Scene #5680: ICoT - Setting Sail, Coming Home

Owner	Pose
The Kid	The Bastion is whole again. The grass no longer bears the sickly pallor that lingered from the Ura attempt to poison it, rip it apart from the within. The cracks and gouges have healed over, leaving the machine topped by a settlement complete once more. However, one thing has changed. The stone circle around the Monument in the centre has depressed, sunken to form a staircase, spirally down to the mechanical depths. Down below is dimly lit, with barely any room left for occupants. Navigation may require bowed heads and careful treading over pipes. The function of this place is still unclear, but many liquid and needle gauges are in the 'green' as it where. It's ready for... whatever it does. But soon, they reach the core of the Bastion. Before them is what appears to be the control device for this place. In stark contrast with the complicated surroundings, the input seems to consist only of a two-way lever. It is here that the Kid, Zia, and Zulf await. Both the men are swaddled in bandages, Zulf still recovering from his beating, while the Kid's body struggles to heal from the wounds of battle, as well as the strain of Pyth's blessing. Even now, he seems unsteady on his feet. Zia is fine, as expected, but her face is uncharacteristically grim. "Thanks fer comin'," Kid croaks, before gesturing around. "It's all been for this. 'Cept now, we... I have a choice to make." He shoots a partially dirty look at Zulf and Zia, the elder Ura responding crisply. "You've made all this possible. It is only right that you decide." There, on a box placed in the middle of the room, is a piece of parchment bearing Rucks' handwriting.
Flamel Parsons	Flamel Parsons is here to see this done. The old man died for his sake, and while Parsons can't make up the whole of that debt ever, he can at least ensure his soul rests easy when it comes to the business the old man left behind. He carries a pained but optimistic smile, a hopeful look that seems more like he's doing his best to process guilt and grief as positively as he can. So when he descends, he's properly garbed. None of the adventure-agent stuff from before, just proper man-in-black aesthetic. He looks around with curiosity and fascination at the surroundings, but seems properly focused by the time he reaches the bottom. It's a relief to see Zulf and the Kid both recovering, but the grim look to the surviving trio is... Concerning. He moves to the parchment. And he would read it. Except... He thinks it's better to do this another way. It might be a little theatrical, but he'd like to take one last look at the psychic impression of the man who built this, and he has a feeling that if everyone's as grim as this... It'll be easier to do it this way. He moves forward and places a palm on the paper, charging it with a little bit of clairvoyance. Necromancy is a banned line of Psychonaut research, but one of its tangentially-related practices is the summoning of 'ghosts' through psychometric clairvoyance. This, sadly, can do little other than show his moods, his feelings, and his tone as he wrote this, but getting to /look/ the man in the face one last time... He wants at least that. A phantom of the old man to deliver the last message, the way he felt when he wrote it.
Rory White	"A choice?" Rory White is, for the first time in many ages, using her Synthmorph form. No robo-lioness or other forms suited for battle. She's, this day, a human with long, silky blue hair, wearing frilly white robes that seem to evoke both the imagery of priestess and scientist in the lab, given the vast assortment of pockets and pouches - few of which probably hold anything. It's immediately evident why she rarely uses this form, because she navigates the maze a bit clumsily and slowly compared to anyone else... until they reach the control center. "... It occurs to me that I still have no data on the Bastion's function, besides some form of contingency shelter." A glance at one person here and then the other... she comments, "It's a wonder you came through that fight as well as you did." To the Kid. "Healing well though. You should be fine in time. I have supplies of painkillers and antiseptics." Is also offered in as reassuring tone as she can manage.
Alexis	Underground stairwells and low ceilings, the bane of being tall. To be fair Alexis is only a bit over six feet, but she still has to duck under some of the fixtures on the way down. Probably not going to be letting any pokemon loose when space is at a premium. "I've seen a few weird underground chambers before, but even seeing that there was machinery inside this place wasn't quite expecting this sort of deal." She edges her way from the stairs so there's room for others to get down here. Once she's found a spot she leans on the wall, folding her arms. "Here we are. 'Victory' but you all look as sour as someone sitting backside to a Skunktank. What twist of fate got shoved in the works now?"
Priscilla	It had taken a not insignificant amount of time for Priscilla to recover from the same as the people who wait for her at the end of the stairs, having thrown herself into battle out of a sense of personal vengeance more than a desire to succeed. Being dramatically more resilient than individuals like Zulf ever get to be, of course she isn't visibly injured in any way, but there are certain damages that don't heal any quicker no matter what you're made of. Specifically, her irreconcilable mix of angry, melancholic, and bittersweet feelings towards this place. Truthfully, she only wishes Rucks were here to see this. The Bastion having returned to its former glory, quaint as it always was, is uplifting enough of a sight to get her downstairs without incident, save having to stoop and squeeze a very unfortunate amount, so when she arrives, it is at least without the stormy countenance she has borne the last few times she had come to this world. That said, it certainly isn't the triumphant sensation of many of her previous campaigns at their conclusions. It is a feeling of jaded, deathly relief at being past the finish line, with no plans, or even ideas, after this, not unlike her very first. "Thou knoweth I wouldst miss this not." she says to the Kid, dispensing with the usual greeting. "As do I well appreciate thou remembering to see those around thee present at the end. However, there is a matter of what sort of choice thou wouldst share with us, or else be viewed as deflected upon us."
Kotone Yamakawa	Kotone Yamakawa may have mixed feelings on some of the things that have happened, but she wasn't going to leave The Kid, Zia and Zulf snapping in the wind. The injuries she suffered on the way out of the Ura fortress. The Bastion was repaired and fully operational from the looks of it and the kid? He'd called for them all to come in a along side Rory. She's wearing some high tech clothing that clearly isn't for fighting in. She takes a look at Flamel and then from Rory to Alexis. "Good to see all of you are on the mend, so you wanted us here to make a call? Whatever you have is here for how could any of us say no?" Priscilla arrives and she looks to the leader of the Concord for a moment then back to the Kid, wondering just what they were asked to be chossing between.
