The Final Loop

[eternitymods]

Who: Everyone
When: April 11th - Last Loop
Where: Curti Center, Sen Devadatta
What: Final Loop before the final confrontation against the Empress and Bahamut.
Warnings/Notes: ??????

Comments

The Final Battle

[eternitymods]

Following the recommendations of the woman who had trained the four summoners, the Heroes of Light were waiting on the plains south of Sen Riqeaux. Fighting in such a large open space, this ensured Bahamut wouldn't aim for the castle and thus kill innocent people.

It was a beautiful day. No a cloud in sight, no monsters terrorizing people. Hard to believe Bahamut was on the verge of appearing to destroy the world. And yet, he would appear at the specific time he had appeared on during every other loop. Dark clouds formed above the castle and the shape of the dreadwyrm would soon be seen descending upon Vaikuntha. Even from such a distance, the dragon towered above the city that looked tiny in comparison.

It was now or never.

Re: The Final Battle

[acapriciousreaper]

Kuja waits as the clouds swirl overhead, face set in an expression of carefully-maintained calm. This is it, the last chance. The final shot. Opalescence stretches beneath him, limbering up for the battle to come. She was more agile in the air than he was, and he'd need that advantage. Ramaa still had something up her sleeve, he knew; after all, he'd had Trance in his back pocket.

"Remember, everyone. The first time, she felt she had the upper hand. She wasn't giving her all, then. I doubt very much she's going to feel that way now. She may not remember the loops, but she's been intelligent enough to guess, when we tipped our hand too much. I doubt very much that she's unprepared for a significantly greater resistance."

[neverbeamemory]

The backdrop of the plains rather than the castle under siege, the perfect blue sky overhead and not an echo of calamity-induced chaos anywhere in sight, it's almost too perfect. As Sephiroth also turns his attention skyward where Bahamut's size, as usual, would come to dominate the landscape.

It's only being seen from a different angle, this time.

"Kuja's right. Take nothing for granted."

He grips his short-katana tighter as if to remind himself that it's there. He's going in with Swordmaster as his main job, considering the lag he feels regarding Calamity Knight. Not worth to go in half-cocked, after all.

[songbird_slayer]

"In short: Look alive and stay that way, if you'd be so kind."

She remained leaning against her staff, but gave the focus crystal a cheeky little tap. From it radiated a wave of light, imbuing the party with a Protect spell.

"It would also be a tremendous aid if you'd call out for a spot of healing if needed."

[topgun_textiles]

"R-right, nothin'... nothin' for granted shit-" Of course, of all days, he had to be on the airship that was behind schedule. He wasn't aware of the memo that this would be the end-all, be-all, so he'd come in an outfit that spoke of... insanity? Maybe.

But he quickly tapped through his iMog Slate, going through the options before selecting his pre-set outfit for Berserker, which would go on with a flash of light. Whoops.

[mech_and_mutt]

A glance at the beautiful sky, the clear horizon, the looks of hope on all his friends' faces... it was a far cry from the first time he'd had to witness the end of this world. But her and now- with their big chance to finally complete their task ahead of them- it was, more than anything else, a reminder of what they still had to protect. What they were all fighting for.

"We've died enough already. I'm not goin' into this thinking it'll suddenly be easy this time."

To whit, he was already on guard and well-braced for a battle, having arrived on the scene already at the controls of his •Magitek Armor, and stuck close to Madhuri in a •Sentinel position-- he'd been through this enough times to know that it was a good way to open things up.

But this time, they could do it-- that they'd wake up tomorrow morning and it'd be the twelfth. He was sure of it. At least, the emblem he'd painted onto the shoulder of the DAHAK seemed to suggest he'd already decided the outcome.

"Everyone ready?"

[old_stoneface]

Vimes joined the growing throng, helmet under one arm, wearing for the first time in a long time the armor he'd come here with. It wasn't anything special to look at, not really, just a dinged-up old breastplate with some chainmail and, perhaps oddly, sandals.

