Event || Another Side, Another Story (Conclusion)

[melodiesmods]

Characters: Anyone (only characters who came in as part of the event can start new threads).
Where: Anywhere
When: 29th of February.
Summary: As the final day of the event closes in, the characters who came in are on the verge of meeting with a terrible fate: some are going to die whilst some are going to crystallize and disappear. The tragedy may happen to them anytime from 08:00 AM to 08:00 PM on this day, so they can see some of their friends die or crystallize before it happens to them—Or not. If you plan on app’ing your character next week, then nothing will happen to them so long as their application is accepted. In doubt, you are free to wait until the application round starts and your app gets processed before posting here.
Warning: Tragedies of the Greek and Shakespearean flavors.

MELODIES OF DEATH
— Warning: If you pick this option, you will lock yourself out from ever app’ing this particular version of your character again —
Maybe you were minding your own business, planning for the future as you finally reached civilization and met a lot of wonderful people. Maybe even you were thinking about ways for you to save your homeworld, ways to fight Palitutu, Garland and the Calamity. But unfortunately you will not be able to do any of these things, for a terrible fate awaits these Heroes of Light who were awakened by Kalki all these months ago.

At any time during the day, it could strike any of newly arrived Heroes of Light. At first it will start with a terrible, agonizing pain that will surge throughout their bodies—Nearly unbearable, as if they were dying. After mere seconds the pain will subside, but then they will feel life itself leaving their bodies. There would be a little bit of time for the Heroes of Light to speak final words to their friends, but only seconds to a minute at best before death catches up with them

And upon dying, the crystals of dead Heroes of Light will shatter and their bodies will remain, not crystallizing. All the Heroes of Light in Crystallis will feel a sharp pain as this happens—But the pain will grow lesser and lesser with each subsequent death, until it’ll become nothing more than a tingle.


MELODIES OF ETERNITY
— This option will have the characters crystallize and disappear, meaning they can still be app’d at some point in the future —
And because many of the newly arrived Heroes of Light, maybe you assumed you would as well—But maybe you wouldn’t. Not all of the Heroes of Light who reached Mysidia this past week were meet with such a terrible fate. Some will fall in Crystal Stasis instead. It was a state that had immobilized and taken away countless Heroes of Light before, but maybe this was better than death?

Like those who died, they will feel a terrible pain surging throughout their bodies. But rather than fading, the pain will remain as their bodies slowly crystallize. They will have the time for a farewell to their friends, but their time is limited to nothing more than mere seconds.

And only instants after their bodies fully crystallized, they will vanish, nowhere to be found.


MELODIES OF LIFE
— This option is for character being app’d and then accepted into the game —
Or maybe nothing will happen to you. But unfortunately, you can see everyone around you dying of crystallizing, and assume the same fate awaits you.

But why? Why it this happening to everyone on the same day, just after the two groups of Heroes of Light finally reunited? Surely this cannot be a coincidence…

Comments

Melodies of Death | Madoka

[finalwish]

She felt lighter when she woke up on the morning of the 29th. It felt as if things were finally going well and everything was falling perfectly into place. The sun was warmer and the air cleaner as the light of day reached it's long digits into the sky. she had been reunited with her best friend and she thought that maybe she could finally do something worth wild to help.

She cooked and ate breakfast quickly. There was a lot of things to catch up on and a lot of information to pass between the two reunited groups. She took a little bit of extra time that morning to make lunch. There were six makeshift bento boxes lined up on the counter as she added the last few things to each of them. She didn't know if she'd see everyone that she made them for but it was okay to have a little extra food and it had been some time since Madoka really got to cook like this.

With everything set and the bentos tied she packed her bag and walked into the light of the on coming day. It was late morning now and she watched as people bustled around the streets and shop owners sold their wears. It really was a wonderful place and she wanted to protect it.

She crossed the street, staying out of the way as a cart and a chocobo stepped past her. As she made her way to the meeting spot she wondered what they would be able to do today or if Sayaka would be willing to show her around more. She wanted to learn more about Blitzball having never heard of the sport before now.

