Event || Revelations

[melodiesmods]

Characters: All the Heroes of Light and their Moogles.
Where: Order's Sanctuary, The Interdimensional Rift and their Homeworlds.
When: August 03rd - August 30th

Summary: Following the battle against Palitutu, all the Heroes of Light were transported into the Interdimensional Rift. They were told by Palitutu they would have to find her to prove they can break the cycle-- But before they could reach their destination, a malevolent entity from the Rift stripped them from their immortality...

And now, they woke up in a decaying and dying world, most specifically in a place called Order's Sanctuary. From there they are ready to jump... Into their homeworlds! Feel free to use this post for the Mingle at Order's Sanctuary and should your homeworld be the stage for the Heroes of Lights' next adventures, feel free to make a thread for it and as many sub-thread as necessary! Please refer to the OOC Post for questions and plotting.

Warning: Whatever you come up with.

Comments

[umslay]

Ales had debated leaving and letting the Heroes argue among themselves. He thought this was dealt with, that they would kill Palitutu out of respect. But no. His faith in the others returned too swiftly.

"Are you all idiots?!" It all burst out. The puppet shuddered as his mental connection with it faltered. "She gave us her knowledge, she tried to destroy the world, and you're sparing her?! Don't you remember what happened with Narasimha? You want to save someone just to let others die?! Have you learned nothing?! Why is it that in every world, the 'heroes' never think?!"

He pointed at Ramza. "She's right about you. You don't know what it means to sacrifice anything. You're going to save her, she'll tell us that we failed, then she'll teleport away to ruin more lives. She's not above threatening the civilians. Why do you think this will be any different?!"

[not_most_days]

Mary still had her blade ready. It would be a justifiable kill at this point both by circumstance and by the tenants she was trained under. The only reason she hadn't was because of the unique circumstance that they were in, and that of course there was a new schism forming. The last thing she needed was to make enemies of allies.

But still she let her eyes settle on Chrom. "I've always been an executioner before being a Hero. And might I remind you that some of the sacrifices that Palitutu made were many of the people and buildings of Aqures Ixen in the process of acquiring the Ultima WEAPON? And the fact that she took all of Trano Golsaucia hostage when I attempted to apprehend Artemicion. Not to mention the entire population of Aqures Tosf when she brought all of us to this world. And that she fully intended to sacrifice us to start this all over again. Regardless of her intentions you shame yourself by deferring to her words about the importance of innocent lives. Sacrificing many innocents to save everyone else is no victory."

[im_pancake]

"I honestly thought this was over..." Twilight said. "Look, I don't like killing as much as the other person and I still regret my actions a few months ago, but even I know that this is a ridiculous idea to even think of saving Palitutu with what she's done."

"The magic of friendship can only go so far and, believe me, if you guys spare her and she harms another person, I'll make sure you learn that friendship hurts."

[charming_jerk]

Johnny has to finally interject, as he's as fed up with everyone as Ales is.

"This is why I always said I've never been a Hero. This whole situation and all of you are full of bullshit. This is the person who turned on all of us and blew up a chunk of Aqures Ixen, not to mention all the shit Ales just said. Keep her alive if you want, fine. But consider me done and over with all of you if ya do."

And with that, he marshes off towards the portal.

1/2

[gorgeous_sin]

"Would that it were so simple," she murmured, almost sulkily at Ellana's observation. She eyed Jack critically, and her pulse began to quicken. Was he changing his mind now? He had better not! He'd made her a promise, in exchange for exhibiting her powers and making herself vulnerable to the suspicions of the others.

Lust stared at Levy, completely silent. An offer to create the Philosopher's Stone. All they had to do was let Palitutu die. Such an easy choice to make! Why, Lust could deliver the killing blow herself, and certainly had no reservations about killing a small and helpless foe.

And yet...

She couldn't speak. She tried, but her throat was tight. Her hands shook. Her violet gaze fell to the little Tarutaru and lingered. Let her die. Take the knowledge she wanted. Be human. It was all she wanted--

You shouldn't do that! It's dangerous and they need to be purified.

