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Transcendent Super Anser

Minkowski seemed like she wasn't going to take the advice, at first, and it wasn't like Anser could make her, but she waited hopefully as Minkowski debated and eventually decided that she also was worth healing. Her expression lit up as Minkowski used the magic on herself, and even if it wasn't a fix-all, it seemed to help her feel a bit better than she had before. "There you go!" offered Anser, encouragingly, bouncing on the backs of her legs where she sat. "See? That was worth it, right?"

She leaned in just a bit to poke Minkowski's brooch. "Take care of yourself, okay?" Anser smiled a bit wider. "I mean it."

-- Wait, what was that?

Anser glanced up to the ceiling, feeling a tingling in her fingers when she saw the pulse going across the sky map above them. "Did you feel that?" asked Anser, quietly.

What was that all about?

Empyrean, Page of Jupiter

There was quite a lot to take in. One group was speaking to the Code, another to Caedus. Others fiddled with the computer console. Some wandered. Some huddled together. Empyrean would like to do everything at once. Certainly the moon was a fascinating place to explore.

“I’m fine,” he told his wife. “I might have a bump on the head, but…” Empyrean lifted a hand and felt the back of it, where a small lump was forming. “There’s no pain.”

He would have expected some. Perhaps the magic of the place kept it at bay. Empyrean wondered if that was normal for the moon, or if the room itself had something to do with it, or…

On his chest was a brooch shaped like a star. They were all wearing one, he noticed. Empyrean touched it. By the sound of things, it had something to do with Cosmos. Wherever she was and whatever she was doing, she somehow still offered them protection.

“Are you hurt?” he asked Paradise.

He couldn’t remember anything that happened after he was struck in the head. One moment he was attacking the generator, willing the Chaos not to take hold of him, and the next… darkness.

Empyrean thought he should count himself lucky that he was still Empyrean.

Although, the Negaverse didn’t strike him as the type of organization that would want such an old man in their ranks. Perhaps his age served him well in that regard.

Something changed within him then, or struck him, or… something. Like a light flicking on, or a sudden spark. He couldn’t guess what it was, but the sensation pulled his attention up to the ceiling.

Meninx, Page of Mars

Meninx had never left Earth, and if he was being honest, he sort of never wanted to leave again. He'd been knocked unconscious at some point in time during the battle, and the only good part of that was that he'd missed the worst of it. He'd drifted in and out of awareness a few times during the whole thing, but every time he'd almost woken up he'd just been suffocated by a wave of Chaos, or worse--he hurt so much that he couldn't focus enough to do more than just sit up.

His head was spinning even now, and though he felt immensely better, of course his first thought was that he was dead. Death wasn't supposed to hurt, right? And he remembered a bright white light. Didn't remember putting on the star shaped brooch that had appeared on his chest, but everyone else seemed to be wearing one. There were a few people still on the ground but Meninx's pride wouldn't let him stay there for any longer than absolutely necessary.

He pushed himself up carefully, mindful of his injuries. He didn't seem to have anything that was going to kill him, but he was going to have to figure out a good explanation for why he was covered in so many bruises. Maybe he'd just 'get sick' for a few days and rest. He certainly felt like he'd be doing himself a favor by sleeping in for a while.

Not that it matched his work ethic, and he was certain he wouldn't hear the end of it from his mother if he suddenly stopped showing up from work, but.

After tonight, maybe he could give himself a little bit of a break.

He had a lot to think about, at least.

This wasn't the sort of thing that he should have been out doing on his own. He'd gotten his a** handed to him. Before, he'd never had much of an issue with this; he was able to run when he needed to, was able to stand his ground when he had to. He was doing okay.

After this? He wasn't even sure what 'okay' was.

There were people everywhere, and unsurprisingly, he didn't seem to recognize any of them. The energy signatures weren't unfriendly, they were just a lot, and he couldn't help that he was drawn outside of this room, and towards something down the hall. There were already a group of people gathered, asking questions to something that called itself The Code, and was apparently some source of Knight magic. Meninx might have asked what he was supposed to be doing, or why he'd been chosen, or what did this thing think people could do when they didn't get a training manual, but...

He didn't like the way it talked to people. He didn't want to draw attention to himself.

His pride wouldn't let him make a fool of himself, so he stayed to the back and just tried to absorb all of the information he could.

Mamertine, Squire of Pluto

Mamertine hadn’t been to the Moon. Hadn’t really been off of Earth--not of his own choice, at least--so this whole thing was strange. He didn't like it.

He didn't like being taken against his will and he didn't like being surrounded by people he didn't know. Realistically, he knew that it was better than being surrounded by Chaos and murdered but he was brittle and unhappy regardless. He didn't want to be seen as weak around so many people. He hadn't spent his whole life working to be perceived as competent and more than adequate just to have his weaknesses highlighted.

He had been on the ground and, even though his body was screaming in pain, he dragged himself up. He didn't know if he needed medical attention but he wasn't bleeding out. He wasn't dying.

