melodiesofeternity | The Final Loop

Standing back as the others tried to talk to Ramaa, Naoto similarly turned with Finn to continue observing the last fight still on-going. Bahamut didn't have much time left against the other four Legendary Eidolons though he might be on top. Even kings needed to be overpowered sometimes.

"... If she truly is all she says, she'll only return." She looked over at him, shrugged. "Let them do their... I don't know, friendship speeches? We should give them a name if this is going to be a constant."

There were other things they would need to discuss. "I'm curious if we'll be capable of summoning Bahamut now that he's not going to be utilized to destroy the world."

"Will someone just kill her already and get it over with?" Starscream says throwing his arms up in exasperation.

Typical good guys. They defeated the enemy but will now probably just do the good and noble thing and try to lock her away or something.

No one probably wanted this commentary, but he'll give it anyway.

"Why?! She's probably already died more times than we have!"

Red's heavy breathing finally quieted down to a dull, murmuring groan, as an abundant excess of energy slowly vented and steamed off from the surface of his magitek mecha.

Eventually, he brought the thing over beside the empress with its weapons powered down.

"...Look, I dunno all that much about all that stuff you were talkin' about before- about other worlds and cycles of life and death and souls and how nothin's ever gonna change from that.

But even from what you told us, we're all here- Vaikuntha is here- to try and fix that, right? So things are already different from how they were before. And now there's actually a chance things can finally be fixed, right?

So I dunno how many times it's taken you to even get this far, but maybe one'a these times, you can stop bein' so afraid. You aren't always gonna get it right on the first-- or even the fifthieth try.

...take my word for it."

Sephiroth had been fully ready to be the next one in there as Ramaa fell to a knee, the one to claim the victory -deserved the kill- over the one who would dare to call his existence into question. The one who had sought to end it. The one who had made it necessary for them to spend the last several months replaying the last four days over and over just to unwind the catastrophe she'd gone to untold lengths to ensure would come to pass.

Still now, as others stepped in, gathered around Ramaa with their words of condolences -reeking of pathetic forgiveness, no less- Sephiroth's grip around the handle of his sword didn't loosen a mite. Much like his battle stance which tightened up once more as Starscream expressed the exasperation Sephiroth was holding fast to inside himself.

He hardly needed a reason to act.

"Imbeciles. The lot of you-"

He downright glared at Ramaa, regardless whether she met his gaze or not, his face a barely-hidden mask of pure disgust. He could picture himself doing it, in his mind's eye; he could rush her right now and near enough cleave her in two with his vengeance. Hell to the rest of them, he might well even enjoy it.

"No-

"-death is too good for you. Goddess." Sephiroth sneered before promptly turning away and striding towards where Naoto and Finn were observing the spectacle still going on above them in the night sky. Not joining them so much as putting distance between himself and the petty ignorance of everyone else pining over Ramaa's redemption.

Plague Knight is ready. He has two more mega potions in hand, he's preparing to throw them, and.... It's over.

The alchemist just stares at the others gathering around Ramaa, his mask betraying nothing of his inner thoughts as he slowly tucks the potions away back in the folds of his robe. The only thing he says, as he turns away from their foe to let the others do... Whatever it is they're doing- redemption? Really? Suppose he's not in a position to talk, "Oh, it's finally done with. What a, ehhh... What a ride this has been."

He'll just watch the eidolons fight in the sky. He has no words for the apparent goddess of death, he just wants to go home to the curti center and sleep forever.

Reno looks down on Ramaa with disappointment and shakes his head. There isn't anything worth saying that hasn't already been voiced -- both in support of sparing and in slaying the empress. It would be so easy, Reno knew. It would have been so easy to watch Sephiroth do it.

He was still glad the SOLDIER hadn't. Living with shame and struggle was what Kalki deserved, not dying as some kind of martyr. Maybe she'd eventually find something worth living for. If Reno could do it, there had to be some hope.

The Turk followed the few that walked away. Naoto seemed to have Finn in check. She was a stubborn girl; she could probably handle Finn just fine. Sephiroth, on the other hand...

"You made the right call," Reno said quietly as he drifted near Sephiroth. "Sentimentality aside -- death's what she woulda' wanted. An' why should she get what she wants for all our trouble, yo?"

For the first few moments of standing there looking up, Sephiroth wasn't seeing anything through the glaring haze of his own stirred anger. A few deep breaths later and the cool night air has helped to quell the immediate desire to lash out at any and all who might come too close or utter the wrong thing.

