Segawatober Day 15 - Crossover
I’m back, I just kinda. Been having a month let’s say. But I am now here to speedrun these prompts while also trying to do them justice so we’ll see. Farethere City and End Roll spoilers and mentions of death and suicide
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The goddess, after forming her worlds and shaping their fates, rarely returns. There are more songs to be sung, more life to be created, more suffering to enact and relieve. But on the rare occasion, she finds herself drawn back. Back to songs already sung, laced with bittersweet endings and incomplete closure. She goes back to songs with holes, with tunes missing she wasn’t able to fill quite yet. Worlds that fell apart at the seams in the end, worlds with an everlasting note of mutated happiness. Offness and end credits that won’t stop rolling. And when these songs cry out to her, call to her asking for a reprise, an ending, she sometimes answers. Builds the song anew, or even combines the end with others, blended in ways she couldn’t see in her younger ages to create harmonies that feel whole instead of half steps off. Two such worlds were the worlds where the dead were given another chance, and where one boy was given one as well. Their endings, while complete in every way, left an opening in her chest. The songs, beautiful and bittersweet, remain among her best. But she wanted to try and give them a better try. And so she weaved the two together in harmonies and crescendos. In staccato and legatos, in rushes and dips. And at the end, she allowed the playing melodies to join and become one. A song, fractured and brought together, to form something new. The two other songs still existed, each their own story, but she created something new with them. Something… sweeter.
When Russell opened his eyes, he was confused. To his eyes was granted a great open blue sky, what felt like grass under his fingertips. His hands, somehow still scarred but clean, reached for his neck. Instead of what was meant to be a hole, a hole he created, there was a scar. Fully healed and fine. He took a breath in, and out. And in, and out. He was fine.
“Ah, I see you’ve woken up. You’re quite the special case aren’t you?”
Russell jolts up to be greeted with a spirit with a mask of an X. He seemed to be staying at a distance, but close enough to not have to raise his voice. Russell didn’t like he couldn’t see his face.
“Now now, no need to clench your hands so tightly”
Surely enough, the mystery man was right. His hands had formed white fists, shaking. He stared at the for a moment before releasing, watching in morbid curiosity as blood rushed back to his fingers.
“I’m not here to hurt you, Russell. I’m merely here to welcome you and let you know that a) by all means I can tell you really aren’t supposed to be here b) you should in no way remember you are supposed to be dead and c) you are in fact dead, welcome to the afterlife.”
“You are here Russell because something decided you deserved a second chance. As to why you are already aware, I have no idea.”
“Aware of your death. Your life. When people come to the gardens they aren’t meant to remember. By all means, I should be sending you somewhere else, but”
“Not really my thing. Multiple aware already live here, what’s an odd one who never was unaware.”
“You’re wondering what to now aren't you.”
Russell didn’t speak, but he did nod. At that, the spirit moved the mask off his face a bit and smiled. It wasn’t very reassuring.
“You live Russell. Or well live undead. In whatever way you choose here. You get to make it your own. Repent for your sins, learn to be okay again. I’m sure all of us here would like to help you with it.”
Russell stared, unbelievingly, before realizing none of this was believable. So, he supposed, if he entertained the happy dream for so long, what was another adventure.
“Okay. But… where is here?”
“Oh dear, forgive my manners. Hello Russell, welcome to Farethere City.”
