Cafe Enchante: Misyr Rex, Chapters 1-3
Dec. 16th, 2020 08:04 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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Time for the FINAL BOY.
And he was fantastic! The route was a great big rambling rollercoaster tying up all the loose ends and ending with a very sweet romantic happily ever after. The plot was totally ridiculous and some of it made no sense, but I still really enjoyed the ride.
The intense non-homo m/m shippy vibes continue.
This has six chapters, and I had trouble summarising the plot much because I HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS HAPPENING. So it's gotten super long even for me and I'm dividing it in two.
Asides from having extra chapters, the structure is much like the others, there's just a couple of extra choices added early on to unlock Misyr's route.
Content note (for the whole route): Suicide, coughing up blood, relatively mild consent issues from a villain
I'm not quite sure what to expect from this route. Will it follow the same structure as the others or do something different? The only other Final Boy I remember from an Otomate game is Lupin and he was pretty dull so here's hoping Misyr is more interesting.
I just started a new game, instead of working from a save like I have been before now, and it began with Prologue 5. I guess if I'd been starting with new games each time I'd have seen each prologue in turn! But life is too short.
NEW LINE. Kotone told Misyr he's a good teacher and gets slightly embarrassed at him liking it so much.
NEW CHOICE. Kotone finds Misyr staring at the gate. He says he thought he heard a weird noise.
A random new line about Vennia being drained of feeling?? Some other random new lines scattered around, I'm not seeing a pattern.
Time for a date with Misyr!!
Misyr's voice is a brightly energetic tenor that smoothly slips from sincere good cheer to wry sarcasm in a subtly different tone.
Since they both like books, he takes her to a used bookstore. She's into mythology and fantasy, but he prefers mysteries. As he talks about Sherlock Holmes, Lupin etc the silhouettes of the versions of those characters from Code Realise show up over books. Misyr says he'd recruit Moriarty to his demon army. Kotone is reading a romance between a human boy and a greek goddess then gets embarrassed at being so into this interspecies romance.
Misyr: It's always interesting seeing how humans interpret their brushes with worlds like mine or Il's. And it's good to lose yourself sometimes...I've lived for so long, I lose interest in things easily. Maybe one day I'll feel the same rush as you from fantasy stories. When that day comes, will you recommend me some books, senpai?
Kotone: Haha, usually you're my teacher.
Then they read together in companionable silence. That was cute.
End of the common route and Misyr asks Kotone to make the special blend she promised to let him be the first to try, and to put it in "his special cup", an old cracked coffee mug that's precious to him.
He says the gate is so quiet after she was sent to the island that it feels suspicious. They agree that Something in the mysterious wormhole felt sad, and Misyr gets a melancholy look in his eyes.
Chapter 1:
Background: the empty plain from the prologues.
The POV character's hand hurts...yet they are beyond pain. So why does it hurt when they reach out and are rejected, and when 'he' talks happily of her? I think it's the giant skeleton hand that 'reached out' on the island.
A different character speaks, with a filtered voice like with Shizuku and Ignis when they became monsters. It says "I'm back" and then starts cheerfully nattering about the day in Enchante, and how though Kotone seems normal on the surface she creates a warm place for non-humans.
POV character's chest hurts, and they think that 'he'/Misyr is a liar who hides his body. "Why can't it be me who gets to go to Enchante and smile?"
Misyr sees smoke in the distance and sighs that there have been a lot of "guests" lately.
The POV character speaks, though Misyr never hears them. "As long as 'I' am 'me' my day of salvation will never come".
Background: The hall of the Demon King
Demon lords gather: a giant with four arms, a demon with a lion's face and twisted horns. I wonder what Misyr really looks like :D
Mysterious fissures keep swallowing up villages. The 'Demon King's Aide' grandiosely announces that they shall seek new land in another world. Quoting the King: The Heavenly World is too spooky, The Fairy World has no Wormhole, Beast World is too cold. But the human world is weak and easy to get to! Raise your tails and prepare to invade!
The line sounded like Misyr but I wonder if this was the past.
Background: a blue sky
Misyr, with a booming deep voice: Haha! You let down your guard, foolish humans! Your belief that I was your friend was the height of foolishness!!
Il, less convincingly: Oh no! To think you were the Demon King!
Misyr: You were a fool, Hero Kororo! Your trusting heart is what killed your friend, Playboy Rindo!
Ahahaha they're roleplaying while playing a computer game, an RPG aimed at women that lets you romance any character.
Misyr: I heard it had a demon king character so asked to play, and it's surprisingly interesting. He can trick anyone and even turns lakes into poison ^_^
Kotone: How would you even romance someone like that?
Il: This demon king seems truly evil, compared to him Misyr doesn't seem like much of a demon king.
Kotone thinks about how Misyr is certainly powerful, but when he uses his powers he's beautiful, almost divine.
There's an earthquake but Misyr snaps his fingers to make everything stay still. They check outside...and see a wormhole, like a crack in the world. A horrified Misyr pulls Kotone to his chest as a there is the sound of static and a skeletal hand reaches for her. Misyr blasts the hand, shouting "Don't touch her", and the wormhole disappears.
Aw, Canus was playing with some local children.
On the news, a professor says that rather than the quake being caused by movement in the Earth's crust, it was as if the entire world shook.
That night, Kotone can't sleep, and is ashamed to admit to Misyr that she's scared of being attacked again, even though as Enchante's owner she should be able to handle supernatural events.
Misyr: What's scary is scary. And you can call on me, say *in falsetto* "Save me, Misyr!" and I'd be happy.
He creates a keyboard of light and encourages her to play on it, harmonising with her clumsy but delighted playing.
Kotone: You're a kind demon king ^_^
Kotone: I can't imagine you being any worse than 'Don't return to the castle until you've got the coffee beans!' :)
HMMM. I can't decide if the game really WILL have Misyr have done bad things for genuinely bad motives, or if he'l be the same sort of "decent person forced to commit murder by circumstances beyond his control" as everyone else.
