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annon-guy2 · 7 months ago

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Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World - Travel Journal Entries [Chapter 5: Truth Behind the Mask]

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Entry 98: Marta here!♡

Emil, saying things like that is a really good way to make me fall in love with you! Don't worry I'll try to control myself so don't freak out. But really, thank you. I'm so happy to gradually learn more and more about you and becoming better friends. I'm just glad that we're traveling together!

Meltokio is the capital of Tethe'alla, and it's a large, busy city, just like I expected it to be. As a Sylvaranti, coming from a land without a unified government, just seeing this city is almost enough to make me feel inferior, but I'm not going to give up that easily! Once we manage to wake up Ratatosk, I want to do something to help the people of Sylvarant.

But for now, we need to look for Glacies' core. The accessory shop owner wouldprobably go to an item shop to sell a jewel (or what he thinks is a jewel), so let's go to the item shop and ask about the core!

By the way, we spotted a man named Tokunaga in front of the item shop. He's someone who Regal knows. He walked off before Regal could even say hello, though.

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Entry 99: As we guessed, the shop owner from Flanoir sold Glacies' core to the item shop here. But someone beat us and bought it first! The shopkeeper even said something about customer confidentiality and refused to tell us who had bought it. What should we do? That Centurion's core is very dangerous to whomever bought it!

Regal suggested that we go and see the King of Tethe'alla to ask about it. He said that most of the people who buy fine jewels are members of the nobility, so it's possible that the King may have heard about the noble who purchased the core. I was worried that it would be difficult to gain an audience with the King, but it turns out that Regal's a noble. A duke! Regal's even more amazing than I thought. I'm sure we'll have no trouble meeting with the King if Regal comes along. I am a little nervous, though. All right, let's go tothe castle!

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Entry 100: I can hardly believe everything that's happened.

On our way to the castle, we were attacked by Alice. We managed to beat her, but she rigged one of her monsters to self-destruct. Emil was about to be killed, and Tenebrae sacrificed himself in order to save him.

I thought that Tenebrae was dead, but Emil learned from the other Centurions that Tenebrae was actually still alive. He'd just returned to his core state after being injured. So now we are going to get Tenebrae's core from the Temple of Darkness and wake him up again. I'm still worried about Glacies' core, but Regal's going to go and talk to the King and see what he can findout.

Tenebrae, hang on. We're coming for you!

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Entry 101: When we got to the Temple of Darkness, Emil told us that he could feel Tenebrae's presence. Thank goodness. We need to hurry up and find him!

When we finally got to the altar where Tenebrae was, Richter was there. It seems that he somehow learned that Tenebrae had changed back into a core, and came here to destroy him. We fought with Richter, and part of the Temple of Darkness collapsed due to the powerful artes that he and Emil were using! We got caught in the rubble and were separated from each other.

Come to think of it, Richter seemed surprised at the arte Emil used toward theend of their battle. I wonder why.

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Entry 102: After all that, we all reunited pretty quickly. But as soon as we did, I opened my big mouth and mentioned that Emil had been in Ratatosk Mode for along time. He'd been that way ever since Tenebrae returned to his core. But when I said it, Ratatosk Mode Emil seemed really hurt. He said maybe he should just go away and lost consciousness, just like that.

I didn't mean it to sound like I hated Ratatosk Mode Emil, or wanted to get rid of him, or anything like that. It's just that Emil had never been in Ratatosk Mode for anywhere near that long before. But even though I didn't mean anything by it, I think I hurt Emil's feelings.

I'm sorry, Emil.

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Entry 103: When Emil woke, he was no longer in Ratatosk Mode. It was probably because of me. Emil, I really am sorry. I don't care if you're normal Emil or Ratatosk Mode Emil, I love you either way.

While Emil was unconscious, Tenebrae's core didn't show any signs of hatchingat all. But once Emil woke, Tenebrae immediately emerged from his core. Tenebrae was right back to being his old prissy self, which I found oddly comforting. I'm so glad he's safe.

Well, now that we've saved Tenebrae, let's head back to Meltokio!