...He could feel something strange in the air, something that seemed to wrap around him and feel like it was holding him together.

Maybe this place wasn't so bad--as long as he could still get home.

There was too much going on for him to drag himself in any particular way so he stayed where he was and listened. The kiosk didn't seem like it was very helpful. The alien on the ground didn't seem like he was very helpful--and, to be honest, Mamertine didn't care. He didn't sign up to be involved in interstellar political debates. He wanted to make Earth a better place, not deal with everyone else's problems.

...Except, now everyone else was making this his problem.

Mamertine was undeniably cranky. He didn't seem approachable; he was cantankerous and obviously bitter. He wore an unwavering scowl even as he glanced around the room. It was beautiful and peaceful and he should have been able to appreciate the calm and enjoy it but instead he was left with the ache of the battle and the overwhelming sensation of what he could only understand be defeat.

He was alive, so it's not like it was a total loss, but if they hadn't been zapped up to here, he didn't know what would have happened. All he knew now was that he didn't want to be in debt to a machine, a moon, or a monarch. He lingered in the center of the room for as long as he could, but there was something tugging him, and even if he'd never met the Code piece, he felt like his time would be better spent over there.

Each step was uncomfortable and unpleasant, but he reminded himself that the pain was just something to push through. If he were stronger, maybe he wouldn't have gotten hurt at all. When he first laid eyes on The Code he couldn't help but stare. Stare, and listen. Even if the thing seemed snarky, even if he wasn't sure how much help it was going to be to them--to him--he listened.

Nobody really seemed to be asking how to get out of here or how to get back home, and he wasn't going to be the voice in the crowd that showed how out of touch he was with all of...

This.

Eternal Sailor Metis

She was trying to stay out of peoples' way. Enough people were supporting Caedus, adding to the gaggle around him would do him no good. Even if she was anxious to hear more from him, she was already forming plans in her mind to speak to Caedus or Scylla later about what she'd missed.

Nami and Rail were both checking out the console, but it continued to speak, addressing Castor as he spoke to it about current topics that would have been wonderful to get information on... particularly Caedus' starseed... But the poor thing just was unable to really assist them. Considering the two yellow auras down below were beginning to fiddle more with the kiosk, she had fingers crossed that they could maybe update it to the current century...

"It might take more than just an effective code-breaker," she murmured somewhat to Castor concerning the potential languages used in the library. Her arms crossed loosely before her, chin resting in one of her gloved palms as she stared at the empty space that was the console in her vision. Its voice, at least, meant she could interact with it via verbal commands, so she was pleased enough with that. "I've been finding pieces of my peoples' language, and in.... memories, I can understand them perfectly. But once back outside of the memory, translating other pieces has proven to be nearly impossible. Even when I have a sort of familiarity with the different carvings and embossed fragments."

As the console spoke about the star map above--she saw the pinprick of one light up there, that energy had mystified her the first time she'd gotten here, and figured it was the Cauldron. The rest of its purpose though was enough to make her want to visit here a few more times.... for some hours. How many worlds was it connected to? An idea struck, and she hesitated a moment before Metis ventured, "Excuse me, but could we connect to Velenia, or Velencya?" It was an absolute long shot, but she figured it might not hurt to see what the system could say about either world--though she was figuring they'd just hear what Lyndin had already been talking about before... "Or I suppose my world, Metis? More because I'm curious to see what you can pull up." She tossed her own in on a random whim, as at least hers was a little more... local to their current location. It'd be a good testing point, surely?

A sudden spark seemed to move across the ceiling above her, and Metis jumped, head jerking up to observe some of the waves of white energy that fanned out from the Cauldron. That spark ignited again when the energy passed over a section of space she was suddenly sure contained her own asteroid. "...Console, can you tell us what that... energy was, just now?"

Transcendent Eternal Encke

It was interesting to hear the truth of how Caedus had ended up with the starseed he had. It sounded like what he had said; starseeds needed the time to mature and be ready to grow. Mauvians had avoided his world -- an irony because the presence of even one Mauvian might have helped -- and eventually, the Velenians tried to force something that wasn't yet to happen.

It didn't sound like anyone's fault. Everyone had tried their best. And yet... the consequences of trying to force it were right in front of them. How old had Caedus been? Did that starseed ever give him pain? "I'm sorry." It wasn't anyone's fault, especially couldn't have been anyone's on Earth, but he still felt the need to apologize. "We'll figure out how to help you. And Velenia. Without..." Well. Caedus got the idea.

-- Was he blushing? He was fairly sure he was blushing faintly at the concept of calling him amazing --

Oberon had a point, and it was one that Encke agreed with. It was why he had never thought of Caedus' mission into the Negaverse as a failure, even if Caedus himself might have. They hadn't defeated the Negaverse, no, hadn't even done anything close to that this time, but what they had done was something Encke could have otherwise only dreamed of doing. They saved hundreds of starseeds that day. Hundreds of people. Hundreds of souls. Encke considered it a good day if he managed to wrench one or two from the hands of an agent.

