EPILOGUE ;

[themodsgrimm]

The End EPILOGUE - WEEK 740 Narrators End ; Wake up, Narrators. You've done well this past weekend. As you awaken on this beautiful morning, the doors to the castle are wide open and a festive mood fills the air. Music can be heard from the garden and the ballroom, the dining room's overflowing with tasty treats and beverages, and everything is awash in a soft glow of purples, reds, and golds. Yet as you exit from your dormitories for the last time, several things will be noticeable to you... Lining the hallways, several new ornate mirrors flank either wall. Each mirror is engraved with the name of a Narrator and allows each participant of this war to view their world back home. They will be able to see who they wish to see and the current state of affairs in their world. They will also, thanks to their adventures in the Other Space, be able to view the future of their home worlds and what's at stake for them. No matter where they are in the castle, each Narrator will also find themselves presented with a leatherbound book, a jar of ink and a fresh quill. As they open the book they will see a write-up of their story up until now with several blank pages at the end of the book. As promised, the ink won by the Dragon's ending is enough to allow Narrators to write their own happy endings... even those that directly clash with what they've been able to witness for themselves in the mirrors. Go ahead, write yourself into the universe of another Narrator. The story is yours to tell. Alternatively - if you seek to write a new story for yourself entirely, additional pages will be provided for you to draft up that fresh start. Meanwhile, the longer you linger around the castle it will become clear that it's much noisier than it should be for only forty people. Venturing further downstairs you will find several guests waiting for you. Some of these may be people you know from your own worlds, brought here to take you home thanks to the extra magic obtained from the Other Space. Others are past participants from previous rounds of this war, battle stories and triumphs to share. Apparently they'd received an invitation to a celebration to mark the end of it all. Even those who had died from previous rounds and not revived are present. While it had been thought that they'd been lost in the Other Side when there was not enough ink to revive them - it appears that they'd been given new life via your efforts. The clock in the foyer seems to have stopped. Take all the time you need to say your goodbyes... you are in charge of your own destiny from here on out. Welcome to your farewell log, everyone! A couple of fun notes for your perusal. Due to the efforts of characters yesterday in the mini-adventures, characters have unlocked the ability to preview their futures and decide their own destinies. Additionally, they have unlocked the ability for castmates to visit them in the castle, along with characters who have participated in previous rounds of the war! Please feel free to tag in with your gamemates' castmates or other characters from previous rounds that you can make your own Grimm AU for. If you want to share where your character is going, comment here. Your final CR chart is here, your TL;CR meme is here and your friending/love meme is here. Thank you guys so much for a wonderful eight weeks! We hope you had a magical experience here with us. ♥ full navigation. locations taken (statuses) stories (profiles) info & faq wishing well private conversations

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[discardia]

[ Cardia can be found either standing - with her back to her own mirror, actually - and offering you a quiet smile if you approach her. Or, she's sitting somewhere else in the castle, Sisi by her feet and the book in her lap. If you're the nosy sort, the pages haven't been written in yet, and she seems to be lost in deep thought about it.

Either way, upon making eye contact, wherever she is-- ]

I hope you have a safe journey.

[disilluded]

[He'll find her while she's seated there, quirking an eyebrow at her curiously.]

Thank you. I can certainly say the same to you.

You seem rather more contemplative than celebratory, however.

[discardia]

Dragon said I could write an ending where I don't have my poison anymore.

... I'm just not sure if that's something I should do.

[disilluded]

Oh?

[It's said rather noncommittally.]

And why is that?

[discardia]

I don't feel like I deserve it.

[ simply enough. ]

[disilluded]

... Is that so...

[Hm...]

What have you done that makes you so undeserving of it?

[discardia]

I took someone's life. Deliberately. Even though Souji taught me how to do it painlessly, I ran him through as hard as I could.

[ And she stares down at her hands. ]

I know he would have killed others. But killing someone was the last thing I wanted to do. And I still did it.

What made me a monster was my poison, I thought. But I'm not so sure now.

[disilluded]

You did. That was something you did, though I cannot say that it was by choice, properly.

[Sousei crosses his arms, expression contemplative, before:]

Think long and hard about it. But I would suggest you go ask the people here if they think you are a monster before you come to any conclusions. They have known you now for weeks. They deserve to have their say.

[discardia]

... I will.

[ That much she can do, even if she's not entirely sure she wants to. But... ]

What do you think, Sousei? Do you think... I managed to hold my head up?

[disilluded]

I think you have absolutely nothing to be ashamed of.

[And, quietly, he reaches out to pat her head properly.]

And you have made me, personally, very proud.

[discardia]

[ ... Oh. She wouldn't have thought she'd placed that much importance on Sousei's opinion, but just hearing that and feeling the familiar pressure on her head after so long...

She has to swallow, hard. ]

You're... I'm going to miss you.

[heartsteals]

-- Cardia!

[ needless to say that when she disappeared from the Count's mansion, he wasn't expecting to have to go this far to find her. But who is Arsène Lupin if not a reckless hero embarking on thrilling and dangerous adventures? From the moment he stole her away from her home in Wales, he swore to himself to protect this jewel. That hasn't changed.

Besides, he has a promise to fulfill.

