Chapter Text
Mirabelle POV:
(You’re heading back to the church)
(Raguel was the one who wanted to get back so fast)
(You wonder why…)
> “Why are we heading back before the others, Raguel?”
Raguel: “I need to do something.”
> “What is it?”
Raguel stops, he opens his eyes and looks at Mirabelle.
> “Sorry! Should I have not asked?”
Raguel: “No, no it’s alright, I need to go read something.”
> “Read what?”
Raguel: “You’ll see when we get back.”
Raguel continues on but his eyes remain open.
(This is as good a time as any to ask him questions…)
> “Raguel, who are you?”
Raguel: “A Priest.”
> “Oh, that’s… not what I meant… Like what are your hobbies?”
Raguel: “...Craft Theory.”
(Oh! He likes Craft Theory too?)
> “Oh! Anything specific?”
Raguel: “...Yes.”
> “What is it?”
Raguel: “Unique ways to apply craft.”
> “Like what?”
Raguel: “Like that trick I did when fighting the tree.”
> “The one where you pierced the ground?”
Raguel: “Yeah, it’s a rather simple application but it’s an example of it.”
(This is interesting but you want to find out more about him…)
> “Where were you before you came to Theseou?”
Raguel pauses.
> “What is it…?”
Raguel continues walking
Raguel: “Nothing, I was at the House of Change in Dormont.”
(Wait what?)
> “I feel like I should have seen you if you were there…”
Raguel: “I’m not a very outgoing person, we might’ve met once but I can’t remember.”
> “I probably would’ve remembered as well…”
(You wish you could’ve met him earlier)
> “What did you do there?”
Raguel: “Not much, just committed to my studies.”
> “How long were you at the House of Change?”
Raguel: “Fourteen years.”
(Fourteen?!?!?!)
> “FOURTEEN YEARS?!?!?!?!”
Raguel: “I was there at the age of four and got sent here at the age of eighteen.”
> “At four? Do you have any family?”
Raguel: “Just my adoptive mother.”
> “Who is she?”
Raguel: “Someone who’s a lot like you.”
(Huh?)
> “A lot like me?”
Raguel: “That is what I said.”
(You feel like you would’ve heard of such a person…)
> “What’s their name?”
Raguel closes his eyes.
Raguel: “It’s not important.”
> “Oh, okay.”
Raguel: “We’re about to reach Theseou.”
(Oh we are!)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mirabelle POV:
(He went into the room where he fixed Miki)
(You should see what he’s doing)
> “Raguel?”
Raguel doesn’t even turn, he’s looking at a letter very intently.
> “Raguel…? What’s wrong?”
Raguel: “Sorry it’s… nothing.”
> “What is it?”
Raguel: “Reading a letter from my mother.”
> “Oh? Is it good news?”
Raguel: “She’s frozen, I couldn’t get myself to read any of them until now…”
> “Oh…”
Raguel: “It’s alright, let’s move to the main room.”
(You owe it to Raguel to save the country from the King too now!)
(Oh… right, you nearly forgot your discussion)
(Still… you want him to be able to see his mother again)
Raguel sits down on the pews, takes off his cloak and…
(You just heard something fall…)
(Raguel didn’t seem to notice)
(He must be deep in thought)
(You should go grab it)
(It’s a locket?)
(You don’t remember Raguel having a locket)
Mirabelle picks it up and opens it.
Raguel: “What are you doing?”
> “OH-”
Raguel: “GIVE IT BACK! NOW!”
Mirabelle rushedly hands him the locket and there’s a moment of silence.
(...)
(You shouldn’t have done that)
Raguel: “Did… …Did you see?”
> “...Y-Yes, I did.”
There is another long moment of silence.
> “Is…”
Raguel opens the locket and Mirabelle gets another look at it. The Locket has a picture of a child Raguel and a younger Euphrasie happy and cheerful. On the other side of the locket is etched the words “The Answers We Find”.
> “The Head Housemaiden, she’s your…?”
Raguel: “Yeah...”
> “I… never knew she…”
Raguel: “No one does.”
> “...Why?”
Raguel: “She didn’t want me to have to live up to those kinds of expectations.”
(That sounds like her…)
Raguel: “When I turned eighteen she sent me here.”
Mirabelle: “Why would she…?”
Raguel: “When she told me that was the plan… I…”
Raguel: “It’s… the only time in my memory I’ve yelled, the only time I screamed.”
