The Answer [Open to Ueitawa]

Shi felt herself slip away soon enough as the world began to be destroyed, but her mind latched onto something, and she was dragged back into a semi-conscious state so to speak. She tried to reassess her location, to understand where she was and why she was here, but of course that didn't take too long. This was her old 'home' so to speak, but it didn't feel the same. Maybe that was cause she wasn't here as an attendant, but as an observer. Elizabeth, one of her sisters, spoke after the long nosed nuisance. Elizabeth was the one who had asked to save Shi, and look at where she turned up. Maybe it would have been better if she had been restrained for the rest of her life. Though Elizabeth did ask a question that piqued her interest, the answer to life was close to Tomoe's grasps, but she needed a little push. "I never thought I would be back in this room ever. I just assumed I would die a traitor, like most of you saw me." She blinked, crossing her arms.

"Honestly, I did see Tomoe when I was watching over the events of the tower, but I never thought anything about her. The next holder of the wild card, she wasn't someone I thought about much. But when I met her, I was surprised to find that she was actually someone I enjoy seeing in that position of power. She held it with pride, and didn't falter when it came to her duties. You guided this guest in the right direction, Elizabeth." She looked towards the man who had created her, still holding her emotionless expression. "As for you. I'm sorry for what I did. It was wrong of me and I do regret it, but that's what I get for having free will." After that, she would remain quiet, wanting to give everyone a chance to speak and help empower Tomoe. It was all the hope they all had, and maybe if they succeeded, Shi would be an attendant once again in this new world. Who knew what possibilities this all held? Either way, she couldn't ruin this and let all worlds die, that would let Nyarlathotep win for real.

It was strange. It was odd.

Jin had thought he would finally get the rest he wanted. But instead, he was in a room of blue. At first, it was disappointment. There was a lot of things that kept getting in the way of his wish. In all honesty, it was getting annoying to him. But, he let that transform into curiosity as he examined his surroundings. The former teacher realized he wasn’t alone. Everyone who had taken part in this madness was here. There were familiar faces and some that he did not recognize. It seemed something had plucked them into this realm.




He was confused. Clearly that’s what this place was called. But he let the hooked-nose man explain everything. Jin listened patiently to what Igor had to say. Upon finishing, he found himself having many questions of a scholarly nature. This room was certainly a realm of considerable interest. But they were here for a reason. Tomoe was struggling. Jin had hoped that girl could have handled everything, but it seemed he just couldn’t pass on yet without giving suitable help. He snorted at the situation presented through Elizabeth’s compendium. A man who threw away his humanity?

”My. And here I thought I was the only one,” he remarked idly and cryptically at this while pulling out his carton of cigarettes out of habit, ”That man is a disappointment.”

He expected more from Yachiru. In the end, he just was like Jin and many others. Someone who threw away all the meaning of their experiences and memories for a “cause”. It was a pathetic existence that was meaningless.

Jin sighed as he lit the unlit cigarette between his lips, ”I expected our little goddess to finally handle everything, but I guess we can always give her that extra push.”

Upon finally getting the stick lit, he crossed his arms and looked back at both Elizabeth and Igor with a somber expression.

”I actually don’t know much about her. But we can certainly begin with the fact that she is everything that Yachiru isn’t. She is not a monster like him. She hasn’t thrown away the experiences and memories that make up our lives and give us purpose. Monsters are those who let their pain consume themselves to the point that they reject the entirety of their lives, including the joys, memories, and experiences they receive from those they care about. It is weakness disguised as strength, a fearsome weakness that hungers for those meaningful things again and a hunger that will never be sated because they have rejected them in the first place and no longer hold any meaning. From this starvation, they can only become corpses in time… like me.”

Jin paused for a moment, thinking about what he just said and perhaps looking back to all the mistakes he made. His teeth ground against the cigarette tightly, causing it to bend a little from the pressure as he thoughtfully hissed out smoke.