He's smarter than his anger; if there is anything he's learned through this experience thus far it's bitter tolerance and baited patience. He's had enough practice at this to last more than a few next-lifetimes. Pushing his intentions too early had been his greatest flaw in the past. Being too forward had even ballsed up at least one loop, on his account.

"She deserves nothing less than her existence given to the Void." He answers Reno promptly, hardly turning his head towards the Turk. "Be it what she wants or not, I would be glad to deliver her there."

It's hardly surprising to Sephiroth that she then takes the opportunity handed to her, to teleport right out from within the group of them. He didn't even look back to verify it, but it did cause his scowl to return.

"This isn't over."

Then Sephiroth carried on to do what he'd intended by stepping away, being one of the first to stride off Alexander's back and back towards the city.

When Tyzias challenged her, Corrin was ready to accept, both the part of her that was still corrupted, and the part that was herself. The corrupted part wished to do exactly as Tyzias dared her to, to kill the miserable upstart for daring to challenge her supremacy. She could feel the specter of her father roaring at her to do so.

The part that was still herself agreed on the grounds that it would get her away from everyone else, and because Tyzias could stop her. It was win-win as far as both sides of her were concerned.

But then...it's over. Ramaa is beaten and the last vestiges of the corruption fade, King Garon's voice fading away like a bad dream. Serge is hugging her, despite that moments before she'd broken his nose, all already forgiven, the others are attending to the beaten and defeated Ramaa...

...And Corrin can't meet any of their gazes. Especially not the troll girl in front of her. Not after what she said. Not after what she's done.

"...I am so, so sorry." She says quietly to Tyzias, knowing it's not enough, but right now it's all she can manage. "I'm sorry I hurt you. I didn't...I never wanted that."

While the others deal with Ramaa or rejoice in the battle's end, Corrin merely pulls back to let them celebrate their victory.

Not hers. Corrin had nothing to do with it.

Serge frowns. "Corrin... Stop that. I'm serious, right now. Was it my fault when Lynx... did that to me? No way- and I know you'd knock me a good one for feeling that way. Kid almost did." He grins back at her.

"But I mean it. We won, we're all alive, and you're free now. That's all that matters, okay?"

"Yeah-hah!" It was cause for celebration to be sure, and without even thinking, she flung herself into Serge's hug, buzzing with energy— laughter echoing... He had told her so, she'd just— been too afraid to put too much faith in it.

But none of that mattered now because! Because— oh jeez, she had wrapped her arms around him tighter than she'd realized, pulling back now with almost a nervous sort of laugh as she eased herself back onto her own feet again.

Once there was a place for her to approach Corrin— she didn't hesitate at all to drive a knuckle lightly into the other girl's head. "That's right," she backed Serge up, "but I mean if you think it'll help, the offers still on the table, y'know?" She's grinning, wide and happily as she makes the joke, with a sparkle in her eye that said the words she often failed to. Welcome back, mate.

Edited 2019-04-24 04:09 (UTC)

Just as quickly as things had escalated, they seemed to come to a sudden end, as the empress finally fell. The opinions on her fate reminded him all too much of the message board Mishima had managed once upon a time. Funny, he thought— spinning on his heel as his hands found the pockets of his summoner's coat— how far away that all seemed, now.

He retreated just slightly, to turn and watch the Eidolon battle above, then glanced down at Alexander's sheen underfoot. Overall, he felt a sense of victory, at least. He wouldn't have to die in this place— there was still a chance they could all go home one day. Still a chance he could see everyone again...

With that hopeful feeling, looked down at the crystal in his hand again, thinking of how they would have never stood a chance without the Legendary Eidolons. Without the gift the heroes that had come before had given them...

"Thank you..." he said quietly, smiling to himself.

Death of course, meant little to a quasi-immortal gemstone like Rutile. Knowing that, they excused themself from the conversation— interested only to hear about what the aftermath would decide later on.

Instead, they seemed to finally relax with a heave of their shoulders and a sigh... their eyes first closing, opening, closing slowly again... as they began to fall asleep standing up.

Not sure about listening to much more of the conversation herself, Naomi shifted away, changing her Job back to Chemist in order to let Little Mog out. Of course, the moogle was only out for a moment; when she realized the battle still continued above, she darted back into the bag with a 'kupo!'. Eh, she had done enough...

Speaking of, Naomi approached Rutile to speak to her on the matter of the Calamity virus, pausing when she noticed the gem asleep. Well, there was always later to talk now.

