[my god. what a trial. at some point later in the evening, aerith is out and sitting alone at the fountain. likely giving cloud and yuffie a moment alone, actually, but when she sees iwatooshi she does lift a hand in a little wave.]
Sure. I find it's more difficult to be alone after days like today. [ sits next to her with a sigh. ] I worry how they'll be doing on the other side, though.
You and me both. [she's just frowning at her feet for a moment.] They're all meeting right now, I expect. There's so few of them it wouldn't surprise me if they're finalizing what to do about tomorrow...especially with four people about to be unpartnered.
With Pestilence being the only one left, they'll probably figure out a plan to protect her, too. She can take care of herself, but just in case. If that veil goes down...[she shakes her head.]
I hope so too though. We haven't see what happens with an unpartnered death before, but I want it to be easy on them. Like they just stop and come to us. [just drop dead easily.] Knowing this place though, we ought to prepare for the unexpected, too.
I should hope so... It's bad enough to have lost War-dono as it is. They won't have many combatants left on that side, though, so I hope it won't come to something like that.
[ who's to say. he is a little more concerned about tomorrow right now, though. ]
If I'm being honest, I think it would be a surprise if it were painless for them, but I still have to hope. This place has never been kind to us. [ softly, ] But I hope there won't be too many more surprises left. The people here have suffered too much already.
They're probably going over strategy for that same reason, too.
[but it is in fact out of their hands. they can only anxiously wait for the next step.]
...I want to believe it won't hurt, but I know you're right. It'll be a surprise if it really is painless. But with so many of them...maybe it'll still be fast. All at the same time, so they aren't waiting around one by one. I think that would be worse, knowing it was coming and just having to wait your turn. [she shakes her head.] We're almost out of time. There can't be that many. We have a better idea of what to expect now, it's just about going through with it.
We were able to be over there for a short time earlier this week. Maybe that was just the beginning. The barrier between us could be wearing down a little, too. We might be able to bring them back to us instead somehow.
[she's not sure if going back would be helpful if they're ghosts, but they manifested for a reason. she has to think of it that way.]
I think it must have been, considering what was happening with the overseers, too. My worry is that if the barrier keeps breaking down, then I wonder if this place will still be safe.
[ they'd been disconnected from the village and the cult for that reason, but if that's gone, aren't they within the cult's reach again?
or maybe he's overthinking it. he really doesn't understand much of what's going on, so that wouldn't be a surprise. ]
...But if that's not the case, maybe that's what we use the machine for.
I've been wondering, too. Right now we're still hidden from them, but if we become visible to the other side permanently there's no reason the cult wouldn't be able to see us. But if the barrier falls at the right time, maybe that's exactly what we need. Time to step in and help the others after we've finished what we need to here, but not enough time for it to fall apart.
We keep finding more and more parts each week, don't we? It's more progress than we saw in the early weeks. Plus those rocks changed. Maybe tomorrow we'll have a better idea what those are for, too.
As long as we're careful not to let it fall before we're ready - or before they can take action to restart this entire process.
We have the parts, so the next step is deciding what to do with them. The rocks, too. [ ... ] I'm sure we'll learn more tomorrow, but I still wonder what Nehan-dono meant about "spending" them.
Timing is going to be everything for both sides. I wish our letters would arrive sooner than they do, but we can try to send them throughout the week to make sure something gets across so they know what we're planning when we figure that out.
Lucas and I were speculating about that. Since the rocks are tied to us, do you think maybe they're meant as a catalyst to bring us back? Like we exchange them to escape from this place.
If only we knew their own plan. [ with a sigh, he shifts to cross his arms. ] Making use of our letters is the best we can do. The more informed those who remain are, the better, even if we can't help them directly.
[ he's still frustrated about that. that won't be changing anytime soon.
that suggestion brings a troubled expression to his face. ]
I'd thought about that, too, but... Some of us haven't had the opportunity to collect those rocks, and those who are about to join us may not, either. I don't like the idea of leaving them behind.
Maybe with the barrier between us being more loose, our letters will go faster. [doubt. let's not kill our poor nu, actually.]
...ah. [yes, there is that point, too.] You're right. There's no guarantee those opportunities will happen again this week. Remember that week that the fog skipped? I don't want to leave anybody behind either. So okay, maybe not that. It still does present the problem that no matter what they're for, not everyone will have one.
Mm, that's what I'm worried about. But I don't know what else to use them for... [ shaking his head. ] Nehan-dono will likely tell us tomorrow. There must be something we've missed.