William Pauwel	Will has been... Busy, as of late. Being in charge of coordinating the Watch has somewhat tested his ability to be around and active in more overt ways. Turns out that trying to herd a bunch of only vaguely connected cats with phenomenal cosmic power is kind of hard! But that doesn't mean he hasn't been busy. One way or another though, he's here today. He had to be here today. After all, he hasn't been able to greet Zulf and Zia since their rescue, and more imortantly... The Bastion... Is ready. "I couldn't figure out heads or tails what it's meant to do either, and I saw what was inside of it," Will shakes his head, and then looks to The Kid. "Well. Uh. Seems to me that you've got more of an idea than we do of how this thing works and what it'll do, so... What are we meant to decide, Kid?"
The Kid	The phantom image of Rucks arises from the paper, adding to the feeling of tired resignation. His voice echoes throughout the chamber, reading the letter aloud for all to hear. Kid, Should have told you this from the start. Don't know why I didn't. When you spend so long seeped in secrets, you can't just shrug them off I guess. If you're reading this, I'm probably gone. Hopefully peaceably. Here's where I tell you everything. The Calamity? Caelondia was behind that. A weapon devised to seal the Ura in their tunnels, keep war from ever breaking out again. Zia's father, he was one of the heads on the project, alongside myself. Yeah, I was a Mancer. Devised the Bastion too, and the Rippling Walls too. Guess you could say I was always your boss, even before all this. Zia told you what happened to her before the Calamity right? Tried to sneak out of the City with some boy who took fancy to her. When she was caught, the Mancers used it as leverage on her father. Made him finish the project, and fire it himself. They never knew-I never knew that he had altered the firing calibrations. Made it target Caelondia instead. We were so eager to secure peace, I guess the thought of betrayal never entered our minds. He detailed it all in that journal Zulf decoded. Now you know for sure why he was so torn up that day. You probably figured it out for yourself though. You're brighter than you give yourself credit for. Now, even if I'm gone, you can make all of this not matter. I'm going to tell you exactly what the Bastion was made for. Once it's done, go down into the depths, and pull the central lever to the left. That'll engage the Restoration. Everything that happened, everything you've done, everything the Ura have done. It'll all be undone. The Cores, the Shards, they remember how things used to be, and the Bastion uses that to make it real again. Caelondia will be whole. But... you'll be gone. Not dead, to be clear. But when everything goes back, that means you, Zia, Zulf, the Ura. Everything that happened after the Calamity will be wiped from your head. That probably includes the allies from the Multiverse you've made. I don't know how it will affect them. Other worlds were never part of the calculations. My best guess is 'nothing' since the stones didn't have time to gain memories of them... But, the problem with somethin' like this is, ya can't test it. Maybe it won't work, maybe the Calamity will happen anyway... but that's a risk I was willin' to take. But... there is another option. It ain't one I would pick, but I promised I'd be honest. The Bastion has a secondary function, for cases where Restoration ain't gonna cut it. Pull that lever to the right, and you'll engage Evacuation. This'll shatter the Cores 'n Shards and use 'em as fuel. The Bastion will become a mobile fortress. You could take Zia, Zulf, any other survivors, anywhere you like. This works, that I can promise ya. But it breaks the Cores for good. No changin' your mind. I'll leave it up to you Kid. You deserve the right to choose. I was real proud of ya. You're a true Cael man, through and through. Thank everyone for me. Rucks. His voice fades, his final message read. Kid looks to everyone as if that answers their questions and says, "That's the long 'n short of it. It's up to me to decide if we gamble on a chance to fix everythin' or just... run away." His face is stone, but he's clearly cut up about all this. He's always viewed himself as a 'grunt,' not someone to be making decisions. And this is a hell of a decision.
Alexis	"See? Another crazy twist, just when we thought everything was getting sorted out." Alexis rubs her temples with thumb and forefinger a bit, as if trying to keep it from giving her a headache. But sarcasm aside she can't blame the Kid for wanting help with the decision, it's a pretty big one, either way. The world could possibly be fixed.. If it worked... But what would it accomplish? With a heavy sigh at the revelations Alexis nudges herself off the wall and scoots through the gathering to put an arm around Kid's shoulders, carefully to not aggrivate any remaining woulds. "Look, I'm no good at the sugar coating thing, so I'm gonna be honest. This world is broken to the point I don't think sticking it all back together is the answer. In all the escapades we've been through all we've seen is a wounded world being reclaimed by the wild, some broken reminders of a troubled past, and most of the time even those didn't last when we took the bits needed to make the Bastion work." She frowns a little at thinking of one of the passages. "Both sides of this disaster were wrong, and too stubborn to see it. Even if everything is reset, what's gonna stop them from doing it again if no one remembers?" She puts one hand to her chest, though it's more an indication of the group of outsiders to this world as a whole. "Even if we remember, who's gonna believe us, a bunch of strangers, when they can't even trust each other?" The tomboy withdraws her arm with a final pat to the shoulder. "Maybe it's just me. But I think the oppritunity the Bastion is giving you three would be better spent elsewhere. When it was made, this was the only world the ol' man new about, but that's not true now. You could explore other unknowns. Make sure the mistakes that caused this catastrophe don't happen again somewhere else." She glances at the parchment, the last phantom image of Rucks having already faded.. but his presence could still be felt from it now. Alexis shakes her head a bit at what the Kid said. "It's not running away. It's making a new beginning." With all that said she scoots back to her spot, folding her hands behind her head as she resumes leaning on the wall. "Can't say if Rucks, bless his soul, would agree... But I think if he'd seen how far things had gone, he'd at least understand. You can fix the world... But would you possibly be losing in the process?"
