MOCK ROUND - EPILOGUE

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When the flowers cry....

Finally, Sunday is here. At a certain time, everyone is rushed towards the ballroom, again - Where Lambdadelta awaits, in a very frilly dress - somehow even frillier than her normal ware.

With all the dignity of a reigning queen, she steps forward - motioning them to the piles of delicious food prepared for them, all warm and delicious - from extravagant roasts to the sugariest, softest desserts.

And when they all sit down, all the butlers....begin to clap, which echoes loudly in the halls. It almost sounds like the loud applause of a massive audience, praising them for their efforts, and enthusiastically seeing them off, until the curtain is drawn across the stage...

They've done it.

All of them save two....have won a wish from the witch of Certainty.

Such a monumental effort...deserves the highest of praise. And as they can settle in and enjoy their final meal among each other, they will know...that they truly earned every bit of praise and applause.

Comments

THE BOON OF THE WITCH

[strawberryshortcackle]

[Lambdadelta, of course, isn't about to let them leave without making one last big speech, soooo...]

I know all of you are probably wondering if I'm going to somehow have some last big twist - and the answer iiiiis....nope, not at all☆

I mean, you all did what I asked you to do, so there's no way I'm going to do some big twist at the last second. ...Well, beyond what's normal in this kind of thing, but that's hardly a twist if I'm going along with well-worn story conventions, right?

Anyway, all of you can ask me to grant any wish your heart desires, buuuut...there are a few rules. I can't just make anything happen out of thin air - I mean, I could, but that's only if your world allows for such miraculous things. I also can't bring back the dead, so don't even bother asking me that, okaaaay?

That being said, I'm being pretty generous. Even if it's a boring wish, I'll still grant it...so please realize how good I'm being towards all of you by not turning you into black tea if your wish disappoints me.

Oh, and of course, Vanitas and Takashi can't get a wish granted.

[She pauses, thinking.]

....Hm, well, but you did all pass that thing that one week....so how about this? If you two want your wish, I'll give you five minutes, and no more. In that time, you'll have to come up with a wish that doesn't bore me - and if it doesn't pass up to snuff, well...I might just make you suffer ☆

[She gives a sneer, though it quickly fades back into her normal cocky grin.]

Other than that, you'll all be going back home after you get your wish. And of course, you won't remember anything about this place or the people you met. I don't want to mess around with the fragments you all come from that badly, you know?

....But my power and boons will still be with you, so maybe stuff might change in the long run. It'll be fun to watch outside from the sea, anyway~

So have fun and say goodbye to everyone for the last time! And when you're all done....this'll all have just been a very long and fun dream, gifted to you by a generous witch.

[With that said, Lambdadelta sits down at a special seat in the hall just for her, like a queen on her throne, waiting for her supplicants and happily watching them as they mingle for the last time.]

[helmdivide]

[ Hearing the rules, he's just going to laugh. Then just dig into the food. Might as well enjoy this then while he can.

Can't bring back the dead
Can't remember any of this

It's a bummer, but he had a feeling it'll be impossible. So he'll eat, while trying to figure out what to actually wish for.

After a while, he'll look over at someone to make conversation. ]

What are you thinking to wish for?

[youngforhisage]

[Well, his face isn't exactly unfamiliar, even if it's less rounded. He's taller now, dressed in a simple white shirt and slacks, because naturally his uniform no longer fits. Long, curling red hair is tied back with a ribbon.

Not that he seems bothered, not enough to comment on it. Instead, Asuma simply smiles as usual.]

And that's that. It looks like we even exceeded expectations, huh?

[Although forgetting is a bit sad, well... perhaps that's just another price paid, to get what he wished for.]

[overlordad]

Hey, witch! Can I keep what's mine then?

[The obvious answer is Goat-kun but also anyone else that wants to come with... considering his world is like, the least shitty somehow]

[strawberryshortcackle]

Is that all you want? I mean, I could wiggle around your memory a bit to make it so you recently got Goat-chan over there back home pretty easily.

[overlordad]

I want to be able to take anyone here in this room that wants to come with me.

[He crosses his arms]

[strawberryshortcackle]

[Lambda...just stares at him, incredulously for a moment.]

....

[strawberryshortcackle]

[And then just cackles.]

...I wanted non-boring wishes from you, and that's only juuust a few inches over boring, you know?

So, you realize none of you will remember this? And if I take someone from here to your world, they won't remember their own world at all? I mean, at least in Vanitas' case, that means he'll never be truly complete.

[overlordad]

You know, assuming he doesn't wish himself whole beforehand.

And even if people don't remember, they might have a better chance there then where they'd be going otherwise. That's why I made it a choice- I'm not going to make that for anyone.

[strawberryshortcackle]

[She sighs.]

So really, your wish is just 'for those who wish to go to my world to have safe passage and be changed enough so they fit there?' That's kind of selfish of you, don't you think? That's practically two wishes in one!

[helmdivide]

[ ??? ]

Heeeeey, did you hit puberty overnight?

[overlordad]

I think I'm owed a little leeway after the show I gave you yesterday. After all you already let me get away with shit.

[He saw that opening she didn't take against his Blue yesterday]

[youngforhisage]

Not exactly - I cast a spell. Magic from my world requires a sacrifice, unfortunately, so this is the result.

[Alas! But he's still not too worried, if his demeanor is any indication.]

[helmdivide]

Oh. So you lost a few years? Not bad.

[ He's not sure if it's good or not but oh well. You do you, Asuma. ]

What kind of spell did you do?

[youngforhisage]

That's right. The spell was one to stop Vanitas' pain, hopefully, But I'll have to ask him if it actually worked.

[It would be really depressing if all that research turned out to be for nothing.]

[very_good_end]

[she just smiles]

I wish for you, Lady Lambdadelta, to go to my Master, Lady Bernkastel, and tell her: "Your piece won! I'm to grant you any wish you desire."

...Then, do whatever she asks from you.

[strawberryshortcackle]

[She laughs.]

I only let you 'get away with it' because it would have been disadvantageous otherwise to deny it, you know?

Hey Riku

[helmdivide]

[ One of the few times where he hates it that he's right. There's not going to be a next time or meeting up again. He already knows what's waiting for him back home, and nothing will probably change that.

Guess all he can do is write the final page himself. With that firmly in mind, he'll locate where Riku is being all serious at. He half expects him to be leaning against a wall, but finds him sitting down away from the others. He's not even sure what he's planning on doing until he's already standing next to his seat, his hand raised to touch. ]

Hey there. Let me see your hair for a moment.

[ Yeah, let's go with this. ]

[strawberryshortcackle]

...Ehhhh? Hey, that's cheating!! You can't give me a wish like that, you glorified OC!! Denied!

[LAMBDA PLEASE.]

[overlordad]

But, you don't deny you did it.

[strawberryshortcackle]

Does a chess player deny sacrificing a pawn for a bigger play, even if it doesn't work out? Does a player of a certain monster summoning card game that keeps getting anime seasons deny they sacrifice monsters to get a stronger, bigger monster?

[overlordad]

...

You gonna grant my wish or not, cuz if not I can work on rewording a contract.

[strawberryshortcackle]

Maaaybe, maybe not~ I still have to decide if it's not boring or not, you know?

[overlordad]

I could remake the wish in that dress you picked out last night?

[very_good_end]

What? I'm not asking for the dead to be revived, am I? It's a perfectly reasonable wish! You can't even say it's "uninteresting," can you? I'm sure my Master will think of... something... suitably creative for you.