Misyr tells Kotone she's made him one of his favourite coffees ever. When she asks what the very favourite coffee was he winks and says it's a secret. He teases Kotone lightly "to get his evil points up" and seeing how affectionately they're looking at each other Il mutters "...of Recollection", then says their expressions are nostalgic.
Rindo arrives saying a group of demons came through a wormhole and took over an empty warehouse. Misyr says he has no idea what's going on but will take care of it, and Rindo brings Kotone because she looked curious? Sure.
In the warehouse are...tiny slime monsters.
Slime: We're not from the demon world! We're harmless pets who live on many worlds and are DEFINITELY not staging an invasion.
Rindo: ...are these really demons? They're barely reacting to you, Misyr.
Misyr: Well we don't have photos in the demon world so most demons wouldn't recognise my face.
???, grandiosely: Humans! I apologise for these worthless slimes! I would have been more selective with personnel, but the wormhole was much smaller than expected! I had to dislocate my shoulders to get through! But tremble in fear, humans, at this beachhead of the demon invasion of your world!
Rindo: It seems...a little small?
Oh dear Otomate does not always do well by dark skinned characters D:
He blusters arrogantly at Rindo and Misyr about how he'll take over anyway, but stammers in shock when he finally notices Kotone. And before he can say anything more Misyr blasts him back through the wormhole.
Misyr says demons tend to be very unrestrained. He also mentions the last human hero to attack him nearly killed him with a stab through the heart. But he's fine now!
Kotone: Could you...stay at Enchante and be safe? It sound like lots of people try to kill you in the demon world.
Misyr: Well, yes, but as you know I'm a Demon King who's a very good cheater!
Kotone: But the chance isn't zero. You could die and I'd never know. I wouldn't like that :(
Misyr stares at her in surprise for a moment then softly says "Sorry. If I could do that, it would be the greatest thing I could imagine. But...but I... I'm lying to you."
Then he laughs weakly and says he has to go shout at the demons from before, and leaves.
In the empty windswept plain of the Demon World, the strange voiced Misyr thinks of the sweet temptation living at Enchante, seeing Kotone whenever he wanted. But all that would lie ahead would be tragedy. His chest hurts. He calls himself a liar and reminds himself all he should need is to be able to visit as a harmless eccentric, and see her be happy.
Normally when the POV character changes, the scene divider shows their sprite. But we don't see anything for Misyr here, and though it's obviously him he's still called "???".
Kotone is reminding herself that Misyr and everyone else are just customers, and have their own lives. She softly touches Misyr's cracked mug... and the world cracks open. She finds herself unable to move, as a small wormhole blows a dry wind from an endless plain of ash.
And then a figure approaches. It's a young man with a familiar face, but under white hair instead of purple.
Kotone: ...Misyr?
???: ;_;
At first he seems unable to speak, then he chokes out "Finally...found..." just as the fissure closes. He's pretty cute, in a Cheritz game he'd be final boy. It seems demon world people CAN be cute...but did Misyr maybe steal this guy's face?
I'm going to call him "Evil Twin" until we find out his real name.
At the GPM, Dromi is helping rescue humans who fall through wormholes into Bestia.
Dromi: I couldn't sleep at night if I let them die!
Mikado: You've made dealing with such problems much easier. Isn't that right, Kuu-chan?
Nnng. They discuss how all the Bestia wormholes have been to Earth lately. Dromi mutters to himself that he could use this, but he has a bad feeling.
In Medio, Vennia tells Titania that Yggdrasil has been damaged by a wormhole, but does not currently seem to be responding. Titania still has a bad feeling.
Solitus tells God that more angels have been lost to a wormhole. God says to pause the Salvation project, and if this keeps happening he may forcibly recover 'that individual' to deal with whoever is causing all this.
Chapter 2:
When Kotone describes the fissure the regulars agree they need to discuss all this with Misyr, and Il suggests she have a guard every day, staying outside her door at night.
Kotone says the Evil Twin had the same lonely energy as Misyr.
When Misyr arrives, he claims to be baffled. When Il suggests the Evil Twin could be his father/brother/son, Misyr says he doesn't have any family, especially not a son. Ignis assumes Kotone would like Misyr to have extra guard duty, and she agrees, but Misyr awkwardly says he can't ever stay the night. Kotone tells herself off for being greedy.
Il takes Misyr aside.
Il: I have no record of you making such a disappointed face as you did at your inability to guard her. Perhaps if you had less work as a Demon King...
Misyr: You've grown up without me noticing :) But, I'm sorry. You can't...it's not something I can let you do. Look after her for me, alright?
Il: You don't fully rely on us, Misyr :(
Huh I just noticed the walkthrough says there's NO CHOICES in chapter 3.
Kotone isn't allowed outside by herself, so Kariya is walking her home from shopping. Suddenly he stops and says he senses a strange presence...it's SLIMES. The Demon King said to bring her to him! Apparently he "kept going on and on about her beauty and the strength in her eyes". Kotone flails, bright red.
I bet the real demon king is that guy from the warehouse.
Haha yep the slimes lead her back to the warehouse where the grandiose demon introduces himself as the Demon King Asmodeus, and declares Kotone to be his Bride!
So Misyr isn't the Demon King. But he does seem to be from the Demon World, and more powerful than the actual King. So who or what is he?
When the regulars hear that demons have returned to the warehouse, Ignis offers to help Misyr get his subordinates into line and Misyr waves him off. When they find out Kotone is there too Misyr has to ask Il to call her phone, I guess he really doesn't get tech. Misyr mutters to himself that today's limit is 9pm.
They find Kariya collapsed, he says he tried to protect Kotone but Asmodeus was too strong and Kotone agreed to go with him to save Kariya.