Rory White	PSychic antics of THIS grade alarm Rory a little! She casts a glance towards Flamel, then at the speaking Rucks, making sure to record everything... while listening with the utmost care. Somber sorrow soon grips her, bringing out a lopsided frown and stooping shoulders. "The old Mancer is a genius beyond description, if the Bastion's Primary purpose is functional." She's quick to state, voice warm with clear respect for Rucks. Death of this sort isn't a phenomenon she's used to, and being faced with a man who she won't see again, because he is GONE FOREVER with no Ego Backup, is a strange, STRANGE feeling. Her expression fluctuates as if she just isn't sure what sort of face to make, or has never even made some of them before, but what gives away how truly unsettling the emotional surge is would be how her whole body shakes... And she turns to lean on something solid. A wall will do. Or some machinery that doesn't have moving parts that could snag her robes. She's quiet. Ordinary people might be taking a moment to breathe, but she's just Thinking and steadying herself. And it takes about 15 seconds to do that. When she turns back towards The trio of natives, hands folded in her lap. "On the assumption that Restoration functions as hoped... I would agree with Rucks, and assume that its effect will not spread further than this world. It will not touch my memories or backups, or Kotone's, or Flamel's. As long as we aren't caught directly in it, we should be fine. IF that option were taken, then I am willing to make recordings and journey to the Caelondia of them to avert the Calamity, if at all possible. I AM willing, however..." Another shudder passes through her. "The only reason I can see Restoration having any merit is the great deal of people who died for nothing. All the ordinary people going about their lives. To survive and thrive amidst all this horrifying, monstrous flora and fauna is no easy feat. To do so while living well, astounding. Ingenuity, determination, martial prowess, and more, kept Caelondia going. Those traits I can respect. However... the Ura also display these same traits. Had the battles over Point Lemaign gone the other direction, perhaps this very scenario would be playing out in vast underground caverns instead of ruins floating in the sky." She lets this fact sink in with a minute of looking about. "I see nothing of what Caelondia accomplished that is worth preserving. If Restoration were chosen, and the crisis somehow averted, it would be the same as quietly condoning all of the actions that lead to where we are now. Particularly Zia's plight and the superweapon's creation, for use on a defeated enemy. Truly despicable." With that settled in, she puts both hands in her pockets, almost irritated at this decision. "... I would not call it running away. Have you not done everything and more that anyone could do, faced with this disaster? Moving on. It would be moving on. Starting anew. Caelondia sought to annihilate another and was annihilated itself. The Ura sought to settle an old score with extreme prejudice and were viciously suppressed. If there's a lesson to be learned here, it's that conflict just leads to more conflict... and disaster follows." Here, she bows her head. "I would have liked to speak with Rucks more. I would have liked a chance to come to know Caelondia and the Ura. But its destruction does not affect me the way it affects you, and I am not so sure this is a decision that should be turned to me, or any of us. What do YOU three think? Now is not a time to be afraid to speak honestly."
William Pauwel	So that's... That's what the Bastion does? Sure, it fixes the whole damn world, but by turning back time? Pulling everything and everyone who'd ever died in this mess back together and... And what, it'd all be like nothing again. Like everything was the way it was. What about them, and the worlds and the folks that'd interacted with the place, with the Kid? Would they all forget...? ... Will stares through Rucks' spectral apparition, his eyes wide and the gears in his brain all achurn. And... "I..." Will starts, his mouth hanging open for a moment. Then it knocks shut. "I... Can we really say that it's OK that a whole bunch of people just get to stay wiped out just 'cause? I mean... Yeah. If the thing reboots everything-- and I mean everything-- then all this might just happen all over again. But..." Will shakes his head, "If we keep our memories, that means we can come back and fix it. Keep the Calamity from ever happening. So many people would come right back, this whole world would..." "But that's... That's a really big if. I'm not sure I'm alright with takin' that bet."
Flamel Parsons	Parsons remains motionless and attentive as the phantom fades. By the time it's done, he's fidgeting, worriedly, anxiously. The last chance to see Rucks' face weighs heavily on him. The last chance to finish his work... Even moreso. He looks to The Kid, with a bit of understanding. Having all this go on, right at the end of all that pain, right when Rucks' memory is still fresh on the mind, has to be a hell of a mental burden. "..." The young agent is silent for a time, listening to Alexis' feelings on this, nodding along in agreement. All of it sounds sensible, all of it sounds accurate to the minutiae. And yet, as he follows more and more of it, his face turns more and more uncertain. Gradually, something creeps into his mind and shifts his opinion as he stares at the parchment. And... He sighs. "I don't think Evacuation would be right. Or... Maybe it would, but, it doesn't feel like it. Rucks... He lived and died wanting this. To be able to undo this. Even Psychonauts don't really know all the details of what happens after you die, but I know... I don't really know, it just feels like he wouldn't rest as well without Restoration. It was what he lived for, it was what he died for, it was... I dunno." He actually removes his sunglasses for a moment, slipping them away. "At the end of the day... You have to ask what you'll regret most. Regret's the part that matters, you know? That's what I think. There's a lot of scars you could carry. Maybe it'll repeat again, the Calamity will go off again... Maybe that already happened, even." Wouldn't that explain those uncanny moments when The Kid strangely knew when the ambush was about to happen, before it did? The thought crosses his mind, painfully exerting its weight, before leaving once more. "I think, if you hit that Evacuation lever, you'll fly out of here and you'll think about the other choice for the rest of your life. That's... How these things work. How these regrets work. You'll feel that forever. I don't know, maybe you're stronger than that, but regrets are some pretty heavy scars, and I think you don't need more." "I mean... I guess Evacuation is the 'smart' thing, maybe the 'right' thing on some weird moral math, but... It just doesn't /feel/ right, to me. I guess I'm biased, since... Since..." Since Rucks is dead because of him and this could bring Rucks back, he doesn't say out loud. But his face twists in a strained and anxious way, not hidden behind the sunglasses for once, to show the brief moment of pain.
