Event || Mysterious Fathoms Below

[eternitymods]

Who: All characters who signed up
When: June 23rd-25th
Where: Ka'Pandol, the underwater city
What: While the outworlders and their guides are touring the new arena at Ka'Pandol, the city begins to flood. It is up to them to activate the ancient drainage system beneath the city before the Blitzball Association is forced to cancel the upcoming tournament.



The Zora guide, Pharce, is leading the group from the Curti Center through the center of town, waxing poetical about the legend of the First Zora, when the sirens begin to wail. At first, the residents of Ka'Pandol wave it off as a drill, but the sirens do not stop, and as they walk, the visitor shoes are beginning to get soaked through with sea water that is slowly rising.

"Come along, quickly, all of you!" the guide calls, leading the group to the Bureau of Tourism near the city center. As they walk, the group will see the aquatic residents quickly deploying bubble helmets around their 'exotic' pets -dogs, cats, parrots, squirrels- heads, just in case City Management takes their time righting whatever issue the dome is having.

"Inside, please. Safety first is our motto, so let's get you outfitted," Pharce says, waiving them inside. Each person is given one of the patented Ka'Pandol Bubble Helm, which will allow them to breath comfortably for several hours. Those that cannot swim are issued an emergency life vest as well.

The water had reached knee-level now. An emergency evacuation message broadcasts from loudspeakers.

"Well, yes, you could...but where's the fun in that?"

Pharce waves at the Hypello gift shop owner, and the two bow their heads in discussion for a moment. When they part, Pharce pats the Hypello (whose nametag declares him 'Shtan') on the back.

"My good friend will lend us some of his wares, if you will join me in saving the city. We wouldn't want this little mishap to delay the big game, after all."

Those that agree to hold off on fleeing the city will be split into groups and given instructions on where to go in order to help the sinking city of Ka'Pandol.

Comments

[likewishes]

You think that's what it was about? To make a fool of you? [ Lelouch scoffs. ] It was about winning. How could I proceed with my own ambitions without doing something? I couldn't think of anything better than that plan and even then...

[ Lelouch sighs. Rubs at his temples. ]

It was last minute. I had nothing else and even then when we spoke I was going to abandon it.

[euphemia]

I didn't do it to win. I did it for Nunnally. I did it for the people! I did it for ...

[ 'You.'

But she stops herself shy of even saying his name and just stares at him in disbelief. No. It was not right to be angry at something he ultimately did turn around on. Until she thought it a ploy. A lie. A fabricated show of trust until he used his "Geass". Even though Cornelia had explained as thoroughly as her understanding of Geass allowed, it still didn't make sense completely. ]

You had a power and used it as Zero. A power you were going to use on me. And then you didn't ... but then you did. On accident. [ Is she getting it right so far? ]



And then you killed me. Because I couldn't be saved.

[likewishes]

I know. It was the entire reason I decided not to follow through with it. You may not remember, but I was starting to talk to you about Geass and how it worked.

[ Which is why the accident had started in the first place. ]

It explains how I was able to accomplish what I had. Unfortunately, as one uses it the power grows. Then one loses the ability to control it at will.

[ He doesn't want to talk about killing her. Thinking about it makes him ill all over again. ]

I fell apart afterwards.

[euphemia]

...

[ Seeing his reaction at being killed is hard to pin whether its genuine or an act. No. It's genuine. She feels it. Like she did in the past? Uncertain. Concerned. Doubtful. Yet... trusting. Confusion aside, she wants to trust him. Again ]

I need to know. You said you would tell me everything. That I deserve to know the truth. So ... I need to know.

[ It was time to learn. Was she better off? Maybe. But closure felt better than heartache. ]

What did you make me do that I was 'too far gone to be saved'?

[likewishes]

It's not about what what I ended up making you do. The issue was that you wouldn't be able to stop.

[euphemia]

S—stop doing?

Stop doing what?

[likewishes]

[ Lelouch sucks in a breath. He shouldn't tell her, but at the same time... How can he not? ]

Before I tell you, you have to promise me something.

