$title Final Part: Postmortem
$overlay_color #000 0.0
$set_background marco_piloting_with_bard_1
# Fade back to Akhirah traveling at top speed, and Marco turns towards Bard
$wait 2.0
$overlay_color #00000000 3.0
$wait 2.0
$set_background marco_piloting_with_bard_2 true
$set_background marco_piloting_with_bard_3
$wait 2.0
Marco: Akhirah will take us straight to the [color=#ff00ff]Hereafter[/color]. It shouldn't be long, and your vessel should hold until then.
Bard: ...
Bard: D-Do I really have to...?
Marco: I won't force you to cross over. That's up to you. And what awaits you after is beyond me.
Bard: ...So we can't even stay together.
Marco: N-No, I'm afraid. Your vessel will only get weaker while it's exposed to the environment, in the same Manner as metal oxidizes.
Bard: B-But I don't want to leave you behind and make you sad, Marco.
Marco: It's fine, Bard. I will miss you, but things inevitably had to come to an end. I'll be sure to give you a proper send-off.
# Marco seems down
Marco: ...
Bard: ...
$set_background cave_wall_2
$set_sprite bard bard/normal bounce
$set_sprite marco marco_no_mask/sad
Bard: But...what if th-there's another way...?
$set_sprite marco marco_no_mask/sad_speak
Marco: Hmm?
$set_sprite bard bard/blush
Bard: ...N-No, nevermind. It was a bad idea.
$set_sprite marco marco_no_mask/greet
Marco: Whatever you have in mind, I'd love to hear it, Bard.
$set_sprite bard bard/face_away
Bard: Well, what if there was a way I could stay with you? In a place where my soul wouldn't stay exposed to the environment.
$set_sprite bard bard/blush
Bard: ...Inside of you.
$set_sprite marco marco_no_mask/shocked
Marco: Oh! You mean, that vore thing we were talking about earlier.
$set_sprite marco marco_no_mask/clutch_chest
Marco: But I promised you that I wouldn't bring it up again...
$set_sprite bard bard/sweat bounce
Bard: W-Well, I'm bringing it up now! It could work, right...?
$set_sprite marco marco_no_mask/reflect
Marco: I...I think so. But I'm afraid that I might hurt you, even if I'm completely careful.
$set_sprite bard bard/face_away
Bard: ...Is THAT your worry? Not your duty as [color=#ff00ff]soul ferrier[/color]?
$set_sprite marco marco_no_mask/confused_speak
Marco: My duty... What about it?
$set_sprite marco marco_no_mask/confused
$set_sprite bard bard/sweat
Bard: That's why I thought it was a bad idea. Because then it might be against your [color=#ff00ff]purpose[/color], and–
$set_sprite marco marco_no_mask/playful_speak
Marco: Oh, that? Bard... You're more important to me than that.
$set_sprite bard bard/normal
$set_sprite marco marco_no_mask/playful
Bard: ...Really?
$set_sprite marco marco_no_mask/shy_speak
Marco: Really.
$stop_music
$set_sprite bard bard/face_away
$set_sprite marco marco_no_mask/shy
Bard: ...
Bard: Then I've made up my mind.
$set_sprite bard bard/blush
Bard: I want you to swallow me.
$set_sprite marco marco_no_mask/surprised
Marco: Bard, are you sure? The last time I brought this up, you weren't happy about it.
$set_sprite marco marco_no_mask/wide_eyed
$set_sprite bard bard/face_away
Bard: ...
$set_sprite bard bard/normal
Bard: N-No, I'm not sure. But I'm not sure about going to the [color=#ff00ff]Hereafter[/color], either.
Bard: I can never be sure if I'm doing the right thing or not.
$set_sprite marco marco_no_mask/closed_eyes
Marco: ...
$set_sprite bard bard/blush
Bard: I trust you, Marco. Before, I didn't know if I wanted to risk being inside of someone I barely knew.
Bard: But now, deep down in my soul, I know that this is what I want. To be close to you.
$set_sprite marco marco_no_mask/hold_face
$set_sprite bard bard/normal
Marco: ...I'm also not sure, Bard.
$set_sprite marco marco_no_mask/explain
Marco: Excited as I was to try it, my implanted memories said nothing about vore. And even if they did, I wouldn't trust them necessarily.
$set_sprite marco marco_no_mask/curious_speak
Marco: In theory, your vessel should be safe inside of mine. You would be safe from the environment, and your soul should remain intact.
Marco: Still, there are things that we cannot be certain about. Something bad could happen even if we are extremely careful.
$set_sprite marco marco_no_mask/neutral_speak
Marco: ...But my feelings also want me to figure it out, together with you.
$set_sprite marco marco_no_mask/neutral
$set_sprite bard bard/blush
Bard: Y'now, I have a feeling that it will be alright. But...