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Entry 104: We ran into Regal just as we were leaving the Temple of Darkness. He had found out who owns Glacies' core, and had come to tell us the news. Seles Wilder, who happens to be the younger sister of Zelos, the Chosen of Tethe'alla, is the one who bought the core. Zelos is that sleazy guy we met back in Palmacosta. I can't say that I'm looking forward to seeing him again, but if we want to get Glacies' core, I suppose we can't let this opportunity slip away.

Let's head to the house of Zelos the Chosen in Meltokio.

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Entry 105: Emil here.

Listen, please don't worry about the whole Ratatosk Mode thing. My memories ofthat time are sort of fuzzy. It's probably because of how chaotic everything was, but I don't think it's something I'd get mad about.

Anyway, once we got to Meltokio, we visited the mansion of the Chosen Zelos. We had intended to ask about Glacies' core, but we heard noise coming from the second floor. Seles had been kidnapped! And the kidnapper was Lloyd!

I don't know what's going on here, but if we act quickly maybe we can still rescue Seles. We'd better find Lloyd and fast!

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Entry 106: While I was searching for Lloyd, I ran into Zelos. Just as I was telling him that Seles had been kidnapped, Lloyd ran by with Seles slung over his shoulder. Lloyd looked surprised and ran off in a hurry. We weren't able to catch up. Zelos said that the kidnapper who took Seles wasn't Lloyd. I got a good look at him, though, and I don't see how it could have been anyone other than Lloyd Irving.

Now that Lloyd's slipped away, there isn't any point continuing to wander around the city. The kidnapper might have left a ransom note, so we decided to go back to Zelos' mansion.

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Entry 107: When we got back to Zelos' mansion, the household staff told us what they saw of the kidnapping. Lloyd burst through a window, grabbed Seles and Glacies' core, and made a quick getaway. While Marta and I were dismayed at the thought that Lloyd had taken the core, Zelos continued to insist that Lloyd was not the kidnapper. He based this on the fact that the kidnapper was wearing a particularly pungent cologne, while Lloyd didn't wear cologne at all. When I heard I realized that Lloyd smelled just like that Eau de Seduction cologne that Decus used! So maybe it was Decus who abducted Seles, while disguising himself as Lloyd?

When we shared that theory with Zelos, he said that he was going to tell the Tethe'allan King the whole story, and told us to come too. Since Zelos' family is second in status only to the royal family, he has to inform the king of such developments. I'm a little nervous about it, but let's go to the castle and see what happens.

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Entry 108: Just as we were explaining to the Tethe'allan King that Seles may have been abducted by the Vanguard, Sheena and Regal joined us at the castle, and reported that Lloyd's Rheiard had been spotted flying to the east. When Marta heard that, she said that the Vanguard had a fortress in that direction, so that's probably where Seles is being held.

Zelos suggested that maybe the reason they kidnapped Seles was to lure the real Lloyd. Maybe in their pursuit of Glacies' core, the Vanguard found an opportunity to not only take the core from Seles, but to use Seles as part of a scheme to get any cores Lloyd has as well.

Zelos seems intent on saving his sister, and of course we can't ignore her either. We have to work together and rescue Seles! Our target is the Cape Fortress, to the east of Meltokio.

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Entry 109: I figured I should probably write down this as well.

Before we left Meltokio, I apologized to everyone for being so fervent in my suspicions about Lloyd.

I still think it was Lloyd who killed my parents, but I can't deny the possibility that it could have been Decus in disguise. And it isn't just what happened to my parents. All the encounters with Lloyd, and all the atrocities committed by Lloyd -- I have no way of knowing which times it was really him and which times it was an imposter. So until I know the truth, I can't blame him for everything.

I certainly haven't forgiven him, but I don't want to proceed under a false assumption either. The best solution would be to hear the whole story from the real Lloyd, but we'll see.

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Entry 110: While we were exploring the Cape Fortress, Sheena fell into one of theVanguard's pit traps. Sheena really is a klutz. We decided that Zelos, Marta, and I would look for Seles, and Regal would try to find Sheena. We're counting on you, Regal.

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Entry 111: As we proceeded deeper into the Cape Fortress, we stumbled across two Lloyd fighting each other. So there was a Lloyd imposter after all! We managed to figure out which one was the real Lloyd, and when we attacked the imposter he revealed himself to be Decus. Decus even admitted that it was he who attacked Palmacosta and Flanoir. He used the power of a Centurion's core to disguise himself as Lloyd and attacked a Vanguard meeting so he could both wipe out a dissident faction within the Vanguard and frame the Church of Martel for the crime. That was the truth behind the Blood Purge.

