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rpchive · 6 years

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101st Encounter-- The Worth of a Soul

Big Mom Energy

After several days without success, Jay lies on the bed in their room, glaring up at the ceiling in frustration as he tries to figure out what to do to pull off a sync. Collin drops onto the end of the bed, sitting with an elbow resting on his knee and his chin in his hand. He lets out an exasperated sigh as he rubs an eye with his propped up hand. "God, this is way trickier than I thought it was going to be. I'm sorry, Jay." alienrabitt: It's...alright. I don't think either of us really know what to do here, and it's not exactly like we can ask anyone else for advice with this... Collin: It's a shame kleivenn don't come with a manual or something. Would've made this a whole lot easier for both of us frankly. alienrabitt: Seriously...maybe I could've preemptively gotten armor or something that cut off access to my oracle. Ugh, but I'm getting distracted, we need to figure this out first.

He gestures exaggeratedly with his arms.

something I can see very clearly as one of their failed attempts is them just running at each other, slamming together, then pulling themselves off the floor going “that was so stupid why did we even try that ugh”

Collin: Well, we need to... I can't remember how Sabraith put it, but we gotta "sync" up, right? So maybe we just need to... do something together? Think about the same thing? I'm not sure, but something like that maybe? alienrabitt: I'm pretty sure we're both thinking about how I could probably glare the paint off the ceiling if I keep staring at it like this, but I guess it needs to be something...substantial? Collin: Yeah, but what? I'm not sure pattycake is gonna cut it for this. alienrabitt: I...don't know, man. At this point I'd even consider rhythm games. Somethin's gotta work eventually, right...? Collin: God I hope it's not that. I'm already kinda nervous about this whole thing, I don't need pressure from trying to dance on top of that. alienrabitt: That was...mostly a joke, fortunately. Uhh...

Pushing himself upright, Jay places his injured hand to his cheek. "Mm mm mm mm...hmm..." Collin: ... Do you ever sing, Jay? alienrabitt: ...Yeah, sometimes. I'm not very good at it, though... Collin: Well, I'm not any sort of professional either, but I did sing back in Aperture sometimes. One of the few nice things about the place was that because all the walls were just hard, flat surfaces, the acoustics were crazy in there. alienrabitt: I bet we could do something like that in the practice room, then. Collin: Uh, if you want to? I mean, it shouldn't make much of a difference. The sound isn't the important part, I think, but if it'll help we can go there. alienrabitt: I...don't think it matters where we sing, I just don't really want to be heard... Collin: Oh come on, it can't be that bad. But I think we can just stick in here for now.

He stands up and walks over to Jay, holding out his hands for him. "So uh, wanna give this a shot then?" Taking a deep breath, Jay takes Collin's hands. "It's...worth a chance, I guess." Collin pulls him up onto his feet and takes a few steps back from the bed. He lets go of Jay's hands and puts them just above his hips instead. Collin takes a deep breath and starts with the first line of the song, soft and low and hesitant. Jay recognizes the song and joins him on the second line onward, his voice slightly higher in pitch but equally tentative. As they continue the song, their confidence finds them and lifts their volume higher, strengthening their tone.

"Whether near or far, I am always yours. Any change in time, We are young again.

Lay us down, We're in love."

The End of All Things; a song I’ve said would make a good song to be played at a wedding. not my first choice; but cute

As they reach the second verse, they gently touch their foreheads together as they sway ever so slightly side to side. Pushing forward, they near the end of the song together, and as their last note rises into the air, a glimmering light shines at each point that their bodies touch and rapidly expands over them both. Collin and Jay are drawn together with a burst of light, and a single figure is left staggering slightly in their wake as it fades. Jumping slightly in surprise, the being grabs their face in their hands as a big grin spreads across their face. "W-we did it!" Looking down, they look their outfit over. Jay's scarf remains, though the rest of their clothes have changed; their shirt now green, with long sleeves and a zipper going halfway down the front; their pants now a pair of denim shorts that retains the length of Jay's previous shorts. More of note, however, is that both of their missing limbs seem to have returned.

this is the ugliest flash outfit I could imagine. that’s the one hilarious thing about syncs across the board, their first combined outfit is always ugly as hell

that aside, this is kinda stevonnie parallel

?: Wait, do we...?

They marvel at their newly recovered limbs for a moment before they glance at the prosthetic leg lying on the floor. They reach down to pick it up and gently hold it with both hands. "Wow, I guess we're balancing each other out more than we thought, huh?" ???: I forgot what it felt like to have both my arms, honestly. You think you're gonna be able to stand? Well, I guess your prosthetic functioned like the real thing, huh... ?: Yes and no? It moves the same, but...

They stomp with their left leg a couple of times. "Wow that's weird, I feel the impact in my foot instead of my knee again. I forgot what that was like!" Stretching out their arms, the being pushes themself up off the floor. "So, what now? We gonna show that kleivenn what we did?" They create a small orb of magic around the prosthetic, which then quickly vanishes along with the leg. "Sounds good! Just had to put that away for safekeeping first." Stretching one final time, the being leaves their room, heading off to find Sabraith. As they enter the console room, Rio spins her chair around to look at who's approaching only to jump up in surprise. "W-whoa!! Who--...!? Wait, you look a little like..."

Nydins: Did you two finally pull it off?

???: Uhh, yeah! It's me and Collin! ...That's gonna be annoying to say like, 10 more times...

Rio: Well, what about a together name? Y'know, a nickname for who you are now! ?: You have a point, although we'll still need to mention that it's... well, us the first few times. But what should "our" name be? I really don't like the sound of "Jollin", that's for sure. ???: Uhh...probably not just a word; that'd probably just confuse everybody. Something...uhh...hmm... They just sort of get lost in phonetics for a moment. They arch their eyebrow and slowly sound out a name as though they were trying it on like a new outfit. "Seras? ... Maybe?" Rio: That's so cute!!

Nydins: Sounds appropriate. Seras: Appropriate?

Nydins: Yeah, I mean, it sounds like it fits right in your pantheon, don't you think?

Seras: I...guess so? What, do you just like themes or something?

Nydins: It's a little satisfying. Seras: It does sorta fit, now that I- uh, we? Think about it. Seras: We haven't left where Sabraith is yet, have we?

Nydins: Nah, she's still outside. Seras: Okay, good. We're gonna go pay her another visit, so we'll be back in a few. Nydins: Alright, we'll be here.

Seras heads outside, where Sabraith's standing out on her porch, hanging up some sheets to dry in the sun. They wave one hand over their head and call out to them. "Hey there! Got a second?" Yawning, Sabraith turns around only to look slightly surprised. "Who...are you?"

Seras: Oh, y'know, just a successful sync! You can call us Seras.

Sabraith: And you can call me skeptical. Alright, let's see how long you can hold this thing out. Seras: What do you mean by that? Sabraith: There's a difference between knowing somebody and becoming a part of them. The two of you need to prove to me you can keep this thing stable no matter what's thrown at you; otherwise, I'm not handing over this thing.

Seras: B-but why?

Sabraith: What, you think I forgot about that whole "mom" thing? And what if they do something else, huh? Bet you don't know how you hold up in combat yet. Or under pressure; exhaustion; any circumstances. Go 24 hours, no sleep, no food, fight something out, and if you can keep it together, then I'll give you the emblem. Seras: Wait, seriously? I mean, I get some of that but no sleep? No food?

Sabraith: You have to prove to me you can handle anything. Deprivation can break a weaker being.

she knows they get into some weird shit when they travel, and she’s seen war stuff a bunch. she’s probably considering what would happen if they were held hostage or something and had to sync to escape, or if they were caught as a sync and had to keep it together so they couldn’t be separated/hurt individually

Seras: 24 hours'll be easy!

Sabraith: Well, I heard humans can go a week without food; wanna see if that's true?

Seras: N-not...that easy... Seras: Let's just stick with 24 for now, alright? Sabraith: 24 it is. See you around...noon tomorrow, then. Seras: Alright, I guess we'll just... go back to the IT for now? Sabraith: Might as well; can't do anything right now.

Seras returns to the console room, where Demo has joined Nydins and Rio.

Demo: Wow, so you two managed to uhh...really get together, huh? Seras: Heh, yeah, bit of an understatement there. Still getting used to it but it feels... comfy? I'm not sure that's the word I want, but it's all I can think of. Demo: So, what's the verdict? Empty handed, I'm guessing...

Seras: Ugh, don't remind us...apparently this still isn't enough...

Demo: Hey, whatever; you're happy as you are, right?

Seras: I just wish the circumstances were better is all... Seras: Well, at least we're all safe for now. I'm not exactly looking forward to pulling an all-nighter with no food, though... Demo: Wait, what? That's so not fair! She's kidding, right?

Seras: I wish, man; but she sounded pretty serious about the whole "keep it together under any circumstances" thing...

Demo: Well, what if you just...did something ridiculous? If you just took on something really extreme, she'd have no choice but to acknowledge you could handle anything else, right? Seras: Is that really that wise though? I mean, we literally just managed to pull this off... Demo: Well, hey, it's either do something stupid together or sit on your collective butt for a day doing nothing but...well, nothing, I guess. Seras: But... what crazy thing would we even do? Demo: I don't know; is Fawkes done yet? Seras: I'm not sure. We could go check? Seras: Even if he is, we won't be able to kill that thing...that's Clair and Zenith's business.

Demo: Maybe so, but...the least you can do is run distraction or something. Even just holding it off until there's an opening would be better than just sitting awake all night. Seras: Well... Let's see if Fawkes is done first, and we'll make some sort of call from there. Sighing a little bit, Seras heads off to Fawkes' room. "Man, I'm sick of having to prove stuff to people. Why can't they just let us do our job? I don't see them fighting..." Seras: I... kinda get why, but it is frustrating, yeah. Let's just see if Fawkes is ready first. They approach Fawkes' door and knock a couple of times. After a moment, Fawkes pulls the door open. "Do you... need... something?" Seras: Yeah, we wanted to see if-- oh yeah, I guess you wouldn't recognize us like this; uhh, I'm...we're Jay and Collin! Fawkes: I know I was trying to push you two together back in the old days, but I think I might have done my job too well. Seras: W-well, Sabraith wantes us to prove to her we could sync after all, sooo...yeah... Fawkes: You don't seem too victorious about this, though. Is there something else? Seras: She kinda wants us to prove we can keep holding this in a serious situation, so I was wondering if you were done with, well, y'know...