$set_sprite bard bard/normal
Bard: I-I just don't want anything bad to happen to you for my sake.
$set_sprite marco marco_no_mask/reflect
Marco: But as I've told you, this is what I want. It's also for my sake. I've already made up my mind.
$set_sprite marco marco_no_mask/sad_speak
Marco: No matter what comes of it, concerning my [color=#ff00ff]Maker[/color] or not... I will deal with any consequences later.
$set_sprite marco marco_no_mask/neutral_speak
Marco: But I assure you that they won't be bad... And I assure that I won't ever abandon you.
$set_sprite marco marco_no_mask/neutral
$set_sprite bard bard/face_away
Bard: ...O-Okay.
$set_sprite marco marco_no_mask/neutral_speak
Marco: Are you ready?
$set_sprite marco marco_no_mask/neutral
$set_sprite bard bard/normal
Bard: ...Yes. Absolutely.
$set_sprite marco marco_no_mask/happy
Marco: I promise I'll be gentle, Bard. N-Now, please stay still...
# Play animation
$overlay_color #00000000 0.0
$collapse_textbox
$overlay_color #000 1.0
$hide_textbox
$reset_background
$clear_sprites
$wait 0.5
$overlay_color #00000000 0.0
$start_music entangled
$play_video animation
$stop_music 0.0
$wait 2.0
$show_textbox
$expand_textbox
: ...
$wait 1.0
Marco: ...Hic!
$set_sprite marco marco_post_vore/confused reveal_fishing_item
$wait 1.5
Marco: O-Oh, that felt weird... It was harder than I thought it would be.
: ...
$set_sprite marco marco_post_vore/neutral_speak
Marco: Bard, can you hear me?
$set_sprite marco marco_post_vore/neutral
: ...
$set_sprite marco marco_post_vore/worried_speak
Marco: I-Is everything alright in there–?
$set_sprite marco marco_post_vore/worried bounce
Bard: AAAAAAHHH!
Marco: ...?!
Bard: I-It's...it's amazing!!
$set_sprite marco marco_post_vore/confused
Marco: ...Being inside of me?
Bard: Yes! M-Marco, that was better than anything I could've hoped for...
$set_sprite marco marco_post_vore/worried_speak
Marco: But I tossed you around in my mouth, and you felt so tight going down my throat! I didn't accidentally scrape your vessel with my tooth, did I? Or–
$set_sprite marco marco_post_vore/worried
Bard: Slow down, Marco...! I told you, it was perfect.
$set_sprite marco marco_post_vore/think_speak
Marco: ...How does it feel?
$set_sprite marco marco_post_vore/think
Bard: It feels...warm. And bright. And safe. It's as if I can feel you all around me.
$set_sprite marco marco_post_vore/grin
Marco: Well, I am literally all around you...
$set_sprite marco marco_post_vore/neutral
Bard: I-It's simply wonderful. And perfect... I'm loving every moment of it...
$set_sprite marco marco_post_vore/neutral_speak
$start_music stars
$overlay_color #00000000 0.0
Marco: ...Me too.
$set_sprite marco marco_post_vore/neutral fade_out
$hide_textbox
$wait 0.5
$overlay_color #000 1.0
$wait 1.0
$set_background post_vore_1
$overlay_color #00000000 1.0
$wait 2.0
Bard: ...Marco?
$set_sprite marco marco_post_vore/confused
Marco: Yes?
Bard: I...I'm thinking about what you told me earlier.
$set_sprite marco marco_post_vore/think_speak
Marco: Thinking about what, exactly?
$set_sprite marco marco_post_vore/think
Bard: Well... I guess all of it, really. Mainly the things you said about love, and my life...
Bard: A part of me still thinks it's pointless to think about it, since I'm already dead. But it's still a big part of who I turned out to be.
Bard: I dunno, there's still a lot I haven't talked about. The good moments I had. The harm that I caused to others.
Bard: I regret not telling you all of it before you decided to swallow me. I'm worried that you only started to like me based on a lie...
$set_sprite marco marco_post_vore/confused
Marco: Well, I still like you for who you are! It's not like everything you told me was a lie.
Marco: And I could still see through the glaring ones, and find the nugget of truth in your words.
$set_sprite marco marco_post_vore/think_speak
Marco: And it's normal to feel regrets after anything. Especially when it comes to your entire life.
Marco: Life is complicated... Figuring stuff out on your own is a tough ask of anyone. Still, no one knows what it's like to be you better than yourself.
$set_sprite marco marco_post_vore/neutral_speak
Marco: And besides, we didn't have time before. Now we'll have all the time for you to tell me those things... At your own pace.
Marco: You, too, are a never-ending puzzle. And, if you'll let me, I'd love to figure out together how big it can get with each new piece!
$set_sprite marco marco_post_vore/neutral
Bard: ...You're too good, Marco.
