melodiesoflife | Event || Doppelgangers

Event || Doppelgangers

Characters: All characters who signed-up for the event.
Where: Dreams.
When: Overnight from April 16th to April 17th.
Summary: The Heroes of Light have a shared dream— They find themselves in the body of a Hero of Light from two thousand years ago, both witnessing events and reenacting things that happened back then. But these Heroes of Light aren't just anybody; they are people from their homeworlds... And sometimes themselves. Please refer to the second OOC Post for details and plotting.
Warning: Battles, death, tragedies, bad things overall.

Common Dream || Mingle

Group A || The Dissensions
Group B || The Hacking
Group C || The Betrayal
Group D || The Enemy Within
Group E || The Plan
Group F || The Other Way
Group G || The End

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

A perfect storm. A few more key parts to fall into place and this World would be as good as his. It was about time- after 8 years of waiting.

{Eight years...what the-}

Where other Heroes had lived and died Sephiroth had risen to the occasion with flawless perfection whenever the situation had called for action. A pillar of strength to cling to, to weather the loss that so many of them had faced on the road to this final countdown, an ear to hear all of what had needed to be said and a capable mind to sort it all into order. Despite his first couple of years in searching for a way to return himself home, once he had discovered the mechanics behind what kept his rightful skills out of his initial grasp Sephiroth had become as much of a Hero as anyone could have desired to have on their side. Despite the warnings uttered from a handful who for the most part had come and gone; all except for a particular thorn in his side that had long since become a callous.

He stood before one of the Job Switching machines, reached out to take his crystal - a pitch black meteor-shape as it hummed with the power of a final switch. There could be nothing else but than to go into this with everything that he had. He would have to sacrifice, just once more, and it would all be worth it.

{Sacrifice-} Yes, with one final sacrifice of this aging body I will finally put all of this to rights. Finally, I will take back what was taken from us.

{Us?} My Rightful Legacy-

It wasn't like him to reminisce quite so fondly, it had been a long time since he had though specifically of his Mother. Other things had always taken a precedent, eight years was a long time to work towards something this complex. It's complexity was necessary though, there could be no failing this time.

"Humph." He made an dismissive noise, as the small voice that had appeared somewhere in his consciousness went silent. Sephiroth wondered what had caused that, some small fragment of a memory ignited now that he was gaining on his goal- what a ridiculous idea.

There he was. Nebilim paused on her way to the machines, watching Sephiroth, her head slightly tilted. He was one of the last ones she had meant to check on, and as often was the case, he was somewhere away from the others. A private man, as always.

She had received the warnings of Cloud and the others from his world. To stay away, to be wary, to second guess everything Sephiroth said or did. Every account she had heard made it clear that the man with the silver hair had committed horrific crimes.

But then, so had she. And if she didn't believe in his ability to change, how could she believe in her own?

'Crimes?'

Shaking her head to shrug off the voice in the back of her mind, Nebilim approached, smiling slightly.

"Hello, Sephiroth. Are you well?"

Edited 2015-04-22 18:07 (UTC)

Quite often Sephiroth had remained on the outskirts of the clique of Heroes yet never so far enough that he had been an outsider when inevitably their lives had been drawn closer together with the events surrounding the rise of the Calamity. Ever eager to take up arms and defeat that which they -apparently- had been brought here to smite in the first place.

It just so happened that he would always gravitate forwards at precisely when his presence was needed. Whether it be due to a need to keep himself distanced most of the time, defensively, or -as was more likely- he just wasn't that social of a person. Not that he could be blamed for being defensive, given some of the wild rumors about his crimes on another Planet - it was outrageous to think how a person could even gain the means to do half of what they claimed he had.

{But all those people..those lives you destroyed and still more you tainted...how-}

Perhaps an interruption was just what he needed to quiet that tiny voice in his head. It was odd, Sephiroth very rarely had such doubts.

