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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There is a specific point at the tape that Kaji gets visibly upset. The normally cool information broker startles, and starts fidgeting for a cigarette. He looks first at Zelda, and then, unconsciously, at Ib. He looks at her for a very long moment, before his eyes start searching back and forth to locate the exits.

As soon as the tape is done, he is far too deliberate about standing up and walking right over to one of the desk drawers in their makeshift administrative area, where Zelda (and now Kaji, too) get some of the mountain of paperwork about the Heroes done. He quickly opens a drawer and pulls out a small metal tin. Zelda knows what's inside, and it's very clear that he's about to take it and head for the damn door if she doesn't stop him.

It almost seemed to confirm her worst fears, and Lydia felt a shiver--it was so like what she'd felt in the vision of the bad future... A quick little head-shake, as no--no, she would NOT give in. Summoning her courage, because there was at least one thing she could do to be useful for now.

Her hand shot up, waiting to be acknowledged. "I can do a transcript. I'm familiar with VCRs as they're current to my time on Earth, and I've grown up a native speaker." Albeit an American-English speaker, but there had been nothing in the video Lydia didn't understand.

Further, she kind of got it. About the cycles--she'd herself mentioned it in the bad future, as it related to Nirvana and Buddhism. These all sounded like names from one of the other religions they'd studied in class briefly, but she got it enough.

Edited 2016-03-15 17:36 (UTC)

Kidd was not thrilled with this at all. The early wonder of her first exposure to video technology quickly gave way to the building dread of the situation they were finding themselves in. She was at once satisfied and frustrated that her mistrust in the Sage's motivations was well placed. And then there was the matter that this was proof that, even if Kalki still lived, she didn't expect to survive what she did following the affair at Aqures Tosf. And as for the Calamity and this song that Kalki had taught them there was no simple way for her to wrap up her thoughts on the matter. It would be something that would need time for them all to consider.

As Jack does, she stands by and helps to translate the recording to the others, a bit shocked to be facing this language barrier head on. She tries not to think overmuch as she does so.

Edited 2016-03-15 17:33 (UTC)

Once some discussion has started, Jack is happy to answer any other questions about where the tape came from, and what else he can. But he does have one opinion he has to share. "Becoming God. Damn it, Kalki, and here I thought you were after something real."

He takes a deep breath, and shakes his head. "I don't know if anybody gives a damn about my opinion, but I am trusting that nobody is going to use that fucking nuclear option that Kalki presented. Kill Garland, but kill us all?"

"Coward or Killer?" Jack speaks wistfully, as if he's quoting something. "Coward. I was always much better off as a coward."

"We find another way than that." Pouring as much disgust as he can onto that last word.

Edited (.) 2016-03-15 17:33 (UTC)

Once all is done and she speaks to the others around the room she makes her way back over to Jack. "Of all the worlds we Heroes come from, interesting that she'd take to fancying Earth. I suppose I can't blame her in that. Each time I learn about the technology in the future I find myself missing home."

Looking around the room she briefly considered the fact that Bard was in her own collection of Jobs. Not one she touched but now armed like the cannon on a man o'war. "No. I don't think any of us want to think of using it now, but I fear that the one thing the Sage was right about was that we won't come to a decision on something like that easily."

Upon receiving the message, Sheena had hightailed it to the meeting, curious about what was going on. As she sat and watched the video, she was reminded of the hologram communicators at the human ranches, but this had been recorded? And wasn't live? Like a moving painting...

But even as she watched Kalki's expression and listened to Jack translate, there was one thing that had caught Sheena's attention. By the time the video ended and Jack sat down, her confusion had deepened into complete puzzlement.

"If there's nothing like this...tape...on Crystallis, then how did Kalki get it? Did she make it? How did she learn it? Is there a connection to this Earth we don't know about?"

Were the "Ancients" from that world? And is that connection part of the problem they now faced?

"When he was here, Dr. Banner had an interesting idea about that, actually. Each cycle, people have been coming here from various worlds and building or bringing their own pieces of technology. Things not native to this world. As complicated as a motorcycle or the telescope. As simple as a ballpoint pen."

"The Calamity kills all life on the planet, but maybe it doesn't erase the technological advances that we have made while we are here. Lost technology and remnants of worlds we can't even understand? Maybe somebody just left behind a damn video camera." Jack sounds a little sad as he talks about the theory and he finally shrugs. "It's one idea."

