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[Location: the Archon’s Roost, in the statue room. Pogo, Yun, Cube, Akira, Sundown Kid, Masaru, and Oboromaru are standing in front of Oersted]
Oersted: Are these my hands, stained black with blood and sin? What wickedness I’ve wrought…and all for what?
[He falls to his knees. The other seven stare at him for a few seconds, unsure of what to do. Suddenly, Akira walks over to Oersted and grabs him by the collar]
Akira: You know what your problem is? You blamed everyone else. But it was your choice to become a villain! It’s not the gods, or fate, or any of the shitty things that happened in your life. It’s you, okay? It’s you! Yeah, people can suck. We can be selfish. But if you only focus on how bad humans are…if you judge them at their worst…well, you’ve already made up your mind, haven’t you?
[He releases Oersted and steps away from him]
Akira: Shit, dude, what else am I supposed to say? Aside from, you know, destroying every last person in this place just because you were miserable, and how that doesn’t excuse anything? You need to be better, okay?!
[Oersted stares at Akira emotionlessly for several seconds. Oersted then slowly nods]
Oersted:…Aye. Maybe so. I sought out nothing good. Expecting guilt…and just cause to condemn…
[Pogo suddenly points at Oersted]
Pogo: Love!
[Pogo steps up to Oersted. Oersted instinctively freezes up, closes his eyes, and turns his head away…but he slowly reopens his eyes when he sees that Pogo is hugging him. Pogo holds him for several seconds before letting go and stepping away. Oersted quietly gasps as he finds himself relaxing]
Oersted: Such passion. ‘Nay. ‘Tis love.
[He chuckles warmly]
Oersted: A boundless love. I wanted that once. Once upon a time…
[Cube emits a quiet beep as he slowly rolls up to Oersted]
Oersted: How strange. A construct without heart or soul. Whence comes compassion? Whence arises love?
[Cube nods. He dispenses some flowers from his body and gives them to Oersted. Oersted slowly takes the flowers from Cube. Cube nods at the other six as he beeps and spins happily]
Oersted: If not from these…perhaps…’tis what you lack. In absence, value understood. Indeed…I dwelt on it much, once upon a time…
[Oboromaru sighs and closes his eyes out of contemplation]
Oboromaru:…Ryoma shared with me this wisdom. We who wield the power of life and death…wield not the power to shape the world and its people as we see fit. Though there is great risk in it, there is also great reward to be found in trust and mercy. Sorrow will follow if this wisdom is ignored.
Oersted:…The world belongs to one no man. By love, trust, mercy, and faith…we will be saved. Wise, wise words. Spoken by another, but who…?
[The Sundown Kid sighs as he adjusts his hat]
Sundown Kid:…Listen, Oersted. I’ve been on my own for a long while. I left it all behind. My life, my people…but the cold and dark nights have added up. I’ve come to miss the warmth of good company…and a place to hang your hat.
Oersted:…A sentiment I share…such hate I’ve nurtured, and such solitude I’ve sought. And yet…for all of their flaws…[sighing sadly]…I miss them so much.
Masaru: Hey, Oersted. There’s nothing wrong with wanting more, wanting to be better. The best, even. But the struggle for power…it shouldn’t come at the cost of one’s soul. When you’re old and weak, your strength of spirit is all you’ll have in the end.
Oersted:…Indeed. For power comes in many forms…oh, how was I so blind? The fault was mine…because of the weakness deep within my broken heart…
[Yun looks over at the other six heroes. They’re all looking at Yun expectantly. Cube just emits a confused beep]
Yun: Oh…now it’s…my turn to talk…?
[Akira nods. Yun clears his throat and takes a deep breath]
Yun: Okay…maybe you asked too much of yourself. When we struggle…when we’re lost and we don’t know what to do…there are many choices to make. We can wish it was easier or different…but in the end, it’s what we make of it that matters.
Oersted:…Perhaps…you’ve struck upon a truth. When tested…sorely tested…I failed. I ran. Rejected trial and choice. And I chose…
[Oersted just finishes his sentence with a sorrowful noise]
Yun: Uh, I have more to say. Now, if…if Lei was here…I think she would say something like…how you’re just supposed to do the best you can and hope that it’s enough? And…and how we don’t always get what we want. Yeah…that seems like something she would say.
