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 Posted: Sun Sep 26, 2021 2:12 pm
In the last few weeks that had been a lot to consider; between the arrival of aliens with a rather unbelievable offer and the otherwise slow demise of his homeworld. It had led to a fair few nights of chaotic thought and unhappy musings to the point that a break was very much needed. Admittedly it could be difficult to find breaks in this world, he had responsibilities and expectations to live up to, but in the end he had managed to find himself a quieter location to sit in relative silence.
He'd found a hill top nearby the place the aliens had chosen to inhabit. A deliberate choice given he fully intended to watch them as they came and went, but not one that would invite too much concern. After all he wasn't doing anything particularly controversial and in the grand scheme of things he had walked up here to find a little peace and quiet, away from the otherwise chaotic and drama filled life that existed below.
...In the city he would have to go toe to toe with at least someone each evening, out here he was afforded a moment to simply admire the view and consider his options.
Thus it was with pursed lips that he had taken a seat on the grass, kicked his feet back and stared upwards at the blanket of stars overhead. He didn't necessarily have any set goals for the evening but he did know better than to explore unprepared, thus his signature wouldn't have been too difficult to detect for those nearby. Whether they were simply passing through or were taking their leave following their own personal visits to see these visitors, he was at least within range.
Strangely, though he hadn't purposefully sought it out a part of him would have welcomed company. Sometimes a distraction was far better than ruminating over the same subject over and over again for hours and he was certainly no exception to that rule.
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Posted: Sun Sep 26, 2021 2:54 pm
Some of Cybele's concerns had been lessened by her conversation with Lyndin, but none of them had completely gone away. It turned out that it was their own moon that they were planning to drain for this attack on Metallia, and the energy they took from it would likely return over time. At least, assuming that Lyndin was telling the truth. Cybele did not know enough about reading people to be sure. However, she had decided to give them at least enough of the benefit of the doubt to not immediately launch whatever attack she could muster at their device. It wasn't worth it if he was telling the truth, and even if he turned out to be dangerous, it seemed that the better part of Order did not see it and even supported his plan for the time being. Which meant there was not much that Cybele could do, save for keeping an eye on them. If anyone had asked, Cybele would have said that she was just out looking for youma. That was what she had said when she'd gone out every single night over the past week, which had saved her from certain family member asking her to bring food donations to the Velencyans. She just happened to be looking for youma suspiciously close to where the visitors had set up camp. There were no youma out here, as it turned out, but she did find an Order aura that was a bit removed from the barrier. Curious, and always ready to make new connections, Cybele made her way over in that direction, where she found a man in red squinting up at the stars. For several long seconds, Cybele just stared. Usually, when she found someone who made familiarity tug at her chest, no memories came up at all. With this one, there were a few brief ones. He'd been at the meeting when the Velencyans had first arrived, and he'd been one of the ones who had spoken out against their plan. It was a blurrier memory, but she also thought she recalled seeing him before that, in the mist monster's forest back when she'd first been corrupted. There was something deeper there than those brief moments, though. She could feel it. "I apologize if this comes off as rude, but," she paused, swallowed, "Did I know you? Before the meeting." There was really no way to make these moments less awkward. "I've lost a lot of my memories."
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Posted: Sun Sep 26, 2021 3:05 pm
For a moment the man simply looked over his shoulder, casting his gaze back towards her as he took in who had joined him. It wasn't long before he did recognise her though, a touch dressed down from what she ha once been, but in a state he much preferred her in. It had come as both a relief and a surprise that she had somehow found her way back to them, but in the end he was glad that it had turned out that way.
The other end points had been less favourable.
"You did," he confirmed after a moment. He remained seated but gave a pat of the grass in invitation for her to join him. She could remain standing of course, she could act in whatever way she found most comfortable as far as he was concerned, but he had no intention of leaving his spot for the time being. "In fact I am fairly certain I owe you a debt of gratitude," he added and returned his gaze upwards.
