Melodies Of Life || Change those flowing tears into shining courage, life goes on

[melodiesmods]

Characters: Anyone who's been in the game
Where: Aqures Ixen
When: August 3rd
Summary: A story is over, many others are about to begin. Friends may reunite and rejoice together, friends may part and say farewell to each over forever. But even if you should leave your friends behind, your voice shall never forget their melodies.


Following the battle against Kalki, the sacrifice of old friends and the second destruction of Aqures Tosf, Palitutu cast all Heroes of Light into the Rift, each of them finding themselves in an all too familiar void. And yet... Soon the void vanished, as it had once before. This time it was all too clear none of this had been a dream. Upon coming to their senses, the Heroes of Light will find themselves on the outskirts of Aqures Ixen. Music and laughter can be heard coming from the city.

Is there a celebration in the city? Shouldn't it be filled with corrupted Heroes of Light and on the brink of destruction? Before they can do anything about these questions, the Heroes of Light are submerged by a wave of fluffy white balls of fur and fluff- the Moogles who helped them for all these years and are now overjoyed to see they are safe and sound. As they once did before, the Moogles will answer all of their questions, but also drag them into the city. A celebration is indeed taking place and why, it appears they are the reason the celebration is happening. The music is joyous, the people are happy and all appears to be for the best.

Upon reaching the third district, they will see familiar faces. Cid, Wedge, Biggs, Parajapati, Mograma, O'aka and many other friends they made along the way. They will all clap for them before congratulating them and taking part in the festivities. There are more familiar faces, however. Where once stood the Crystal of Fire is now a statue depicting four Heroes of Light: Sephiroth, Minato, Tears and Sayaka, all four of them brandishing their crystal and weapons in a heroic posture.

Whilst many might be sad and mourn them, perhaps this is also an occasion to celebrate what they were in life and carry the memory of their deeds into your own life. Melodies of life, come circle round and grow deep in our hearts, as long as we remember.

THE END

Comments

Funeral for a friend

[line_piece]

[A few days after the festival's conclusion - and certainly after paying her respects to those among her number who made the ultimate sacrifice - Chiaki has another piece of business to attend to. After all, there were actually five people who never made it back from Aqures Ixen. It was this fifth person's death that stung Chiaki the most. She knew what she had to do.

After sending messages to the other Heroes of Light, she heads for the newly reconstructed church in the 13th District. Heartened to see that he wasn't forgotten by Cid or the others, she finds a gravestone with the name 'Jack Harkness' engraved thereupon. Kneeling down briefly before the others arrive, she writes the word 'Captain' on a sticky note and attaches it, smiling to herself. That's the way he'd want to be remembered.]

...Hey, everyone.

[Her greeting is as casual as ever when the other Heroes arrive, but clearly masking how sad and lonely she feels without one of her best friends here with her. Chiaki has felt loss before, but not this keenly since she had to say goodbye to a certain someone from her own world.]

Um... I just wanted to say a few words about Jack. When I first got here, he was the first one to really listen to me and take me seriously. I know I spent a lot of time talking about games, but that's just how I understood this world. Jack... got that. He trusted me right away, and I never had to explain myself around him.

He was also one of the first people I told about my past. How I was created as an AI, and how strange it felt - coming here, and suddenly having to learn what it was like to be human. A lot of what that means, I learned from Jack. He's lived longer than any human I've ever known, and he never lost any of what made him human. He had the biggest heart.

[She's actually starting to tear up at this point.]

He... he was always fighting for what he believed in. For a better world. And not just for the people of Aqures Ixen, or the Heroes of Light. He wanted a better world for the Herans, too. Even for Kalki. He cared so much. When I talk about hope, I'm talking about people like Jack. He'd do anything to protect peoples' smiles and their futures. Even sacrifice himself for it.

I yelled at him a lot for that. I still want to yell at him. He showed me how precious life is, but it never felt like he thought much of his own life. If that was the cost to save the world, it was a small cost to pay. That's just how he was. I always thought... someday, there'd be a day when he wouldn't come back from it. And that day finally came.

[She definitely needs a moment now, as the tears come streaming down her face. After a few choked sobs, she takes a deep breath, a wistful smile forming on her face.]

...So, this is goodbye, Jack. But it's not the end. It's never the end. Not as long as we have our memories together.

[After all of that, she'll step aside to allow others to pay their respects and say a few words if they want.]

not here;

[impatienttraveler]

[The post-it note was not the only thing that rested against the tombstone. While he cared little for graveyards over the centuries - he always was just that tad envious of those who rested within - he remembered the one who advocated his survival most. Not that he truly agreed, but he could not help but admire the stubbornness with which he fought with those such as Sephiroth.

Which is why he had left a single bouquet beside the stone with the man's name etched thereupon. A simple one, really - one of dead leaves and petunias, with a single dark pink rose set in the center. A small gesture of what remained of the shadow he had once faced and his goodwill - amidst his far stronger sense of loathing and resentment for the man - before returning to Eos in order to finish what he started.

It was two days old at most.]

Re: Funeral for a friend

[not_most_days]

[Mary lingers before going up to the grave. She lets the others say what they will and it's almost to the point where others are leaving before the pirate stands before the marker. She opens her mouth to speak, pauses, and then puts her sonic screwdriver and a bottle of rum on top of the stone.]

You're a fool. You were a damn fool far too eager to throw your life away. [She shakes her head and tries to ignore the tears forcing their way up.]

I hope you've found the peace you've been hunting all this time. And we won't waste the peace you helped make. But damnit you should have been here with us.

Re: Funeral for a friend

[unyieldingspirit]

He was… he was a good man. A good friend, and- entirely trustworthy. I'm glad to have known him- and I'm glad you knew him.

[ah- she's choking up. She wipes a hand across her face.]

… I wish it hadn't been like this. But I'll remember. As long as I live… I promise.

[line_piece]

[Chiaki nods, smiling as she wipes away her own tears.]

I'm sure he didn't have any regrets.