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So Lost and Tired | OPEN

[Twilight had been quite strained since the murders had started. She always held the idea that these murders were a message, that what Palitutu had said was right and that they focused too much on themselves and too little on those around them. Biggs' letter proved her right on all counts. She was already angry with the Heroes because of how they acted, but now...

If you go past the Laboratory, you'll hear the sounds of things crashing and breaking and if you go investigate, you'll see Twilight wrecking her end of the building in anger and grief. If she catches you, she'll bring up a desk to throw at you and will throw it if you were there when Zelda died. Except if you were Shining.]

What do YOU want?!

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[Selphie could understand being angry, sad or confused. Sure, she'd given Biggs a piece of her mind and effectively told him to shove it but something about the rampage going on as Selphie passed the lab was completely different. It sounded like a kid throwing a tantrum. Perhaps it was a warranted feeling but there were more constructive ways to deal with that anger and grief.

Selphie stopped what she was doing and marched headlong into the noise and destruction. She stood in the doorway with her hands firmly on her hips, glaring at the pony before her. The perky brunette bellows:]

CALM DOWN!

WHY SHOULD I?!

[And now Twilight is staring down Selphie in anger, the desk being waved around by magical telekinesis.]

Why should I calm down, huh? I'm acting like the rest of you - violent and willing to break things! Isn't that what we should do, right?!

[Selphie looked over toward Jaelyn and flashed her worried look.]

Jaelyn, go get help.

[Jaelyn nodded briefly before flying off to get assistance. In the meantime, the perky brunette turned her attention back toward Twilight.]

Because this isn't going to solve a damn thing. Turning on each other is only going to prove that pompous blowhard right. Not everybody is being violent and breaking things. Some of us are actually trying to keep the peace. Don't toss everybody under the same blanket because of the actions of a few.

[Selphie balled her fists in frustration.]

Please... stop this!

Then, what should I do, huh?

[Twilight approaches Selphie, tears welling up in her eyes.]

I was out there, trying to keep everything calm, but all everyone wanted to do was try to fight over who'd got to be judge, jury and executioner of one person! I warned them that there was something or someone out there who might be controlling them, but they refused to listen!

Palitutu was right - all we care about is ourselves!

[Selphie sinks to her knees and looks at Twilight, pleading.]

That's not true!

There's that Chrom guy who keeps going out there and helping people evacuate from their homes and he doesn't have to. Aren't you guys researching ways to stop the Calamity? Why would I be here talking to you if I only cared about myself? Why would I open up a cafe I know nothing about running for people as a safe haven if I only cared about myself? How can you say that we only care about ourselves when we're all doing so much to save this world?

That blowhard can go suck a rotten egg if his words got you riled up. Just tell him to go shove a stick up his ass or something. That's not what we're here for.

[Selphie relaxes her hands and closes her eyes. She takes a deep breath to centre herself before pressing on.]

Everyone is hurting right now, okay? I wasn't there and I don't understand everything that happened but we can't stop doing what we're doing. I know that it's hard but this isn't what Zelda would have wanted. We have to stand together and unite, not become divided.

Please, put the desk down.

[Twilight listens to what Selphie has to say before she flops down on her rear, letting tears roll down her face.]

It's... it's not... it's not fair. None of them needed to die.

[She finally puts down the desk and buries her head under her front legs.]

Why didn't they listen? Why?

[Apparently, Selphie has to be the bearer of the realistic bad news.]

Life... isn't fair. If it were fair, we wouldn't be here trying to save this world.

[The perky brunette inches closer to Twilight and reaches out to the pony with a conflicted look on her face.]

I wish I knew.

[Selphie keeps her thoughts of everyone being caught in the heat of the moment to herself.]

[And right now, all Twilight can do is just accept Selphie's approach and just cry. All of it is just a lot of stress.]

[Ales walked over to this room when the clanging noises just wouldn't stop. It made working in his own room much more difficult. Was there an experiment going on? A fight? Please don't let it be a fight.