The feeling was sudden and Madoka stopped mid step as it flared from her core, licking out towards her limbs as if seeking to grip and tear apart her small frame. Her knees buckled beneath her and she crumpled to the ground as a high pitched scream echoed from her lips. Her head pounded as every nerve in her body screamed and pulsed under the pain. She couldn't find it's source and she knew scratching at her skin would do nothing to stop it. Tears welled in her eyes as she looked up towards the sky, it was only then that she realized she was laying on the ground and her backpack had split open next to her. Those walking past on the street stared at her but no one moved closer.

The sky... was so blue.

[chasingfireflies]

Keiko had stopped to pick up some things at the market that morning. Her fingers were lightly curled around the twine handles of the paper shopping bag containing a couple of clothing items for her to wear, since she couldn't very well run around in the same tunic and leggings day after day, could she? It made laundry day every day. But the instant she heard somebody scream, Keiko literally dropped everything and ran toward the source.

She couldn't see past the line of people staring blankly toward the ground, save for somebody's small feet. "Move aside! Why are you just standing there?!" Keiko snapped at them, shoving her way through. Morons, why wouldn't they...

...help...?

"Madoka?!" Keiko dropped beside the girl, her fingertips pressed against the ground as she quickly checked for signs of injuries. Had she been hit by a cart? Fallen from a great height? She wanted to lift her up and comfort her, but she wasn't sure if it was safe to move her. "Madoka, what happened? Can you speak?"

[finalwish]

Madoka's eyes pulled away from the bright blue sky and landed on the familiar sight of the brown haired girl. Keiko had always been nice even though they weren't particularly close.

"It hurt... I'm sorry Keiko." Her voice was soft and she felt her heart beat ebbing. "I think I'm dying..." She shivered and tried to will herself to live. She didn't want to die here, she didn't want it to end like this. There were to many people she wanted to stay with.

"Keiko?" She shivered fighting with each labored breath. "Tell Sakaya... I'm sorry." Moisture gathered on her cheeks as she spoke.

[dolente]

Sayaka had been feeling better than ever since Madoka had arrived. Of course, she had wanted her friend to stay with her, and as she went downstairs spying the lunch boxes, she chuckled to herself. Madoka must have already been up and ready to start the day -- and here she was still struggling with her bedhead from the night before.

Setting out for the day, she wondered which way would lead her to the pink-haired girl she sought after, but the spilled contents of the backpack in the distance had made it so that she didn't have to search for long.

Rushing up to the other girl, Sayaka was already on her knees next to her. "Madoka?! Madoka! What's wrong? What happened!"

[finalwish]

Madoka closed her eyes when her friends voice spoke in her ear. She couldn't bare for Sayaka to see her this way, she knew what was happening as each heartbeat slowed and each breath became harder. She was dying.

Please don't look...

She turns her head with great effort at Sayaka's approach. "It.. hurts... I'm...so sorry...." Tear welled in her eyes.

"I'm sorry."

Melodies of Eternity | Wander | open to threadjacking

[folkscallmewander]

There was so many neighborhoods Wander hadn't visited yet. There was so much of this beautiful planet he had yet to see. Today was supposed to be another day to spend with friends and traveling to other cities. Another day hopping out of bed, grabbing a light breakfast at the local bakery, and humming to himself as he walked down the crowded streets towards the fountains and chocolate eggs.

"Mornin'!" He greeted everyone who looked his way. Today was going to be great!

He hopped onto an empty stretch of the fountain rim and removed his muffin from the paper bag. The sun was shining, the residents of the city were milling about, life was good--

And there was a sharp pain in his chest.

Wander let go of his breakfast, fumbled for control with one hand while the other clutches his jacket just above his heart, and lost control. The muffin broke on impact and the crumbs scattered across the stones. He too, fell onto the ground as the pain spread across his chest.

Re: Melodies of Eternity | Wander | open to threadjacking

[toomanymistakes]

Lucrecia had been heading to the bakery when she noticed a familiar figure by the fountain. At first she smiled, about to call out in greetings and wish him a good morning. Yet those words and her smile died as she saw him clutch his jacket and fall forward.

