- Meimona: Look, it's okay now!
- Meimona: I made that scary human boy go away!
- Meimona: So don't worry, he won't be doing anything to you now.
- Avery?: Uuumh...
- Meimona: See, I also put away my claws!
- Meimona: So will you talk to me?
- Avery?: ...Wh... why...? Why... be nice to me now...?
- Avery?: Even though I hurt you so much, why...
- Meimona: Um... well...
- Meimona: I think it's clear that we beat you hard enough that you're not a threat now,
- Meimona: And there's no need to go overboard if you're not gonna fight us anymore...
- Meimona: Since it looks like you understand the kind of situation you're in now.
- Avery?: ...
- Meimona: Sure doesn't smell like you wanna get yourself hurt again either, right?
- Meimona: Well, same here! So, wanna call a truce?
- Meimona: That way, neither of us has to worry about the other!
- Meimona: I promise I'll wrangle my friend here to go along with it.
- Avery?: No... I don't deserve it.
- Avery?: They're depending on me to win here.
- Meimona: Umm... then can you tell me who wants you to fight us?
- Avery?: N-no! I can't tell you that! I can't...
- Meimona: ...Hmm, is that so...
- Nino: So you're completely useless for info. Got it.
- Meimona: YOU stay outta this! GRRRRR!
- Nino: Whoa! Don't growl at me...
Meimona: Talk things out. Start with some introductions.
- Meimona: Listen, little guy!
- Meimona: First off, as you already know, my name's Meimona!
- Meimona: And what I wanna know is what your name is. So, what's your name?
- Nino: Do spirits even have names...?
- Meimona: If he doesn't have one, I'll just give him one!
- Avery?: ...I'm... I...
- Avery?: I-I was named... Avery.
- Meimona: Alright, Avery! Listen here.
- Meimona: Whoever it is that's ordering you around,
- Meimona: They put you up to a very tall and mean task.
- Meimona: I don't think anyone who asks you to do something so extreme is a good person... so, even if you feel like you can't tell me anything right now,
- Meimona: I think you shouldn't listen to them anymore, at least.
- Avery?: ...Ah... b-but, but she...
Avery?: She wants to help you, even after you almost killed her. Cry some more at this revelation.
- Avery?: She... has her circumstances.
- Avery?: Even though, you... you're not a bad person,
- Avery?: She also isn't a bad person.
- Avery?: So now, I... I just...
- Avery?: Uwaaah... I just don't know what to do anymore.
- Avery?: I don't wanna hurt someone so nice to me, but...
- Avery?: If I tell you anything... she won't want me anymore.
- Avery?: Then, I'll have no place to go back to, again...
- Meimona: Wow, um... that's a lot to unpack.
- Meimona: But don't worry! Listen up.
- Meimona: I know this is probably hard to hear at the moment, but I feel even more certain now that you'll be much better off without that kind of person!
- Avery?: Uuh...?
- Meimona: It's just so unfair to order you to do something this bloody,
- Meimona: And to make you feel like you'd be easily abandoned if you failed.
- Meimona: So instead of worrying about all that stuff...
- Meimona: You can just come with us instead!
- Meimona: We wouldn't abandon you!
- Nino: Huh!?
Nino: Having a spirit in the party would be... concerning. But maybe not without benefits.
Even if it agrees, there's no telling if this spirit actually intends to betray you. Mei's definitely aware of that, right? It's gotta be obvious what risks come with her decision here.
In spite of that, she's choosing to extend kindness to her enemy.
It's not an idea you would've ever had on your own, nor can you honestly say you see the merit in it. But, if it's Mei... a risky gamble like this could end up benefitting you both, somehow.
As long as you believe in her, then maybe...
--/-->
- Meimona: So what do you say... wanna join us?
- Avery?: ...U-um...
- Avery?: H-hey... human boy...
- Avery?: If I agree t-to a truce...
- Avery?: Are you really not going to hurt me?
- Nino: ...If it means you won't be causing any more problems, then yeah.
- Avery?: Liar!
- Avery?: You, even now...
- Avery?: You're still thinking of killing me.
- Avery?: I mean... y-you can't even bear to l-look at me.
- Avery?: I-I... I definitely... can't trust you, after all.
- Nino: ...What?
- Meimona: Nino! Are you really still thinking that way?
- Meimona: You said you'd trust me with this!
- Nino: Hang on, Mei! Don't just believe him!