Raguel: “The only time I’ve ever seen her cry.”
Raguel: “The only thing she could say was she was sorry.”
Raguel: “That’s not how you use that word… is it?”
His hands tug at his legs, his eyes just barely held open, his mouth no longer able to hide emotion.
(He’s crying…)
(You never thought you’d see him cry)
(You never thought you’d hear about her crying either)
> “I don’t know…”
Raguel: “Then I said… I said… okay. And… we never talked again.”
Raguel: “Change… why did she change like that?”
Raguel: “What could have sparked her to… to… throw me away like that?”
Raguel: “Then… then… have the gall to send me letters afterwards?”
> “What did the letters say…?”
Raguel turns to look at Mirabelle, he’s crying harder but staring blankly.
(His eyes… They were begging to cry)
Raguel looks away and back at his legs where his hands are clenched.
Raguel: “They all said… on some lines… she was sorry…”
Raguel: “She sent so many… just for me to read none of them…”
> “It’s not your-”
Raguel: “It is my fault Mirabelle! N-no one else’s…”
(You don’t know why she sent him here but… you know she wouldn’t blame him)
> “IT’S NOT YOUR FAULT!”
Raguel’s tears stop for but a moment and his eyes look to Mirabelle.
> “Besides, even if it was, you can still make up for it. After we save the country you can talk to her.”
Raguel turns and looks back down.
(You have to make sure he can)
(But in the meantime…)
Mirabelle hugs him.
Raguel: “Don’t…”
Raguel: “Please don’t… you don’t know what I’ve-”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Miki POV:
The Church doors fly open slamming against the walls.
Raguel: “-done…”
Odile: “Get away from Mirabelle!”
Mirabelle: “Odile, what’s wrong?”
Raguel pushes himself up and walks to the podium.
He looks at the Change God statue at the center of the stained glass.
Raguel: “Seeing as you’re here, it didn’t freeze you in time.”
Odile: “Not going to deny it?”
Raguel: “No, I’ve never been one to lie.”
Mirabelle: “Odile, what are you talking about?”
Odile: “Mirabelle, get over here!”
Mirabelle: “Not until you tell me what’s going on!”
Isabeau: “The monsters, Mirabelle, they’re… because of Raguel.”
Mirabelle: “No… No! Raguel you couldn’t…”
Raguel: “I did, I gather you encountered one of the Faux?”
Odile: “Yes, we did.”
(You do not understand why he would do such a thing)
> “Why is it you did that?”
Raguel: “It’s my answer, I choose to save the people.”
Mirabelle: “Raguel… you-”
Raguel: “The King’s world is the method I saw to pursue that answer.”
Mirabelle: “Why aren’t you denying it?!?!?!”
Raguel: “They were my choices, Mirabelle, I live with them.”
Raguel: “If any of you have questions I will answer them, you all deserve that much at the very least.”
Odile: “How did you create Bonheur and Faux, and why?”
(Created? But those were sadnesses, they spawn from a person’s own sadness taken form)
(Why is Odile’s tone accusatory?)
Raguel: “I didn’t create the four sadnesses, but I did influence them. The answer is Body Craft, while most think of it in the context of Humans, it works perfectly well on Sadnesses too.”
Raguel: “As to why, to Change which world we live in.”
Mirabelle: “Change the world? What do you mean by that?”
Raguel: “This world inflicts harm every day. Yet we try to fix that, but we can’t save the people and the world. The world is rotten at the very core.”
(“If you could create a new world”)
(...)
Isabeau: “Four sadnesses?”
Raguel: “Do you have any other questions before you ask that one?”
(He never told you his answer)
> “What is your answer to the question you asked me?”
Raguel: “The people.”
Mirabelle: “W-What question?”
Raguel: “If you could only save one, which would you save, the people you love or the world?”
Everyone pauses for a moment.
Mirabelle: “Why couldn’t we just save both?”
Raguel: “That’s choosing to not choose, you don’t have the time to save both in this question.”
Mirabelle looks at Raguel with a look of empathy and sadness.
Odile: “Did you ever try to make a Human with Body Craft?”
(What? Is such a thing even possible?)
Raguel: “...Yes”
Raguel: “I failed.”
Raguel: “The corpse was… a horrific sight.”
Raguel: “None of us want me to describe it.”
Odile: “So it’s possible?”
Raguel: “Theoretically.”