Misyr is surprisingly cheery about Il, Ignis and Canus coming with him to the Demon World to "rescue the princess" considering that his lie is presumably going to be revealed. They arrive inside a huge castle, Ignis immediately assumes Asmodeus is a fake Demon King with a fake Demon King Castle. Il says his Lawful magic won't work here.
They split up. Hearing the sound of wormhole cracks, Misyr's chest hurts and he mutters that he should be ok if he keeps his distance? Then looks at a pocketwatch and sees he has two hours...
WAIT. WAIT. Maybe the place with the endless windy ash plain that Misyr lives in with his evil twin is not the Demon World.
Demon World: Has a big castle, villages, lots of demons, ruled by Asmodeus. Wormholes produce demons and slimes.
Ash World: Endless windy plain covered in ash. Contains Misyr and the evil twin. Wormholes produce skeletons and skeletal hands. Maybe Misyr's form if he goes through a wormhole instead of the gate is a skeleton? Or...something...??
Misyr has obviously met or heard about Asmodeus and the Demon World, his descriptions/impersonation are too accurate. Maybe he's even from there originally. But that doesn't mean he lives there now.
Also, if Misyr is cosplaying Asmodeus that's a different context for his attitude to Il.
(In retrospect this is really obvious OH WELL)
Kotone has realised that Asmodeus interprets any complaints from her as just wedding jitters, so instead tries to gather information, but he just keeps ranting about how he fell in love at first sight etc. Asmodeus says he is the 138h of that name and has never heard of any Misyr Rex, and Kotone suspects what he says is true.
He pulls her close, as if to kiss her. At first when she resists he's all "I take what I want" but then asks if she is interested in another man. She thinks of Misyr. Even though he may not be who he said he was, the time they spent together was real.
And then Asmodeus is slammed into the wall and Misyr appears, introducing himself as a "tourist Demon King". He reassures Kotone that she's safe now and he'll always come when she needs him.
Misyr: I've never met him before, but that must be the real Demon King of Asmodia.
Kotone: By real you mean...
Misyr: ...I'm sorry.
Kotone: It's ok. There are lots of things I want to ask...but the fact you came here makes me happy.
Asmodeus: That's two sneak attacks, you coward!
Misyr: Big words from a kidnapper. And from the sounds of things you were about to do something reprehensible to her >:(
He narrows his eyes and the room shakes.
Asmodeus: The woman is mine! I was moving an object to it's rightful place!
Misyr: You don't even know her name. You don't know her personality. You call her an object. You not only fail as a demon, but as her man.
Asmodeus: Who are you to her? Are you going to claim she's yours?
Misyr, pulling Kotone towards him: If you want to know our relationship, she's a cafe owner and I'm a customer. But if you're talking about personal feelings...she's the most important woman to me. She's my light, my warmth, she makes me feel at home.
Kotone feels her cheeks grow warm at his declaration. Asmodeus starts preparing to attack so Misyr puts Kotone behind a barrier for safety as the air fills with magic attacks and trashtalk. Misyr knocks Asmodeus out, saying he didn't want to do anything more gruesome in front of Kotone.
And then...Asmodeus lands a nasty surprise attack, and all Misyr's counterattacks start to go wide. But Misyr refuses to admit defeat. Before Asmodeus can land the final blow, a wormhole appears between them. Out of it comes...Misyr's evil twin, who is wearing very little clothing. In a dry voice, he says "Liar".
Misyr clutches his chest, looking truly agonised for the first time, and cries "Why?? I had...an hour..." The screen flashes with images I can't make out. Misyr's body twists as if something is trying to get out.
Asmodeus: Why...do I suddenly feel afraid D:
Evil twin: Go ahead and show her your true form :)
Misyr's voice becomes deep and strange. There is a swirl of ash. The demon world itself screams in agony....
Time to see what everyone else has been up to! Namely: wandering lost around a seemingly empty castle. Then they hear the sounds of battle, and Misyr's strange cry of transformation. Everything shakes and Canus's instincts make him grab the others and jump back through the wormhole.
Against images of different worlds, all shaking, are the words: It's arrived. Its arm is reaching. The beginning of the end...of all worlds.
Kotone wakes in an empty wasteland, dotted with rubble...and Asmodeus choking that this is what remains of his castle. She realises they stand on a small circle of castle floor that remains unscathed.
And a strange figure stands near, radiating with power:
Not really my type, monsterboy-wise, but suitably Weird.
Asmodeus stands to shield Kotone, then casts an attack...which turns to ash and crumbles away.
Asmodeus: My bride, it is time to retre- *the arm holding her turns to ash*
The figure just stares at Kotone in silence. Despite his strange appearance, something about him feels familiar.
Kotone: ...Misyr?
Misyr, his voice deep and strange: Haha...I...didn't want you to realise that...
She tries to approach and he cries to stay back. This is his true form, his true power: anything near him turns to ash. But it doesn't affect wormholes, so she should be able to return to the human world. He says he needs to return to his own world, to restrain this power, and vanishes through the wormhole the evil twin used.
Chapter 3:
Misyr looks at his strange body, the empty plain he has long since become sick of, and thinks about how Kotone must see him now. It feels as if the arid air of this place will dry up his feelings and scatter them to the wind.
All he wanted was to watch over Kotone, seen as a harmless Demon King who likes coffee. But he can't even have that.
The ground is scattered with little mounds. Thousands of depressing grave markers for everyone he has ever cared about over tens of thousands of years.
He says "I'm back, everyone". That's who he's been talking to all this time: the dead.
Back on Earth, Asmodeus is in GPM custody. By sheer luck, Misyr's powers didn't kill anyone. But when he transformed, the whole world had mild earthquakes, and since then wormholes have increased.
Kotone wonders what parts of the Misyr she knew was true, and whether she'll ever see him again.
The next morning there is a small earthquake. She finds Il by the door to the gate room, sadly waiting to see if Misyr returns. She makes them drinks and they wait together.
