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

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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.

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Event || Doppelgangers

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