Accountability.

[sub_merging]

[ Maybe you'd expect some more lead-up to this. Maybe you'd expect a door opening or even forming out of the wall, for someone to walk in slowly. Even an announcement, that would be nice.

Or maybe, given what you've learned, what happens isn't surprising at all.

One moment, you're discussing as you were.

The next, there's a crack of static and it looks like, above the center of the podiums, the world is breaking open, leaving a green and static-filled void. It almost looks like...those of you familiar with 2000s technology, what you'd see in wire-code. Like the inside of something electronic. Out of it emerges...a girl, who floats there as that void seals back up. She's wiry, but not small, though that may be a little hard to see given her shirt and worn red jacket are obviously big on her. Her knees are ripped and similarly old; it looks like she's been wearing these clothes for awhile, actually. Her hair's dyed teal - you know it's dyed, because her brown roots are clearly visible.

Most startlingly? Her eyes are completely red. ]

At last! There you go, Patients.

[ The voice she speaks in, though- it's distorted. Not quite as heavily as the Risen's? But it's clear now, you can hear them- many other voices speaking in unison with hers. ]

So sorry if you'd wanted to speak to the Transmitter- ah, we suppose her name is order now. To...Alex. Her last name's of no importance, whichever one she wants to use now. She couldn't even remember them, until a few weeks ago.

[ They spin about, facing each of you in turn, with a thin smile. ]

This is Alex...and she's...sleeping, right now. Don't wake her. We are who you wish to speak to. We were the Sunken, but now... We are the Risen.

Congratulations for getting this far, dears. It's funny you speak of a "deal," though. As if we don't just take what we want. [ They grin, and the walls- suddenly, there's just static on them. The ceiling too, as if...everything's coming apart. There's no noise, like the static Asgore found earlier, but it's probably a little disconcerting. ] It's the finale! So let's find a good conclusion to this little game, shall we?

Tag. You're it.

Comments

[sub_merging]

We're trying to fix her life, you idiot. She can't return to her family like this.

[journalname]

Of course she can. I cannot imagine what her parents must think, for her to have vanished for so long. If -

[But he chokes on his words and looks away, off into the upper balconies again.]

[sub_merging]

[ ...They're very uncomfortable with this line of conversation and just won't respond? ]

[journalname]

[Tough beans, he's still totally not even looking at you and is incapable of registering your discomfort. It actually seems for a little bit like he won't finish the thought.

But he does, voice thick.]

...if my children were alive somewhere. In any state. Nothing that could have happened to them would matter at all.

[sub_merging]

[ fuck you asgore stop making them try to feel ]

We won't live as passengers in her head. ...We don't even think she would last, if we were there constantly.

[journalname]

It does not seem to me that she will last through these games, either.

[sub_merging]

Then what is there to do...?

[journalname]

...I do not know. What does she want to do?

[sub_merging]

[ ...They laugh, humorlessly. ]

See a unicorn and go on a date with a silly boy. She doesn't know how to get there.

[journalname]

She does not have to know. There are many worlds, we have learned, and many ways to be found. Some of those paths must have unicorns along them.

...perhaps we can find a better way to help you somewhere out there as well.

[cthulwho]

[...]

Do you care for her, then...?

[There's definitely more to that than just anger.]

[sub_merging]

[ They look taken aback. ]

We don't...have the capability. Th- the girl's life is just- it's pitiful. That's all.

[cthulwho]

[Oh...

Lovecraft's tone is...quiet. Light.]

As a being that exists outside of humanity for the most part, I did not think I had that capability either. And yet...I felt it here, after being among them. That, and the desire to...help, to protect.

It seems like you desire that too.

[sub_merging]

[ ... ]

We existed for so long, as just...our rage. Just one...simple girl, throwing herself into our void, for her friends, that...

We don't understand. We don't understand...why we don't like to see her suffer.

[ossifragant]

You care about her.

[sub_merging]

No... No, we can't- we don't even remember our names, we can't care!

[ossifragant]

Can't say I remember my original name, either. And Greed's not much of a name.

What if you gave yourselves a real name? And I don't mean "the Sunken" or "the Risen", that's a title, not a name.

[sub_merging]

There's so many of us... We can't, we... We could be human again.

[ There's such a longing there... ]

Individuals.

[positivespin]

Between all of us, we could think up a bunch of good names that work for everyone.

[ Just gently put the goat in a corner while they do so. ]

[ossifragant]

What would you call yourselves as individuals?

[cthulwho]

I could not tell you, I'm afraid. I wondered the same...

[Feelings jam time with the not-so-emotionless entities, apparently.]

But...I am sure you have noticed that she is suffering even now.

[sub_merging]

...We thought...if she stopped getting attached... If we just ended it! She would stop breaking. That next time, she'd know not to, and it would be better! She could go home. See her mother and stepbrother again. It would be worth it.

[ They don't sound so sure of that now. ]

[dangerousfool]

I don't really understand people's feelings yet? Completely? But I understand mine, kind of. I knew people were going to die, but I kept hoping they wouldn't. And I got attached to people here.

[...]

I think you can't just stop getting attached or stop hoping. It's weird, but--yes, that's it.

[cthulwho]

Yes... I believe Wheatley is correct about that. It is not simply something you can prevent, or prevent someone else from experiencing.

[sub_merging]

[ ... ]

How do you bare it?