Il says he brought a game to show Misyr: a remake of the one Misyr gave him when they met. Il: I don't remember that time clearly, but I wanted to show him and talk about old memories.
Kotone: You two get along well, I always see you together.
Il: Yes, from the first time we met ,he told me "I just can't leave you be", and he has been concerned about me ever since. But he has a smile just for you that is the most beautiful in all the knowledge I possess. I like watching the two of you more than anything.
Kotone, blushing: Is that...so...maybe he's nice to me because we met when I was little.
Il says that doesn't match his newly regained memories of how events played out:
Canus started visiting Enchante, then went on a trip to Medio.
Il arrived at Enchante.
Kotone went back to live with her parents.
Misyr arrived for the first time, and helped Il.
Canus returned from his trip and met Il and Misyr.
So if Misyr met Kotone before she took over Enchante, as he said he did, it wasn't as a guest when she was a little kid living there. INTERESTING.
Canus and Ignis are about to try opening and closing the gate, to see if it randomly goes to Misyr's world, when Vennia and Dromi arrive. Bestia and Medio have been troubled by fissures/wormholes that swallow the world around them, leaving a residue of ash. Canus and Ignis are called back to help deal with the resulting chaos. Since Rindo is busy doing the same thing on Earth, Il is left to guard Kotone alone.
Asmodeus: MY BRIDE, I AM SURE YOU MISSED ME!!
Kariya: WE'RE SHUT *freezes door closed*
But he's here with Rindo.
Il, in a trembling voice: Please leave. You're the one who kidnapped Kotone, and caused Misyr to change. If he never comes back to Enchante... and is separated from her...I...
Asmodeus actually feels a little bad and gets down to business. Mikado joins them too.
Vennia suggests calling the wormholes that connect to Misyr's world and cause everything to turn to ash be called "fissures" because they are a very scientifically minded fairy <3
The demon world has been having fissures for some time. If fissures show up on Earth it would be catastrophic. So there's a lot of reasons to want to talk to Misyr. Rindo says he wants to capture him and make him take responsibility for making Kotone make such a sad face.
Kotone: I'm more frustrated. I realise now how much I was relying on him visiting every day.
She assumed she had all the time in the world to ask questions and tell him her feelings. But now, if she sees him again, she won't hesitate. Every day she hopes he'll come and every night she goes to sleep miserable.
She pours coffee into Misyr's cup, and prays to see him again. And then...a fissure opens.
In his world, Misyr is making graves for all the "guests" he's been getting from other worlds. He's still working on returning to his 'fake' body. But what would be the point? If he can't trust his body not to turn back unexpectedly, he could kill Kotone. Yet he yearns to go back to Enchante.
Misyr has searched for his mysterious evil twin here without a trace.
Impossibly, he smells the scent of coffee. He follows it to a small fissure.
Misyr and Kotone face each other, delighted.
Misyr: You've given me a miracle.
Kotone: I've been so worried about you! My regular customer just stopped showing up!
Misyr: You still...think of me...as a regular customer? Even knowing I lied? Even seeing my terrible form?
Kotone: Of course. If you aren't nearby, I can't know peace.
He explains that he had to spend part of each day in his home world creating the humanoid form. And having lost control of his power, it's going to take longer now.
Misyr: I knew how dangerous it was, but didn't tell you...I thought if you found out, I wouldn't see you any more.
Kotone holds up his cup, with his favourite special blend, and says she's sure he's missed coffee lately. He turns his hand back to normal and carefully takes the cup, saying it is special and won't change.
Misyr: Are you not afraid of me?
Kotone: You're still the Misyr Rex I like, the kind Demon King who likes coffee.
Misyr, shaking: I really am no match for you. Ever since back then, you've always saved me.
He's just about to tell her about the time they met and his favourite coffee, when the fissure starts to close. He promises to tell her everything the next time he rings the bell at Enchante, where Kotone always made him feel like he belongs, and she promises to welcome him.
Alone, Misyr takes a sip of the coffee before it turns to ash. He knows it's selfish, but he wants to see her one last time, to part ways with her properly. Yet he wants more, a dream of being human he gave up on tens of thousands of years ago.
A bodiless voice says "Why? Even I want to see her. I did my best to reach out to her. To save her. I even helped you...and yet my hand was slapped away. And you...reached your hand out to her again. It's unfair. Why only me... Why only you..."
Misyr: What?
Evil twin: If you curse that body so much. Give it to me, Misyr.
ooooh nooooo
Assistant comes to install fissure detection devices for the GPM and I'm torn between "maybe these will save Kotone when Evil Twin attacks" and "this is all an evil plot by God".
That night, there's a weird noise, and then Il's voice tells Kotone through the door that he's detected Misyr in the gate room and she should go greet him while Il waits in his room. Ok now I think someone is impersonating Il. Kotone agrees with me that Il would want to see Misyr too!
"The one called Il" goes to Il's room. He tells two angels that his objective is complete. There is a POOL OF BLOOD under a restrained figure??? And WOW I DON'T THINK I'VE SEEN THAT 'IL IN PAIN' SPRITE BEFORE D:
Il: Solitus...what did you do to her? D:
Solitus: Do not worry. This individual has no malicious effect. I guided her to gate room due to it's superior sound-proofing, to prevent her perceiving the recovery of you. ...if you do not resist, that is.
And then before Il can gather his voice, they all teleport to Heaven.
Kotone is confused to find the gate room empty...and then the "closed" sign slips to "open" and 'Misyr' steps through. He grabs her and pulls her through the gate.
TO BE CONTINUED
Time for the FINAL BOY.
And he was fantastic! The route was a great big rambling rollercoaster tying up all the loose ends and ending with a very sweet romantic happily ever after. The plot was totally ridiculous and some of it made no sense, but I still really enjoyed the ride.
The intense non-homo m/m shippy vibes continue.