"Wander...!" Lucrecia rushed over, bending down to gently place a hand on his back if he'd allow. "Wander, what's wrong?"

Re: Melodies of Eternity | Wander | open to threadjacking

[folkscallmewander]

He froze mid-gasp. He couldn't let Lucrecia worry, especially not when she already had enough to worry about. He put on the biggest grin he could muster, pushed himself off the ground, and sat up with one hand grasping the clothes on his chest.

"Nothin', must have swallowed my food before properly chewin' on it. You know how bad that is for you, right? Well, guess I forgot all about that and--" He flinched and doubled over. "Sorry, still in my pipe."

The heavy sweating was an instant indicator of his lies.

Melodies of Life | Keiko Yukimura

[chasingfireflies]

This was crazy! Keiko's head was reeling as she pressed her back against the wall, heart pounding in her chest. All over the city, people were dropping like flies. Some turned to crystal and vanished. Others just died. Was it happening in other cities too, or just this one? There was only one thing she knew for sure.

The ones who fell had all been part of her lost group. She knew each and every face, sometimes intimately. That meant it was only a matter of time before the rest of them fell too, didn't it? Including herself. Including Yusuke.

Her hands shook, and she clenched them into fists to make them stop. She wasn't afraid...not really. But it was just so unfair. They'd all fought so hard to survive for so long, and against seemingly impossible odds. Now they were going to die anyway?! Where was the justice in that? And where was Kalki? She had a lot to answer for!

There was no telling how much time she had left. Keiko gathered her courage and grit her teeth, and rushed through the streets. She needed to find Yusuke and the others. Maybe they were doomed, maybe not. If it only affected people inside of the city, then they needed to get out of here pronto!

And if not...

If not, then she at least wanted to be with them when her turn came up.

[OOC: Keiko's not going anywhere, but she doesn't know that. She will, however, be there to comfort anyone who's leaving. Open to all!]

[water_meebo]

Keiko!

[ There's a frantic Seraph running towards her, out of breath and seemingly paled due to the amount of things that were happening. He certainly shouldn't be running around after what had happened but when he saw people die, and not just disappear, he was starting to lose whatever composure he had.

Despite his usually calm exterior, Mikleo was very well concerned and worried about his friends and those close to him. He'll never cease to make a fuss over them no matter what the situation was, and his heart ached that he was watching many people fall victim these symptoms. He couldn't find a reason or a cure. He ransacked the Library, but nothing to tell him about what was going on.

Then he had to find his friends. Where were Lailah, Edna, Rose, and Zaveid? Where was Yusuke, Keiko and Kurama?! Obsidian and others. He was really looking out for familiar faces. ]

[chasingfireflies]

Mikleo!

[The moment she sees him running toward her, she dashes toward him, shortening the distance he has to cover.]

Have you seen Yusuke? I can't find him anywhere!

[Wait, that look on his face... That's not why he came racing to find her, is it?]

A-are you okay?

melodies of life | hinata hajime

[hopedout]

[ Fear had overtaken Hinata as he looked around as saw the familiar scenery of death. Something that made him freeze in his tracks, regardless of blood, and it made him almost tense up. He was scared that the same could happen to him. Maybe he'd disappear too, or die, and he didn't want that.

No.

He didn't want that, more than anything, especially not when— especially not when he just reunited with her! Cursing himself, he runs frantically around around. Although Hinata knows that he didn't want to admit things like this to her, he has to, even if he might get rejected in the end. Tears are starting at the edges of his eyes, but he blinks them back, not wanting to have a sendoff like that.

Although he had to admit that he... didn't know how to do this. But if he was going to die, or disappear, and not be able to see her again, he has to at least say something before he does! Which is why he may run into people along the way in his frenzy. Oops. ]

Melodies of Eternity | Ysayle

[iceicelady]

[While she lacked the power of the power of the Echo in this world, fate had conspired to make up for things in another way. She had arrived in Crystallis with the Time Mage and Illusionist jobs, ones that were a bit unfamiliar to her but still suited her. She rarely mentioned it but she was glad she did not have the Summoner job. It just felt...wrong to her.