But there was still one more revelation to come. Marta is the daughter of Brute, the commander of the Vanguard! I knew that Marta was a former Vanguard member, but I never would have imagined she was the daughter of its leader. Even so, Marta didn't seem to know that the Blood Purge had been a sham, and was really shaken up by it.

Of course, I was pretty shocked myself, but before I could even process that, Richter appeared and suddenly we were fighting again. But for this time, Richter seemed to be fighting for real, with every intention of killing me. When he raised his sword to strike the finishing blow, the world went white, and I flashed back to being bullied in Luin, and all sorts of other things. But just as I thought I was about to be killed, Richter muttered "Aster," and spared my life.

I don't know what to make of any of it. Ultimately, Decus and the rest of theVanguard got away, but we rescued Seles and recovered Glacies' core. Maybe that's good enough.

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Entry 112: As we left the Cape Fortress, I apologized to Lloyd for blaming him about Palmacosta and all the other misunderstandings, and asked if we could work together going forward. I told him that in order to awaken Ratatosk, we needed the Centurions' cores. But Lloyd drew his sword on me, and demanded we give him our Centurions' cores. Regal and the others intervened, so it didn't come to any real fighting, but it ended with Lloyd once again running off alone towho knows where. Why would he do that? He may not be the enemy I thought he was, but I guess he is an enemy all the same.

I don't know what to make of any of this! I just want to go back to Meltokio and rest. Too many things are happening at once, and my brain is completely fried.

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Entry 113: When we returned to Meltokio, Seles presented us with Glacies' core as a reward for rescuing her. That was a relief. If she had wanted us to reimburse her for it, we wouldn't have had the money for it.

We all got together and discussed the many things we had learned. First, the Vanguard. Their goal seems to be reviving the Sylvarant Dynasty, and to do so they intend to use the power of Ratatosk's core in order to rebuild an ancient weapon known as a mana cannon, and use it to destroy the Church of Martel and the Tethe'allan royal family. Awakening Ratatosk seems to be our only hope to stop them. If Ratatosk is awake, they won't be able to use Ratatosk's core for their evil plans.

And then there's Lloyd. Lloyd turned out not to be the enemy I thought he was, but now the only thing we can be sure about is that he's collecting Centurions' cores for some purpose of his own. In that sense, Lloyd remains an adversary.

Marta and I will continue our journey to find the Centurions' cores, and Regal and Sheena have kindly offered to join us. Zelos and Colette said they would chase after Lloyd. (Oops, I forgot to mention Colette earlier! She helped usrescue Seles from the Cape Fortress, as she'd been in the area searching for Lloyd.)

The Temple of Earth is near Meltokio. We don't have the core of Centurion of Earth, Solum, yet so we talked about going there, but Tenebrae said that Decus might already have it. Normally, Tenebrae would be able to tell for sure, but he said that Decus' Eau de Seduction was wreaking havoc on his senses.

Since we don't know for sure whether or not Decus has the core, we decided to head over to the Temple of Earth and see for ourselves.

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Entry 114: Hi, Marta here.

Emil, I'm so sorry I didn't tell you about daddy. I didn't say anything because I thought you'd hate me if you knew that my dad was the commander ofthe Vanguard. But you didn't change when you heard about it. Then there's the Blood Purge. After learning about that, I was bracing myself to hear that you didn't want to be around me anymore, but you didn't blame me. Of course, I really didn't know anything about the Blood Purge, but still, I was a member of the Vanguard and I'm the daughter of its commander.

Emil. Thank you.

Well, let's get back to the travel journal, shall we? We did go to the Temple of Earth, but an earthquake had caused a cave-in and they said we couldn't go inside. So we decided to go to the Temple of Lightning instead. But it was around that time we realized that, with everything that had been going on, we had completely forgotten to hatch Glacies' core. So we went ahead and hatched it, but then Emil collapsed for some reason. He was probably just tired from all that had been happening. Richter trying to kill him must have been aparticularly big shock.

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Entry 115: We rushed Emil straight back to the inn in Meltokio. After a little while, he woke up, but as Ratatosk Mode Emil. Not that that's a problem. Ratatosk Mode Emil always gives his all. He fights hard for us, and he always protects me.

