who knows? Maybe there are still some surprises left to be had. But, either way...it is a good day. The new moon will pass. The sun will rise.

The Game-or at least, this variation of it-is over.]



((OoC: And with this, Round 7 is complete! Thank you everyone who participated-we hope you enjoy the aftermath, and stay tuned for the SHIFT Meme and HMD!))

Comments

[hatesdeerstalkers]

[It's over.

It's finally over.

As flowers begin to bloom around them, and life slowly returns...Moriarty seems almost a bit at a loss, looking around them with a clearly...well. Not sad, but...contemplative, almost.

That ending...And the things he'd done...

Without thinking, he lifts a hand - studying it closely, as if seeing it for the first time.]

...It appears I am still incarnated after all of that. How odd it is, to be in a living body once again...

[And then he makes a face.]

...And find I am absolutely sick of it.

[...MORIARTY????

Or, after that, he'll be quietly sitting far away from the rest, staring from a nearby cliff out into the ocean. Thinking, as always.]

[somuchshipping]

[thump thump thump thump]

[Those are the familiar sounds of a certain robot's footfalls.]

[Hermes approaches, but stops, still a bit of distance, then sits and calls out.]

...Moriarty...?

[hatesdeerstalkers]

Ah, Hermes.

[His voice is warm, even as he turns his head.]

Won't you come and sit with me? The view is splendid.

[somuchshipping]

[Hermes obeys. He obeys because he wants to do this. And he looks out into the view, silent for a mew moments.]

Yea... It really is nice. It's not always I just stop and stare at views like this... I always found it more exciting to just go and do things, know what I mean?

[hatesdeerstalkers]

You'll have to forgive me for saying so, but - I'm not in the least bit surprised! After all, Hermes - the greek god, that is - was never one to stay still either! Wahaha!

[He laughs, though it's a little...sad, maybe?]

...It is a pity, however. I truly did not have much time with you all, and...well, I suppose that is why I've stepped away for now.

[That he caused them all pain and acted like everything was alright when he came back as a shade, but...

Being like this makes it hit a little differently, now. Perhaps...Even Hermes can understand why.

After all, it's about appearances, and their associations.]

[exequte]

[She tracks him down, eventually, though he'd been keeping his distance from almost everyone before, after, during all of this. Ever since he had been given back what had been taken from him, even if it wasn't all of it, or wasn't in apparently the way he'd choose. It's enough, for her, for now, she hopes, and she comes to find him, eventually, to sit down next to him and lean against his shoulder.]

Missed you, Daddy.

[But she's happy as she said it, and that radiates through her voice, contentment and peace.]

[hatesdeerstalkers]

[He heard her before she came up, though the space he's keeping is less due to his lack of choice, and more...

...Well.

Sometimes, a villain's lot was a hard one - and seeing another attempt and suffer due to failing the path made him wish for a little time alone.

But now? He simply smiles as she leans against him, wrapping an arm around her shoulder as a few Butterflies suddenly come into existence around him.]

And I you, Akane. Always.

[One softly lands on her hand, fluttering gently.]

[exequte]

[She blinks at it in surprise when it does, staring down in it in wonder.]

Daddy, look!

[hatesdeerstalkers]

[He also looks down...and chuckles.]

It seems I am regaining a bit of what I lost, hm?

[Lifting a hand, a butterfly comes to perch on his finger.]

I never quite understood why these follow me about so...but, they seem harmless enough, hm?

[superstylishsquid]

Back giving you trouble after all that? I could help, if you'd rather be a zombie or possessed trinket.

[hatesdeerstalkers]

Absolutely not!

[He barks that out, before laughing.]

No, truly - it's more that, well....this is no longer my natural state of being, and has not been for centuries. I was more comfortable as a shade than as a living human, in all honesty.

[superstylishsquid]

Hmm...then maybe you'll get back to your old self once the spell wears off. Know I'm looking forward to feeling like a proper devil again, instead of just...what I assume it's like to feel mostly like a human.

Though, personally, I consider feeling mortal to still be better than what my natural state of being has been for millennia.

[hatesdeerstalkers]

ah....Perhaps, yes. Though I do assume this is an Incarnation, but...hm.

[He seems to be thinking about it, even as a butterfly comes from nowhere and lands on one of his shoulders.]

