- Reed: Okay... you're rambling again.
- Reed: That's a bad habit you've got.
- Reed: I'm not interested in knowing all that,
- Reed: Nor are we looking to solve an issue that large.
- Reed: But... I do want to tie up all the loose ends here as well as possible.
Aria: Give up on this questioning.
- Reed: So, what do you think, Aria?
- Aria: ...It's a lot to take in.
- Reed: I think she's right that an issue that big isn't our problem to solve.
- Aria: Well, maybe not, but... ugh.
- Reed: So you're still worried...
- Aria: Reed, I honestly can't bring myself to trust a single word she's said.
- Aria: I mean, she could just be lying about being different and all!
- Spirit: Well... I'd assure you that I am not,
- Spirit: But I understand you have no way of verifying my words...
- Spirit: All I can do is be honest, and hope you'll believe me, girl!
- Spirit: Have I not given you enough information to spare my life...?
- Aria: ...
- Aria: Ugh, this is difficult!
- Aria: I'm seriously worried that she'll hurt someone else if we let her go!
- Aria: If she does that, it'll be my fault too...
- Aria: Reed, what do I do...?
- Reed: ...
- Reed: Like she said, it comes down to trust.
- Reed: But the final call doesn't have to be yours, Aria.
- Reed: I'll take responsibility.
- Aria: Huh...?
Aria: Why would such an understanding master kill her followers for revealing her identity to someone?
- Reed: Spirit, you talked a big game about how you're different from the rest,
- Reed: Being stronger, or whatever...
- Reed: But Aria and I just beat the shit out of you.
- Reed: So, aren't you weak now?
- Reed: Won't you need to kill someone to get your strength back?
- Spirit: No... that isn't the case.
- Spirit: Like I said, my master gives us stren-
- Reed: And you just betrayed her command, didn't you?
- Reed: You didn't drive either of us out of this world.
- Reed: And now, we know where Nino is.
- Reed: You failed your only task, plain and simple.
- Aria: Wait, that's true!
- Aria: If you couldn't even tell us anything about her because you're afraid she'd kill you... then how can I believe she'd be willing to help you now?
- Spirit: Well... s-she is...
- Spirit: A very merciful and understanding person!
- Reed: ...So you'd be taking a risk by believing in her too.
- Spirit: Aaaaaaaaaaagh!
- Spirit: Like I have a choice anymore, human!
- Spirit: I promise, if you let me go now, I really will not hurt another soul!
- Spirit: I'll find a different way to survive, I'll do anything!
- Spirit: Whether it's you that I have to convince or her,
- Spirit: Just please... let me live!
- Spirit: Let me go, please!
Certainly, you could end this here.
You could let the spirit go, and see her going after anyone else as just a natural ocurrence, treating it the same as a wild animal following its instincts.
You could let the spirit go, and see her going after anyone else as just a natural ocurrence, treating it the same as a wild animal following its instincts.
In a way, spirits are a problem that this world created for itself, right?
It's definitely nothing for you to worry about it.
However... Aria's still very worried.
If you were alone, you might've been okay with just walking away from this whole mess, but... you kinda get where Aria's coming from.
Luckily, there is a way out of this dilemma that might benefit you a whole lot.
The spirit herself just explained it, in fact.
Aria: You're already well aware of spirits feeling forced to kill in order to survive. You've been sympathetic to their plight before, is it really so hard to believe there could be a real solution to it?
- Reed: Stop, enough with the pleading.
- Reed: Forget about all that. Look...
- Reed: Couldn't we give you fulfillment instead?
- Spirit: ...Huh?
- Reed: That sounded like it was the main problem.
- Reed: Right, Aria?
- Aria: ...Hmm... I think you're right, yeah!
- Aria: The reason she's following such an evil master is because she gave her a purpose, right? One that seems really virtuous.
- Reed: Yeah, so I'm thinking...
- Reed: Maybe we can use that somehow.
- Reed: Spirit, if you want to save your life, just leave your master.
- Reed: And if it'd give you enough strength to survive,
- Reed: Then we'll give you a purpose to fulfill instead.
- Reed: How about that?
- Spirit: ...
- Spirit: You'll... do what...?
- Reed: I'll even make it sound all noble, if that's what you want.