Ales was one of the Heroes who didn't understand the recording the first time, but with each subsequent repetition, he expression grew more distant as his thoughts turned inward. Narayana. The thing that will destroy this planet no matter what the Heroes do unless they take drastic action. There were so many things could to do. Find the Avatars. Fight the core of the Calamity. Prevent it from even entering this world again.

Kalki's suggestion to become God strikes a chord in him. "Corrupted with power? Really? All the gods I know are too lazy to care about the world they're supposed to protect."

A silly notion, and one that should be disregarded in favor of the other methods.

"So, what are we supposed to do with these Avatars? Treat them nicely? How do we even know who they're supposed to be?"

"Y'know, I hate to break this to ya, but 'becoming God' is usually called 'Wednesday'." Deadpool said. "But, seriously, I think I've been through one multiverse-changing experience in my lifetime to NOT go through with that plan again."

Deadpool looks quite serious under that mask.

"Look, I know you guys think I'm nuts, but this sort of thing happens all the time where I'm from! And nine times out of ten, it usually leads to having a star-spangled shield upside your head."

With the video playing, Twilight was busy scribbling notes. This was something that was both amazing and incredibly worrying. She would have to go over this more on her own time. The first thing that Twilight noticed was the mentioning of the "Interdimensional Rift". There was a project that hadn't been touched about a portal to there. Could that be a portal INSIDE the Calamity?

The next thing that Twilight noted was the continual mentioning of becoming a God. Gods... Gods were bad things, if being messed with Discord is of any note. She knew that Princesses Celestia and Luna are looked up to as such by a few, but many of them just see them as rulers. Had to be another way that playing God.

Next was talking about Palitutu. Of course she would be a master of the Job System, so much so she would be able to shut theirs down easily. She's starting to see that now - she most likely got to everypony first with the intent on using them and being unable to be stopped because they wouldn't have access to their abilities. But, wouldn't that be counterintuitive if they struck without powers? They wouldn't of lost skills they learned on their own, wouldn't they?

Then, there was tthe talk of Garland. There was something sealed in a cave back in the Continent of Ruin. "Master the O--" It had to be the Onion Knight job. No pony ever used the blasted job because everyone was afraid of what could happen. Now, they knew - there was something locked in there that could stop Garland. They would have to stop Palitutu before they did that, though.

She made darn sure that she forgot that blasted tune, even if she didn't have Bard.

With the video ended, the princess began trotting around, hoping to compare notes here.

Edited 2016-03-15 18:28 (UTC)

"Of the six we've met so far, we have Kalki and Mograma getting a number of us killed, Shakyamuni and the Sage testing us with troublesome visions... At least Kurma and General Varaha have been more cooperative, but for all we know, they might not be aware of what they are."

Jade isn't very receptive to the idea of godhood, either. Kalki's plan isn't without a certain logic but that alone isn't enough to make it an acceptable one.

"Without knowing what the Calamity's judgment of us is based on, we are not in a good position to knowingly influence it."

"I doubt Kalki would include herself as one of the dangerous Avatars. But the issue is that we don't know who the other four are, even if we include the possibility that they all wield some sort of power in this world. We may as well include the Queen within those criteria."

Asking around would take too long, and being polite with everyone they meet would not be feasible in the long run.

"Look, attempting godhood sounds like a terrible idea. The power to destroy the Calaminty is tempting, but it might make things worse." At least he and Jade agreed on something.

Yuffie was leaning against the wall, her arms crossed over her chest while her thoughts remained safely inside her head. She almost had 10 jobs maxed out and she wondered if she might be able to perform one of the roles out of Kalki's long 'to do' list. She hated Kalki but that didn't mean that the video should be disregarded.

It had a surprising amount of useful information in it.

She'll talk to anyone who wants to but she's still thinking everything over. It's sort of hard to form an opinion with so many conflicting emotions and the longer she stands there the more her opinions shift and change.

Ales eventually found himself standing beside Lydia, both because he needed a transcription of the video and to watch how a VCR worked. Lydia was a natural at both. He eyes each single word she wrote down, taking the time to mull over sentences as she steadily filled the page.

"Why didn't she tell us any of this before?"

Sheena really didn't know what he was talking about, but she was reminded of the Rheaird that had appeared from her home. Had it be transported to this place, or had it been built somehow?