”Her perseverance despite all odds make her a strong individual. Stronger than the likes of Yachiru or me by nature. But her willingness to give herself to preserve the future and the meaningfulness of human life define her as a person. And from that, she’s stronger than anyone else in here.”

He succinctly ended his little speech with a thumb pointing at his heart. Then he looked over towards Yusugi.

”I am aware that you seem to have some affection for her. What can you tell us about her, First?”

Naomi would look around, surrounded by blue light and people she barely knew. She kept looking until her eyes met the long-nosed man. As soon as she locked eyes with him, she would groan under her breath. She was dead again, wasn’t she? She only saw this guy when she was dead or dreaming, and she wasn’t asleep. At least, she didn’t think she was. That really wasn't here or there though. She could deal with this later. If there was one bad habit being reinforced in her, it was that death could be very fickle with whom it kept and for how long. Right now, there were more pressing matters than life being completely arbitrary.

They asked about the woman who had gone off on her own, leaving them all behind. Naomi could honestly say that she didn’t know how to answer them. After all, she hadn’t known the woman. She met her for only a few moments before she ran off. Naomi would shrug, “I can't tell you as much about her as I’m sure other people here could. I only just met her and we barely spoke,” meaning she spoke at Naomi, “but I guess… She seems nice? I mean, she did call to warn me about that one guy, which she didn’t have to do. I suppose that means she cares about people, even those she doesn’t know and has no obligation towards. She must also hold people dear, based on her goodbyes to everyone...” She had to think of something else, “She also kicks butt.” That was all she could say on the matter though.

She would look at the others. Surely they would know more than she did. She was probably the least helpful person here. If she could say something, the rest of them definitely could too. This was a riddle they could solve if they tried.

Kahn found his eyes opening, and seeing a very familiar room...the sound of a woman singing and a piano playing a familiar melody. 'The velvet room?' Sure enough there was that long nosed man and one of the attendants standing before them, giving them a smile of ease. As if they were so close to victory, or trying to comfort them. It was a bit hard to see how they could be comfortable, more so when this was their consciousness that was brought here. So he is technically dead but not dead? Whatever, that was the least of Kahn's concerns and he didn't have the time to waste to figure it out, as they were informed that eventually Tomoe's powers would leave her or she would be defeated unless they found the answer to life's greatest question.

Oh dear...was this one of those impossible questions like when an unstoppable force meets the inmovable object? However, a key part was evidently in what they knew about Tomoe, which a few people seemed eager to jump on. The red haired young man listened closely to what everyone was saying, he had to agree with a lot of it. "I like what has been said thus far, and all of it is fairly true."

"Despite us barely knowing each other, she was eager to help when the cards were down on the table. She saw people in need of help, and she offered it...regardless of the risks that it might entail. Regardless of the danger she might face, regardless of whatever awaited her around the next bend she chose to walk this path. She stands up for her friends, but as Caestus said she also wants to help those that opposed her. She reached out to the Kings, the enemies we faced, and many others to empathize with them and try to persuade them not to fight. Heck, it wouldn't surprise me if she tried to sympathize with Yachiru too, and though I might not completely agree with that given what he is trying to do. I know it's the right thing, and I'll follow her all the way." Kahn said with a soft smile, and pausing for a brief moment. He was starting to notice a trend, or perhaps...a bit of a pattern that might lead them to an answer.

"Everyone here speaks about the decisions she's made, and now, Yusugi, you mentioned how even though she was was created by Ahura she seemed to have a will and ability to act in her own choosing. I think you're absolutely right in that, even though one might argue that her reason for existence and her destiny was to oppose Angra or Yachiru...or whatever that thing she is fighting is. She had the ability to choose at every point, there was not a path laid out before her. At every moment she could have chosen to walk away, but instead she stayed because that was her choice. She was not forced to stay because of some obscure thing like destiny, she chose to stay, she made her own choices and her own destiny that has led her to where she is today." He said, hoping he was catching on to something at this very moment and not going the wrong way on a silly tangent.