Raguel: “But experimentation trying to make it succeed is a horrific idea.”
Raguel: “You don’t want to have to see the thing I did.”
(It is possible…?)
Raguel: “Alright back to that question Isabeau asked…”
Raguel: “You’ve forgotten something if I’m behind the monsters.”
Raguel: “That means I also have the orb.”
Raguel: “And I have the fourth sadness holding it.”
Odile: “Mirabelle, Siffrin needs healing.”
Mirabelle: “OH! Of course!”
Mirabelle runs to the back of the group where Siffrin is and begins nervously using her craft.
(If Odile is saying that, she must be expecting a fight)
Miki moves to the front of the party and holds her arms in front of her defensively.
Raguel: “Alright, I’ll stop stalling.”
Raguel: “Any words before this happens?”
> “You do not have to do this.”
Raguel: “I do.”
(He does not have to, you know he does not have to)
Mirabelle: “You’re outnumbered! There’s five of us and one of you, please stand down!"
Raguel: “...”
A gargantuan sword tears straight through the Church Wall to the left and collides with the ground in front of Miki, rumbling the very floor she stands on. The wall and roof have one long vertical tear through them, pieces of them crumbling off onto the ground. Through the stained glass, Miki sees eye after eye after eye after eye, each eye looks like it’s begging to cry. Everyone looks over to the tear and stands there in stunned silence.
(You feel countless eyes staring at you, it’s paralyzing)
The entire party can’t move.
Raguel: “Let me save you the time, this is La Foi, its craft type is Piercing, or its other name Scissors. It doesn’t have a lot of craft but where it lacks there, it makes up for with its sword.”
The countless eyes peer through the tear.
Raguel: “As you can see it’s hard to move while it’s looking at you.”
Raguel: “Call it the weight of the world.”
Raguel: “Well? Can you move despite it?”
(You must)
Miki takes a step forward.
Raguel: “Seems you can.”
(This sadness is very dangerous, you need to Overdrive for this fight)
[Initiating Overdrive]
The world becomes slower, easier to process, as Miki’s systems are pushed to work faster.
Siffrin, wide eyed, snaps his fingers.
(You feel faster? Siffrin’s craft works on you? Craft like that usually relies on the craft within an organism, and yet…)
Raguel: “So, shall we?”
The gargantuan sword slices off the roof of the church in one clean motion, exposing the Church to the cloudy sky and sunset. Most of the debris flies into the trees, the rest falls away.
La Foi steps into the church, its massive, hulking form becoming fully visible. It’s covered in eyes, all focused on the party. It’s almost as tall as the church was. It has its sword in both hands, the sword is almost as tall as it.
Isabeau: “If we get hit by that sword we’re done for!”
Odile: “Then we focus on dodging it.”
Raguel: “You can certainly try.”
(That sword will be a massive problem for the party, is there any way to disable it?)
The Swords hurdles into the ground from a swing, Siffrin narrowly dodges with their newly healed leg.
Mirabelle: “Is this what you really want?!”
Odile casts Rock I at La Foi.
Raguel: “Who cares what I want? I wouldn’t get it.”
Mirabelle: “THAT’S NOT TRUE! Change is always possible!”
The sword hurdles again into the ground towards Odile, Odile dodges but stumbles and falls over.
Raguel: “I don’t like being dishonest, for instance I wasn’t lying when I said I met the Change God you know.”
(Wait! He said that before, but you were too distracted by what had happened)
(HE MET A GOD?!?!)
Mirabelle stands there in silence.
> “Wait! You met a god?! What was it like?! How were they!?!”
Miki is very quickly and excitedly asking questions.
Raguel: “It was not long before you all arrived. There were so many things I was expecting…”
Isabeau dodges the sword and hits it with a PUNCH!!!
Raguel: “I was expecting… I don’t know what I was expecting.”
Raguel: “He just told me that in a week’s time. Five would be here, and I would face a test of who I am.”
La Foi pokes its sword into the ground and kicks Isabeau, launching him into what’s left of the Church’s Walls.
Mirabelle goes to heal him.
Raguel: “She just smiled and as soon as I was going to ask a question, I was whisked away.”
Raguel: “Even a god abandoned me.”
(...)
(...What?)
(No…)
> “Is… that true?”
Raguel: “I thought I told you, I don’t like being dishonest.”
(...)