Fawkes: Ah. Yes, it's finished. Are you sure this is a wise first mission like this, however? I would imagine that could get a little... confusing, being like that. Seras: I mean, it's just beating something up; that's nothing new for us... Fawkes: I suppose so... Well, I'm ready when everyone else is. Just let me know when you need me. Seras: Alright, we can do that! Just gotta let Zenith and Clair know first. Uhh, you can call us Seras while we're like this, by the way. Probably easier... Fawkes: Oh good. I was afraid you were going to go by something silly like "Jollin". Seras is a much nicer name. Seras: Isn't it? Waving goodbye, Seras leaves to break the news to Zenith and Clair. They approach the door to Clair's room and hesitate for a second before finally knocking. Zenith is the one to open the door. "...Uhh...wait, you feel familiar...Jay? Collin?"

Clair leans around them from further back in the room. "That just looks like one person, Zenith..."

Zenith: ...But they're...not... Seras: It's more like both of us, actually. Just call us Seras, it's easier than saying both of our names all the time. Zenith: Okay, uh, Seras...what's up?

Seras: Are you two, uh...

Collin can feel Jay's guilt creeping up briefly, but he chokes it back as they reword their thoughts. "...Are you really ready to handle your mom?"

Clair: That's...

Zenith: ...Well, no, but...I can't just keep waiting. I didn't even know she sas living like that; I can't let her keep suffering; even if she isn't, all those kleivenn...I have to do something....if I don't, I could probably just avoid this for the rest of our lives; but then those kleivenn would never get to rest, and neither would our mom. I have to do this...it's not about what I want; it's about the right thing to do. Seras: ... I'm glad to hear you say that. Still, I know this must be impossibly hard for you two. Just let us know if you need anything, alright? Zenith: I won't know what I need until this is over. But...thanks. I'll keep it in mind. Seras: Just be ready, we'll be heading that way soon. Anything else before we head back to the console room? Clair: R-really?! I...guess it has been about a week...um...no, thanks for the heads up. You guys go ahead; we'll meet up with everyone when we get there. Seras: Alright, see you then.

They turn back and head for the console room. As they return, Demo remains with Nydins and Rio.

Demo: So? What's the verdict? You gonna do it?

Seras: Please don't make this sound so light...

Demo: Hey, who cares if it's some kid's parent; just pretend it's another baddy, wham, bam, you're done, man! Then you just show it off to that Sabraith broad and you're done! Piece of cake, right?

Seras: I care; they care; why don't you?! Demo: Uhh, I don't know, maybe because I don't even know what a mom is? Seriously, I mean, I have legitimately never seen a single parent in my entire life. So why should I care? Besides, you're just doing this because it's easier and convenient, right? So quit thinking about it like it's somebody's mom; you're just gonna freak yourself out and break before you even get a chance to prove what you can do together. Seras: Look, regardless what you think about parents, do not talk like that once Zenith and Clair get here. This is going to be hard enough on them already without you pouring salt into the wound. We can handle this and be considerate about who it affects at the same time, you know. Demo: ...Ugh, fine. Just don't come cryin'to me when you walk in there, see some kind of parallel, lose your shit and get hurt because you wuv your mommies soooo muuuuch~.

She makes a pouty face and pretends to cry, but Nydins elbows her in the ribs.

Nydins: I might not understand human parents, but I know enough to know nobody needs to hear all that. Keep your mouth shut.

Pausing for a moment, Nydins remembers what she was actually going to say as she turns her attention to Seras.

"A-anyway...! How's Sabraith gonna know what you two do together if she's not gonna be there? You wanna record this or something? Seems a little...morbid..." Seras: That's... a fair question actually, shit... Seras: Well, we could just...bring her with us?

Demo: Just make sure she doesn't hit you for trying to fight immediately. Seras: Hitting us might be the least of our concerns. I don't think this idea is going to go over well considering what her original plan was for us. Seras: But what else can we do? She doesn't really seem like she'll take our word for it alone... Seras: I know, it's just.... gonna be a rough talk, I think.

They get a look of realization on their face for a second before sheepishly glancing at the others in the room. "Uh, sorry. This must be a little weird to listen to, huh?" Nydins: It's...a little strange, yeah. I'm surprised you can't hear each other's thoughts while you're like that...

Demo: Is it really telepathy if you're just...thinking to each other?

Seras: D-don't sass me like that, okay? We're more used to talking to each other...

Demo: Obviously...anyway, go flap your gums at somebody else, will you? This is getting awkward. Seras: Sorry, we'll uh, be back in a few.

They had back outside to Sabraith's house. Seras: Ugh, I wish she didn't still talk like that all the time... Seras: I know, but honestly I'm pretty much used to it at this point. It's not the worst I've ever heard, frankly. Seras: I know, I just...ugh, it doesn't make it right... They fold their arms across their stomach and squeeze for a moment. "I understand. Let's just try to focus on selling this idea to Sabraith for now, okay?" Seras: ...Yeah, alright. Sorry...

Sabraith has finished hanging up her drying laundry and is now watering a nearby cactus, which likely would not be blooming without her help. Seras: Hey, Sabraith? We need to talk. Sabraith: I'm sure. How's the diet holding up? You know you can have water too, right?

Seras: Uhh, actually, we kinda had a...situation we need to deal with. A really big one? You wanted to see we could keep it together under serious circumstances, right?

Sabraith: ...You're gonna try to do what now? Seras: Well, there's no way to put this lightly, so... The mother of two people on our ship was combined with a number of shalvenn kleivenn as part of an experiment done by her husband, and we need to go stop her for uh, probably obvious reasons. Sabraith: ...You know, under any other circumstances, I'd call you both morons and knock you over the head, but I can't let something like that slide under the rug...but I'm coming with you. I don't doubt you can handle this on your own, but you still gotta prove you can do it together too. Seras: Actually, we wanted you to come with us. Both to prove we can do this, and for you to bail us out if you're right and we drop this super hard. Sabraith: ...So you think this thing's gonna head south even with your skills? You sure bringin' more kleivenn to this thing is a good idea?

Seras: Someone's got to stop her...

Sabraith: ...I know. And it's gonna be you; so let's get going. Seras nods and leads Sabraith back to the IT. With Seras and Sabraith having boarded, Nydins sends the IT off for OZ.

Nydins: ...You sure you're gonna be able to do this thing?

Demo: Hey, it's no different than uhh...that Mil thing you dealt with, right? It's just slightly more personal for like, two people. Seras: I guess so. It's gonna be interesting seeing how our abilities mix like this, though. Demo: You gotta be eager to see how that works, right? C'mon, don't be so uptight about this; it's just like every other job you've had.

Seras: It's not; we're literally going to...! Ugh, quit trying to trivialize this!

Demo: Quit making it a big deal! Just do what you always do, okay? It's your job; so do it right, or not at all. Seras: Look, just don't talk like this once Zenith and Clair get here, alright? This is going to be hard enough on them as it is. Demo: Fine, whatever. Just don't come crying to me when that thing breaks you in half and you're both down a limb and caught by surprise. Seras: Your support truly warms our combined hearts, you know that? Demo: Speaking of the soon to be orphans, shouldn't you let them know their sand's running out?

Seras: Will you shut up already?!

Demo: Just go talk to the kids already... Seras: Fine.

They hurriedly stride out of the console room to Clair's door. After taking a second to breathe a couple of times, they reach out and knock. Clair answers the door this time. "Oh, uhh...Seras, right? Guess we're...close, huh?"

Seras: ...Yeah...

Clair: ...It had to happen eventually. I just hope this goes quick...

Stepping past Clair, Zenith heads out into the hall. "...Trust me, I won't drag it out." Seras: This is gonna be a hell of a day, huh? Sighing, Clair grimly nods as she heads out of the room as well.

Seras: ...Demo's just trying to get us to split before we even get to a problem, you know... Seras: Maybe it's some kind of bizarre test in her eyes. At any rate, we can't let that happen or we're back to square one. You doing okay so far? Seras: You kiddin'? I had to hear that on a daily basis for thousands of years. She won't get to me that easy. Seras: Alright, good to hear. Honestly I'm still getting used to shorts, but I'll live. Let's not keep the others waiting, then.

Demo’s kind of an asshole, but she’s just trying to make sure they’re ready for anything

Seras returns to the console room, where the remainder of the group waits for them.

Nydins: ...Look, I'm really not sure you wanna go with Zenith...

Clair: I can't just sit here! What am I supposed to do? Morally support them? Seras: I get your frustration, but to say this is dangerous is a bit of an understatement. I'm not really sure how safe you're going to be without any way to defend yourself. Clair: I don't care! I'm not just gonna sit here and let you guys do this for me! I couldn't talk my dad out of being a terrible person, but mom didn't do this to herself!

Zenith: Clair, she might not...be like our mom anymore... Seras: There's really no telling what we're going to find there, honestly. Demo: Look, dangerous as it is, it's obvious that your family's important. Besides, Clair can just...stick with us, and you can do all the fighting! It's not like she'll get hurt standing in a crowd of superheroes...

Zenith: ...Fine, but only if she stays there.

Clair: Good, then we're going!

Zenith and Clair leave the IT, Demo and Sabraith following them shortly after. Fawkes enters the console room just as Seras starts to head for the door. "Just barely made it, sorry. I was doing a final diagnostics run before I left. Shall we?" Seras: I...yeah, we better go. Fawkes and Seras head out of the IT, shutting the door behind them. The group returns to OZ once more, apprehensively wandering about for quite some time before Clair manages to find out where her mom was staying. The group begins heading for the upper levels of OZ, not once being met by security.

Demo: I don't get it...why is this place so damn empty? Wasn't it crawling with guys back when...y'know...

Zenith: Everybody must've left after Oz and Clair disappeared...guess they were scared of me...they should be. Fawkes: Easy now. Staying calm is going to be key here. Zenith: ...How am I supposed to be calm about coming to kill my own mom?

Demo: Look, just...don't try to think about it like that, okay?

Clair: ...We're almost there anyway... Seras: I'm almost glad for it. This place is incredibly unnerving like this... At last, the group reaches the uppermost floor, where a lone woman waits for them patiently. Platinum blonde hair stretches down past her ankles, contrasting well to her solid black dress. Slitted, red eyes stare coldly down at Zenith and Clair. "...You've kept me waiting all this time. I hope your father's done with you..."

