Game 2 - Rose

[crittersheep]

[A rose shaped crystal rises from the ground. You instinctively know to touch it for Death's Eye to receive your answer.

You are bound to your flock by a thin thread, making it impossible to separate, but you may still answer individually.]

Comments

[finalbows]

I don't know why he's-- it was a Dispel! Just a Dispel! It guh, gets rid of magic. I didn't want to. Waste time. Figuring it-- figuring out what it...

_{[ trying in vain to end the crying effects using his barn powers on himself by this point ]}

This is horrible, how do people handle this?

[strateelgic]

[This is such a pain.

It's also way too warm and way too dry out here, but at least these merman lungs still work out of water.]

Let's just... finish these questions.

[As he flops over and curls up.]

[catposting]

[ WEARY SIGH he is so tired. ]

Can you breathe all right like... this?

[strateelgic]

I can. It's just... dry.

[finalbows]

<sub>[ sniffling.

at least he can conjure a fuckin'. water orb, that he floats over to Floyd. it stays in one piece. idk hug it??? he's not able to really concentrate rn. ]</sub>

[strateelgic]

[Really, dude.]

[Fine, he's just gonna cup his webbed hands into it and splash some over himself. And also drink a little.

And he's taking the rest of these uncomfortable Rose clothes off because how do you even deal...]

[finalbows]

_{[ enjoy your supernaturally pure distilled water. tastes like absolutely no trace minerals and also slight fizzy magic zing. ]}

[catposting]

In that case, I agree.

How do you feel about answering the final question? We have a logical theory as to how to align our truth with Death's, but... out of all of us, you're the least likely to mess up the wording.

[ stares at Angel Devil and Shadow Fiend's penalties ]

[pleasantmisery]

Objection! My wording's totally fine! It's not my fault that Death's Eye is touchy and rude!

[finalbows]

Sh--she's the one we're trying to impress, though. _{[ sniffle ]} Not you.

[catposting]

Death's Eye doesn't care whose fault it is!

[ congrats Shadow Fiend you actually got him to snap at you. ]

[ deep breath. he's calm TOTALLY CALM ]

No tyrannical power grabs, remember?

[pleasantmisery]

I'm just saying!! But I agree, Floyd Fiend's probably better at saying fancy things with a straight face.

[catposting]

Glad we're on the same page.

[ glances at her, glances at Angel Devil ]

Did you discuss the answer with him?

[ he is not talking to the sobbing monkey directly ]

[finalbows]

I'm s-- still here, you know! Don't talk like I'm some piece of f-- furniture. We did. _Earlier.

[pleasantmisery]

He seemed to have, uh, a lot of feelings about the topic. But I suggested wording it as "Life is the Everything before the Nothing. Without an Everything, there can be no Nothing." And Angel Devil seemed okay with that.

[strateelgic]

Haa... That's a lot of pressure for your youngest teammate, isn't it?

[Yes he's going to shame you all for leaving this to the baby.]

[catposting]

[ that's fine, they have more important things to worry about. ]

You're the only one here that hasn't invoked pain on yourself or others with your answers.

[pleasantmisery]

You can talk! And you're not suffocating!

Ummm... Do you want me to help you get into the pond?

[strateelgic]

It can wait until the questions are done.

[pleasantmisery]

Okay! So... I've been talking with Angel Devil and Blood Fiend, and so far we've come up with this answer for the last question.

"Life is the Everything before the Nothing. Without an Everything, there can be no Nothing."

What do you think? Is it something that feels true to you?

[strateelgic]

I think it sounds falsely pretentious.

[pleasantmisery]

I think pretentious was the point. Like, trying to match the way Death talked. Real Death, not this shadow thing. How would you phrase it?

[strateelgic]

I'm not going to say anything flowery like "life is the light to death's shadow" or something equally sickening.

Life's value is in how fleeting it is. Life has value because of death, but that's not the answer. What is the value...

[pleasantmisery]

[listening quietly, since she doesn't want to interrupt his thought process]

[strateelgic]

The value of life to the one living it is what they get out of it - what joy or personal fulfillment. To some that's enough, as leaving a legacy isn't important if you're not around to see it yourself.

[That's the way he lives, for the most part.]

For others, the value may be what they leave behind for others. Memories can be recalled and judged. Possessions can be passed on.

Is the value based your view or the view of those around you? Is it both? ...Oh my, I'm making this more complicated than it needs to be.

[What answer here is the most beneficial to him?]