"Nebilim." He acknowledged shortly, as she drew closer, slipping his crystal into his jacket as he turned to face her. Inspecting her face and body language no differently than he would any other Hero left standing at this point.

"I am. About as well as any other can be, I expect, given the circumstances."

Over the years, an observant eye might have noticed something wasn't quite right -- that sometimes, when she wasn't thinking about it, her movements were closer to the efficiency of a soldier than a mere school teacher that she claimed to be. Right now, however, she appeared perfectly relaxed.

"I'm glad. You've been pushing yourself so hard for our sake. No wounds or ailments I could heal for you, then?"

Although he was more well-spoken and responsible, Sephiroth reminded Nebilim a little of Jade sometimes. Perhaps it was the tendency to withdraw from crowds -- her student was always more interested in books and cutting up monsters than making friends. If they all made it through this, the swordsman might make a good role model for the boy.

'Role model...? Please tell me that was a joke, Professor.'

Soldier or school teacher, it didn't matter very much to Sephiroth other than the former which was forever bitter to him as a result of a past that he didn't quite remember as much of as he should. Teachers were important, and he placed a high value on education though; even if, again, Sephiroth himself couldn't even remember his life from that far back. His previous inundations to the Lifestream aside, it could also be that his age was starting to creep up on him.

{...there is nothing there, as if it didn't ever happen but it must have...}

How stupid. Sephiroth couldn't help but to curl his upper lip up slightly at the small thoughts that didn't make much sense to him. Relinquishing everything of his past self had been a necessary sacrifice, and he knew that, so why have the thought chase him now?

"It has been a while since I've the need." He answered, banishing the near-scowl to a light smile in an instant. "Ever since I finished working on my new Job."

Indeed, that new Job which contained much of Sephiroth's own regenerative properties. Most injuries or even status ailments were shockingly short-lived these days.

She thought she saw him frowning for a fraction of a second, but it was replaced by a smile so quickly Nebilim couldn't be certain it had happened at all. Hopefully she hadn't offended him. Sephiroth had quite the sense of pride.

"That's right, you have a customized Job, don't you?" It was not a common trait -- she couldn't think of many Heroes who could boast the same. "I have to admit, I envy you a little."

Nebilim was reasonably happy as a Sage, really. Magic was the closest thing this world had to fonic artes, and she didn't lack for versatility in battle when it came to spell-casting. Still... Sometimes she did feel a little constrained with the Job abilities.

It was hardly the first time Sephiroth had caught himself from frowning too deeply, not that anyone could be blamed for such an expression given the dark times that were upon them. Never mind that it had been for other reasons; it had never been a secret that he was a deep thinker.

Just like he'd had to school himself into not being so sensitive where it came to his pride as well, especially since Cloud had arrived. It would have been detrimental to the whole plan to leap into the hatred towards the other man that bubbled away beneath the surface.

"I do." He followed with a shallow nod, the bangs on either side of his face shifting a little with the movement. "Though, they aren't for everybody. Neither is their success guaranteed."

"You'll make the best of yours, I'm sure. I have yet to see you make a tactical move that didn't pay off." She chuckled gently. "I'm certainly glad to have you on our side."

That, at least, she could say without reservations. Whatever Sephiroth's past may have held, he seemed to have been determined to make up for it. She had lost count of the battles that would have claimed more lives without his intervention.

Truthfully, sometimes a part of her did question it... but even at her most skeptical, she had difficulty believing anyone could pull off such a perfect act for so long. And, well... believable or not, she had made her choice to trust him.

A light smile, a subtle nod with his eyes- that was about as emotive as he ever got when others would pay him a compliment and thus, the same was delivered in response to Nebilim. He didn't need others to prop up or bolster his ego after all; Sephiroth was as keen, intelligent and well-informed as he was down purely to his own desire to be so. Perfectionist was too dull a point to put on it.