I suppose it might be different, this discomfort - given as my 'natural time' has long passed, that is. A pity, though - it appears I'll never learn what it's like to become a demon of hell, myself!

[godspiousjasper]

[ Amongst all the things happening, it's hard for him not to notice Moriarty sitting by himself. The mood is overall much lighter and he's happy to see such vibrant greenery and a beautiful blue sky again.

Roland finally comes up with a glass of wine, expression curious but his usual sunny attitude dialed down a couple of notches. Not super noticeable but someone like Moriarty might actually pick up on it. ]

...Hmm? Why are you all on your own over here, Moriarty??

[ He figured the man would want to be over with Akane at the very least. So this is a little confusing. ]

[hatesdeerstalkers]

I suppose I longed for the sea.

[He notices, though his own eyes are a match for the color of the sea itself as the world comes back to life. Clad now in the same ornate cape he had as a shade, with blue butterflies flitting around him almost as if he'd somehow walked into a butterfly house.

He waves the priest over to sit next to him, soundlessly.]

Even though I do not remember the slightest bit of my past beyond a certain point, Britain is still an island...and the sea is ever present in the air, even deep inland.

I suppose...I'm merely feeling a bit nostalgic.

[godspiousjasper]

[ As it stands, it's genuinely hard NOT to notice the vibrant colors. Between the shade of Moriarty's eyes down to the similar colors on his cape, Roland can't help but stare in awe as one hand came over to reach for one of the butterflies instinctively.

Merely a brief distraction before he moved to go and sit down next to the older man, gazing up at the sky that stretched on so endlessly above them. ]

Mm... I've never been to Britain but i'd love to visit it someday.

[ He nodded, exhaling a deep sigh and just taking in the fresh air and knowing he didn't have to see those damnable roots and vines anymore. ]

I can't say I blame you at all. I've missed the blue sky and the green grass, as well as the colorful flowers that bloom all throughout Paris.

[hatesdeerstalkers]

It's a beautiful country - in the countryside, at least. And London has many stately buildings and the fog that rolls in and blankets everything so that your surroundings look as if they are in a dream.

[He definitely sounds nostalgic, and one of the butterflies Roland reached for flutters over to land on his shoulder once he sits down next to Moriarty.]

Paris is also beautiful - that, at least, I remember, though at the time I did not have the right state of mind to appreciate it.

[That brings a small, mirthless smile.]

Ah, listen to me! I'm no doubt bringing down the mood significantly, hm? But I suppose that is what happens with age. Ah, such is life...

[...Like this, he almost seems like one of the butterflies flying around - fragile and ephemeral, a life that is there for only the briefest of moments.]

[unpossibilities]

[Kaito walks over and sits next to Moriarty, staring out into the ocean as well.]

...

Well, we did it, Pops. Guess this is the best way things coulda gone, in the end.

[hatesdeerstalkers]

It seems so, doesn't it?

[Unlike many of the others, he turns to smile at Kaito.]

We are all alive...and though it was not without sacrifice, we can now all move on, free to do as we will.

[There's a pause, before-]

But I assume I will be seeing much more of you from now on, hm?

[YOU'RE COMING WITH HIM AND AKANE, RIGHT]

[unpossibilities]

Well, we're both goin' back with Akane, so. Yeah, I guess so.

[It's gonna be a change, but hey. He doesn't mind.]

I don't have anywhere else to go back to, anyways, so it'd be hard to get rid o'me even if ya tried.

[they probably could but they're nice so they won't : )]

ew gross living body

[lovedthemost]

[Brain, nearby, will arch an eyebrow at that]

Feeling your age again?

[hatesdeerstalkers]

I'm surprised you're willing to chance another grappling session, Brain.

[SAID FLATLY, BECAUSE WOW??]

But - no. Merely that being a Heroic Servant has more benefits than cons, and...well, I suppose I'm ill at ease at being 'alive' again. I've been dead for almost two centuries now, you see.

[lovedthemost]

I have all my limbs now; it's given me significant confidence.

[with a smirk. But--]

I see. So you, too, were not given the same form as the one that you have in your own time when you were revived here.

[valkavian]

If it sucks THAT bad, I got a solution for ya.

[ She's mostly joking.

Mostly. ]

[hatesdeerstalkers]

I am not becoming a Dead Apostle, Val.

[Why are they like this]