Kotone Yamakawa	Kotone Yamakawa had an idea it would be something major but the information that is given just leaves the woman's mouth hanging open for a second, the implications are astounding. The universe almost never gives what message from Rucks was saying. If it worked there was a choice to reverse the disaster that ended the world, but it could all play out again. Also there could be a personal cost to her, the friendship, the experiences she'd had with Rucks, Zulf and Zia would be gone. Still all those lives, an entire world, a second chance a chance to reverse what was happened. It was a chance to play god more or less a choice. Do they restore the world or live with the results of what happened? She listens to Alexis now speaks she makes some very solid points for a moment. She folds her arms across her chest with one hand going to rest on her chin as she thinks, hard. "Rucks was a once in an era sort of man." there was a clear level of respect for the man in her voice. Things relating to the second world war floats into her mind for a moment the Manhattan Project. She takes a deep breath as she listens to Rory for a moment. "My world has seen terrible weapons used over the last hundred years, chemical, weaponized plagues, and weapons that could for a moment channel the fury of the sun upon the land. Even my own body is the result of such military technology ... To have a chance to turn back the clock, for all the people caught up in this calamity it was a blood fude from what I have seen between both of your peoples. Yet the three of you show there is hope to move past it." she looks to the Kid, Zulf and Zia in turn. She closes her eyes for a moment and takes a deep breath. She then gets up to head over to Flamel and put a hand on the man's shoulder for a moment if he lets her. "The choice will effect Zia, Zulf and The Kid the most, we might retain our memories and be able to do something, or we might not." "It's a choice to take a second chance and have faith in us to be able to do something about this. I miss Rucks something fierce and he's trusted all of us with making this choice. Do we have faith in ourselves and the people of the Ura and The Caelondians that things can play out differently, but if we do this the cost will be even if successful most heavy to the three of you. We have a chance to force the cold hand of history to take another path, but it's a gamble if the Restoration is chosen." She thinks back to her own life the day when everything changed had she not had to become a cyborg? She'd not be here, she'd be a face in the background working on designing the latest generation of Motorcycles or cars and just a face in the ground. She'd done none of the things she'd done since setting foot into the multiverse. If was offered the choice to alter her own life she'd say not but this isn't just about anyone here in the Bastion this effects a whole lot of people. That's the best way to frame things in her head. "It's good everyone's laying their cards on the table about this. I'd be more worried if we all agreed without much talking about it. It comes down to the price you want to pay and if you want to deal with the what ifs of not trying to restore this world....and everything that was" It's pretty clear from her expression and tone she does not know which way is right, or which one is best. "Forgive my rambling here. Do you want to try to fix your world or move on with what's left?"
Priscilla	The image of Rucks arising from his letter to relay it himself is painful to experience, and yet couldn't be more appropriate. Priscilla is no stranger to loss. To people staying gone, or where they don't, their fate being even worse; by far the least of all gathered here. Over and over she has experienced it, until it became a number and bitter prickle that made it best not to allow anyone too close to her. Even the world itself, shattered, abandoned, overgrown and dangerous as it is, is a familiar chord to her, and so one that she should be well used to, and content to leave well enough alone. That isn't how it works, though. Were Rucks to have simply left a goodbye note, things would be different, by if the old man is right, then right in front of them, only requiring a little pull to the left, is a way to gain back all of it. The feeling of personal loss and having seen a world come to ruin may be a numb sensation for Priscilla, but that just makes the rare opportunity to do it all over again that much more heart-stopping. If there had been anything Priscilla had learned in the Multiverse, it is not to take chances like these lying down. Many times in past, she had declined them out of respond or hesitation, and regretted it ever since. Just as many times, she had forced the issue until it turned out, and even if it had done so poorly . . . "Be not so swift to write off the lives of all of those who hath died unjustly. Be not so cavalier as to consign a world destroyed as much as by accident as by the hubris of a few to oblivion." she says, slowly and coldly. "Whilst there yet remains a way to undo it, all of it, right before us, this world is not truly dead. Its people yet live, if only in the future. For thou to sign them away as 'already lost', as having 'their chance' and thus best to moveth on from them, is tantamount to an act of murder." "Even if this wouldst play out all over once more, with no difference between the two, what wouldst it matter? Nothing lost, nothing gained, and the opportunity to choose differently shalt always arise again. Any other way, /everything/ is lost, and there shalt be no means to decide once more; something one must continue with for the rest of thine life. If it wouldst be simply that consideration that stay /anyone's/ hand, then it is cowardice. An acceptance of what is, and a precious attachment to the tasks performed that art truthfully without meaning until this moment. It is to flee from what is possible." "There is no need to pray that things shalt turn out differently. Sir Rucks certainly didst hath his doubts, yes, but before any other possibility arose, and yet still thou heard him, that he himself wouldst not choose to flee from this. The man who built this very thing we now hath the sole privilege to decide upon, only because he gave his life in the work of rebuilding his world's future. If the course of history wouldst repeat, refusing to change itself, then we, or at the very least /I/, shalt force its hand. It is known now, exactly whence and with whom these terrible events didst stem from, and there is power at our disposal to /change/ that. Even if thou wouldst forget all of mine existence, I wouldst do so anyways, and consider it worth it. Even if we were to becometh enemies."
