melodiesoflife | Hidden Truth [Log]

Hidden Truth [Log]

What: A log for everyone to gain the information in the Hidden Truth video tape.
Where: The Observatory.

There had been a flurry of letters sent out from Jack and Chiaki, first to Zelda to ask to borrow the Observatory, and then to every Hero of Light, alerting them that they had uncovered some intelligence received in the Heran Empire before the Capital had fallen to Crystal, and that everyone needed to see it immediately.

Jack, Chiaki, and a few others brought in a screen connected to a machine that some would recognize as a VCR. "With our peace mission to the Imperial Capital over Christmas, we returned with a recording made on 20th-century Earth technology, the kind that doesn't have an analogue on Crystallis. It took us time to build a machine to be able to play it. This information comes from Kalki, recorded what appears to be years ago. We obtained it from the Imperial Spy, Jenni. As of right now, we still have no reason to believe that Kalki is alive. But this comes from her, and I apologize to everyone who might be upset by seeing her again."

With that, Jack plays the recording. He stands by the screen and repeats the words for everyone to hear, for those who cannot understand English. Since Kalki's first words are to explain why she is recording it this way, it makes sense why he has to do this. He keeps his own emotions in check throughout, until the explanation of the Bard song that everyone gets to hear. That seems to upset Jack.

Once the recording is over, Jack pauses. "We will need some help from any other English speakers to create a written transcript of the recording so that anyone can access this information at any time. The tape and player will remain here for any Heroes to review. We ask that you please be careful with the machine."

Finally, Jack sits down to let the room descend into the inevitable chaos.

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The melody continued to echo in Ace's mind for a long time yet as he was sitting in silence. He knew it would soon have etched into his memory like all the other songs had, a feeling of dread creeping upon him at the thought of even opening his mouth, if such was the power in his grasp.

"... Kalki always spoke of human sacrifice with an unsettling fondness, and now she's trying to push it onto us as the only solution we have. I would like to believe that much of what has been said is true, since it would supply us with valuable information, however," the cadet crossed his arms over his chest, frowning, as he mulled over his thoughts, "even if her plan wasn't as fatally flawed as it currently is, this is a dangerous incentive to consider."

At the very least, Kalki was anything but secretive about manipulating them into fulfilling goals of her own. That part was clear, through her visions she had meant to temper their souls, tempting them with promises of what none of them would have previously thought was even possible. None of them was ready for that kind of power, and it should have stayed that way, if at the cost of forsaking the Avatar's idealistic visions of the future.

After all, there were lessons he couldn't afford to forget.

"Becoming a God, aiming to transform into what we have been fighting against, this entire time-," he shook his head, "this isn't the way to break the endless cycle, but instead contribute to the process. There are other paths we can choose for ourselves."

Edited 2016-03-15 20:56 (UTC)

"That's some fucked up shit," Santa agreed. "I ain't killing myself to knock out some dude." He shivered. He'd dealt with Kalki a little, as much as any of the Mysidian Heroes had, and she was stone cold. She probably thought they would do it.

"It this is the job description for a Hero, I'm out."

If it came down to it, Ace was ready to cast his life away, but not like this. Not in the name of a plan woven around despair and uncertain just like the allegiances of the very figure behind it. His gaze settled on Santa, but it was a look of neither approval nor disapproval, mostly undecided in terms of what kind of message it was meant to send across. All things considered, they had the right to feel wronged and upset, there was just little point in pushing these emotions as far as Santa had just done.

"There will be consequences for everything we do from now on, more so than before, but I think we all agree that running into this head-first won't solve any of our problems. Without understanding, we would be nothing but puppets."

He might have been walking a thin line of hypocrisy with that explanation, but it was not possible to reply with any other answer if he lacked the conviction necessary to follow Kalki's plan. Perhaps it was what would separate the right path from the others, working in accordance with everyone's wishes and motivations - nothing more than a dream for the time being, given the sheer number of Heroes that had already proven capable of raising weapons at one another.

And so, their discussion was reduced to following simple logic. "There's no description, but we shouldn't disregard the contents of the tape, either. The faith she has put in us further proves that we're capable of making a difference, but let it be the one we and the rest of Crystallis wishes to see."

How could this punk be so calm with all this shit happening ~~again~~.

"Look, I don't give a shit if Kalki 'has faith in us' or not! She's just toying with us, and I'm not playing her game. There's more than one door we can use to seek a way out." He's sure of it.

Maybe Akane can see the future and manipulate events like a God, but he doesn't trust any of these losers with that kind of power, and they can't even get it, anyways, without killing everyone.

"And it sounds like 'Eidolons' are the way to go."

~~The punk~~ Ace sighed inwardly. The more he watched Santa, the clearer it became why the other would be so reliant on whoever his planning... partner had been.

And if he was expecting a simple yes, then he would be in for a small disappointment. "She's clear about her own needs, and no, we're not going to hand it to her like that," Ace frowned. Not if he would have a say in the matter, though most of them did seem to be more or less on the same page.

"They... definitely could be." The blond fell silent for a moment. Though he hesitated to fully agree once more, it was hardly out of spite. "I've seen Eidolons capable of tipping the scales of war on their own, and it's possible that ones of comparable might exist also in Crystallis."