The memory echoed sharply in Lust's head as if someone had just screamed in her ear. Her eyes lifted abruptly, staring straight forward. That boy's voice. She'd been ready to kill that monster, the one they called a 'Hellion,' and Mikleo had invisibly flung himself directly in her path to stop her from delivering the death blow. Why had he done that?

No, it didn't matter. She shook her head to rid herself of the memory, she needed to take that Stone. But more memories were pouring in.

Not everyone wants something tangible. There are some things we seek that really don't have an obvious tangible benefit. At least at first they don't seem to. Sometimes it's as simple as doing something nice for someone. Most of the time there's no reward, except that you've done something nice. For some people that wouldn't be enough, but for others...it is.

Lust's pulse seemed to slow to a crawl. Images flashed rapidly in her head, a whirl of voices and sensations. Her eyes grew wide, and wider still, as a bead of sweat trickled down her temple.

*************************************

This time she's sitting by the fire, idly scratching her nails against her palm, when Badou comes to sit down beside her.

"You know," he starts as he exhales a small puff of smoke into the air. "Sometimes you look like you feel out of place in your own body."

* * * * *

"All of it's really humanity trying to make sense of our world and our roles in it. Who are we? Why do we feel something? What causes someone to love someone or something?"

A shrug, still at ease beside her fellow hero. "There's no easy answer, or simple answer, and it's constantly changing because humans don't know either. We're searching just as much as you might be."

Lust stared at her with a sidelong impassive stare for a long moment, quietly digesting what she'd said. Lydia was right, it was more than a little unbelievable for a species that had existed as long as it had to still fail to understand the basic composition of their personalities. A homunculus was born into existence already fully aware of what they were and what they were meant to do.

She sighed.

"So it's pointless trying to understand, it seems," she concluded. Not exactly the answer she wanted, but it seemed to echo with what she'd learned from others. How annoying.

"I wouldn't say that, although some philosophies would agree with you." Lydia replied gently. "It's more..." Quiet again, thinking, then speaking once more. "Humanity, that is, being human? In some ways, what separates us from other animals and beings, is that we question why? We seek more purpose than mere existence and survival. We try to live."

Looking up at Lust, there's a smaller smile on her face now--as some of this was a lot more than Lydia had studied in school. "In that attempt to 'live', to make life meaningful for ourselves, and to figure out what our purpose is..." Then she spoke with confidence. "Some would say that is what being human is."

* * * * *

"Lust, what are you doing?" Mikleo mused grabbing the handle of her spear. His voice was even as he did so. There was some way to help it, he was certain. She didn't need to kill it so she could save it.

His intervention surprised her. That much was obvious from the way she stilled, staring at him mutely for two seconds before she resumed the casual smile she donned so easily. "Isn't it obvious? I'm putting it out of its misery."

There was no need for him to look at her like that. What was there to be sad about? He knew very well what she was, and how she operated. Killing without remorse was a specialty of hers. Still, she didn't try to jerk her spear out of his hands, since she had no desire to hurt the young man with a careless brush against her razor sharp spearhead. She would wait until he let go of his own volition.

"Surely you don't think such a creature will survive more than five minutes out there. It will be easy prey for even a weak predator so long as it has a nose for blood. Run along, now."

"There are others way to assist it than assist in killing it, Lust. It's not always about life or death," he replies giving his brows a knit. He didn't release her spear but he did loosen his grip some on it.

"We can always take it to a ranch of sorts. There certainly can be someone who can help it. I can use first aid for the time being on it."

He replied softly.

"That may be true, but it's not the only thing that can happen, no matter how harsh that reality is."

"A ranch, out here? How ridiculous," she scoffed, somewhat annoyed by his soft heart...but somewhat intrigued as well. Selflessness and altruism baffled her. She could never understand what drove people to do such things.

Her gaze shifted to the tiny-winged raptor. It was strange that it chose to remain, waiting to be healed or attacked. Surely it had to know there was a chance she might attempt to cut it down, if it understood human language as well as it spoke. Was it testing them, perhaps?

"Do as you will," she sighed, pushing her hair back. "But I don't see how it benefits you or the creature by choosing to be merciful."

