some things can't be solved on your own.

[water_meebo]

Who: Mikleo, Lust, Edna, Lailah, Sorey & Whoever else has CR with Mikleo
Where: Palitutu’s Laboratory – Aqures Ixen
When: November 21st
What: After a lot of contemplations, Mikleo decides to face his other self in order to obtain more knowledge and control over everything that’s is going on.

Mikleo stood quietly in the room, looking rather torn between doing this and leaving it as is. For the longest time, he’s known that there were many things about himself that he kept under wraps. Some of which he’d never share with anyone here in Aqures Ixen and there are others that have been faced thanks to his friends and companions.

He didn’t know what to expect at this point. He only knew that whatever came from this, would be the answer to everything he wondered about. At least conquering a part of himself will help him move forward. He gripped his Crystal tightly for a long moment. Muse slowly lowered herself next to him and put her small paws on his shoulders, trying to comfort him in any way she could. As strange as it sounded, the moogle really did remind him of his mother. She had a gentle caring tone whenever she spoke with him and would drape blankets on him when he stayed overnight in the library.

The Water Seraph gave the moogle a small pat of reassurance before handing her his crystal.

“I’m ready.”

He mused softly. Once the Crystal was put down, and the process started, he was looking at himself, with the same physical appearance. The only difference with him was the color of his clothes were white and instead of his usually glowing purple eyes, it was a deep, almost ominous purple.

Except the ominous purple eyes, the other Mikleo only simply curls into himself in a corner of the room, not acknowledging anyone in particular. He had his hands tightly around his knees as his head is partially buried there.

”Tell them to go.”

It said bluntly, ”They need to leave.”

Mikleo is completely taken back by the words that were spoken to him. Was that really another version of himself?

“I can’t ask that of them. They’ve gone a long way to come here.”

”I don’t want them here. I don’t want to see them. I’ll only hurt them.”

Comments

[water_meebo]

He stumped first by Edna's words, both him and his the other him. It was not unusual for Edna to say what she felt but at the same time the words she said last reminded him exactly what he was forgetting. Even with their journeys both at home and here in Crystallis, there is no guanratee that every single living being could be saved. It's the truth but somewhere along the way, it became complicated and he had forgotten how important that phrase was.

He was scared of not being strong enough to protect those he held close more than death itself. Dying was a natural process. Everything will perish one day and nothing lasts forever. That's the truth but not being able to preserve those lives before their passing was always more than a little difficult. He can't help but have a bitter smile plastered across his face for Edna's comment.

"Perhaps, I am being selfish for not wanting to involve others or choosing to not let them get hurt in my stead. I know it's not the right thing to do but, I don't want to let anyone down."

That's all he could say to her really. The last statement takes a moment for him to reply to, "Yeah."

He couldn't save the world and the billions of people in it. That's just the reality of things. It's the matter of jus taking the situation into consideration and doing what he could to save as many as he could. It's something he knew as well as everyone else. Yet, of course it still bothered him. Even here, it was still painful to watch people die.

Shameful...? Was that how it came off to Lust as? Perhaps, he should have expressed himself better with her. He shook his head, "Perhaps a part of me does feel that way without knowing."

He glances at his other self from the small distance that they had between.

"Shameful huh? Is that how I seem right now to you?" in which the response is met with a small nod but no further words, "I see."

He made no room to protest the statement and looked back at Lust, "I'm aware but it doesn't change how I feel. I'll have to try harder, then won't I?"

Rather than pushing himself away or denying these words, he accepted them. It was going to be a process but he wasn't going to let himself be miserable like this forever. He had to get stronger not by himself but with everyone that he cared about. The reassurance was comforting, honestly. He looked back when he felt the hand on his shoulder. All he could do was nod. Sorey's right as well. He's here trying to stave off his insecurities so that he could accept them for what they were and become stronger with them.

"That's right. I didn't come here to just give up."

Lailah also always knew what to say with words of strong advice, reminding him that he was very much that person that wouldn't change.

His other self only looked in utter confusion as Lailah went for him instead of his other self. It looked entirely shocked just as Mikleo had seemed to catch wind of what Lailah had said. Such words could only make his face turn even more red as he looked away. On the other hand, the other Mikleo, was still stunned, though perhaps her word had touched it enough to smile briefly as took in all of her words. Given all the words that were thrown his way, Mikleo seemed like he was about to cry. Not because he was sad, but because he was slowly starting to understand why he seemed off for so long.