Priscilla	"The sole matter regarding any consideration in all of this whatsoever, is not what wouldst happen outside of these walls, but within those few survivors of it; precious few. Were it any other way, I wouldst throw the switch mineself, but as it is, whom stands before mineself is a Partner of the Concord, and thus one I hath sworn an oath to alloweth him to be the master of his own destiny. I cannot, loathe as I am to admit it, in conscience taketh such actions that wouldst undo entire chapters of his life, and maketh him someone different than he is, even if it is someone whom he once was." "What wouldst befall him is solely his decision, not something to be weaseled and coerced from him with pitying words or force. Such goes for his companions as well. Which way that lever goes shouldst dependeth entirely, solely, and singularly, on weighing the value of whom the people of this world hath become, what they hath learned, what they hath gained, and whatever future may be left of them, against the value of everything that was lost, and shalt be consigned to being lost forever with an all-too simple decision" "I cannot abide escape as cowardice, as so many suggesteth. I could scarcely abide anything but restoration in any situation. I implore thee, if thou throw that lever any direction but towards Sir Rucks' /life's work/, it be solely that thou believeth in thineselves, Kid, Zia . . . Zulf, that thou art somehow better able to carry on with it than he didst, and that in making thine choice, thou art absolutely certain in thine heart of hearts, that all of thine loved ones and ancestors, now deceased by thine hand, wouldst smile upon thee for making such a decision, for if they condemn thee not, thou surely will thineselves. Else in any other circumstances, bestoweth upon them, and thineselves, a second chance that all of thee rightly deserveth. In any other circumstance, do not condemn all those who hath lived and died in judging the hubris and cruelty of a few 'beyond salvation'."
The Kid	Kid is surprised by the gesture from Alexis, she is far from the touchy-feely sort. Though he doesn't seem to like the implication that 'both sides are to blame.' His whole body tenses as he retorts, "The Mancers work without oversight. Don't pin it on Caelondia." He winces in pain as his body rebels, and takes a breath to settle down. "Don't sell yaself sort. All of you could probably figure it out, if ya tried. I wouldn't be much help as I would be, but I'd be out of the way at least." More perceived Caelondia-bashing from Rory causes the slight sound of Kid's molars grinding to become audible. But as Rory asks the other natives of what they think, Zulf answers immediately. "I lost everything in the Calamity. If there is even a chance that I could hold her in my arms again..." His hands curl into fists, and he looks around the room with a fierce look in his eyes. "I'll do anything." Zia looks less certain, but she speaks with a clear voice. "Everything good in my life came after the Calamity, not before. I don't want to lose all this..." Kid remains silent. It's clear now why he's so torn up about this. He's been hearing both sides even before now. Both Zulf and Kid nod to Will. "No matter what happens, I'll be countin' on y'all to lend a hand either way. I ain't exactly a pilot, and I couldn't stop the Mancers before the Calamity. If y'all are willin' to make cozy with the Mancers, or rush their chambers... I trust ya." Rucks' memory, and regret. Flamel hits a sore spot as he speaks of what the old man would want, and what they'll all come away with if they Evacuate. Zia's chin wobbles as Kid and Zulf nod. "I ain't strong. You're damn right, I'll be thinkin' on that my whole life if I don't try." Kotone's own confusion on the matter only brings a small grin to the Kid's face. "Oh thank the Pantheon, I'm not alone here. Everyone else seemed to have a clear idea but me 'till now." He's not making fun of her, he's just... pleased. Priscilla talks, more than Kid has ever heard from her. She speaks pragmatically, statingt hat even if the Calamity occurs again, it just means another chance. "I don't think I changed that much. Zulf and Zia though..." He looks to them, drawing a bitter laugh from the man. "I was much more jovial before all this." Zia just sighs and leans on the wall. There is a long pause here, before Kid nods to himself. "I've decided. I couldn't live with myself without tryin'." Zia sniffles, while Zulf exhales a breath he himself did not know he was holding. "But we're gonna do this right. Y'all want to help, y'all need to plan. Zulf, got some paper?" The diplomat nods, gently removing Rucks' letter and laying down a fresh sheet. "If y'all wanna stop the Calamity, how would ya do it? We'll give you anythin' we can think of to help."
Alexis	Despite most of the opinions going the other way Alexis still smirks a bit. "It's nice seeing the debate go both ways. If everyone jumped to the same conclusion right away, it'd be a little weird." Not to mention it's certainly a step up from the way things use to be when the oversized factions would just pile behind the same idea regardless. So no hard feelings on essentially being outvoted. Maybe she was being a little selfish, thinking to explore the new options instead of reset the old one. Eh, in the end it doesn't matter, Kid made his choice. But it's not without considering what can be done to prevent what happened the first time, and that stirs her back out of her little moment of thought. "Kinda hard to say without knowing exactly how far 'back' its going to reset. But the hard part will be overcoming," she pauses, then shifts to using the terms the Kid himself at used instead of her own, "resentment and oversights of two different nations." She holds up both her hands in a sort of defeated gesture. "Ain't too proud to not admit that's waaaaay outta my field of knowin' what's what." In the end, maybe that is why she leaned towards the other option? Just because she know well what the problem would be, she didn't really have a way to fix it....