This has six chapters, and I had trouble summarising the plot much because I HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS HAPPENING. So it's gotten super long even for me and I'm dividing it in two.
Asides from having extra chapters, the structure is much like the others, there's just a couple of extra choices added early on to unlock Misyr's route.
Content note (for the whole route): Suicide, coughing up blood, relatively mild consent issues from a villain
I'm not quite sure what to expect from this route. Will it follow the same structure as the others or do something different? The only other Final Boy I remember from an Otomate game is Lupin and he was pretty dull so here's hoping Misyr is more interesting.
I just started a new game, instead of working from a save like I have been before now, and it began with Prologue 5. I guess if I'd been starting with new games each time I'd have seen each prologue in turn! But life is too short.
NEW LINE. Kotone told Misyr he's a good teacher and gets slightly embarrassed at him liking it so much.
NEW CHOICE. Kotone finds Misyr staring at the gate. He says he thought he heard a weird noise.
A random new line about Vennia being drained of feeling?? Some other random new lines scattered around, I'm not seeing a pattern.
Time for a date with Misyr!!
Misyr's voice is a brightly energetic tenor that smoothly slips from sincere good cheer to wry sarcasm in a subtly different tone.
Since they both like books, he takes her to a used bookstore. She's into mythology and fantasy, but he prefers mysteries. As he talks about Sherlock Holmes, Lupin etc the silhouettes of the versions of those characters from Code Realise show up over books. Misyr says he'd recruit Moriarty to his demon army. Kotone is reading a romance between a human boy and a greek goddess then gets embarrassed at being so into this interspecies romance.
Misyr: It's always interesting seeing how humans interpret their brushes with worlds like mine or Il's. And it's good to lose yourself sometimes...I've lived for so long, I lose interest in things easily. Maybe one day I'll feel the same rush as you from fantasy stories. When that day comes, will you recommend me some books, senpai?
Kotone: Haha, usually you're my teacher.
Then they read together in companionable silence. That was cute.
End of the common route and Misyr asks Kotone to make the special blend she promised to let him be the first to try, and to put it in "his special cup", an old cracked coffee mug that's precious to him.
He says the gate is so quiet after she was sent to the island that it feels suspicious. They agree that Something in the mysterious wormhole felt sad, and Misyr gets a melancholy look in his eyes.
Chapter 1:
Background: the empty plain from the prologues.
The POV character's hand hurts...yet they are beyond pain. So why does it hurt when they reach out and are rejected, and when 'he' talks happily of her? I think it's the giant skeleton hand that 'reached out' on the island.
A different character speaks, with a filtered voice like with Shizuku and Ignis when they became monsters. It says "I'm back" and then starts cheerfully nattering about the day in Enchante, and how though Kotone seems normal on the surface she creates a warm place for non-humans.
POV character's chest hurts, and they think that 'he'/Misyr is a liar who hides his body. "Why can't it be me who gets to go to Enchante and smile?"
Misyr sees smoke in the distance and sighs that there have been a lot of "guests" lately.
The POV character speaks, though Misyr never hears them. "As long as 'I' am 'me' my day of salvation will never come".
Background: The hall of the Demon King
Demon lords gather: a giant with four arms, a demon with a lion's face and twisted horns. I wonder what Misyr really looks like :D
Mysterious fissures keep swallowing up villages. The 'Demon King's Aide' grandiosely announces that they shall seek new land in another world. Quoting the King: The Heavenly World is too spooky, The Fairy World has no Wormhole, Beast World is too cold. But the human world is weak and easy to get to! Raise your tails and prepare to invade!
The line sounded like Misyr but I wonder if this was the past.
Background: a blue sky
Misyr, with a booming deep voice: Haha! You let down your guard, foolish humans! Your belief that I was your friend was the height of foolishness!!
Il, less convincingly: Oh no! To think you were the Demon King!
Misyr: You were a fool, Hero Kororo! Your trusting heart is what killed your friend, Playboy Rindo!
Ahahaha they're roleplaying while playing a computer game, an RPG aimed at women that lets you romance any character.
Misyr: I heard it had a demon king character so asked to play, and it's surprisingly interesting. He can trick anyone and even turns lakes into poison ^_^
Kotone: How would you even romance someone like that?
Il: This demon king seems truly evil, compared to him Misyr doesn't seem like much of a demon king.
Kotone thinks about how Misyr is certainly powerful, but when he uses his powers he's beautiful, almost divine.
There's an earthquake but Misyr snaps his fingers to make everything stay still. They check outside...and see a wormhole, like a crack in the world. A horrified Misyr pulls Kotone to his chest as a there is the sound of static and a skeletal hand reaches for her. Misyr blasts the hand, shouting "Don't touch her", and the wormhole disappears.
Aw, Canus was playing with some local children.
On the news, a professor says that rather than the quake being caused by movement in the Earth's crust, it was as if the entire world shook.
That night, Kotone can't sleep, and is ashamed to admit to Misyr that she's scared of being attacked again, even though as Enchante's owner she should be able to handle supernatural events.
Misyr: What's scary is scary. And you can call on me, say *in falsetto* "Save me, Misyr!" and I'd be happy.
He creates a keyboard of light and encourages her to play on it, harmonising with her clumsy but delighted playing.
Kotone: You're a kind demon king ^_^
Kotone: I can't imagine you being any worse than 'Don't return to the castle until you've got the coffee beans!' :)
HMMM. I can't decide if the game really WILL have Misyr have done bad things for genuinely bad motives, or if he'l be the same sort of "decent person forced to commit murder by circumstances beyond his control" as everyone else.
Misyr tells Kotone she's made him one of his favourite coffees ever. When she asks what the very favourite coffee was he winks and says it's a secret. He teases Kotone lightly "to get his evil points up" and seeing how affectionately they're looking at each other Il mutters "...of Recollection", then says their expressions are nostalgic.