That's all that happened. Ratatosk Mode Emil reverted to normal Emil almost immediately.

Anyway, Emil, please try to rest up and get a good night's sleep before we go to the Temple of Lightning, okay?

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#Tales of Symphonia: Dawn of the New World #Travel Journal

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queenoffishingandcookies · 8 months ago

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Thinking of Noctis is Tenebrae.

Specially, when he was in Tenebrae.

Noctis was born on August 30th, and was eight years old during his time in Tenebrae.

Lunafreya, who was born on September 4th, was twelve.

Considering the main game generally takes place over the course of a year (I think? Don’t quote me on this, all I know canonically is that it starts May), in the year of M.E 756 and he visited twelve years prior:

M.E 744.

I’d guess very late winter, early spring. Possibly late January through February - maybe to early or mid March, at the latest.

Why so early in the year?

In the Kingsglaive movie, the prologue when we see the fall of Tenebrae and Queen Sylva’s murder, several characters are wearing clothes that seem suited to chilly weather - namely Ravus, Lunafreya, and Noctis.

Ravus and Noctis are, respectively, wearing a padded jacket or padded vest. The puffy sort you wear when it’s getting cold out, but not big-puffy full blown winter coats.

Also, Lunafreya is wearing a shawl or capelet with a hood, and it looks like it has a fur collar(?). Her dress looks, at least to me, like a thick fabric - wool, maybe. She’s not wearing stocking or leggings (or maybe she is and I didn’t notice), so again, it’s not winter-levels of cold.

There’s no snow either, which means either it’s before winter has fallen or afterwards - and I am inclined to believe the latter.

(That’s dependent on the general climate of Tenebrae, though)

We don’t know when Noctis was attacked, except that it was after he turned eight years old - in other words, some point after august. Possibly early September 743 at the earliest, and March - July 744 at the latest, since he was out catching fireflies, which usually appear most often in spring and summer.

We know he was comatose for a period of time following the attack, but not how long.

He possibly had been afflicted by the starscourge in canon (I don’t know if this was ever confirmed).

We also know he was paralyzed, or his body was still recovering from his injuries to the point where he was still wheelchair bound in Tenebrae.

My idea is this:

Noctis is attacked some time in late M.E 743. He is rushed into emergency surgery in an attempt to save his life, no doubt after Regis had used his magic to keep the Prince alive on the way to the nearest hospital (he’d probably be transferred to the Citadel later? He woke up in the citadel in Brotherhood, at least).

Noctis is possibly comatose for a month, maybe two. As a result of lack of movement, his muscles - on top of the damage done to back and legs - begin to atrophy.

(The symptoms of starscourge infection are stymied, because starscourge adapts differently to the body of a Lucis Caelum, and makes Noct effectively asymptomatic for a time).

When he wakes up, and probably even before that, immediate therapy begins. When possible, rehabilitation in regards to spinal cord injuries begin as soon as possible, I believed.

For a time, I think it would be…not okay, not happy, but workable. Regis would be there every step of the way, and if not him - a team of nurses and doctors ever on standby.

But at some point during his rehabilitation, from the Acute and Sub-Acute phases which will stretch over into the new year, which can generally (and I mean this broadly, every spinal injury and situation is different) take around six to eight months, he begins to show signs of the starscourge.

Regis can’t do anything to help with the appearance of the scourge, and then the realization that it must have been there for a while, that this was why Noctis’ healing was so slow - even, and especially, compared to a normal person.

The crystal, the LC magic, would have been straining to heal him - but it was almost sluggish, unfocused, as it coursed through Noctis’ body.

Regis could feed Noctis magic, take the burden of how it pulled at one’s lifeforce so that his son already so close to death did not have to.

He couldn’t take away the scourge which corrupted his son’s magic, which was just as much as the family’s magic eating away at his son’s life. The doctor’s could give estimations and exams and exercises on how to help Noctis walk again, if he ever could, and even an inability to do so was not an impossible fact - not in the long history of the bloodline -

But the starscourge?

Sooner or later, it was fatal. Regis knew of no known member in the bloodline who had gotten it - most who died to daemons died outright in battle, or as a result of injuries, long before the scourge could set in and take them - but no one had ever survived the scourge.