"It might not stir many memories for you, I haven't quite ascertained how the process of corruption works, but my name is Athalia," he explained. A small smile flickered on to his lips and he gave just a hint of a 'heh'.
"And not so long ago you saved my life," he finished.
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Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2021 12:33 pm
When he patted the ground, Cybele stepped forwards to take a seat next to him. She sat properly, with her legs bent to the side, hands curled in her lap, and her back almost painfully straight, even as she tilted her head back to see if he was looking at anything particular up in the sky. Nothing stood out, but the stars were a nice backdrop, as always. "An agent puts a hand in your chest," she said, voice flat. It wasn't a pleasant topic, but she had experience with it, and it was important information to pass around. "They shove Chaos into your soul. It twists your head. Erases you. The more you resist, the less you remember." She rolled her shoulders back and exhaled softly. "Best I can tell, I was fighting until the end." Not that she remembered any of that. She remembered being exausted when she'd woken up in Axinite's office, her chest aching, her throat raw, and her skin covered in bruises. Others had told her about the ambush and about the fight, afterwards. Sometimes, people would come up to her and tell her about times she'd fought the Negaverse before all that had happened. It still felt a bit strange accepting praise or thanks for the actions of someone who barely felt like her, but she nodded anyway. "I'm glad I was able to help," she said, looking back over to Athalia, "And it's nice to meet you again."
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Posted: Tue Oct 05, 2021 2:20 pm
The description wasn't entirely unexpected, he'd seen agents and senshi toy with another's starseed before. The process that followed however had not been one he was privy too, though to be entirely honest if he had seen it, it was highly likely he would have interrupted it and either won or gotten himself into a great deal of hot water.
"Then all I can say is welcome back," he mused after a moment of silence. A small pause followed and then he lowered his eyes from the sky above him and back towards Cybele with a touch of curiosity. He was not one to believe in the nonsense and excuses of the corrupt, he'd seen enough of them lie to be fairly skeptical in regards to their excuses or rationale behind their own actions... but here he was in the company of a second who had purified.
The first hadn't given him much in the way of detail, but perhaps Cybele would?
Or she may not, some scars ran too deep.
"What brought you back home?" he asked after a few moments. "I will caveat that with a heavy 'if you don't mind me asking'," he added and gave a firm shake of his head. "If you would prefer not to answer then you are more than entitled to your privacy, it would just be educational for me to understand how you found the way out," he added.
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Posted: Wed Oct 06, 2021 4:26 pm
"My friends," said Cybele without hesitation. "I don't mind talking about it," she added. "I don't even mind talking about my time in the Negaverse." She wasn't sure how he'd react if she told him about the worst of her actions, like just how many starseeds she'd ripped from chests, or how she'd ended up coming after a few senshi and knights who were important to people she cared about. That information could stay close to her chest while she got a better read on him. On the other hand, she'd always be up for telling others about how wonderful her friends were. "The Negaverse pretended they were taking care of me, but there was a price on everything they gave. Sylvite, the one who corrupted me, liked to talk about how nice they were for saving my life when I'd been fighting so fiercly, but the price on that was apparently serving them forever." Her gaze was locked somewhere in the distance, her voice level but just a bit bitter. "I brought in energy for them and they gave me a bed. They didn't phrase it like that, but it was only so much of a secret that I was there to be their tool." She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "It's strange how Chaos twists your mind, especially when it's an Eternal's dose all at once and you don't have a past to stabilize you. I knew I'd been forced, but I was so numb from it all that I served them anyway." It probably sounded illogical to an outsider, but it had been her reality for months. Now, she knew that she'd been miserable back then, but there had been no way for her to know that. It had taken months and new experiences for her to start questioning things. "I went hunting and came across someone who had known me. He asked if I was okay and I realized that I didn't know how to answer. As I talked to more people, I started to realize that I wasn't." Although she'd still served for a time, even then. "They sent me after Ganymede eventually, the Princess, and I went, ahead of my backup, because I was the Huntress and I didn't care if I survived." A hint of a smile came to her face, even though she was still watching some place far away. "Instead of attacking me, she was kind to me. She talked to me even as the others arrived, and when I saw her at full power, I remembered fighting at her side and being happy to do it, not just duty bound." She rolled her shoulders and glanced over to Athalia, coming back to the present moment. "She purified me a week later."
