Chapter Text
Several weeks later
Widget appears in a flurry of sparks and cheerful jingles that might have been one of the many, many ad jingles that keep haunting her even in this world.
The young woman puts down her tea and grins at the little holographic AI, “Hello, Widget!”
[Creator! Mission “This is my story” accomplished! Achievement “Take that, you dumb editor!” unlocked! Achievement “He Deserves A Better Ending” unlocked! Achievement “Rainbow Road To A Brighter Future” unlocked! Congratulations! Side route “Romance the cute judge” unlocked!] It keeps chirping a few other notifications and floating around her head, until Athena snaps her fingers and it abruptly stops.
“Thank you for all that, but please slow down, all your frantic moving is making me dizzy. Now, what did I miss?” She tugs at her robes, rearranges the folds. “Last time you told me that Klavier was getting closer to the truth about Kristoph. How did it go?”
The AI starts recounting the events of the last few weeks, its high voice switching to recordings of the people it talks about for a more dramatic effect as it keeps taking shape in vague silhouettes of the people it impersonates. It’s quite reminiscent of theatre, a frantic flurry of movement, voices and impression, one Athena has learned to read like a book. It’s been years since she transmigrated here after all.
Widget is terrible at telling a story though.
Not like the woman minds. Her editor had been so much worse.
Athena Cykes leans back in her seat, still smiling as she watches Widget reenact the confession scene, “My, I did expect him to be over the top, but this takes the cake. Wait, that other guy did what ?! Okay, they deserve each other. They are both overdramatic idiots.“
When she looks outside, she finds the boys in question just across the street, leaning over a cart filled with random knick knacks, Apollo’s smile radiant and adorable with the red head he keeps sporting. Every time he finally starts calming down, her darling protagonist turns his way and he starts blushing all over again. It makes the other man laugh and poke his nose, turning the embarrassment into anger like a switch. Frankly, it’s adorable and she is regretting sweetening her tea now.
They don’t have dentists here, it’s terrible, cavities are a pain to get rid of.
“I’m glad I got to see my story play out.” she grins and plucks a berry off her plate, shoving it into her mouth, “Thanks, Widget. For… everything, really.”
For keeping her company when she was stranded here, for helping her get her footing, for calling Apollo here to save her story. There are many things she needs to thank it for, but the most important ones she can’t convey without crying and that is still very frowned upon in public. How tragic.
“Anything for our creator!” It chirps, “And for the fate you wanted for The Rise Of The Righteous Cultivator ! What will you do now, creator?”
“What do you think?” Done with her tea, she drops a handful of coins onto the table and smooths out her robe as she gets up, “You opened a new route for me, didn’t you? And if Juniper is anything like I think she is… We are going to have quite the adventure.”
With one last look towards the boys, Athena leaves the teahouse, snickering at the angry squawks behind her and Klavier’s genuine laughter ringing through the street. She doesn’t have to look back to know that he is probably holding Apollo at arms length, the shorter boy’s arms not long enough to cause any real damage. She doesn’t have to check if they are alright, Widget doesn’t need to follow Apollo everywhere anymore. Though it should probably say goodbye before it disappears. Just in case Apollo worries.
Then, they can go see the world, check the sights and meet new people.
She can’t wait to see what her world has in store for her.