And only one bloodline could do anything against it.

The House of Fleuret, The Oracle.

And that meant heading to Tenebrae. Even if it was an autonomous ‘kingdom’, Tenebrae had long since been annexed by Niflheim - just like Accordo.

To bring Noctis there would be like to deliver all of Lucis into the jaws of a snarling best.

If it had simply been Noctis’ back and legs maybe, maybe Regis wouldn’t have done it. It’s a big maybe, considering how much he loves his son, but maybe.

Starscourge, though?

Hell no, it’s off to Tenebrae. They have to fucking go. It doesn’t matter how dangerous it is, to go through imperial Territory. Noctis might die either way.

A route to reach Tenebrae has to be made, means for the two of them to leave the wall unknown, then travel to Tenebrae still unknown, also having Lucis ruled well - all the while, trying to keep Noctis as stable as possible? Things like that take time.

So, they arrive in Tenebrae some point in early 744. My personal headcanon is that the two are there for maybe a few months, around March, and then Niflheim strikes and everything subsequently goes to hell. It has to be before his ninth birthday.

#ffxv #random timeline thoughts #(this was actually from months ago and I just never posted it)

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aelfgiure · 1 year ago

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You were suiting up for your day job when you got the phone call. Okay, maybe not a day job, precisely, second shift security wasn't exactly DAY, but whatever. The phone call was the important thing.

"Mom? Mom, are you there?"

Your daughter's panicked voice was so quiet but so loud at the same time, it filled the room, overwhelming, it filled your soul with fire and your stomach with ice.

"Mom, I just wanted to tell you that I love you, very much, and I'm doing my best to stay safe," she quavers. You can hear the terror in her voice, the way she's trying to stay calm and be brave. You can hear the shouting and shooting in the background and you tense.

"Baby girl. Tell me where you are. Now. I'm coming to help you get out of there." Your voice is eerily calm, almost casual. "Just an address, bitty bestie, and then stay low, stay away from windows, okay?"

Bless her heart, she tells you, but then the line cuts off. You call in, telling your boss that there's a family emergency and you need to deal with it. He can fire you if he wants, but your family comes first. You'd already given up everything you ever knew to have a family, and now you'll give up everything, anything you need to, to protect them.

To protect HER.

The 'uniform' hidden in the trunk still fits. Like a goddamn glove. It feels better than the damn poly/cotton scratchy uniform given to you by the security firm. It feels... natural. Good. The tools hidden in the same compartment are still charged, as is your communicator. You don't hesitate as you punch in the emergency sequence, the one that summons your transport, sleek and deadly. You finish gearing up as the ship wakes up, shakes off the dust, and screams through the sky to you, the cockpit sliding open as smoothly as if you'd tuned her up yesterday instead of, gods, twenty eight years ago? Damn.

A double pulse of the HUD. The Stiletto greets you, your symbiote asks if they can join to you again, they checked the 'net on the way over and know what's going on. You peel back the sleeve of the outfit and set your arm into the rest, the one designed to cradle you while the symbiote merges.

As Stiletto launches into low earth orbit, blazing through the atmosphere, you get reacquainted with Tenebrae, your 'partner', your symbiote. It's like coming home after a long absence to be welcomed, like having a missing limb restored after a traumatic amputation. It's more than good, it's POWERFUL, and it's what you've been missing for nearly three decades.

"Fly by wire", you tell the Stiletto, and she does a barrel roll of joy, which you and Tenne echo. With Tenne as your 'partner', you're a thousand times faster than any normal human, hundreds of times faster than any of those damn 'heroes'.

When you drop into atmosphere and scream down on the fight, your lips curl with contempt. The Golden Knights were having a minor war with the Purple Paladins, never mind the civilians and the property in their way.

You open the communications channels, all of them. "Attention, you so-called 'heroes'," you snarl, your voice full of the eerie resonance that comes with having extra vocal folds. "I'll let you disengage and carry on elsewhere. Over a lake. Or an ocean. Nothing here is worth you dying for, trust me."

There's a pause, you can hear the shocked whispers on the lines, and you grin. "Yes. I'm back. If you don't go NOW, you'll regret it, arrogant bitches."

The two groups immediately turn to you, tacitly setting aside their differences to focus on bringing you down. "Warned you. No quarter, no mercy." you chortle, and then you fucking bring it.