"It's a long shot, but there must be something we can do to save the creature. We can't simply let it die, or kill it without thinking about other alternatives."

He replied simply because Mikleo didn't like the idea of killing unless it was absolutely necessary. He wasn't the type to just watch others get killed without any given legit reason. That was always why he seemed to be the one that rationalized with many people.

"It doesn't have to benefit us in any way. It's simply what I feel is the right thing to do," he replied with brief look. He walked past her to examine the creature, pulling some bandages and other things out of his bag that he carried with him.

After a few quiet moments, there was a crunch of rubble, and Lust was crossing the mossy courtyard to take a knee next to Mikleo to assist him. He said it didn't have to benefit them, but there was still something Lust was getting out of this: a desire not to disappoint this strange person who seemed to believe in her so earnestly, and tried with all his might to help her. She wasn't sentimental, but the boy was...useful. Lust had no wish to antagonize him or push him away until he ceased to be useful.

Her fingers moved with practiced ease, pressing strips of cloth down on the wounds before binding them with gauze. Having studied alchemy so extensively gave her more than a little knowledge on the physical body. Knowing how to kill and heal required nearly the same information.

"What instills this feeling in you?" she asked, casting a glance at him. She wasn't smiling, which meant she was serious about her question. "Was it something you were born with, or raised to know?"

"I'm not quite sure what you're asking but like I said before, I just want to do it. There's really no reason why I feel this way. I want to help it and that's all that really matters, don't you agree?"

He mused giving her a side glance as well.

"I suppose it's something I've always known. Gramps always taught us that these kinds of things are what brings smiles and gratitude to others and I kind took the words and made it my own, without any real reason or purpose."

"So you believe you were born altruistic, then," Lust said, trying to confirm his answer. Bad news for her, then, it meant she was never going to possess even a fraction of Mikleo's kindness, no matter how much he tried to teach her.

Her brow lowered just slightly, a subtle indication of her frustration. Smiles and gratitude? Now he was beginning to sound like a children's birthday card.

"Then it's time you accept that I was not born with these things as you were," she remarked. "Telling me how I should feel is pointless. I can't produce those feelings just because you believe--"

"That's not entirely what I'm trying to say. I'm not quite sure how I can explain the entirety of feelings and emotions. I suppose I worded that poorly," he replied with a small sigh as he got up making sure that the raptor would be fine.

He thinks for a moment on how to explain this to her in the best way possible. "I understand that you are different from me, and I'm quite aware that I'm note mortal either. It's difficult to grasp things, but you've more or less done things on your own, that are their own acts, whether you had a motive or not, Lust. I think that's something that defines you pretty well. You have those traits. I suppose it's the matter of recognizing them for what they are."

2/2

[gorgeous_sin]

* * * * *

Everyone has something in their past they'd rather not talk about, and oftentimes they allow it to color every facet of their being.

I'd like to believe that even if you consider yourself dangerous, that doesn't mean there's nothing in you worth taking care of.

You are mistaken. I have murdered innocent people for my own gain, because I believed my master would grant me a soul and make me human. Complete. But I was... Hm.

[A small, self-deprecating chuckle.]

Somehow I knew she was lying. She had no intention of granting my wish. But I wanted it badly enough that I was willing to do anything she asked of me. Anarchy. Manipulation. Genocide. I felt no regret. Only lust for the one thing beyond my grasp. I am a homunculus...a creature borne of desperation, blood, and sacrifice. I am not human. You cannot hope to redeem me.

[Flynn pauses for a moment.]

I think there's been a misunderstanding here. It was never my intention to offer you redemption. My best friend is a bit similar to you, I think. He's done some terrible things. They may have been necessary, and they weren't things I would have done, but he had his reasons even if I cannot stand behind him. I can't even begin to imagine your circumstances, but from what I've learned about you, becoming human is very important to you, isn't it? It's something easy to take for granted.

I suppose... the question is, now that the carrot isn't dangling in front of you, do you intend on continuing down that path of anarchy, manipulation, and genocide?

[She meets his stare for a long moment, offering only silence as a reply. Finally, she answers him with a question of her own.]