Rindo arrives saying a group of demons came through a wormhole and took over an empty warehouse. Misyr says he has no idea what's going on but will take care of it, and Rindo brings Kotone because she looked curious? Sure.
In the warehouse are...tiny slime monsters.
Slime: We're not from the demon world! We're harmless pets who live on many worlds and are DEFINITELY not staging an invasion.
Rindo: ...are these really demons? They're barely reacting to you, Misyr.
Misyr: Well we don't have photos in the demon world so most demons wouldn't recognise my face.
???, grandiosely: Humans! I apologise for these worthless slimes! I would have been more selective with personnel, but the wormhole was much smaller than expected! I had to dislocate my shoulders to get through! But tremble in fear, humans, at this beachhead of the demon invasion of your world!
Rindo: It seems...a little small?
Oh dear Otomate does not always do well by dark skinned characters D:
He blusters arrogantly at Rindo and Misyr about how he'll take over anyway, but stammers in shock when he finally notices Kotone. And before he can say anything more Misyr blasts him back through the wormhole.
Misyr says demons tend to be very unrestrained. He also mentions the last human hero to attack him nearly killed him with a stab through the heart. But he's fine now!
Kotone: Could you...stay at Enchante and be safe? It sound like lots of people try to kill you in the demon world.
Misyr: Well, yes, but as you know I'm a Demon King who's a very good cheater!
Kotone: But the chance isn't zero. You could die and I'd never know. I wouldn't like that :(
Misyr stares at her in surprise for a moment then softly says "Sorry. If I could do that, it would be the greatest thing I could imagine. But...but I... I'm lying to you."
Then he laughs weakly and says he has to go shout at the demons from before, and leaves.
In the empty windswept plain of the Demon World, the strange voiced Misyr thinks of the sweet temptation living at Enchante, seeing Kotone whenever he wanted. But all that would lie ahead would be tragedy. His chest hurts. He calls himself a liar and reminds himself all he should need is to be able to visit as a harmless eccentric, and see her be happy.
Normally when the POV character changes, the scene divider shows their sprite. But we don't see anything for Misyr here, and though it's obviously him he's still called "???".
Kotone is reminding herself that Misyr and everyone else are just customers, and have their own lives. She softly touches Misyr's cracked mug... and the world cracks open. She finds herself unable to move, as a small wormhole blows a dry wind from an endless plain of ash.
And then a figure approaches. It's a young man with a familiar face, but under white hair instead of purple.
Kotone: ...Misyr?
???: ;_;
At first he seems unable to speak, then he chokes out "Finally...found..." just as the fissure closes. He's pretty cute, in a Cheritz game he'd be final boy. It seems demon world people CAN be cute...but did Misyr maybe steal this guy's face?
I'm going to call him "Evil Twin" until we find out his real name.
At the GPM, Dromi is helping rescue humans who fall through wormholes into Bestia.
Dromi: I couldn't sleep at night if I let them die!
Mikado: You've made dealing with such problems much easier. Isn't that right, Kuu-chan?
Nnng. They discuss how all the Bestia wormholes have been to Earth lately. Dromi mutters to himself that he could use this, but he has a bad feeling.
In Medio, Vennia tells Titania that Yggdrasil has been damaged by a wormhole, but does not currently seem to be responding. Titania still has a bad feeling.
Solitus tells God that more angels have been lost to a wormhole. God says to pause the Salvation project, and if this keeps happening he may forcibly recover 'that individual' to deal with whoever is causing all this.
Chapter 2:
When Kotone describes the fissure the regulars agree they need to discuss all this with Misyr, and Il suggests she have a guard every day, staying outside her door at night.
Kotone says the Evil Twin had the same lonely energy as Misyr.
When Misyr arrives, he claims to be baffled. When Il suggests the Evil Twin could be his father/brother/son, Misyr says he doesn't have any family, especially not a son. Ignis assumes Kotone would like Misyr to have extra guard duty, and she agrees, but Misyr awkwardly says he can't ever stay the night. Kotone tells herself off for being greedy.
Il takes Misyr aside.
Il: I have no record of you making such a disappointed face as you did at your inability to guard her. Perhaps if you had less work as a Demon King...
Misyr: You've grown up without me noticing :) But, I'm sorry. You can't...it's not something I can let you do. Look after her for me, alright?
Il: You don't fully rely on us, Misyr :(
Huh I just noticed the walkthrough says there's NO CHOICES in chapter 3.
Kotone isn't allowed outside by herself, so Kariya is walking her home from shopping. Suddenly he stops and says he senses a strange presence...it's SLIMES. The Demon King said to bring her to him! Apparently he "kept going on and on about her beauty and the strength in her eyes". Kotone flails, bright red.
I bet the real demon king is that guy from the warehouse.
Haha yep the slimes lead her back to the warehouse where the grandiose demon introduces himself as the Demon King Asmodeus, and declares Kotone to be his Bride!
So Misyr isn't the Demon King. But he does seem to be from the Demon World, and more powerful than the actual King. So who or what is he?
When the regulars hear that demons have returned to the warehouse, Ignis offers to help Misyr get his subordinates into line and Misyr waves him off. When they find out Kotone is there too Misyr has to ask Il to call her phone, I guess he really doesn't get tech. Misyr mutters to himself that today's limit is 9pm.
They find Kariya collapsed, he says he tried to protect Kotone but Asmodeus was too strong and Kotone agreed to go with him to save Kariya.
Misyr is surprisingly cheery about Il, Ignis and Canus coming with him to the Demon World to "rescue the princess" considering that his lie is presumably going to be revealed. They arrive inside a huge castle, Ignis immediately assumes Asmodeus is a fake Demon King with a fake Demon King Castle. Il says his Lawful magic won't work here.
They split up. Hearing the sound of wormhole cracks, Misyr's chest hurts and he mutters that he should be ok if he keeps his distance? Then looks at a pocketwatch and sees he has two hours...