The sword comes in a horizontal slash from beside Miki, Mirabelle launches Scissor craft into the ground launching the ground Miki is standing on, arching her above and onto the blade.
Miki emits a Type: [Rock] at La Foi and flips off of the sword.
Raguel: “My tricks against me huh?”
Mirabelle: “I learned from the best!”
Raguel: “Could you just… shut up?”
La Foi dislodges the sword from the rubble.
Mirabelle: “NO! I-I’ll never abandon you!”
Raguel’s eyes open.
Raguel: “SHUT UP!”
The sword hurdles towards Mirabelle, Mirabelle dodges it effortlessly.
Raguel: “EVERYONE DOES EVENTUALLY!”
Raguel: “...Even the ones I thought never would…”
Raguel’s eyes close.
(...)
(You should prepare for a Jackpot)
Miki moves her audio emitters to surround the group and starts playing Goodbye to a World, but then-
Raguel: “If I may… I have a suggestion.”
Raguel: “I did look through those songs you have… I’d… like to hear weathergirl.”
Miki looks up at the cloudy sky.
> “That seems fitting.”
In response, Raguel smiles, an obviously fake smile. His eyes closed but even still they’re desperate to cry.
Miki uses Amplify: [Jackpot], weathergirl starts playing over her audio emitters.
That morning, just me and you
With azure views for two
Siffrin hands around a pepper juice, due to not having rock craft.
Our promises bound by sights we long outgrew
La Foi goes for an overhead swing on Siffrin, they dodge it easily.
A curtain dyed shades unlaid by morning sun
A weeping window wails for days come undone
La Foi slashes the air, a wave of scissors craft shoots at the party.
Odile and Miki react in time to guard, everyone else gets hit with the full brunt of the attack.
If I live to be a weathervane
Always pointing off, away, to lead you 'long the flyway
Isabeau shakes off the hit and goes in for a regular strike with his gauntlets.
La Foi doesn’t even bother dodging as it takes the hit square in the chest.
Turned to face this side of you
Would it be enough for me to lead your way
La Foi goes to push him away with its sword, but Miki comes in and blocks it as Isabeau backs into the group.
I’ll stay afraid in weekday
(Come what may)
Mirabelle heals herself and looks at Raguel.
I reach for what remains
The sky begins weeping, rain falling down onto the remains of the church being used as a battleground.
Miki emits a Type: [Rock], doing minimal damage but triggering a jackpot.
Didn't you see the news today?
I heard they said it looked like rain
Everyone gathers the rock craft from the air as La Foi prepares for the onslaught.
All the words I left unsaid that day
Stained the sidewalk drop by drop with gray, oh
Odile casts a rock blast, while Mirabelle, Isabeau, and Siffrin all rush in to attack at once.
Miki finishes off the assault with a loud blast from her hand.
Rain or shine, I'm by your side
So why won't you look my way?
La Foi stumbles, taken off balance from the attacks and its heavy upper body.
Siffrin sees an opportunity and hits it with a strong scissors attack, knocking La Foi over.
The weather forecast's calling for another cloudy day
Mirabelle and Siffrin back away, but Isabeau goes in for a PUNCH!!!
La Foi violently knocks him away with the flat side of the blade.
(It is flexible, being able to attack so strongly even from a downed position)
That evening, just me and you
Through rosy tinted hues
Isabeau crashes into the back wall as La Foi uses its sword to get back to its feet.
Mirabelle: “ISABEAU!”
She runs after him.
A promise of fairer winds that never blew
La Foi tries to kick Miki, but Odile casts Slow II, allowing Miki to dance out of the way and blast it.
Vermilion claims to say the sun will stay
And yet my heart holds close the storm as it breaks
La Foi tries even harder to kick and this time it connects, sending Miki tumbling backwards.
I could live to be a hurricane
Turn into a tempest, violent, silent in the eye
La Foi runs at Odile and goes for a slash.
Siffrin tackles her down, narrowly avoiding the cutting edge.
All whirling, gusting, wuthering
Could it be enough to change the way you use my name?
Mirabelle frantically pours a crafted water down Isabeau’s throat while Miki stands back up.
Remain in weekday
(I’m okay)
La Foi focuses its eyes on Miki and winds up its sword over its head.
I stay for all that aches
La Foi brings its sword down on Miki over and over.
Didn't you see the news today?
I heard they said it looked like rain
Miki dodges as the sword destroys the ground around her.