- Nino: This guy's straight up lying!
- Avery?: I-I'm not!
- Avery?: I can see it... t-the look in his eyes.
- Avery?: He... hates me so much.
- Avery?: He wants to erase me, he wants me gone... f-forever.
- Avery?: A-and he's just waiting for his chance to do it!
- Nino: ...?
- Meimona: Really... Nino?
- Meimona: Hey, if that's really it, then just be honest with me.
- Nino: ...No. Hold on.
Avery?: Try to read Meimona's mind.
- Nino: Spirits can read people's minds, can't they?
- Nino: Then, Avery, or whatever your name was...
- Nino: Can you tell me what Mei's thinking of right now?
- Avery?: T-the winged...?
- Avery?: ...Ah... I can't see it.
- Avery?: W-why? I can't see your memories... at all.
- Meimona: Huh? But you definitely could before!
- Nino: ...Then that means you can't see mine either.
- Avery?: N-no way! I can just tell when I look at you,
- Avery?: T-that you want me dead and gone!
- Avery?: What's the meaning of that!?
- Nino: I think... that's just you being paranoid.
- Avery?: W-what? So I'm... wrong?
- Avery?: I-I don't understand...
- Avery?: In what world would a guy like that not want me dead!?
- Avery?: I c-can't trust you, never!
- Nino: ...Yeah, no.
- Nino: That's not what I've been thinking at all.
- Meimona: Then, um... is Avery just making a mistake?
- Nino: Something must have changed when I healed him...
- Nino: And it made him no longer able to see people's memories and thoughts.
- Nino: But, it looks like...
- Nino: I... caused you so much pain that it left a scar, after all.
- Nino: I guess I really am a "scary human boy".
- Meimona: Oh... I see...
- Meimona: Avery is still dazed from all of that, isn't he...?
- Avery?: I... I don't understand...
- Nino: ...I'm sorry that I, uh...
--/-->
- Nino: Ugh. No, that's wrong.
- Nino: I'm not entirely sorry for what I did before healing you.
- Nino: You were a serious threat,
- Nino: And I don't forgive you for tormenting Mei at all.
- Nino: I admit that I did go too far, but,
- Nino: Your actions warranted some payback, at least.
- Nino: So you should consider it a mercy that the very person you antagonized made me spare your life. Otherwise, I really wouldn't have stopped when I did.
- Avery?: ...
- Meimona: Nino...
- Nino: ...I know. Retaliation is fine,
- Nino: But it was wrong of me to be so blinded by anger.
- Nino: I shouldn't have thought to do something as unseemly as... torture.
- Nino: And right now, I have no intentions of going that far ever again.
- Nino: That's... the only thing I'm sorry for.
- Nino: Sorry, for... scaring you.
Mei and Avery do not respond.
Instead, Mei returns to speak with Avery.
Instead, Mei returns to speak with Avery.
Well, it's fine if no one here forgives you...
If Meimona can at least understand you, then that's more than enough.
You yourself don't really know how or why you got so carried away there, but... it's fine. As long as you were able to stop... then, it's fine.
--/-->
- Meimona: It's okay, Avery!
- Meimona: As long as you're not our enemy anymore,
- Meimona: Then, believe me, neither Nino or I will ever hurt you!
- Meimona: He even healed you, that's how you know he's not lying!
- Meimona: And, I know you're quite shocked still,
- Meimona: So it's okay to take your time and recover first.
- Meimona: Slowly now, calm yourself and rest, don't worry!
- Avery?: ...
- Avery?: Right, he... he, helped me.
- Avery?: So I need to... repay...
- Avery?: I have to... repay him.
- Meimona: You mean Nino?
- Meimona: You wanna pay him back?
- Avery?: Y-yeah. The human, he's really... really scary.
- Avery?: B-but, he... healed me, a lot.
- Avery?: So how can I... repay...?
- Meimona: Aw, you're surprisingly polite!
- Nino: ...Like I said before, some answers would be great.
- Meimona: Um, yeah, buuut...
- Nino: I know, I know. He's not ready to spill the beans yet.
- Nino: That's okay, I guess.
- Nino: Like you said... we have to treat him like a real child, don't we?
- Meimona: Right! I'm glad you understand now. :]
- Nino: Let's see, you can't tell us any useful info,
- Nino: And you can't see our thoughts or memories anymore...
- Nino: So what else can you still do now, Avery?