Zenith: Oh, he finished a long time ago...

???: Wonderful. I knew he would only leave me with the best...

Her gaze locks with Clair's. "...So then why is that here...? I guess you got sentimental? Or were you lonely? Well, either way...you won't have to worry anymore. Your mother's here now...you won't be needing filth like that anymore."

Clair: Wh-what are you talking about?! Don't you recognize me?!

???: Ugh, as if I'd even entertain the thought. Do you make a point to memorize every mosquito you spy before you swat it for pestering you? Keep your mouth shut. Seras: God, this is even worse than I feared. Clair, don't listen to her. That face is just a mask at this point. Zenith: You make me sick. I can't believe I even thought there'd be a part of our mom left in that mess...fine. You're just making this easier on me; I'm gonna take you out!

As Zenith lunges forward, arms burning with readied magic, his mother calmly grabs him in passing, hoisting him up by his throat and forcing his magic to subside.

???: I understand; you're lashing out because your father neglected you, and you missed me so much, didn't you? Don't worry; I'm here for you now...you won't have to be upset anymore...

Clair: L-let him go, you son of a--

Demo has to pull Clair back as she desperately tries to run at her mom.

Demo: Hey, we told you to stay back! Let everybody handle this! Clearly we're done talking... Seras steps forward and conjures a spear of light wreathed in a cloud of swirling frost. Taking one more giant step, they hurl the spear at the amalgamate with tremendous force. "You heard the girl; let him go!" Boredly, the woman uses Zenith to shield herself. Unable to do much against her, Zenith takes the spear in full before she tosses him aside. "...I guess I've got more mosquitoes than I thought..."

Seras: Z-Zenith!! Th...that is it! We're gonna tear you apart!!

They summon forth Jay's own spear, but they manage to materialize it physically for once. Gripping it tightly, Seras charges towards the woman, who simply grabs the spear, hoists Seras over her head, and slams them flat onto their back in one fluid motion.

???: Don't get so hasty... Fawkes' right arm whirs frantically as it quickly morphs into a new configuration. His hand folds back as the forearm splits into two halves. Three small round sensors pop out of the wrist in a triangular formation. A strange projectile somewhere between a dart and a rifle round shoots out of his arm with a bizarre sound as a magnetic force sends it hurtling toward the target. Caught off guard, but not enough to be hit, the mother manages to dodge the shot by an inch alone, her attention finally directed towards her assailants. "...So you're capable after all! Then go ahead; try to take me down!"

A morbid symphony of loud, abnormal cracks and damp ripping noises fills the air as the amalgamate reveals their combined form; little more than their face remaining human as the rest of them takes on an appearance bodily similar to The Mil's; yet significantly more unified; the limbs more appropriately positioned and spaced out, and the scales all managing to stay a single color, though the light seems to shine in a way that makes them reflect different colors depending on the angle they're viewed from.

she’s disgusting and terrifying and a bitch all in one!

Mortified by this development, Demo lets go of Clair, though she rushes over to Zenith rather than into the fray. Seras opens a golden colored portal underneath themself and another on the ceiling further back from the rapidly growing threat. Dropping through, they reorient in midair and land back on their feet. They hold out one hand and the spear snaps back into its grip. "Okay, new plan. Any ideas?" Sabraith: You can put the toothpick away; I've seen those scales before. No weapon you have is gonna break through that; but maybe if you threw enough firepower at it, you could make an opening. But unless you find this thing's oracle, that won't matter...

Seras: Well, what about speedwell? If we poison her, that won't matter, right?

Sabraith: My point still stands; no dinky little needle's gonna get through that. You'd have better luck trying to get her to swallow it if you can't blast a hole in thoss scales of hers... Seras: Oh no, we've got the firepower...

They move the portal on the floor to be directly underneath the one on the ceiling. Their spear charges with arcs of lightning before they throw it down the portal, causing it to begin constantly picking up speed. Seras suddenly dashes off to the side with jarring speed, forging a warhammer of golden light in their hand. "Just need to buy a little more time..." Sabraith: ...I hope you know what you're doing, kid.

Summoning forth a massive battle axe, Sabraith charges towards the amalgamate. "Hey! Why don't you pick on someone your own size?!"

???: I feel like that would be a little hard to find!

Raking their claws into the floor eagerly, the mother springs forth, uncoiling with a force that shatters the floor behind them as they attempt to smash Sabraith against the wall. Seras rushes forward and swings their hammer in a circle around them twice before connecting on the third swing with the force of a speeding truck directly into its side. The amalgamate cracks on impact, sending her crashing through the opposite wall instead. This does not stop her from sliding back into the room shortly after, however.

"You're feisty, aren't you? I like that!" Seras: Spare me the compliments, everything you say feels like a slap in the face.

They punctuate their last word by hurling the hammer end over end toward her, the weapon becoming engulfed with searing flames as it travels.

Laughing with an eager excitement, the mother summons forth a weapon of her own as she slinks backwards: a massive, white cannon with an intricate, golden floral trim along the edges.

"How about you try this one on for size?"

Flattening onto the floor, the cannon fires a massive blast of raw energy in a straight line, more like a laser than a ball.

Summoning forth one of Jay's old dolls, Seras manages to create a barrier moments before impact; this barrier, however, seems to absorb the energy it takes, shifting the entirety of the doll into a massive crystal containing the force behind the energy instead.

"Nice try!" Seras glances once between the crystal and the spear as their eyes widen. Snatching the crystal from the air, they toss it upward and swap the ceiling portal's location to a wall, putting the crystal directly between the spear and the amalgamate. Seras' spear hurtles forward and smashes through the crystal, forcing the energy to wrap around it and be dragged along in its wake. It now shrieks through the air meteor straight for its target with a multitude of different energies at its disposal.

this fight is so badass

Unable to properly maneuver out of the way in such a small space, the mother can only brace themselves as the spear impacts them, shattering through their scales and leaving a sizable gash in their body, nearly severing her in half. Laughing nervously, the mother shakily stands up.

"Fine...you want to get ahold of our oracle so badly....?"

Piercing their own body with their arm, they snap off a long, sharp segment of their own oracle, pulling it out slowly.

"...Here..."

The mother lashes out in a last ditch effort, impaling Clair through the chest with their oracle shard.

"TAKE IT!!!" Fawkes immediately fires several more shots at both the oracle shard and the gash in her scales, emptying the rest of his clip. Though the oracle shard remains unharmed, the mother shrieks as their injury fails to heal after being shot full of poison. Reeling backwards, she collapses upon herself, her breathing growing ragged as she glares down at the group.

"This...this isn't over..."

Struggling to pull themself off the floor, Zenith chokes back tears as they stare their mother down.

"You seriously thought something like that was gonna kill me? You thought something like you could kill me like that?! ...I...wh-why?! Why did you do this?!"

???: I didn't need...a reason. They didn't deserve you; they were just...filth. Those are reason enough...

Zenith: You don't know anything about me!! You don't even know my name anymore, do you?!

???: How could I forget...my only successful child? Alexander...of course I know your name...

Zenith: Then don't use it again! ...L-let's go...she deserves to rot here alone... Seras: W-What about-?

Their voice catches as they begin to panic..

Looking down at Clair, Zenith chokes on their tears, turning back to glare at their mother in a desperate attempt to keep from crying. "Sh-she didn't deserve this!!"

Sabraith: ...Something's wrong. Even with an oracle that big, they should've lost form by now...

Demo: ...But...it's got a human soul in it, right? Would a human die from speedwell? I thought it was just a harmless flower for them...

???: You're right...it isn't enough to destroy my tether. I won't be able to heal, but I won't be dying from this either...your efforts were in vain...

Zenith: LIKE HELL THEY WERE!!

Without even thinking about it, Zenith rushes forward, grabbing his mother's oracle in his hands. "Maybe...maybe your human soul isn't attuned to any of those kleivenn, but all of mine are attuned to one! Just one more that's weaker than me...you'd go down too! I could feel it; you wanted to be a part of me when we met again, didn't you? Fine! Then I'll drag you to hell myself!!"

raw-ass lines

Seras: Z-Zenith, stop!! What the hell are you doing?!

As Zenith's mother's form ia reduced to a lighted silhouette, Zenith turns to face Seras with tears in their eyes at last.

"...Jay? No...Seras. Can you promise me something?"

Zenith's own form begins to be enveloped in the light as well.

"...Take care of Clair for me, okay? You guys...are gonna be...the only family...she has...left..."

With that, Zenith and their mother vanish in a massive burst of multicolored light as the amalgamate oracle shatters, reaching its crushing point as it dissolves in speedwell poison.

A horrible silence echoes throughout the entirety of the facility in the aftermath. After a few moments that creep like several eternities, Fawkes returns his arm to normal and forces himself to break the silence. "We have to get Clair back to the IT; there isn't much time." Taking a deep, shaky breath, Demo doesn't audibly exhale as she nods and retrieves Clair from across the room.

Sabraith: ...Guess there's not a faster way down from here, huh...? Seras weakly snaps their fingers, moving one portal to the wall next to Demo and the other just outside XL's door in the IT. Rushing through the portal, Demo wastes no time in opening XL's door, as the IT comically slides it up into the ceiling just enough for Demo to fit through, then slides it back to its proper place.

Desperately attempting to hold back the sob building up in their throat, Seras sniffs as tears well up in their eyes. "...Please don't make us do anything else..."

Sabraith: ...You kids come pick this thing up when you're ready. I won't stop you again, but...you've clearly got something bigger to deal with right now. You guys go on; go deal with this. I'll let your friends know to take me home.

Seras nods and steps through the portal into the IT. Once everyone else has followed inside, they close the portal behind them and quietly retreat back into their room. There is a moment between Tori and Jay where they internally discuss if Jay is capable of handling the current situation or not, though through Jay's grief, Tori does not need an answer. Taking his half of front, they speak with Collin next:

"...You don't have to keep up this sync thing if you wanna be alone...I'm sure this is just making you feel even more than you need to..." Seras: I... need to be seperate, but not alone. Does that make sense? Seras: ...Yeah; I understand.

