EPILOGUE

[faentasy]

Epilogue

After all is said and done, in the wake of the void and sprinting through one final door.

You come out into light. Sunlight actually, a backyard in what appears to be a typical suburban town, if you're familiar with those. The sun shines cheerfully overheard, blissfully unaware of what everyone has went through. And this is everyone, as faces you haven't seen in weeks tumble out in one pile from a basement door.

Happy Saturday, everyone.

There's plenty of reunions and catching up to do, but you've utterly left Aira Niluc behind you after seven long weeks. And through the window of the house which looks like it has seen a better seen better days is one wall mural that reads "And they all lived Happily Ever After".

[[ Happy Golden End everyone, you've earned it! There's still the matter of sorting out where to next, but everyone is whole and alive and without button eyes. Using the knowledge from the object Phil had and the beldam's magic, they can also now world hop only one side effect...the portal that opens to everyone else's worlds here? Is made entirely of pixie dust. Everyone's powers will also restore fully over the course of the next few hours. ]]

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[ideismo]

There isn't much to say about it, to be honest.

[...]

I was having difficulties, after everything that had happened. Yeager asked me to assist him with...projects of his, usually making things and setting them on fire after the fact. He said he thought it would be good for me to have some catharsis.

[reallyfishy]

[His bewilderment easily subsides after hearing more about it.]

It was strange to see at the time, but it helped, then I'm glad. I just didn't expect you two coming out of this on better terms.

[It's definitely better this way, though.]

[ideismo]

[He can see where that's a little inexplicable, honestly, but...]

Yeager is no longer serving under me. I terminated that arrangement after everything that happened.

[The trial, the execution. All of that.]

[reallyfishy]

[It's starting to become much less inexplicable now, whoa.]

Did you...? [He can't help but hide a small smile as he nods.] Good. It was a very heavy weight on his shoulders. I can imagine that's why he ended up voluntarily aiding you in the wake of everything.

[ideismo]

I did, yes. We discussed it briefly, but mutually decided it's for the best to try to move forward from it.

[......]

As for you - I want you to stay with me, but I don't want it to be solely because you're beholden to me. If remaining near me is what you want, then so be it, but I'm not interested in forcing the matter. Do as you will with that.

[reallyfishy]

[Schwann nods to that first bit. If they're looking to move forward, then he doesn't feel the need to discuss it further either. It sounds like everything is going to be okay on that front. At least, as okay as it can be!

As for what comes next...what he's going to do with that is laugh softly.]

What is there to force, exactly? We both want this, don't we? Enough to make a promise over it. [Another nod follows, more resolute than the previous.] My only request is that I don't give up Raven entirely. It would feel far too strange to lose that part of my life now.

[ideismo]

[He doesn't seem to react much to that, but the fact of the matter is that he is relieved; the past few weeks have been horrific, he's a little low on ability to handle things like a reasonable person, and basic things like facial expression can happen later.]

...Good. I have no argument with any of that.

I think, in the meantime, it would be best if Yeager and I returned with you. To try to prevent the events we remember from happening again, and to try again overall. Doing things properly this time.

[reallyfishy]

[Honestly, if Schwann wanted to display his full emotions over all of this, he'd have to switch over to Raven. But he looks about as elated as he possibly can through his usual stoic visage.]

That really does seem like an actual option now, doesn't it? I'm happier to hear that than I can properly express. You know that I will be with you every step of the way as you try another way to deal with the crisis that the Empire is facing.

[Because for all of Schwann's indifference, it's not like he was blind to the issues that Alexei sought to rectify. He wants to play a more active role in assisting him now, though. And hey, who knows, maybe Yeager will be up for helping too.

(Author's note: NOT IN THE WAY HE WOULD HAVE WANTED.)]

[ideismo]

[...YEAGER IS DEFINITELY GOING TO BE HELPING...]

I know. You're the only one I would trust to do so.

[That said, oh god.]

...I'm going to have to go back to peace negotiations with Don Whitehorse.

[HE'D RATHER EAT LIVE BEES.]

[reallyfishy]

[Schwann had about two seconds to have a Feeling over Alexei trusting him that much, but then the Don is brought up and he very nearly loses it.

Stifling a laugh...]

Yes. Yes you are.

[It was so good in that precious brief moment before. He can't wait to see more of it, honestly.]

[ideismo]

[Honestly, he thought that level of trust went without saying; he did technically entrust Schwann with going back and saving the world, if the whole wish thing had come to fruition in any meaningful sort of way.]

...I know what we discussed before, but don't you dare make me actually go get drinks with that man.

[LIVE. BEES.]

[reallyfishy]

[it really should have, and yet Schwann was over there thinking Alexei wouldn't be scaped at the end of the day so the gravity of that didn't quite hit him...]

All right, all right, I won't personally suggest it. But what am I supposed to say if that's what he actually wants to do?

[He can't talk the Don down from something like that, Alexei!!]

[ideismo]

[...He knows he poorly explained the plan, but he was a little fucked out of his mind with everything that was going on at the moment...]

...I'll cross that bridge when we come to it, I suppose.

[He's going to suffer so much, oh my god.]

[reallyfishy]

[As hilarious as it would be to watch Alexei have drinks with the Don, Schwann doesn't want him to suffer that much.]

If we have to cross that bridge, I'll try to soften the impact as best as I can. It'll work out.

[Smash cut to Alexei in the middle of drunken shenanigans despite Raven's best efforts.]

[ideismo]

[Oh, absolutely.]

According to you I'm not even that different when intoxicated. If anything he's just setting himself up for disappointment if he tries.

[reallyfishy]

That's true. He would want to see you loosen up like Raven for sure. But you were different enough back then...enough to throw professionalism aside for a night.

[He couldn't actually see Alexei doing that in public though, even while tipsy.]

[ideismo]

I suppose, though I'm certainly not doing that in front of anyone else.

[...Maybe Schwann once in a while, though. But not. Not in public.]

[reallyfishy]

I'll be happy to keep that as something to be shared just between us.

[The Don can be disappointed and Raven can rein himself in for once.

...this all gets Schwann to smile for another reason, though.]

It's nice to be having idle discussions about the future like this.

[ideismo]

[Ah, that's...]

It is. I imagine it's been a long time since either of us had anything worth looking forward to.

[reallyfishy]

Yeah... It really has.

[There's a hint of melancholy in there somewhere, mostly because the way Alexei phrased it hits so accurately. Did he ever look forward to the future in those ten years leading up to this? Not legitimately. Even though he was enjoying life as Raven, he knew it wouldn't last. He'd have to go back to being Schwann eventually.

But he no longer thinks like that. Right now he is Schwann Oltorain, and he wants to be.]

Once we return to Terca Lumireis...it might take some time, but I'll be sure to get back to you as soon as I can.

[Since he is currently in Desier as Raven, as Alexei knows.]

[ideismo]

Don't worry, I'm more than capable of entertaining myself until you return.

[It's dry, but it's not biting.]

There are things that need to be put in order on my side of things as well. Loose ends and all, especially since I have no intention at this time of moving forward with raising Zaude.

[He's not entirely sure he can hard promise on that, but he does want to avoid it if at all possible.]