WAIT. WAIT. Maybe the place with the endless windy ash plain that Misyr lives in with his evil twin is not the Demon World.
Demon World: Has a big castle, villages, lots of demons, ruled by Asmodeus. Wormholes produce demons and slimes.
Ash World: Endless windy plain covered in ash. Contains Misyr and the evil twin. Wormholes produce skeletons and skeletal hands. Maybe Misyr's form if he goes through a wormhole instead of the gate is a skeleton? Or...something...??
Misyr has obviously met or heard about Asmodeus and the Demon World, his descriptions/impersonation are too accurate. Maybe he's even from there originally. But that doesn't mean he lives there now.
Also, if Misyr is cosplaying Asmodeus that's a different context for his attitude to Il.
(In retrospect this is really obvious OH WELL)
Kotone has realised that Asmodeus interprets any complaints from her as just wedding jitters, so instead tries to gather information, but he just keeps ranting about how he fell in love at first sight etc. Asmodeus says he is the 138h of that name and has never heard of any Misyr Rex, and Kotone suspects what he says is true.
He pulls her close, as if to kiss her. At first when she resists he's all "I take what I want" but then asks if she is interested in another man. She thinks of Misyr. Even though he may not be who he said he was, the time they spent together was real.
And then Asmodeus is slammed into the wall and Misyr appears, introducing himself as a "tourist Demon King". He reassures Kotone that she's safe now and he'll always come when she needs him.
Misyr: I've never met him before, but that must be the real Demon King of Asmodia.
Kotone: By real you mean...
Misyr: ...I'm sorry.
Kotone: It's ok. There are lots of things I want to ask...but the fact you came here makes me happy.
Asmodeus: That's two sneak attacks, you coward!
Misyr: Big words from a kidnapper. And from the sounds of things you were about to do something reprehensible to her >:(
He narrows his eyes and the room shakes.
Asmodeus: The woman is mine! I was moving an object to it's rightful place!
Misyr: You don't even know her name. You don't know her personality. You call her an object. You not only fail as a demon, but as her man.
Asmodeus: Who are you to her? Are you going to claim she's yours?
Misyr, pulling Kotone towards him: If you want to know our relationship, she's a cafe owner and I'm a customer. But if you're talking about personal feelings...she's the most important woman to me. She's my light, my warmth, she makes me feel at home.
Kotone feels her cheeks grow warm at his declaration. Asmodeus starts preparing to attack so Misyr puts Kotone behind a barrier for safety as the air fills with magic attacks and trashtalk. Misyr knocks Asmodeus out, saying he didn't want to do anything more gruesome in front of Kotone.
And then...Asmodeus lands a nasty surprise attack, and all Misyr's counterattacks start to go wide. But Misyr refuses to admit defeat. Before Asmodeus can land the final blow, a wormhole appears between them. Out of it comes...Misyr's evil twin, who is wearing very little clothing. In a dry voice, he says "Liar".
Misyr clutches his chest, looking truly agonised for the first time, and cries "Why?? I had...an hour..." The screen flashes with images I can't make out. Misyr's body twists as if something is trying to get out.
Asmodeus: Why...do I suddenly feel afraid D:
Evil twin: Go ahead and show her your true form :)
Misyr's voice becomes deep and strange. There is a swirl of ash. The demon world itself screams in agony....
Time to see what everyone else has been up to! Namely: wandering lost around a seemingly empty castle. Then they hear the sounds of battle, and Misyr's strange cry of transformation. Everything shakes and Canus's instincts make him grab the others and jump back through the wormhole.
Against images of different worlds, all shaking, are the words: It's arrived. Its arm is reaching. The beginning of the end...of all worlds.
Kotone wakes in an empty wasteland, dotted with rubble...and Asmodeus choking that this is what remains of his castle. She realises they stand on a small circle of castle floor that remains unscathed.
And a strange figure stands near, radiating with power:
Not really my type, monsterboy-wise, but suitably Weird.
Asmodeus stands to shield Kotone, then casts an attack...which turns to ash and crumbles away.
Asmodeus: My bride, it is time to retre- *the arm holding her turns to ash*
The figure just stares at Kotone in silence. Despite his strange appearance, something about him feels familiar.
Kotone: ...Misyr?
Misyr, his voice deep and strange: Haha...I...didn't want you to realise that...
She tries to approach and he cries to stay back. This is his true form, his true power: anything near him turns to ash. But it doesn't affect wormholes, so she should be able to return to the human world. He says he needs to return to his own world, to restrain this power, and vanishes through the wormhole the evil twin used.
Chapter 3:
Misyr looks at his strange body, the empty plain he has long since become sick of, and thinks about how Kotone must see him now. It feels as if the arid air of this place will dry up his feelings and scatter them to the wind.
All he wanted was to watch over Kotone, seen as a harmless Demon King who likes coffee. But he can't even have that.
The ground is scattered with little mounds. Thousands of depressing grave markers for everyone he has ever cared about over tens of thousands of years.
He says "I'm back, everyone". That's who he's been talking to all this time: the dead.
Back on Earth, Asmodeus is in GPM custody. By sheer luck, Misyr's powers didn't kill anyone. But when he transformed, the whole world had mild earthquakes, and since then wormholes have increased.
Kotone wonders what parts of the Misyr she knew was true, and whether she'll ever see him again.
The next morning there is a small earthquake. She finds Il by the door to the gate room, sadly waiting to see if Misyr returns. She makes them drinks and they wait together.
Il says he brought a game to show Misyr: a remake of the one Misyr gave him when they met. Il: I don't remember that time clearly, but I wanted to show him and talk about old memories.
Kotone: You two get along well, I always see you together.
Il: Yes, from the first time we met ,he told me "I just can't leave you be", and he has been concerned about me ever since. But he has a smile just for you that is the most beautiful in all the knowledge I possess. I like watching the two of you more than anything.
Kotone, blushing: Is that...so...maybe he's nice to me because we met when I was little.
