FINAL INVESTIGATION

[whimsicalism]

No one is dead today. Why would they when the end is so close? You can practically taste it (or is that your stomach?) as the final Friday dawns. It's time to get some answers.

The Storyteller isn't talking to anyone but it's a good guess to see where she went. There's one final door that hasn't been checked, after all.

Comments

[golden_king]

[ As a King should be, tee hee.

Anyway, he'll nab the book. His job's done here for now! ]

[xxxx_me]

[Turning to her.]

...Something else?

[whimsicalism]

[She's silent then:]

Even - if - I'm - a - bad - girl?

[ballooncaged]

So... So it was your own puppet! It was you!

Every time you smiled, or laughed, or had cake... That was part of you!

[whimsicalism]

I - think - I'll - have - to - go - but - I'm - afraid - of - her -- maybe - if - I - help - then - I - can - go?

[It's really hard to talk but she tries again.]

Number - One - was - right - I'm - really - really - scared - not - of - dying - but - of - her - maybe - we - can - make - her - Alice - again?

[whimsicalism]

But - I'm - I'm - a - bad - girl

[xxxx_me]

[His head dips in acknowledgement.]

...Okay. It's a favor to you, so... I'll do whatever you ask.

[whimsicalism]

It - was - fun - I - had - friends

[battlestations]

It sounds like she's been kept alive, and she's trying to save us. Maybe that seems strange after Neku and Oriko already died for that. But they were her friends too, from the sound of things. Perhaps she's accepted death because she didn't want those to be in vain, and she thinks she can't stop the Storyteller... but it's hard to imagine her wishes would have changed that completely.

[xxxx_me]

[...]

[whimsicalism]

[She forces her hand to close around his. It's painful but she's really, really trying.]

Alice - made - me - happy - and - so - did - you - I - believe - in - you - Allen

[xxxx_me]

...

She asked me to do it as a favor to her. So... whatever she asks for in the end...

I'll do it.

[xxxx_me]

[He's definitely crying by now. Some of the tears may just splatter on her in spite of his best attempts not to.]

...It was fun playing with you. And- and you're not the only bad one here, either.

I don't want to kill you. [He never did, not really.] So--

All of that's why... I want you to be able to make the choice this time.

[ballooncaged]

Can I... tell you a secret?

Before this, I wasn't friends with other kids. And now that I have made more friends... Everything that's happened like the castle full of weeds now that you're gone...

I believe you really wanted to be a good friend. So maybe I should thank you.

[battlestations]

Maybe I'm a fool, and this is that so-called soul of the Storyteller's that we're meant to destroy. But if we must believe...

[He'd rather it be in a happy ending.

Still, he trusts Allen.]

... I leave it to you.

[imozon]

I don't care if you're bad or good or anything! You're my friend!

[battlestations]

[He's not sure he cares for the flippantness here, but...whatever.]

Let's make her squirm.

[battlestations]

....I never did get to invite you to our sector, you know.

[Is redemption a good thing to believe in?]

[whimsicalism]

I - would - you - let - me - in?

[xxxx_me]

[He nods, even though Nigel can't see him.]

Mm. I'll... see what she says.

[battlestations]

Sure. We'd make a pretty motley crew, but we could definitely use the help.

[battlestations]

We can definitely hope for it! We have the technology!

[NIGEL PLEASE DON'T REVIVE HER AS THE BIONIC WOMAN. Or do, it'd be pretty par for the course]

[whimsicalism]

[It doesn't convey that but Oriko did as her last act of defiance.

It does have some entries about new strange monsters called the 'kings' that the kids didn't particularly know much about besides that somehow that Nursery Rhyme recently joined their ranks. The Apple Court kids seemed sad at that, saying they tried to help her once before but their belief wasn't strong enough.

There's a last message, though:

Closetland is expanding, new monsters are being born every day from other worlds. We might never meet you but know that we believe in you, future kids. Even defeating a single king will help all kids.

We are the Apple Court kids and we wish you luck.

With this, this area is clear.]

[imozon]

[HECK YEAH REVIVE HER AS THE BIONIC WOMAN]

AREA CLEAR

[whimsicalism]