All the words I left unsaid that day
Stained the sidewalk drop by drop with gray, oh
Miki slips on the wet debris and falls down, La Foi prepares the finishing strike.
Rain or shine, my heart won't dry
So why can't I look away?
As it brings down its sword, from the ground, Odile hits the sword with a Rock I, barely diverting the sword enough to avoid Miki.
Miki stands back up and backs away.
The weather forecast's calling for another cloudy day
(That was too close)
(You don’t know how to sing this next part, you could always just play it as transcribed… but you like singing these, it’s more effective for Craft)
(And Raguel asked you for this song, you don’t want to fail him)
Raguel starts singing.
(What? He’s singing it?)
(That works actually, if you both sing the different parts, the original can be captured correctly)
Thank you and good evening,
here to bring you the weather reports for the 7PM news.
As we saw this morning,
Mirabelle heals Isabeau and he gets up. He starts pumping himself up, preparing to run back in.
still a lot of mist and fog especially up north-
no sign of that clearing anytime soon.
Low 60s with some light drizzles
La Foi shoots off another wave of craft at Odile and Siffrin, they aren’t able to dodge in time and take the hit in full.
basically across the entire region here.
Temperatures continuing to drop overnight-
Wednesday morning we'll also see a good bit of fog,
some rain showers-
Mirabelle runs to attend to them while Isabeau runs back into battle next to Miki.
it's looking like a wet week for sure.
Up here past the river it's not much better
we're expecting some thunderstorms....
La Foi swings its blade from above, they dodge to either side and hit it with craft.
Tonight will be mostly cloudy,
with a chance of showers- mostly in the afternoon
Lows in low 50s, with northwest winds
10-15 miles per hour.
La Foi roars as it sprouts a tendril and knocks them both back a few meters.
Tomorrow we'll definitely see showers
almost a 100% chance of rain with lows
dropping to around 40 in the afternoon,
so don't forget your umbrellas, folks.
La Foi then slashes the air and hits them both with the wave of craft.
South winds will be around 15 miles per hour
and we're expecting about 3-4 inches of precipitation.
Looking forward at the forecast for the rest of the week....
They both stand their ground, looking worse for wear.
Low pressure spinning around, bringing rain showers.
And, note the risk of heavy downpour
and scattered thunderstorms in the evening.
Odile and Siffrin stand up, looking exhausted.
Coming in from the west, we'll be seeing some gusty winds,
even some hail-
it's not looking very pleasant.
Unfortunately,
Mirabelle runs up to Miki and Isabeau, prepared with a sweet tonic.
not much better the rest of the week,
rainstorms continuing to move south across the region,
we could see as much as 2-3 inches
over the next 5 days...
Raguel stops singing.
La Foi, suddenly faster as Odile’s Slow II runs out, kicks Isabeau directly into Mirabelle, sending them both to the ground.
Raguel: “La Foi, stop.”
La Foi stops.
Raguel: “Just give in, I don’t want to kill you.”
> “We can’t do that, the whole country is counting on us.”
Raguel: “What a pitiful answer, though it was the answer I was expecting.”
> “It’s the right answer.”
Miki’s hair is blowing in the wind, and her face is pelted by rain. The light her body emits is some of the only light illuminating the church. Miki stands her ground, a determined look on her face, as she continues to sing, barely audible through the weather.
Didn't you see the news today?
I heard they said it looked like rain
All the words I left unsaid that day
Stained the sidewalk drop by drop with gray, oh
Rain or shine, I'm by your side
So why won't you look my way?
The weather forecast's calling for another…
Raguel: “Then so be it.”
La Foi waits, its sword becomes surrounded with craft as it grows.
(You don’t have much power left, trying to use your offensive craft now would be foolish)
(But it doesn’t look like Raguel plans on stopping, you need to think!)
Didn't you see the news today?
I heard they said it looked like rain
All the words I left unsaid that day
Stained the sidewalk drop by drop with gray, oh
Vivid skies may pass me by
But even still, I'll stay
The weather forecast's calling for another cloudy day
La Foi waits, its sword spans the whole church.
(That’s really bad, if it’s allowed to swing that sword, you’re all going down for good)
(But you have no way to stop it from swinging, so you need to block it)
(But how?)
Everyone is struggling to move, but they get up and guard, hoping to survive the attack that’s coming.
