GOOD END=DEAD END

[idolpro]

Who: People
Where: One of those fucking moon shrines that are everywhere now
When: Day 406, Night

[ In the midst of the moonlit festival, there's...another festival! At one of the shrines (which, for some reason, nestled in a thick taiga forest that seems to have appeared out of nowhere?) is a feasting table with several types of blood food and also some other Chinese and Yakutian dishes if you're like a coward or something.

More importantly, while this seems to be a festival, it actually apparently doubles as a...book...fair? There are shelves full of books for purchase, as well as catalogues with lists of Other Books You Might Like!. Most of them are philosophical and religious texts and exciting children's fables featuring Moral Injury, but there's also young adult romance novels and stories about little engines that could and big red dogs.

Strung across the shrine's awning is a banner that reads:

CONGRATULATIONS WYLD ♥ HUNTER, ATTACK AND DETHRONE GOD!

Oh! It's a graduation. Probably you'd have been able to tell if you're someone who received a several paragraph long invitation from one of the native hellhounds. ]

Comments

[widenessofthesea]

Ah—

...I wasn't expecting this so soon. Somehow I sort of expected to have to fight my way out.

[overworker]

...it's... really happening...

Um-- c-congratulations. You... you've more than earned this.

[widenessofthesea]

My apologies—we didn't get much warning, either...

...would that I could see you all safe.

[overworker]

No, no... it's just...

Well. We've been together here since day one, you know? Or at least what was day one for us. It's... going to feel really weird without you around.

[carrionmywaywardsun]

You never know. Maybe the fight to the death comes next.

[widenessofthesea]

Well—I think there might be a few on our itinerary, in any case. Just not to get out of here specifically.

...unfortunate that I won't be able to make it for fancy dinner.

[carrionmywaywardsun]

[nodding at the table of blood foods]

You got your part of it, at least.

[gravitydefier]

[extremely awkwardly.]

...where will you go?

[widenessofthesea]

...I'm going home with Aria. We're... planning to stay together for as long as we can.

[gravitydefier]

[still awkwardly.] ...I hope that you both will be well.

[bad_crowmance]

Heh. Looks like "congratulations" are in order.

[widenessofthesea]

It seems so...

...well, I'll chalk it up as a victory readily enough. New endeavors to be had.

[bad_crowmance]

It's definitely some kind of victory. What do you plan to do with it?

[beautifulend]

Ah.

A sudden blessing from Luna, I suppose.

[widenessofthesea]

Well—

...at least we'll be together.

[beautifulend]

...That's right! 'Till death do us part. Unless we decide to part before then, at least.

[widenessofthesea]

...always free to do as we choose.

But at least as I am now—I choose you.

God, I'm going to have to pick up a lot of new things, though.

[carrionmywaywardsun]

Looks that way.

[beautifulend]

I fear I've never been more nervous in my life than in this moment.

[carrionmywaywardsun]

Not expecting a warm welcome back home?

[overworker]

You both deserve this and many other blessings.

[She's not crying shhhh.]

Congratulations.

[beautifulend]

...Well, how much of a blessing it really is yet remains to be seen. Such is our silver lady.

[ anyway serenity you get a hug ]

[gravitydefier]

...Perhaps. [awkwardly. kind of unsure what he is even doing here.]

[avestan]

Oh, you're going too.

[bad_crowmance]

Looks that way. Congratulations.