OPEN POST: THE ANNIVERSARY

[gentleidealist]

THE ANNIVERSARY

[It's been exactly two years since Mithos took over Paradisa. That's two years of delightful massacres, scaring people into the Dead Zone, and manipulating former friends with the ageless face of a Kharlan hero. Two years of your character struggling to hold onto life as they know it while under the shadow of a fearsome ruler from another world. Two years of scraping to get by, cowering in the Dead Zone, waiting for a chance to go home or a death that Paradisa can't-- won't-- give.

There is nothing planned for today, though there are a few whimsical sort of changes that Mithos called for. The angels are on security detail as usual, policing the grounds; however, Mithos and his closest subordinates may be stepping outside. There is a grand feast set up in the ballroom... but angels don't eat, so it's really just for show. The place has the air of a graveyard party where even the dead decide not to attend.

There is an undercurrent of anxiety tonight, a breath held in anticipation. Something is about to happen, and even the insects are quiet.]

CASTLE GROUNDS
INSIDE THE WALLS
THRONE ROOM
BASEMENT
THE OUTSKIRTS
TOWN
DANY'S CAVE
DEAD ZONE SETTLEMENT
THE FOREST

[ooc: HUGE OPEN MINGLING POST for characters who either reside in the castle as angelic little zombies, or people who are returning for whatever reason. Please don't threadjack something without notifying the muns in advance!

You are free to make your own sections if you'd like and I'll add them to this post :)]

Comments

[wilder]

[Zelos freezes when he hears that voice. No, that was a lie- he was frozen the moment he caught the sound of Lloyd, the smell. He doesn't even have to look at him to know it's him. Lloyd could've tried to hide himself all he wanted, but he'd still know him. ]

[ No matter how much the guy's changed. ]

[But he composes himself. His back is still towards Lloyd, but he'll put his hand on his hip and look off in the other direction. While anyone else would be preparing to defend themselves? Zelos is leaving himself wide open. ]

....Heh. Been awhile since I've heard that voice.

[gentleidealist]

[Lloyd sees this, and it makes him feel... uneasy, somehow. It'd be easier if Zelos attacked him, to be honest. It'd be a lot easier if people just hated him. And yet...

He unties the bag from his belt. It's at least moderately heavy, and it makes an unfortunate 'thud' when he tosses it between them.]

I'm done. With all of it. I want--

[His hands tremble as he balls them into fists. He's finally starting to let himself feel again and it's wrecking him.]

-- I want to help.

[wilder]

[The truth was, Zelos could never hate Lloyd. He hated Mithos, he hated Paradisa, he hated himself possibly the most of all- but never Lloyd. No matter what the guy did, no matter how many people cursed his names- Zelos knew he could never hate Lloyd.]

[The only thing he felt was fear and sadness that the guy might have lost his way. And immense guilt that he was one of the things that caused all that.]

[At the sound of the thud, he'll pause. If it was anyone else, he'd suspect a trap. But he doesn't feel that there. And yet...]

What changed your mind?

[gentleidealist]

[He bows his head, messy hair doing whatever the hell it wants. Angels of Cruxis don't get haircuts, you know.]

I saw someone. [It wasn't the first time he'd discovered an old friend, but...] I could have killed him, but he still stood up. I could feel it... I could feel his heartbeat, like it was in my hands. It made me sick.

[A delicate pause.]

I joined Mithos because I wanted the fighting to stop. So that his loneliness wouldn't poison the whole world. ... I haven't accomplished anything.

1/2

[wilder]

[Yeah tell that to his short hair.]

[It really doesn't take much to guess who that someone was. Genis. Guess that little squirt really did manage to pull something off...Zelos wonder if the kid knew. ]

2/3

[wilder]

[But he listens to the words, and....he can't help but feel a twinge of familiar irritation]

...You're always so stupid when you try to fix everything yourself, you know that?

You always get all bent out of shape. And you think too much about stuff you're not good at thinking about. Then you go make some stupid choice that doesn't work, and get all mad at yourself afterwards.

You just don't work good alone.

3/3

[wilder]

Then again...

[He'll finally brave it enough to turn and look directly at his friend. He's never worn his emotions on his sleeve, it's not his style. But even so, it's clear guilt is written all over it]

It's not like we gave you much choice.

I'm sorry, Bud.

1/2

[gentleidealist]

[He's expecting anything but an apology. It's been forever since he just let go. Probably the better part of two years. The admonishments-- coming from Zelos, of all people-- hurt, but he understands. He's not sure he believes it, that he's even partially innocent in all this, but he understands it.

Yet the apology? That's what eats at him, finally.]

[gentleidealist]

[God, he just wants his friends back. He sucks in a breath through his teeth and looks away sharply. All of a sudden he wants to rip everything to shreds, like tearing his skin off might help shed some of the sin he's accumulated. But that's not how it works.]

Yeah, [he says through a dry and especially rough throat.] I'm no good at being alone. I want to be with everyone. I want to make things right.

That's why I brought all this. [He gestures to the sack.] There's enough inhibitor ore in there to make Key Crests for the residents under Mithos' control. The rest... we'll have to deal with later.