With that, Tori disrupts the sync, leaving them separate from Collin in a similar flash of light as before; though they are fully prepared to catch Collin if he loses his balance. Collin quickly reaches out and grabs a hold of Tori as he tries to get used to his normal body again. Once he feels slightly more stable, he summons his prosthetic back from the pocket dimension and reattaches it after a few wobbly moments. He then makes his way over to the bed and sits down on one side, staring into the floor. alienrabitt: ...It's...weird. I want to feel upset about it, but I didn't even know Zenith until after his dad was dead. But that doesn't mean I can't sympathize; even now, I can feel Jay's grief. He feels guilty; and bitter; and angry...he's divided between wanting revenge, and knowing that there's nothing left for him to do, and he hates that sort of thing more than anything in the world...

Tori glances off towards the wall.

"...And I guess you feel similar. You feel bad that you were helpless; you feel a little guilty too, right? Even if neither of you caused it, you were both helpless to save Zenith, so you both feel like that just means you're no better than their murderer..." Collin: ... No offense, but please don't play psychiatrist with me right now. Honestly the only thing I can think about right now is that the last thing I ever did for Zenith was stab him with a fucking spear. A mix of embarrassment and guilt clouds Tori's expression for a moment before they answer again.

"...I...don't think either of you knew she was going to do that. I don't think Zenith would blame you either...I'm sure they knew you were just trying to help..." Collin: I just... I didn't think this could go so wrong. I know the stuff we do is dangerous, but... God, this is all so stupid, isn't it? alienrabitt: ...It wasn't your fault. You have every right to feel bad, but neither of you are responsible for Zenith's death. Collin: I know, I... God, I can't even imagine what Clair is going to be like, assuming she doesn't... alienrabitt: ...From my understanding, there's never been a successful human-kleivenn hybrid before now; but knowing how everyone who winds up here seems to defy all odds, I've got a feeling she'll pull through...but you're right; even I can't say what she might be like if or when she does...if she survives, we'll also have to tell her... Collin: Actually, breaking the news was what I meant, but God now that you mention it, who knows what effect that shard of the oracle might have on her...

well, an oracle contains souls; and a little before Zenith died, he mentioned that his mom would still become a part of him, but she’d be so small in the bigger mix that she’d get shoved down and die

Clair, however, was never a Zenith...she’s only ever been herself

but now she’ll have an oracle. her mom’s oracle. y’know, a thing made of a bunch of other oracles, containing thousands of kleivenn that were all only suppressed by the bitch aura of the mom

alienrabitt: All we can do now is hope for the best and...brace for the worst. Whatever happens is a gamble, and the only person who will know if she's strong enough to handle what's happened is her and her alone. ...Regardless, Zenith did say that he wanted us to keep taking care of her. I don't know if he knew what would happen, but...he seemed to know that you and Jay would definitely see her again. Collin: I... Maybe? I just thought he was hoping for the best, but... you think he knew something about all of this? alienrabitt: ...I don't think they knew they would die until they decided to themself. I think Zenith was aware that they wouldn't be able to stop Clair from...trying to do something she shouldn't. I think he knew his sister, and that's all he could really plan for. Collin: I just... I feel so awful about this whole thing. She'd only just been reunited with the one member of her family she liked, and now...? How do you even handle something like that? alienrabitt: ...With help from people you trust, I'm sure. More than anything, I think she'll just want to know she's going to be safe. Collin: I... really hope I can actually do that much, at least. alienrabitt: For now, I think it'd be best to make sure she's alright. Collin: You don't think we're gonna get in the way in there? I figured XL's going to have her hands full. alienrabitt: We don't even know what sort of condition she's in besides "previously impaled by a raw magical material containing a portion of a soul;" how would we know how she is now? Do you really think XL could handle that alone? Collin: Shit, maybe you're right. I'm just wasting time here, aren't I? Alright, let's go then. The pair leaves for XL's room, where Karumet and Firefly have joined her as well.

XL: ...I"ve never seen anything like this...she seems perfectly fine aside from...whatever this is.

Karumet: By all accounts, this should be impossible; the amount of tests run by mankind during the war attempting to get this exact result are sickeningly high, and yet here it is...

Firefly: ...The oracle fragment had already bound to a singular human soul; with that soul voided, and with no kleivenn tethered, it must've bonded with Clair's soul as a substitute, and it looks...stable. No remnants or anything; she looks perfectly fine by either standard.

and yet Firefly doesn’t see any traces of any other souls besides Clairs; and she doesn’t see any of Zenith’s magic; and there’s no speedwell involved...

XL: Exactly! She's...fine! She doesn't seem to have any injuries or anything, just...that... Collin: Uh, hey guys. Did I just hear you say that Clair's fine after all that? Firefly: --Well, it depends on what you classify as..."fine"...

Karumet: The oracle shard she was impaled with seems to have...well...fused wouldn't be the right word, but encased also feels wrong. I guess you could say the entire thing seems to have bonded with her heart...

XL: Not to mention her veins, and anything attached...basically all of her internal organs are entirely encased in an oracle. I'd go as far as saying she is her own oracle.

Firefly: Well, yes and no. Though the magic from her oracle is being channeled as naturally as blood; since the initial oracle was from a saa, her heart remains the core of it all; though it's not even remotely possible to remove it the same way as a saa; it would always be physically connected due to her lack of a proper tether...but as a result, anything connected to her heart has become a tether.

glittery pink sparkly guts, just like all those cutesy guro drawings, but functional!

Collin: I... I can't tell if I should be amazed or sick. How is something like that even possible? Karumet: ...The initial oracle had been bound to a human soul. Without any kleivenn bound to it, it needed another soul to bind to; so it broke itself down and bonded with Clair... Collin: That... That can happen? XL: It...looks like it. However the oracle bound to Clair's mother bound to her, that seems to be the only reason Clair survived this. If the oracle hadn't bound to Clair, she would've died the instant she was impaled.

basically if they hadn’t been related Clair would’ve fucking died

Collin: I... I really don't know what to think of this. I mean, I'm glad she's okay, but this raises... a lot of questions. I mean, is she a kleivenn now, or...? Karumet: She's everything humanity wanted when they started to kill us all. A human-kleivenn hybrid...if she survives this and manages to stay herself, everything humanity did to us...it will have all been for her...

Firefly: D-don't say that like she's a direct result of humanity's experiments! She had nothing to do with the war! She didn't ask to be stabbed; she didn't even know if she'd survive it, let alone that this would happen!

Karumet: Even if the war is over; the humans that won it survived! They're still out there, and if they find her, if they find out what she is, they'll use her to kill us all! Collin: Wait, what? How would she even do that? She's just one person, right? XL: A single human is capable of limitless possibilities...when that human's potential is suddenly tied into a factor that's capable of being manipulated, and their abilities bend to function around that...I can understand the potential threat; however...a saa wouldn't be strong enough; and as a hybrid, her abilities would be even weaker. Clair isn't a threat... Collin: Besides, even if she could cause trouble, there's no way in hell we'd let anyone use her for something like that. Firefly: Look, whatever paranoid war talk you have, save it for later. If she wakes up and hears you panicking like this, she's only gonna feel worse...

XL: You're the only one who can help me if something goes wrong, too. I need you to calm down...

Karumet: I...you don't even know what she's going to be like when she wakes up!

Firefly: And that's exactly why you should be acting like nothing would be different! If she's fine, you shouldn't be screaming that we should hurt her; I mean, you think you're scared? Her entire internal system just turned into an oracle; and on top of that, she just lost the remainder of her family! Just humor us for 10 damn minutes; she needs this! Collin: Karumet, if you want to step out while we make sure she's okay, then that's fine. I don't blame you for being cautious. Shaking her head, Karumet leaves the room. After the door closes, Clair pushes herself upright and quietly chokes out "...Is that what really happened to me?"

Firefly: H-how long have you been awake?!

Clair: Does it matter?! I heard enough; please, just answer me! What happened?! How am I okay, and...what happened to Zenith; where is he?!

XL: ...Clair, I really need you to calm down--

Clair: I'm not going to calm down!! He's the only family I have left; where did he go?! Collin: ... He's gone, Clair. Clair: ...G-...gone? No, he...he can't! He couldn't just...leave, he...

Firefly: Clair, Zenith...when he saw you get hurt, he...he got back up, and...

Clair: ...N-no...no!! He didn't need to do that; he didn't need to do anything! I--!! We have to be able to do something, he can't just...he can't just be gone!

Firefly: ...We don't have his body; and, with the amount of souls that were bound to him, even if they'd separated when he passed...I'm sorry; I can't fix this...there are just some things you can't bring back from the dead....

Clair: Y-you're lying; you have to be lying!! There has to be a way to fix this; you have to be able to do something!!!

Firefly: Clair, please, I...I can't. Necromancy isn't raising the dead; it's reanimation; even if I had his original body, I can't bring back a soul. That's why I had to go to Chitola; and everybody here knows what that did to Nydins; do you have any idea what the cost for someone like Zenith would be when bringing back a minor god twisted her abilities like that? Would you be okay with doing that to your brother?

Clair: I...I can't...

Unable to bare her hopeless negotiation; Clair breaks down into tears, burying her face in her hands as she openly weeps. Collin turns to the side and leans against the wall, putting one hand over the side of his face as he tries not to cry as well. Clair: ...I don't understand; --why did this happen?! Why did--...?! Wh-why would he just...?! Th-this isn't fair! This isn't fair!! H-he didn't deserve any of this; he was just trying to--!!

Breathing heavily still, Clair turns to face Tori.

"...Tell me...tell me she's dead too!!"

alienrabitt: ...Yeah. Zenith killed her himself. They went together. It was the only way the speedwell would work...

Still crying, Clair nods slightly.

"...Th-then...then it's okay...all of this...if I don't keep going, then...he did that for nothing...s-so I just...I need to be able to handle this..." Collin pushes himself off the wall and tries to pull himself together. "Just let us know if there's anything we can do for you, alright?" Clair: ...Y-yeah...of course...I just...need to be alone for a while...

XL: I can't leave you totally alone until we understand your condition; but I won't bother you. The rest of you should leave...you've done all you can... Collin: Right... I'll be in my room if anyone needs anything, then.

hopefully 102 is a little lighter than all this...

#[S4]

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rpchive · 6 years

Text

Ninety Ninth Encounter-- Be Careful What You Wish For

I’ll take unsettling villains for 300 please?

