Endgame: This is the Way the World Ends - MACHINE ROOM

[animusmods]

Characters: open to those staying in the machine room
Setting: machine room
Format: any
Summary: The time has come to make decisions about what will happen after everything is over.
Warnings: psychological horror (eventually)

Comments

[crouching_sin]

[Naoya nods to her, reaching out to put a hand on her shoulder.]

For what it's worth from someone like me...

[How should he say it? His grip tightens briefly, before he smiles a bit. His body is a little less thin, a little less muscular, than his usual glamoured self. Ah, the problems of having his old body again.]

... Thank you. For what you've done. For what you will do. And... well.

[Honesty is... difficult. Being open about things even more so. But he has to say it. Just in case.]

... I'm proud of you. We all should be here, but... you've been exceptionally brave.

[She's young and not as experienced as him, and he wouldn't normally say this to someone but... she's special. If she were from the same world, it's likely she'd have a fragment of Abel in her soul. He's glad she isn't, because he'd have likely tried to use her in his plans, but... well. The same strength is there.]

[sageprincess]

[... It's still a little odd in a way, to hear him say such things. For so long, the strongest impression she had of him was as a ruthless pragmatist encouraging the abandonment of her friend's burned corpse after the goal they had fought to reach had been achieved. But she can sense his words are genuine, his intentions pure, and so she smiles.]

It is not something I could have done alone. Had I not had the support of those around me, I likely would have broken long ago.

[She might be selling herself short a bit, but she believes it to be true, anyway. That's the difference between them and Ruana, she supposes. Ruana is alone.]

But... thank you, Naoya.

[crouching_sin]

You're welcome, though there's no need to thank me for saying the truth.

[He lets go, and looks down, feeling slightly embarrassed.]

... Heh. I'm no good at asking such things, but... would you mind if I were to... follow you to your world, once this is all over? I'd like to go somewhere that isn't... connected to the same kind of ruling deity that my world has.

[sageprincess]

[She blinks at the request, obviously surprised even through the darkness and indigo wires.]

You... wish to go to Hyrule? [A shake of the head - to clear it, not to refuse him.] I mean, of course you may, if that is what you want. Though I feel I must warn you that it is not nearly as technologically advanced as what you must be used to, and... has suffered the savages of war very recently, besides.

[Naoya has served as something of a tech specialist from the beginning, and he knows Ganondorf's ruthlessness rather well. She doesn't want to be alone when she returns home, but she doesn't think it would be fair if those she brings along are not made aware of what exactly they are getting themselves into.]

[crouching_sin]

That's fine. I've lived most of my lives without much technology at all, and in many places ravaged by war or other tragedies.

[He pauses, lost in memory for a few moments, before speaking again.]

In my first life, after I could not farm anymore, I built a city with my own two hands and minimal help from others. It would be an honor to help rebuild your world.