WEEK 3 - NIGHTSHADE

[foundationmods]

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

Comments

Balcony

[cryosurgeon]

[Erhard joins Akira by the railing with a glass of iced coffee, taking a moment to gaze out at the view. It's really beautiful here, even if it's a hellhole in disguise with all the toxic plants and that evil witch around.]

If you don't mind me prying, what are you thinking about?

[beguiledcard]

[ He blinks softly at the question, and then looks over to Erhard. His expression softens, and then it falters. There's a faintly sheepish smile as he realizes he's taking a bit to answer... ]

... To... be honest?

[ With a wry kind of smile, he looks down, gaze resting on the plants below them. ]

Everything before all of this - before the Foundation. My parents, their expectations... Looking back, none of that was as big or as difficult as I thought it was, at the time.

[cryosurgeon]

So you've gained perspective from this. That's good, though I'm sorry it had to be this way.

[Erhard leans against the railing, sipping his coffee.]

Are you planning to remain with the Foundation when we escape from here?

[beguiledcard]

[ He gives a soft 'heh'... ]

Yeah, that's true, isn't it...? And, who's to say I'd have this way of looking at things if not for all of this. For the people I met.

[ There's a distant look to his eyes for a moment, but he offers Erhard a small smile as he shakes his head. ]

No. I don't think I am...

[cryosurgeon]

I'll... miss you, then. I have to stay.

[He sets his coffee on the railing and looks out over the island with a sad, distant stare.]

I don't have much choice. It's the Foundation, termination... or prison.

[beguiledcard]

[ His expression falters a tiny bit. ]

Prison...? But- why?

[cryosurgeon]

I've told some of the others. I might as well tell you, too.

[Erhard sighs softly.]

I was imprisoned at sixteen for bioterrorism. The FBI says I unleashed a biological agent at a college campus and killed a lot of people. I'm supposed to serve 250 years, Akira. Without the Foundation, I'm dead or worse.

[beguiledcard]

[ He stares for a long while... ]

... But... you don't remember doing that?

[cryosurgeon]

No. I was found unconscious at the scene, the only survivor. I also have the necessary scientific background to create and handle biological agents, like viruses or bacteria. I was the only one with those qualifications on campus at the time. It was logical for them to accuse me.

[beguiledcard]

[ His expression dims quite a bit... ]

... But still fucked up.

[ There's a clenching of his teeth after he says that. He looks away. ]

Mine isn't... nearly that bad, but I went through something similar, not long before I wound up with the Foundation. It's the whole reason I spent my birthday getting shipped off to Tokyo, with an assault charge wrongfully attached to my name.