Time for Barguest to exposit on Hecate!
Barguest: Back when Milady was in Tir na Nog, she actually tried to socialize with people in an attempt to escape her fate. I always bitched about my bad luck, so I really admired her for that. It might be beyond what I can do, but I want to help if anything can be done.
Leanan Sidhe: ...Hecate's never been in any of her stories.
MC: ...what's that mean? Is it weird for her to put herself in? / (stay quiet)
Leanan: Her motivation to write is fulfilling her fantasies in fiction because it won't happen in reality. But she still feels like putting herself in will blow things up, so she avoids that.
Barguest: It'd hurt if she doesn't. I get her. She always talked back then that her special someone was out there somewhere. (touches his good luck necklace)
Barguest: Maybe it's getting too into her business to want her to not give up because of her circumstances...
MC: I don't want her to give up either / Yeah she might not want to try / Yeah, maybe she doesn't like to think about it
---
(A) Leanan: In that case, I don't want the possibility to be zero! Especially if she's bothered by reality!
(BC) Leanan: But only if that's what she wants. If she's bothered by reality...
---
Leanan: I want her to not choose a single option because the option being there at all is meaningful. Even if it ends the same way, it'll mean something different to her.
Later
Hecate: What's going on? Why are all of you here and why did you ask me to come?
Barguest, Leanan Sidhe, and MC nod to each other.
MC: Hey Hecate, wanna join us on stage?
Hecate: ...you're kidding, right? Me, get on stage???
Leanan: You'd know best that on stage, everything is fiction. You can play the part of who you want to be there,
Hecate groks that everyone is serious.
Hecate: No thanks, I'm just an observer. Getting more involved won't change anything, and things on stage end eventually. Why should I bother going through all that anyways then?
Barguest: Milady...did you give up fighting against fate, your role? I truly respected you and your efforts back then, and I wished you all the happiness in--
Hecate: ...I'm sorry, Barguest. I decided to give in and just watch.
Hecate and Barguest both look sad.
Hecate: Is that it? Then I'll--
Hecate notices the good luck necklace Barguest is wearing. She made it for him long ago.
Hecate: You still have that? I figured you'd have thrown it away for not working...
Barguest: It's something I treasure from you. I would never throw it away.
Hecate: But don't you hate me for what I said to you?
Barguest: (shakes head) Lots of people came to see me even knowing about my bad luck magnet thing. But you were the one who turned things around for me since we lived in similar circumstances.
Hecate: O-oh...but you hated being my test subject...
Barguest: U-uh. Well, I still had some shred of pride, I guess...
MC: Good talk / Oof / what DID she do to him?
Barguest: I regretted that day I left you alone when I went to Tokyo...
Hecate: I wondered if you were here too, but I never could find you...
Barguest: I'm sorry for disappearing, Milady.
Hecate: It's fine, I'm at fault for pushing you so far. And I'm sorry for hurting you. You might not believe me, but I never believed that thing I said!
Barguest: I know, it's okay.
MC: I'm glad for you two. So...wanna join the stage? I'd like to perform with you.
Barguest: Would you show me how you were back then again, Milady? Nothing is impossible now, is it?
Hecate: !!
Hecate: You jerk, how am I supposed to say no to that?
Hecate sighs and looks off into the distance.
Flashback!
Hecate: How'd you even get here? Uh, what's your name?
Barguest: ...Barguest. Bad luck follows me, so maybe you heard of it.
Hecate: I'm the witch Hecate. Bad luck follows me too.
Barguest: ...that bad luck could kill you one day.
Hecate: Bring it! An unthinkable reaction could be a divergence from fate too, right?
Hecate scoops some witch brew for Barguest.
Hecate: Here. It's probably going to taste awful, but it'll heal you up. You can stay here if you're feeling lonely. I mean, I'm going to be forever alone.
Present
Hecate smiles at the memory.
Hecate: Maybe I should try working up some of that old passion too. Leanan Sidhe, can you edit the script so I could get into it on stage?
Leanan: Okay, I'll do my best!
Hecate: Thanks. Wow, this is going to be my first time being in someone else's creation.
Later
Macroich: Boogeyman! Go all out with your Youth™ in this scene!
Boogeyman: Uhhhh, what does that even mean?
Christine: I warned you that Macroich doing things by feeling would make his instructions hard to follow.
Macroich: Oh man, even my kendo club kouhais say my advise makes no sense to them...
Christine: Because not everyone can dual wield. Playing out two lives is difficult for most people.
MC, Hecate, and everyone else comes back.
Leib: You sure took a while. How'd it go with Hecate?
MC: It worked, somehow. / How's Cipactli?
(AB) Leib: Oh. We can never get away from our roles, but I still won't give up. I can get into a good mood too if we get more friends.