- Reed: You're afraid of Nino killing innocent spirits...
- Reed: So, just lead us to him.
- Reed: We'll make him understand everything you've explained to us about your kind,
- Reed: And we'll make sure none of us will ever get involved with spirits unprovoked.
- Reed: Then, we'll get the hell out of here with Nino in hand,
- Reed: And no spirits will be harmed in the process.
- Reed: ...If they don't go out of their way to harm us first, that is.
- Reed: How's that sound?
- Spirit: ...
- Aria: Yeah! If Nino being here is the biggest problem for all of you guys,
- Aria: Then it should be pretty fulfilling to actively help us get him away, right?
- Aria: It'll actually BE a virtuous purpose, instead of just sounding like one!
- Spirit: F...
- Spirit: ...Fulfillment... you...
Spirit: There's always a choice.
- Spirit: Human!!!
- Reed: Woah!
- Spirit: Really!? Y-you'd be willing to help me out!?
- Spirit: You're not just toying with me?
- Reed: Uh... no, I'm not.
- Reed: Can't you literally see that?
- Spirit: I-Indeed! I only see honesty in your thoughts!
- Spirit: It doesn't look like you're joking, but...
- Spirit: After all I did to you... really, human!?
- Spirit: But, but... why...?
Aria & Reed: She's being honest enough.
- Spirit: I never expected you to say something like this...
- Spirit: Why would you go that far, human?
- Reed: Uh...
- Reed: ...Maybe just see it for yourself instead of asking.
- Spirit: ...
- Spirit: Oh...I see...
- Spirit: Haha... so it's like that, hmm?
- Spirit: I guess I have her to thank for this!
- Reed: ...
- Aria: Hey... could you not make sudden movements like that?
- Aria: I've still got my eyes on you, you know!
- Aria: My hands could slip and end up axing something by accident.
- Aria: That'd be terrible, wouldn't it? So...
- Aria: Kindly take a step back from him, please.
- Spirit: Of course! Do forgive me...
- Spirit: I was just, so happy.
- spirit: I don't understand why, but...
- Spirit: But... my fulfillment...
--/-->
- Spirit: ...
- Spirit: Right... my regrets...
- Spirit: Why... did I ask to be back again?
- Spirit: ...
"But... Caroline, I heard that..."
"When the casualties of the midworld's wars are overwhelming in number..."
"Sometimes, they are buried in a mass grave."
"When the casualties of the midworld's wars are overwhelming in number..."
"Sometimes, they are buried in a mass grave."
"I want to be remembered, please, please, PLEASE!"
"Otherwise... what was the point of my sacrifice in the army!?"
"Otherwise... what was the point of my sacrifice in the army!?"
- Spirit: I just... wanted to be...
- Spirit: Remembered...
- Spirit: ...
--/-->
- Spirit: ...No, that's wrong. That's not it.
- Spirit: That warrior died a pathetic death.
- Spirit: She couldn't even accept her own end.
- Spirit: That was the very least she could have done...
- Spirit: Yet, she failed.
- Spirit: Clinging to the remnants of a life like that, is just...
- Spirit: Like willingly sitting in a prison, even though its door is already open.
--/-->
- Spirit: Human, I would like to propose a better deal.
- Spirit: You don't have to let me go and risk anything,
- Spirit: And you don't have to give me only one task to fulfill.
- Spirit: Instead, if you accept my proposal,
- Spirit: I will become yours.
- Spirit: That is...
- Spirit: My actions will be completely bound to your command.
- Aria: W-what?
- Reed: Huh...
I have a strange master.
My master is a very lonely person.
She knows many things, but not the answer to them.
I suspect that's why she ended up by her lonesome.
After all, she lives in a world whose people are driven by logic.
Yet, no explanation had ever been necessary for me to trust her.
My master is one of the few people in this world who have shown us spirits mercy.
And, whenever she reveals anything to me...
I peer into her heart, and see nothing but honesty.
That has always held up, no matter how outlandish a claim she makes.
Master, she simply does not lie to any of us.
She is kind to all of us...
She is kind to all of us...
That is why I wish to see her prosper.
But, it seems... her prosperity won't come from doing what she commands us to.
If I really want master to be happy, then... my actions must lead to a better result, even if the path I choose to get there might displease her.
And that is why...
