animus_network | [video] Fourth Remembrance

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[video] Fourth Remembrance

[Ryoji switches the feed on with a small smile. He has cheered up significantly after talking to a few people and making a few friends (or at least, people he thinks are friends). He still is nervous about what he has to say, but he tries not to let that show.]

Hi everyone. It's a little late, so I don't know if anyone is still around, but I couldn't wait any longer. So many things have happened lately... which is probably why I haven't had a chance to talk to you all, but...

[He swallows, then takes on a more serious tone. He's determined to help people, though he doesn't know that he's actually doing more harm than good.]

I was in a group of people who went down the elevator again earlier this month. We were looking for a control room and an exit from the tower. It was dangerous, and... most of us didn't make it out alive.

[He feels guilty, not because he was killed, but because others on that team did. He finds a lot of them strange and he isn't sure whether he can trust everyone, but he still blames himself for not being a better leader.

He shakes his head and continues on.]

The point is, I have information. If anyone wants to know anything, just ask.

[He doesn't have any idea that he received this information through working with a group led by the one man who likely caused the most trouble in the tower this month. He may need a bit of enlightening about that.]

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[Sephiroth kept eye-contact with Tohko, pretty much feeling Ganon's threat at his other side. He wasn't lying so why didn't she just accept that? He's never had anything personally against Tohko ~~apart from her humanity maybe~~ but he now might well have reason to.

The lightning shot down around them, catching Sephiroth hard in the back of the shoulder armor but quickly crackling down to the ground. He'd taken much more voltage before all in one go and his recent Husk-hunting tendencies are only teaching him how to deal with the feeling easier.

Though it's knocked him forward a step it was just as well, he was just in time to see Ryoji attempt to hurry out of the corner they had put him in. He instantly banishes a swoon and reaches out to grab at and lift Ryoji off the ground. If he missed, he'd just extend the motion via telekinesis. Whatever it felt like Ganondorf might be about to unleash, it may well be advantageous for both of them to be witness.]

Be still. [He warned firmly at Ryoji, in the meantime.]

[ It was everyone's guess if the attack had affected him. If anything it had affected his mood and made it worse. Ganondorf charged a large energy ball in his right hand for a couple seconds before sending it right to Tohko when it reached its maximum potential-- At first this would look as if Tohko was being electrified but before long an intense light would cover the corridor. Seconds later the result of the attack would be obvious: she was now little more than a statue, whatever expression she had on her face when the attack hit her frozen in cold stone.

The girl effectively dead, it could have been over here and now, but before long the Evil King summoned a etheral long blade, apparently made of light; however as he was wielding it the sword was surrounded by what could be likened to a malevolent and red aura. Within a split second he would have Tohko's head cut, the stone falling onto the ground and exploding into dust. Before long her entire body would vacillate and crash onto the ground as well, breaking into dusts and smaller fragments of stone.

With this done Ganondorf then turned back to Ryoji and the others. ]

Now we can talk.

[ He was still wielding his sword in his right hand. At least, Ganondorf was looking and sounding calmer as well as satisfied now that he got to send Tohko to her fate. Even though no less threatening. ]

Sir, please, run! Don't make my sacrifice in vain!

[Before Tohko could complete that sentence, she was hit with Ganon's energy ball, and screamed like a banshee. It was horrible, and the pain was excruciating..but after the large blast of light, she was dead, a statue now, her hand out to the boy she had tried to save, and the angry glare on her face carved perfectly. She had finally fallen victim to the fate that Lancer had mercy killed her in order to make sure she avoided it.]

[Unfortunately for everyone, Nesir was still alive and she watched Tohko die with a satisfied... if agony laced smile.

Every part of her hurts, her skin is blistered and breathing is hard. She's not getting up unless someone drags her to her feet.] Look... what you did be doing Ryoji... [Attracting heroes and sending them to their deaths, stupid of him, they would only use it as evidence against the darkness.]

[Ryoji thrashes about in Sephiroth's grip as soon as he registers that he's not moving any closer to Tohko, trying to kick him or punch him with flailing limbs. He's so panicked he doesn't even consider switching forms, and that's probably his most tragic mistake.

His eyes widen when he sees Ganon prepare the spell, and he writhes about even more.]

No! Ganondorf! S-Sephiroth! Nesir, please! Don't!