Priscilla	Even Priscilla sighs a great sound of relief; something she is not known to do. She had very much feared that the Kid would make a choice that she objected to with all her being, but unfortunately knew that was not her choice to make, or else throw away all value in the covenant between them. Though it pains her a little --just a little-- to see Zia's reaction, there is much more that can be done this way, and Priscilla is not known to change her mind like this. "We knoweth now, thanks to Sir Rucks, that Lady Zia's father was the key to this." If someone is worried that Priscilla is going to suggest assassinating him, they are thankfully wrong. "As well as Sir Rucks himself, it is extremely doubtful that any such a project couldst reach completion without them. It is mine own bid that the two of them be found, and apprised of such a disaster. Sir Rucks knew what he wrought, but not that it wouldst be turned upon his own people. Lady Zia's knew that it wouldst be turned upon Caelondia, but not what he wrought in doing so. Even if they were to oppose so bitterly, each hast more to lose in continuing their current, or past if one wouldst be obtuse, paths, and neither art served by continuing." "They were intelligent men. They wouldst knoweth better than to complete such a weapon if there were any other option. Other worlds present such; powerful organizations able to lend them asylum and protect them, shouldst the mancers of old wish them back. Lady Zia wouldst of course be a necessity as well, were her father's heart so bent to her in past. At the very least, then, the precisely same disaster is averted. From there, it is a matter of ensuring such a war that motivated its development in the first place be not reignited, but I believeth such is beyond the scope of we few, and better brought to the greater interests of those groups we representeth." "There shalt be plenty of time anew for good things to happen again. Away from all of this." she finally says, looking directly at Zia. "Even if thou remember them not, I shalt knoweth very well whom and what it is that thou hast come to love. Thou shalt not lose them forever, but only for a time. I swear it."
William Pauwel	Well. That's that, then. But... The Kid made his decision, at least. Maybe it wasn't the right one. Maybe it was. The important thing is that he made the decision himself. And now... Now they get down to the actual business of things. "Judgment," Will murmurs, unlimbering his favorite handcannon. He... Doesn't raise it, instead he just sets it on a nearby table. The weapon's components seem to unravel, revealing a sky-blue crystal at its heart. Ready and waiting. It has been a while. "We need you to record," Will says. He looks to the others, then, "I don't trust anything that gets written down on paper from around here. Chances are than when the Bastion resets, it'll all get turned back too. And who knows what'll happen to our memories, right? Judgment here's survived thousands of years underground, made it to the present day even through whatever the heck's happened to Tellus over the years. So... If anything's gonna be able to keep a record, it's him." He looks to the others, then. "So. First thing we'll need to know is where the Mancers keep their labs, and where the firing controls are for the weapon. If we can get into there, then we can stop any of this from ever happening. Maybe spring Zia's dad, keep the weapon from coming online to begin with. Other than that, we'd need to know where to find you three, just in case. And..." Will... turns to Zia, and slowly cants his head. "If you want, if you want to give it a shot, then... What would happen if you came with us? Left before the switch was flipped. If you weren't in the world, would you be reset?"
Rory White	Once again Rory seems to have offended people by speaking her thoughts. Eyes widen slightly at the Kid's anger... but she bows as if deferring to him. "There is a reason I do not /make/ such decisions when given the choice. My nature precludes the kind of multi-faceted sensibilities and emotions that drive those I support. But it doesn't preclude sympathy. This is the first I've heard that the Mancers worked without oversight... though that, too, is a failing that must be corrected, if we take this path." She returns to standing position, apparently willing to swiftly accede to the Kid's choice. "I'm sorry. I have a tendency towards being judgemental. My own home PLANET was RUINED, beyond any such repair, by similar machinations of people acting without care or oversight, at another's expense. Despite centuries of warning signs, humanity failed to heed them. Those with power and knowledge suppressed those without, and stuck on a doomed course for their own benefits." She shakes her head as if clearing it... "We have nothing but time in this case, so let's be thorough in drafting up a plan of action and several contingencies. First we need a map of Caelondia, pre-Calamity, and all information that would be needed to enter the city without incident, locate you three, and secure your cooperation on the assumption you'll remember nothing. I can ready supplies, weapons, whatever is needed ahead of time. Equivalents to the ones you've been using so far are easily nanofabbed." This is directed towards The Kid. "Next, we need to know where the Bastion would have been located, and this superweapon. Do we have any information about it in all of these notes? Perhaps a fuel supply that could be pre-emptively secured and denied?"
Rory White	After William brings out Judgement, she smiles to him. "I, too, keep a record of every single thing that has happened. Every event, as seen through my sensors. Every word that has been said, every fight, every environment."
Kotone Yamakawa	The death of Rucks hurt her so much, she's suffered loss before but something about the man? He'd always made her felt welcome and she thinks on that for a moment. The times she'd had meals at the bastion with him and the others then the Kid brings up a fact about the Mancers. "A black ops project." A few hardliners? Somethings tart to make more sense. She had answered honestly, its all she could do for the Kid, Zia Zulf and Rucks memory. She looks to the kid as he finishes up with his choice and she smiles. "All right then we need to figure out what we can do. Who would we need to know about aside from Zia's Father and Rucks?" Kotone is honestly feeling much the same as Priscilla she was confused but she answered honestly and now the choice has been made? She's going to throw herself into it. It's good not everyone agreed, and honestly a chance to undo something like this?! She looks to Zia. "I promise will do my damnest to make sure you have memories worth keeping after this. "Will that's a solid plan for recording things." She ives Rory a look and pauses for a moment at Rory. "Humanuity of my world failed to heed the signs too, we just ... got lucky." Kotone has her own systems recording things too and then a thought stirkes her. "We're going to need ideas on how to get all of you to not think we're crazy after this. "Heh everything I see hear and experianced is dumpable from my implants. Every moment of my time here is ... shareable." She's already crafting plans to the point she may get a custom shell made to look like she's a native, to help with this. She pauses for a moment looking to Kid for a moment. She'll wait until the planning is all done before she'll says. "No matter what happens next, you done good Kid."
