this is a gift; it comes with a price;

[soulsrest]

Who: Takaya and OPEN.
When: Evening, the 22nd.
Where: The Coral.
Style: Whichever.
Status: Open.

[The last thing he had remembered was pain - pain and the voices of the members of SEES around him. Death was close, and Nyx was coming. She would bring her salvation to everyone.]

[And yet… he feels somewhat damp. That is strange - strange enough that he opens his eyes and looks around. He seems to be in a plaza - but that cannot be. He was dead, even if they had managed to stop her - which was impossible no matter what they believed. No matter how much he wished to make sure her arrival was prepared… he was unable to stop them.]

[At least he would have some peace… though it appears now that he is denied it for the moment. He feels in his pocket, clasping his hand around the pills. There aren't many left. Why would he have need of them where he was going? But in this situation… this could be a problem.]

[He snatches up his gun and shrugs his shoulders, attempting to gain feeling back in them where they are starting to go a little numb and cold. He will explore this place… and find the answers that he seeks.]

Comments

[tsundyne]

Don't try anything stupid.

[She growls a bit, not taking her eyes off him. Although she does have to contact the others, so hopefully this meeting of theirs will be brief.]

We beat you before, and we'll do it again.

[They're probably even stronger than he remembers.]

[soulsrest]

I'm afraid the only ones who have been acting 'stupid' have been your little gang of fools. Do you really think you can stop the inevitable?

[He tsks and shakes his head.]

[tsundyne]

At that she has to suppress a laugh. The inevitable? The Fall? Nyx's Deliverance? There is some advantage to knowing the future, she supposes.]

Maybe you've forgotten. But we already have.

[To be more accurate, Minato did. This was all a long time ago.

And even though in the end, he was by himself, he was never alone. Not for a second.]

[soulsrest]

Impossible. Nyx is a goddess, our salvation. How can you even claim to hope to stop her?

[tsundyne]

[For a moment, she's reminded of Ryoji. He wanted them to give up; claimed there was no way to win. No choice but to kill him and accept their death peacefully.

But in the end, when all doors closed, SEES made one.]

It doesn't matter anymore.

It's peaceful here, and we're going to keep it that way. Why don't you try to enjoy it?

[Even if it is more than he deserves.]

[soulsrest]

Peaceful? I doubt it. There are always disasters... I've told you as much before. Humans are humans, no matter where they are.

[tsundyne]

...So what?

That's supposed to be a bad thing? You're human, too, and none of us are perfect. There isn't even anything for us to fight about here.

[No Dark Hour, no Fall, no Nyx. No Tartarus, either. Not that they would ever be okay with what Takaya did, but...

What's he gonna do now?]

[soulsrest]

[And not having something to fight for upsets him. No Nyx or Fall means no salvation. No Dark Hour means it will be harder to get resources. No Tartarus or Shadows means it will be harder to keep his skills sharp.]

You don't understand the scope of human folly.

[What they did to him, what they did to the others... human nature seems to lead them to such questionable actions.]

[tsundyne]

You don't understand a lot of things.

[There's a huff. He hasn't changed at all, she can tell. Even after what happened to Chidori, even after they defeated him...

She stares at him a moment, eyes sharp, before she turns to walk away.

There's no use in wasting her breath. And she has people to warn about this...]