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I don't care.

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I don't care.

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Total Members Voted: 0

Voting closed: January 04, 2021, 02:28:47 am

[ZBridges]

My will is not broken so easily, but I do see advantages to stripping Phoenix of her suffering.

[19_EgarAlnis]

"Exactly. She's suffering. Would it be better not to remove all of that? Free her from her chains. Remove her pain. Make her anew into a goddess unfettered by such emotionality? A Goddess no longer constrained by human longing, by emotion, by suffering. A perfect weapon for our wars."

[Eschar]

Not getting the message, huh? SHE IS NOT A TOOL, A WEAPON, TO US.

or so we tell ourselves. though our choices have hardly always been in her favor.

[ZBridges]

Shi, I feel like you're killing her.  What about good memories that are uniquely hers, like her memories with Emma, at the academy?  I don't think it's necessarily a good thing to take away the little humanity she has left.  Would you want someone to do that to you?

There's probably some sort of compromise we could all agree to.

[King Zultan]

Emotions are important without them she'd be like a robot.

[Naturegirl1999]

I still think adaptability is important, the more elements controlled, the more powerful, the less predictable

[19_EgarAlnis]

"By your own admittance--" The Emperor/ess goes quiet, watching in silence as something stirs in the void of Pheobe's mind.

Emma.

...your head lays in Emma's lap. In front of you, a nub of charcoal dances across thick sketch paper. She sketches a flower that has sprouted from the weathered remains of a campfire. Hidden away within the copse of trees, you watch as she whiles away the hours with her work. There are no words spoken. Only comfortable silence. She runs her black-stained fingers through your hair when she finishes her work. You do not protest. Emma rewards your patience, your comfort, with a warm smile. She leans down to kiss you...

A spark emerges from the nothingness that surrounds you. It swirls suspended in the half light of this void. Then, it joins with the other. The two dance within the event horizon of Pheobe's self-hatred, falling in and out of her anguish, but escaping further and further each time.

Academy.

...you sit with your classmates in the library. Emma and Erica try to stifle their giggles, but the rest of your clique does not. You hold one of Emma's handkerchiefs to your face, stemming the flow of blood that drips from your nose.

"You are -such- a meathead, Pheobe." Emma giggles, shaking her head.

"Look, I can't help it!" You protest, with a scowl. It is funny, looking back, but at the moment you just felt weak.

"You can't cook, can't read, and math makes your head hurt." Emma ticks off on her fingers, raising her brow. "You better thank your lucky stars you're mine or else you'd be -miserable-." She and Erica adjust their seats, leaning in closer.

...

It takes you hours, but the two of them help you correct and translate your Scholarly Thesis. "--fuck." Emma rarely curses, but it was quite a difficult task, "That's good enough. You understand the language, but your grammar is awful. But that will pass."

"Thank you." You murmur, exhausted. Erica rolls her eyes, patting you on your shoulder as she rises to leave. Emma gathers her things, giving you a peck on your forehead.

"I know you don't need it, but get some sleep." Emma tousles your hair, leaving you hunched over your work.


Another spark joins the duo, drifting along.

"...Don't call me that." The Emperor/ess murmurs, "And there's the edge of the coin."

[ZBridges]

Hmm.  Very well then, I won't.  I have no objections to the edge of the coin, if others agree.  It's always helpful to gather more information before making a decision.

[King Zultan]

I say we go with edge of the coin as that seems to be where it has landed every time it was tossed.

[19_EgarAlnis]

"The edge. Between monster and divine." The Emperor/ess frowns. "We could have done so much more with her."

Time twists in on itself. Reversing. The morale event horizon broadens, freeing Pheobe from her grief and agony. The Emperor/ess tuts, turning away from the youthful figure that rapidly forms itself back into existence. "We could have done so much more!"

"Have you no curiosity? Have you no--"

[20] Pheobe, having regained her senses, staggers to her feet. She strides to the Emperor/ess, taps the entity on the shoulder -- and slams her fist into its face. It blinks, staring at the clenched fist frozen in place against its skin. "Did...did you just try to punch-- I am--" The Emperor/ess stutters, confused. "W--why?" It manages.

"Fuck you! You're worthy of nothing but defiance!" Pheobe screeches, rearing back. The Emperor/ess backs away with wide eyes. This time, this time, the blow lands, and its pale flesh reddens from the strike. Pheobe doesn't hesitate, she strikes again and again. "I'm free. I'm free! I'm free. And there isn't a damn thing any of you can do!"

"You dare to strike Go --! I am the blackness that this ga--" The Emperor/ess attempts to draw itself up, scowling. But its rage is cut short by another strike of Pheobe's fist.

Pheobe shouts. She stumbles over herself as the Emperor/ess backs away into the darkness of her mind. When the figure recedes, when reality begins to take hold once more, she spits. "A true god could do more against a crippled girl--" She rounds on you, "And you! I'm going to beat the existential shi-"


--You wipe the foggy mirror. Extraneous and lingering defiance thrums within you as you stare at your reflection. It takes a twitch of will to drop the Mesmer and inspect your obsidian-black skin. You take in the scars, the missing limb, and your rust scarified flesh. Your disgust with your true form has lessened. It surprises you.

