[Even their low comedy standards aren't low enough for that.]
Think about it. If time is reset to the beginning of the week - including our bodies - then those who have died should come back from the dead and wake up like the rest of us. But if time resets and the mastermind - be that the clown or his goddess, takes those that died away somewhere to be reused after our number is lowered... then he suddenly has an infinite killing game.
Think about how he reacted to your sentencing, mocking us and begging for an emotional response.
My theory is this... that is what he or his goddess are feeding on - despair, grief, anger, moments of hope. He has no need to actually kill us permanently if that is the case.
[They nod, and there's a nasty smirk on their face as they point another thing out.]
In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if the whole "Oh no, you remember this time!!" act this week is part of the routine. If the game only continues for one week there is no time for us to form attachments, to truly feel the despair of losing people we've come to know.
If they let the players carry that grief into the next few weeks...
Then it keeps growing, and we're just mad at The Witch for "tricking us" in the first place. All while we're getting closer to each other, which is what he wants. [ A nod. ] We're basting ourselves.
Hard to prove, of course - but it is the only thing that really makes sense to me. Anything else feels like a pointless sadistic waste. [Siffrin's determination hasn't degenerated into the state that Chara's has, or that their partner's determination has - Siffrin is still materially attached to the people that they were with when they were alive.
Whether the theory is true or not, they distantly imagine that it would provide some comfort to know that death would not stop them from seeing them again.]
All we would have to do is wrest control from him. If I had access to the amount of power I had when he brought me here, I could take it immediately. Alas...
[ More than Chara knows, truly. They miss their family members so much. They'll miss the friends they made here, too. ]
... If I had that too, I think I could go toe to toe with him. Everything I earned in my loops I kept, strength wise. Even as my family members fell behind.
[ (Until you started to lead the way in more than just your trap-disarming footsteps.
But you never left them behind. You couldn't. You would stay with them, wanted to stay with them, even if it turned you into a monster to do so.) ]
It got harder to keep secrets from them. But I got better at acting, too.
Therein lies one of the fundamental differences between our situations.
[They inhale, their breath somewhere between a laugh and a shudder. It is cold. It reminds them of the icy grounds of the road between Snowden and Waterfall, where a skeleton tried to be their friend.]
I never directly interacted with any of them. They couldn't hear me, because I was dead. A voice without a body, with an audience of two.
[It wasn't the first time, of course - there were another two times when they took control. But they didn't hijack the game to the same extent - they relegated themselves to the background, only ever coming in at certain events, certain events that did not provoke any further thought as to where they came from.
And then they took control.]
I can't explain all the details - not without getting into a lot of things that I barely understand even now.
[It would be easy to go with that assumption - frame themselves as the hero that they initially wanted to be, proclaim peace and freedom for the people they once swore to liberate - but no. It is a matter of principle, however odd those principles might be. They are what they are.]
Not the barrier. We broke the barrier and saved them all a number of times - they always wound up right back where we all started.
I broke the cycle. So that there would be no more resets.
What a pretty lie. Then again, it was all pretty lies from the start. Nobody will ever understand - and they do not care to cast themselves as the demon in this final exchange with someone who is almost a peer.]
Once you eliminate the guard rails, anything is possible.
... Everyone in Vaugarde is kind, the sort that you'd worry about. Their doors don't have proper locks and anyone's invited in no matter who they might be. Useful for a traveler, but...
[ What if Siffrin hadn't been kind? What if he'd been someone who robbed them of all they were worth, then took off into the night? What if he'd killed them?
Naive, that's a word to use. But he's still grateful for their care. ]
Not exactly a normal place. I wouldn't say it's horrific, but it's... not always pleasant.
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[Are you ready to hear their afterlife theories?]
That you won't be coming back, that is.
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... Oh???)
Consider Siffrin's attention Perked. Caught. Taken. Hello. ]
I've been all ears since I lost an eye.
[ Get it. Because their hearing's gotten... Anyway. ]
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[Even their low comedy standards aren't low enough for that.]