What do you think I will do?

[Because the truth is, she doesn't know. No one else has made that kind of pact with her, or offered her any chance of becoming human. For now, she's content to find her own path, as she has the capability of doing this in a way she couldn't before. But that doesn't mean she won't change her mind if a deal too good to pass up is presented to her.]

[Lust presses her fingertips lightly against the ourobouros tattoo above her breasts.]

As you can see, I am mortal in this world, but not human. The desire to be whole is still there.

Hmm.

[Flynn thinks for a moment. It's not an answer he would give lightly without any thought.]

I can't say that I know you well enough to be able to ascertain what you'd do in almost any situation. May I ask, though... What is it that you consider humans having that you don't?

[She studies his face silently for many long moments before she answers.]

The ability to feel compassion, and to be kind. Being able to feel joy. Sorrow. Love. Even to have a conscience. He said the woman I was...she was supposed to be kind. They'd loved her. That's why they tried to bring her back to life. Sometimes I have flashes of her memories.

[Lust closes her eyes.]

When I feel the things she felt, then I will know I have become human.

* * * * *

Look, you don't gotta be a bleeding heart, saint-type to risk yourself for someone else. Some people are just worth sacrificing for. You just know it, that they're better than you are, and that they deserve happiness. You don't have to think about what you're doing or what you're risking, because you know, instinctively, that if they were gone, there'd be no point in you still being alive.

If you gotta ask, then you don't have a person like that. And you'll know it if you find one. So until then, don't fucking worry about it. We've already got enough shit to deal with without wasting time on psychological musing.

* * * * *

Regardless of what sort of experience death is here, I don't wish it upon anyone and that includes you. It still means you'll pass and I can't let you do that to yourself. There are many ways to solve the problem with the right solutions. I'd rather make the effort than none at all. Mercy Killing doesn't seem appropriate for this situation.

Easy for you to say. If you suffered these symptoms, I believe you might reconsider.

I honestly don't think I'll change my mind even if I were in your situation to be honest. If there's a will there's a way. I'm always prepared to fight the odds when it is necessary.

* * * * *

Darres was particularly concerned because this wasn't the disposition she exuded before when they first met. Without hesitating he offered his hand, figuratively.

"What's wrong?"

Lust pulled her head back, apprehension written all over her face. "What a thing to ask. How do you expect this conversation to go?" She held up one hand, the other settled on the bell of her hip. "Do you think I'll tearfully confess all of my frustrations and confide in you as if you were a dear friend? I sincerely hope not." Her lifted hand dropped as she shook her head in disdain.

Not caring for her rudeness, she turned her back on him, loosely holding her elbows as she sauntered away with queenly arrogance. "You were useful to me before, but I need nothing now. Don't mistake my interest as anything more than academic."

How could one city be filled with so many people like him? He had no right to express so much concern for a creature only interested in using him to test her Corruption power. That kindness and compassion was better wasted on some other simpering beauty who would doubtless be swept off her feet.

He listened to her patiently. The tall knight partially pivoted, to allow her more space and a less direct stance. More so for his own comfort since he wasn't the assertive type.

"I only asked out of concern." He confessed softly. Sure, there was currently nothing beneficial that could come of this to him, but he wasn't someone who sough profit to begin with. Darres was far too generous for that.

"You can take it as you like, but I'm here if you need help." Darres didn't know anything about her, and he would have liked to learn, but it also wasn't his business. Nevertheless he at least wanted to make sure she realized that he was an outlet. A resource. That she didn't always have to resort to her own means.

* * * * *

...You recall the man with the eyepatch named Badou, don't you? Have you seen him?

No, I have yet to find anyone since the incident, outside of those who I am close with. They have all found me or I have found them. I'm sorry I can't be more help.

[She's quiet for a moment.]

If you don't know, then I have my answer. Thank you.

... I see.

Don't look so glum, Mikleo. From the very beginning we knew many of us would not survive the ordeals presented to us. It's not surprising that we should lose a few more.

Yes, that is true. We have already known that there are things that happen out of our control and we can't save everyone, much less protect them all. It's still frustrating to think about.

