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“Don’t you dare!” He said, moving back even though he was still kinda just, sitting on her.

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"... I don't much know what to do. I've been building up enough mana to return here after my last trip drained my magic completely." He sighed. "What should I do..."

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"Well, if I read this timeline correctly, nothing is scheduled to happen for a few years. So who knows, maybe you can be a mercenary across dimensions?" She looks over to Ambrose, shaking her head. "I'll work with you on this. You can try to get a night off or something."

Back at the cottage, both Alter and Gwen were doing final preparations to return. That is why they mostly held themselves in their rooms. Well, and Alter being a bit of an introvert at heart and not liking galas, of course. Gwen however looks around, unable to find something. "... maybe I left it in Isabelle's room? Oh bother, she's probably asleep..." She thinks for a little, then going into her room silently. To not scare her, she went in disguised as a stuffed doll, making no noise apart from the very quiet swaying of wind her body does.

Isabelle wasn't one to be easily woken up. But she did stir, mostly from her nightmare. She was trying to wake up from the nightmare.

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"Alright. That sounds like a plan to me. Though that means I'll have to leave the roleplay until the sequel for plot convenience. You know. Like the apocalypse stuff? Though I might spend a bit of time here building up my mana so I don't get stranded again..."

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"Okay, okay." She brought her hand up to lightly scratch under his chin, giggling. "Sorry, you're just really fun to play with." She could feel herself getting tired, though she tried to will herself to stay awake.

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"Do what you'd like, the war is over. There's no need for any fighting." He waved his hand a bit, dipping the feather quill in the inkwell again and continuing to write.

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"I'll see you all shortly then. At least, for the USERS it shouldn't be that long."

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"Yeah, though it would help if you also did a bit." Iteral said, rolling her eyes a bit at Kendo. "Reparations and stuff."


Gwen looks over to Isabelle... she wanted to leave, she got her favorite sewing needle already. But seeing her toil around... it didn't bring joy. So instead, she climbs on the bed, standing in front of her face.

“Hmph” He crossed his arms “Am not” Now he was just being childish. RIP dude

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"If you say so." She smiled, going quiet. Her hands played with the talisman on his chest, she seemed to be in another world mentally, lost in thought. The stars around her seemed to space out around the room to give it a dim light so they could see through the dark.

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The room was silent again. Lost in thoughts. He didnt like the silence. It was suffocating.

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Mercy sighed, moving him next to her so she could lay down and pull the covers over them. "...Thank you." She whispered, a smile still evident on her face.

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“For what-“ there was nothing to thank him for…?

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"Everything. Thank you for everything." She pulled him next to her and made sure the blanket was over both of them, taking his hand and rubbing circles against the back of it with her thumb. His last night... She didn't want it to end, but of course, everything comes to an end. Eternity is a static idea that is trumped by time, and time was never on her side.

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“….ok…thank you too” he said, drifting off to sleep. She was warm

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She smiled, watching him sleep. Peaceful- that was always his expression as he slept. She closed her eyes as well, eventually falling asleep. A dream appeared, fuzzy faces all talking to her, smiling, and then they disappeared in the blink of an eye, leaving her alone.

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Isabelle whimpered in her sleep. She should be used to these nightmares by now, but they always find a new way to spook her. She clutched her favorite plushie in her arms.

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He was asleep.

It was nice, warm.

Then he woke up, a pulling at his chest forcing him out of slumber. But he didn’t want to leave yet- he promised- he promised he would leave in the morning. But his promises didn’t matter. It was now or never. If he didn’t leave now… He actually didn’t want to risk it. He had no clue what would become of him if he didn’t.

Careful.

He had to be careful in leaving the bed. He didn’t want to wake Mercy up. That would invite more questions than he could possibly answer at this point of time. He looked longingly at her, leaving the plush toy that he made earlier with her. It would be safer for it to stay here. It was his but he knew it would just get ripped up in battle, or laid forgotten in the land somewhere.

Quiet.

He picked up his hat from where he had left it, making sure the strings wouldn’t jingle. He had to be quiet, lest he woke up anyone else. He didn’t want to wake them up at all. Unwanted questions… people trying to convince him he could stay… those were things he couldn’t deal with now.

Find it.

He searched for the portal gun. If he couldn’t find it, he might not have to leave, he found it. He picked it up, prepared to use it.

Wait.

Memories of the past waking up, disoriented, where was she? Where was he? Why was he alone? swirled in his mind. He placed the gun down, looking around. They weren’t awake yet. Good.

A note.

He had to write a note. He had to let her know he didn’t intend this. He searched for paper and a pen. Anything would do. He hastily scribbled a note forgetting she couldn’t read Inazuman script. He didn’t know how to write in English anyway, not signing it because it would be obvious as to whom wrote the note.

Was that everything?

He had everything he needed with him. His clothes. His Gnosis. Mei’s Gnosis. The things that he wanted were unobtainable to him.

Then he left. A note and a plush the only things he had of his to leave behind. A note, a plush, and memories of people he would never remember.

This was the end for Scaramouche in this world.

Goodbye.

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Gwen yelped, being yanked into an embrace but... she didn't fight it. At least Isabelle was warm, it reminds her of her old owner. She doesn't sleep but silently chants a very ancient lullaby that she knew, hoping that her hallowed mist somewhat made the nightmare she had slightly better...

(Timeskip. Last day.)

Mercy slept on for quite some time. Though, eventually, she stirred awake. "Good morn...ing...." She looked next to her. No one was there. Where was Scaramouche? She could see the plush she made for him on her desk, along with a piece of paper she hadnt seen there before.

She quickly got out of bed and grabbed the plush and note. It was in a language she couldn't understand, so she could only assume it was from Scaramouche. But what did it say? Why would he write her a note? She clenched her teeth, fearing the worst. An impossible amount of dread washed over her. He had to have been downstairs. Of course. So that's where she went next. She checked the living room, kitchen, dining room, and garden. No sign of him. "Scaramouche?" He wasn't out front or back, either. There was really one other place he went. He had to be there. While she walked up the set of stairs that reached the observatory tower, she used her translation spell. It was taking a long time to translate, being that she had never seen inazuman script before.

She entered the planetarium. The silence spoke volumes. He wasn't here. Where... Where was he? "Scaramouche...? Come on, this isn't funny..." Finally, the translation spell finished. She looked down at the now legible words, reading them over once, twice, and three times. She was in denial, disbelief at first, and then the reality of what he did set in.

He left.

He's gone. And she didn't even get to say goodbye.

She laughed, an empty, apathetic laugh, which quickly turned into tears, and sobbing. She hated this. She wanted to be with him before he had to go...

It wasn't fair. In that moment, as she cried, thousands of memories flooded over her. Looking back on everything now hurt so much. She was watching the family she worked so hard to build crumble apart. The castle of a family she had created was falling, brick by brick, soon enough it would be no better than the rubble and dust of the church she resided in when she met everyone. They had done near everything together- and he was just leaving her like that?! She hadn't even realized that some time ago, she had sunken to her knees, clutching the stuffed animal.

How fragile of me... To break so easily...

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