Ashes to Ashes

[journalname]

[Very shortly after the trial, notes will be delivered to everyone's door:]

Please join me in the foyer in two hours to honor Ryoji. - King Asgore Dreemurr

[The signature is more ornate than anything he's signed since being here. Given the presence of his title as well, he seems to be taking this formally.

When the time comes, Asgore will be standing in the external foyer. He's wearing his full royal regalia, including the very seldom-seen crown, and he stands with his paws clasped behind two small tables set up in the center of the room. One holds a large flowerpot, which some of you might recall Asgore carrying around frequently when it still held a golden flower. Now, though, a new plant has been transferred into it, one with clusters of bright blue flowers. Their color is very close to that of Ryoji's eyes. The other table has a small bowl, one of the nicest ones from the kitchen. It's filled with familiar black dust. Asgore only had time to grab a handful, but given the size of his hands, it's enough.

As people gather, he begins to speak:]

Among monsters, it is tradition to take the dust of the deceased and spread it upon something they loved, so that their spirit may live on in it. There was...one thing Ryoji loved here more than any other. Let us each sprinkle some dust on this flower, so that we may give it to the Transmitter. I know that she cannot accept gifts from us at present, but one way or another, I am sure it shall come to her.

You may say a few words as you sprinkle the dust, or not. Whatever you feel is appropriate.

Comments

[journalname]

[Asgore doesn't address him from the front; he stepped back to join the others, in fact, when he was done sprinkling his ashes. He is not one to preside over this entire thing. But he will go and join Greed by the wall.]

I do not think she will. But if she gives me a way to send her the flower, we will send the unicorn as well.

[ossifragant]

He wrote a letter to her. If at all possible, it should be given to her, too.

[journalname]

Ah. [.....] Of course. I have not spoken to her yet today, but I will check on her again later.

[ossifragant]

I... called her briefly. Normally she's pretty good at answering, but...

I didn't get anything.

[He sighs, runs a hand through his hair.]

Maybe she'd answer tomorrow.

[journalname]

.....I did not take visitors for a long time after my wife left. And at least I knew that she was doubtless still alive, somewhere.

[He reaches out to pat Greed on the shoulder.] I am sure she appreciates your attempt. Just give her time.

[ossifragant]

[He nods.]

I can't blame her.

A lot time ago, someone I cared about died. That was the reason I tried to leave the other homunculi, and was imprisoned.

[journalname]

...I am sorry to hear that.

[ossifragant]

We all have our losses. It should strengthen us, at this point. We can't allow anything else to happen.

[journalname]

...at what point do you believe a loss strengthens you?

[ossifragant]

When you start living on spite.

We should stay alive not for a greater purpose, not for anything in particular, but because we want to defeat the Risen once and for all.

[journalname]

...I do not know about that. The last time I acted on spite, I destroyed everything that remained to me. I am not saying that I do not wish to defeat them, but...but I have done too much out of anger.

[ossifragant]

That's fine.

[Greed looks thoughtful.]

There's always compassion, I guess. That might actually be more effective at annoying the Risen.

[journalname]

We have spoken of things like that before. Compassion, love...they do not understand them now. It sounds as though they did once, but they...suffered some betrayal, and now they do not.

[ossifragant]

...Makes me wonder what happened to them.

[journalname]

Those traits are considered to be tied to the soul, in my world. But I do not see how any being could be alive without one...

[His brow furrows.]

...unless, I suppose, you consider the thing Wesker became to be "alive". But it had no self - it could not, with the soul gone.

[ossifragant]

It's not possible in my world, either. Without a soul, you just have a shell.

[If Asgore wasn't capable of seeing literal souls, Greed would have said souls were something homunculi lacked, but apparently that was yet another lie he was told.]

...but souls are capable of rotting. Eventually that will start to rot the body it resides in.

[journalname]

Rotting? I have never heard of such a thing. What on earth causes that?

[ossifragant]

There are... manners of extending your life in my world, ways to do it most people don't know of and would find horrifying. With enough alchemic power, a person can transpose their soul onto the body of another.

[.....]

Given enough time, the results are.... unpleasant, to put it politely.

[journalname]

...I have never quite understood the human fascination with immortality. To live forever is no desirable thing.

[ossifragant]

Believe me, I don't get it either.

[.....]

I thought I wanted it, but I've come to realize it's not what I wanted at all.

[journalname]

...I will not age, without a biological child. The future seems far too vast, most of the time. It is easier to live knowing that time is precious.

[ossifragant]

Yeah. No arguments here.