Then don't think about it~ We'll never get anywhere if we only dwell on our failings. And there's much to be done.

It's not that easy, you know?

* * * * *

"A soul. Not just any soul, but your soul." Jack points at Lust's hand. "Using the Stone to get back what's yours? Not a problem at all. I've known people that have lost their humanity and then relished in it. Or thought that doing as much harm to other people as possible was the way to get it back. Or thought that they became something greater and then had to steal away what they could from other people to make them the same. It's all just a way to justify their existence."

Jack nods. "This is the same. But without taking from somebody else. So okay. Count me in, then." Jack grins devilishly.

*************************************

The shaking in Lust's hands turned into a violent shudder that ran through her whole body as her internal conflict turned into all-out war in her mind. To be human. To possess humanity. Were they different? Were they the same? Was either truly within her grasp?

Why could she not agree to the blue-haired girl's offer?

The answer struck her hard, like a fist to the gut. Because it was not the path that led to humanity. Choose to be human, and you will never be. And she couldn't shake the awful, stomach-souring idea of seeing Mikleo, Flynn, or even Lydia and Badou look at her with that kind of pity and disappointment.

Suddenly Lust's eyes rolled back, and the tension that had kept her upright all this time left her. She crumpled to the grass.

[theendiswherewestartfrom]

Jack cries out in surprise as Lust drops. It looked like she was merely considering the offer, deep in thought, upsetting thought, but nothing so hard. He reaches towards her and just barely misses as she falls. Damn.

He starts to go to her side, but- wait. Jack is a really physical person, and he can tell when someone else isn't, like Lust. Ironic with such a name? So he peels off his own coat, wraps it around her, before daring to ghost a hand over her form. "Not injured. Just- in shock. She's all right."

He looks up at the people nearby. "There's another way. To find what she wants. So consider her vote cast. You know where I stand. Chiaki's right. Palitutu is...lost."

He stands, cradling Lust with him. "But do what you think is right." He glances at Ed, "If that portal leads where I think it does, I'll take her back to your place?" Not that Ed needs to hurry back if he can help here, but just pointing out that he knows where she needs to go.

[unyieldingspirit]

K'pandolu nods in response to Jack's words, eyebrows furrowed, fingers pressed hard against her left arm.

"After everything-" she gestured to Ales, and where Johnny had been- "I cannot believe she would be willing to change. Let her suffer the consequences of her actions. Let us look to the future, and what we need to do to save this world."

[has_been_faking]

Ed looks a little out of it himself, but is snapped back to reality by Jack. He nods at Jack.

"I... I was just about to offer my help, what with Philospher's Stone and all. You can take her to my apartment above the shop. Levy, we can talk this over once Lust is awake and work something out. Right now, we've got more urgent things to deal with."

[acceptedoblivion]

Ira turned his sharp gaze to Chrom. "I am no hero. Just a puppet of the dark who cut their own strings. You want to believe that you can join hands and sing campfire songs with everyone, go right ahead. Life doesn't work that way."

Turning his back on the others, he started walking towards the portal. Let the "Heroes" debate this until the end of time for all he cared. He was going to face the threat that still loomed over them all and countless worlds even if he had to do it alone. "...Palitutu was right about one thing, twisted as she might be. We have to be ready to do whatever it takes to succeed if we aim to do the impossible."

"She has made her bed. Let her lie in it." With that, he exited through the portal.

[ninjainviolet]

Although Sheena had moved off, she could hear what was being said by the others, but had remained silent.

Until now.

Coming back to the group slowly, she pointed at Sonic. "He's right. All that's being done right now is giving the Calamity what it wants. When we worked together last year, and had all that 'good will' towards each other, the Calamity stopped. It didn't start up again until the Sage's vision--where we were pitted against each other. Memories and feelings that stayed with us."

She sighed.

"And then thanks to Narasimha, we started to be suspicious of each other, avoiding each other, and the Calamity started moving even faster." She was probably stating what everyone knew, but she had a point. She nodded towards Palitutu.