He stops at the doorway when he sees the pony tossing this around the room for no reason. Well. His eyelids droop.]

I was wondering what all this commotion was.

[Twilight stopped as she saw Ales, desk held over her head still. She just glared at him at the moment.]

Yeah, well, get used to it. Isn't this what the other Heroes want to do?

Throw tantrums? I doubt it.

[He's not being nice anymore. Ever since he got Biggs' letter, he's done with the friendly facade. Friendly accomplished nothing.]

[And right now, Twilight's not being the Princess of Friendship she's supposed to be, either.]

I'm throwing a tantrum because right now I'd rather tell the Heroes here how much they stink! That what Palitutu told me two months ago was right and that all they care about is themselves!

[Ales sighs and steps in. There's truth in what Twilight says, and he has to agree.]

You're right about that.

[His eyes flicker over as he folds his arms.]

We let civilians die because we thought keeping one of us alive was more important. That's not what protectors of the people are supposed to do.

You're right, we're not supposed to. Especially when everyone would rather fight over that one person.

[Twilight sighs as she flops down on her rear.]

I don't like fighting. I really don't. I'll fight if we need to, but... I feel like there's always another way if people would stop and listen.

[That gets an eyebrow raise. He didn't know the details of the fight, but he was aware that the main point of contention was whether to kill Rialynn or not. And yet Twilight doesn't like fighting.]

There are times when talking it out doesn't work. Some people don't listen to reason, and the only way to stop them from ruining the land is to use force.

[...]

Even when the one ruining things is supposed to be the rightful ruler.

[ Sheena rarely goes to the lab, but she's there to check up on both Jade and Twilight when she hears all the noise. Fearing the worst, she runs towards the commotion, literally skidding to a halt when she sees just what's going on. ]

Whoa!

[ She had opened her mouth to say something when the desk comes flying at her, causing her to duck as it crashes into the wall behind her. ]

I want you to calm down!

Calm down? Calm down?!

[Twilight snorts as she approaches Sheena, glaring.]

Why should I? Isn't this what you guys want - to wreck things and being brutal and think of nothing else?!

[Twilight's not thinking straight here.]

Yes! Calm down!

[ And she'll just return that glare right back at you, Twilight. ]

For one thing, this isn't like you! And for another, you're judging everyone based on the actions of a few!

And doing so makes you no better than that idiot, Biggs.

[ Have a nice verbal slap in the face, Twilight. ]

[Twilight jerks back at that snap before she turns her gaze away, still angry.]

I don't care if it's not like me, Sheena! I tried to stop everyone from climbing all over themselves to get at Rialynn. Shining and I both! And they wouldn't! All they cared about was seeing who'd get to be judge, jury and executioner!

[Aaaand, she's starting to tremble here.]

[ Sheena approaches the pony and places her hand gently upon her friend's head. ]

I know you did. People were angry, and sometimes when they're angry, they can't see reason.

[ Broken desk, anyone?

She shifted so she could meet the pony's gaze. ]

But not everyone wanted to do that, remember? [ The fact that people had been moving was proof of that. ] That should give you some comfort.

[ Feeling the pony tremble, the ninja wraps her arms about her in a comforting hug. ]

[And it's Sheena's hug that causes Twilight to start crying. She doesn't want to lose her balance on the other girl, so she returns the hug with her wings.]

I... I just...! I...!

[Right now, she wished she could have her human body for this.]

[ Sheena's embrace becomes tighter when the pony starts to cry and she begins stroking her mane in a comforting manner. ]

I know...

[ She remains like that for several minutes before pulling back slightly. ]

You know, Cloud defended her afterward. And someone had cast a healing spell on her.

[ She doesn't know what her friend's reaction will be, but Sheena thinks she deserves to know. ]

[Twilight sniffles and lowers her head at that. She's just so conflicted.]

Wh... what about the others? What did they do?