Bard: A-Also, I think I have the answer to your question.
$set_sprite marco marco_post_vore/confused
Marco: My...question?
Bard: You were trying to figure out the meaning of life for us mortals, no? Why we think about our deaths differently from spirits like you.
$set_sprite marco marco_post_vore/think_speak
Marco: ...Do you think you can answer that?
$set_sprite marco marco_post_vore/think
Bard: K-Kinda... But it's kinda scary to think about.
Bard: I think that... There is no answer. There is no purpose to life.
$set_sprite marco marco_post_vore/neutral
Marco: ...
Bard: Good things and bad things happen without a greater meaning behind them. I-I tried to make sense of the world, but there wasn't any sense to make out.
Bard: Life and death will always exist, even if someone like me tries to pretend they don't. And that finality is what makes life worth living.
$set_sprite marco marco_post_vore/think
Marco: ...
Bard: O-Of course, everything will end eventually, and the memories will no longer exist.
Bard: But the things that you do will still impact the world around you. Maybe in ways I can't even imagine.
Bard: We can ignore that every action has a reaction, or that anyone can do both good and bad things. But that's taking away the importance of our lives.
Bard: And just because something is meaningless, it doesn't mean it's worthless. Like life itself.
$set_sprite marco marco_post_vore/think
Marco: ...
Bard: So, I think that's my answer. I don't think there's any real meaning to life, but I think that its existence is still important.
$stop_music
$set_sprite marco marco_post_vore/confused
Marco: ...Hmm.
Bard: W-Well...?
$set_sprite marco marco_post_vore/think_speak
Marco: I couldn't agree more with you, Bard.
Marco: ...Except for one thing.
$set_sprite marco marco_post_vore/think
Bard: And that is...?
$set_sprite marco marco_post_vore/think_speak
Marco: Well, all that you just told...
# Marco grins
$set_sprite marco marco_post_vore/grin bounce
$wait 0.5
$start_music fulminant
Marco: That still doesn't answer my question.
# A few objects appear in the Carnal River
$set_sprite marco marco_post_vore/grin fade_out
$hide_textbox
$wait 1.0
$set_background post_vore_2 true
$overlay_color #ffffff00 0.0
$wait 1.0
$set_background post_vore_3
$wait 1.0
$set_sprite marco marco_post_vore/grin
Bard: A-Answer...? But my point is that there isn't a way to answer!
$set_sprite marco marco_post_vore/confused
Marco: Well, sure. I still haven't figured out how mortal lives work.
$set_sprite marco marco_post_vore/think_speak
Marco: And while you've certainly given me an explanation... It's still only a single explanation.
# More things appear, and things get brighter
$set_sprite marco marco_post_vore/think fade_out
$set_background post_vore_4
$overlay_color #ffffff18 2.0
$set_background post_vore_5
$wait 1.0
$set_sprite marco marco_post_vore/think
Bard: A-A single explanation...?
$set_sprite marco marco_post_vore/think_speak
Marco: Yes. I figured out that there is more than one explanation to my question.
Marco: I appreciate what you've just told me. But I'm still not satisfied.
$set_sprite marco marco_post_vore/grin
Marco: In fact, your words only makes me want to seek it out even more. I want to figure out what mortal life really is like. What it means... to me.
$overlay_color #ffffff30 0.5
Bard: Heh... S-So you're not giving up.
$set_sprite marco marco_post_vore/neutral_speak
Marco: I'm not.
$set_sprite marco marco_post_vore/neutral
Bard: Good... I just hope that I can stick with you as you figure things out.
$set_sprite marco marco_post_vore/neutral_speak
Marco: Of course, Bard.
$set_sprite marco marco_post_vore/accomplished bounce
$wait 0.5
Marco: And... I'll be glad if you do. I wouldn't have it any other way.
$wait 0.5
$set_sprite marco marco_post_vore/accomplished fade_out
$hide_textbox
$stop_music 8.0
# Things get impossibly bright, the entire river is white now. Fulminant fades out
$set_background post_vore_6
$overlay_color #ffffff7f 2.0
$set_background post_vore_7
$wait 1.0
$clear_sprites
Bard: Oh, and Marco?
$wait 1.0
Marco: Yes, Bard?
$wait 1.0
Bard: ...
$wait 2.0
Bard: ...Thank you.
# It all fades completely to white
$wait 2.0
$collapse_textbox
$hide_textbox
$wait 0.5
$overlay_color #fff 4.0
# Slowly fades to black
$wait 2.0
$set_background the_end
$overlay_color #000 4.0
# "The End" slowly fades in
$wait 1.5
$set game_completed 1
$escape store_global game_completed $game_completed
$set answer 42
$escape store_global answer $answer
$overlay_color #00000000 1.5
$wait 5.0
$stop
$end