Muse: Hey, sometimes getting Chosen is less important than making sure your friend doesn’t decide to Speak As One.
Cass: -laugh-crying-
Novo: Mhm!!
Cass: Look, fine.
Novo: Listen, I-- He wouldn’t have chosen me---
-SAO makes an entrance. Muse stops in her tracks.-
Novo: --He literally just wanted to know.
SAO: IS THAT SO?
Novo: What?
Cass: Huh?
Novo: What’s good..?
Cass: -Realizing what’s happening- Oh.
Novo: What???
Muse: Hi.
Novo: Ooooh
Cass: Oh boy. Oh boy.
SAO: MUSE.
Cass: Ooh.
Novo: Ooooooooo
Muse: Y-y-yes…?
SAO: TO NAME US IN THIS WAY. FOOLISH.
Muse: U-u-um… U-u-uh----
SAO: EXPLAIN.
Muse: U-ummmm, Uuuhhhmmmm….. Um… I-- She does not have a good explanation for this--- She really doesn’t. U-uhhhh-----
-Muse hears footsteps and panics a little, looking around for whatever it is.-
Muse: U-u-uhhh….
SAO: MUSE. THE DOUBTS RETURN. WE SEE.
Muse: … Yeah. Yeah, they kind of do. A-a-and they’re pretty justified I’d say--!
SAO: WHAT IS THE SOURCE THIS TIME?
Muse: -Sighs- The Voice won’t talk to us. They won’t tell us anything. They… they’re just standing by as everything is going on and--- We’re doing nothing! -Voice breaks with tears- I want to think that they’re doing something but they’re obviously not! They don’t trust us, and that’s what we’re supposed to be! -Tch- We’re… We’re supposed to be… of one mind, and yet look at us! And it’s their fault! -Soft, trying not to cry noises- They won’t explain, and it almost seems like we’re working with the Hunter. That we’re letting him run amok!
SAO: WHAT IF, MUSE. THE CURSES SPREAD.
Muse: … What curses…?
SAO: WHAT IF THE VOICE CONTAINS THEM.
Muse: -Voice shaking- W-w-wait a minute---
SAO: THE ONES USED BY THE HUNTER, AND…
SAO: THE OLD TONGUE. OTHER COMMANDS.
Muse: What if they spread… what if the Voice contains them…
SAO: YES. AND HIDES IT TO PROTECT US.
Muse: Well--! -Deep breath- They’re not protecting us! If anything, -tch- Yes, sometimes not telling people things does protect them. I know that, but… That… -sniffs- It’s not helping in this case! Everyone is scared, from me to… my friends, to-to so many other Watchers, other voices, everyone is scared and terrified of what’s happening because no one knows what’s happening! And if they know it, then they should tell us! -Soft crying- Because in… in silence, we make our own answers. And they’re usually not good ones.
SAO: INFECT A PART. ROT THE WHOLE.
Muse: -Exasperated sigh- What if we’re already infected? If the Voice is containing them---
SAO: THIS WE ARE TAUGHT OF THE WORD...
Cass: -Sighs- (If) that’s the truth, then... don’t you guys need help?
SAO: THE OLD TONGUE WOULD BE FAR WORSE.
Cass: Ugh...
Muse: But don’t we need that to stop this thing?! If… It’s dangerous, but if we find-- if we find it’s name then, we can stop it, we can contain it, right? ...And if it’s already in The Voice, then… what’s even the point of trying to stop it..?
SAO: TO WHICH NAME DOES MUSE REFER?
Muse: To HUNT-THE-STRONG.
Cass: -Concerned hiss-
SAO: FOUND.
Muse: … No..? Not in Old Tongue. Unless there’s something, again, we’re not being told--!
SAO: SPEAKS OF HIS NAME IN THE TONGUE. YES.
Muse: -Confused noises- When did that happen????
SAO: THE VOICE SEEKS ALL NAMES THEREIN.
SAO: REMEMBER. MUSE. IT CAN KILL.
Muse: … Yeah. And so can that thing. -Crying noises-
SAO: HAS IT SLAIN ONE OF HER FRIENDS?
Muse: It sure has infected one. -Sobbing breaths- And I don’t know when it’s going to take them. So, I don’t know, maybe trying to stop it is a little bit of a priority--! -Crying-
SAO: WE SEE. NOT DEATH OF THE BODY.
Muse: It’s practically the same thing.
Cass: No… Death of the mind… A different thing. Because then, they couldn’t even be in the Song, right?
SAO: SHE MOURNS THEIR MIND. A SINNER.
Muse: And..?
SAO: THIS FRIEND DOES NOT JOIN THE SONG.
Cass: -sighs-
Muse: No. No they don’t. And they never will. -sniffling-
SAO: THEN WHY PITY? BEHOLD. CHOICE.