Look through me, a windowpane
Colored as a sky entirely filled with clouds, I might be
Everything that I can be
If it’s not enough, I trust the sky will open up
Someday, someday, someday
Miki finishes her song, the craft running out.
La Foi prepares to swing its sword, drawing it back behind it.
(You need to either end the fight or get rid of that sword…)
(...)
(You have an idea, you’ve read about craft shields, you cannot make them, but…)
(There’s plenty of rock craft in the air after all of your attacks)
(If you hum in a low tone and gather all the rock craft in the air…)
(...)
(It’s not quite a craft shield, but it might just work)
(You won’t be able to do any more after this, it has to work)
Miki brings her audio emitters to her side and holds out her hands in preparation to catch the blade.
A low tone begins to fill the room as all of the craft in the air gathers in front of her.
The sword begins its swing.
Miki takes a defensive stance, digging her feet into the ground.
(This working would be a miracle…)
(Should you…?)
(...)
(...It’s worth a try)
(You wish with every circuit in your body…)
(You wish to stop this blade)
(You wish to stop this blade)
(You wish to stop this blade and protect them!)
A barely visible shimmering veil appears in front of her.
> “Raguel! I know my answer!”
The sword collides with the makeshift craft shield, Miki grabs the blade and tries to stop its momentum.
Miki is pushed back several meters, her cooling systems venting at full power, yet she holds on.
With great effort, she speaks.
> “I… CHOOSE…”
(Your answer!)
> “TO SAVE BOTH!!!”
(It’s your very nature!)
Miki takes the blade and violently twists it, completely shattering it.
La Foi gets launched forward by the power it put into the swing and falls to the ground right in front of Miki.
Everyone looks on in shock at the display.
Raguel: “You actually did it? It’s not over however.”
Steam rises from Miki as raindrops that hit her evaporate.
[Warning: Body Temperature Too High]
[Warning: Systems Facing Too Much Vibration]
[Warning: Power Is Low]
(You can’t continue like this…)
(But you did it, you took care of its sword…)
Miki shambles to the back of the party, her body twitching, and stumbles down hard against a pew that’s still intact.
> “I’m-m s-sor-rry, I-I-I can-cannot con-con-continue fig-ght-hting, th-the rest i-st is up-up to you.”
Odile: “...You did great, Miki, get some well deserved rest.”
Odile looks solemn, then furious as she turns around to Raguel and La Foi.
Odile: “And Raguel, I disagree, It’s as good as over.”
Isabeau: “Couldn’t have said it better myself, Madame!”
The rain and wind start calming down as the party looks on at the weakened La Foi determined.
Siffrin snaps his fingers as everyone else attacks.
Without its sword, La Foi is left to flail.
The party is relentless with their attacks, La Foi cannot out damage what Mirabelle can heal.
The fight continues on for a little longer, before everyone attacks at once. One. Last. Time.
Isabeau: “SMASH!!!”
Odile: “Rock II!”
Mirabelle: “Mystical Sparkle Blast!”
Siffrin: “Cut Above the Rest!”
La Foi wails as it begins to lose its shape, its eyes darting between everyone desperately before dissolving into a puddle of sadness goop, the orb sitting at the center.
Mirabelle: “We did it!”
Odile goes to the center and pockets the orb.
Odile: “Indeed we did.”
(So that’s what an orb looks like…)
(Your systems have cooled now, the rain helped, and the vibrations aren’t a problem anymore)
Miki stands up.
(Where’s Raguel?)
(He’s just standing there)
Raguel: “What are you waiting for?”
Siffrin, Odile, and Isabeau assume a fighting stance.
Raguel: “Well, are we doing this? I know when I’m outmatched.”
(You don’t want more fighting today, your power is still low)
Miki approaches Raguel and pins him down to the ground.
Raguel: “Seems not.”
(He didn’t put up any struggle)
The rest of the party approaches.
Isabeau: “Do you have anything to say for yourself?”
Raguel: “No.”
Isabeau: “You would have let them all be frozen?!?!”
Raguel: “...You’re all good people.”
Mirabelle: “Raguel…”
(...Where is he going with this?)
Raguel: “But we disagree fundamentally.”
Raguel: “I will always be ready to fight for what I believe in.”
Raguel: “If you want any hope of beating the King, you’ll have to be ready to do anything.”
Raguel: “Including killing me.”
Everyone looks at Raguel in shock.