That many? Would have been impossible to achieve without his help.

It was honestly part of why he had become more enthusiastic to get to know Caedus after the invasion.

Oberon's mention of that and Encke's and Basiluzzo's promise of assistance seemed to make Caedus feel a bit brighter even slightly, and Encke's grip on Basiluzzo's hand relaxed just a bit.

"Of course. We'll help them as long as needed." Encke wouldn't have blamed the cadets at all, even without Caedus' insistence they not. He got the impression from how the cadets were acting that they were just as clueless as everyone else involved. "But our offer of help does include help for you, Caedus." Encke attempted to turn that smile to Caedus again. He wasn't sure Caedus was in any state to return it, but he had seen the hints of one... "Remember that."

Pendour's mention that Caedus was a miracle kept that smile on his face. In a lot of ways, he was. So many people on Earth had already lost hope or retired in just a bit more than a decade he'd be involved with this. Caedus had a thousand years.

What was that feeling? Encke grew distracted for just a moment, placing his hand over his heart before glancing up at the sky map. ... Huh.

His eyes drifted back toward Pendour.

His smile to her was earnest, too. "Of course. Anytime, Pendour." A snicker followed as he glanced up to Basiluzzo. "Dad'll love the opportunity to make a big breakfast."

Page Dunwich

If she could throw hands at the stupid Code for that inane comment it'd made about sleeping with the enemy, oh it'd be halfway across the Sol system by now...

She wanted to point out she'd been sure she was about to be forcefully corrupted, and with it, lose all of her memories. Any ability to contact her loved ones and assure them she was alive. Telling the Captain at the time had seemed right, because at least then she knew someone would have known who she'd been, and would have means to track down her loved ones to... to tell them something. It was a stupid, reckless thing she'd done, and she knew that. It was by dumb luck--or absolute misfortune, she wasn't entirely sure which right now--that it was Tobias she'd said it to. "If you have no real information to share, keep your useless commentary to yourself," she instead said icily to the Code. "If I knew how to help him purify, I'd not have asked."

She'd not even known the Code for five minutes, and she already loathed it. Perfect. And she had one at her Wonder? Her nose wrinkled slightly. That just felt like a reason to not go there...

Its information was invaluable, and Dunwich was listening. But boy, if it had a face, she'd smack it.

Someone did respond to her with actual information she could really use, though. A few someones. A woman with beautiful wings and a powerful energy signature (Ganymede) spoke up, and Dunwich turned to her, filing away the bits of information--names on who she could speak to, that Tobias would want to purify. Kerberos introduced himself, and offered his assistance as someone who had previously been with the Negaverse as well. The Uranus Knight (Saqqara) confirmed the winged-woman was able to help...

She breathed out a tightly held breath. "Thank you. He was... extremely upset when he realized it was me. The way he spoke about the Negaverse, and how he kept apologizing to me when we were both sure I was being corrupted..." She shook her head, pink curls tossing slightly. "I don't think he needs convincing. Though. I suppose we'd need a plan. I thought I heard people... lose themselves? Or part of themselves, when they corrupt, or purify?" She looked between them, though mostly at Kerberos and the other Knight. "I suppose we'd need to plan for this." How they'd handle everything, all the fallout in personal and professional lives.

"I'm sorry, but may I have your name? I... have more questions, but..." She wavered as she spoke to the Princess (Ganymede), knowing she was likely going to be rude saying she looked extremely tired. Piling on her questions and pestering the woman would do no one any good. Anxious though she was, Dunwich put a firm break on things. "Now... isn't the best time, I think. Thank you, though, for the information."

A sudden... blip though, made her blink a few times, looking up with a furrow in her brow. It was clear others had felt it, too. "That's... not normal?"

[Page Basiluzzo of Uranus]

Caedus' mannerisms and the way Caedus said he had no dreams and no future hit Basiluzzo deep in his gut. It was not just out of a strong sense of empathy, but also the connections he made between Caedus and the man with a vice-grip on Basiluzzo's fingers. He rubbed his thumb over Encke's hand as he offered to Caedus, "It's okay not to know where you're going right now. You have plenty of time to think about that." It had taken a few years before the scared redhead beside him had come up with any direction for his life beyond 'stay alive.'

"And we'll help them and you. All we ask is the same as Encke said--that you take the time to heal."

It sounded like Caedus had a lot to heal from. How old had Caedus been when that had all happened? He said no one had meant any harm, but it was in the aftermath of a war, in the middle of an escape--there had to be some trauma there, right? And there had to be some way to fix the damage. If not, how was he still able to feel his planet?

Basiluzzo blinked when he heard Encke speak up to him, letting out a quiet laugh. "Oh, absolutely." Okay, so that was Sadie-- "If Dad realizes we have people over, we're going to end up with a gourmet breakfast..."

That was when he felt it, the wave on the map spreading by Uranus, and he blinked his surprise.

"Felt that too," Basiluzzo, unfortunately, had no answers for Kerberos, though.