He'd stopped, on the way to the Center, when he'd seen it hanging over the wall of a nearby house. As far as he knew, it was too early for it- you didn't see it until late Spring, usually- but there it had been, a too-familiar fragrance and a too-familiar color.

So he'd plucked a sprig of lilac from the garden, and tucked it into his armor, holding a place of honor ordinarily reserved for his badge.
"Ready as I'll ever be, I expect. I'd rather not bury anybody today, so don't mess about, alright? But if it comes to that... Well, men, we did the job that was in front of us. That's all as can be asked for."

[chatwithdeath]

"If anyone needs to switch to another job quickly, keep us informed."

And by 'us', she was just referred to the maxed Chemists in general while taking out some of her High Quality Hi-Potion stock. Going into this battle, remembering the considerable amount of damage that could and would be done over the course of the battle, it would be necessary for everyone to keep an eye on their individual healths if healing wasn't able to be cast in time.

[koopacrusher]

Bowser hadn’t changed since the wedding, but he had the Red Mage job equipped. It wasn’t the suit he wanted to wear to his wedding, which would be quite useful, but he was going to fight this dragon in style. “We might’ve lost the first time, but now we’re ready. We’re gonna take down Baha Blast once and for all.”

[whirluendo_of_puns]

"No one's going to die this time. We'll be all right."

Uendo was surprised to realize he actually believed what he said. The first time around, he had been too terrified to stand there with the rest, shrinking away from the impending peril and leaving the control of his body to Kisegawa and Patches. But now, with a crystal cradled in his hand and the clear skies above him...

They weren't just stumbling blindly into certain death anymore. It was going to be okay.

"Now, don't forget to keep a lid on your Melodies! Only use them if you have to, and no more than one or two at a time, alright?"

[hatejakku]

Finn felt almost defenseless this time though he knew that he wasn't unarmed. It was something about not being in Gunslinger or Calamity Knight that made him feel open. Not that even the latter job had done much damage. At least it had been something.

But now he stood in his Summoner robes, one hand on the hilt of the lightsaber at his hip, the other holding his own crystal. His eyes stayed on the city and clouds off in the distance, itching for this fight to begin already.

"I don't know about the others, but I haven't tried this out yet. When any of us summon the Eidolons, don't stand too close. We're not really sure what they'll do," he warned the others. Sure, maybe everything would be fine, but... it's not like he knew for certain. That bothered him, too.

[bladeofconquest]

Corrin is kitted out in her Nohr Noble gear. She's not just fighting for Vaikuntha but for her own world and her own family; she will meet Bahamut and Ramaa on the field of battle as the Second Princess of Nohr, and if necessary, she will die as that. Not that she plans to go down without a fight though.

"I believe in each and every one of you. We've come so far already, and we only have a little bit further to go. This is going to be the fight of our lives, but I know we can do it. Stay focused, protect each other, and don't give Ramaa an inch." She's silent for a moment, watching the castle in the distance. "It's been an honour fighting alongside you all. Let's get it done, people."

[pishirogane]

"Right. We don't want this to be the end after coming this far."

Naoto would begin for now as a Gunslinger and switch over when the time came. Bahamut probably wouldn't focus so much on its destruction for now, but Ramaa would be their greatest issue of strife given her abilities. Over her shoulder, Titania hovered in her Egi form while the Magitek Bracelet on her wrist, readying to provide further defense.

[timecrash]

Serge grins widely, spinning his oar experimentally, before planting it in the ground. "Uendo's right. Nobody's gonna die here. Got it? We've come way too far to fail now. The whole world- no, the whole universe is behind us!"

He stands by Corrin, eyes focused on the sky. "Ramaa and the Moogles of Light want us to think we're chosen by the Calamity, that it's our destiny to help Narayana be reborn. Well you know what? Fuck that! There's no such thing as a future that can't be changed, and there's no such thing as an enemy that can't be beaten! We've got the Legendary Eidolons! We've got the whole world's hearts all beating together! And we've got each other! Ramaa isn't gonna know what hit her because we got this, guys! To hell with what everyone else says- we're the Heroes of Light, and there's no overgrown lizard that's gonna stand in our way!"