Raguel: “Why are you so surprised? I told you already, I’ll do anything for what I believe in.”
Raguel: “If you don’t kill me now, I’ll simply come back better, Odile you should know by now how much my knowledge of Body Craft could take me.”
Odile: “...”
Odile looks conflicted.
Isabeau: “Why did you kill the Kid’s Father?”
Raguel: “...I had no choice, we went into the Crossed Forest together.”
Raguel: “I planned to freeze him with the sadness.”
Raguel: “But he was smarter than I had realized. As soon as he realized I was controlling it…”
Raguel: “He did the smartest thing he could have done at the time. Start to strangle me.”
Raguel: “I couldn’t freeze him because then I would have been trapped.”
Raguel: “Ingenius really, however adrenaline was running through my veins.”
Raguel: “In that moment it was either my goal or his life.”
Raguel: “I made my choice. But after… I looked in abject horror, and I ran.”
Raguel: “I know my words mean little, but for that I am sorry.”
Everyone is silent.
Raguel: “Your answer, you know it’s impossible don’t you?”
(...)
(You realized something before)
> “Why should I care what is possible?”
Raguel: “It’s choosing to fail, to lose it all, you realize that right?”
> “We cannot solve the Universe, we can never know what is or isn’t possible, so in the infinite possibilities available to us, surely there is one that allows me to save both.”
Raguel: “You’d bet it all on chance?”
> “Negative, I get to act.”
Raguel: “And if you fail? What then? Could you live with that?”
> “Could I live with myself if I didn’t try?”
Raguel: “Picking one is still trying, you’re the one trying to not choose.”
> “Why do you confine yourself like this?”
Raguel: “I’d rather live knowing I saved them than knowing me and me alone chose to be risky and stake their lives and fail.”
(...)
The sky finishes up it's crying, only a sprinkling of water remains.
> “If they blamed you for it, I don’t know if they were worth it in the first place.”
Raguel: “I would. I already know I’m not worth it, I was never worth any praise.”
Raguel: “I am an orphan, no one wanted me in the first place, no one has wanted me my entire life.”
(...)
Mirabelle: “But-”
Raguel: “Stay out of this.”
> “Hearing other perspectives is an important part of obtaining knowledge.”
Raguel: “I think I see now, I finally get it.”
Raguel: “You’re no machine, I am.”
(What? You’re a machine, he’s a human)
> “That doesn’t make any sense.”
Raguel: “It might… one day.”
Raguel: “I’d like to get up now Miki.”
> “Negative.”
Raguel: “Not even if I had a bomb planted in your head?”
(He is implying there is a bomb in your head)
(Why would this matter?)
(Oh, your allies)
> “Please back away from me.”
Raguel lets out a slight chuckle.
Raguel: “Sorry it’s just… funny. Isn’t it Mirabelle?”
Mirabelle: “If you think we’re going to move, we aren’t!”
(They need to leave)
Siffrin: “But you have no way to detonate it…”
Raguel: “I imagine Odile has an idea to what I’m talking about.”
Odile: “You’re going to use Body Craft to detonate it aren’t you?”
Raguel: “Indeed, now let me up.”
> “Why would my answer change?”
Raguel: “Because we all die if you don’t let me up. Which isn’t the ending I want but… I’ll fight for what I believe in.”
Mirabelle: “Miki. Please, let him up.”
(There is an obvious solution)
(...)
(You… don’t want to do that)
> “I am not valuable, you all are, just leave and the situation will handle itself.”
Mirabelle: “That’s not true! But… that’s not the main reason why I want you to let him up.”
(What other reason could there be?)
Mirabelle: “So please, let him up.”
Siffrin: “Why else would you want to let him go?”
Mirabelle: “Listen just please trust me.”
Raguel: “Miki, you don’t have the strength.”
Miki goes to say something.
Raguel: “Sorry, let me talk in the way you will get, you don’t want to kill me anyways. There is only one real choice.”
(...)
> “You have expressed no intention of changing.”
Raguel: “Kill me then. If that is the answer you believe is right, do it.”
Mirabelle: “Miki please.”
(...)
> “I want to save both, why are you stopping that?”
Raguel: “I’m sorry.”
> “That’s not what that word means.”
Raguel pauses for a moment.
Raguel: “I… I… mean it, I can’t accept your answer, and I’m sorry for that.”
> “...”
Everyone is silent for an agonizingly long time.
