Initiative.

[trustwellness]

With your course of study officially completed, for better or worse, there isn't much left for you in the courtroom itself; the elevator will take you back down to the first floor, where you'll be left off – it won't take you any lower than that. But then again, perhaps it doesn't need to. Take some time to reorient yourself, to be grateful that you didn't die, to do whatever it is you need to do – however, if you return to the main part of the building, away from the dorms... Well. There's something waiting for you in the foyer.

Comments

[stepout]

[ ...Okay this is the worst thing she has ever tasted and you DO NOT SHOVE THINGS IN PEOPLE'S MOUTHS THIS IS THE QUICKEST WAY TO GET THEM TO DIE AGAIN???

oh god— ]

Elda? [ ...there are so many questions she has so many questions but there sure is a lot happening and a lot of screaming and jesus christ ]

[matchbreaker]

[ Oh my God that's- ]

You're alive!

[ AND GETTING HUGGED.

Surprise. ]

[stepout]

[ THIS IS IT, THIS IS THE MOST CONFUSING MOMENT OF HER ENTIRE LIFE AND SHE THOUGHT, AT ONE POINT, SHE HAD LEGITIMATELY RETURNED TO THE WORLD OF THE LIVING AND BEEN IN HER OWN HOME ]

I— I mean, technically no, but— [ ...oh, christ, Elda's really hugging her and she's here and—fine, she'll hug her back, that seems appropriate. ] What the hell is going on?

[matchbreaker]

[ Elda might literally be crying a little at this point if that makes it worse ]

No, technically and certainly!

Everyone's coming back!

[stepout]

[ ELDA... ]

I can see that, how— [ wait, ick, she can see the damn gummies on the ground there. ] Those?

[ ...ugh ]

Just so you know, [ and she is trying her best not to start crying either (though she is smiling, tenuously), actually, this is kind of A Lot because she was sort of in camp "sure, living again would be nice, but it'd take nothing short of a miracle to work" over there, ] they taste awful, even by human standards.

[matchbreaker]

[ Yes, those! ]

So what?! If you can come back because of them I'll feed you a dozen more!

[ Laughing, crying, she's...

Sort of nuzzling Chiyuki's cheek ]

[stepout]

[ ELDA THIS IS SO... ]

I'll die eating that dozen, I swear. [ ...Elda's really fond of her, isn't she, that's so weird and Interesting. ] ...That's enough, that's enough. We might be back—thank you for that, I have... I have plans for my second chance—but we still need to figure out how we're getting out of here, right?

[ geez chiyuki wait until the epilogue log before you bring that up— ]

[matchbreaker]

We can figure that out in due time!

[ Huff.

But okay, she'll back off and wipe off her eyes too, pouting ]

1/2

[stepout]

[ ... ]

Really, thanks. [ God, it's nice that everything is... sort of... calming down. ] Your love letter was very sweet, by the way—

2/2

[stepout]

Aside from one part.

[ :| ]

You and a couple of other people have pieces of my mannequin body. [ THAT IS CREEPY AND WEIRD, ELDA. ]

[matchbreaker]

.... You did find the hidden message in it, right?!

[stepout]

Of course, and Gold tried really hard to deny that you or anyone else in this group had any when I brought it up? But he's not very smooth at backpedalling.

[ so she didn't actually fully believe him. ]

[matchbreaker]

... I only have one piece, and it was inside me first, I have every right!

[stepout]

It's creepy and weird, Elda.

[matchbreaker]

Silver has more than I do?!

[stepout]

And I'll talk to him about that when I'm back in Johto with him and Gold.

[ ..........uh. ]

...Possibly back there. I haven't decided—Viktor offered a place for me in his world too. He said he'd coach me, too. [ ... ] I wasn't really expecting this, to be honest.

[matchbreaker]

[ . . . ]

I'm going to recommend Viktor. Those boys seem better as a visit than a live-in.

[ For the record. ]

[stepout]

Gold said that too. [ .............. ] There's just one thing that's keeping me from going with him.

[ and it's kind of AWFUL but. you know. ...she's going to lean closer to Elda for this, uh— ]

Kimbley said he'd come visit me in Johto, since he and Jasper are going world-hopping together, and Gold's fine with it, too. I don't know about Viktor or his world, though. [ s o. ]

[matchbreaker]

[ . . . Um. ]

. . . Those two aren't going to stay put either. Come on, you want the man to coach you, right?

[ . . . Gurl what is your life. ]

[stepout]

[ DON'T JUDGE HER, WE ARE ALL ALLOWED ONE FUCKED UP FRIEND AND SHE PICKED THE GUY WHO'S COMMITTED GENOCIDE. ]

It was a very nice offer. [ so: yes? ] He's a five time GPF winner, too. I'd learn a lot being coached by him, as long as I didn't push myself or my knee didn't give out.

But Kimbley's important to me. [ It's very resolute. ] We're friends, Elda, and he wants to see me as much as I want to see him.

...You'd want to see me again too, right? But you wouldn't come live in Viktor's world, or even Gold and Silver's, just for that.

[matchbreaker]

No. I... [ Inhale, exhale. ] Ideally, yes, I will see you all. But I have a family to return to above all else. I can allow very little exception to that.

[ Honestly, she's been running on faith that they could work around that for a while now. ]

[stepout]

And the worlds that Kimbley and Jasper are suited for don't match up to the ones I'd be suited for. [ ... ] Gold and Kimbley get along too, and it really would just be a visit—I don't think he'd play nice with Pokémon for too long, honestly.

[ ...a small shake of her head. ]

...Never mind. I'll think about it later. [ Whenever "later" is. ]