There always is though. We have to be patient for a little longer to get the answers we need. [which...is annoying.] I just hope all of us can still be patient after all of this. We're so close to the end. I don't want something happening that throws us off track again.
...It is irritating, having to wait so often. [ he keeps saying this but the answer is always wait a little more and something will come. ] We don't have time for something else to throw us off track, at this point. And we don't have time to argue about whatever does come through, either.
With so many of us here now, it's going to be inevitable that people might disagree with choosing a course of action. We have to try and keep everyone on track and remind them of what the actual goals are. And we're going to have to be as unified as possible.
Which...given some of the personalities here, that might be easier said than done.
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w6 saturday
...wanna join me for a little while?
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Sure. I find it's more difficult to be alone after days like today. [ sits next to her with a sigh. ] I worry how they'll be doing on the other side, though.
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[ he seems conflicted, though; they have their quota, but he still doesn't wish for more death. not like this. ]
At the very least, I hope the unpartnered won't suffer once the execution ends tomorrow.
[ make it quick and painless. that would be ideal. ]
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I hope so too though. We haven't see what happens with an unpartnered death before, but I want it to be easy on them. Like they just stop and come to us. [just drop dead easily.] Knowing this place though, we ought to prepare for the unexpected, too.
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[ who's to say. he is a little more concerned about tomorrow right now, though. ]
If I'm being honest, I think it would be a surprise if it were painless for them, but I still have to hope. This place has never been kind to us. [ softly, ] But I hope there won't be too many more surprises left. The people here have suffered too much already.
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[but it is in fact out of their hands. they can only anxiously wait for the next step.]
...I want to believe it won't hurt, but I know you're right. It'll be a surprise if it really is painless. But with so many of them...maybe it'll still be fast. All at the same time, so they aren't waiting around one by one. I think that would be worse, knowing it was coming and just having to wait your turn. [she shakes her head.] We're almost out of time. There can't be that many. We have a better idea of what to expect now, it's just about going through with it.
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[ even if it hurts. even if they suffer, at least let it be over fast. ]
...Mm. I only wish we could be there to support them, instead of having to watch from here. None of what's to come is going to be easy.
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[she's not sure if going back would be helpful if they're ghosts, but they manifested for a reason. she has to think of it that way.]
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[ they'd been disconnected from the village and the cult for that reason, but if that's gone, aren't they within the cult's reach again?
or maybe he's overthinking it. he really doesn't understand much of what's going on, so that wouldn't be a surprise. ]
...But if that's not the case, maybe that's what we use the machine for.
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We keep finding more and more parts each week, don't we? It's more progress than we saw in the early weeks. Plus those rocks changed. Maybe tomorrow we'll have a better idea what those are for, too.
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We have the parts, so the next step is deciding what to do with them. The rocks, too. [ ... ] I'm sure we'll learn more tomorrow, but I still wonder what Nehan-dono meant about "spending" them.
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Timing is going to be everything for both sides. I wish our letters would arrive sooner than they do, but we can try to send them throughout the week to make sure something gets across so they know what we're planning when we figure that out.
Lucas and I were speculating about that. Since the rocks are tied to us, do you think maybe they're meant as a catalyst to bring us back? Like we exchange them to escape from this place.
[like a toll booth.]
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[ he's still frustrated about that. that won't be changing anytime soon.
that suggestion brings a troubled expression to his face. ]
I'd thought about that, too, but... Some of us haven't had the opportunity to collect those rocks, and those who are about to join us may not, either. I don't like the idea of leaving them behind.
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...ah. [yes, there is that point, too.] You're right. There's no guarantee those opportunities will happen again this week. Remember that week that the fog skipped? I don't want to leave anybody behind either. So okay, maybe not that. It still does present the problem that no matter what they're for, not everyone will have one.
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[ horrible joke thank you. ]
Mm, that's what I'm worried about. But I don't know what else to use them for... [ shaking his head. ] Nehan-dono will likely tell us tomorrow. There must be something we've missed.
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There always is though. We have to be patient for a little longer to get the answers we need. [which...is annoying.] I just hope all of us can still be patient after all of this. We're so close to the end. I don't want something happening that throws us off track again.
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[ laughs. ]
...It is irritating, having to wait so often. [ he keeps saying this but the answer is always wait a little more and something will come. ] We don't have time for something else to throw us off track, at this point. And we don't have time to argue about whatever does come through, either.
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Which...given some of the personalities here, that might be easier said than done.