Nydins; Rio; Karumet; Clair; and Zenith are already in the console room as the group waits for the IT to land. Collin steps into the room a short while later. "Looks like we're already getting a group together, huh?" Karumet: Better to be ready when it lands. This'll be the second human you've brought to Kujaar...

Nydins: I'm sure Nine will understand; I mean, we did bring Phoenix back. Collin: Frankly, I'm more curious about how they're going to react to Zenith. Zenith: W-well, I don't have any kleivenn anymore! Collin: True. I'm sure we'll wind up turning a few heads regardless, although... I guess we kinda do that normally. Nydins: No joke...looks like we'll be landing soon; hopefully things go smoothly out there.

Coming out of the kitchen, Maya brushes her hair out of her face. "Three humans; and I'm sure they will."

Karumet: Y-you are not coming with us!

Maya: Oh yeah I am. A big city full of kleivenn? I'd be nuts to pass up on that.

Karumet: If you try to pull any of your wild stunts, we'll all be killed!

Maya: Hey, I'm going in unarmed, promise.

this was a lie, she absolutely carries King of Greed’s weapon at all times

Collin: You'd better. Apparently I'm literally the only "nice" human that they've dealt with in ages, and now I've got two more with me. They're probably gonna be a little jumpy. Maya: But they trust you, don't they? So anyone with you has to be trustworthy too.

Karumet: That is different for humans.

Maya: Yeah, whatever. I'm going with you, whether you want it or not.

Karumet: You'll be lucky if they even show you the doors! Collin: Look, if everyone behaves, we should be fine. Just don't give them a reason to think you're gonna try to pull some stunt. As the IT comes to a stop, Karumet is the first one out. "Even if you don't believe in them; you'd better not try to sass a god."

Rolling her eyes, Maya follows after her. "How can I not; we live with several, don't we?" Collin: Believe me, Sanglied is way more laid back than your average god... As the group going to Kujaar assembles, Nine's voice calls out to them from the city:

"Looks like ya've madejerselves some new frien's! Humans too? Tha's a first. Y' sure they're good? I ain't lettin' anyone in y' don' trust. Don't be scared t' tell us if they're holdin' y' hostage or somethin' either; I'll kick their asses right here." Collin: No no, nothing like that. They're just a little new to the crew, no ass kicking required. Nine: Alrigh'; I'll letcha in; but no funny business, or I'll kick yer asses m'self!

The proper doors to Kujaar appear for the group. Collin: You heard the god. So, who's ready for a library trip? Maya: That's all?

Karumet: Don't sound so underwhelmed; it's the librarian's assistant that we need.

Maya: Oh yeah, that sounds a lot more interesting.

Rolling her eyes, she follows everyone in. Collin: Well, I'm not sure what you were expecting. We don't come here for vacations or anything. The only times we're usually here are when we need to find some info on kleivenn stuff or stop something from trying to break in here. Maya: So why don't you guys ever take any breaks from all this? Collin: ... Y'know, I've been wondering about that myself recently.

Maya: You can tell your ship where to go and when to stop; why can't you tell it to take you somewhere nice and stay there for once? Collin: I'm... not sure? I mean, I'm sure we could. I guess we just got in a pattern of always doing something, plus the IT can sniff out places where trouble is brewing on its own, so between all of that we just... don't pause for very long. Maya: But if that's true, why'd we have to come here to find out who's behind all this?

alienrabitt: Because the IT just kept taking us to the messes they're making. As long as there's trouble somewhere else, then it would take us to the bigger problem.

Maya: Yeah, exactly! During the war, your ship took you to Atlas and Greenfinger, right? But it's not taking you to this thing? Why? These problems they've made don't mean anything if you can't stop them from making more. Karumet: But all of these problems have created bigger issues. Thallion created an amalgamate of kleivenn souls; and Oz...well...these two problems could've created more of an issue, and they were already in progress...

Maya: So that's why the IT didn't take you straight to Asra; the Pentagonal; and Kluex while they were all in one place? Because Atlas and Greenfinger were more immediate issues as opposed to...three major factions being in the same place at the same time? I'm just saying, your ship's judgement isn't perfect. Collin: Well, I never said it was. Honestly I'm not even sure how intelligent it really is. It's not like it ever talks or anything. alienrabitt: It's...less alive than it seems. I think I'd be a little scared if it was actually alive... Collin: Yeah, I guess that's a fair point. Point is, we haven't really gotten much of a chance since one thing tends to lead to another with us. Maya: Oh, I'm well aware. I'm surprised this hasn't worn you all down yet.

alienrabitt: We can't give it the chance to.

Maya: Sheesh, and I thought I was tense. Collin: Welcome to the club, I guess. Maybe we'll try and do something less dangerous when this business is finally over.

oh, don’t worry, you’ll get a break real soon :)

The group reaches the library, where they find Iris sorting through several books on a cart at her desk.

Karumet: Oh, you're up front, good! I'd get lost looking for you in a place like this. Listen, I need to ask you a favor...

Iris: The books in the restricted section are not restricted for adult content; sorry to disappoint you.

Karumet: Wh--?! No, we don't need that! I'm not even here to ask about a book-- why would I even bring a crowd if I was looking for--!! Nevermind! Listen, we need your help!

Pausing her task, Iris leans her long neck to the side to look around the books. "...Me? What could you possibly need me specifically for?" Collin: Well, supposedly you know where we could find a certain maryein that specializes in making magical weapons, and we really need to find them. Iris practically knocks the stack of books over as she rapidly maneuvers the rest of her body over to the desk like a slinky. "That is classified; how did you find that out?! ...Well, I guess you did help our gods...ugh, fine."

Bending down beneath her desk, Iris searches around for a moment before stepping out from behind it and heading off into the shelves. "You had better keep quiet about what you see here; we'll all be worse than executed if any of this gets out." Collin: That's... encouraging. Guiding the group into the restricted section, Iris pulls out a book from one of the back shelves, then places the card she retrieved from her desk in between two very specific pages. There is a brief flash of light as a section of the floor shifts into a path leading downward, but the reaction, and Iris, stop there. "I am not allowed to share this information; but seeing as how you're here for this, I'm assuming you have the permission of at least one god, so I literally can't say no. Both the remaining hermes are down there; they can take you to the smith you're looking for."

alienrabitt: Why are they down there? Did you guys lock them up?

Iris: Or course not! It's just that, after the war, we took...precautions to keep things safe. As a result, even Kujaar has hidden passageways all throughout the city so we can escape in times of emergency. These passageways have many, many underground waypoints; in a way, the tunnel system is so well kept and intricate, it's more of a city than Kujaar; but why live underground when we can be out in the sun? Collin: Understandable. So is it just a few kleivenn down there? Iris: Yes; there's probably only a couple hundred spread throughout; but I'm sure you'll be able to find Horizon anywhere. Collin: What makes you say that? Iris: Oh, she's even more excitable than I am, honestly. Collin: Well, if you say so. You guys ready? Karumet: Naturally. It can't be terribly dark down there if kleivenn are living in it. Collin: Alright, down we go then.

He steps forward and down the hidden passageway. The cavern slowly leads down into a passageway lit with varying crystals and plants; leaving it just as bright as the library above as they walk along. This slowly stretches out into onw of the many waypoints Iris had talked about, where at least 20 kleivenn are all camping out. Some are telling stories around a campfire; some are playing ganes together; and then there is Horizon, who is already dragging Winchester towards the group.

Horizon: I had a feeling we'd be seeing you again! I'm so glad to know you're all safe! What're you doing all the way down here, though? Collin: Good to see you too! Well, to make a long story short, we're looking for a maryein that made weapons for kleivenn spies. Do you know where they are? Winchester: We...do, but why are you looking for her? Are you seeking the spies out? Collin: No, nothing like that. We're trying to track a specific kleivenn and a weapon they were carrying, and we think that she was the one that made the sword. Horizon: Alright, we'll take you to the smith, then! But it's going to be a very long walk...several days, at least.

alienrabitt: W-we could just take the IT!

Winchester: Oh, you have some sort of transportation; wonderful. It would take about 11 days to get there on foot.

Karumet: We definitely don't have that kind of time; our ship is the best bet.

Horizon: Ship? You're going to have a hard time sailing through the sands... Collin: It's not like a water ship, if that's what you mean. Winchester: As long as it gets us there, I don't care much about what sort of ship it is. Just be aware, the smith you're seeking won't give you any information for free.

alienrabitt: Soooo...we have to bribe her?

Horizon: Oh no; even worse; she's going to send you on a scavenger hunt for some ridiculously hard to find materials...

Winchester: Unless you can make a better weapon than her. Collin: Hoo boy... This is gonna be interesting, isn't it? The group backtracks back to the IT, where Horizon and Winchester help Nydins find the coordinates for the smith's location. Within a matter of minutes, the IT lands yet again.

Zenith: ...What are we supposed to do? We don't have the time to go look for weird stuff, especially if it's already hard to find...

Karumet: And there's no way we can outsmith a maryein...

Maya: Well, never say never, right? I mean, you've got a bunch of gods with you, so you could just...make whatever she's looking for, yeah? Collin: Maaaybe? I'm not sure any of them specialized in blacksmithing though... alienrabitt: Hasn't Daedalus been trying to make something for a while now?

Karumet: Yeah, that's exactly why he wouldn't be able to best this smith. If he can't do it in a day; it simply can't be bested. Daedalus' voice pipes up from just outside the console room. "I hear my ears ringing. Someone say my name?"

you could have tinnitus; metalworking is incredibly loud

Maya: Yeah; this lizard's saying you can't metalwork for shit!

Karumet: I--! I'm just saying he can't beat a maryein at its job is all!

Maya: Oh, if there's one thing I hate more than Lobotomy; it's got to be people telling me something's impossible just because the odds are against them. Please; please tell me you can prove this gecko wrong. Daedalus strides into the console room proper and cracks his neck. "Ohoho, I'd /love/ to." Karumet bursts into laughter. "I'd love to see you try!"