Sheena's confusion doesn't ease any as she watches and listens. "So, each time the Calamity comes, it kills all life? What happens then? Does it go back into that Rift thing and reset time or something?" They do have the Time Mage job and there was the whole Time Travel thing at one point.

Not to mention pulling people from different times and...realities?

Jack shakes his head slightly. "Easiest decision I've ever made. You're the one telling me to learn from my past mistakes." He glances up at Kidd uneasily. "There's always another way. There's always a better way. What we're fighting against isn't even a race of people, or an invading army. It's just a force. Unnatural, but a force. Killing will do us no good. Killing everyone even less so."

"The Doctor isn't the one standing here saying no. So I guess I have to, instead. Not even for his sake, because I know it's the damn right thing."

Seeing the pony trotting towards her, Sheena waved her over. She already knew Twilight was smarter than her, maybe she could help her figure something out.

After her talk with Jack, she couldn't stop thinking about the Interdimensional Rift, and her own experiences with dimensions. Not to mention her experiences here.

"Twilight. Could I talk to you for a moment?"

Terra arrived at the meeting but with only a mild interest. Tempest sat on her lap taking some notes while Terra listened to those around her. There was one part that made her uncomfortable, perhaps because she didn't know what to think.

"Garland fears the power of Eidolons."

She wished she knew why. She never picked up the summoner class feeling to close to those she would use. Her own custom job was similar to the Eidolons which made her wonder what the Eidolon's place was in this world. It must be different from her own but then, she didn't really know.

The idea made her uncomfortable and more than anything she wanted to leave. Only Tempest kept her in place, writing something on the piece of paper clamped within her little paws.

Edited 2016-03-15 19:28 (UTC)

"Of course, Sheena." Twilight said, moving over to join the ninja. "Is something wrong?"

Zelda knew exactly what Kaji was doing and before he was able to take flight from the room she stepped in front of him. Her hand lightly rose and rested on the box within his grip while her eyes stared determinedly into his.

Her voice was low, carrying on the air like a whisper so that no one might over hear. "Wait, Kaji."

"It's up to you what you want to do but you can't run." Her eyes didn't move from him but she was very aware of those around them. "You should speak to Ib." Zelda didn't think this was the time or place to make what he had public knowledge. There was enough for them to absorb before adding more uncertainty. They don't know all the details yet and Zelda felt that Ib should learn of them first.

The young girl should be granted that much.

"Well, I'm not dying for this world," Nanami said simply. "And I don't trust anyone who would want to be a god." She can think of a few heroes who might be able to handle the power, but Nanami doesn't trust her own judgement. Two years ago, she would have asked her brother to do that, had he been present here, and now she admits that would have been a terrible, terrible idea. Who is to say any of them would do better?

"But Kalki even admits that there's things she doesn't know. Even if she is some kind of Agent of the Calamity. Like what's in the Temple."

"Thanks." She made room so the pony could get comfortable. With Sheena trying to understand things, this conversation could take a while.

"Well, not 'wrong' exactly. More like confusing. About the Interdimensional Rift." She took a moment before continuing. "If I'm understanding the name right, it's a tear in dimensions? Or...a break?"

"That's about right, yes." Twilight said. "It's more or less a portal between dimensions... if it's like anything like the one I have back home. Long story."

Sheena quirked an eyebrow before smiling. "You, too? Although ours no longer works. Also a long story." So, she's not completely unfamiliar with dimnesional travel.

"If it's a portal between dimensions, does that mean it's also a door to different times, as well? Or maybe I should say 'doors'?" Yeah, she was totally fixated on the whole time thing.

"Hmm... I don't like leaving things up to chance, but so far they've revealed themselves without much searching on our part. If the Calamity wants to learn about us through each Avatar, they will likely seek us out sooner or later."

After all, what are the odds of finding the first six among the millions of people on Crystallis? Their encounters with the Avatars so far can't have been coincidences.

"Agreed. I wouldn't trust anyone with such power, no matter how good their intentions. Even if it worked, chances are we'd just be replacing one cosmic horror with another."

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Hidden Truth [Log]

Kaji and the "Black Crystal"

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Captain Jack Harkness - Open

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Notes with Twilight Sparkle - Open

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Yuffie | OPEN

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Terra | Open

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Kaji and the "Black Crystal"

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