"She's been giving us the clue the entire time, I think. She's told us the solution isn't in Crystallis. I believe it's within ourselves." For a long moment, she looked at Palitutu, her voice quiet as she once again spoke.

"'Farewell, my shadow. You, who stand at the end of the path I chose not to follow. I wanted my own world, so I don’t regret my choice. I would make the same choice all over again. I will continue to choose this path!'"

Looking back up, she said, "Something someone else in a similar situation once said. Let her follow this path she chose."

And with that, she stepped through the portal.

[rialynn]

It was pretty easy not to notice Rialynn during all of this, considering that she remained completely silent. She'd dug her journal out of her bag, along with a pen, and was writing notes furiously in the pages. She had no words of wisdom to offer, for she wasn't wise. She didn't have any angry or passionate declarations, for she was neither of those things. Not often enough that she could be described as such, anyway.

Bards were well known for being singers and performers, but they were also historians who recorded the events of the world for future generations. Whatever the Heroes of Light chose to do this day regarding their enemy, it would surely be significant, and impact the days to come for better or for worse. Would they choose mercy and compassion? Or would they choose justice and see that Palitutu died for her crimes?

It wasn't an easy or fair decision to make, as there were consequences to either action. There was no one correct solution to any of it. She only paused in her writings to look at Ramza as he offered a phoenix down to be used if they chose to spare the Tarutaru, and in that, she smiled a little to herself before her pen skritched over the pages once more.

'Heretic? More like a herotic ha ha ha' she wrote in small letters off to the side. No one had to know her sense of humor was lame. No one.

As each person made their decision, even if it was to abstain, she wrote it down. Whatever else happened, they should never forget this day.

[needsteaplz]

Saori still had her hood up but let her blades go back into their sheathes. If they couldn't even come to a consensus on Palitutu's life, then what chance did they have to face the Calamity? If anyone was stupid enough to heal her to full health, she'll just have to break Palitutu's limbs, rip out her tongue, and make sure she couldn't be revived again.

"I'm no hero by the traditional sense either. It's time some of you need to reconsider that path if you want to see your homes again. We should be focusing on breaking the system that's the root of the problem here and be ready to take the road to damnation if it means staying alive." She refused to accept a future where her children might be swept into the next cycle. With that, she turned and walked towards the portal. There was a lot of work needed to be done and it begins now.

[melodiesnpcs]

Needless to say, what with the ailments that were cast at him, Artemicion collapsed into the world of dreams. He did say a "You'll regret it if you don't let me save her, Kupo..!" just before passing out, but right now he was no longer a threat.

[boomchucka]

In all honesty, Selphie couldn't make a decision. She'd witnessed enough destruction and had seen the aftermath of the heroes going against each other. The was a dark frown on her face as she cast it toward the tarutaru and then to Artemecion. Out of all the ideas and arguments being thrown around, she agreed with Cloud the most and moved toward him.

"I won't let you do it alone," she said to him quietly before turning to everyone else. "Let nature take its course. If she dies, she dies. And not all mercenaries," she continued while pointing to herself and then toward Squall. "Are like that mouthpiece over there."

The perky brunette was ultimately fed up with this past month and having said what was on her mind moved toward the portal. Her hands were dirty enough as it was.

[partofthecycle]

"I don't know why she wanted to die, even if it meant proving that we could kill people," Aang said. "Did she think we couldn't do it?"

Killing was easy if you had power. Letting people live was hard.

He thought of Hama, the waterbender they'd met who had turned her powers against Fire Nation civilians after they had captured her, and tried to recruit Katara. Hama had forced Katara to use bloodbending to save their lives, believing that teaching Katara this was more important than Hama's freedom.

"She did. She thought you needed to be the kind of person who could kill whole worlds to be a Hero, like she was. But I don't want to be that sort of Hero."

Aang looked at Ramza. "Can we keep her from teleporting if we can save her? It's a shame we can't just leave her somewhere else until we fix the Calamity." But she could travel between worlds.

He didn't want to admit Palitutu was right; that they had to sacrifice people to win. But he wasn't stupid. He didn't think Palitutu would understand why those that chose this were choosing this. Certainly she wouldn't thank them.

