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⬣//SPREAD, CONTAMINATE, ERADICATE
You've had a chance to adapt to your new circumstances and make peace with what your life has become… hopefully. If you haven't, don't expect life to get any easier.
A few things have changed in recent days. Healing no longer works as effectively as it did in the past. If you're in the habit of behaving recklessly, don't expect one of Fragment's few healers to pick up the slack. Broken bones will now remain broken no matter how many healing spells are cast on your shattered limbs. Damage to organs can't be repaired with the wave of a wand.
What's more, HP and SP restoring items have gotten harder and harder to come by. Potions are no longer available for purchase at generic NPC shops and gatherable items needed for crafting have become fewer and fewer in number, limiting your item making options. If you've gotten into the bad habit of injuring yourself heedless of the consequences, it's time to rethink your lifestyle. Playtime is over.
Think of the three core memories that have formed and shaped the person you are today. Some will think back fondly on family and friends while others have been jaded by the ill treatment they've received from important figures in their lives. In any case, it's of little concern to you now. One of those three precious memories has vacated your mind, taking with it a vital piece of you that you can no longer get back.
You may choose one of the three key memories listed on your application to be taken away from your character. Choices are limited to the memories supplied in your application and additional memories submitted for the previous memshare event or not eligible for convenient plot-induced memory loss. Choose wisely, because you aren't getting it back.
And Sky Fish, and Disco Knives, and Evil Armors…
Has anyone noticed the monsters around town lately? Which town, you may ask? The answer is all of them.
Monsters have invaded Root Towns in large waves, attacking anything and everything in sight. Any lovingly crafted signs or other furnishings you've erected around town are easily torn to shreds and destroyed by the monsters who have come to roost in your once safe Root Towns. On the plus side, PvE and PvP has now been enabled in all Root Towns, which is excellent news for those who wish to combat the monster invasion and those who can't seem to help hurting themselves and others.
These monsters range in level from 50 to 75, and while many of them can be defeated with a bit of ingenuity and teamwork, some of them boast impenetrable shields that no regular attacks or spells can break through. They are also immune to status/potion/armor effects.
When in doubt, turn to your fellow players for support. There may be some among you who know how to deal with these impossibly strong monsters, but there's no guarantee that they'll want to help you.
A lilting, boyish voice sings to you in your sleep. His voice sounds familiar to you, tickling your heart like a call from an old friend, but this is no friend of yours.
"You had every chance to abandon this world and return to your own. What stopped you? Was it ego? Hubris? In any case, it's too late for regrets now.
They say the world is what you make of it. Doesn't the same hold true for reality?"
The voice will periodically visit you and your sleep, but the moral of his message never changes: you did this to yourself. You were trapped here because you chose to look the other way. If anyone is to blame for the current situation, it's you and you alone, but there is a̸̬̲͔̘͈͚̠̫̘̬̗̖̋͑̉̓̿͛̈́̋͐̃̾̈̕̕ͅń̵̩̱̠̫̖̬̲̻͉̝̈́̀̀̚͜͜o̴͍͎̣͔̤̝̲͍̺̿̒t̴̨͚͓͍̜̮̥͊͑̿̈́̉̂̐͜͠͝h̷̨̨̦͕͖̙̞͙̗̗͎̬͛̂̾̋̅͜͜͝ȩ̸͎̭̙̜̯͎̯̳̮̘̲͒ȑ̸̡̧̢͓̠̦͙͇͍͎̭͑̈́̓̿̓̅̑̅̌͑̈́̕͝͝ ̴̧̼͕̟̬̰̞̮̗͔͈̬̙͍̈́̀w̵̗̖̩̘͇͖̲̩̫̣̗̙̲̌͜a̷̛͎͋͑̃͛̆̈̋̑̋͠y̴̡̬͕͈̗̫̯̟̯͊͐̌̀̐͑͘͝͝.
Another h̶̦̘̤̘͐͑̿̂̏̎͋͝o̴̧͖͚̖̜͓͂̏́͒̑̈́͝͝p̶̡͙̏̉̿̎̀̑́̈̆͌̉e̷̡̡̦̣̯̘̺͍̟̰͍̤͛̀́̚͝͠. Will you heed that voice and call to it?
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... No.
[ If words of comfort don't work, tap into vengeance. Tap into his vindictive personality. Sinclair would know that the best. ]
I've had it with that shitty brat. We're going to leave this place alive. Together.
So, tell me.
[ Moving on is what he's been taught to do. It's the only thing he can do right now, for the sake of progress. ]
... What did I forget? Don't hold anything back.
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Together.