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Posted: Sat Oct 09, 2021 6:16 am
"Now there's a name I recognise," he murmured softly and shook his head. Sylvite was certainly a very dedicated individual, one who very much bought in to the 'cause', but her definition of what was right and what was wrong were very different than his own. Given that she was perfectly happy to enslave and dominate others while also claiming it was for their 'own good' was a little too reminiscent of traits he'd witnessed far too frequently in his normal line of work.
"There are certain methods used by organisations throughout the world that are particularly effective at what you describe," he replied after moment of thought. "And whether Sylvite cares to admit it or not, there is a reason those organisations are considered illegal," he added gently.
"More importantly, there is a reason why we have so many charities and organisations of our own set up to combat the techniques, whether it's through an organisation or through a partner," he sighed softly. For want of a better word she had been enslaved and manipulated, add any form of familial relationship to it and it would have been domestic abuse too.
...The Negaverse really were such a nice set of people.
It rather put things into perspective as to which types of individuals would join them willingly given what they were inclined towards, that was for sure.
"I'm glad someone managed to get through to you, and perhaps an echo of your former self who could remind you that there are things worth fighting for," he said at least and pursed his lips. Sadly, he knew himself better than to assume he would have let her walk away unscathed. While Ganymede might have chosen to be kind, Athalia had seen far too many instances of betrayal to believe that it was the right choice to let anyone dangerous walk away.
You either brought them in, or you brought them to their knees and destroyed them. Evidently fate had ensured she had found exactly who she needed to get the help she deserved.
"Though even that seems to have taken its toll a little," he chuckled and motioned to her attire. "I was accustomed to you being a bit more powerful than I was," he admitted. "That will take some getting used to until you're able to find your feet again."
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Posted: Sun Oct 10, 2021 2:32 pm
"The Negaverse is illegal?" asked Cybele, one eyebrow raising high. After all the serious talk, her voice went a bit teasing. "Who would have guessed, with all the murder and kidnapping?" To be fair, Order also had a good share of blood on its hands, and probably property damage and various other crimes piled on top of all that, but all that paled in comparison to the sorts of things that Chaos did. Enslavement, for example. Cybele was very aware of what had happened to her. "When you say we have charities and organizations, are you talking about Order or the government?" she asked, and glanced away again before admitting, "I'm trying to work on," she paused, then spat it out, "My mental health, I suppose? As I said, it wasn't all magic that was affecting my head. I'd be up for trying therapy, or a support group or something, but," she shrugged. "I can't exactly be honest with a lot of people." In the best case, they'd think she was hallucinating and give her the wrong diagnosis. In the worst, she'd end up spilling her secrets to an undercover agent. "I suppose it helped some that I had some connections before?" she said, "But yes. I'm very lucky that my friends are so kind." Her smile came back immediately, just talking about them. It didn't even fade so much as she glanced behind herself, towards where she'd once had wings. She still felt weak, but she'd adjusted as best as she could to it. "My starseed is damaged, I think," she said. "Ganymede said it will recover in time, but I don't know if there's proof of that. I've met one other person like me, who was corrupted and then purified afterwards, and she was a Super, as well."
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Posted: Wed Oct 13, 2021 2:43 pm
"It probably would be if they weren't so bloody good at hiding," he muttered. He'd come to realise that the Negaverse had some serious talent for propaganda. It took some talent to transform a brutal organisation into 'nothing' while those who combated them were regarded as terrorists. A rant for another time perhaps, even he knew that was irrelevant to the conversation at hand and he could tell a teasing tone when he heard it!