Flamel Parsons	Flamel Parsons heaves a sigh of relief, wiping his brow with one sleeve as he replaces his sunglasses. Thankful that, this time, he can... Get around his guilt. It's a lot more mentally managable to have someone die for your sake if they get revived at the end of it... Even if, at the end, it might have sacrificed the future they'd reached here. He notices Zia's subtle reaction, and worries for her. Even if all the pain that could happen now will be wiped away soon, he still feels guilt... He still would like to help, when it's time, if she'll allow it. For now, though, he turns away, and says, "...Thanks. I appreciate it, Kid. I know this is for you, for Caelondia, for the world, but... It still helps me, more than you'd know. So, thanks." He rubs his own face, slipping his hands under his sunglasses. "Thanks." Now to business. He settles down with the paper, contemplatively. He knows one thing and one thing particularly: "If we get back far enough, we need to do this right. Just stopping one link in the chain isn't enough. This is a doomsday clock that went off; the tensions between Caelondians and Ura mean this will could happen one way or another, when it comes to the Calamity. Here, in the Terminals... It can't be allowed to happen anywhere, and when we Restore, it'll take things back to where people /felt/ and /thought/ they needed to do this. And that means we need to do everything we can to make sure they don't feel that way." He looks to Zulf. "You've seen the inside, outside, and other side of every part of this nightmare. You're a diplomat, so you know the names of at least some of the people, on whichever side, that made this tension. If you give them to me, I can... Try to get to the root of their feelings and defuse them before they hit the boiling point. The problem with the Calamity is that some people /wanted/ a Calamity, and that means that if we want a Restoration to stick... We need to get rid of the psychohazard." He gestures around, more broadly than just gesturing to the Bastion. "All of this feels like the sort of thing that happens when a dangerous mental aspect runs wild between a lot of different people. But if we can get some starting points... Well, maybe we can head it off at the pass. This is the sort of thing those conspiracies I talk about try to stop. I think it's not a bad idea to do what they do. To change the rhetoric, to solve the hatred, to help people." That's right, his intention and his hope is to start a vague yet menacing secret brotherhood meant to avert disaster in the heart of Caelondia. But more particularly, to visit the mindscapes of Caelondian and Ura decisionmakers that might have been part of the Calamity being conceived of in the first place.
The Kid	Even as others raise objections, Zulf jots down everything anyway, just in case. Priscilla petitions to focus on Rucks and Venn, Zia's father. Zulf jots that down with a nod. The girl herself goes slightly red as Priscilla speaks of the things she loves. However, Will raises a question that catches her off-guard. What if she was gone? What would happen? "I... would like to try," she says. "I don't want to forget." Kid looks surprised, but looks around. He starts to say something, pauses, then says it in a different way. "Are you okay with sticking with them?" She looks around at the Elites, and nods. "If they'll have me." As for the questions raised as to where the Mancers were, Kid answers. "They occupied the big brass tower 'n the middle of the City. Can't miss it. Bastion was anchored right next to it." Zulf nods in agreement, and makes a clear note of it, as well as starts sketching a map for Rory. "I... would prefer to forget. But if you think me so invaluable, I would prefer to ensure it never happens. Flamel talks of making a group on both sides dedicated to ensuring war never happens again. Zulf seems on-board, while Kid seems reluctant. "I don't think there's that many," he says, still believing in his countrymen. "No harm done neither," he adds to Rory. Zulf adds, "This is something I can do. Very well, get me back in the loop when this is all done. I would leave with Zia, but... I would like at least a couple days of blissful ignorance. Please." He jots down some names for Flamel, just in case. Finally, the time has come. Zia walks over to the Elites, after a long hug with both Zulf and Kid. "Be safe," the latter whispers to her. Zulf looks to everyone, and offers a long bow to them, his back parallel with the ground. "I place my future in your hands. Please, save my love." Kid goes up to everyone personally, and offers a firm handshake. "It was a damn pleasure to work with y'all." To Priscilla, he says, "I guess 'm usin' those vacation days after all. Let's not call this resignation just yet." Once all has been said, Zia leaves with the Elites. Kid says, "I'll give ya 30 minutes to get clear." It's a brisk walk through some warpgates to find a vantage point from beyond the world. The clock ticks down. 3... 2... 1. From the Bastion, a torrent of green light issues, sinking into the ground below and cascading between the floating land. The whole continent shines like a sea of stars before the glow intensifies, becoming blinding. In that last flash, words practically echo on the still wind... Hey Kid Yeah? What's your real name? We pull this off, and I'll tell you. Fair. Thank you, for saving me. Both times. When the light clears...