If following someone else is what would end up benefitting master more than submitting to her will... then that is what I will do, instead.
--/-->
- Spirit: Can you give me a name?
- Reed: ...?
- Spirit: If you name me, I'll be bound to your commands.
- Spirit: You will literally have a hold over my life.
- Spirit: That means I can't go against your words.
- Spirit: It guarantees I'll do everything you ask, human.
- Spirit: For instance...
- Spirit: I won't ever be able to kill, so long as you do not allow me to.
- Spirit: That'd give you enough peace of mind, won't it?
- Aria: W-what? Really...?
- Reed: I mean... if that's true, then that's one way to do it, but...
- Aria: It sounds like overkill to me!
- Spirit: Yes.
--/-->
- Spirit: That's because I realized it's hard to trust mere words.
- Spirit: So, let this be my final gamble.
- Spirit: Name me, and give me purpose.
- Spirit: Or kill me on the spot.
- Spirit: Your choice.
Master may be sad.
She might feel betrayed that I've left her side.
Meimona, Nino, and Solis: Arrive. She might feel betrayed that I've left her side.
But, I know that she would be happy to see some positive change.
Hopefully, she'd be happy enough for it to outweight any displeasure my actions might cause her. Luckily, however, I don't seek forgiveness. Only, fulfillment...
In knowing I cast a ripple in the puddle of fate, no matter how small.
That alone would be more than enough.
Hello! You guys can suggest names for the spirit if you want to.
I will likely pick according to popularity, or see the name with the most suitable meaning behind it, or maybe a combination of both... if I don't get anything though, I'll just pick one myself. :o
Anyway, the next update won't show the continuation of this scene, instead we'll be back with Nino and Mei for a good while. So feel free to submit commands to those two instead if you'd like to!
No new commands for Reed/Aria/Spirit will be used.
Thanks for reading.
As a suggestion for the spirit's name: Ptera.
Also: Meimona, Nino, and Solis: Arrive
Reed and Aria: Trading one absolute master for another hardly seems like a proper solution, but... if this is the only option she's giving you, it's certainly better than the alternative.
Name suggestion: Cynthia
idk if keeping the initial from her old name is a good idea, but its kinda all i have to go off of
oh shoot i also missed the "dont submit commands for reed and aria" whoops uuh
Nino: Eat sand
Name Suggestion: Guinevere
I made suggestions for the other two already but
Solis: This kid seems like he'd eat sand.
Nino: Eat the sand. Do it now.
Meimona: Be flustered.
Name suggestion: mysteriousmaverick JR.
Name suggestion: Ling (From Chinese 靈 / 灵, meaning soul or spirit.)
Nino: You might as well go along with the monster. It'd be more suspicious to keep refusing at this point.
Nino: If you pretend to be a super violent anti-human monster, he won't suspect that you're actually a human!
and
Nino: Eat sand.
Also, is she going to become like a temporary party member or a recurring character? If so, I wonder if she'll get a entry on the character page after she gets her name...
Honestly I like this name for the spirit
Name suggestion: Dunya
her former companion name
also for the next update
Nino: Look around the town, see if there are any potential area for escape after Mei recovered.
Name suggestion: Evelyn!
Nino: Eat sand. You know you want to.
Name suggestion: Ashelane
Solis: These travelers seem to be far from home, you need to consider making them more comfortable. Strike up a conversation!
Nino: Since this monster seems to be so sincere, it might be an opportunity to learn some things from it. Strike up a conversation!
Nino: Consider: eat sand
Name suggestion: Cygdrifa (mangled version of Sigrdrífa, an alternate name for the valkyrie Brynhild). Same length and initial as her original name.
meimona: talk yourself up to the orange guy, him believing in you can only have upsides. If he believes that you tend heal pretty fast… maybe you won’t even need Nino’s magic.
Nino: why does this guy even want to help? Who does he work for, what’s special about this desert, or is it just because the rift is here? Also who knows what this town is like, ask him about it.
Solis: the boy seems nervous, he might just dislike authority? Or it’s the fire.. most likely the fire. Try to impress the both of them to make them less scared, maybe turn some sand into glass with your power and give it to them as a gift?
Name suggestion: alma
Seconding!
name suggestion: Memoria
Meimona: Fail to conceal your flustered-ness