"Both," he paused for a moment and pursed his lips. She had a valid point that when it came to certain topics they couldn't be discussed that easily, but there were means and ways around it. That being said, was making up something false to avoid suspicion going to be healthy or useful in the long run who was trying to come to terms with whatever she had endured? He certainly couldn't speak for her on that one, but he could at least offer some reassurances.
...He had seen somethings, he'd also heard some stories, and they had come from individuals who had been through experiences he previously wouldn't have dreamed of.
"People who are experiencing hardships come from all walks of life," he pointed out. "And to a person who has lived a relatively quiet or uneventful life these might well seem fantastical," he admitted softly. "But in the end, there are doctors who have seen too much pain that they break and need help; or there are police officers who have walked in on one too many horrible crime that need to talk. What someone who was beaten in an alley might have seen or imagined in those moments could have been utterly fanciful and they are still acknowledged and listened to."
He paused briefly and sighed.
"You might not be able to speak about monsters as if they're real, but you will not be the first or last to see shadows out of the corner of their eyes or feel they've been hunted. If something has hurt you and you would like to explore it safely then you will find that there are people who can and will listen," he murmured.
"When you're ready at least - I've only spoken to a few psychiatrists after certain events, but once I got over my own sense of being judged I have to admit they were very objective," he conceded. Granted he'd been ordered to attend after a particularly gruesome discovery and he wasn't the only officer to be sent across, but he'd give credit where it was due on that one.
"Their job is to let you talk in a safe environment and let you process it in a constructive manner, they're not there to section you, if that's what you're worried about," he smiled.
...And if she was genuinely concerned about that, then he was sure he could find one he could recommend.
"And I would trust Ganymede, even if I'm not familiar with her," he added. "I've met at least one other person who found their way back and while they started off somewhat unsteady on their feet, they got stronger as time went on." It had been a knight, but in principle he assumed they were roughly the same in that respect - the process of capturing and enslaving them seemed similar anyway.
"I can only go with my gut on that one though, in all honesty I really don't know, the grand some of my expertise is limited entirely to what I've gone through and I was a bit late to the party," he chuckled. "I used to explode because my powers didn't quite work, I had to have several very honest conversations with the source of my power before it decided that I was in fact worthy," he smiled.
"Not that it spoke back, but I did spend an awful lot of time there and something just clicked... So If I can find a means to recover, you definitely can."
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Posted: Thu Oct 14, 2021 5:30 pm
“It’s not that I’m ashamed, or that I don’t want to ask for help,” said Cybele. “I wouldn’t be here, in white, talking to you, without so many people helping me, with my mind and the rest of it. It’s just-“ She trailed off and was silent for a long moment while she gathered her thoughts, looking off into the distance again. “I couldn’t be honest about the things that I need to be honest about,” she admitted eventually. “Yes, I see shadows and feel like I’m being hunted, but that’s only part of the problem. I was kidnapped. That’s what I’m trying to process the most.” She exhaled sharply through her nose. “But imagine if I tried to tell a therapist that. That’s the sort of thing they’d probably have to investigate. If they didn’t find anything, they’d think I had other problems. If they found the Negaverse?” Cybele’s hand came to her chest, tracing where the cracks had been. “It wouldn’t end well.” That was only the beginning, too. If she tried to bring up how she’d been manipulated into killing people? No, that wouldn’t do. She liked her new family too much to want to trade them for a jail cell so quickly. “Then, there’s the part where I don’t have any memories. If someone tried to ask about my childhood?” She shook her head. There were stories she could make up, of course, but she wasn’t sure how helpful that would be. Another moment passed, and then she stretched out again. “I’m not trying to sound grim,” she said. “Things are getting better in a lot of ways. I think my starseed’s healing.” She stopped tracing and instead pressed her palm flat against her chest, feeling the warmth over her heart and her soul. “It used to ache sometimes, but I haven’t felt that in a while.” Even if she would never be an Eternal, that was something.