[Sinclair echoes, soft and strong. He nods, reaching for those memories, where he felt he had been Oria himself. ]
I saw it in the Hall of Mirrors. You were in a hospital room. It was quiet, empty. He--Lenore--he was suffering from cystic fibrosis. It was terminal. It made his skin taste salty. There were flowers. You snuck a fake one in there, I think. That was the only one that was still alive. He was in so much pain. And so were you.
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... Ha.
[ He huffs out a lone laugh in its absurdity. ]
That sure sounds like me. What a lame pun too...
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He was dreaming of becoming a pilot, wasn't he? But he couldn't. You wanted him to be...free from it. From his pain. But you stopped. [pause, this is where he wasn't sure what happened but]
Even so, people believed you pulled his life support. There was a court case over it but they judged you had nothing to do with it. But there were so many rumors afterwards. It was ugly. You weren't allowed to go to his funeral, or visit his grave. And, at the school meet, you looked so sad. That's why I tried talking to you then. And ate all that food even if I didn't want to. I wanted you to see there were people who didn't believe that.
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[ And a whole bunch of things he forgot about his ex. Looks like those memories were bundled, but it's not like he forgot about him completely. ]
So I never knew why you did that with me.
[ He laughs a little. ]
I feel like I understand a little better now. Thank you, Emil. But really, why is that so... depressing? That line? His favorite? I should have known, but—
[ He learned a little German because of his ex, but Oria doesn't remember that either. ]
... Was it because of that? The reason why I suddenly understand a little German.
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[His heart aches a little more than. But there's anger too, simmering beneath everything. What is happening to all of them? It looked like anger wasn't something he could put aside entirely]
It was something he told you while you were both at the ocean. That he saw you as "hope". Do you remember the ending of the poem?
"Always lighter as he shines, star-hoisted high". That's why he wanted to tell you that. Maybe you learned German for him.
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He really did all that... Me? As hope? I don't even know what poem you're talking about.
[ Oria sighs. ]
I won't lie. It hurts. Suddenly, I'm told that the guy who ghosted me was so involved in my life and then he just went off and died. Then I couldn't do anything.
... But at least I remember that part, when that was the only thing I could remember of you. The school meet... I'm glad that you came over and talked to me. I hope I never forget it in full.
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[Murmuring, thoughtful. He presses a kiss to Oria's hair, and nods]
...I felt the same way too. Knowing there had been someone there for me during that time, and then I forgot them completely - it feels wrong. Like I'm disrespecting their memory.
[He lets out a soft exhale]
...you know, I've been wondering for awhile now...But when we started in this beta test, you sought me out so many times. Is it because of that time?
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...
Though the inquiry makes Oria slowly blink and tries to get back to his senses enough to think. ]
... I'm not sure of the exact reason, but I was drawn to you either way. I do remember that it's because you were close to my age though, and the rest is history.
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'm glad you were. I was too anxious to reach out until you did so first.
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You can always count on me to take initiative. That... won't ever change.
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...yeah. You will always be 'Oria' no matter what.
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And no one else, like how you will always be "Emil" to me.
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Mm. This wont fade.
[A promise. A certainty. There's no one who could ever take Oria's place]
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Did you see what happened between Levi and Koto?
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[Moment didn't last but that's ok. They have other moments]
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[ Misteaks vs Sinclair drew up such a commotion that Oria can't remember too much about the conversation... ]
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[ Yeah, Sinclair completely missed that part ]
Whatever was under his eyepatch...it was a little weird.
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[ Oria frowns a little. ]
Wanna know what I think? I think Koto is under Lily, but not for the same ideology. It's definitely... for business.
[ With the way Matoba treated business with Mithrun, at least Oria would know that business comes first. He knows that mindset and he's felt it from Matoba. ]
If Lily already knew how Koto approached things, that's probably why he wasn't allowed to say the name. "If you can't make a dog obedient, you force it to heel."
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[ It explained why Mithrun had been so angry. He had only seemed a glimpse of that before when Mithrun had seen Sinclair waver on the revenge pact. It was all...]
... but what 'business' could be found here, under Lily?
[ Sinclair is not a Business person after all]
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...
His head hurts. So much happened today, after all. ]
I can't think of anything right now...
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[Sinclair is Tired. This will not stop him from answering Hien's return message immediately when he sees it.]
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[ Oria puts his glasses away and cuddles closer to Sinclair if it's even possible. They're practically glued together. ]
I was really proud of you today, Emil...
[ He nuzzles into the crook of his neck. ]
Nothing makes me happier that despite everything, you're always so...
[ He yawns. ]
... full of life. I'll never take that for granted... again...
[ Oria falls asleep. ]
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But Oria has fallen asleep already so he can't. That he can only be like this because he has Oria, practical and warm and giving...
Maybe tomorrow]