#crypticscarecrow

"I can ADD you to this system at any given time, if you give me a reason to. The only reason I haven't yet is because of that slimeball "fixed" you behind my back!"

"You as much as blow smoke on their faces, I will remind you of the pecking order. You're to keep them away, while I keep them in check."

Meggy DOES hold a lot of vitriol for Puzzles. For what he did to her, to her friends, for all the harm he caused. But something that people seem to overlook is that she SAW the goodness inside of Puzzles. The reason she believes in him so heavily, and continues to hold onto the hope of him being better, and making better choices, is because she knows he CAN.

The stuff with Leggy was weirdly handled and kinda went back and forth, I will be the first to admit, but either way, Leggy IS a very small part of Meggy. The overly hopeful, almost childish belief that Puzzles could have been her friend, and a part of her that got to actively see Puzzles' kindness. Although two different people, they're still one in the same, two sides of the same person. Could it have been handled and written better? OH, absolutely. But you can say that about a lot of plot points and characters in SMG4, and Leggy fully merged with Meggy in our AU and isn't an active presence. No reason for her to be, she served her narrative purpose. Meggy is the focus.

Leggy's worldview on its own is way too optimistic and forgiving. MEGGY is able to properly process and thoroughly comprehend all of Puzzles' actions, both the good AND the bad. Just because she's holding out hope for him, it does not make her stupid or naive. It does not mean she's forgiven him, whatsoever.

Complicated and conflicting feelings can exist! At the end of WOTFI 2025, she finally SAW Puzzles give her that proof she needed. That proof she'd been asking for. Proof that he changed. Proof that he genuinely was remorseful and wanted to make things right. His actions and words had SUCH a deep impact on her. Deep enough for her to genuinely consider letting go of the rope.

But she doesn't. She understands, and she respect Puzzles' choice. But she still deeply MISSES HIM. Despite everything he's done, it doesn't erase the fact that she's PROUD of him- seeing him finally be the person she always knew he could be.

And it doesn't erase the grief that follows, once he's gone. Of course, no one knows WHAT happened to Puzzles and WPNZ, but everyone really does treat them like they just... died.

It hits Meggy harder than she'd expected it to. She DOES find a strange sort of peace in his choice, and in knowing that he tried so hard to make things right for everyone, but she still can't help but to mourn what could have been. To wish he could still be there, to see everything and everyone he wound up saving.

So when he and WPNZ actually RETURN... oh, she's beyond ECSTATIC. She can't believe it. She takes it as a clear sign that she and Puzzles can truly be friends. She wants to continue helping Puzzles change for the better, to keep helping him be a better person. She wants to get to know him.

So many dynamics are explored and touched on in Return from the Rift, but arguably, Puzzles' and Meggy's winds up being one of the most important. I am always so happy to expand on Meggy's character, especially since a lot of people don't seem to be able to grasp the moral grays and nuances of it all, and the choices she made in canon.

Still holding some care for, and hope in, the people that hurt you does not magically mean you forgave them for everything. Or that you're not still holding them accountable. Meggy still lives with the trauma and hurt, but she's someone who fights hard for the future, and future hopeful prospects. Puzzles gave her the proof she needed, and so she's willing to extend that olive branch, again.

Like SMG4 himself very smartly put it, Meggy wasn't a moron for trying to give Puzzles another chance. PUZZLES had been the moron for not TAKING IT.

But Puzzles is taking that chance, now. He's willing to take that chance, and be grateful for it.

Puzzles learns a lot from Meggy, SMG3, and SMG4, in this story. And, similarly, WPNZ continues to learn a lot from Karen, and even his own kids. It's a love letter to all of these characters, and the interactions and nuances that they DESERVED to have explored further. It's an AU that wraps up their stories much more completely, and in a (hopefully) satisfying way.