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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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...I do. I never told him, though. [ Fai pauses, wondering if he should continue, but ah... it doesn't matter anymore, does it? Might as well tell Michel what he's thinking. ] Yael said it first, you know, but I couldn't say it back.
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[ There's a poorly contained wince in the single syllable. Michel can picture that a little too well. One more time, he and Fai are too alike. ]
...It isn't such a simple thing to say. He should have given you more time.
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I wish he did. [ ... ] He didn't take it well when I couldn't say it back, but it was my fault for asking him what he thought about me when we weren't able to lie.
[ He set up his own trap and got caught in it. ]
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[ Not that he's trying to put more blame on Fai, who clearly regrets it already. But at the same time... he can well imagine how he would have felt, himself, if he were cornered in those circumstances. ]
Did you know he was going to say that?
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I didn't. I thought he would say he liked me, nothing more.
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[ And with it being during the honesty plague, Fai couldn't have even said it back as a lie, if he hadn't been ready yet. Michel winces minutely. ]
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[ But Fai also understands—he would internalize a lot of negativity if he were the one with more intense feelings. ]
But even so... I know it hurt him a lot, knowing that it wasn't returned. Admitting you love someone is difficult in the first place. So not hearing it back... I know it crushed him.
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[ So, he does understand. Although fortunate for him that Ganymede is so impatient and so cavalier about speaking his mind; that was never even a possibility. He shakes his head. ]
It must have hurt him. But, he was still willing to say it to you again before he left. So... I have to think that he didn't regret telling you, just the same.
[ The pain was worthwhile to him, even if he didn't have the sense to wait long enough for Fai to say the words in return. ]
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[ Fai pauses, wondering just how much he should let Michel know about their relationship. He's really not the kind of person who kisses and tells, but... ]
He'd told me a few times, so maybe he really didn't regret it.
[ Even though Fai never said it back.
He sighs. ]
I told him in a text last night. The message bounced back, but at least I told him in some way.
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That thought, too, he tactfully keeps to himself. He gives a tiny nod to Fai. ]
I think it's still worthwhile. Whether he receives them or not. ...Don't forget to tell him the rest of it, too.
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[ Very normal things to do, honestly. He smiles sheepishly. ]
It made me feel better.
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[ Hopefully, Fai really let him have it. Or maybe Yael would enjoy that? He seemed to like petty men. ]
Then are you going to remember to eat after all?
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[ He'll grab that sandwich again and finally take a bite.
Michel can stay as long as he likes, if he doesn't mind a bit of silence. (we can wrap here) ]