"Assuming we do find them, it's not going to be as easy as simply asking them to join us, though."

"Dude, isn't that what summoners are for? They do their thing," he waved his hands in the air to mimic the act of summoning, "and then the giant monsters come and wreck shit for them."

He didn't see why they couldn't get some Godzilla-sized, bad-ass monsters to team up against the big bad world-eating monster. It'd be all that 'team work and friendship win the day' shit that the dumbass Heroes were always on about.

Ace almost wished he could afford that sort of mentality as he wordlessly watched Santa's demonstration, knowing that some explanation was in order.

"What Summoners do is forge pacts with the Eidolons, either by defeating them or satisfying their demands." It wasn't as though he didn't expect Santa to grasp the full extent of the truth, but he'd already managed to establish that patience wasn't the man's strongest suit, and such was the simplest way to put it. The cadet's own experiences, rich as they had been, were probably better left unsaid for the sake of keeping the spirits high.

"As far as I know, we're nowhere near discovering their full potential as of yet, though some people have put effort into trying to understand their language." Realizing how grim his tone was slowly becoming, he forced a half-smile. "We might get there if we are wise about it, and I too, hope this plan will succeed. All I'm trying to say is that it's a more complex process."

"Sounds kinky," Santa commented, because it was fun watching the straight-laced ones get upset when he made comments like that. He had to get his kicks somewhere.

"So, you need to connect your minds to theirs?" He could understand that being important. "Does any of the natives know how to speak with them?" He had a more serious look on his face now. Jokes aside, this sounded like it was getting close to morphogenetic field territory, trying to communicate with Eidolons.

"I agree...there's something off about all of this. I don't think she's lying to us about what might happen if we try to destroy the Calamity recklessly but." Cloud frowned as he chewed over the different thoughts in his mind.

"Sacrificing ourselves like that just to stop Garland doesn't feel like the answer. And if it doesn't work then we would only make things worse." He shifted on his feet as his thoughts settled. "And if Kalki was an avatar of the Calamity and didn't know what she represented then it may have been affecting her while making her think everything was her idea."

He looked back up again, looking at Ace, "The version of her we met in the past was like a different person entirely." Time changed people, but even so...

Although Ace found it slightly easier to agree with Cloud's opinion, he wasn't optimistic enough to see much relevance to his last sentiment. "Our meeting was also far too brief to know for certain." With so much on their plate as it already was, it seemed pointless to divert their attention toward the life of one individual, but his friend's observation sparked another idea in Ace's head.

"But what you've just said about the Calamity's influence - it does make me wonder..." Letting out a thoughtful hum, he let his gaze fall to the ground. "I think it is safe to assume that, at this point, through its link to the Avatars, Narayana is feeding on the one element it's incapable of obtaining via regular means, and that is their humanity."

A notion not at all unfamiliar. "In my world, it was said to be one of the consequences which befell the l'Cie." His eyes returned to Cloud before any questions could be raised. "The warriors that entered into a pact with their Crystal to carry out their respective Will. In exchange for being granted powers unimaginable for a normal human to possess, one was asked to abandon just that what made them human in the first place."

"Focusing our anger at Kalki is fruitless - we didn't know that woman, and probably never will. What we consider cruelty on her part might as well be the result of her inability to tell right from wrong. She was following a set path, while being competent about it, as well."

"Yeah, that's true, but it's just a feeling I guess." He listened as Ace explained his own side of the the idea and Cloud's mouth slowly fell open as he listened. This was what he was trying to parse out in his own thoughts. Ace's own experiences were helping him put words to what the other blonde Hero had been wondering.

"That could be. It also explains why Garland told me that he wouldn't be the same person if we met here. Somehow he knew about us in the past and..." He waved his hand, trying to unwind himself from the circular talk. Time travel was a terrible thing.

"Then that means that we can't hold back. Even if it may be possible to free them from the Calamity but we can't expect them to come at us with anything less than what the Calamity deems necessary." But clearly they could still find ways to help them, even if indirectly and at cost like Kalki was trying to do. "What she was doing may have been beyond what Narayana or whatever it is was able to anticipate? It's like the only way she could think to change the game was to set the board on fire."

There was something admirable about stopping to consider the well-being of who were ultimately their adversaries, not to mention hopelessly optimistic. "Watching so many generations fail, she must have lost any hope that the solution could be anything different."

Following a longer pause, he returned to a question that the mention of the Guardian had sparked in his mind. As much as Cloud might have hoped to distance himself from the subject, it seemed like too important of a clue to be pushed aside.

"... When you spoke with Garland, what else did he tell you?"

Cloud thought back to that brief encounter, and as he did the memory came back with all the emotion of the moment. Chuckling, he rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment. "I had tried to approach him sneakily but he saw right through my lies. He didn't even seem surprised about who I was or that I was from the future. If anything he seemed annoyed at me for doing it."

Cloud looked at the floor as he thought about that day. He could have approached him directly. Or at least tried to push the point further instead of letting him walk away....not that there was much he could have done to stop him, he was sure.

"So it was just that, really; that he wouldn't be the same person in our time. I think he was trying to tell me that I shouldn't try to give him any sympathy. Or not to expect any from him. He was resigned to it."

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