"It's all about applied judgement, really. I'm just a little more experienced than most." That was putting it mildly considering his long tenure in Crystallis, and the events beforehand on his own World that were never really ever discussed in much detail. Enough of a indication had been given though, that Sephiroth quite often out did himself to reach any goal that he'd target.

"It's just a shame that so many didn't make it this far." It's spoken in his usual matter-of-fact tone of voice, but it has a believable edge to it which could be categorized as genuine remorse; almost as if he took some responsibility for them all, himself. Perhaps that was why he wasn't as emotionally expressive thesedays-

{You've got them all convinced...}

Nebilim's smile turned melancholy at his words. There had been a number of times she had wondered whether it wouldn't be easier to close herself off, to make the losses a little easier to bear. She had done it before, when she worked in the Order of Lorelei. A commander couldn't stop and weep every time she lost someone.

But she wasn't a soldier anymore -- not even though she had returned to fighting here in Crystallis. Their war needed soldiers, that was true, but it also needed the ones who stopped to care for each and every Hero and grieved for every casualty, no matter how high the number grew.

"Yes. We've lost too many." Nebilim's eyes grew resolute. "We must make sure their sacrifices weren't in vain."

He had been one of those throughout the entire ordeal, when their numbers had begun to dwindle significantly, the stalwart warrior who appeared to so easily close himself off - put himself half a world away from all the grief yet still be stood within the same room. Many a shoulder offered for comfort yet never quite warm enough to permeate. There had been spats as well, in the past, where he'd been accused of not feeling - people said very harsh things and didn't mean it when they were overcome with grief themselves.

Of course, realistically it helped that Sephiroth was already so far elevated above humans that he didn't much connect with how emotions became overcome by inevitable loss, even if he himself were for the moment still trapped as the same. It wouldn't be for long.

Still, he'd spent long enough around those soldiers that had been boxing all their sorrow away for the greater good to learn how to pull it off that appearance perfectly.

"Don't worry," His eyes flared up green for a moment, sparked by apparent emotion, a color that wasn't very often seen in his dulled-out eyes anymore. Sometimes the mako returned, when he was utilizing one of his abilities but he'd need to conserve all of the energy that he could for now. "I know that they won't be."

Nebilim nodded. Then, after a moment of silence, she met Sephiroth's gaze and took a step closer.

"However this turns out, Sephiroth... I'm glad I got to meet you." No, that sounded too final. She extended a hand, giving him a gentle smile. "I expect to see you on the other side... Otherwise I'll be very cross with you."

They had to succeed. If each team worked together and completed their tasks, then surely... Surely they still stood a chance. They wouldn't need to resort to the last backup plan. She had thought about telling Sephiroth about it, but had decided against it in the end. Their fighters had enough on their minds as it was.

Calm and composed as ever Sephiroth looked down over Nebilim as she took that step closer. Never mind how much more comfortable he felt around the Heroes, given his long time support of so many of them, there was always the awareness that any gesture might not be all that friendly as it seemed on the surface.

However, Nebilim was not one of those he'd ever been given a reason to be suspicious of.

Sephiroth met her gentle smile with a sharper one of his own and reached to take her hand. A short squeeze of a shake later and he withdrew it, having no reason to linger for longer in the gesture. A further once over and he allowed for his smile to spread wider; it was only meant as a light tease, no need to take it any other way.

"Well now I've even more of a reason to make sure we all succeed."

Even if he'd been aware of the backup plan, if things went Sephiroth's way there wouldn't be any need for it. As important as their mission to subdue the Calamity Spawn to weaken the Calamity went; it all served the same goal.

Sephiroth. In many respects, he was a mystery of a man among the other Heroes of Light. He certainly did fit the archetype of the perfect Hero as far as outside behavior was concerned, and he had more than enough powers and skills to stand as one of the best of them. Yet, Ganondorf knew better than to trust outside appearances. Not because of what rumors he may have heard before or what others may have been saying. But putting on a mask and parading as one of the fair was something any self-respecting demon could do. In this sense, he was much closer to him than he'd like.