"As someone who has defeated a god, albeit a weakened one, it made me realize that destiny isn't something laid out before a person that they have to follow or are fated to follow. Rather, humans are more powerful than gods, as they make their own choices and destiny like Tomoe has. It is her choices that have led her to where she is today, and have led her to fight for all of us. Tomoe is a human crafting her own destiny rather presuming it was crafted for her." Kahn said before giving a soft nod, and looking around before scratching his head a bit.

"At least that is what I think, if you all think differently speak now. I don't want us to get off track in a time like this." The red haired young man said, leaving the floor open for someone else to either critique him or affirm what he was saying at true. He hoped he was on the right track here.

Shi sat quietly as the wild card appeared, letting everything happen as she sat there. She didn't know this woman well enough to make judgement, but she didn't know anything about anyone else either. But that didn't matter to her, she had done her part, even if her part was small. "Good luck Tomoe. Most people don't make it where you're going. But it seems you truly have saved us all, and that is more than the cost of a human life. In truth, it should cost us all our lives to even equate to what you're doing." She shook her head, looking down. "I just wonder where I'll be. If none of this happened, I will still be in my cage rotting. But maybe Elizabeth will fight for me again..." She kept thinking to herself; the reason Igor let her out was because of the event, to test her abilities. But maybe the reset would change that entirely, and make it so that she was never given a chance. Who knew? "You are the reason more wild cards will be given the chance to change fate and find their own answer to life. So congratulations." With that, she let out a smile, a genuine one at that. Once the gesture had went on long enough, she closed her eyes, tilting her head up as she imagined Ueitawa.

"Of course it worked. I would've been disappointed if the likes of Yachiru would have stopped you," Jin snorted at her, "But you've done a good job, as rough of a job it was."

He wasn't surprised about her winning. Someone like her triumphing over the hollowest people was a given. However, at a cost now that the Goddess Ahura Mazda provided her announcement to everyone around. He looked back at Tomoe with a frown. If there was someone that should have a new chance to live her life, it should be her. Yet, fate called for her disappearance. How regrettable. But maybe she won't have to die alone.

"I desire to disappear. There is no reason for me to exist any longer. The moment I discarded my humanity is the moment I will never regain those meaningful experiences. To return is to return to the meaningless mediocrity. I do not want it. Especially when I'm already dying anyway," Jin began and then looked back at Igor, "With your permission, you don't mind if I face my termination here? I can always be sent to some void if my presence here is a problem."

It looked like this was the end for sure. And he hoped that was it. However, he had a few words to for a number of people. He looked on over to the Third King and Mikoto before nodding.


"I hope for the best for you and the ones you cherish. I would have rather hoped you would remember what you learned here. But I'm sure you will fare well wherever you are so as long as you stick together."

He took one last drag from his cigarette and then would watch everyone leave as he gave a wave of farewell. Or perhaps he maybe sent somewhere as well to die upon Igor's command. Either way suited him.

    // It’s time to say goodbye. //

    // … //

    // I know. It will be difficult. //

    // I…I don’t want to forget. I don’t— //

    // Then find a way. And should your memories fade regardless, we’ll find a way to remind you what of what you’ve lost. //

    Thalia’s reassuring giggles sprang up at the end of Calliope’s words, causing a somber smile to spread across Destiny’s face. She was going to miss that laugh. Perhaps not consciously, but she held onto the belief that somehow, she’d know something was missing during quiet study hours and evenings home alone.

    She wanted to give the two some kind of poignant, meaningful parting words, but nothing—literally—came to mind. Just a flood of gratitude and some other warm, almost choked feeling that flooded her senses for a moment before fading. And somehow, they understood, leaving Destiny smiling softly before she reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone. Maybe there was a way to remind herself of the important lessons she’d learned from the experience, not just from the past evening, but all the way back to almost two years ago when Ueitawa was just beginning to be tipped upside down. There was no guarantee it would work, but she had to try, at least.