Leib: Cipactli's back, but sulking over there.
Cipactli's leaning on his elbows and sitting.
Leib: You can talk to him if you want. I think he's pouting that you didn't go after him.
MC: Okay / Stop teasing him / (walk over)
Cipactli notices MC coming almost right away.
Cipactli: ...for a Tamer you're cold for not coming after me.
MC: You ARE sulking? / I'm here worrying about you now, aren't I? / ...you okay?
Cipactli: ...well I'm not abandoning the musical. I asked for it to begin with. I know Christine didn't interfere to annoy me...but nothing she did for shows was a mistake, even if it didn't do anything.
MC: What happened that you want to hide that you're Cipactli?
Cipactli: It's complicated...give me some more time.
Cipactli thinks. Then the rest of the cast starts cheering for some reason.
Summer Hecate!
Hecate: ...what? I'm leaving if you think it doesn't look nice.
Macroich: It does! I'm glad we're going on stage together!
Hecate: Wait I wasn't fishing for compliments! Don't say stuff like that to me!
Leib: But you ARE getting on stage, right? How do you expect to do anything if that's enough to bother you?
Boogeyman: ...you had a costume made for you too?
Hecate: Leanan Sidhe said she asked Arachne to make one just in case. She's getting carried away!
Hecate notices MC and walks over.
Hecate: You better help me and take the lead since you're the reason I'm in this position!
MC: Nice outfit! / Hello fellow amateur / girl you are asking too much
(A) Hecate: NO STOP DON'T SAY THAT TO ME
Vapula: Whoa, Hecate, you look good in that vapparel!
Itzamna: Haha, no need to be modest. We can't all be wrong!
Hecate: I regret my life choices already. You'll get yours, Leanan Sidhe!
Leanan: Wait, I'm a producer not an actress!
Hecate: And I am a doujin author, your argument is invalid!
Everyone laughs.
Turing: All actors accounted for? Shall I turn on the projectors now? Masanori, assist me if you will.
Masanori: Understood.
Hecate: Wait I'm not ready!
Macroich: Rehearsal time, go!
Underground, the seekers' adventures continue in their search for a new home because the old one is covered in air pollution. The radar finds something!
Hecate: Landing in 3...2...1... the ship has landed.
Loud sounds. Thud. Jurrasic World!
Boogeyman: The new world. How beautiful. Search team, get ready to roll out! The surface people are depending on us!
Boogeyman is the team commander.
Boogeyman: ...you nervous MC? Well this is a big deal, I guess. Now get over it because failure is not an option!
MC: Yes Da--I mean, Commander. I'll prove I'm NOT a nepotism pick!
Boogeyman: ...good, Vice Captain.
Macroich: Sir, what do we do if we find intelligent life?
Boogeyman: ...we'll have to invade. Coexistence may be possible, but not for forever! And as invaders, we can't leave problems to happen for our descendants.
Macroich: ...yes sir. You excited, MC?
MC: Yep / Not really / I hope there isn't anyone down here
Medic Leib stares dissatisfied.
Hecate: Don't push yourself too hard, MC. If anything happens, I--
MC: I know, you too. / Thanks / Macroich's with me, so I'll be okay
Macroich: It's cool, I promise to protect MC!
Hecate: I guess you'll be okay, but you be careful too Macroich.
Macroich: Thanks. Let's go!
Search team, out!
Macroich: Wow this place looks awesome.
Hecate: Leib, look at all the new plants and animals.
Leib: Interesting. They've must've evolved differently from being separated from the surface.
Things fly by the volcano. The needle peaks take the party's breath away.
Leib: Man, I wanna look around.
Macroich: Wanna come with us? I think we'll see a lot.
Hecate: Wait, Leib you're supposed to hold position! But I'd feel better if you went with MC...
Leib: How about you come too? The water looks great.
Hecate: We're here for work! But maybe after we've seen if it's safe around here...
Cut!
Hecate: AAAAA I SUCKED
Macroich: You did great for your first time!
Hecate: Welp, I'm in it now! If I back out, I'm gonna feel like I lost out against the other Creators...
Cipactli: Hecate, embarrassment comes from being too self-conscious. Dissociate! The pain of feeling like you're splitting in two is the pain of birth for me and creators like you.
Hecate: ...thank you, I'll try that.
Christine: Tee hee, I'm glad you're getting interested Cipactli. I was worried you'd say you drop out.
Cipactli: ...stop joking. I'm just doing what I can.
Hecate chestthumps.
Hecate: ...whew. Can we try again? I think I'll do better this time.
And so the rehearsal goes again as Hecate feels she'll find something new as a creator and a person when the show is done.
End of Episode
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