The End...

[strangerpeople]

THE END...

[When the Titled wake up next, it's to void darkness.

There is nearly nothing left after what has happened, save for the blackness. Save for themselves, the Dragonborn and Serana as they hold each other, the Thalmor prisoner (who is clearly in shock), the body of the dragon they had attacked in the distance, the tower in the even further distance...

and an old man, sitting on nothing, clapping wildly.]

Bravo! Bravo!! Encore!! That was just amazing.

[Confetti starts to fill the air. It catches fire mid-way to the..ground. Whatever counts as ground now.]

Nothing like a good old world-ending riot, I always say! You all deserve an award for ending the universe as I knew it. Have some bread!

[Bread that looks like Papyrus' pops into their hands. It smells like chicken and god only knows what it tastes like.]

Go on, have a bite!

[This was probably not what anyone was expecting when the world ended.]

Comments

[carries_war]

We...

[Failed. They couldn't stop it. They were too late. Was it even possible to begin with?

Jr. doesn't even seem to register the bread in his hand as he slumps, staring into the distance.]

That's...it? The end of the world?

[strangerpeople]

Oh, why so down? It had to happen! Though I will say I wasn't expecting it to go the way it did. You should have seen it! No, really. You should have, because you were there, right?

CW: survivor's guilt/suicide ideation

[carries_war]

Yeah, I saw it, alright! I saw that we couldn't do a damn thing! So why...why are we the only ones to survive?!

[His hands tighten around the bread, though it's still dubious if he's even noticed it, and his entire body starts shaking.]

If I couldn't save this world, why do I get to exist when everything else is gone?!

[strangerpeople]

Oh, isn't the answer obvious? What did the Dragonborn say that one time to the dragon on the mountain?

"One gold septim!"

...Oh, wait, no, that was to that cook before they poisoned that one guy.

"Tell me everything and you won't end up like your goat!"

...You probably never even had a goat. Right, right, what they really said was:

"The next world will have to take care of itself." That's the one!

[carries_war]

The...next world?

[His eyes lift and settle on something in the distance: the Tower.]

Can we...I mean, is remaking the world really possible?

[strangerpeople]

Why not? Wouldn't be the first time!

[carries_war]

Would just one Tower be enough to remake the whole world?

[He seems to be getting some of his energy back, as the idea that this isn't over yet settles in.]

[strangerpeople]

It started the process! The Convention is what made reality! It won't be the same as before, of course, it never is. No giant heart to fling around this time.

But it will bring forth a reality.

[carries_war]

And we can do that...by thinking at the Tower, you said?

[strangerpeople]

Indeed! The mind's a terrible thing to waste! Trust me, I know. So why not waste it on the Tower!

[carries_war]

Don't I know it...

[Visualization is an important skill for a telepath. As is thinking at things...or away from them. He closes his eyes and focuses, imagining a wide beach, ocean teeming with aquatic life. He's not sure why, but the beach on the Kukai Foundation had always felt important to him...it only feels right for a real beach to be the first thing he creates.]

[strangerpeople]

[Somewhere in the southeast, he feels it. Can almost imagine it. It's far away, but it forms, and he can imagine it, just as it was in his memory. But, perhaps more poignant and beautiful like in his nostalgic memories.]

[carries_war]

[It feels like...it feels like remembering something he hasn't been able to remember since he got here. The feeling is there, but the memory...he wonders. What happens if he thinks at the tower that the Unmaking is undone, that the gaps in his memories are filled? Up until now, he hasn't been sure he wanted to know...but in this moment, it feels easier to face.]

[strangerpeople]

[Perhaps. Perhaps, if he desires.

It is not easy to simply recreate everything. Memories? Likely. Unmaking was, however, of everything, not simply of these strangers' memories.

But the memories, perhaps they can be brought back. If he concentrates.]

[carries_war]

[He's going to try. After all, if he's going to fix this world and see his other friends again, it wouldn't do to not remember whatever was between Proto Merkabah and getting that tattoo on his ankle, right? So yes, he concentrates. On bringing back his memories...but not yet his powers. He doesn't want to risk no longer being able to influence the Tower if he fixes everything they've done to him.]

[strangerpeople]

[At first, there is silence.

Then, after a few moments, thoughts heretofore forgotten begin to seep into his mind.]

[carries_war]

[It's a lot, but not as much as he'd already remembered. A year...and a few months long ago.]

Sa...kura. That's who I'd-

[The pleasant memories don't last long, before they give way to more death. He'd only known Sakura (loved her) a short time before she'd died. Only days after Albedo's return, he'd died as well...he'd killed him himself. Old Miltia was gone, destroyed. The Gnosis Terrorism. Rennes-le-Chateau, Albedo was back as one of the Testaments, but had ignored him. He'd had to live through the Miltian Conflict a second time, had to fight the infected Standards again. Found out it was really Shion who had summoned the Gnosis. By this point, he's gone pale again, and begun to wonder if he'd made a mistake. It gets worse. Dmitri Yuriev moving on Michtam, the destruction of the Durandal (he'd fallen for simple misdirection...) and then...]

N-no! [He takes a deep breath, steadying his shaking hands. Albedo...they're one now, like they were meant to be. And he can't help but wonder if he can use this power over creation to bring Nigredo back, but...his world's problems aren't a priority now, are they? This world still needs so much. Like, for example, some pure white snow for those spaghetti mountains. ...The snow may, in fact, actually be Parmesan cheese. Look, he needs something lighthearted as a distraction, okay?]

[strangerpeople]

[The soft Parmesan cheese now starts to fall, piling onto the spaghetti mountains in gentle piles.

Everything will be ok, Jr. Everything is ok.]

[carries_war]

[At least they'll have plenty to eat? Assuming the spaghetti doesn't taste like Papyrus made it himself...]

[strangerpeople]

[It does not, it will taste legitimately delicious.]

[socialhacktivist]

[Futaba scoots over and takes Jr.'s hand, squeezing it. She's at just as much of a loss as he is. It feels like there's a horrible weight on her chest.]

There has to be something else we can do... As long as we're still here...

[She... doesn't have a lot of faith but-- she doesn't feel like she can just give up yet either.]

[carries_war]

I don't know...you saw all the good trying to stop the World-Eater did...even if we do have the artifacts of Daedric Princes inside of us, what the hell can we do now?

[socialhacktivist]

This guy... Sheogorath... This guy is the one that was talking to me. I mean-- I could talk to him because of my power as the Balanced. He seems like just some insane guy, but he has to know something...

We can't give up yet...

[carries_war]

Maybe...maybe I know something too.

[He's staring at the Tower in the distance.

But I don't know if it'll be good enough...

[bythewaves]

Maybe. [ Maglor murmurs quietly ]

Of that world, anyway. But not entirely, l think, as we are stil here.