(...)
Miki relaxes, and lets go.
> “Show me the possibility that I know exists.”
Raguel: “...”
Raguel looks to the shattered stained glass and at the Sun just barely still in view.
Tears run down his face.
Mirabelle: “Raguel.”
Raguel: “What, Mirabelle?”
Mirabelle: “Join us please, we can save both.”
Raguel: “In the infinite possibilities…”
Raguel: “I find it hard…”
Raguel: “To see…”
Raguel pauses.
Raguel: “A possibility where we’re on the same side.”
Raguel: “I’ve gone too far now.”
> “That’s dumb.”
Raguel moves to the door.
Raguel: “Then prove your answer correct.”
Raguel: “Your answer…”
Raguel: “If it’s anything it’s…”
Raguel: “Human...”
Raguel turns to look back one last time.
Raguel: “Goodbye…”
He turns around and closes his eyes.
Raguel: “...Friends.”
The sun has set and the sky has cleared. The stars are staring upon the remains of the church. It’s dark now, only the moonlight and Miki to light things up, and it has left a pressure in the air. It's dead silent, something has changed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
No POV:
Miki slumps, she’s struggling to keep her eyes open.
Isabeau: “Miki? You good?”
Miki: “My power’s low… ‘m sleepy…”
Isabeau: “Oh! I think I have some bread, would you want that?”
Miki sluggishly nods her head.
Isabeau digs through his packs and obtains bread!
He hands it to Miki who takes it in one hand and groggily starts nibbling at it.
Odile: “We should head back into the town for the night… anyone have a lantern?”
Mirabelle: “I! Do not! But there’s gotta be one around here somewhere!”
Mirabelle and Isabeau start looking around the wreckage for a lantern.
Siffrin looks at Miki nibbling at the bread and notices that she doesn’t seem to be paying attention.
Siffrin holds out his hand for Miki to take so they can lead her.
Miki absentmindedly takes it, still nibbling at the bread.
It feels familiar to him, though he can’t place why.
Isabeau: “Ah ha! I found a crafted lantern!”
Isabeau pours some craft into the lantern, lighting up the remains of the church.
Everyone looks around in silence at what used to be the church.
Mirabelle: “Odile… do you think…?”
Odile: “I don’t know…”
Isabeau: “All we can do is hope…”
Odile: “...I think it would be best if we all found somewhere to sleep.”
Isabeau: “Sounds like a plan to me! Let’s go!”
The party walks out of the church and into Theseou; Mirabelle, Isabeau, and Odile are in the front, while Siffrin leads a very sleepy Miki from the back.
The town is completely silent, the party’s footsteps ringing out in contrast.
Isabeau: “There’s usually people out this late…”
They keep walking, keeping their eyes out for a place to sleep.
Someone becomes visible on the side of the road, barely illuminated by the moonlight.
Isabeau: “Oh! Heya! Do you know a good place for us to stay?”
They don’t respond, they don’t even move.
Unnerved, Isabeau goes closer.
The crafted lantern illuminates the person clearly, their shades are inverted and a look of horror is frozen on their face.
They’ve been frozen in time.
Isabeau and Mirabelle are frozen in horror.
Mirabelle: “...B-but h-how…?”
Odile looks on sadly.
Odile: “We should see if there's more.”
They pause and look at them for a time, then continue on.
Siffrin and Miki look at the frozen person as they pass.
Siffrin looks surprised at the sight of them.
Miki looks on curiously, then, she stops in place.
Siffrin is pulled back by her stop.
He looks at her, she looks disturbed, scared.
Siffrin holds her hand tighter, she seems to snap out of it.
He smiles solemnly at her and indicates that they should continue, she complies and lets herself be pulled along; her nibbling has gotten slower.
As the party keeps walking, they see more people, all frozen, starlight reflects off of them.
Many are running with looks of terror, some are in a fighting stance, others are protecting, frozen with the people they were trying to protect.
The party feels the ocean of silence around them, the light of the surface so far out of sight.
No one can bring themselves to say a word.
They keep searching, but they don’t find a single moving soul.
The town remains unfrozen, its shades remaining regular in waiting, as if unaware that its inhabitants would not be making their homes in it anymore.
They come across an Inn, no one is inside, having all left in hopes of escape.
They quietly decide to rest there for the night, no longer able to handle the sight outside.
Everyone takes rooms, and prepares for a restless night.