[Oersted slowly nods]
Oersted:…To strive for something more…a better self…
Yun: Oh, and Hong! Now what would Hong say? I think he would say…something about how easy it would be to hurt others because he was hurt. And how he just couldn’t hurt others because…he doesn’t want anybody else to be hurt…
[Oersted softly chuckles]
Oersted: So simple. Earnest. True. For them as well. They wronged me, wounded me…nay, far worse. ‘Twas in fear and ignorance they struck. But I…in bitterness…and spite…
[Oersted lowers his head. A sniffle can be heard from him. Yun abruptly lifts Oersted onto his feet. Oersted tenses up…and then Yun pulls Oersted into a gentle hug. Oersted stiffens up and gasps as he drops the flowers]
Akira: Huh?
Pogo: Love! Love!
[Cube beeps as he spins around. Masaru quietly claps a few times, while Sundown Kid and Oboromaru simply watch the scene with somewhat widened eyes]
Yun: Yeah, I don’t know why I’m doing this, either. I just…heard him sniffling, and…and I just…oh, this is very awkward…this guy doesn’t seem to be enjoying the hug very much…
[He sheepishly chuckles as he pulls away from the hug. Or he tries to, anyway; Oersted abruptly wraps his arms around Yun]
Oersted: I missed this very much…
Akira: Seriously, Yun, were you not listening to what he said? He said he wanted that.
Oersted: ‘Tis true. But…I have not felt this love in such a long time…I have almost forgotten what it felt like…
[Oersted starts quietly sobbing. Yun awkwardly rubs Oersted’s back]
Oersted: I may just perish from sorrow…
[Oersted quietly hiccups a few times. Yun hugs him tighter and strokes his hair. Oersted makes a noise of desperation and gratitude as he relaxes into the hug]
Oersted: My apologies…my tears are…too great…
Yun: Uh…well…you’ve been through a lot, so…it might be a while…
Akira: [muttering to himself] Seriously?
[Pogo growls at Akira]
Akira: What? I literally never saw anybody cry this…much. It’s…it’s…
[Akira folds his arms as tears fall from his face. Pogo gives Akira a hug, while Cube beeps sadly. Akira lowers his head as he lets himself cry a little. Masaru pats Akira’s shoulder. Oboromaru silently strokes Cube’s head. The Sundown Kid lowers his hat so nobody sees him shedding tears of his own]
Oersted: Indeed. Such pain I have suffered, and such little comfort I have gotten…
[Oersted slowly stops hiccupping. He takes a few deep breaths as he sniffles once more]
Yun: [rubbing Oersted’s back] Hey, uh, you feeling better?
[Oersted very slowly pulls away from the hug. Yun is still holding Oersted’s shoulders]
Oersted: Thy arms must be fatigued…let them fall.
[Yun reluctantly takes his hands off of Oersted’s shoulders]
Oersted: Very good, my friend.
[Oersted slowly puts one hand on Yun’s cheek. He gives Yun a tearful smile]
Oersted:…To answer your query…aye. I do feel lighter. Happier.
[Oersted slowly puts his other hand on Yun’s other cheek]
Yun: What are you doing?
[Oersted slowly lowers Yun’s head…and then he softly kisses Yun’s forehead]
Yun:…Huh?
Akira: Did he just kiss your forehead?
[Pogo tugs on Akira’s clothing as he points at Yun and Oersted]
Pogo: Love! Love!
Akira: [patting Pogo’s head] Okay, okay! I get it! It’s a sweet scene!
[Cube happily beeps. Oboromaru faintly but warmly smiles, and the Sundown Kid does the same thing. Masaru claps his hands a few more times as he chuckles proudly. Oersted sighs out of relief]
Oersted:…Many thanks, my friend.
Yun: But…but I…
Oersted: Hush.
[Oersted rests his forehead on Yun’s forehead. Oersted also delicately caresses Yun’s cheek]
Oersted:…Humanity is truly kind. I’ve been sorely mistaken…
[Oersted slowly takes his hands away from Yun’s face. Yun instinctively grabs one of Oersted’s hands, which makes Oersted gasp quietly]
Yun: Oh, uh…sorry, I just…I don’t know why I…
[Oersted slowly wraps his hand around Yun’s hand. Oersted gently shakes Yun’s hand]
Oersted: I can never thank you all enough. Especially you, my friend. You will surely be rewarded in the afterlife.
[Oersted abruptly lets go of Yun’s hand. Oersted falls to his knees and starts breathing heavily. Pogo whimpers sadly as he tightly hugs Akira’s leg. Akira gently strokes Pogo’s hair as he lets out a solemn sigh. Cube beeps sadly. Oboromaru and the Sundown Kid lower their heads. Masaru folds his arms as he gives Oersted a somber look]
Oersted:…Make ready. Your return is nigh…
End