Il says that doesn't match his newly regained memories of how events played out:
Canus started visiting Enchante, then went on a trip to Medio.
Il arrived at Enchante.
Kotone went back to live with her parents.
Misyr arrived for the first time, and helped Il.
Canus returned from his trip and met Il and Misyr.
So if Misyr met Kotone before she took over Enchante, as he said he did, it wasn't as a guest when she was a little kid living there. INTERESTING.
Canus and Ignis are about to try opening and closing the gate, to see if it randomly goes to Misyr's world, when Vennia and Dromi arrive. Bestia and Medio have been troubled by fissures/wormholes that swallow the world around them, leaving a residue of ash. Canus and Ignis are called back to help deal with the resulting chaos. Since Rindo is busy doing the same thing on Earth, Il is left to guard Kotone alone.
Asmodeus: MY BRIDE, I AM SURE YOU MISSED ME!!
Kariya: WE'RE SHUT *freezes door closed*
But he's here with Rindo.
Il, in a trembling voice: Please leave. You're the one who kidnapped Kotone, and caused Misyr to change. If he never comes back to Enchante... and is separated from her...I...
Asmodeus actually feels a little bad and gets down to business. Mikado joins them too.
Vennia suggests calling the wormholes that connect to Misyr's world and cause everything to turn to ash be called "fissures" because they are a very scientifically minded fairy <3
The demon world has been having fissures for some time. If fissures show up on Earth it would be catastrophic. So there's a lot of reasons to want to talk to Misyr. Rindo says he wants to capture him and make him take responsibility for making Kotone make such a sad face.
Kotone: I'm more frustrated. I realise now how much I was relying on him visiting every day.
She assumed she had all the time in the world to ask questions and tell him her feelings. But now, if she sees him again, she won't hesitate. Every day she hopes he'll come and every night she goes to sleep miserable.
She pours coffee into Misyr's cup, and prays to see him again. And then...a fissure opens.
In his world, Misyr is making graves for all the "guests" he's been getting from other worlds. He's still working on returning to his 'fake' body. But what would be the point? If he can't trust his body not to turn back unexpectedly, he could kill Kotone. Yet he yearns to go back to Enchante.
Misyr has searched for his mysterious evil twin here without a trace.
Impossibly, he smells the scent of coffee. He follows it to a small fissure.
Misyr and Kotone face each other, delighted.
Misyr: You've given me a miracle.
Kotone: I've been so worried about you! My regular customer just stopped showing up!
Misyr: You still...think of me...as a regular customer? Even knowing I lied? Even seeing my terrible form?
Kotone: Of course. If you aren't nearby, I can't know peace.
He explains that he had to spend part of each day in his home world creating the humanoid form. And having lost control of his power, it's going to take longer now.
Misyr: I knew how dangerous it was, but didn't tell you...I thought if you found out, I wouldn't see you any more.
Kotone holds up his cup, with his favourite special blend, and says she's sure he's missed coffee lately. He turns his hand back to normal and carefully takes the cup, saying it is special and won't change.
Misyr: Are you not afraid of me?
Kotone: You're still the Misyr Rex I like, the kind Demon King who likes coffee.
Misyr, shaking: I really am no match for you. Ever since back then, you've always saved me.
He's just about to tell her about the time they met and his favourite coffee, when the fissure starts to close. He promises to tell her everything the next time he rings the bell at Enchante, where Kotone always made him feel like he belongs, and she promises to welcome him.
Alone, Misyr takes a sip of the coffee before it turns to ash. He knows it's selfish, but he wants to see her one last time, to part ways with her properly. Yet he wants more, a dream of being human he gave up on tens of thousands of years ago.
A bodiless voice says "Why? Even I want to see her. I did my best to reach out to her. To save her. I even helped you...and yet my hand was slapped away. And you...reached your hand out to her again. It's unfair. Why only me... Why only you..."
Misyr: What?
Evil twin: If you curse that body so much. Give it to me, Misyr.
ooooh nooooo
Assistant comes to install fissure detection devices for the GPM and I'm torn between "maybe these will save Kotone when Evil Twin attacks" and "this is all an evil plot by God".
That night, there's a weird noise, and then Il's voice tells Kotone through the door that he's detected Misyr in the gate room and she should go greet him while Il waits in his room. Ok now I think someone is impersonating Il. Kotone agrees with me that Il would want to see Misyr too!
"The one called Il" goes to Il's room. He tells two angels that his objective is complete. There is a POOL OF BLOOD under a restrained figure??? And WOW I DON'T THINK I'VE SEEN THAT 'IL IN PAIN' SPRITE BEFORE D:
Il: Solitus...what did you do to her? D:
Solitus: Do not worry. This individual has no malicious effect. I guided her to gate room due to it's superior sound-proofing, to prevent her perceiving the recovery of you. ...if you do not resist, that is.
And then before Il can gather his voice, they all teleport to Heaven.
Kotone is confused to find the gate room empty...and then the "closed" sign slips to "open" and 'Misyr' steps through. He grabs her and pulls her through the gate.
TO BE CONTINUED
no subject
Date: 2020-12-30 05:01 am (UTC)(In retrospect this is really obvious OH WELL)
If it's any consolation, I did not figure it out until he became full on monsterboy.
Vennia suggests calling the wormholes that connect to Misyr's world and cause everything to turn to ash be called "fissures" because they are a very scientifically minded fairy <3
they are wonderful that way! And I loved the segue to naming.
Kotone is reading a romance between a human boy and a greek goddess then gets embarrassed at being so into this interspecies romance.
...in hindsight, this ended up foreshadowing but not the way I expected! Being a world is pretty close to being a goddess!
no subject
Date: 2020-12-31 02:05 am (UTC)..in hindsight, this ended up foreshadowing but not the way I expected! Being a world is pretty close to being a goddess!
Oh, good catch I missed that!