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Posted: Sat Oct 16, 2021 9:25 am
He turned to her and for a while, he was quiet. She did have genuine concerns, but in the grand scheme of things there were some that he could honestly say would be a non-issue in certain circumstances. That being said, how much would he personally believe the reassurances of some random, costumed individual on a hill? What experience could they possibly have with this that could confirm they weren't just trying to offer false hope...
"All cards on the table I'm a cop," he said after a moment and looked away again. "If you were still kidnapped then you wouldn't stand a chance of accessing someone who could help you come to terms with it," he shrugged ever so slightly and sighed. "Generally speaking if you're not captive anymore then there would be no reason to investigate as it's assumed that already happened," he pointed out gently.
"Remember there are such things as cartels and we do have them here," he paused and shook his head. "They may not be the Negaverse but they do things that are similarly cruel," he leant back to look back to the stars. A cluck of his tongue and he flicked his gaze back to her, albeit briefly.
"I won't demand anyone does anything they don't want to, but it's something to consider," he returned his gaze back to what he had come to stare at and pursed his lips.
"Regardless I have faith that you will find your lost strength eventually, even if it takes a little time. Time might not heal all wounds but it does heal some."
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Posted: Sat Oct 16, 2021 5:05 pm
No, Cybele didn't know about cartels, or really about anything outside of the Negaverse that might have given her a similar type of horrific experience. She'd come out of her purification with terribly splintered memories that focused mainly around her Negaverse duties. She had a lot of life to catch up on, and she had spent her time since looking up things like theater and books and movies and sometimes YouTube videos about camping, not the non-magical side of organized crime. She didn't ask about it now, either. She wasn't sure if she wanted to know. It was at enough to hear that she could hint at certain experiences without outing herself as a magical soldier, or putting any therapists or their contacts in danger. Slowly, she nodded. "I'll look into it, I think," she said. There was no guarantee it would last, depending on how personal the questions they asked were, but it was worth trying before she completely disregarded it. "So what brings you out here?" she asked, nodding over towards where she could sort of make out the dome in the distance. She remembered Athalia being one of the few at the meeting who had shared her suspicious opinion, of their visitors, and now here they both were, close to where the Velencyans had set up camp. She rolled her shoulders. This was a lighter topic, but not by much. "Did you end up talking to any of them, afterwards?"
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Posted: Sat Oct 16, 2021 5:22 pm
"Me? Briefly, though it is safe to say my companion did most of the talking," He replied. He glanced down towards the dome and pursed his lips. Despite what others may have said his concerns remained steadfast and he sincerely doubted some of what they had said. In the grand scheme of things it was highly improbably that someone had never failed, and if that was indeed true, then they hadn't come up against real adversity yet. Everyone and everything had a weakness, everyone failed eventually, and he didn't appreciate the arrogance of one so blinded by his own 'success' that he considered all plans flawless.
...Especially when he knew nothing of the anomalies that often reared their ugly head when it came to Chaos.
"My presence was requested and I was on my best behaviour, even if the courtesy was only afforded because I respect Metis dearly and have no interest in causing issues for her," he conceded. He knew he had been one of the vocal ones, perhaps of the most vocal at that, but he didn't regret it. Someone had to speak up and someone had to point out that once you stooped to the true levels of your enemy you were no better than they were.
"You can rest easy in that I have at least promised not to get in your way if you are so determined to walk the path that so many have chosen," he added and shook his head slowly. He might not necessarily agree with it but in the end he couldn't order anyone to obey him and if it did work then he would owe more than a few apologies.
...He just couldn't buy in to it.
"I have other matters to attend to anyway," he pointed with his finger towards the sky and chuckled. "While you seek to save this world, I seek to save mine before it dies and I can only assume I go with it," he admitted with a half smile.
"After all I'm not very useful to anyone if I can't access my power, eh?" he asked and gave a way of his hand.
