melodiesofeternity | The Final Loop

"...I mean, not the wedding. That'll get boring after a while. We should just have a lot of food and chill before we have to leave."

It made the whole thing hyped up, like it should be.

Vimes puffed on his cigar, held it for a moment, and exhaled. "You know, a few years back, my officers pitched in to get me a pocket watch. Beautiful thing it was, very well made, all with the finest clockwork." That was probably an odd way to reply, but there was a point to it, and he carried on.

"It'll keep going forever, clockwork, if you remember to wind it up now and then. But the funny thing about it- if you wind it up too tight, the spring breaks, and all that pent-up tension gets released. Usually right into the hand of whoever was winding it." His tone isn't accusatory in the slightest. He's being quite mild, in fact.

"Just a bit of advice, from one copper to another."

"Let us see how well this works," S'reee said, throwing up a Disguise to mimic Finn (as the first summoner she saw starting to cast). She wasn't sure how well an Asterisk designed for a biped would cover her, but she hoped it would give Bahamut a pause in identifying where the summoners were.

A splendid gift to give to a busy man. Minimus appreciated the regaling of the tale of careful timekeeping measures. "We Cybertronians have chronometers installed in our frames against which our functions are measured for optimal performance. We don't have much need for an external watch."

Metaphors: never obvious, never completely relevant.

Reno was there, of course. He couldn't miss this day. Not after facing it for the last six months and dying each time. Reno was finished dying here.

He squeezed Johnny's hand. "We're not done here yet," he said simply with a smirk.

Activating Dragon Heart, he waited for the inevitable pain of Bahamut's attack. As long as he could survive, he'd be ready to throw his all at Ramaa.

"O-Oh! Ahaha, right!" Nozomi said, laughing as she realized her mistake. "Yeah, just having a lot of food and relaxing is probably the best..."

[The sarcasm was super thick. Reno laughed and leaned in closer affectionately.]

Tell me how ya really feel, why don'cha?

[He teased, but he knew Johnny really was tense. Reno had to admit, the last six months had worn on his last nerve as well. But it was finally over -- they'd finally seemed to navigate all the pitfalls of every other loop, and now they'd united Vaikuntha. That was supposed to be the key, according to Sarah. Inspiring the people, resonating with the heart of the world. It was supposed to work this time around.]

[It would still be difficult. But Reno couldn't give up. He'd spent too much damn time on this.]

"Not my counterpart, I take it." Megatron replies. From what he's gleaned of his other self from his conversations with Starscream, the Megatron of his universe is much like he once was; violent, megalomaniacal, cruel to both enemy and ally alike. And without even the noble intentions he'd had starting out, of equality for all, the right to self-determination. Even if those had quickly been cast aside once things started moving after he ended up in the gladiator pits of Kaon, at least they'd been there to begin with. It seems the other Megatron had never had any illusions other than simple conquest for conquest's sake.

Was he truly so much of an outlier in that regard? Not just for his attempts to atone but for the reasons he'd formed the Decepticons to begin with? Was there no version of him anywhere that didn't invite such death and destruction? And if not, how many of them ever experienced his own change of Spark? And if they did, did it stick?

Chilling thoughts to be having, so for the moment he pushes them aside, following Starscream's gaze to his Autobrand. "An Autobot?" He asks.

He follows Starscream's gaze up to the sky and nods. "Yes, that's true." He says. It's basic scientific stuff and yet to hear it coming from Starscream of all people is still somewhat startling. "But this illusion is one I much prefer to what we had at the start of all this. It means we are succeeding; we are saving this world." It's a feeling he's come to treasure far more than he ever did the sight of worlds burning.

After going through this— how many times now?— Rutile was more than ready. The look in their eyes said as much, and raising their tome high above them, the light of Succor spiraled out from them extending over everyone close to them, a sparkling shield of protection.

Starscream almost laughs. "No, your counter part doesn't think I have any talents beyond being an instrument of destruction. Nothing he'd ever admit to anyway. He would have called me an idiot and we would not be having a civil conversation."

And Starscream probably would have ended up in many pieces scattered across the city by now. All in all it was probably a good thing he was stuck here with a different Megatron.

Not that he enjoyed any of this one bit. If anything he wants to go back. He has stuff he needs to deal with. Important things.

"But yes, an Autobot. It's kind of ironic now that I've had time to think about it. Almost everyone I knew before the war went on to join team good guy. No wonder I thought they were all boring."

