[video]

[greyerrant]

An armored figure glowers out over the Hinoto-Ri COMP network

"I found the actual combat skills displayed recently at these so-called persona fights somewhat lacking. You may understand how to use your sorcerous.... things, but if you need to learn how to fight with bullet, blade, mind and hand, seek out Cerberus. I shall instruct you on how to not completely embarrass yourself when asked to fight."

Comments

video;

[destinedwaters]

You realize no one here has any clue what happened in your world, right?

[read: Dude, you are not in your galaxy anymore. WTF are you talking about?]

This is all based on what you saw of the tournaments, I take it.

Re: video;

[greyerrant]

And the initial engagements with the Anoli. Disorganized and foolish, really.

video;

[destinedwaters]

And how long were they actually in this world by then?

[greyerrant]

It is just another battlefield. They're children. But they can be taught.

[ Hopefully. ]

[destinedwaters]

[She sighs.] Then remember this much, at least: This isn't the same place you knew. In other worlds, the ways you ignore or look down upon may be what has saved the lives of countless souls - human and non.

Yes, they can be taught. Yet hatred for what they could stand for will only cause more division amongst us. ...and there has been enough bigotry and misunderstandings in this world, along with countless others.

[Speaking from personal experience? Nah, whatever could you be talking about?]

[greyerrant]

Most of those here aren't from other worlds.

They are from the past history of my world. It is my duty to see them survive, and guide them away from as much of the paths of darkness as I can, though I know some will fall.

[ Well as far as he can tell anyway. ]

[destinedwaters]

How can you be so sure? After all, if I remember right... there can also be alternates of those pasts, too.

[She has to ask, though.]

What do you mean by 'paths of darkness,' though?

[greyerrant]

The corruptions of daemons, corpse-whisperers, and false gods.

[destinedwaters]

..."Daemons"?

Also, I've met a god of death and though he is a pervert, he is anything but false.

[greyerrant]

Daemons.

[destinedwaters]

... [Giving you a look, there. It isn't a term used in her worlds.]

[greyerrant]

Emanations of the warp. Creatures of primal power, and equally deep corruption. Servants of the primordial annihilator. Slaves to darkness.

[destinedwaters]

I see... They don't exist where I or most of my friends are from.

[greyerrant]

Then you should consider yourself lucky. [ He removes his helm, finally, exposing a pale-fleshed face, handsome in a craggy sort of way. Garviel is heavily scarred, his hair blond to almost silver, and cut close. His eyes are gray, and they suggest a certain weariness. A man who has known war for 200 years, and while given immortality, he still feels the weight of every battle upon him. ]

[destinedwaters]

...I truly wish I could. No matter the world, Darkness only takes another form.

[While she isn't nearly as scarred, she does have her armor here, visible in the background... cracked and shattered and mostly discarded until she could afford the materials needed to repair the many pieces. That weariness is a shared one, however short her time may have been and still is.]

I don't believe we ever shared names. I'm Aqua.

[greyerrant]

I once spoke to Sigismund, the First captain of the Imperial Fists. He suggested to me that there only would ever be war. I opined that peace would come, as mankind brought light to the darkness of old Night.

Now, I wonder if he wasn't right.

[ He thinks for a moment, then nods. ] Garviel Loken.

[destinedwaters]

Then it's nice to meet you, Garviel.

[She smiles faintly, before growing serious once more.]

You know, when I first started out, I too thought that there would always be war between darkness and light, and that we would be better off without darkness. However, it was a child that made me realize something.

Without the dark spurning light to grow and shine even more brilliantly, there is no reason to reach enlightenment; to grow. It's in our nature to struggle between the two.

Maybe it means little here, but it seems like a constant no matter how many cities I see.

[greyerrant]

I must disagree. While struggle and difficulty are needed for people to progress, the darkness I speak of is corrupting and absolute. I would let no man fall to the primordial annihilator, to Chaos.

The world can impose challenges enough without becoming lost in ignorance, superstition, and cruelty.

[destinedwaters]

If only others could see that.

[Though she is...definitely not innocent of that. She'd automatically raise her hand if she thought that light was the only way and they'd be better off without darkness, but...

It's a fine line. One she has no idea about other than the fact a those darkness claimed her friends, and that she's trapped in it again if she ever left.]

[greyerrant]

I have paid a high price for the truths that I have learned. And I saw others pay more, I saw them sacrifice everything worthwhile about themselves in the service of ambition.

[destinedwaters]

I've seen others sacrifice themselves for far less, and far more.

[And she is sad to see that someone has paid such a high price that he's likely blinded himself to seeing the way others see, just as she had... Yet she holds her tongue for the time being.

...There's a reason she's a Star and no longer a Fool.]

[greyerrant]

Everyone pays a price, the question is only: What price do we pay, and what do we sacrifice? For me, the price was my Legion, my brotherhood, and all my friends. In return I was able to keep loyal to humanity.

[destinedwaters]

'I'm asking you because we're friends. Just...'
'Aqua... Put an end to me.'

[She's silent for a long moment, glancing away and to a small charm that hung around her neck in place of the Mark nowadays. She shook her head of those thoughts - the bitter memories. How could she even voice it to someone she just met, falling into darkness to save a friend, no, an older brother and inadvertently progressing a madman's plans and imprisoning herself?

...She can't. She couldn't even say it to her own brother at the time, and he'd seen it in a front row seat of sorts.]

I see... [......] I ended up giving far more to save my worlds.

[It's all she can say... and even then, she only delayed him from what Axel said.]

[greyerrant]

[ Given what she's said, and how much he lost, he makes the logical jump. ]

You lost it all and yourself then.

[ He considers, for a moment. His closest brother. Torgaddon. How he had wanted to die with him, how the six months of madness on Istvaan III played out, raving and psychotic and living in a daemon-haunted world, the only loyal son amongst the dead and the corrupt. ]

I can understand.

[destinedwaters]

[And to a private setting, this goes.]

...In a way. It was either me or someone close, so I gave whatever I had left for them to escape a fate worse than death.

[It's Complicated. You are not a high enough Social Link to hear how complicated. :<

> ...?!
> You hear a voice in your head...]

Thou art I... and I am thou... Thou hast established a new bond... A new friendship that transcends even time and world boundaries themselves... You shall be blessed when fusing Personas of the Star Arcana when thou is able...
>	You have established the Master Aqua Social Link of the Star Arcana!
>	Aqua's determination in battle has ehnanced...
>	She will now generate barrier spells for you if you need to see an enemy's attack literally explode in their face...
>	You get the feeling that it may not be a good idea to make her angry...

[...Well, enjoy that. o-o;]