[wilder]

[Part of him doesn't quite understand Lloyd's surprise at his apology. Then again, Zelos never understood why Lloyd never got how much he was a screw up with everything. This was no different, if only he had been more careful...maybe things would've turned out so differently]

[But now's not that time for that. Instead he just holds out his hand for his friend to take. ]

So what are we waiting for? Let's get outta here.

[Preferably before a patrol catches them. There is stuff Zelos would like to say to him, two years worth of stuff, but it can wait. ]

[gentleidealist]

[Lloyd stares for a minute, looking for all the world like Zelos just grew a fifth limb. But this gesture all he needs. If Zelos can accept him, then maybe someone else can, too.

He smiles something painful-- and takes his friend's hand.]

All right.

[wilder]

[Zelos knew it wouldn't be this easy for Lloyd when it came to everyone else. Even if there were people around who knew what Lloyd used to be like, there's been so much that happened. The road for Lloyd will be tough, understandably so. If it was anyone else, Zelos would right along with the skeptics. Even now there was a small inkling in the back of his mind that this could be some sort of trap. He's got no doubt people will think him mad for accepting him so readily. ]

[But hey, his one pathetic value is that he's Lloyd's friend, right? If he couldn't be Lloyd's friend, or show trust in him when he needed it - then what good was he?]

[He'll return his smile. It's a phantom of his old smiles, then again unlike those it's genuine.]

Cool, I'll show you the way.

[He reaches down to pick up that bag of inhibitor ore with his free hand and then starts to lead Lloyd away before the guy can change his mind. He may have forgotten about the supplies he had come here to get, but what does it matter? He's got Lloyd, that's the real reason he kept coming to this city anyway]

[gentleidealist]

[... Oh. They are definitely holding hands. This is different. But honestly, he doesn't know where he's going and he's afraid he might mess something up if he isn't led so obviously.

He hears a familiar fluttering, but it's so far away that it's more likely they haven't been noticed. His free hand moves to one of his swords just in case.]

[wilder]

[Yeah no rule number #23 of emoing shonens: drag them around and do not assume they can follow themselves because they are dumber than the escort quest NPCs. ]

[He'll pause, picking up the same sounds]

Something up?

[gentleidealist]

[It's true.]

A patrol. [He keeps his voice quiet and low.] Three angels. If we take a left up here, we should avoid running into them.

[wilder]

Great...

[So much for hoping that they'd all be at the "banquet". But he'll follow Lloyd's instructions and take a left, while trying to make sure to make as little sound as possible. ]

[gentleidealist]

[Lloyd keeps a careful eye (and ear) on their surroundings. The other patrol in the town is leaving in the other direction. So if they avoid this one group, they should be fine.

He doesn't want to hack his way to freedom. These are townspeople and residents. People he used to know.

He can't... can't do that.]

[wilder]

[Zelos tries to keep his ears and eyes open too, yet his free hand is definitely near his weapon. He'd rather avoid killing people he used to know...but he's willing if he must.]

[He has first hand experiencing telling him that being dead is a better fate than that. He always had a colder heart than Lloyd anyway.]

[But it seems to be their lucky day, and the patrol continues on their way without detection. Zelos comes upon one of the houses on the edge of the city he knows is used by the Resistance, letting go of Lloyd's hand to open the door. ]

There's a tunnel in the cellar, it'll take us well into the forest.

[gentleidealist]

[Lloyd is still a damn bleeding heart after all this time. And no one is surprised.

He glances up and down the street to make sure they aren't being followed, and then he steps inside.]

All right. When we get there, I'll give you all my equipment. That way, they know I'm not here to hurt anyone.

[He'll sit in chains if he has to.]

[wilder]

[He'll shut the door quietly once Lloyd's in, before looking over at him a bit surprised]

Alright...but you sure? There's a lot more in the forest than angels these days.

[gentleidealist]

I can fight right up until we hit a settlement. Or you can guard me the whole way. [He looks at Zelos.] I don't care. I just don't want to frighten anyone.

[Isn't that cute? He thinks he's scary.]

[wilder]

[It would be cute, that Lloyd Irving thinks that he's scary. Zelos could never think so...then again, he knows a lot of people would find him so after everything.]

Then you should think about getting a haircut. You're looking so much like your old man it's creeping me out.

But fine. Once we find Yuan I'll take your weapons.

[Like hell is he handing him over to just any Resistance member.]

[gentleidealist]

[That gets him to laugh. It sounds dry, like he's not used to doing it.]

Sorry. I didn't know.

[Maybe on a different day, in a different time, he might've taken that as a compliment. But now it's just... sad.]

Thanks... for all of this.

[wilder]

[That's...a pretty sad excuse for a laugh. Then again...at least the guy can laugh at all, that's gotta be something right?]

It's okay, I'll let it go just this once.

[But he'll pause at the thank you, looking at him]

What's that for? We're friends, aren't we?

[gentleidealist]

[There is something deeply sad in the look he gives Zelos. Like he's about to cry. He doesn't, but just how fucking long has he been repressing himself? And he's still trying to get free of all that nasty brainwashing. There's holes in his thinking, he knows it, but he can't spot them all alone.]

Sounds like something I'd say.

[There was probably a time or five when he did. How things change.]

But you're right. Even with all the trouble we've gotten into, I don't really regret it.