[His desperate pleas don't reach any of them, but he keeps crying out and begging, screaming, promising he'd do anything-

Until Tohko is tranformed. Then suddenly, all his protests stop, and he just watches, almost a morbid curiosity on his face. He is Death, after all. He'd be lured to something like this, as much as he hates the fact that it's happening, that it has to happen.

He slowly slides out of Sephiroth's grip, crumpling to a position on his hands and knees. All the while he keeps staring, and it seems like he doesn't register Nesir's words, but he does, he can hear them so crystal clear, because he'd been telling himself those same words as soon as he saw the statue. Look what you did, Ryoji. It's all his fault. Her death was his fault. Every death was his fault. He tried to help, but in the end he caused nothing but pain...

He ducks his head down, violently spasming as he vomits up whatever is left in his system, and after that, he's still heaving, trying to purge all the darkness from his system, all the guilt, all the betrayal, all the memories.]

[He'd figured Ganondorf as powerful, in fact that unspoken respect he had for the troll king was based largely on that hunch, but until now Sephiroth hadn't had the opportunity to witness any of what Ganondorf was capable of. Even Sephiroth had had to shut eyes against the intense light let off from that power.

It was brutal indeed, though perhaps not quite so personal as Sephiroth would kill someone. For killing, he had to be directly involved - to savor the victory, vengeance or for whatever reason it had been necessary. His eyes focused on the pile of stone-debris left on the floor in Tohko's wake, the retrievals would be on their way soon, no doubt. However pointless that death had been, they could now get back to the issue at hand.

Ryoji was watched, at his feet, through lowered eyelids. He wouldn't say anything further to him just yet, Ganondorf could have that pleasure. But at the very least he would want some form of apology from the boy. Then Sephiroth noticed Nesir, whom he hadn't even noticed hit the floor before. Someone was going to have to do something about her blistering, at the very least. Mental note made, though why did she have to be so human...wasn't she supposed to be stronger than that?]

[ With all that done, he looked around quickly and noticed Nesir's predicament and Ryoji's state-- As expected Sephiroth was himself. Ganondorf waved at the Darknut for it to help Nesir get back up, the armored creature extending a hand to help her get up, sometimes monsters could be useful. He then turned back his attention to Ryoji. ]

What was that? Divulging information on the network?

[ On the network where the administrators could see it. Admittedly Ruana knew, but if Riki and Jason could be kept in the dark as to what they did, it was better. Where Zelda and her pathetic friends could see it. That was much more annoying.

As he said that Ganondorf quickly turned to the terminal before looking back at Ryoji. Ganondorf didn't pay any more attention to what remained of Tohko and as far as he was concerned, it was as if Tohko had never been on this floor in the first place.

This kind of behavior was quite simply not acceptable. ]

[owowowowow Nesir bites her tongue harder as she lets herself be pulled to her feet. She wont show pain in front of Ganondorf or Sephiroth though and she grasps out at the emptiness, letting the pain be barricaded out.

She stared down at Ryoji, wrinkling her nose. She didn't talk though.]

[Ryoji wipes his mouth with the back of his hand, still choking on vomit and sobs, though he has to look up when Ganondorf speaks. He's still angry, that much is obvious, so Ryoji feels he has to look up so he doesn't disobey, doesn't do something else that's wrong. All the beliefs that these people aren't to be trusted... they've been pushed back with pure fear, and Ryoji will do anything as long as he doesn't cause more deaths.]

I-I'm so sorry, I didn't mean... I was just trying to help, I'm sorry...

Edited 2013-03-25 07:06 (UTC)

[Sephiroth looks around again, from Ryoji to Nesir - across to Ganondorf again trying to decide if the kid is worth another chance or not. He'd had his suspicions right before they'd descended down the elevator that this might happen but hadn't made a point of it. That made this issue feel like it was deserving of a punishment in it's own right.

There is nothing worse than being proved right when it's someone elses plan. He didn't want to judge Ganon's choice in people but found his mind sliding that way regardless. What makes it worse, the kid had had the nerve to laugh (and cause others to) in his face.

Was this enough vengeance? Sephiroth pulls his arms forward into being folded across his chest and just observes - for now.]

[ At this point the question wasn't even to give the kid a second chance or not, at least for Ganondorf. Back in Hyrule? The kid would be about to be killed and made an example of. Unfortunately here death was little more than a slap on the wrist. They had to put up with him, no matter how stupid he had proven to be. Ganon stood by the reasons that led him to select the kid back then, eve though he couldn't help but feel he had truly misjudged the situation. ]

I never want to hear apologizes from you again, is that clear? Being sorry is naught but a sign of weakness.