Serge beams, with the sort of infectious joy that only really comes from narrowly escaping death... "Hey, Kid? I, uh. When we're heading back to the center, d'you want to, um. I mean. Talk, about something? I-if that's okay, I mean, I had something I wanted to ask you but it's kinda private and, um. Uh."

He clears his throat. "When we're done, I mean. Obviously. Yeah."

And then it was over, almost as suddenly as it had begun. Pidge had been in the process of readying another attack, but now she breathed a sigh of relief. It had been a long, involved fight, but they'd come out of it victorious. Or something.

A glance over at Ramaa and the others gathered there told her all she needed to know, and she decided to leave them to it. Instead, she set her sights on a spot away from the others. She made sure to pass a little closer to Ramaa than was strictly necessary, and it was mostly an attempt to downplay the fact that she intended to snatch the woman's iMog in the process.

Successful or not, Pidge made her way over to plop herself down, turning her face to the sky to watch the last of the Eidolons' battle playing out above them all.

[OOC: I said she was going to do it c: Feel free to have her fail if it's not a thing that's allowed for whatever reason.]

Ramaa looked more and more confused as multiple people reached out for her, especially as one took her hand and another tried hugging her. Finally when all was said and done, she looked down at the ground.

"A moment that made it all worth...?" A pause. "Maybe... This moment, right now."

She remained silent a moment. Unfortunately, attempts at stealing her iMog Slate are in vain, seeing how she left it in her room in the castle.

"I wish you would be right, that there would be hope for me..." She finally looked up at them with a sorrowful smile. "Maybe next time we meet we could be allies... Or maybe you should have listened to Sephiroth and Starscream."

> Teleportation
Allows to instantly teleport to previously visited locations.

Within a split second, Ramaa disappears. She will be nowhere to be found afterward. Prime Minister Meghamaal is in charge of Sen Devadatta from this point on. As the Heroes of Light reached out for him and convinced him during the final loop, they will be welcome in imperial territories anytime. Balahaka is missing as well.

Soon, they will see Bahamut fall from the skies and crash on the ground, dead. Shortly thereafter Zodiark, Phoenix and Asura all fade away. Alexander will be last to fade, only doing so once the Heroes leave its back. Bahamut's corpse progressively fades away as well.

By the time nothing is left of Bahamut's body, the sun rises on the 12th of April. The dawn of a new day— The first the Heroes of Light have seen for these past six months.

Every instinct. Everything in him wanted to flay the bitch's flesh from her bones, except that tiny voice that said- one chance. One. The potion is chucked, pointless really.

"Of course. Redemption- how stupid of me to think for even a moment- every fucking instinct-"

Opalescence, wounded but alive, lands beside him, and he takes off.

Zidane was a godsdamned moron to trust him.

Before anyone else would complain about letting Ramaa live, she raised a finger for silence. She'll Counterspell if she has to.

"What just happened is the best we could have hoped for, ladies and gentlemen. For those of you calling us fools for allowing this to happen and wanting to make the final blow, I've been there. I've felt that anger. Thank you for staying your hand."

She raised her chin.

"But we are the Warriors of Light. We ought give second chances should there be understanding in doing so."

Then her eyes turned steely above the smile, one of slight venom as she turned to them. "But that's just it: Second chances. Not once did any of us say third. We've done our part. We'll see if a lesson was learned today, hm~?"

She raised her staff and dismissed it after one last Medica. Then she swapped to Spellbinder, trading her nurse's robes for her typical outfit.

"If nobody minds, I'd like a drink and a bath, in that order. Or at the same time."

"Well said," S'reee added. "And... could I ask for some assistance? Could someone take my iMog slate and switch my job back to Illusionist? This is a bit embarrassing."

"Yeah, sure."

Red gave a small grumble as he reached out and gave a quick swipe and press to S'reee's iMog. He knew Madhuri was right, too- after all, he still remembered his attempt at mercy from so long ago.

...And if anything, he was grateful that he was actually able to be merciful this time around. A little bit more hope, a little bit less crushing and fire.

But he'd still head over to Bahamut's corpse and give it one last stab for good measure before leaving. Never did get those hits he wanted in.

Edited 2019-04-24 14:09 (UTC)

So... She was gone. Uendo let out a deep exhale and crouched down to give Sasami a one-armed hug. Perhaps one day Ramaa would return, but for now... It was over. They could go home.

There was just one thing left for him to do.

> Victory Fanfare (All allies | AOE)
Mythical songs that restores 20% of all the allies's health when played at the end of a battle. Doesn't heal wounds or sickness.

The Final Loop

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branching off a bit- last tag in this thread for me though.

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