Yet, their goals couldn't have been more different, should Sephiroth have one in the first place. Much of the man was still a mystery to him. Ganondorf intended to be rid of the Calamity—And if Crystallis was to be lost as well in the process, then so be it. Only his homeworld mattered at this point, though he obviously plotted to try and obtain the power of the Ancients while executing his plan. Obtaining such a power would tempt anyone, and for this he would need the assistance of the two he had plotted with. But this moment would come later.

Ganondorf stopped and frowned as he saw Sephiroth wondering what had happened—Ganondorf himself had heard some sort of conscience in depth of his mind, but this was most likely to be the Crystals playing some tricks on them. His conscience was long gone.

"Having doubts?"

The deep roll of Ganondorf's voice was unmistakable in it's own right, and even if he had known someone were lingering nearby, the abrupt stall in Sephiroth's reaction at least seemed the genuine article. Hot off the heels of an unusual train of thoughts within his own mind could catch any one unawares. His long fall of silver shifts some to the side as Sephiroth first slowly turns his head to look over the rounded top of his shoulder armor at Ganondorf, as if to verify before committing to turn his stance to face the larger Gerudo.

There had always been a sense between these two men, that each was something much more than they seemed and for that reason alone Sephiroth had made a point of keeping abreast of Ganondorf's comings and goings, for a long time. After all, it served his purpose not only as Hero of Light, but as Jenova's son also, should Ganondorf seek to compete against his own Destiny. Such a relationship had inevitably formed a type of unsteady alliance; at least as far as keeping an eye over the others' shoulder was concerned.

"Doubts, no. Concerns perhaps." It was a true statement at least, whichever role he adopted. Sephiroth's hand tightened around his black meteor-shaped crystal, keeping it in his palm for the time being rather than revealing where he might keep it upon his person.

"Only a fool would not harbor the same."

"Perhaps."

Maybe Ganondorf was concerned by the outcome. Of course he was; not only Hyrule was at stake, but his life as well. Yet, death was no stranger to him, nor was defeat. He had faced loss many times before and had always managed to return, sometimes to score a few success. Even if he should lose today, this would be a temporary setback at worst. But he had no intention to lose, he wanted to win and make the world he dreamt of his.

"All will be over soon. The hopes and dreams of countless will be shattered and buried in the flow of history. Only a few shine brightly enough to leave their mark."

Another true statement, history always remembered the victors and brilliant ones; a few select among billion of people. He didn't deliver this statement randomly though. he was curious as to what Sephiroth planned. He wasn't aware of his plan, but it made no doubt to him he had something planned. Whether it would come in opposition to his one however, he didn't know. For all he knew, their plans would maybe complement each other. But likewise, Ganondorf kept silent on his own plans.

"Do you intend on being one of the few chosen?"

In those concerns, at the very least the two men might find common ground if either of them had ever had reason to reveal it to the other. Death, defeat and inevitable resurrection to name but a few of the experiences both had endured at one time or another in their past. A single difference being; Sephiroth was perhaps a little more desperate for his plan to succeed this time, having no such alternate solution. That desperation made him both dangerous and ever more guarded should it come to leaving even the slightest hint to his real intention be dropped into any conversation.

"I am glad that I'm not the only one to see so." He agreed with Ganondorf with a short nod whilst carefully gauging the other. It was a brutal opinion, but was already ringing true just over the course of these final days. Not often did Sephiroth voice it in such a way even if a great deal of the Heroes already knew him to have become colder as of late. Pointing out such jarring hopelessness for so many of them was bound to meet with arguments he didn't have any desire to endure.

It would only make it harder, in the end.

"These final days will see the foundations laid for the future. I will be one of those here to see them set in such a way that will deliver us from this misery. Futures are often built on the blood of the nameless.

"But there will always be those left, to remember them. Which is equally important."

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Event || Doppelgangers

Common Dream || Mingle - Sephiroth [Open]

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