Epilogue

[cartesio]

Welcome to Cartesio!

You open your eyes and see the ceiling of the lodge. There is no real sensation of having slept, but you're still feeling rested. Sitting up, you can see that the building around you is in ruins. Dust and dirt dominate your environment. Around you, there are familiar people - some of them you've been with up until now, some of them you have been brutally forced to part with weeks ago. They all look alright, a little confusion aside.

From a corner of the room, you can hear the soft whirring of a machine. Upon examination, you can see that it's 3D-printing more gelatinous bodies like you've seen earlier today. Every body that is dispensed from the machine is a safe haven for another mind from the simulation, another mind to join your ranks as real people.

After you've adjusted to the new situation and left the lodge, you find yourself greeted with perfect sunshine. There's a town welcoming you, friendly and peaceful. Though it is more modern than what you are used to, there is no mistaking it.

Cartesio, Nevada, welcomes you.

You're new people, in a new world. Every chance it has to offer is open for you.

Comments

[linearcrash]

[ Nine knows he definitely deserves it. He made her cry and then they made an impossible promise in hopes of a next time. None of it was fair to her. ]

I did kind of surprise her when we met back up. Then we were pretty busy with figuring stuff out and the other projects. Man, I still feel like I have glitter on me.

[ There was so much more glitter on St. Keet ManyWeapons and Fort Milliarms than the living could ever see. So it's probably been postponed until she remembers or feels like hitting him.

Giving a cursory glance around to make sure certain people might be preoccupied. ]

If you're still thinking of taking a swing, I'd do it before he sees it, yo.

[marmoron]

[Quiet for a moment. Then there's an actual huff of faint amusement.],

You were just gonna take it, huh?

[In truth, he hadn't been thinking about this in a long time either. It'd been a long time since he and Millium had made that half joke of a promise, and so much has happened since then. Like Millium getting pushed off the top of a building and fucking dying along with Cian and so many others he said he would see again ... and now that he actually is and he can see everyone else is, for the most part, happy -- it's a pinch overwhelming.

Especially since he himself isn't exactly "happy" right now. Relieved maybe, but for all the things he had on his shoulders walking into the trial, it sure as fuck feels like he walked out of it with a different set of weights. In the end, despite shaking his head "no," he draws his fist back and gives Nine a light punch to the shoulder. It's half hearted at best, no real force behind it, but it's a form of closure. He keeps his word where he can.]

Who's "he" anyway?

[linearcrash]

[ That's a surprise. Between the whole huff and the tap to the shoulder. He was expecting a lot more yelling if they did ever make it There's a tug on his lips and he feels a little weight has been lifted. ]

Yeah, I mean I did make her cry.

[ So he always thought he would get hit or deserved something for that. But also time flies when you're being dead or something.

Rubbing the back of his head as he looks to spot explosive blond hair. When he spots Mr. Hero, he'll give a nod at him. ]

Bakugou.

[ His expression softens at that. ]

We're dating now.