"We are fortunate to be surrounded by those cherish us fondly..."

"Yes."

There's nothing more for his Shadow to say really. These things that were bothering him, one by one were pushed off his chest-- his fears, his insecurities and whatever other little things that were part of him that he was pushing aside.

"What will you do now?"

It was as if the Shadow would constantly test Mikleo's resolve time and time again.

"I'll keep going. I won't succumb to the fear, nor will I doubt myself anymore. I'll overcome everything. I'll be stronger so that I can protect those I care about from here on. Even if it's scary, and even if I might waver, I won't give up."

[gorgeous_sin]

She could have chided him for making assumptions. Lust had never cherished anything (let alone cherished someone fondly). She didn't have that kind of capacity for love.

And yet, here she was just the same, wasn't she? Trying to make sure this boy didn't wind up breaking down and getting himself hurt because he was simply too sentimental, or too unprepared for what he was holding back.

Her lashes dipped slightly as her gaze moved to the floor just in front of Mikleo's feet, silently pensive. This thought wasn't entirely new to her. He had value because she could learn the finer points of humanity through his observation. She'd believed he was exactly the sort she could manipulate into creating a Philosopher's Stone. But now she wasn't so sure. Something was changing, she couldn't deny that. What was it...?

Lust's gaze flicked back up to Mikleo's determined young face. "See that you do. Are you going to get this over with, or are you going to keep us here all night?" she remarked dryly, gesturing with an open hand as she smiled.

[terrorfirma]

It seemed as though there was nothing more to be said. Edna, for her part, had used up all her words by now, anyway. Mikleo wasn't someone to shy away from a challenge, and even less to to turn away from his own short-comings. No, he was far too bright to fall into that kind of despair. Heh, she chuckled silently in her mind. Thank goodness he couldn't hear her thoughts just then, it might have gone to his head.

Turning slowly, she folded her parasol back into itself again, taking those few steps over to Mikleo. Without warning, there's a surprise jab to the small of his back with the pointy end.

"That's right. So let's keep going, what are you waiting for?"

[water_meebo]

"I'm truly grateful, to all of you. Thank you for supporting me and being my friends."

He started, a small smile still played on his lips, hinted with a brief moment of gloss in his eyes. He shouldn't be crying right now so he held it back. It made him happy to know that regardless of the future he had strong support from those he cared about and more so that they spent their time encouraging him relentlessly.

He was still scared of the future, and he was still worried about hurting those close to him but the important fact is that he had to take it all in stride and with his head up high.

"Yeah, I think it's ti--- Ouch!"

He jolted forward almost into his own Shadow thanks to Edna. Mikleo shoots her a glare before trying to straighten himself up and letting the throbbing pain diminish from the small of his back.

"Can you do that with a little less force!?"

Though, the jab at least made him move close enough to his other self. Mikleo holds the hands of his Shadow silently, while he smiled seriously.

"I know you're only a reflection of my insecurities, but thank you for reminding me that I'm not alone, and thank you for helping me stronger. Everyone as well. Thank you for giving me a hand. I can definitely walk with my head up high now."

That's what I want to hear. The Shadow replied in his mind. In a moment, the other version of himself completely disappeared into his being and Mikleo falls to the ground with a huge breath of exhaustion.

[ranoutofbugs]

Lailah walked over to Mikleo and attempted to support him up. She wasn't particularly strong, but Mikleo's rather dainty physique wasn't difficult to support. "Goodness, that was exciting." She chuckled, looking at the others. "What say we all head out for some ice cream in celebration?"

[gorgeous_sin]

Lust, too, dropped to a knee almost instinctively, hands braced against Mikleo's chest and shoulder to support him. She hadn't even thought about what she was doing; her body simply moved on its own. The boy was clearly exhausted after such an ordeal and in dire need of rest. Or perhaps he simply needed a moment to gather his thoughts and catch his breath.

"Can you stand?" she asked, oddly gentle in her tone of voice. If he wanted ice cream with his friends, then she had no objections to letting him go with them. But he didn't seem like he was quite up to walking, let alone celebrating.

They might need to just bring the ice cream to him.