Throwing the door open, she eagerly steps outside, where the maryein in question is standing out in the open; their bright blue; orange; and green colorscheme sticking out against the desert sand as they carry what appears to be an entire boulder off to the side.

now where have I seen something like that...

ah yes, Teylith, the kleivenn(?) we saw with Thallion :)

Setting the boulder down, the maryein comes fully into view; a woman larger horizontally than vertically with short, blue hair, brilliant green eyes, and dark, tan skin wiped the sweat and sand from her face, lifting up a pair of goggles. Her clothes cover the rest of her, a teal jumpsuit with a carrot orange sash tied about the waist, where her hammer rests patiently; brown boots stretching up to her shins being the only bland thing about her outfit. Letting out a satisfied sigh, the woman speaks in a deep, smooth voice:

"If I'd known I was gonna have company, I would've bathed first! Now then, what the hell did you just park on my lawn, Horizon?"

Horizon: I-it's, um...a ship!

???: A ship? Ain't like any I've ever seen. I'll admit, you've got me impressed out the gate! That's a first; hahaaa! Well then! My name's Sabraith! I'm guessin' you know who y'all are, haha! Daedalus: Heh, I'd sure hope we do. I'm Daedalus.

He seems to glance Sabraith up and down once, attempting to size up his opponent.

Collin: I'm Collin, and yes, we're related. Sorta. Sabraith: Nice to meet you. Don't see many syncs these days. So, I'm guessing Iris sent you? That must mean somethin's goin' down again, huh? Collin: Sync? ... Nevermind, anyway yeah, you could say that. A kleivenn handed off a pair of swords that could steal souls to a human, and we're trying to find them. Since you make weapons for kleivenn, we figured you might know something about that. Sabraith: Well, I did make a sword that could do that; but it wasn't made for humans. They told me they were trying to rat out the remainder of the spies in...questionable positions, but if you're asking, I'm guessing it got used for more than that... Daedalus: That's a bit of an understatement. So you know who you gave that thing to, then? Sabraith: I do, but I don't know why you're looking for her. What, you think I'm gonna tell you something like that with all this going on? I don't even know what kind of mess my sword caused, let alone why you're after the kleivenn I gave 'em to, or even how you found me. And on top of all that, you think I'm gonna let a couple of post-war syncs walk up here and ask /me/ for favors? Uh-uh; you've gotta give me somethin' first. Daedalus: Okay, I'll bite. What the hell's a "sync"? Sabraith: Well, you humans kept coming up with terms for kleivenn; and that's what you decided to call a human bonded with a kleivenn. You called 'em syncs, because you found out what kleivenn could do when they're with their wishmakers. Man, whoever was approving all those names had no creativity; all your titles are blunt as hell! Daedalus: Hey, don't look at us. Besides, I have no idea what you're talking about. Collin's the one with a kleivenn, not me. Sabraith: So then why are you here? Daedalus: You said you wanted something in return, right? What'd you have in mind? Sabraith: Well, usually I ask people to bring me something I've never seen before that I can use to make somethin' with; mostly 'cause nobody's been able to make a better weapon than me, and I'm always looking for ways to make something new or better. Daedalus: How about I take you up on that challenge, then? Sabraith: ...You? You're not even a sync; what could you possibly make that'd impress a kleivenn like me? Daedalus fails to suppress the smirk sneaking onto his expression. "You like swords, right? Give me something half-decent to work with and I could probably whip something up." Raising an eyebrow, Sabraith heads back into her home.

"Oh, I don't take decent. You'll be working with the best here; feel free to take your pick." Daedalus: ... My pick of what? We're in the middle of a desert. You don't mean that rock, do you? Sabraith: You're right, we are in the middle of the damn desert; what the hell are you gonna work with, the sun and the sands? Come in here and look around! Jeez, you want me to hold your hand or somethin'? Daedalus: I get the feeling you'd crush it if you did. You lead the way then, it's your place after all. Frowning slightly, Sabraith makes her way through her home to the backroom. The room at the entrance is set up half like a storefront, and half like a smithy, with a hall leading to the actual house rooms. Passing by, there is a kitchen, a bedroom, and a door that is closed. Unlocking the door at the end, Sabraith opens it to a room filled wall to wall with various tools, ores, and other materials in varying shapes, sizes, colors, and containers. Some of them glow; some smell strange; some seem to be fizzing or hissing within their containers; some are warm until they are touched; others heat or cool at varying rates upon being approached; some are very flimsy or rubbery despite their rock- or wood-like appearances; some are more metallic or wood-like despite looking the opposite at a glance.

Daedalus whistles. "Now this... This is a sight to behold." Sabraith: I told you I don't take decent, didn't I? But I can already tell, that look is less "I don't know what to do with this" and more "I don't even know where to start," huh? You could probably spend a few years working in a place like this. Too bad I don't take apprentices; but I doubt that's somethin' you'd want anyway. But enough talkin'; I'm sure you're eager to get started.

FMA jokes aside, she probably would take him after what he did

Daedalus is slowly making his way past Sabraith's arrays of materials while she talks, occasionally picking up a piece of something to inspect it closer. "Oh you don't even know. I just need to find the right thing to start with.

After a little more perusing, he suddenly stops and snaps his gaze over to a hunk of a rather unassuming chunk of dark blue metal. He picks it up and turns it in his hands a few times before giving it a single flick with one finger. It rings out a simple hum for a second, but Daedalus suddenly gets a wild grin on his face. "Ohoho, you hear that?" Sabraith: Sounds like it's waiting to be used. Daedalus: Nah, it's not just that. You'll hear it soon enough. Now I just need to find...

He goes back to exploring, occasionally flicking the metal again as he goes. After another minute or two, he comes to a stop and picks up a smaller piece of a gold-colored metal. He clangs them together once and then gives out a satisfied laugh. "Ha! Alright, that oughta do."

He moves over to a workbench and sets down the pieces, freeing up his hands to pick up some tools and put on some work gloves. Moving over to a nearby forge, he takes a deep breath and then exhales a large plume of fire into it. The forge ignites immediately while Daedalus begins working a bellows to pull the temperature higher and higher. "Hot damn all this feels satisfying. I could do this all day!" Sabraith: Well, for a...human, you've caught me by surprise already. I figured you weren't normal; I mean, you don't even feel totally human. But you're not a kleivenn, either, so I've got no idea what you are. Daedalus: Honestly? I'm still figuring that out myself.

He grabs a long pair of tongs and lifts the blue metal up into the forge before going back to the bellows. "I've spent a lot of time on my own thinking while I work. I used to only work on fabricating parts and wiring circuitry all that time ago, but now stuff like this is what I want to do. Maybe it's the change in environment, maybe it's just new, I don't really know. All I know right now is that this needs to be way hotter."

he’s so happy for once, he deserves this so much

He starts breathing more flames into the forge. With each breath, faint tinges of white begin to flicker amongst the orange of his flames. Sabraith: Machines are too...weird for me to deal with. I've definitely considered making something like that before, but nothing beats magic and metal! I've had people bring me all sorts of stuff, though. Even special woods, fabrics, threads, sometimes even animal parts. I've also wound up with a few pets from that kind of thing. Can't bring myself to kill something for the sake of a weapon... Daedalus: Ironic considering what weapons are for, but I get you.

Grabbing the tongs again, he pulls the glowing hot metal out of the forge and sets it over an anvil. Taking a hammer in his free hand, he begins pounding away at the material. As the metal gradually begins to lengthen out, Daedalus' pace increases in turn. With each exhale, white flames begin leaking out of the corners of his mouth. When he reaches a steady rhythm, he suddenly starts singing something in an unrecognizable language to the beat of his hammer strikes. Tilting her head curiously, Sabraith leans against the doorway as she watches Daedalus forge his weapon. Collin appears confused for a few moments before suddenly putting a hand up to the side of his head in surprise. His eyes dart around as he mumbles something, as if responding to a conversation inside his head. Sabraith: You alright there? Meanwhile, Daedalus continues to increase his tempo. As the blade continues to take shape, everyone suddenly hears what sounds like the faint song of several voices singing in unison, their pitch far higher than his. At the same time, the golden metal on the table begins to glow as brightly as its counterpart while a low hum chimes in with the rest. A small piece splits off and forms a round pommel shape while the remainder stretches out into some form of hilt. Daedalus delivers one last decisive strike against the blade, and the voices reach a piercing high note before he quickly strides over to a quenching vat and dunks the blade inside. After a few moments, he removes the blade which continues to shine regardless and moves back to the workbench. He rapidly assembles the pieces and then grabs a strip of leather from nearby. Returning to the sword, he wraps the hilt precisely and then steps back. He claps his hands together as his last verse ends, and the shining gleam of the sword fades to reveal the end result.

The sword blade now barely resembles the original material, instead appearing as though it were a deep blue looking glass into a dimension filled with a vast expanse of stars. A golden hilt in the form of feathery wings stretches out from the sides of the blade, while the pommel takes the design of a gleaming sun. Staggering back, Daedalus sinks against a nearby wall and breathes heavily, the flames fading away from his breath.

Daedalus: Th.... There... I was... gonna hand it over... but... You can take it... from here... Sabraith: ...What the hell just happened? Daedalus: It's... well... Forge-singing... is what I call it. It's incredible... if you can keep up. Sabraith: ...I've never seen anything like that. Well, you're right, I certainly can't make or do anything like that; so I guess you've got me beat after all. Daedalus raises one fist in the air for a second before letting it drop back down. "Hell yeah. Give it a couple swings... It's yours after all." Sabraith shakes her head. "It'd be a crime for me to take that from you. I'm only keeping it if that's where you want it." Daedalus: Your materials, your blade. Consider it a... memento, for that time a human... showed you a thing or two. Chuckling a bit, Sabraith approaches the blade. "Alright, but you've gotta name it first. That's just how it works." Without hesitating, he answers. "Discidia."

now c’mon, whomst are you connected to. you gotta have Somethin’ goin’ on...

Nodding with satisfaction, Sabraith retrieves Discidia, swinging it shortly after. The blade sings its song once more through the swing, fading away as it comes to a stop. Sabraith: A singing, winged sword? I'm not even sure what to do with this thing.

Shouldering the blade, she turns her attention to the group.

"But you had questions of your own, right? So I'll answer those now." Daedalus: It doesn't actually fly, that bit's just for show. You want a quiet sword, find something else. She's not meant for stealth. You guys take the rest of this, I'm just gonna hang out here for a bit.