    As quickly as she could, Destiny began to type, her fingers blazing across the screen in her haste to complete the message. Thank goodness for autocorrect; otherwise some of those words would be intelligible. But in the end, she got the important things down. Reaching the end of her thoughts, she paused, hovering over the keyboard, then saved the message. There hadn’t exactly been an end to that note, but what was she supposed to type? Something profound? The message itself did that job just fine. And hopefully when she’d look at it later, what was already written there would spark something in her memory.

    Destiny placed the phone back in her pocket before turning towards Faith and Rinne, giving the girls a smile and a questioning, albeit worried look. “Where are you two going to go? Back to your world?” That seemed to be the logical choice. After all, as much as they adored her and Naito, their real parents were still out there, most likely coming back into the new reality Ahura was creating. And maybe with the purge of Limbo from their world, perhaps that would have a positive effect on their home as well. Regardess, Destiny would give each of the girls a large hug and a kiss on the head. Goodbyes needed to be said regardless of their decision; after all, if her memory was to fade, it would be some time before some if any returned to her. Pulling both girls in for one last hug, she whispered to them, “Je t’aime.”

    Releasing the girls, she turned to Naito, opening her mouth to speak. It wasn’t even a second later before she closed it and bit her lip instead. What was she even supposed to say? “I’ll be waiting”? “See you soon”? “Goodbye”? All of them felt wrong, even lacking in some way. After all, right before Ueitawa came to an end, he’d…that is, he’d asked…

    There was something comforting about seeing Naito as shy about the whole thing as she was. Relaxing substantially, Destiny gave him an equally shy smile and a small, but eager nod as her cheeks flared pink. Should she be so excited about meeting Naito again, this time without the threat of shadows and death to spur their relationship forwards? …When she put it like that, maybe not. But the thought of their friendship and possibly more—maybe at this point she should admit there was already more—developing naturally this time around was very appealing.  

    Shaking her head lightly to try and clear her thoughts, she quietly left Naito and the girls and hurried to Kahn and Hibiki, who gave each a hug and a smile. “Thank you. Kahn, you were a wonderful leader. I’m sure you’ll be fine wherever you choose to go.” She then looked at Hibiki, her gaze more somber. She was quiet for a long time before she finally spoke. “I’m so sorry. You shouldn’t have had to suffer in Limbo for so long as you did. If we were quicker, you never would have had to. But I can’t thank you enough for what you did. You gave up so much for everyone else, and…” her words flatered somewhat and her cheeks, already pink thanks to Naito, were turning even darker from her stuttering. “I’m so sorry, I’m not very good at saying goodbye.” she smiled sheepishly before composing herself once more. “I hope you’ll be happy. That’s the least Ahura could do for you after all you’ve done.” With that she gave both boys one last wave before heading onto the final person she needed to say farewell to.

    Tomoe had been standing quietly by herself, away from the chattering others who were calling out farewells and requests. It didn’t seem right for her to be alone after all she’d done, after all she had and was about to sacrifice. With this in mind, Destiny gave the woman a pained but joyful smile, wrapping her arms around Tomoe’s waist and hugging her tightly. ”Thank you.” she said quietly, momentarily resting her head on the woman’s shoulder.

    Perhaps it was the touch or the way she could feel Tomoe sag in her grip. Maybe the experience was finally feeling real. Regardless as to why, tears started falling from the girl’s eyes, sliding quietly down her cheeks as she raised her head and gave Tomoe a smile.



    “Thank you so much.” Pulling the sleeves of her cardigan over her hands, she quickly dabbed at her face, hoping the tears would cease. Tomoe shouldn’t have to see this. She worked so hard to bring peace, to make people happy, and here Destiny was, crying? It didn’t seem right.

    But then again, Tomoe dying after all she’d done hardly seemed fair either.