[euphemia]

[ Isn't sure she likes where this is going. ]

Promise you something. [ A small frown. ] Promise what?

[likewishes]

Promise me that you won't blame yourself. It wasn't your doing.

[euphemia]

[ How .... does she even respond to that? That request. Well it just makes her look like this. ]

[likewishes]

Promise me.

[ Not budging on this! ]

[euphemia]

[ Can she promise him that? Not ... sure. Why is he asking that? What did she do that she can't take responsibility for? If she says yes, can she commit to it? ]

I ... I'll try.

[likewishes]

[ It will have to do... ]

When we were talking, you didn't believe me about my power. [ Who would? ] So I wanted to put into perspective how horrible the command I could give you could be. That's when Geass went active against my will.

[ Mmmn. He shifts. Lelouch isn't actually comfortable with sharing. He knows how Euphy is going to react. ]

I told you that I could command you to kill the Japanese.

1/3

[euphemia]

Kill the...

[euphemia]

[ Okay. Maybe she wasn't prepared for this conversation after all. That is... this is ... that she? ]

3/3

[euphemia]

[ There's a quick and sudden shriek from her only to stop once her hands clasped over her mouth. Horror. So much horror. All she can do is stare in disbelief as tears threaten her eyes but never falls.

The truth. The reason it hurt to mention them by name. Just hearing the name triggers her just enough to take a few steps back. The command was subdued, but the will to do it bothered her immensely. ]

No...

[likewishes]

[ Now Lelouch doesn't know that she is about to have such a violent reaction. He had known she would be upset. Maybe yell at him and possibly slap him again.

But he takes a step or two towards her. Instinctively. Then he stops. Lelouch reminds himself that he is the reason for this. That she probably shouldn't and doesn't want him to try to provide any comfort. ]

[euphemia]

[ It's a reaction she wills herself to try not to think or even believe is possible. That she could do such a thing. That she could want to do such a thing. No, not want. Forced. It's hard to accept or even think he could give such a command, but now all the pieces were beginning to fit in and make sense. It was actually ... disgusting how much it was beginning to make sense.

She couldn't will herself to talk even if she tried. All she could do is stare at him in utter disbelief. Disgust. Appalled. Fear. Did she kill people? Killed people? She killed the Japanese? ]

...how could you?

[likewishes]

[ Lelouch says nothing. He isn't going to say something nasty. But he has no answer either. Because he hadn't wanted this. There's no "how could you" when it comes to an accident, is it? Yet he is responsible. ]

[euphemia]

I killed people? [ It hurts to say. It hurts to use herself to say it. ]

Who? How many? Where?

[likewishes]

You didn't. The soldiers did. I did.

[ The blood on her hands isn't actually hers. It's also Lelouch's. ]

[euphemia]

But who gave the order? [ Choked. ] Sister said... you felt I was too far gone to save. What did that mean? What did I do to them?!

[likewishes]

You were too far gone to save because I've only met one or two people that have managed to break Geass. The power itself is too strong and you wouldn't have stopped. Couldn't have stopped.

[ Lelouch just kind of sounds lifeless. ]

Besides. I was the one who did it, right? I gave the order?

[euphemia]

[ He won’t say it. He can’t. He insists he did it, but her hands were quite literally the ones dirtied. Wasn’t it? That’s why he shot her. To get her to stop. To stop killing them. Because she was too far gone. An accident. It was an accident he started and ended. He saved them... by stopping her. ]

....

[ How can she not cry? The tears came but no sound. Just a dead stare in his direction. Not mad. Not upset. But... ]

[likewishes]

[ Lelouch hates it when his sisters cry. He knows that it is going to happen, but it makes him feel even worse. Partially because he is the cause of those tears. Because he should do something to fix them. He wants to fix it. However what can he do? He is the problem. The cause. All he does bring her pain and suffering.

So he stands there. Doing nothing. Saying nothing. ]