The Kid	The City - <Caelondia> (Pre-Calamity) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The City, in full grandeur. At first glance, it seems a massive sprawl of wood and stone buildings, decorated with brass images of Pyth, God of Order and Commotion. But closer inspection reveals a method to the madness, an optimization of the roads and streets created by the Masons. They are walked by the Marshals, and stalked by the Gravers, bringing law and justice. Damage to people and property is swiftly tended to by the Menders, while Breakers leap from roof to roof, bearing arrows that bear messages for their intended target. Plumes of smoke constantly arise from the ground and the buildings, marks of the Cinders keeping the city warm and thriving. On the edge of the City is the Rippling Walls, the great project of the Masons. A modular fortification, designed so that sections can be collapsed and rebuilt to permit the City to grow while remaining fortified. The Triggers walk it, the City's true military force, ready to turn their Carbines on any threat at a moment's notice. Just outside it is the farms tended to by the Trappers, in between hunting game. Further to the east is the untamed Wilds. Mapped by the Slingers, stalked by the Brushers, it is what separates Caelondia from the native Ura. To the east and north is boundless sea that the first Cael's crossed from the Motherland. Boats manned by the Skippers arrive and depart from the Wharf District, bringing goods from beyond the sea, and taking Cael treasure for trade. The City's centre is dominated by a tower of brass. It is here that the Mancers work in secret, directing the City and working on projects most secret. Attached to this tower is floating plot of land, connected to the Walls and to the City below. The Bastion. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Contents The Rippling Walls Wharf District The Bastion The Workmen Ward The Melting Pot The Sundown Path The Hanging Gardens Pyth Orchard Cinderbrick Fort ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
William Pauwel	"We'll have you just fine," Will assures Zia, "Whatever happens, y'all are free to do whatever you like. We'll do whatever we can t' support you from there." She does, after all, deserve a choice as well. So does Zulf. So does the Kid. "Depending on when we get back, we may or may not have time to take a diplomatic approach. Though I'm hopin' that it turns out for the best. Iff'n it doesn't..." Will rolls his shoulders meaningfully. "...Well. There's a lot of lives on the line. I'm sure someone'll do something about it." He takes the Kid's hand with a firm shake of his own, clasping a hand around the other man's shoulder. "Look. You might not remember us, but those things we gave you, keep it on you if you can. That, if nothing else, may stay. And if it does... Then maybe it might just help us see eye to eye again." Farewells are made, Will collects his weapon and sets it back into its holster, he gives the Kid and Zulf one last tip of his hat, and then... With Zia and all the rest, they leave. But not too far. They need to watch the fireworks, after all. It's not everyday you get to see a world being put back together. The scale of Caelondia is... Amazing, honestly. The city sprawls in ways that are truly unthinkable. He stares long at the spires and the walls and gazes over towards the distant wilds. Well. "I guess this means we've got a lot of work ahead of us, don't it, folks?"
Flamel Parsons	Parsons makes sure not to leave the Kid without a handshake. Something firm, something solid, something very much in line with the Kid. "On this time and the next, and any before or after, you've done good. Thanks for surviving through it all." And then he's out of the Bastion, and on the way back. As Zia leaves, Flamel Parsons gives her a firm nod. "If anyone can keep your memories together on the way out, it's me." He assures. "And if anyone ought to keep them, maybe it's you." He'll make sure to guide alongside her, but as they reach the vantage point, and as the light rises... He has one last duty to fulfill. "If you're okay with it, I'll head into your mind and try to make sure it all stays safe. That alright, Zia?" Parsons offers, holding out a hand for her to grab onto, to establish a bit of a more protective psychic link. "I know a little about the psychohazards that were around the Wilds, and I think that'll let me help here." If she takes it, he'll... Not quite enter, but rather, shield. It is, in fact, a literal barrier, a true heavy-duty psionic shield, but he also intends to enter the space around her mind and strike out at any errant force that would enter it as his half-lidded eyes shine white under his sunglasses. He'll do everything he can to make sure that at least one last little bit of pain can be stopped, so that one more scar can go without carrying over through this moment. Once it's done, he'll hope. It's likely as anything that Zia might have passed out from the way Caelondian Core-based memory technologies interact with psychonautry, multiversal dimensional matters, and who knows what else. But he's hopeful. As ever, Flamel Parsons is the eternal optimist, and now he has a chance to put that to work, and to the test. Soon. Not quite yet. But soon.
Alexis	"Don't worry, we'll keep her safe. Promise." And Alexis has been good on those promises hasn't she? Swore to see this through and keep an eye on the Kid, no matter how far up crap creek things got. Which got them to here. She gives Zia a pat on the shoulder as the girl comes with them, then turns to flash a thumbs up to the Kid and Zulf. "We'll see you on the other side. Eventually. Maybe this time the adventures won't be all life-threatening!" She chuckles a little, trying to make some light in an otherwise somber moment. Knowing they'd forget was almost as bad as losing friends. That all those crazy adventures wouldn't be remembered, that kind of stings a little. But first we've got a world rebirthing to watch. And just not question how there happens to be warpgates that conveniently lead to an appropriate viewing point. You just sort of accept this as being a thing around here. Once she finds a comfortable spot Alexis lets out some of her pokemon with her. They put just as much effort into this for her as she did, they deserve to see it too, as some unfathomable force puts back together a blistered and broken world. Even Entei, the embodiment of a literal force of nature, is awed by the sight. "Now there's something you don't see often, even in the Multiverse."
Kotone Yamakawa	Kotone Yamakawa says her fairwells ansd she looks to Zia as she joined the Elites in heading for a warp gate. It's a hard and brave choice Zia made and she respect ist. She can't help but look one last time at the Bastion over her shoulder as she steps through the gate. "Be seeing you." She then steps thtrough and she gets to a new vantage point to watch she is just stunned as she watches the Bastion knit everything back together. She wonders if the Pantheon had a hand in this was it testing all of them? She doesn't know sahe can only watch now seeing Zia is n ow in Flamel's care she's just left to watch in an way fate, get a giant middle finger from Kid, Zulf and the late Rucks. Well not so late no more really. "Never ... seen anything like that..."
Rory White	He doesn't want to know? Rory frowns at this. She's not sure that such is a worthy stance to take... but it's not her decision. "Understood. Only if necessary, then..." She's quick to get away from the Bastion and beam back up to her orbiting ship, untrusting of such a sweeping, almost magical miracle to occur without a hitch. But once she's secure and the FTL drive is warmed in case she must beat a HASTY retreat from any disastrous explosions, she stays put for the show! And once the show is over... she would be STARING WIDE-EYED at the sensors. Except they're in her head, so her amazement goes without expression beyond an awed message over the radio. "So miracles DO happen."