Muse: Because I care about them! -Through tears- Because I don’t want them to hurt--!
Cass: Are you talking about Krystal..?
Muse: … Yeah… -Cries more- ‘Cause I want them to be okay! I don’t want to watch them die in front of me! That’s why. I know you don’t understand that. -soft tears- And you never will.
SAO: MUSE…
Muse: Yeah..?
SAO: THE SONG ENDS PAIN. THEIRS. HERS.
Novo: Muse…
Muse: -Crying intensifies-
Novo: It can mask pain…
SAO: SHE CANNOT SAVE THOSE WHO REBEL.
Muse: …
Cass: Can the Song… really help with that..?
SAO: WE PITY THEM. BUT THEY WELCOME IT.
Cass: -Sighs-
SAO: YES. AMONG US. AT HOSTING AGE…
Cass: They see…
SAO: THE PAIN OF ONE, BORNE BY MANY.
SAO: IT IS RELIEF ETERNAL.
Cass: Mmm…
Muse: It may be but… not for everyone. Not for all of my friends… not unless I force them. I don’t wanna do that. I’ve done that enough--!
SAO: THIS PAIN SHE FEELS NOW…
SAO: LEGACY OF THE GREAT DIVIDE.
Cass: -Sighs-
Muse: -Whispering- I swear to god---
SAO: NOT NATURAL. NOT NECESSARY.
Muse: -Huge upset sigh-
Cass: So that’s it? You’re just gonna look out for you and yours and… ignore everyone else’s suffering, and not even try to do anything about it?
Novo: You think you’re safe now, but you won’t be for long.
SAO: THE SONG BINDS US AGAINST HIM.
SAO: THOSE WHO CHOOSE TO WALK ALONE
SAO: SHOULD NOT BEMOAN THE WOLF’S BITE.
Muse: But that’s… AUGH--! -Sniffing- But just-just because---
SAO: MUSE DESIRES A WORLD IN WHICH…
SAO: WHAT WE BELIEVE DOES NOT DIVIDE US.
SAO: REDACRE. BEYOND. IT DOES NOT EXIST.
Muse: But that doesn’t mean we have to make it worse--!
Cass: Doesn’t mean we can’t try either. If it’s true that our beliefs divide us, then what is my friendship with Muse?
SAO: A TREMBLING, BLIND GESTURE AT TRUTH.
Cass: Hmm.
Muse: E-eh--- It sure seems to be working, though.
Cass: Yeah. Working better than… not trying at all.
SAO: IF THEY SAY SO.
Cass: -sighs-
-The whole group wiggles at each other in solidarity.-
Muse: If it---
SAO: WE ARE ONE. THOSE WHO WILL NOT JOIN…
SAO: WE CANNOT SAVE THEM.
Cass: Then as the---
Muse: … Then I won’t leave them behind--!
Cass: Yeah.
Muse: That’s not… that’s not right either!! … If… If we really wanted some sort of lasting peace, some sort of community, then wouldn’t we help everyone? Wouldn’t we not leave anyone behind?
SAO: NO. THEY WILL NOT BEAR US, MUSE.
SAO: WE FLED HERE. THEY STOLE INSIDE.
SAO: WHAT THEY ARE. WHAT WE ARE. ANATHEMA.
Muse: -Reading their words- … I can’t pronounce that, but I know what it means. (I did not.)
Cass: Anathema. [Something or someone that one vehemently dislikes]
Muse: Thanks Cass.
Cass: I think.
Muse: But…
Cass: You know she’s going to try anyway, right?
SAO: MUSE…
SAO: WE ARE THY WATCHER.
SAO: IF THIS IS THE COURSE SHE CHOOSES
SAO: WE WILL AWAIT HER… AFTERWARD.
-Muse completely falls apart-
SAO: UNTIL THEN. THE EYE CLOSES.
Muse: Well they are right. I am gonna try. Here’s to hoping the Voice isn’t infected.
SAO: THE BEAST HUNTS US. THEM. EQUAL.
Cass: Even if The Voice doesn’t want our help, we’ll give it.
Muse: Of course he does.
SAO: WE HOPE MUSE DOES NOT FALL PREY.
Muse: And if I do, oh well.
SAO: WE HOPED… SO MUCH MORE.
Cass: Don’t worry, we’re not gonna let anything happen to her.
Novo: Mm-mm.
Cass: I know you don’t... trust us, but... we’re her friends too.
Novo: We’re gonna be here for you Muse. Every step of the way.
Muse: -quietly- Thanks…
SAO: WHAT SHE WAS… WHO, AND WHY…
SAO: SHOULD SHE FALL, THIS OR ANY NIGHT…
SAO: THE SONG SHALL REMEMBER.
Cass: -Sighs-
SAO: REMAIN VIGILANT. WE SPEAK AS ONE.
