animus_network | 3. Knowledge [Video]

[[OOC: This is backdated to the 16th, after the Nyx Avatar battle. I meant to make this post earlier, but so it goes. Better late than never!]]

The video opens up on Jade Curtiss, picking up and slipping on his glasses, then looking at the camera while smiling his usual unconcerned smile and wearing his usual military uniform.

"Forgive me my abruptness, but I'd like to conduct a little survey," he says pleasantly. "My name is Jade Curtiss, and I had the fascinating experience of my first death yesterday--at, apparently, the hands of Death itself, no less. When I awoke this morning, I couldn't help but wonder, what sorts of deaths have you all experienced thus far? If you wouldn't mind indulging my curiosity, please leave a response in whatever format you prefer with as much detail as you feel comfortable with giving.

"Please be aware that I will likely ask follow-up questions. This is, of course, completely optional. For those of you who do participate, thank you in advance for your cooperation."

He nods his head politely, then reaches forward for something off-screen. The video cuts there. ...Morbid much?

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[That young man. He bears a passing similarity to... Jade frowns.]

You wouldn't happen to be Ryoji Mochizuki, would you? Whether you are or not, I would appreciate a full explanation, and I don't mind meeting somewhere in person to get it. Is there a floor you would prefer?

[Ryoji seems a little surprised that Jade already knows his name, but he tries not to question it. Maybe someone mentioned it during that battle, in that period of time when he was transforming and he could only focus on the pain.]

Yes, that's me. I don't mind wherever you'd like to meet. Where are you now?

[Jade, being observant, notes that mild surprise.]

Yukiko mentioned the name to me--not long before you made this response, actually, so it was well-timed.

I'm in the third-floor library. I'll meet you in the meadow on floor twenty-five, assuming you have no objections.

[[OOC: Which I understand does not in fact always spring weather, so I'll ping staff to ask what it's like right now. I'm going to bed now though so I'll tag you back when I can; my tags kind of exploded, haha.]]

[Yukiko... he should have known. Of course she'd want to clarify that the monster who killed Jade wasn't a monster at all, in her opinion. He's still working on believing that himself.]

No objections. I'll be waiting there.

[And he ends his feed, trying to get the courage up to make it to the meadow floor. He hesitates occasionally, and so likely ends up making Jade wait instead of waiting himself.]

[With the power out, the usually-sunny meadow on floor 25 is as cold as the rest of the Tower is right now. Fortunately for Jade, who was born and raised in a perpetually snowy part of his home country, he isn't bothered by the cold. Even the way he keeps his hands in his pockets is pretty much par for the course for him. When he arrives, he scans the area for anyone else, but he neither sees anyone nor senses their presence. Well, he came here for answers, so he can afford to wait...]

[Ryoji, despite his non-human nature, isn’t so immune to the cold, and despite arriving in his scarf, is shivering slightly. He hurries through the meadow, hoping the light jog will bring him a little warmth, and eventually makes it to Jade. He slows down a bit before arriving, suddenly realizing too late that he’s going to be stuck in this uncomfortable situation for a while…]

Um… hey. I’m here.

[Yes, that much is obvious.]

[Jade stands in the meadow, hands in his pocket, seemingly unconcerned by the wintry landscape. As Ryoji arrives, he tilts his head to regard him, then turns to face him. He is not smiling.]

So I see.

[Jade adjusts his glasses.]

Before we begin, I should tell you that Yukiko asked me to go easy on you. Do you want the same?

Oh… I-I see.

[Yukiko… she meant well, certainly, but Ryoji wasn’t about to do something as selfish as asking for reprieve. He knows Jade has questions, and if he’s going easy on Ryoji, he may not get all of his answers. Ryoji doesn’t want to leave him confused, so he shakes his head, smiling weakly.]

I’ll be fine without you going easy on me. I’m not afraid to answer whatever questions I can answer, but do understand that some things are beyond me.

[Jade adjusts his glasses.]

That's good to hear, because I had no intentions of doing so. It's much easier to deal with someone willing to accept the consequences of their actions, whether they had been manipulated into it or not.

[He lowers his hand and gives Ryoji a direct, piercing look. He doesn't react to Ryoji's caveat, but he will take it into account.]

Now, what exactly was that entity you became?

[Ryoji swallows down his nerves and nods slowly. He knows he is to blame for what happened. Jade saying that may have hurt slightly, but only because he had been listening to his friends’ opinions for so long. He forgot he was responsible… that was very foolish of him.]

I became the Avatar for a being known as Nyx. She is a being of darkness, powerful enough to be seen as a goddess in some way, but ultimately influenced by human emotion and desire. As the Harbinger, I bring about what she believes all humans desire… the end of everything.

[It's good to have friends to reassure you that you're not the worst forever and to stand by you when you at the heart of something terrible like this--but it's not good to be told that you aren't responsible for any of it, either. It's fine if Ryoji's uncomfortable, so long as he doesn't run away.

Jade thus listens without interrupting at the young man's explanation. His expression, while still stern, turns a bit more thoughtful by the end.]

The Thanatos principle, hm.

Please go on.

[He isn’t about to run away at all. He knows how important it is that he explain what happened, to the best of his ability. It’s a little difficult when he barely knows Jade… he doesn’t want to go into all of the details, since it involves personal information about another person here and he doesn’t want to get into emotional aspects that make him seem like he’s trying to gain sympathy.]

I am a very small part of her, a piece of darkness that was fused with other pieces to trap Death in a physical form. I was eventually sealed inside a young child, and that allowed me to gain a personality and human side that lets me now appear as a regular person to you… That doesn’t change the fact, however, that I am part of Nyx, and that she still has control of me. When the despair and hopelessness of a world’s inhabitants become too much, I lose control to her. I’ve usually been fine here, but Ganondorf concentrated the negative feelings into a few of my close friends, and being around them pushed me to that point.

3. Knowledge [Video]

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