The first one down was La Poisson Aubergine, her mystic energy no match for a couple rounds of sabot through the mask and armor. You jink sideways to avoid the lightning blast that was her attempt to bring you down and you laugh, watching the one who had convinced you to 'go legit' - and then betrayed you out of jealousy and spite, accusing you of things you'd never do - burn and fall apart as they dropped to the ground.

That brought the assorted bastards after you in earnest and you fled before them, occasionally turning to cut through the massed 'heroes' with your ship. Just enough to hurt them, just enough to get them away from the populated areas. Away from your daughter. To add insult to injury, you start blasting music at them, the music you use to keep you going during a long shift, a long workout. It's raucous, joyful, raunchy, and it annoys the hell out of the Golden Captain, who tries to blast you with his ion cannon, swearing at how juvenile your taste of music is, always has been.

"The secret to eternal youth is arrested development!" you whoop, as you do another 89* turn and smack him in the face with a wingtip. He tumbles, screaming and bleeding through the four inch gash you carved into his face. Tenne and Stiletto cheer you on, pushing themselves to their limits with you, FOR you. The HUD shows assorted aircraft bracketing the whole shitshow, and this fills your heart with glee. Good. Witnesses.

You've led them over the North Sea, into neutral airspace, and you let go of your control, let the killer in you take over. "Next life, don't fucking bring the civilians into it, assbags!

It takes you twenty minutes to take down most of them, bullet, or energy weapon, or impact with your ship ruining them if not outright killing them. As the survivors turn to flee, you broadcast to anyone listening "I'm back, kids. Behave and we won't have to do this again."

Tenne guides the Stiletto into a hidden fortress, one that they shyly admit they bought after you left, just in case. You love it and tell them so. They quiver with joy at the praise, and ask if you're back for good or was it just to save your daughter?

Hm. You make the call.

"Hey kiddo. You okay?" you hold your breath. You can hear rescue teams in the background, sirens. She's been crying, and is struggling to catch her breath enough to talk coherently.

"Mother. Was that you?" she demands. "I have to know. Was it you, or, or one of your interesting friends? Please, mom. Tell me the truth."

Welp. Alea jacta est, and all that. "Kiddo. Um. Yeah, that was me. I had an interesting life before I dropped out to marry, have a family, all that. I'm sorry-"

"Jesus, mom, don't apologise! Just.. can you come get me? Tell me everything! That was unbelievable, and mom? You saved my life. You saved a bunch of people's lives.

"I don't care what anyone else wants to call you. Everyone here in my neighborhood is calling you their hero."

You we’re once a well respected and feared villain, that is until you had a child. However, they’ve been caught in the crossfire of a hero fight. Now, you’ll show them why you were so feared.

#writing-prompt-s

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lndslorepuzzler · 10 months ago

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Under Deepspace 03: Talented Hunter, pt 01-11

01: Order Number 85: FMC is sent on a mission to investigate and resolve a fluctuation in No-Hunt Zone 7, Zone IV, but her partner hasn't arrived.

02: No-Hunt Zone No.7: FMC decides to make her way in without her partner. From the ground, she sees Shen Xinghui confronting a Wanderer, and wonders if he's comforting it. It explodes in a blast of light, and Shen Xinghui destroys its protocore. The red collar appears around his neck. He confronts her, and she gets caught in one of his traps while trying to explain herself.

03: Reunion Under Moon: After wrapping up her sprained ankle, Shen Xinghui suggests that she leave, as the . He notes that it isn't the Metaflux surges she has to worry about, and that many Tenebrae who go there seeking high-grade protocores to sell are never seen again, once they've obtained them; that the forest itself is alive, and consumed them. FMC tells him not to scare her, but he directs her to leave the forest while he goes off in the opposite direction.

04: Maze: FMC considers whether or not Shen Xinghui is her partner. There is some brief comedic back-and-forth where he comes back to check on FMC, he goes out and kills a bunch of Wanderers, he comes back to check on FMC, he goes out and kills a bunch of Wanderers. He tells her he's decided he shouldn't leave an injured teammate behind, but his identity can't be verified by her Hunter's Watch. She wants him to prove who he is. He uses his Evol, and creates a 3D pattern made of several diamonds. He asks if she looks familiar; she tells him it doesn't, and the light flickers. ("Maybe Shen Xinghui was hoping to hear something else.") He tells her to keep an eye out for the pattern, as it can appear on the Flux Nexus, a device that captures Metaflux.