Ren had discarded his glasses this time, ready to face Bahamut with the new power, and knowledge, that had been bestowed upon all of them. The butterfly-shaped crystal remained in his grasp as his long coat fluttered with help of all the magic in the air.

His gaze lowered, focusing on the great dragon, and he felt all too much like he had when he first called on his powers back home. Anticipation, uncertainty... and perhaps even a tinge of fear. But nothing in his expression betrayed any of that, as he tightened his grip on the sacred object he held.

He could feel it pulsating with energy the more he concentrated, the more he put those skills sensei had taught them to work, and then... Pitiful creature, why dost thou call my name? I am both light eternal and the deep sin of the darkness...

Wait, had he imagined that just now? ...Did it matter?

"That's right. I call upon your power—" his conviction, hearing that voice, was stronger than ever, "Alexander!"

Megatron watches as Minimus collects the necessary tools. When Minimus demands the Star, he hands it over without protest; the other 'bot will get it clean.

"How do you gauge our chances this time?" He asks while Minimus works. It's cold, impersonal stuff, asking him about the upcoming battle, but he knows Minimus will have been thinking about it, and more importantly, it's safe. While things have cooled a little between the two of them, Megatron knows Minimus still has severe reservations about him, and certain topics-many topics in fact-are still taboo. Strategizing about the coming battle should not be one of them.

"I am, though I hope I only look imposing." Megatron replies. "You're a scientist?" He asks with genuine interest. "If I may ask, what fields? My primary area of study for a little over the last nine hundred years has been medicine, for both mechanical and biological life." In fact, once this business with Bahamut is over he's been eyeing various hospitals and medical centers around Vaikuntha he could possibly find employment at. The Curti Center has been good, but he's starting to feel the need to move on, try to do more while he's here. After all, forging a deeper connection with this planet was one of the goals needed to stop Ramaa and Bahamut.

"Then he's an idiot in that case." Megatron replies, bluntly-perhaps surprisingly so. "I admit I've not known you long but even I can tell dismissing you as a mere blunt instrument is foolish." Though he'd once felt the same about his Starscream, and while at the time he hadn't exactly been wrong to think that, Starscream had risen far higher than Megatron had ever expected him too. Of course having the prophecy of an ancient Prime to prop him up helped, but it hadn't entirely been that either; his Starscream had learned. It took four million years and the entirety of the Great War to run its course, but he'd learned. Perhaps something similar was true of this version as well. "I suppose that's why I find myself disappointed, Starscream; you could be so much more than you are now, but you channel all your efforts into trivialities instead...your pranks and games."

He takes another drink. "I'm curious." He says finally. "Before the War I didn't know my Starscream to have any friends, certainly none who had joined Optimus' forces. Who was the Autobot? I'm curious if the identity matches up with my world." Assuming Megatron can even put a face to the name, of course.

Though Starscream would never openly admit it, that might have earned Megatron a few more points on the respect scale. Something very few ever managed. Starscream's visible smirk at least gave away that he's amused.

Well that is until Megatron asks who it was he knew. The seeker visibly stiffens and takes a drink to mask his slight hesitation in responding.

"Jetfire. We met at the science academy. He used to frown at my attempts at terrorizing half the school's population. But I was so good at it. Especially at not getting caught."

While everyone else was giving their impassioned speeches, Pidge was just sort of... standing off to the side to wait for things to happen. She'd assumed, of course, that she'd be going into this with the other Paladins, but obviously she'd been wrong.

So here she was, Magitek Bracelet standing by on her wrist, Catmancer equipped. For something she'd picked up on a whim, she was actually enjoying it.

For the moment, Pidge decided to just wait and let the more qualified people handle things. She wasn't a summoner or a healer, so it'd probably be smarter to wait. There wasn't much she could do against a giant dragon, anyway.

"...I don't even get a hello, Minimus?" He placed his glass down on the nearby table. For the record, the glass only had water with a lemon slice since he did have to pilot an airship.

Kenichi really should have seen this coming. The only problem was he wasn't sure if the robot was employed as a law enforcement officer or not. "I won't deny the fact that an airship was commandeered in one loop. Plans did not pan out and so a desperate action was needed. However, that's all I'm going to say for now. If I am under an official criminal investigation, I'm going to have to ask to see your badge." There was no hint of malice in Kenichi's voice but rather calm and collected. Though right now, he thinks he'd rather be off fighting Bahamut one on one instead.

