LogFAQs > #952956289

"God, I REALLY do want to hit this boy..." says Michel XD Fair, though.

Mell apologizes for not living up to the big brother/prince image, and Nellie apologizes for putting him up on that pedestal and for forcing him to live up to those impossible standards. They've reached a good spot where they can move forward. I did this with a friend one time, holding them up as a great and perfect person who was so amazing and wonderful, and eventually they had the strength to tell me that they're not all that and a bag of chips, and that I should stop idealizing them unnecessarily. So I did, and things were better for a while. Pretty sure physical distance, growth and anxiety are what keeps us apart now. Ah well.

We hope that this positive turn creates waves that will follow them into their next lives.
Mell totally misinterprets where Michel is coming from to be able to have this perspective. It's those who have lost the most who are the most likely to take action. Giselle comments that Michel is getting more expressive in this era. She dreams of seeing those expressions for herself someday. They strategize a bit about getting to the Swordsman through the Nun, and then... perhaps they'll get a break tomorrow on a lead to the Lord.

It's true, having someone who loves you behind you does give you a firm foundation to do what needs doing. To clarify - that doesn't necessarily mean romantic love! It could be any other kind of unconditional love.

2 Days Until her Death

Mell wakes us the next morning, says he'll go about his regular routine to avoid suspicion, tells you there's free breakfast in the dining hall. Mell seems relieved to have made up his mind to help Morgana. Michel tries to snag some of the Nun's time while she is serving this free breakfast, and it only serves to get him thrown out.

We go to the chapel and look over the archangel Michael stained glass. We stand a bit too close to the observation tower door, and the Swordsman approaches. Michel tries to smooth things over by saying he's a friend of Mell's, and that he wanted to see the Lord for himself. We continue along a conversational path of plausible deniability here, juuuust trying to keep our head attached to our shoulders...

Michel tries to ask a little about the Swordsman's background, but he's rather tightlipped aside from coming from 'beyond the Silk Road'. He asks about Michel in return, though, which seems promising. There's a whisper of connection where he asks about your hair and eyes - when you say it's natural, he comments about nature having strange combinations.

I marvel at the subtle changes in these sprites. You get so much emotion from very small changes.

The Swordsman asks your name, and upon hearing its origin, says it's unfortunate because he despises angels. Thanks, buddy. We try to ask him his name, and he says he doesn't have one. Probably a pronunciation and a security thing - doesn't expect anyone to be able to remember it or say it properly, plus he needs to make sure he can do what he needs for the Lord he serves.

It seems Giselle doesn't know about the Second Door and Pauline's experiences, or anything that took place beyond the mansion. Michel mentions something about the Swordsman being a man of many faces - I love talking about code switching and how odd it is. We all do it to some degree - you don't talk to your boss the same way you talk to your friends, or you don't talk to your lover or spouse the same way you do to your coworkers... it's so interesting the way people can adapt so fluidly like that. Some people find it dishonest, but I think it's difficult to completely get away from it.

We seek out the Nun. Nellie runs over and ... GLOMPS us?? Michel pretty much faceplants.

Mell proceeds to have a conversation with Michel about Morgana, he says that Michel reminds him of Morgana, in a way. They hush up pretty quick to avoid people overhearing. Nellie offers to help connect Michel and the Nun. Mell isn't convinced of the Nun's connection to the Swordsman because they're fundamentally so different. Nellie runs off to take over for the Nun, who is instructing the villagers in weaving straw to make decorations, freeing her up to speak with Michel for a little while. Michel is not enjoying being outside so much because of his sensitivity to the sun.

This track here where Michel speaks to the Nun has a very Bjork quality to it. Pretty sure I've mentioned it before.

We speak to the Nun about the Swordsman but she seems confused by what we're saying. We try to offer up the idea that he's here to keep the church running, but she keeps being evasive. Turns out she helped him when she was a nun in the city, but she claims it was no different than the help that she gave to others at that same time. We ask if her name is Pauline, and she says, no, it's Marie. Which is sooo catholic. Michel and Giselle try to reason it out amongst themselves. Perhaps the names aren't always a one-to-one, as they were with Mell and Nellie.

We try to confront the Nun about the tower, but she explains with a story that's probably been fed to her, how the Lord has been keeping his property and valuables in the tower to prevent thieves from stealing them. Yeah, his 'property', all right. Pfft. The Nun insists that the Lord is not a bad man, he's just overly cautious after all the assassination attempts. She threatens to call the guards, and asks us who we would honestly believe if we were in her shoes - the Lord, who supports the church financially? Or some rando who just showed up one day? The Nun takes her leave.

Michel passes out from the sun's exposure. He wakes up in Morgana's lakeside workshop. He is disoriented. When he asks if Morgana's in the observation tower, it's redacted - Michel is losing his voice any time he tries to warn Morgana about specifics. Morgana has both her arms, so that means this is...prior to the attack? Morgana's just as unwilling to speak about herself as she was with Mell. Michel decides to volunteer info about himself in an attempt to make a connection. Michel muses that perhaps her power lies not entirely with her blood, but in her enchanting voice. Michel encourages Morgana with the idea that, in time, she will find someone who will accept her.

We have a little interjection from real-time Morgana, who warns us that even though we may poke and prod at the Morgana of old, we can't make a difference.

We awaken in our room at the chapel. A worried Nellie asks us about it, and Michel tells her about his sun sensitivity. Michel tells Giselle about his experience 'speaking' to Morgana, and how she felt isolated by the 'saint' role, even though she felt strongly that it gave her life meaning.

Mell shows up to bring Michel to supper, the Swordsman is asking to dine with them both. Maybe the Nun talked to him? Who knows. We'll just have to weather this one out, tomorrow is the last full day we have before Morgana's death.

This supper is extremely tense. Mell won't meet the Swordsman's eyes, or eat. The Swordsman starts testing the waters, pointing out that he and Mell are accomplices, and asking Michel to guess the crime. Then he asks if Michel knew Mell was a criminal, if they could still be friends. Michel talks about the answer depending on how the friend feels about what they've done, and if they're willing to make penance. They talk about friends, and when Michel admits he doesn't have many friends other than Mell, the Swordsman admits his own isolation. The Swordsman seems mildly impressed that Michel would come to visit Mell when it's so far out of his way.

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Whenever you are about to find fault with someone, ask yourself...: What fault of mine most nearly resembles the one I am about to criticize?
-Marcus Aurelius