"I think we should be discussing this, even if we have to fight about it now. It's better to come to an agreement than let people who weren't heard resent it later. That would be a lot worse for people being friends. I want to find another way but... but there might not be another way. Or not one we can find in time."

Mother 3 spoilers in the last paragraph

[mindofathief]

Duster was ready to leave Palitutu behind. She had hurt too many people, tried to destroy her own world, and she refused to change her ways. The thought of sparing her was outlandish. Didn't she say she wanted to die? Was there something good beneath all that evil that was worth saving.

"...Maybe she wasn't always like this," he muttered. This was an answer he wasn't ready for, but even now, the tensions were high and needed to be diffused. "She could have been a good person long ago, but now...she's different. She decided to walk down this path."

Locria. They had some good inside them, but the pain they caused for the Nowhere Islands and the pain of Kumatora losing her family far outweighed it.

"I knew someone with a twisted heart who wanted to change the world. They had loved ones, but that doesn't excuse all the suffering they're responsible for. There's no point in hurting everyone else in the world." He clenched his fists. "They asked to die once we managed to defeat them. They said they were tired of this game, like it didn't mean anything to them...and they weren't able to die. Not until we finished our mission. Palitutu can use a less painful death."

Duster couldn't know that Fassad was immortal back then, but the realization of what they were had brought severe implications: lying at the bottom of the sewers, wounded from battle, yet unable to die until the final Needle was pulled. Waiting for it to be all over.

[iknowtheconsequences]

Job's done, Kaji has what he wants. Artemicion's in custody. He scoops up the sleeping moogle and makes for the portal.

But. Since Artemicion didn't answer his question, Kaji will have to check for himself. He tips the moogle's hat, tries to look for the Black Crystal without touching, because he wants to see what it is shaped like. He only knows what one of the four looks like. But that's the one he most wants to find.

[scriptrix]

Levy's been listening to the debate, thinking everything over as everyone offers up their opinions. She hasn't offered her own yet, but something has just occurred to her, and it seems like it's now or never.

"...Actually, there might be a way we can let Palitutu live and keep her from escaping," she says, piping up suddenly. "Artemicion changed her job to Black Mage before we took her down. Assuming she needs a moogle to change jobs just like the rest of us, it's fair to assume he was the one she was using to do that. Which means she's stuck in Black Mage as long as we can keep them separated, because Crystallis natives can only have one active job at a time. And we know that one doesn't have any teleporting abilities, since several of us have it mastered. As long as we can keep her silenced to shut down her spellcasting ability, we should be able to hold her."

There's a short pause.

"...If I'm right, anyway."

[shinrasfinest]

There wasn't an opinion being presented that Sephiroth didn't resonate in some way with. The ridge that had formed between his eyebrows just creased up even more as he eventually dropped his gaze to the fallen tarutaru in the middle of the group. Words like uncomfortable prickly thorns scratching along the surface as he tried to come to a judgment he could call his own. If only they'd just killed her already, there wouldn't be any need for all of this-

-but was that the right thing to do?

He blinked up to consider Saori as she put her justification forwards, found that where empathy had started to wink out of him, her words reinforced that cold, hard reality that he knew to be the truth. The truth that had burned when Biggs' message had scolded them for holding morality before what had to be done. How many more people needed to die?

Aang and then Duster drew a harder look from Sephiroth. He didn't seem quite so troubled by their comments but perhaps too easily it turned his considerations inwards. Somewhere within all of this, his resolve had softened where he had been the very picture of the executioner -he knew- in the eyes of Shinra's enemies before.

Not so far off the monster to all, that he'd later become. Not so very different at all to Palitutu, or Narayana, point of fact. To condemn Palitutu to death would stink of the vengeance he'd come to bear against humanity one day, yet to save her reeked of the weakness of resolve that none of them could afford. Sephiroth couldn't, as a result, have a voice in this.

"Hmph." He shot a quick look to Cloud, specifically, before turning quite abruptly back from the group and in the direction of the portal home.

[damn_juicebox]

Rukia blinked at Levy's suggestion. She preferred to remain neutral on the matter, but had no wish to execute the living. Shinigami only dealt with ferrying the dead to their place of rest.