Kenichi can't help but crack a smile and laugh.

"Your plans sound so good that I might do just the same thing. Though I might add playing with my cats and giving my chocobo extra TLC sounds good too." Was it reckless to go into a big fight as a Cavalier? Probably but dang it he was good at that asterisk.

"I honestly can't wait to give Bahamut a kiss with my fist even though I don't have a monk asterisk. But it'll be so satisfying to do that."

"Haven't changed anything really, not yet," she looked away, trailing off a little. Kid didn't know much about the legendary eidolons or whatever it was they were calling them either, figuring they could probably be about as fickle as the Dragon Gods back home. It was a dangerous thing to put so much stock in fantastical creatures like that...

Serge, even the one from Arni, could always be so naively optimistic, just like the young man standing in front of her. She looked up again at that banner, wanting to believe, but... "What makes ya think everythin's just going to work out this time, anyway?" It hadn't worked in the times she remembered so far, at least.

"Yeah, I get that. Drinks, naps and chilling sounds like a great plan after we kick Bahamut and Ramaa to the curb."

Well, at least there was something rewarding with the loops Kenichi managed to get. Sure it wasn't a super powerful summon or anything fancy like that but it sure would be useful in the future.

"But hey, at least I got an airship we can use. She's not a Highwind class, but it's a great start. Just let me know where you need to go, and I'll take you there. I still need to get the right module for her to enter the Dream Width though."

While Minimus had no jurisdiction on Vaikuntha (the Tyrest Accord never specified other universes, dead or alive), he had some authority as a concerned resident to confront his neighbors on their troublesome behavior. Stealing an airship did not impress him to believe that one was an upstanding person.

"Good afternoon, then. I am not asking that you turn yourself in, but that you explain yourself as to why you believed grant theft spaceship was a legitimate course of action."

As the Summoners summoned the four Legendary Eidolons, the ground started shaking. But before any Eidolon could answer their call, the King of Eidolons cast its fabled Teraflare attack upon them.

It happened within the blink of an eye. The gigantic ball of energy was unleashed upon the gathered Heroes of Light, ignoring all defenses they had prepared. The size of the impact was larger than the city itself: there was no escaping it.

All the Heroes of Light are dead.

> Flames of Rebirth

The Heroes of Light are revived. Indeed, mere seconds after their untimely death, the Heroes of Light find themselves standing, fully healed and with no scratch, as if nothing had happened. Their gear, items and pets are also all intact and well. To find the reasons for such a miracle, they wouldn't have to look far. Above them was flying a gigantic and majestic red bird, Phoenix.

And the ground was still shaking. Should they look at their feet where the crater resulting from the Teraflare impact should have been, they would instead find... Steel? They were standing upon a machine of some sort, a gigantic robot that was emerging from the ground. Even as it happened, Bahamut was already charging another Teralare and cast it toward the Heroes once moreù

> Divine Judgement

White wings sprouted from the machine, enveloping the area before the Heroes of Light. They would be able to hear the impact of Teraflare against the wings, only to see the energy resulting from the attack being absorbed and redirected as light of rays to attack Bahamut.

The Heroes of Light are protected from Bahamut's attacks.

Asriel jolts upright, sitting up after being dead. Again. And then alive. Again. Again.

"hnNNNNGHHHH, NEVER GONNA GET USED TO THAT"

He says, hauling himself awkwardly up as he sends hasting time magic towards Uendo and the giant freaking firebird.

"YES. THANK YOU. GOOD GIANT BIRD PLEASE KEEP DOING THAT."

Edited 2019-04-19 17:05 (UTC)

That.

was hands-down.

The coolest thing Red had ever seen. Tempered only slightly by the fact that colossal mecha appearing at the apocalypse were, by his experiences, usually a bad thing.

But having them be on his side for a change? That was a very welcome change. And when Red recovered from the initial shock--

"...sapristi...!"

He was back to gripping the controls of the DAHAK Mk. III, a far more genuine and confident grin slowly spreading across his face. Maybe this time they actually had a chance. Following suit in his own way, the ports on his mech's arms burned bright with his •Magitek Lasers at the--

...as an afterthought, he turned back towards Ren. "Please tell me you get to pilot this eidolon?"

The Final Loop

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wow vimes was briefly turned into a devil

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2/2

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