CLOVER

[crittersheep]

[You're in your barn! That doesn't seem so bad--oh, oh wait, you're in the air.

Your barn, and honestly some of your stuff, is just floating on clouds. You can walk on the clouds too if you want, no one's stopping you. You will not, however, be able to return to the ground, far, far below you, no matter what you do.

At least not til the Ritual is complete.

Floating among everything else is your priest, who seems to have fallen into a deep sleep, and the barn's crystal flower.

After a moment, you hear voices resonating from the crystal flower--the holy beasts, their voices and minds melded as one, call out to you.

It asks your Flock 3 simple questions.]

Comments

GEN

[crittersheep]

[talk among yourselves here]

Re: GEN

[aididitmyway]

... What kind of questions are these??

Re: GEN

[eonsadrift]

Targeted ones, it seems.

Re: GEN

[aiwillneversmile]

The second one is impossible . . . But it still sounds like bad luck.

Re: GEN

[aiwillneversmile]

[not gonna talk, just gonna hold lyra's hand]

Re: GEN

[eonsadrift]

...

What a stupid question.

Re: GEN

[aiwillneversmile]

Which one?

Re: GEN

[psynchroneyes]

I sure hope that's just a hypothetical.

Re: GEN

[psynchroneyes]

Meh.

[ She waves a hand dismissively. ]

Pass me up for that first one. One of you can have it.

Question One

[crittersheep]

[You instinctively know you should give one collective answer after discussing this]

With a simple four leaf clover, you could make any wish come true--if only one of you could receive your desired wish once it's all over, who would be the most worthy?

Re: Question One

[aididitmyway]

... Everyone's agreed that it's me. Lyra.

Because I need to wish my brother back to life. I want us to have a chance to be happy together without someone dying. We found each other in our last life and in this life. I want more time with him. I want him to actually live for himself for once instead of everyone else. He's always been my protector.

But this time I want to protect his life.

Question Two

[crittersheep]

[You instinctively know you should give one collective answer after discussing this]

Would it be good luck or bad luck to get everything you could ever dream of, the future you've always worked towards, but with the path to such paved with the bodies of strangers you've merely disregarded the entire time?

Re: Question Two

[psynchroneyes]

Heh—I'm not really a fan of these lame hypotheticals, y'know...

Straight up? Well, obviously it's lucky for us. When you win, someone else loses—that's just how it is. But you really think we're just disregarding everyone else along the way? Don't be stupid. We've always, always had to weigh our options here, and it wasn't as mindless as some may think.

... Meh, does getting into a whole monologue about it really matter? Anyway, that's our answer and I am not getting into it if any of you disagree. I refuse to mope over this crap so close to the finish line!

Question Three

[crittersheep]

[you instinctively know only the Shepherd is meant to answer this question]

Will you continue to live your life no matter what end your Flock meets? Whether you're doomed to never see them forever, or forced to choose between them and your lover?

1/i don't know yet lmao sorry

[eonsadrift]

If you wanted one last shot at me, congratulations! You've succeeded. Are you happy?

This question is a stupid hypothetical. We're so close to going home, aren't we? I've protected these idiots for so long, you aren't going to take that from me now.

...but that isn't really the question, now is it?

It isn't a question of choosing between them or... Fantasia.

It isn't even a question of how much I love any of them, really.

Re: Question Three

[eonsadrift]

Can I still continue to live my life, even if I'm still cursed to lose those that I care about?

Hah...

I don't want to lose anyone anymore.

I knew that long, long before coming here. I'd already made up my mind about forming pointless attachments. They lead to nothing but pain, heartbreak, and betrayal. Why should I bother? Why should I care, when the inevitability is that I'll suffer over and over again?

Re: Question Three

[eonsadrift]

...

I don't... know what happened to me. I don't know what pieces fell into place or how, but I stupidly let it happen again.

Despite everything I'm fond of everyone on this stupid flock. What a joke.

...and...

Re: Question Three

[eonsadrift]

[ He glances down at his wedding ring and curls his hand into a fist, exhaling with an annoyed huff. ]

...and I even fell in love with an idiot. How embarrassing...

But... even then, I wouldn't have had it happen any other way.

Re: Question Three

[eonsadrift]

I've spent nearly every single night on the roof of our barn, watching over the pasture, making sure that my flock was protected and safe. I never needed to sleep- becoming Shepherd didn't change that.

In every ritual, my only goal is to ensure we all made it out alive. At any cost.

I think I deserve some kind of reward for that, don't you think? We've died laughably less than everyone else. I was given a job, and I did what I had to do.

Re: Question Three

[eonsadrift]

...but I know they can all take care of themselves.

They don't need me to protect them anymore.

If I was doomed to never see any of my flock again, I know they'd all be fine in the end. They're survivors.

And if I had to make that choice... I know they'd all trust whatever decision I made was the right one.

Re: Question Three

[eonsadrift]

...but could I continue to live on?

Re: Question Three

[eonsadrift]

Re: Question Three

[eonsadrift]

Yes.

And I will.

I'll live my life, and I'll be free to do what I want, and I won't look back or regret any of it.

...and I know no one on Clover will, either.

I want to live because that's what they would want me to do. I'll live for them, for Spinel and Lyra, for Kozo and Hannya and maybe even Cygnus... and Sonata and Your Name and Fifi, too.

And... for Fantasia. For the love I finally found.

I will keep fighting for all of them to be free to live their own lives, no matter where we end up, because every single one of us deserves to live. Even me.

That's what I want.

And that's what I'll live for.

Re: Question Three

[eonsadrift]

Did these bonds make me a better person? Is the heart that I don't have changed by all of this, by what that stupid pink sheep did by tying us all together?

As much as I really hate to admit it... maybe it was.

I don't know what kind of person I'd be if I'd never come here, but I know I would be worse off.

DONE the end

[eonsadrift]

Just be sure you know this: if their end isn't a pleasant one, I can and will hunt down whoever is responsible and make sure they pay. That, I promise you.

So make sure you keep that in mind.