The Conclusion of Chuubo and the Problem of Suffering
- Chuubo, Miramie, Jasper, and Leo make progress in determining what's going on with the suffering everyone is letting off. Miramie reveals her history to Chuubo as her sickness mounts, and Melanie Malakh begins haunting her more overtly. Chuubo musters up an Intention to be stirred by her story and history, and hugs her. Leo completes the Prognostic Suffering Snifter, a sort of sundial/geiger counter/ portable fountain/ brandy snifter that will allow him to use a sample of Chuubo's suffering to locate the epicenter of where the suffering has been going. Chuubo finds resolve to reverse her wish, but they decide to find out where the suffering is going first, in case ending the wish would hurt someone.
- In the woods of Fortitude, they find Rinley Titov, who has been surrounded in a dense fog of human suffering on account of bearing the Estate closest to it, Desire. They are quite mean to Chuubo, discussing the yawning loneliness inside her and alluding to some of the uses of the Titov family magic, as well as how they have both been suffering and, having been freed of the burden for the moment, have stopped caring so much about hiding their cynicism and pain. Chuubo reaffirms her decision to end the wish, and resolves to meet with Rinley afterwards to understand them better.
- Chuubo, Miramie, Jasper, and Leo converge at the Engine and reverse Chuubo's wish. Leo takes a bath and sheds himself of his accumulated suffering muck, and Jasper prepares a simple yet delicious dinner, which all four attend. The mood is mostly positive, and Miramie asks Chuubo if she can build a treehouse in her backyard to replace her destroyed sanctuary. Jasper invites them all to do this regularly, and Leo is coerced to maybe possibly committing to some visits in the future.
- at various points everyone collectively ribs Chuubo's seagullsona;l Jasper experiences iced tea as cold for the first time; Natalia Coutelier may or may hot have an atelier; and Chuubo says a cuss
Next time:
JASPER gains a horse!
CHUUBO may have a weird time with Rinley!
MIRAMIE explores subletting!
AND THE PRINCE OF CATS SHALL ARRIVE IN TOWN!