I ROSE UP FROM THE DEAD (I DO IT ALL THE TIME)

[the_obedient_servant]

Who: Chara + Others
What: Chara comes back to life and mopes, then decides to do mad science before being pulled into two different secondary locations. (March catch-all with closed and open prompts.)
When: All across march.
Where: All across Trench.

Content Warnings: References to child death, suicidal ideation, depression, misanthropy, child soldiers.

Comments

[danserai]

[ "deserve it"? that's such a strange thing to say. ]

Why would you deserve it?

[the_obedient_servant]

If you make stupid choices, you deserve to weather the results. I was a blind and naive fool, and I needed to be shown why.

[They pause only briefly before returning to making the tea, pouring the boiled water into the mugs and adding the necessary milk and sugar. They place their hand around both, and in an instant it's settled.

Chara places a cup down in front of Ahiru.] It's not a mistake I aim to repeat.

[danserai]

[ it doesn't sound naive. if it was as dire as that, trying to help was noble. but ahiru also recognizes that nobility hurt. it's what happens to princes and knights. it's why she had nightmares of fakir's death. ]

I'm sorry you got hurt.

[the_obedient_servant]

[Aiding Paul against the threat isn't something they regret. They regret the presumptive arrogance that carried them, the idea that they could do it all on their own. Paul died. Illarion died. Kaworu died. Midoriya sprinted off into the woods, corrupt and half-mad. Beatrice is lost somewhere, replaced by Kanon. And most importantly, they abandoned Frisk to fend for themselves.

They're weak. Much too weak. The pompous ego of a prince. The single minded determination of a knight. Both are titles that have referred to them at one point.

They nod in response to Ahiru's words, their expression sullen. They don't agree, but they never expected Ahiru to react in another way.]

...Thank you. It's... kind of you. I trust you're doing a little bit better as well?

[danserai]

Mmm. I'm going to keep trying. And find more ways to help but also be myself. Whatever that could look like.

[ she still can't shake off the selfishness of being a girl, but she's realized that is secondary to everything else. and she'll deal with it in time. ]

[the_obedient_servant]

[They smile. They may not deserve any happiness ever again, but Ahiru certainly does.]

I'm glad. I'd be without an assistance on my case if you were to give up on being yourself. I still need to find the true identity of this Princess Tutu girl...

[danserai]

[ ahiru predictably squawks. ]

W-Why would you need to find out that?!

[the_obedient_servant]

[Exactly what they were hoping for.]

It's a detective's duty to solve the mysteries of this world, Ahiru. Princess Tutu's identity has eluded me this long but it is not in my nature to give up.

[danserai]

W-What if she doesn't have an identity? She's probably someone here! Just like us, ehehe . . .

[the_obedient_servant]

So you think she's a Sleeper... that certainly narrows down the number of suspects. Excellent deduction, Ahiru.

[danserai]

I-I-It is?

[the_obedient_servant]

Yes. Some day soon you might even surpass me as the world's greatest detective.

[danserai]

[ gasps! ]

You're the world's greatest detective?!

[the_obedient_servant]

Was it ever in doubt?

[danserai]

No, but you never mentioned it before . . .

[the_obedient_servant]

Well, now I am. I've been honing my craft and I've become the world's greatest detective. Would you like to be my Watson, Ahiru?

[danserai]

What's a . . . Watson?

[the_obedient_servant]

John Watson is a fictional character that the fictional detective Sherlock Holmes takes with him when he solves mysteries. Like an assistant, or a partner.

Essentially, I am asking for your wise counsel on the case of Princess Tutu.

[danserai]

[ oh that seems Bad. ]

I-I'm not sure I'm a good fit for something like that.

[the_obedient_servant]

Fair enough. [They tut, faking being somewhat disappointed before smiling.] Relax, I'm just teasing you. Perhaps on another mystery though, though it doesn't quite strike me as your genre.

[It's certainly not theirs. Though it's not as if there's no power to be gained within the confines of a mystery.]

[danserai]

Yeah . . . it's probably not something I'm very good at, ehehe . . .

[the_obedient_servant]

Well, certainly not if that's the attitude you take to it. You can't decide you're bad at something before you've attempted to hone your skills at all.

The deciding factor should be whether you're interested in it.

[danserai]

[ ahiru absorbs that thoughtfully. ]

I don't know . . . The only thing I've gotten to do and enjoyed was ballet.

[the_obedient_servant]

And what made you choose ballet?

[Well, they're pretty sure she didn't, but that's sort of the point.]

[danserai]

I didn't really choose it but . . . all the people I cared about liked ballet. So I found myself liking it too.