Sisi might notice Lupin before Cardia does, thanks to his nose. Unfortunately for him, Lupin's ignoring him entirely, darting down the hallway without a care for how loud his footfalls might be. She should be too dangerous to touch, and yet he doesn't hesitate for a moment in taking her gloved hands in his the moment he's close enough to reach out to her. Is she safe? Is she unhurt? He has a bad feeling about it all - and yes, just the sight of her is enough to ease his heart for the moment. ]

You're here...

[discardia]

L--

[ for a minute, she thinks, ah. That's it. She's absolutely dreaming. This has all been a dream, and she's going to wake up and find out that half of this didn't happen, she's still dead, Souji is still sick, and the war isn't over.

But Sisi is barking in sharp surprise and his hands are gripping hers, and she's still staring at Lupin a good thirty seconds later with her mouth half-open.

Until tears begin to form. ]

Lupin--

[heartsteals]

[ ah... she's crying. He doesn't like that one bit. More than anything, he wants to reach out and wipe those tears from her eyes - but he knows that doing so would only burn him, although the fact that it would upset Cardia really bothers him more than the potential pain. All he can do is squeeze her hands in his own and pull her in towards his chest, yearning, but careful. ]

You're good at hiding, I'll give you that. But I'm afraid you're ten years too early to be able to elude the great Lupin.

[ Lupin has a vague idea of what might have gone down here; his powers of observation are too keen for him to ignore everything around him, as focused as he might have been on finding Cardia. She must have suffered. She doesn't seem to be in pain, but her heart must be... ]

... It's gonna be okay. I'm here. [ softly, he strokes her hair, once, twice. ] Are you all right?

[discardia]

[ He might get the first inkling that he's got one less thing to worry about when Cardia buries her face against him-- and nothing sizzles, rots, or even remotely crumbles.

She doesn't think to explain that yet, though, focusing merely on what's actually happening here. He's here. He's not dead in a casket, he's not a tiny glass figurine on her shoulder, he's here. ]

... I will be.

[ It's a little muffled. ]

[heartsteals]

[ there is a soft, silent inhale of surprise when he feels her face push against him; he waits for the pain and the pungent smell of burning to start, but nothing comes, aside from the faint wetness he feels spreading from her eyes.

Is it gone? How can that be possible? -- No, that's stupid to ask when he's been teleported to a magical castle. Why shouldn't it be possible? Lupin desperately wants to ask for it, but his princess has other matters that need attending to, first. For the time being, he simply takes it as a cue to hold her closer to him - like he'd wanted to in the first place. ]

I know you will. [ she's strong. ] ... If you want to talk about it, I'll listen anytime. If not... Well, the offer stands, anyway.

[ another pause. he lets out a breath, finally. she's here, and she's okay - thank god. ]

We were all worried about you. You gave me quite a fright.

[discardia]

[ She appreciates it, really. Her time in the castle, without poison, has taught her that a person's touch really is an incredible, encouraging thing when it's not meant to harm. ]

I'm sorry.

[ And she is. Even when she thought she'd given it enough focus, decided that this was the best course to take-- ]

... For running away. I-- I didn't think I'd be of any more help to you, and I was ashamed and... [ scared. ]

[heartsteals]

... Scared?

[ she's pretty easy to read when it comes to her own self-image. Lupin had a bad feeling that night - he hadn't imagined chasing after her would lead him to a place like this, but he's not surprised that she ran. For Cardia, the things they saw in that lab must have been like a confirmation of her worst fears. Even if Lupin sees her as she stands before him - a beautiful, radiant, spirited girl - he knows she still sees herself as a monster more often than not.

He shakes his head. ]

It's all right. You don't have to apologize - the fact that you're still in one piece is all that matters to me. [ haha if only you knew Lupin ] Just one thing, though. I'm not here because I think you can help me. I'm here because I care about you, Cardia. That hasn't changed.

[discardia]

Lupin...

[ OH IF ONLY YOU KNEW. Now is not the time to tell him, though. He'd managed to find her here, and she'll just focus on being grateful for that. The last thing she wants to do is worry him further.

Good thing Shirasu probably isn't the bragging type. ]

Thank you. I'm glad I was able to see you again.

[heartsteals]

For you, my dear? I would sail to the furthest corners of the world and back again.

[ you'll always see him again, Cardia!! His words are artful, but he gives her his best Lupin grin, boyish and charming. At last, he takes a step or two back from her, releasing her from the embrace for the time being. ]

By the way... I can't help noticing this.

[ but she is released only so that Lupin can gently boop her on the nose. And not have his finger burn off!! ]

[discardia]

Oh--

[ One hand comes up to rub her nose. Right, he'd understand better than anyone. ]

My poison was taken away while I was here.

[selfinserting]

[Once she catches his eye, he offers her a small smile.]

Yeah. You, you too. You deserve it, after everything.

[discardia]

So do you. You really went through a lot.

[ Poor Evan. ]

[selfinserting]

...Not much more than anyone else.

[He moves off that topic fairly quickly, though.]

But, um - what are you thinking of doing, once you get back home?

[discardia]

... Figuring out the truth about myself, I think. And facing it properly.

And maybe when that happens, then I'll be able to try and see everyone again.