[ Translated in Ganondorf's language, Ryoji's apologizes are accepted for this time, but next time Ganondorf won't be anywhere as kind. With that said Ganondorf went silent, leaving Nesir and Sephiroth to speak at their will if they had anything to say.

The easy way out would be to do to the kid what he had once done to Reno. However it was a bit early for such extreme measures and seeing his reaction, there was room to buy his silence. Threatening to kill more people, threatening to curse his loved ones-- Options were plentiful, but before anything he would see if Sephiroth and Nesir had better ways to buy the kid's silence. ]

[Naoya stepped out from behind the group, where he'd been watching. Red eyes were leveled at Ryoji, a smirk on his lips.]

While your attempt to spread information was... admirable, it was still foolish. Information like that needs to be controlled carefully, so that people don't run off and do something extremely stupid with it.

[There was something about Ryoji... he'd have to see if he could talk to him one on one later.]

You see what your foolishness has done already. I trust that this is enough to show you why you should not do it in the future.

[Nesir turned to look at Naoya but then winced, that was a mistake. Pain rippled at the edge of the emptiness, which was the only thing keeping her upright.

Still she turned back to Ryoji, her eyes blank] It... did be stupid, what did you be thinking? [It was actually a real question, she wanted to know if he was a traitor or an idiot. The latter was forgivable at least.

[Ganondorf's words especially hurt. Wasn't that all he was good for now? Apologizing? That was all he could do when he'd found out his true nature, when he had to tell all his friends that he'd lead them to death. It was all he could do when he was brought here and caused more pain. He thought he had been strong. He'd gone down the elevator twice, and he'd been training with Diarmuid... Was it all a lie? He whimpers out a protest, but it sounds pathetic even to him.]

I-I'm not weak...

[But he did know the truth... he was foolish, and stupid, and naive, and weak. It was his fault that girl was hurt, that his friends might get hurt. He had to do something, try to salvage whatever goodness was left in him.

He shakily gets to his feet, and though he still looks down at the ground, his voice is more firm.]

I was thinking that I was going to save people.

[And then he turns to run away. He may not get far in his human form, but he has to try to get out of here, however he can.]

[ Ganondorf turned to look at Naoya when he approached and spoke, before turning to Nesir and Ryoji again when they spoke. At least it was only Naoya and not another idiotic so-called courageous hero like Tohko. And then Ryoji decided trying to run away was a brilliant idea.

Before Ryoji could get more than a couple feet away from them, a thick wall of fire would rise on his way, effectively blocking his way out. Ryoji was free to try and go through-- If ever he felt like dying in the flames, but that would really not be a good idea.

Ganondorf made no move nor spoke any words, but it was obvious he was the source of the flames and that he wouldn't let go of the boy till this matter was settled. ]

[Naoya stepped forward again, intending to go after Ryoji and grab him. The idea of fire didn't really bother him - he'd set up Shield All and he always had Anti-All on him anyway.]

Save people? Heh. Ganondorf. Let me have him. I'll show him what his weakness has done. I have some... interesting stories I can tell.

[Which all involve people dying horribly, but whatever.]

[Brilliant, first being hit with lightning, now Ganondorf was throwing fire around. Not the best day. She glared at Ryoji] Well that do be the most stupid way of saving people I have been seeing in a long time. [Her voice was snappish.]

[Ryoji slides to a halt, the extreme heat of the fire wall enough to ensure he wasn't going through that. Sure, he had Thanatos, but that didn't make him any less vulnerable. His immortality had been taken away here.

We wheels around, keeping an eye on Naoya. He hadn't met this person before, but if he was helping Ganondorf, then he couldn't trust him, even if all this meant Ryoji was forced to work for the king.

...He couldn't trust anyone anymore, especially himself. What had he been thinking? Did he honestly believe he could have found everyone in the tower that he knew before Ganondorf's team got to them? Besides, even if he did, how could he possibly protect them?

He says nothing, but judging from the slump and the broken eye contact with Naoya, he's given up. He knows he's being forced to stay obedient, but there's nothing he can do. Ganondorf has complete control now. It almost reminds him of how he felt under Nyx's power.]

[Really, did Ryoji honestly think he'd get very far?