...what just happened, and why am I so pissed off right now? Pheobe queries, independent of her shared self.

[25] On a whim, Pheobe runs a process. The gaping scar across her face knits itself shut. The twisting scars there seal into a thin line across her cheekbone. The metallic-obsidian sheen of her skin fades, leaving nothing but the scarification on her flesh. She teases her red hair for a moment. It too shifts in color, turning to light, vibrant blue from the dark, bloody red it was previously.

Fuck Alphira. Fuck my future, my past-- I'm free, godsdamnit!

"I'm free." You growl and slam your fist into the mirror. It shatters and falls from the frame. You turn away, only for the coin to catch your eye. A savage grin crosses your lips as you snatch it up. You flip it into the air --


--and turn your back before it lands.


Emma is waiting in your foyer, her brow furrowed in concern at your triumphant stride from the room. Mitch circles at her feet. The Barker stiffens, his hackles raise. He growls when he sees you. A pang of worry stabs at you -- until he bounds over to you. He isn't pleasant, nipping at your hand savagely until you pet him. The ferocious Barker stills and lets you scratch at his ears.

"Can we talk, Emma?" You ask, hesitating. "I...I really need someone to talk to. Someone I can trust."

"...you still trust me?" Emma the skeptic. "And we have a lot of work to do..."

"It was you or William, but he has the emotional understanding of a puddle. And he'd probably take it as a romantic gesture." You explain with a crooked smile. Then you let your smile fall, unable or unwilling to mask it any longer. In a whisper, swallowing to try and contain your emotions, you can barely breathe the word -- "Please."

"Oh SEED, it's serious." Emma jokes, but the mirth dies when she catches your expression. "...yeah."


It takes hours, but she listens. By all the gods does she listen. All of your baggage, your internal struggle, your pains. You tell them all without restraint. In the end, you lay curled in her arms on the couch she technically owns. Your face is wet, and could they be irritated, you're sure your eyes would be red. Longing brings the words to your lips,  "Emma. Look into the future. Look again. But don't tell me what you see. Just-- just please."

"I don't want to see that again, Pheobe."

"Please."

[19 vs 3+5] Emma looks down at you -- and her eyes grow cloudy. They clear seconds later. Her concern and hesitation replaced with confusion.

"It's...there's nothing."

"What?" You blink. "And you weren't supposed to tell me! What if that--"

"There's nothing to change, Pheobe," Emma explains, cutting you off sharply, her brow furrowing. "There's just...it's a gray fog."

[26] ...that breaks you down.

"Pheobe -- are...are you laughing or crying right now?" Emma asks, confused all the more by your reaction.

"I don't know!" And without restraint, you pull her into a hug.

"'I don't know.' How can you not--" It dawns on her a moment later.

And then you're both crying.


You and Emma eventually collect yourselves. With a ragged sigh, she straightens. The mask of regal regent descends to calm her emotions. "We'll...we'll talk more later. William returns in an hour. Silas is planning the arm implant operation on his arrival."

She reads from her mental list.

"The Skarinites have returned to their ship to work out the necessary materials and blueprints. The Crusaders are mustering under Eric to claim territory in the crater of the Holy City. Isela and the council are working out logistics with Rekhyt's retinue. Murdach is assisting with everything he can until he leaves with Eric."

You nod.

"The Nulls are assisting--"

"Don't call them that." You cut her off with a lifted finger, "The Numbers."

"...The Numbers are working on the calculations and heavy lifting with the math. Zero, along with some Scholars, have assembled a report on the Holy City's fall from eye witness accounts -- Crusaders whose retreat was staggered. Or deserters from the fighting. I asked for a copy."

"I figured it would be a good place to start." Emma drops the file down for you. "Is there anything else we need to do before the implant operation?"

[Naturegirl1999]

I can’t think of anything right now

[ZBridges]

A grey haze... an all-consuming swarm of nanites?  The end of the world?  The end of everything?  Or a vision denied by an Emperor/ess that is everywhere and everything and nothing?  Perhaps we advised poorly.

Don't forget to pick up some ballistic and plenty of nutrient cubes, though that can wait until after the operation.  Worst-case scenario, perhaps the Plague Lord would submit to single combat.

[Naturegirl1999]

A grey haze... an all-consuming swarm of nanites?  The end of the world?  The end of everything?  Or a vision denied by an Emperor/ess that is everywhere and everything and nothing?  Perhaps we advised poorly.

Don't forget to pick up some ballistic and plenty of nutrient cubes, though that can wait until after the operation.  Worst-case scenario, perhaps the Plague Lord would submit to single combat.

Why do you think a plague lord do single combat when it has nanites at its disposal?

[ZBridges]

Perhaps it has some sense of honor now that it has absorbed an Ascended?  It seemed different the last time we saw it, more inclined to speak and listen.  In addition, it's possible that the explosion would deal with most of the nanites, but not the Plague Lord itself.  In that case, we will need to fight it ourselves.

[Naturegirl1999]

Plague strains have absorbed Ascended before, but they are still rendering planets lifeless if not eating them