Recuérdame.

[riptorn]

[Those of you who wish to see those who passed on? You'll be directed outside by Zeus, where he raises his arms, and marigolds begin to float around him. They float upwards, and form into a bridge.

It's structurally sound, and it seems fitting that you can cross it.

Eventually, you'll see it. Elysium. The Land of The Dead. Gentle music plays as you cross over into the city.

It's...festive. It's always festive. The architecture is colorful and full of spirit, and your group seems to be the only ones...human in appearance. Even your old friends seem to be a bit more skeletal in appearance. You can spend as much time here as you like, but eventually, that bridge will disappear. And you'll have to leave.

But...they'll never truly be gone. Not if you remember them. And someday, you'll join them. But for now, you celebrate. You've earned your happy ending.]

(ooc: This is the last log for the three canon rounds of Foolish Mortals! Thanks for coming along for the ride - we loved having you, and we hope to see ya real soon!)

Comments

[folkscallmewander]

[Wander has his own banjo out, it is marked by no name but with stars and the worn frets. The rival of Betty, friend of Julia, constant companion and comforter to Wander.

Of those in the Elysium, Wander had been closest to Fiddleford. They spent months in the box, talking about music and sharing their hobbies and sometimes - just sometimes - talking about themselves. Fiddles taught Wander a couple of Earth songs, and it had helped on their journey through the River Styx. While Randy says they ghosts came because of Wander, he can say that Fiddleford was the inspiration.

And he has to thank his friend before he leaves. It's only polite.]

Fine time we got to meet, Fiddles. I heard you saved a lot of folks back there.

[terribibble]

[Oh, hey. It's his favorite space peach. Remember when Fiddleford was terrified of him? Yeah, he doesn't either. Wander was one of the people who kept him more or less sane down in that deprivation tank of an underworld, and he owes it to Wander that he was able to help anyone at all today.]

I sure like to hope I did.

[He's not... a braggart. It's still odd to think of himself as a hero, though he's warming up to the idea. But it feels good to hear it all the same. You did right. You helped. All his life all he's ever wanted was that, and every time he ever tried to went pear-shaped somehow. Maybe this in some small way makes up for the Society. Just a little.

He kneels down so that he's on Wander's level.]

You alright? Still got all your fur?

[folkscallmewander]

[Wander lifts his hat and runs his fingers through his glittery, not-as-patchy hair.]

Still got it. The hat helps plenty. [Fiddles understands that nervous impulse to pull at anything. It's what Wander likes about him - just the mutual understanding between two anxious hicks.] Should grow back in no time.

[Now that no one is dying and the legions of hell aren't out for their blood, Wander will just have the usual things to panic about.]

Did Betty come with you, or is that a copy of the real thing?

[terribibble]

[It's good to see Wander a little more whole. On the way to better things. That's all of them right now, isn't it, even the ones who've arrived here for good? It's bolstering.

He glances down at Betty where he's holding her against his chest.]

Y'know I'm not sure? But she... well she died helpin' me destroy that demon for good. [Died maybe isn't the right word, but it feels worse somehow to say 'got woodchippered by the end of a universe'.] I want to think she's the real one.

[folkscallmewander]

If you love her enough, she'd have her spirit come over, too. [He's pat her, but it's not good etiquette to touch another musician's instrument without their permissions. Hugging the musician out of nowhere is fine, but Wander draws a line in a particular place.]

Think we can have one more duel, you and me? It's a rematch.

[terribibble]

Well that'd make sense.

[He's a lot more willing to believe in the strange at this point. Of course that's how it works. She's an inanimate object, but she always treated him good and stuck with him through the hard times and kept him connected to his roots, and that's its own kind of life.]

... Yeah. I'd like that an awful lot.

[Wander is very old, but Wander is ageless in that way that makes Fiddleford think that maybe he won't ever show up here for permanent at all. Or if he does, it will be a long, long time from now. He has to make the most of this time with his friend.]

[folkscallmewander]

[The Star Banjo has been through a lot lately, but with a quick tune-up, the four strings are ready to go for one last fight.]

One, two, a-one two three four-

[It's been too long since he had a good, fast song in his hands. And a fellow musician to compete against. For now, they only have this moment to experience.]