Endgame: Flowers of Heaven

[errours]

Who: found(?) idols
Where: ???? a mysterious meadow
When: Day 232

[ As you pass through the gates, it’s as though a heaviness lifts from your chest—some terrible weight that you hadn’t realized you’d been carrying. It had felt like terrible sadness, like you had failed, and would forevermore be worthless and alone. It wasn’t your burden, but you were carrying it all the same.

Now you are Free.

You’re in a meadow, now, beneath a sky that shimmers with a shifting rainbow of light; the horizon stretches as far as the eye can see. Any fire still surrounding you dissipates at last, dissolving harmlessly in the light. Then, in first a trickle and then a flood, your memories, if they were lost, return to you.

...And there at the center of it all, sitting on a bronze tripod stool, is a woman who might look familiar to some of you. She’s wearing a summery golden top and a pair of wide-legged pants, slit up the sides to display the burn scars that go halfway up her legs. ]

Well, wasn’t that something truly special. We couldn’t have done this without all of you—and that’s what makes you so all so remarkable.
[ turning to face a presumably hidden camera ]
Weren’t they just inspiring? There’s no one quite like the Imeeji idols, is there?

[ facing all of you again with a fond sort of smile ]
And an extra congratulations to BARiTONES, Taisho Roman Revolution, AlcheME!, and pep!pep!, for holding on to yourselves, even when all seemed lost.

[ Sure enough, those units will find themselves fully restored; you might even feel renewed. The extra 800 points aren’t too shabby either. —Oh hey, and you've got a cute little holographic flower sticker on your clothes that says, "WOW!"
Everyone else, though…
Well, at least your memories are back. The rest is a lingering reminder of the cost of letting go.

A little in the distance, looking somewhat odd in the wide meadow, is the Game Tower elevator. Perhaps you’d like to go home. ]

Comments

[sunflowering]

[ Peeking in... ]

Managing...?

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

Just peachy.

Congratulations on your win.

[There is surprisingly no sarcasm in that. It's like ... almost genuine or something]

[sunflowering]

We lucked out.

[ But it looks like she hit the ground or something because there's dirt smeared across her chin and cheek and her hair is kind of a mess??

But she's fine outside of looking like she wrestled maybe. ]

I can't say the same for Future is Now though... is the rest of your unit okay? Should I find SensitIV, or...

[Most people aren't physically hurt, though... ]

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

I don't think any of these stupid after-effects are something within the White Mages realm of expertise.

[Squints at the dirt on her face]

Did you also get temporary amnesia?

[sunflowering]

[ Going to just take a seat on the ground beside him. ]

No. I got hit with something else for a while though. We did really well until the last round where we sort of...

[ Uh... ]

There were some disagreements.

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

[He leans a little closer to her, raising an eyebrow]

About what...?

[sunflowering]

[ What are you inflicted with Intensity-san she's trying to figure this out ]

It-- well. It was about who should wear the flower crown in the last round.

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

[Physical exhaustion and emotional co-dependency. Good times had by all.

And also hence waiting for everyone else to vacate the premises before he crawls out of here.

Bursts out laughing:]

Do you make the other guy wear it? I hope you did.

1/2

[sunflowering]

[ Guh--!

Salt into the wound! ]

2/3 I lied

[sunflowering]

I-I physically lost.

[ OTL ]

[ UGH!!!! He seems so sure she would have won that too... ]

That stupid idiot.

3/3

[sunflowering]

I'm super annoyed about it too. Because it ended up being the right decision, but that sort of grates me even more.

[ She didn't want her soul to die but there's pride involved and she's kind of mad about being tossed to the ground and restrained while it was forcefully shoved over her face. ]

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

I bet the problem was you fought fairly.

Next time just knee them right where it hurts. Solves the problem. Guaranteed.

[sunflowering]

He won't be getting the chance next time, that is for sure.

[ Hmph. ]

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

Take pictures for me. This I want to see.

1/2

[sunflowering]

Roger that, boss.

2/2

[sunflowering]

[ . . . Does boss work. She thinks she's supposed to be part of things. But actually maybe boss sounds weird...

If she says something like boss will that give him a swelled head? ]

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

[It is not physically possible to give him a bigger ego than he already has.]

Boss, huh?

Do you also work for C? Are we going to have to fight for workload prioritization?

[sunflowering]

Is it working for C? Maybe it comes down to the same thing. I declared war on that God girl and told her I already had a better one to follow.

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

Do you have the uniform?

[Aka the checkered bandanna.

Isn't that how you tell if you're part of C's gang or not???]

[sunflowering]

The bandana, right? He gave me one once when he visited Taisho. He often makes house calls, especially after games.

I have a bunch...

[ She's never sure what to do with them all. ]

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

I'll pay you double.

[That's just twice the number of bandannas right?

And dorm visits.

He can probably do dorm visits...]

[sunflowering]

[ . . . ]

I thought you both, were like. In the supervillain league together.

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

Yes. He's my VP. Which means you roll up to me anyway.

But. That's beside the point.

I can offer better benefits.

[sunflowering]

[ Pfft. She genuinely laughs after a moment. ]

What's up with? Like home-cooked meals? And what about room service? Do I get extra vacation days?

[ Ahahaha. Reaching out and poking him in the cheek. ]

You don't have to do anything, Intensity-san. Just be a friend. When you have a friend, that's the best kind of ally or relationship you could possibly ask for. Everything else is just material and disappears. I don't care about stuff like that.

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

[C-chokes. And perhaps looks a little pale.

Did she just use the dreaded f-word. KAGUYA! How could you? He thought they had an understanding!!!]

So what does room service entail?