thefoundation | WEEK 3

Finally, the whole truth of this affair had come out.

The Witch they had known as Yuuko was actually Nirrti, the Witch of Misfortune.
And Watanuki was actually the real Witch of Dimensions, as the two of them fought over the power that title brought, as well as the name and identity of a long dead woman...🗈

Though things had finally changed, perhaps it wouldn't be for the better. Nirrti herself seemed much different than how she was before, and Watanuki was the one who had brought all of them here...with that in mind, it was hard to tell how their future would shake out...

However, it wasn't all bad. A few more places were open to them, the second floor becoming a much more inviting place to be, and there was still everything they had gotten used to before. And now, they all knew that Nirrti's promises were nothing but empty air...

...or, perhaps, now they would merely change.

MONDAY | TUESDAY | WEDNESDAY | THURSDAY

CALENDAR | LOCATIONS | PRIVATE CONVERSATIONS | NIRRTI PC POST | WATANUKI PC POST

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Yes, but at least it would be cooling instead of sweltering.

[he likes them. They're stupid as hell, but they make him feel tall]

Me either -- that was next on my agenda. Let's go look, then. Then I guess we'll have to fight over who gets what library. [that may also be a joke]

Not if it was a heated pool. [ Just saying! To the suggestion he nods and then hums. ]

Sure. I want the one with the higher ceilings.

... Ugh. [Shadow folds his ears. That would be their luck, wouldn't it]

Well, that would probably be this one, technically.. since it's on the second floor and all. [don't be a smartass shadow. he enters the library. The vibe in here is pretty different -- it seems more magical] Hm... oh?

[Shadow is attracted to the crystal ball in the center, and he walks over to inspect it]

[ It totally would. Natsuno's not a magical existence (just a supernatural one), but even he can pick up that this place is full of it. ]

Hm. Maybe you can have this one anyway. [ Whatever's going on here, he doesn't trust it. Still, he would be remiss if he didn't do a precursory sweep, and the crystal ball that's grabbed Shadow's attention is as good enough a place to start as any. It is awfully shiny. ]

What is it?

Ugh, no way. It kind of gives me an uneasy feeling. I guess we'll just have to keep sharing downstairs.

[he traces the curve of the crystal ball with his bare hand, watching the tiny stars within]

I'm not sure. Some sort of crystal ball? But what for?

[one of the stars catches his attention, and the orb seems to zoom in on it, revealing a faceted crystal]

Crystals?

[ The subtlest nod. That's fine by him. ]

I doubt it's to tell our fortunes. [ Moving closer to get a better look himself. ]

Or...fragments? [ That words been thrown around so much it's the first thing that comes to mind. ]

Fragments... [Shadow tilts his head] Didn't someone say something about a Sea of Fragments? Could this be a window into that? All the possible worlds...?

[as if responding to his question, the fragment shimmers, showing... a space station? Shadow gasps] It can't be...!

I think so. [ Yeah he's stopping right here. If the crystals react to them then he's pretty sure what it's going to show him, and pass. ]

Recognize that place?

This... this is where I was created. This is the 'ARK'.

[the fragment zooms in more, showing a hallway. Shadow is there, holding hands with a beautiful girl. They're running, and Shadow is rushing her away from men armed with guns and protected by body armor that give chase. The fragment suddenly turns, showing three facets at once. On each surface, a different version of the story plays out.

In one, the pair reach a dead end. The girl shoves Shadow into an escape capsule, and she manages to flip the switch to send the capsule down to earth just as the men catch up to them... and shoot her dead. Her last words, a plea for peace. "Shadow I beg of you, please do it for me... for a better future! For all the people who live on that planet... give them a chance to be happy... Let them live for their dreams. Shadow, I know you can do it. that's the reason why you were brought into this world."

In another, they again reach a dead end, but this time, there is no escape pod. The men corner Shadow and the girl... and he stands before her with his hands raised in surrender. "Do what you want with me... just don't hurt Maria. Please..." The men light the room with gunfire, riddling the hedgehog with bullets. He collapses in a bloody heap, and they take the girl -- Maria? -- into custody.

On the last side, the pair never reach the dead end. A door closes in their path, and they skid to a stop. The men in this version are carrying tranquilizers instead of live rounds, and the darts find their marks -- both Shadow and the girl collapse, still holding each other's hands]

[The real Shadow, standing in the library, can't tear his eyes away until the fragment drifts back into the sea. Then, he falls to his knees]

....

[ A lot of what Natsuno sees is foreign to him-- the spaceship and armed pursuers to start, but the desperate attempt to escape he knows all too well. He watches the three fragments intently, and he finds himself letting out a shallow sigh when all three come to an end.

Natsuno isn't one for comfort, and he keeps his gaze locked onto the crystal as a modicum of privacy. That he can do, at least. ]

Three bad ends. The demons can have this library, it would suit them more to relive misery like this.

Ha.... haha...

[The laugh is breathless, dark, tired. He flips himself over, leaning against the crystal ball's pedestal]

[when he speaks, it's muttering to himself]How many thousands of permutations.... how many paths where she dies and I live, or I die, or we both die... are there any at all where we both get to be happy?

[maybe there were. Maybe there were hundreds of facets where they get to live in peace. But tainted by misfortune as this whole damn mansion is, he'll never get to see them]

[he collects himself and stands up, keeping his eyes down, and wordlessly exits the library]

[ Natsuno watches Shadow exit, silent. He'll run into him again another time surely, and judging by what he knows of the hedgehog it's better to leave him alone anyway. Glancing back at the crystal ball himself, he sees a a bright green field with mountains in the distance. There's rows of crops, wide open roads and—

No, that life was dead to him now.

Snapping his head forward, he also leaves the library in a hurry. ]

WEEK 3 - NIGHTSHADE

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