Collin: Uh, right. So about this kleivenn you gave that soul-sword to? Sabraith: She didn't give me a name, just some kind of emblem thing; told me to give it to a kleivenn with an arm like hers...so little striped scarf over there.

Maya: But why specifically someone like that?

Sabraith: Hell if I know; she asked for a sword; paid me; and gave me this thing. I don't question my clients; interrogation isn't my job. Collin: So one kleivenn asked for it, another came to pick it up, and you don't know the names of either of them? Sabraith: No, you're misunderstanding me, she came here personally to order and take the sword. Sat here the whole time and waited; never slept or anything. Thought she'd died for a little while; she just sat in a corner until I was done. Daedalus: That's not creepy at all.

Collin: She didn't say anything about where she was headed, or anything else that might help us find her? Sabraith: Nope. Nothing on her person even gave away who or what she was besides her arm; but I'm not sure what that implies. Here, let me put this blade away and hand you that emblem; it's probably not much, but it's got to be more than you know now.

With that, she leaves the room. Daedalus: Well, that was a lot of work for not much news... Maya: No, something isn't adding up here...when did Jay's arm even start looking like that? It was different when he first lost it... Collin: Well, it first got messed up after Oz tried to fuse him, Zenith, and Demo's powers together. It's only been like it is now for a little while, I think around the time Maya came onboard? Zenith: But how could anybody else wind up with an arm like that if that's what caused it?

Maya: Maybe that didn't cause it. Maybe the conflicting sources triggered something dormant from something else...but what? Sabraith returns with the emblem of the mysterious kleivenn in her hand. About as big as an enamel pin; the emblem is a simple, yellow shield with two white wings coming out from behind it. "This is all she left me; other than that, you know about as much as I do."

A little reluctant, Jay looks the emblem over before carefully taking it from Sabraith, as if it could strike him like a live snake at any given moment. The instant he takes it into his hand, something else seems to appear in the room, a shifting mass of shadows with a silhouetted pair of bright, blue eyes staring out of it. Shakily, Jay turns to address the shadow: "Wh-who are you?"

???: Me? Why, I'm whatever I need to be, just like any other kleivenn. Am I making you uncomfortable? Collin immediately moves over toward Jay and steps slightly in front of him. "Whatever you are, you'd better explain why you're here now." ???: Oh, I'm not there. Not quite. That kleivenn with you, he can create doors; and those hermes, they create illusions, don't they? Likewise, I can create projections and the like as needed...but as for why, I'm only here to talk. That is all I am capable of from here. Collin: What do you want, then? The shadow keeps its attention on Jay, who still looks unnerved. Shifting, the shadow takes the form of Collin, reflecting him perfectly.

"...Hard to say. A part of me just wanted to know if something like me existed, and, if it did, what it wanted; what was it doing; why was it doing that? You see, I've been this way for a long time now, and I can't help but get bored when everything stays the same."

alienrabitt: Ugh!! D-don't do that! I don't care what you look like, just...don't look like him too!

???: What, still not good enough? I thought you liked him; I mean, you've been debating grabbing his hand this whole time, right? Daedalus: Oh joy, they stole our face and they can read minds or something. A promising start right here.

no, just one; you’re safe :)

alienrabitt: You...you did all this, right? Thallion and Oz, they--...

???: I did. I pushed them both; it didn't take much. I gave them one request, the same to both, and it drove them both to madness. I'll admit, I'm sorely disappointed. Collin: But why? What exactly were you trying to get them to accomplish that made them do such... horrible things? ???: To rat out the remainder of the spies; the filth that remains hiding among humankind. It was our duty to destroy all kleivenn interaction with humankind; and now that the war is over, we don't need these kleivenn. Kleivenn exist separately; just as humans asked of us. It should truly be that way; until it is, the war isn't over. Collin: You're... you're kidding. Who told you to do this? ???: I'm quite serious. It was a human like you, after all. My other half; my sync. We were very devoted to our causes, but in the end, I disagreed. Collin: ... Disagreed? ???: My sync and I were much like yourselves. We sought to bring an end to the war; sought to save kleivennkind. But then we lost our gods; the anubis vanished; the hermes fell; we were driven into Kujaar; and I was cast out, left for dead for refusing to abandon my sync. But humanity quickly buried the war; and we kleivenn were forgotten by the masses within the span of a year. As a last ditch effort, my sync told me to return to Kujaar alone, to get their help...but they refused me, and I left alone. Little did I know that my sync told me to do so just so they could run off and get themselves killed trying to fix everything by themself. All because they couldn't stand to see me hurt, as if losing them wouldn't do the same. It felt worse, truthfully; in that instant, I felt like my oracle had detached; like my tether had corroded, leaving me purposeless...what else was I to do? Collin: Listen, I... I know that must have been a nightmare, but is this really what you think they would've wanted you to do when they were gone? To corrupt people and send them out to commit atrocities for the sake of seperating kleivenn and humans forever? ???: And just what would you know about losing your other half? Your saa is still behind you, just as loyal as ever. The only fear and hate they have in their heart is because I'm masquerading as you; because I'm neither the first nor the last to do so with ill intentions; this kleivenn can and will die for your sake, for no reason, no, any reason, if it was what you truly wanted them to do, without question, without hesitation; this kleivenn is yours! There is no force that can take that away from you, and they've made sure of it, because they trust you! They've given their life, their soul, their mortality to you and you alone, but what are you doing with it?! Throwing yourself in front of them like a shield; their sacrifices mean nothing to you if you think you're the only thing that can protect them! I could run you both through right now, and both of you would die simultaneously due to your own decisions! You don't know anything about being a sync, and you don't deserve him! Collin: Maybe I don't, but I can't just stand by and let whatever godawful things roll our way happen to him. I won't just use him like a shield or let everything hurt him without even trying to help! What kind of partner would I be if I never tried to help him? ???: You damned fool; don't you get it?! It doesn't have to be a contest; you don't have to do anything by yourself! If you feel threatened, then don't let him go!

Collin: The only thing threatening me right now is you. Did you only come here to tell us off, or was there an actual point to all of this? ???: ...I suppose there's a point. See, I told you that I'd been doing this a long time; and I very much have; but a shalvenn can only last so long before they start to, well...you've seen the ones in front of Kujaar, right? They aren't any different from feral animals in their state; they sacrificed anything they could so long as they could stay alive. Well, as practical as that seems at the time, it ruins them in the long run. Me, on the other hand...

Maya: ...Don't bother. I've dealt with your type before. You've made a terrible decision; been given an equally terrible curse; and now you're rotting, but your soul and mind are in tact. I'm guessing that means you've got a preserved oracle, but you can't project your own form anymore...

???: Hmm, well, I guess that's close enough. You're right; I'm falling to pieces. But that isn't why I've called out to this kleivenn and their sync; no; I'm trying to see if you can find a way to stop it. After all, if you don't...well, you'll wind up like me, or like them, won't you? Shaking slightly, Jay grabs their shirt uncomfortably without realizing it. "I-I won't...! I haven't done anything like you have...!"

???: But your arm's the same, isn't it? Even if you don't believe so, you're at least a little like me...and that means you can be a lot like me later... Collin: Like hell he would! Even if his arm is still messed up, he'd never sink so low as to do the things you've done. ???: Well, maybe not something like that, but...hm. You've certainly done something, haven't you? I can tell, you made a wish for something you didn't truly want with all your heart. When you died; you might have wanted to come back to this life, yes, but that wasn't what you really wanted.

The kleivenn shifts their form to a middle-aged woman, a little on the portly side; eyes tired, yet warm; her salt and pepper hair pulled up in a sloppy bun.

"It was someone like this, right? The person you're missing...the one you really wanted to go back to."

Jay's grip tightens as he seems to choke on whatever he wants to say, tears welling up in his eyes as he takes a shaky step back, yet two more forward.

"Mm--...y-you can't...this isn't right...you're not..." Collin puts a hand on Jay's shoulder as he moves up. "Woah, wait a second Jay. I don't know who that's supposed to be, but it's not really them. Whatever this is, don't fall for it."

you were sick of doppelgangers, right?

this scene did go differently than I planned it tbh; he was originally gonna open a gate, and y’all definitely would’ve seen what this kleivenn actually was; Maya or Demo would’ve stopped Jay from running through, but Jay would’ve been a little too messed up by seeing their mom again and would’ve tried to get the thing from Sabraith again, but she would’ve still told him the same thing she tells them later

???: ...I almost feel bad for you. All this running and fighting; the only thing you ever truly wanted was a home. But you couldn't give yourself that. Even if you granted it for everyone you knew, you couldn't have possibly given them all exactly what they wanted; and, some way or another, someone, or something, would find you and ruin it all. So you picked the next best thing; if you couldn't give yourself the home you wanted, you'd make one for everyone else. You sacrificed the only thing you ever wanted for the sake of everyone else; and even if it wasn't against your wish, it was against your personal wishes. That's why you're like me. You made a mistake for somebody else.

alienrabitt: M-maybe...maybe it wasn't what I really wanted...maybe I regret it a little, but...but I don't care...! Even if it takes everything I have...this...this is the home I wanted. I didn't have to wish for it; I had it all along! So I...I couldn't ask for more! I didn't have anything left to ask for! So shut up! You're...you don't know what you're talking about, and you sure as hell don't know me!

???: ...Maybe so. Well, if a means to an end is what you truly want...you know how to find me. Even if I couldn't convince you to come alone; you'll find me again eventually...

With that, they vanish, leaving the group alone. Daedalus pulls himself back up onto his feet and dusts himself off. "Well, that was encouraging." Picking up the emblem off the floor, Sabraith stuffs it back in her pocket.

"Well, whatever it was, there's no way I'm handing this thing back to any of you until you can convince me your friend won't just teeter off by themself. You seriously don't know what that thing could've done to you, why the hell did you do that?! Who was that woman?"

alienrabitt: It was...n-nobody. Nobody any of you would know.

Sabraith: Uh-uh; that's not good enough; you can't be keepin' those kinds of secrets when they nearly get you killed. Who's the woman?

Maya: ...It's his mom.

