how many times have you died (rika furude)

[malewife]

Comments

[malewife]

I meant your injuries, if you had any pressing.

[ He doesn't think they are, but it's still? Better? To rest?? ]

[syndromed]

I'm alright. Just some bruises.

[ truly she had a very mellow time. ]

[malewife]

[ Well, he trusts someone that just dies all the time if they're okay, to be honest. ]

What happened on your trip? I overheard about the dog, the miniature people, and... Cupcakes.

[syndromed]

[ thank you for this respect. ]

That was most of it. We explored big candy castle. There were some items from home, but... They disappeared after we held them for a moment.

[malewife]

[ what ]

Do you remember how you got to this candy castle?

[syndromed]

I walked through a door, and then I was there.

[malewife]

... In your room? Another door?

[syndromed]

The door to my room. I wanted to rest after eating so much.

[malewife]

... And it just took you to this candy castle without warning.

[ oh, he doesn't like it. ]

[syndromed]

Yes. Me, and three others - we weren't even together beforehand.

Which means it could happen to anyone.

[malewife]

[ A tired sigh. ]

The Watchers told me that the missing people are here, but also not here... [ Which kind of helps understand, but also what. ] Did you happen to learn anything in there? Or was it just a nonsensical mess.

[syndromed]

It was mostly nonsense.

... But at the end, there was a note. "These windows between our worlds, opened with greedy hands, have so foolishly been left open - and so we are all punished for that hubris, as the spectres take all that we are."

[malewife]

… An interesting note. I had thought the spectres were a natural predator in this world, not part of a consequence.

[syndromed]

Then do the windows between worlds need to be closed again?

[malewife]

I would believe so. Worlds are separated for reasons... And, in my experience, when they are opened? It's a sign of the apocalypse coming to that world.

[syndromed]

My experience has been different... But it's true that traveling between shards is something I've only done in the face of tragedy.

[malewife]

... So your method is also moving to different worlds at different timelines.

[ He wasn't sure if she like went into the actual past or something. Anyway. ]

The doors they opened must be different than what we do, hence the catastrophic consequence.

[syndromed]

[ she just gives a terse little nod to that, but frowns. ]

But why should we have to clean up their mess?

[malewife]

... Because we are given threats or promises.

[ That doesn't mean he likes it or wants to? ]

[syndromed]

I don't care about either.

[malewife]

[ To be honest, relatable. ]

Will you be fighting against the game they will be forcing us to play? With these two assigned groups?

[syndromed]

It may be pointless to try to fight back against the rules of the gameboard. But to go along with them...

[ well, she doesn't like either option. ]

[malewife]

It is not an uncommon sentiment. It seems that many of us don't want to abide.

There could be another way.

[syndromed]

Is that just a hope, or something you have evidence of?

[malewife]

... Hope.