Even if he had managed to get away from them, it would only be a temporary reprieve. Sephiroth enjoyed the thrill of a complete victory, with all the lead-up involving stripping away all the things that the other person held dear to them first. It's not like there has even been a reason for him to resort to such a pastime in the Tower, but he might have had reason to unleash that fury on Ryoji should he have gotten away and spilled despite their very clear warnings. Sephiroth doesn't suffer such treachery, having been burned by it too many times before.

But it seemed Ganon wasn't finished with the boy to let him go just yet. And as Naoya closed in on the boy Sephiroth resorted to spectating from a distance, though not so far away, glancing at Nesir occasionally - appreciating her impressive self-control over the obvious pain she had to be in after the lightning attack. He didn't need to get involved at this point, Ganondorfs' angry display having been a reminder of exactly how he didn't need to let his anger show. Putting all cards on the table like that in front all this company -

- whom he hasn't fully decided to align himself with yet, either. Sure, it's beneficial to his goals for them to go information gathering downstairs but he wouldn't be asking permission from the troll king, to do things, to say things anytime soon. Like the way Naoya did.]

[ When Naoya spoke, Ganondorf raised a hand in a move to tell him to wait-- Naoya would do whatever psychological game he wanted on the boy, he didn't care, but he first had to make sure the boy would get his message. As much as he trusted Naoya to hack into machines, he had no insurances he could do as well with people's mind and implanting lasting fear into them. ]

Save people? There is a reasons this operation was to remain a secret! Yes, yes if we are to be successful we will de facto save countless lives.

[ By killing Ruana at least, no more universes should be destroyed if his theory was correct. Now whether Ganondorf really cared or not about this, was a secret to everybody. But at least that made for a convenient excuse and a good cover to justify everything he was doing. ]

But methods like this never accomplish anything-- No, this is not how we proceed and this is not how you will proceed. [He paused, seemingly looking now calmed down, more like his usual self] Hence boy, you will never again speak of this to anyone but us, or else...

[ Ganondorf nonchalantly looked to Tohko's remains before looking at the terminal which Ryoji used to talk to people earlier, maybe friends amongst them? No matter, as subtle as it was the implication was obvious. ]

[Fine. He can wait. Let Ganondorf do his speeches. He'll do more of the dirty work later.]

There's a policy of being on a 'need to know' basis. The rest of the tower doesn't need to know yet. They will, in time. But until we can get things in place, they don't.

People can... no be trusted to no be doing stupid things with knowledge... [It was a struggle to keep her voice and breathing steady and so she gave up on speaking and concentrated on staying upright.]

[He remains silent except for a few small, choked noises. He hates hearing the anger, he hates being called 'boy' (he doesn't know why it terrifies him, so much more than if he was just called by his name), he especially hates being told he can't trust anyone. He was trying to help the people here, and a good deal of them were trustworthy. The ones that weren't were standing right in front of him.

But he couldn't say anything like that. If he did, then that would mean rebelling, mean doing wrong, and then he'd be punished. He has to do what they say, and he's so terrified of stepping out of line that he just remains silent while being lectured, because Ganondorf said he must never speak about this, and it's taken so seriously that he decides to just not speak. He'll stay quiet and still until someone tells him to speak or move. He can't even trust himself to breathe out of line, for fear of him causing pain for the people he cares about.]

[Sephiroth isn't sure that Ganondorf's approach is working with Ryoji. Fear is a great control provided it's applied in the correct measures but lecturing can have quite the opposite effect if pushed too far. There was a sign in the way that Ryoji has gone quiet, he thought, so like the child caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Though personally, Sephiroth doesn't know enough about Ryoji to be able to conjure any workable threat, any sensitive button. This clearly has to change.

There can be as much fear applied in silence as there can be with words. Perhaps it might be in his best interest to turn the tables, to put actually some effort into knowing the boys habits, into learning his dreams. A situation like this cannot afford to be allowed to happen again.

Quickly, in the hanging silence though, he becomes impatient with the boy and steps forward to ask the question. Though by now he's clearly already resolved to make a point of keeping an eye on the boy, personally.]

Well? Do you understand?

...

[ Ganondorf said no more word. What Sephiroth had asked was the only thing he needed to know at the moment, so he would wait for Ryoji's answer. And probably have his shadow follow him everywhere throughout the tower. ]

[video] Fourth Remembrance

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