- Avery?: I-I think...
- Avery?: There's... nothing useful... sorry.
- Nino: ...Sigh.
- Nino: It's fine, then.
- Nino: For now, forget about doing something for me specifically.
- Nino: There's something else on my mind.
Nino: Think this through, what if this desperate spirit attempts to take the lives of future people who cross this path? It likely won't cross YOU or Meimona again due to your trouncing of it, but it's unlikely for you to be able to make the spirit obey any commands to harm future victims.
- Nino: I heard that spirits prey on people...
- Nino: So if we let you go, would you still be doing that?
- Meimona: Oh no... that'd be bad!
- Meimona: Innocent monsters could be hurt!
- Nino: ...Right.
- Nino: So, as a favor, what if you just...
- Nino: Don't do what you did to Mei to anyone else here?
- Avery?: ...Y-yes... I can do that.
- Avery?: I won't, won't do bad things again. But...
- Avery?: For you to understand, I should... explain a little.
- Avery?: Spirits, they... they don't all hurt people just for fun.
- Avery?: Since spirits have a really, really thin existence...
- Avery?: In order to persist longer... they have to borrow from the living.
- Avery?: It's a continuous process like that...
- Avery?: So asking a spirit to give up on borrowing...
- Avery?: That's the same as... telling them to just disappear.
- Avery?: And, it's... not... something any spirit can just accept...
- Avery?: Do you... understand?
- Nino: ...Then why do you guys want to persist?
- Avery?: Because...
- Avery?: Spirits are unfulfilled existences.
- Avery?: If we were satsified with everything,
- Avery?: It would be a lot easier to disappear quietly.
- Avery?: But there are so many regrets that weigh us down.
- Avery?: That's why... so many spirits fight to stay.
- Avery?: So that they have more time... to find fulfillment.
- Nino: ...
- Avery?: It's okay, if... if you don't... like it.
- Avery?: Not liking that spirits are hurting people, that's... reasonable.
- Avery?: It's even okay if, if you don't... forgive them or me for it.
- Avery?: I only thought that, it might be good...
- Avery?: I-if you understood everything a little better.
- Avery?: And, although it might be useless...
- Avery?: Explaining something like this, is... one thing I can do, I think...
it is I ruitlover6969
so we meet again, ruitlover6969.
die
smites suvilover420
NUH UH
dodges
why am i giggling so much my humor is fucked
๐๐ฎ๐
hi there
sup
I really like panel 3. The outfit and the composition are both really good.
> Avery?: You can't see people's memories anymore, but are you still able to create illusions?
> Meimona: Doesn't that sound familiar?
The fact that Avery can't read minds anymore seems to lend credence to my theory that he's been semi-revived, as it seems to indicate that he isn't actually a spirit anymore. The part about "borrowing" also makes me think that this energy they need might be the same energy that Nino's ability manipulates.
Just to make sure whether I can use it (and that I'd be able to use it well), do you mind explaining a little more what you mean/are referring to by your second command suggestion?
Sorry, this is probably way too late, but I was trying to compare Mei's "borrowing" of physical things / property and the spirits' "borrowing" of soul energy.
But, just as an aside, does it really matter what I meant? I think that multiple valid comparisons could be made, and this is your story. In the end, most uses of commands are just going to be to further the plot along what's already been set. I'm happy with whatever plot developments come from the usage of my command or any other.
If you interpreted it instead as comparing the energy Nino manipulates to the energy the spirits need to surviveโ As I described in the second half of my commentโ I wouldn't really see any problem with that.
You're right! Prior to these comments, I've never actually asked anyone to explain their commands before using them. I suppose I was partially doing it because I got especially curious about what comparisons were being drawn in this specific case, I def could've worded things better. Sometimes readers have interesting insights, which I enjoy getting to know if they do decide to share them.
Thanks for giving me your viewpoint on the matter in general; it's good to know.
Nino: check the party menu to see if avery is invited
This innate mastery of typographics will never cease to amaze me. Oceanfalls deserves an analysis just on this topic.
> Nino: Perhaps your healing can substitute the spirit's need for borrowing?
> Meimona: Perhaps Avery can pay their debt by guiding you through the desert! Maybe that would make them feel less bad about the situation.
I love how we're getting to explore the concept of spirits more, wonder if the spirit mistaking Nino's intentions was not just losing the ability to read minds, but perhaps it's seeing something that even Nino can't...