[ Thaaat isn't the reaction she had expected, so Sheena once again places her hand on Twilight's head. ]

They didn't hurt her, if that's what you're wondering, Twilight. [ Cloud wouldn't let it happen--and neither did Sheena. ] I think Jade managed to pull the ring off her. He had said something about a black crystal being used to control people before.

[ Which is probably why he got it off her. ]

[Well, that sure is a desk being flung at her that she needs to dodge. Tazendra is going to advanced, hand on her sword, until she sees Twilight.]

Ah, it is Shining's sister. I had thought we had invaders.

[... She sounds disappointed. Because Tazendra really wants something clear-cut and solvable by violence at the moment, not a co-worker having a telekinetic Bad Day.]

[Twilight snorted as she saw Tazendra before her and turned away.]

Yeah, well, I'm certain everyone would enjoy that.

[someone missed Twilight's tone entirely]

Yes, well, it is far better to have an enemy and a clear path forward than what we had before.

[Tazendra likes enemies she can fight; she doesn't like things that creep into her mind to kill her allies.]

[Alice had been dead when that mess when down. She knows some of what happened- Zelda's dead, there was another big fight. But that's it. She came back to work because it was better than sitting around at home and having her moogle fuss over her all day.

This is not what she wanted to come back to. She glares right back.]

I want a lot of things. Most especially to not have another mess to clean up. But since I'm not getting that, I suppose I'll go and fetch a broom.

Clean up a mess, huh? I figured you guys wouldn't mind a large mess! I mean, isn't that what a lot of you enjoy?

[Twilight's not feeling it, either, but she's clearly hurting right now.]

[Alice sighs and starts tidying up. Anything broken goes into one pile, things still intact get set carefully aside.]

What we enjoy? Setting yourself apart from the rest of us?

Oh, I would love to, but it's now quite obvious that to be a Hero of Light, we need to be bloodthirsty and cause a humongous mess, no matter what!

[Alice just keeps cleaning.]

I assume this is about what happened on the third? I hear it was... quite a mess.

[Based on what she heard, it was horrifying.]

[The lab was most certainly not Vincent's favorite place. He ignored it and avoided it if he could usually. But there were reports that had been unearthed and while he could ask Lucrecia or Jade... Asking others was not a good substitute for reading it himself.

The commotion had his eyes narrowing slightly, and heading in that direction. Finding a purple pony with wings and a horn trashing things made him pause in surprise. Was this another Hero? He'd heard there were some who were decidedly not human looking.

The desk being brought up had him flattening himself against the door way with his gauntlet up in a guard, and his right hand reaching for the gun at his hip.]

[Twilight stopped as Vincent went for the gun, but held the desk as a threat.]

Look, if you're here to talk, go away. Seriously, I don't think any of us can dig themselves out of the hole we're in now. Besides, isn't this what you guys enjoy?

[Good thing he's used to remaining calm.]

If I understood what you were talking about, I could answer you more properly.

[Still calm, but moving his hand away at least. Doesn't mean he won't be dodging if needed.]

What hole are we digging ourselves into?

The one where we just think about ourselves and try to crawl over each other in a bloodthirsty race to be the hero.

I think I must have missed that discussion.

[Slowly lowering the gauntlet, and moving out from against the edge of the doorway. Clearly more information was needed.]

If you'll put the desk down, I would appreciate you filling me in?

[And Twilight speaks as she sets the desk down.]

What, you didn't see what happened with Zelda? Or how Biggs essentially helped proved Palitutu right with how we acted?

[Zelda... Vincent pushed down the hint of anger and sadness. How he felt wasn't important right then.]

I have indeed heard what happened with the Lady Zelda, and I saw the letter. But the information has been pieced together at best, and Biggs is viewing things only as a protector of Aquares Ixen, so has his own bias and agendas.

[Keeping both gauntlet-covered left hand and right hand visible and away from his hip, he takes a further step into the room.]

The Lab is far from a place I prefer to go, but given everyone keeps referring to reports, I felt I should come and read for myself. The commotion made me worry it was under attack.

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So Lost and Tired | OPEN

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