But the two jobs she had granted her access to the powers of the Seer job, and in the time before her group of Heroes reached Mysidia the Advanced Job had reached its full potential. The visions came and they troubled her because she knew they did not come from the same source that the visions granted by the Echo did.

In a quiet cafe in Aqures Ixen a teacup smashes on the floor, the Elezen's eyes wide as new images run into her head. The vision is a horrific one, the Heroes she had traveled with dropping dead or turning to crystal. All wracked with pain. As the vision ends she faintly catches sight of herself in the same throes of pain.]

Saint Shiva, no...

[Pushing herself from her seat she rushes out the door. She doesn't know where to go or who to seek for help. All she knows is she can't stand to just sit there and do nothing. Her flight takes her into a small park across from the cafe.]

Re: Melodies of Eternity | Ysayle

[alisaie]

[She'd been sitting there on a small bench in the part studying the tome borrowed from the library and pouring over her notes of their travels in the sunlight for a change when she'd heard the hurried footfalls. It wasn't until she caught glimpse of the long wintry locks of hair and familiar blue that she glanced up from the pages.]

Ysayle?

[Of course she knew that look; she'd seen it once or twice before, but never had she seemed so panicked despite how troubled she'd been glimpsing the future. Something was, or was soon going to be, very... very wrong.

Leaving all save her gifted tome on the bench, Alisaie rushed over to her companion's side.]

Ysayle? What is it- what ails you?

Re: Melodies of Eternity | Ysayle

[iceicelady]

[As troubling as the visions tended to be, it was more the wrongness of the source that tended to bother Ysayle. In this case however it was the content that was very much firmly causing her distress.]

Alisaie! [Her face wrenched as the images again ran through her mind, though more from memory than vision.] Something terrible is going to happen. Our allies, the Heroes who journeyed with us...something is going to happen. Their crystals...

Melodies of Death | Kain Highwind

[dragoon_pride]

Something definitely feels different to Kain, but at first it's a feeling he can mostly ignore. He certainly has a lot on mind, especially regarding his new purpose in this world. He has a direction, he has something to fight for... and perhaps a means to redeem himself for all he's done back home. Finally, he's on the right path, he's certain of it. It's taken him a long time to find it, but now that he has, he doesn't intend to ever be led astray again.

Too bad this realization won't last very long. Unfortunately, while he's going about his day, the pain strikes very suddenly. It's agonizing. He cries out very suddenly, falling over as that pain becomes unbearable, too much to handle.

He... he has to get out of here. All he can think about is being alone right now, getting away to somewhere silent and dark and... alone. Kain groans. Right now he can barely even get up, he's so overcome with this awful sensation. Please... let it end soon... is all he can think. He's never felt anything so terrible.

[grandsummon]

Panic. It was panic everywhere. As a healer, Yuna had been one of the first to hear about the pain that the others had been experiencing. She raced through the streets of the city, looking for anyone that needed help, her magic prowess running low as she clutched at her own chest, leaning against one of the buildings.

What was this pain? It felt -- it was like that sensation in the shared vision... when heroes had suddenly begun to really die.

A cry to the north was enough to get her attention. Pushing off from her leaning position, she was running again, running until finally she saw... "Kain!" she didn't stop, barrelling forward and collapsing to her knees in front of him. "Kain, what's going on?!"

[dragoon_pride]

“Ahhh… AHHH! It hurts, it hurts, it hurts! Yuna, please…” Kain looks at her pleadingly when she arrives. It says something about how excruciating the pain is, when even someone as normally stoic as Kain is screaming in agony over it. Even him admitting to how much pain he’s in right now… is a really bad sign. Usually he’s one to simply bear his pain in silence, usually telling his teammates he’s perfectly fine and definitely not in need of healing, nope not him. Usually he’s so afraid of appearing weak that he just deals with it.