"That and on a much lighter note I've always just liked the view from here," he pointed out and motioned to the skyline and the lake far in the distance. "There's just something calming about being alone for once, away from all the noise and general hustle of the city. Means you can think or daydream to your heart's content."
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Posted: Sun Oct 17, 2021 3:44 pm
Metis was an unfamiliar name, but, regardless, Athalia did not seem to be impressed with whatever answers that the Velencyans had given him. Either that, or he was constantly just stiff and clipped like this. It was a bit hard to tell. "I went to speak to Lyndin afterwards, as he requested," she said with a small shrug. "He gave answers to some of my questions. This comet they're draining is a fragment of their moon, apparently. He seemed to think it was so overcharged that it might explode if they don't siphon off some of the energy." She glanced skyward again, her own posture also somewhat rigid. "I'm not sure if I buy that bit, but I suppose if it's their lifeless moon, they can do what they want with it." Her tone was flat, not overly convinced. The thought of taking energy from any sort of celestial object made her skin crawl, but nobody else that she'd talked to seemed to have much issue at all with that part of the plan. They were worried about draining the people, or perhaps about the potential for a power vacuum. "I still don't trust them, or what will happen afterwards, but I agreed not to actively fight them for the time being. I don't support them by any means, though." Her laugh was grim. "I'm not giving my energy." She squinted at the stars, wondering if Athalia was one of them or if it was something else. "I wouldn't worry about too much about your planet dying, or about it affecting you," she said, shrugging again. "They're already all in awful shape, and we're still here."
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Posted: Mon Oct 18, 2021 2:02 am
"To be fair mine was looking rather nice before everything went south," He chuckled. "The plants had life again, more than their fair share of colour..." he shook his head. "Even the breeze was fresher; the only thing it didn't have was any animals," he admitted. Now if any of those had shown up it was safe to say he probably would have been in even more of a flustered state than he already was - to him plants were one thing, but flesh and blood was something of a step up from that.
"And then something happened and that life started to uh... Go in the opposite direction," he shrugged. He couldn't provide any exact science around it all, but it was safe to say if it was going in the wrong directly and losing that strength then it stood to reason that the power it gave him would weaken as well. At least that's how the theory went in his head and given the Mauvians had all but confirmed his suspicions he had some 'concerns'.
"Awful shape or not it had a spark of life inside it and I worry about what happens if it gets snuffed out completely," he confessed and gave a soft cluck of his tongue.
"And with all due respect to our new visitors the moon isn't theirs to take or declare as under their ownership," he cast her a quick look and raised both eyebrows. "After all, we claim the Moon of Earth as 'ours' in a sense but the truth is very different, is it not?"
He didn't know the whole history but he was at least sure of the basics, and the basics stated that the Moon was very much an independent power versus the earth a thousand years ago.
"Just because they would like to think it's theirs doesn't mean that it is or was," he shrugged. "Nor can I trust their word; yes they may have more advanced technology than ours but to blindly accept something as truth because something seems more advanced than you is foolish," he sighed softly and gave a wry smile.
"Not that most will be open to that discussion, I think it's safe to say there are a fair few clinging to a somewhat idealistic and improbable hope that it will work, if only so they can put this entire thing to rest permanently," he murmured.
"Regardless it seems like we both acted in a similar manner. I won't get in their way but I have no interest in granted my strength or letting them take it from innocent humans without their permission. Just because my own kind might be desperate for a victory doesn't mean I'm convinced that we are entitled to take things without permission. The road to hell is paved with good intentions and all that," he waved his hand.
"Still, I'm sure I'll show up to pick up some of the pieces if it all comes tumbling down," he winced. "That's normally how these things go - I just hope that the pieces are unfathomably large this time round," he finished. After all, he didn't know how this would turn out but it was a fair bit different than the last few times... This time they had a superweapon, and if that thing didn't work the way it was supposed to then it wasn't going to be pretty.
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