Think about it. If time is reset to the beginning of the week - including our bodies - then those who have died should come back from the dead and wake up like the rest of us. But if time resets and the mastermind - be that the clown or his goddess, takes those that died away somewhere to be reused after our number is lowered... then he suddenly has an infinite killing game.
Think about how he reacted to your sentencing, mocking us and begging for an emotional response.
My theory is this... that is what he or his goddess are feeding on - despair, grief, anger, moments of hope. He has no need to actually kill us permanently if that is the case.
no subject
Still...
... Chara has a point. ]
So chances are... when one side "empties out", he switches to the other. Like an hourglass.
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In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if the whole "Oh no, you remember this time!!" act this week is part of the routine. If the game only continues for one week there is no time for us to form attachments, to truly feel the despair of losing people we've come to know.
If they let the players carry that grief into the next few weeks...
no subject
Then it keeps growing, and we're just mad at The Witch for "tricking us" in the first place. All while we're getting closer to each other, which is what he wants. [ A nod. ] We're basting ourselves.
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[They smile.]
Hard to prove, of course - but it is the only thing that really makes sense to me. Anything else feels like a pointless sadistic waste. [Siffrin's determination hasn't degenerated into the state that Chara's has, or that their partner's determination has - Siffrin is still materially attached to the people that they were with when they were alive.
Whether the theory is true or not, they distantly imagine that it would provide some comfort to know that death would not stop them from seeing them again.]
All we would have to do is wrest control from him. If I had access to the amount of power I had when he brought me here, I could take it immediately. Alas...
no subject
... If I had that too, I think I could go toe to toe with him. Everything I earned in my loops I kept, strength wise. Even as my family members fell behind.
[ (Until you started to lead the way in more than just your trap-disarming footsteps.
But you never left them behind. You couldn't. You would stay with them, wanted to stay with them, even if it turned you into a monster to do so.) ]
It got harder to keep secrets from them. But I got better at acting, too.
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[They inhale, their breath somewhere between a laugh and a shudder. It is cold. It reminds them of the icy grounds of the road between Snowden and Waterfall, where a skeleton tried to be their friend.]
I never directly interacted with any of them. They couldn't hear me, because I was dead. A voice without a body, with an audience of two.
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That's what it sounded like, but... having it confirmed is different.
Homura's always reset on a specific date. Yours always reset when you died. Chara's...
...
Was it the child?) ]
So how did you break it? If you couldn't interact directly with anyone.
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[It wasn't the first time, of course - there were another two times when they took control. But they didn't hijack the game to the same extent - they relegated themselves to the background, only ever coming in at certain events, certain events that did not provoke any further thought as to where they came from.
And then they took control.]
I can't explain all the details - not without getting into a lot of things that I barely understand even now.
But I destroyed it.
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It isn't like Siffrin can explain all of their stuff either, not for a lack of trying-- ]
All's well that ends well, at least. [ Pr...obably. ] You broke it and monsterkind went free.
[ Right? Right. Chara saved everyone, was the bright future they hoped for, and broke a time loop to boot. ]
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Not the barrier. We broke the barrier and saved them all a number of times - they always wound up right back where we all started.
I broke the cycle. So that there would be no more resets.
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Well, that's still good. Isn't it? Siffrin thinks so. ]
Then... if someone else comes along, and they break the barrier, they'll really be free.
[ So optimistic of him to think so. ]
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What a pretty lie. Then again, it was all pretty lies from the start. Nobody will ever understand - and they do not care to cast themselves as the demon in this final exchange with someone who is almost a peer.]
Once you eliminate the guard rails, anything is possible.
The surface world is a horrific place, anyway.
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[ What if Siffrin hadn't been kind? What if he'd been someone who robbed them of all they were worth, then took off into the night? What if he'd killed them?
Naive, that's a word to use. But he's still grateful for their care. ]
Not exactly a normal place. I wouldn't say it's horrific, but it's... not always pleasant.