[exspeariment]

"YEAH!" Undyne shouted at the top of her lungs, wielding her spear from her currently equipped Dragoon job. "Everyone's hopes and dreams are going to come true today! We WILL beat Ramaa, we WILL beat Bahamut, and we WILL save Vaikuntha!"

[singerofspells]

"That is the spirit!"

S'reee was keeping Illusionist on as her other jobs restricted her mobility. It meant she was aware of the minutes counting down to their battle.

[righthandstand]

Okuyasu beat his fist into an open palm. He work the Monk belt of his ranking, but his regular gi was replaced by the neon pink suit he wore at the wedding, and the fedora remained on his head. He could still punch a dragon like this. Why not go out in style?

"Where's that coward empress? We're ready to take her on!"

[boomchucka]

Selphie had ditched her Stave Master job for a weaker one, but hoped to be a better contender in the upcoming battle. Equipped with the Black Mage job, the perky brunette pointed a dinged scepter toward the ground as she pulled her pointed hat back a bit to get a better look at the situation. She might not be at her strongest in this battle, but she'd make her actions count wherever they could.

"There's nothing we can't do," she shouted confidently.

[plagueofshadows]

Plague Knight reaches into his robes, and draws out one of the many hi-potions he'd spent almost every loop brewing, again and again, just in case it was the last. And now it was finally time. He'll need to keep an eye on who needs healing, when they do- such an odd idea still, even all these loops later. Him! Playing support to someone else's fight.

"I'll be honest, hee hee! I still couldn't care less about heroics, but what we've all done, together, it's really something! Let's finish what we've started, I may not be able to swap your asterisks around, but call me if you need healing, haha! That's what I'm here for!"

[cureofmanyworlds]

Nozomi was both nervous and excited. This was it - now or never. It was time to stop this mess once and for all.

"Let's not talk like we're going to die here. I think we all know what to do now." she said. "We're going to be just fine - Cure Dream will make sure of that!"

[littlemhigan]

Castor was tired. Six long months had taken its toll on her, and even with time unwinding, it nevertheless had left evidence of it's passage. It could be seen in the tight lines of stress along her face, and in the dark bags that hung heavy under her eyes.

But here she was, keeping her gaze on the endless blue of the sky, awaiting the moment it changes.

"I ain't lettin' anyone worth savin' die today."

[einspine]

"AND I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, SHALL STAND STRONG AS A SHIELD FOR ALL THOSE IN NEED!!! BECAUSE I CAN ALWAYS CAST BONE BARRIER IF NEED BE!"

For now, he's dressed in his usual garb. Lab coat over his battle body, goggles, the whole nine yards. He's wearing his Cool Scientist asterisk, with Chemist and Gourmand on standby. Should the need arise, he'll swap to Magitek with his Chemist skill, but for now...

He activates Robuddy in attack mode, leaving it as a roaming, robotic turret for the time being.

Otherwise, he remains on guard.

[failtsuninari]

"For the sake of this world and ours, we will prevail," Kenichi said with a nod. He gripped his spear with one hand but gave his trusty chocobo a pat on the head.

"Thanks for being here, Kohaku. It's been a long journey but we've made it." The chocobo trilled at the praise given to her by the cavalier. With his Dragoon job on standby, Kenichi hoped the extra speed boosts will help. As he went into War Stance, a red aura surrounds the duo.

[eternitymods]

While there was no sign of the Empress yet, the King of Eidolons did spot the Heroes of Light. Flying toward them, the Eidolon stopped at a distance and looked down upon them before starting charging its fabled Teraflare attack.

The attack would go off within second. No time to escape and it was doubtful any regular skill would shield properly against an attack that had the power to raze entire cities to the ground. If the Heroes of Light didn't attack Bahamut now with the Legendary Eidolons, odds were they would never have the chance to do so.

[topgun_textiles]

"Shit! Now's the time!"

Kanji bore down and swept his hand over the greatsword now in his hands, a corona of ice energy flowing through it. He couldn't summon, but goddamn it, he'd do what he could to survive.