When FMC continues to doubt him, Shen Xinghui drops it; when FMC asks him what a Flux Nexus looks like, wanting to compare his information to Tara's, he uses her words against her and reminds her that nothing he says can be verified, so why would she believe him? But his description of the Flux Nexus matches the description of the stele at the abandoned research base.

05: Exit: FMC wonders why she and Shen Xinghui always seem to be trapped together every time they meet. He asks her why she always happens to be around when he's in trouble. They locate the Wanderers causing the spacial irregularities; before FMC can finish her suggestion on how to deal with them, Shen Xinghui has taken care of them.

06: Awakened Forest: FMC and Shen Xinghui banter a bit; she wants to know what his deal is, reminding him that he said he'd explain everything the next time they met. He tells her it's a long story, and asks if she really needs to keep her guard up. She says he hasn't been honest, but they can 'work together for now.' They find the Flux Nexus, in the location of a former signal station. FMC realizes that the Metaflux is converging on the Wanderer, which is absorbing it. Shen Xinghui identifies the Wanderer as an Aeonwyrm, and that the Metaflux particles are being used to reconstruct it. Shen Xinghui tries and fails to activate the Flux Nexus, and says FMC should sense its energy and use her Evol to create the same fluctuations. She does so, and the Aeonwyrm evaporates, leaving only a yellow protocore. Shen Xinghui points out that the fluctuations prove that someone wanted to resurrect the Aeonwyrm. Shen Xinghui appears to be very in tune with the forest, claiming that 'it's waking up,' before entering combat.

07: COMBAT

08: Where Light Vanishes: Shen Xinghui and FMC escape the Wanderers by virtue of Shen Xinghui's Big Leap Trick. Upon inspecting the protocore obtained from the Aeonwyrm, Shen Xinghui explains that it's been modified, and the modification is the work of the organization, Onychinus, which is stationed in the N109 Zone, which carries the infamous achievement of modifying protocores. Shen Xinghui tells FMC that the moon is much brighter, so she'll be safe to head home, while he walks back into the forest on his own. As the camera pans back, there is a shot of a black, quasi-mechanical crow with red lenses for eyes sitting on a branch.*2

09: Another Predicament: There is a flashback from the FMC about the attack on Linkon; references to the rusty rain, the ruined streets, and the red moon that slowly blackens, as though it's an eye blinking at her. Coming back to the present,*1 she reminds herself to get in contact with Nero about the eye she saw. She sees Shen Xinghui, in his hunter uniform, being accosted by journalists. ("I don't really have dreams... Also, I'm the only person in my family.") There is mention of complaints that hunters have been destroying public facilities under the pretense of eliminating Wanderers, but when FMC tells Shen Xinghui to beg her to save him, he does. So she does. She notes that it's strange to see him in broad daylight without any disaster surrounding them. Jenna arrives in the office to give them a briefing.

10: Invitation: Jenna explains that the protocore has both red and blue protocurves, proving that it's been modified. She calls it 'a gift from Onychinus,' and that they clearly know more about the protocore than they do. She says they'll need to use FMC's Evol to locate and obtain more information. She says Onychinus' goals are unknown, but given Qin Che's track record, it's not about money. She instructs FMC to take the next two days off.

11: Selection: Shen Xinghui and FMC eat gross dry bread and discuss the plans going forward; he advises her to not join the project. FMC says she'll take Shen Xinghui as her partner, because his teleporting ability is useful. He reminds her that her Evol might not be the only option, and to keep her options open. ("You might enter a world that's beyond your wildest imagination.") He expresses his worries that she might have just said yes without thinking it over, that she might not be fully informed about any dangers that lie ahead. He was also worried she wouldn't choose him as her partner.

*1, This event occurs the next morning. *2, In hindsight, we know this is Mephisto.

#love and deepspace #main story #ref: shen xinghui #ref: tenebrae #ref: flux nexus #ref: onychinus #ref: n109 zone #ref: mephisto #ref: qin che #ref: protocore nexus #ref: terrastele

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