There's always a lighthouse

[wheremst]

And just like that, you wake up in the basement of a lighthouse in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. There's a circle of 25 pods in the middle of the room, and two more in a room off to the side, and you can imagine who is in which.

An elevator to the side of the room leads up to the ground floor (or to the first sub-basement, if you want to check out the machine that brought you here), where you can for the first time in weeks look out a window and see the sky. Its a beautiful sunny day, with a strong breeze on the grassy ground of the island where the lighthouse stands. Have you ever been this happy to hear seagulls?

You're free. Whatever comes next, you're free and you won. Take some time to relish your victory, won't you? Reunite with friends you thought you had lost, go forth and just... well, enjoy this.

Comments

[pimpplan]

[ Despite himself, he can't help but smirk. ]

Hey, no one ever got anywhere by playing it safe. Besides, you still fell for it for a little, right? It wouldn't have fit my precious image if I just outright agreed with you.

[bolderfell]

Yeah, yeah. You had me fooled, too. Guess I have a blind spot when it comes to redheads telling lies.

[His gaze drifts away to some of the others who've left behind the lighthouse for the sun, instead.]

Still, even if neither of us believed it then... maybe there's something to it. Trusting people, I mean. Sometimes.

[pimpplan]

And here I thought you were just distracted by my good looks.

[ He's Joking. ]

Maybe there is. Looks like you learned that just enough to melt that cold heart of yours. I'm so proud of you, Therion, I could almost cry.

[bolderfell]

[Just this face.

Even if he's joking, Zelos's approval fills him with... nausea, mostly.]

[pimpplan]

Hey, you good? I didn't say something wrong, did I?

[ It wouldn't have been the first time! ]

[bolderfell]

...I'm going to assume you're joking. Unless you got your heart melted post-mortem, too.

[And that sounds like a medical issue.]

[pimpplan]

[ If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with heart melting after death, you may be entitled to compensation... ]

I've no idea what you're talking about! My heart's always been sweet and gooey on the inside.

[ He can't help himself. ]

Actually, I am serious. Looks like they put their faith in you for good reason.

[bolderfell]

[While he may have made progress on the whole trusting-and-being-trusted thing, Therion still can't handle statements like that unprepared. He tugs his scarf up, embarrassed and... well, weirded out, mostly. It's not even Zelos this time. He's just like this.]

..."They"? [...] Ema, I guess, and maybe Anna...

[pimpplan]

Seemed like a few more than just them, but okay.

[ He'll let it go. No sense breaking the poor dude. ]