Sabraith: No way; kleivenn don't have parents. Well, unless you consider the person who made your wiah your parent, but judging by your relationship, I'd say otherwise. Collin: That's... Jay wasn't... It's kinda complicated, but basically Jay wasn't always a kleivenn.

no, that would mean that was Tori’s mom, but this is definitely Jay’s; this is the woman that adopted Jay and was murdered as he hid in the floor; the woman he still has nightmares about not being able to help

this hits harder; and that’s what this kleivenn wants

Sabraith: ...Well, whatever the hell this is all about, I'm still not giving you a chance to get near that thing again. You've heard my conditions; no amount of cool swords will change my decision. Collin: What're we supposed to do then? Let them wander around the universe some more, turning more people insane as they go? Sabraith: I understand that they're dangerous, but do you seriously think I'm gonna let some box of little kids that don't know a damn thing about themselves or each other go running headfirst into the arms of that? I watched that guy make a sword I'd never seen before, and nobody in the room acted like they knew he could do it, let alone what he was doing. Until you spoke to me, you didn't even know what a sync was; and you still, don't even know what to do about it! And don't even get me started on this mom thing; that's at least five other cans of worms. You guys need...somethin'. And until you can prove you've got it; you're not gettin' your hands on this thing; no matter how dangerous that kleivenn is.

She starts to make her leave, refusing to meet anyone's eyes as she states gravely:

"I had to let so many kids go off with weapons they didn't even know how to use during the war; I'm not making that mistake again." Collin: I'm starting to get tired of being talked to like that... Maya: ...Being told you're not ready for what's ahead, or being reminded that we're only children? Collin: The first one. Maya: While I'm sure you're capable; she's right about Jay; and it wouldn't hurt to get to know what you're capable of together a little more. Granted that Jay's reckless abandon often makes teamwork difficult; but since you've got the window, you might as well take it, right? By the sound of things, that kleivenn's reaching the end of their leash. I doubt they'll be able to cause any more trouble until they find someone else to tether their oracle to...and they won't be doing that as long as that emblem stays right here. Collin lets out a sigh and glances at the ceiling for a minute. "Alright, fine. Not really sure how we're going to do that, but I guess that's our next problem for now." Zenith: I guess we'll just...go back to the IT?

Zenith and Clair make their leave, followed by Maya. Karumet and Jay remain, Karumet holding back unspoken words of concern. Daedalus: Got something on your mind there? Karumet: ...Where do I even start? Just what are we supposed to do from here? I guess that kleivenn isn't an immediate issue, but...ugh. This is incredibly frustrating... Collin: You're telling me. It's like being babysat but somehow even more patronizing. Karumet: ...Hopefully this is worth the wait. If it takes long enough, maybe the kleivenn will just...rot to death naturally? Collin: I wish, but things rarely go that easily for us. Sighing, Karumet leaves the room as well. "You're right, but I don't have to like it..."

Collin: Guess we should be heading back too, for now? Winchester: We will, for certain. But I guess you're pretty determined to get your hands on that thing and stop the kleivenn, huh? Collin: Well, yeah, but our hands are kinda tied for now... Horizon: Maybe so, but I doubt she needs much convincing. I guess she just wants more time to size you up! Even with that fancy stunt, she doesn't know how strong you really are; and you still have a lot to learn about kleivenn, even though you've partnered with one...in both ways, I guess. Collin: What does she want us to do, though? Lift that giant boulder she was lugging around outside? Winchester: Unfortunately, I think the only way you're going to get answers is by confronting the smith herself. I think she has quite a few questions for you as well. Daedalus: Sounds like you two got some 'splainin' to do, huh? Horizon: Well, good luck with all that! We don't know you very well yet either, so we wouldn't be able to help either of you much at all. Collin: I guess the first thing we need to do is find her again? Winchester: Won't be hard; we're still in the middle of her house. The remaining group leaves the forge in search of Sabraith. Sabraith is seated in her kitchen, staring boredly at the fireplace across from her as she stirs her drink absentmindedly; some kind of hot beverage in a plain, white mug. Collin: Uh, got a minute? Turning to face the trio, Sabraith leans back in her chair. "Yeah, I've got plenty of time."

Collin: I'll be honest, I'm... not really sure what you want from us. I get that we're not always prepared for everything, but it's not like we're new to this sort of stuff. Sabraith: Alright, so what do you know about being a sync, then? How many times has your kleivenn been hurt? What about you? How'd they even get that arm? Collin: Jesus, one thing at a time. Uh, I mean we've both been through a fair share of rough spots, although not all of it was when Jay was a kleivenn. He lost the arm when his... sister, I guess? She tried to get rid of this thing in his arm through the most... direct route possible. Sabraith: That's not what I asked. How'd it wind up like that? And you know what I mean by you two getting hurt; all of it happened from recklessness or pride; whichever you want to call it. You think you're both shields; you aren't. That's why I won't let you walk with this thing; you don't know the first thing about being a sync, and it will get you killed. Collin: I already told you, it happened after someone tried to fuse him, his sister, and someone else's powers into one body. And fine, we're not shields, I get it. How the hell else are we supposed to take things on, though? With the way Jay is tied to me, it's a lose-lose situation with every fight we get into. Sabraith: You work together. You wanna be a shield; you shield him properly, or not at all. How'd you even get into Kujaar with this little knowledge of kleivenn? Do they take you seriously? Collin: Honestly I think they were too busy trying to figure out if I was a threat or not to worry about anything other than that. Sabraith: ...Alright, then I guess it's gonna be my job to teach you. But you know I don't work for free; tell me about that thing your twin did back there, then we'll start making progress. Collin: That's honestly as new to us as it is to you. I knew he was working on stuff in his room but I didn't think it was like that.

Daedalus: To be fair, most materials don't react so... intensely. That's sorta why I got so carried away. Sabraith: Right, so you were just putting your hand to your head because you didn't like his singing, then? Collin: That was... Okay, skipping a longer story for the sake of time, I can talk with a bunch of former magical gods in my head. They overheard what Daedalus was singing and got very, uh... vocal about their thoughts on the matter. Sabraith: So what's the verdict? Is this safe; or do I need to kick you and your sword out of here? And don't lie to me; I won't be able to tell, but if I find out, you'll regret it. Collin: It's not the song or the sword they're worried about. They're just confused as to why Daedalus was suddenly able to sing in the language of the gods.

Daedalus: I'm sorry, the what now?

Collin: You heard me. That song was apparently in a language only the gods really know now. Anyone else that could have known it would've passed away centuries ago at the earliest. Sabraith: ...Well, that raises more questions than it answers, but I'm guessing you're just as stumped as I am. Collin: It's... definitely a mystery in progress. Precantaro's guessing that it might have to do with the fact that he split off from me, but that might not be the whole story. Sabraith: Alright, well, you kept your end of the deal, so I guess it's my turn. First of all, I'm sure you've seen your kleivenn's oracle before, right?

alienrabitt: He's seen it plenty of times. Held it too.

Sabraith: Yeah, well, interacting with an oracle doesn't just stop there for a sync. You know how saa can take in the oracles of other kleivenn? A sync can do something similar with their own kleivenn; but I'd say the results are very different. It's a temporary act; neither of you should lose yourselves in any way; but it's the ability to combine that gave you that title to begin with. During the war, humans figured syncs were the key to making the hybrids they dreamed of; but no sync in their right mind would help 'em; and any sync forced to, well, sync, would just split up anyway due to the stress. That kind of thing can't happen if both parties aren't willing; it's all about trust, and it can't happen with anyone else besides a wishmaker and their kleivenn. Collin: Wait, you're saying that we can... combine?

THEY’RE GONNA COMBINE?!

okay I know this looks like the leadup to a Smokey Quartz kind of thing but tbh they aren’t even remotely the first franchise to fuse characters (DBZ did it too; I’m sure there’s others) soooo

Sabraith: Yes! This sort of ability is exclusive to a sync! You're the only one who could do that kind of thing with your kleivenn; anything else is just fake! Daedalus: That sounds... unhygenic. Sabraith: Wh-what are you talking about? You don't just...climb into them or something! It's not weird...well, okay, I have no idea how it feels; I mean, I...didn't get the chance. But you do! Collin: But...how? It must be something really specific if we haven't stumbled into doing it after all this time, right?

cannocly they ~~~kinda~~~ did it around the whole mess with the Collector and the Maiden but hell if I know how/why that worked the way it did

Sabraith: It's all about being in sync; but, despite being companions, the two of you do a lot of stuff you don't agree with, and that's why you keep getting hurt. If you two would quit rushing headfirst into everything, maybe you would've done it by now.

alienrabitt: Ugh, I don't always...I mean, sometimes the trouble finds us...

Sabraith: But what do you do about it? Do you look for each other, or do you run off to deal with it?

alienrabitt: ...M-maybe you're right, but...this is mostly on me.

Sabraith: Have a little more faith in the kid, will you? Maybe he's just human; and maybe he is precious to you; but that's all the more reason to keep him closer. Same goes for you; if he goes rushing off, you should stick by him. I doubt you've left him behind; but if he decides to do something, you know how a saa gets when their heart's set, don't you? Collin: Well, I definitely know how this one gets, at least. Sabraith: Just try it sometime. If you can get it to work, then maybe I'll hand this thing off to you. Collin: Well sure, but aside from "being in sync", isn't there something else I should do? Do I need to be touching his... oracle, or just him, or...? Sabraith: As long as you're making physical contact, it should work. Well, as physical as it gets, I guess... Collin looks over to Jay. "Well... what do you think about all this?"

alienrabitt: I...don't know. It's a little hard to believe; but I guess it's worth trying at some point... Collin: I mean, should we head back to the IT for now if we're gonna try this? alienrabitt: Y-yeah. Collin: Alright, I guess we'll... come back later? Sabraith: Take your time; I've got plenty of my own. The trio say goodbye and head back to the IT.

alright, so I wanna make it crystal clear here that anything canon past this point is 101 on; so 100 is a stand alone log (that will also be canon, but might not take place immediately after this log in terms of the timeline)

that being said, sync fusion isn’t something from any of our personal canons afaik (ours being mine, Jay’s, and Daedalus) so unfortunately I...can’t work out any details on how it works on my own, BUT that won’t stop me from trying to fill in the blanks by doing guesswork with what the three of us do know

but before we kick that off in canon, me and my co-author have a lot to discuss about this ~New Wildcard~; so don’t expect it to kick off full force

anyway, this leaves us about 2 days into the week it’ll take Fawkes to get ready to face The Mom, so let’s see what shenanigans happen in the meantime!

#[S4]

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