But that was an excellent point.

Still kneeling beside Palitutu, and across from Ramza, she lowered her sword slightly. "It seems we're heavily divided on the issue. If we do indeed have the means to keep her subdued, it may be best to heal her for now and decide on her punishment later. The matter of one's life is one that should be considered very carefully, and not in mere minutes."

She rose to her feet, and after a moment, she sheathed her katana. "I suggest we heal her at least for now, so we can discuss the matter calmly at a later point. Our emotions are running high, understandably so after all of our ordeals, and we are weary."

[jadethenecromancer]

Jade crossed his arms in thought. Levy's suggestion had given him a pause. Although his instincts told him to be done with Palitutu for good, Rukia was correct -- getting impatient would do them no good. Now that he looked back, he had almost gotten unproductively hot-headed earlier.

Putting aside his personal feelings for the moment, thinking about it rationally...

"It may be possible," he conceded. "There are rare individuals who can equip two Jobs, like our old friends the imperial spies. I can't say whether Palitutu can, but if she can't, then you're right -- she'd be stuck as a Black Mage."

If she did have two Jobs equipped, she probably wouldn't have needed to switch them mid-battle, come to think of it. Still, if there was even a small chance she could, they had to consider the precautions.

"We don't know what kind of a Job her abilities are tied to. It could be a special one like the Onion Knight that's always partially active. However..." He rubbed his chin. "Even if I were to stabilize her, she won't be recovering any time soon. If I could enlist help from the lab and pinpoint what Jobs she currently has active while she's still out of commission, we could assess the risk of her escaping and make a decision based on that."

Nothing in Jade's tone gave away whether he considered this the right choice or not. Right now, he was there to give facts and nothing more.

"...Of course, this all depends on Cid and the others agreeing. If they decide Palitutu is too dangerous to keep alive, as the heads of the country they have the right to make the final call."

[zodiac_brave]

Ramza nodded at Aang. "It is rare to find such wisdom in one so young."

"We can surrender her unto the judgement of this world, or we can help keep her under guard until the Calamity has been vanquished. What we cannot do is appoint ourselves the judges of this world, killing for revenge, or for what we believe is for the common good, when bloodshed could have been avoided. That path leads unto more bloodshed, more sins committed with good intention, until we have become the very evil we should be protecting this world from."

He has no doubt in this conviction. Those who compromise themselves to further their cause end up becoming monsters, sometimes literally. He knows his sister Alma would choose to save Palitutu, to have faith that such an act of mercy would be rewarded in time, even though she could not see how. And so he knew that stating their hands was the right thing to do.

"We are not judges, nor executioners. Let us be Heroes, for that is what we were called to be."

He placed the Phoenix Down on the ground near where Palitutu lay, and hoped the other Heroes would use it to further the cause of the light, instead of giving into darkness.

[unalive_them]

And while they're doing that, Deadpool's fashioned a necklace with grenades and shows it off to everyone.

"Don't you think she'd look great with this? Especially with the pins pulled!"

[confidentia]

"What if there is no later?"

Ace could hardly believe that the discussion had reached such heights. He'd been trying to keep an eye on Tear's efforts - in case she was able to shed some light on the potential consequences of their choice, though mostly, it was out of concern for her own well-being. After all, the longer he had listened to the discussion, the less likely it seemed that the Heroes were capable of shouldering the weight of the solutions they offered.

"So much might go wrong before we even arrive at the point such a decision could be made. Letting her die isn't merely a precaution - nor it is an act of malevolence like some of you have grown to see it." There were many Heroes who he wanted to direct his words to, but it so happened that he looked at Ramza in particular. The entire concept of holding Palitutu hostage seemed no less cruel than what she had been subjecting them to, all these months. Calling the solution merciful smelled of hypocrisy, at best. "It means we're able to embrace this reality and move forward."

"I don't think revenge is on anyone's mind right now...," there was a short pause, "... at least those acknowledging the gravity of the situation." Nothing about it felt like victory, even if the likes of Deadpool evidently thought otherwise.