Last Goodbyes

Don't mind me, I'm just passing on their message to you. I've done what I came to do.

This is their last goodbye.

"It's been decided."

"Has it now? What were the choices, anyway?"

"You never told us what you were making them choose from. You said there was another option, besides Vivi or I dying."

"Yes. The other option was for you both to be mind-wiped. To wake up tomorrow morning with no memory of He That Is. To be free."

"And what did they decide?"

"They chose the kindest thing. For you to forget. Your lives will go on as they always should have. Nothing ever went wrong."

"So Chester and I... we'll forget everything?"

"For the things which you cannot forget there will be new explanations for. For example, you will remember you two getting together before the Solstice differently, Stella will be a friend returned from overseas or something along those lines. I am nothing if not thorough."

"I see. So you're going to do that to us, then?"

"Is there anything you wish for me to pass on?"

"..."

"Vivi? You go first."

"Yeah...there's a lot of things. Tell them that we love them, all of them, even the Indoctrinated, because when all is said and done they're human, and the fundamental right of all sentient beings is to love and to be loved. Tell them no matter how thoroughly H wipes our minds, in our hearts we will always remember you and what you have done for us."

"I admit I'm not exactly happy about this...I'd happily die so Vivi can go on, but she'd do the same just as easily, and neither of us is willing to let the other walk calmly to their death while we can prevent it...so I guess this is the best thing. Keep fighting, guys. Keep supporting each other, because the only reason Vivi and I have made it this far is because you have been there for us."

"Thank you. Thank you so much. You...you helped us believe. We would never have made it this far without you, but..."

"Now, I guess, it's time to say goodbye."

"Yeah. Take care of yourself, everybody."

I think you all would like to know that they never once let go of each others hand, even when I tranquillised them. They woke up this morning with the sun rising from the east, the ground below them and the sky above, hand in hand, with everything as it should be.