But this… it hurts so terribly that he can hardly think. The pain is everywhere, all throughout his body, overwhelming all his senses. He’s never felt anything like it. Ohhhh god… “I don’t know… what… what happened, I…” But then his voice cuts into a scream, as the pain somehow worsens. It's just an instant before it actually starts to fade, but to Kain it feels like an eternity.

Fortunately, that's the worst the pain will get. Unfortunately... well. Kain probably would take the pain back if he knew what was coming next.

Melodies of Life | Alisaie Leveilleur

[alisaie]

Yet they weren't anywhere to be found. She couldn't find Robin, couldn't find Hope, Nashu, or even that great buffoon Hildibrand. Though the two that worried her the most, she also couldn't find-- Minfilia and Bruce. They were her closest allies, and if anything happened to them, then...

Yet the city was vast, and she had no moogle to send letters with. Exhausted, she nigh collapsed on the same park bench she'd sat upon when she saw Ysayle rush out of a cafe in a panic. Maybe it was luck that the books she'd left behind were still there, but it was hard to focus on that with the things she'd just witnessed.

It was only a matter of time, she thought. If she were to die or turn to crystal like the others, she'd at least like to see something beautiful. Yet as night fell, nothing happened as she sat there in the park. The physical pain had been slowly numbing as others she'd known the last several months vanished or fell dead where they stood. Yet as it slowly dawned upon her that she wasn't going to die or crystallize like the rest...

Alisaie wailed, unable to contain her grief. It wasn't fair. They'd just reunited with the others, begun making arrangements to fight the Calamity with them together! Yet here they were, fragmented once again. This time without the convenient excuse of an attack of an outside source.

[linkpearls]

Since first hearing what has happened to those who appeared along side her, Minfilia couldn't help but run. Run to find anyone still here who knew what was going on. Her heart kept racing as she found no sign of anyone around and she began to fear for the worst...where were Ysayle and Darling and Bruce and-

"Alisaie!"

She called out letting her feet rush over to the girl, Twelve be damned the pain she was feeling at the moment from both the exercise and the fate of their friends.

"Thank the Twelve you're here!" but when she reached her, she fell to her knees. Yeah she ran for a good while.

Melodies of Life

[water_meebo]

What on earth was going on? The people he knew and were engaging with, they were falling, disappearing, dying. This wasn't what he wanted to see. It's only been over seven months and he had hopes that they would all be able to make it through the ordeal together, especially those who he had considered friends, but one by one the ones he knew close to him were falling apart, leaving him behind, and leaving unbearable wounds that he couldn't handle.

If he were a Seraph, he would have fallen under the spell of the Malevolence, ruining himself, and becoming a Hellion. Somehow, despite those abilities and powers being taken from him, he was grateful that he wasn't a Seraph at this moment in time. His heart ached though. It was an unbearable kind of feeling that he could not rid himself of. He had been friends with these people, laughed with them, talked with them, and suffered with them. Fortunately, either way, he had become quite immune to being turned into a Hellion. These were tragic but nothing was as tragic as losing someone you care about the most in the world-- well two of them.

He honestly never spoke of them and Sorey-- he still believed his best friend was somewhere out in the world. They'll find each other again soon.

Now he was left behind and left to question what his purpose was and what he could to stop this-- all of it. He didn't want to see this kind of thing happen again. Mikleo's hand gripped against his chest, as he took deep breaths, trying to calm himself down, while utilizing his Black Mage's Staff to stop him from staggering over. After regaining his composure, the former Water Seraph was making his way down the streets of Mysidia, tearing through people to find the remaining people that were still alive.

Please let them be okay.

[gorgeous_sin]

There was at least one person he recognized. Waves of black hair swayed with her high-heeled steps. Primal Moogles and Elezen moved out of her path quickly as she approached, and so did a few begrudging Bangaa warriors. There were a few spatters of fresh blood on her cheek, dappling her throat and breast.

And her face was as calm as a lake on a windless summer day.

Lust's eyes caught Mikleo's and held his gaze, reading the panic and fear reflected there. Hmmm... Well. His reaction was nothing unusual, given the circumstances. She started moving toward him, her purpose unclear for now, save that she wasn't reaching for the spear on her back.

Once she stood before him, she let her gaze drop to the hand gripping at his chest, then back up.

"Do you feel pain?"

[tippingthescales]

When he'd realized what was going on, Robin had also gone looking for the others in their group. He'd already noticed that it only seemed to be the members of their particular group who seemed effected by this, and his mind raced as he tried to figure out why, but he didn't know enough about how any of this worked to have the answers. He wished he did know, then maybe he could find some way to stop it. To keep those who remained safe, but he didn't, so he did the only thing he could do.


"Mikleo!" The Tactician rushed over the moment he spotted the Water Seraph, his distress and concern obvious though he was doing his best to keep a cool head. "Are you alright? You don't feel any pain, do you?"

Melodies of Life | Lucrecia Crescent

[toomanymistakes]

So much had happened far too sudden for Lucrecia's liking. For the first couple hours, she had wondered in a shocked and panic-filled stupor as she ran, searching for an answer. What in Gaia's name was happening? Why now, after the two groups had just been reunited? Would she too be next? Would she be leaving her son and her comrades with one less to seek the end of this Calamity?

The thought was enough to keep her moving for a while. She had wandered the city streets for some time, trying to find others she'd traveled with, attempting to get the word out as the panic The pain she could handle; she was used to the sensation of her heart and torso were being stabbed with hundreds of scaplels on a daily basis even though not a one broke her skin in decades. But the sight of those younger, full of so much more life left to live dropping one by one or crystallizing before vanishing without a trace...

Night had fallen a few hours ago. Weary, she dropped to her knees as her legs buckled beneath her from moving far too much for such a long period of time. The pain had lessened greatly since the early morning hours, but the aching of her heart had only made room for grief of another sort. A few tears escaped her as she rested her face in her hands before the Crystal of Fire. "Why... Why them, and not... and not..."

Why could it not have been her instead of the others?

Re: Melodies of Life | Lucrecia Crescent

[bloodypast]

He'd been at the now-leaderless training school for heroes. It provided a range for archery and marksmanship with basic firearms. Not that Vincent needed the practice, but it was a long-held habit and way of letting his mind focus.A welcome distraction while letting his brain sort itself out.

The first time the pain had hit, his shot had gone wide as Vincent was caught off-guard. Almost an echo of long-ago-pain mingled with maniacal laughter as he crumpled to the ground. Left hand even going to his chest in shock, then finding no wound. What?--taking care with safety rules and cleaning up quickly, the school was left behind.

Especially as more pain--sharp and piercing, that somehow grew less--even as he remained aware of them. Not aided in the least by the panic beginning to take hold in parts of the city from reactions to Heroes of Light. Word eventually reached him, although it took Vincent too long to sort out rumor from truth and exaggeration from fact. Once he did though, little time was wasted as one person dominated his thoughts.

They had only just started to talk, to actually start talking with each other, and mending old aches and wounds. She couldn't leave--not like this. Not so abrupt a parting without even a goodbye for closure. Not this time.

None of the sudden fear and worry showed, as Vincent crouched by a statue and breathed. Taking the moment, calming himself and trying to think of how to find her. Then setting off in methodical-search, trying to ignore his own rising panic with each lessened-pain turning to faint tingling twinges, that he would be too late again.

Too long; too long and almost too late, and it was dark and now only tingles signified when another Hero left. Died--somehow permanently it seemed--from what he'd gleaned from information scraps. Almost too late, as Vincent found himself near the Crystal of Fire. Her voice faint as a ghost, and yet it was loud as a siren in his mind as her words trailed off.

Turning the corner, and his heart beat a staccato tempo as he slowed from his jog to a quick walk. Boots leaving small ticks of sound along the street, reaching for her and her name on the tip of his tongue before he stopped. Stopped himself, watching her grieve and relieved so much to find she was still there.