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video; un: colette

-- there? I think that's it! Um. I'm Colette! For those that are newer and I haven't met yet. I just wanted to say thank you to everyone that have helped me so far!

[Colette by now has had a little more practice at least. Enough that it....is actually properly showing her this time and not a ridiculous number of dogs. She focuses the camera onto her, sitting on her bed at the inn with a notebook at her lap. In it is a picture of a huge tree, and two figures.]

I have only been here a few weeks. So a lot I'm still adjusting to, but. We have such an opportunity here! To share our knowledge and everything. Stories and celebrations and all sorts, from so many different places. I guess the main one I remember from home were about the Goddess Martel and Mithos the Hero.

"Once upon a time, there existed a giant tree that was the source of mana. A war, however, caused this tree to wither away, and a hero's life was sacrificed in order to take its place. Grieving over the loss, the goddess disappeared unto the heavens. The goddess left the angels with this edict: ‘You must wake me, for if I should sleep, the world shall be destroyed.’ The angels bore the Chosen One, who headed towards the tower that reached up unto the heavens. And that marked the beginning of the regeneration of the world."

[She focuses the phone more at the notebook for a moment. Giving everyone a better view of her attempt to recreate the story she recalls so well. So vividly from her classes, from her time at the Church back home.]

I guess, that's why it's so amazing to me, here. Sylvarant was in decline. The crops dying. The people suffering. Here, I figured I can make things grow! Well, and the light? But that's something I guess I wish I'd been able to do to help, back home. I know I did what I could to help, as the Chosen, but still. For all that it's a lot to adjust to, especially with being able to eat, feel and sleep and talk again, and not having my wings, this place really is amazing. Obviously I'm still new with these new abilities. I'm still learning, practicing and figuring them and this place out. But I'm sure I'll get there! I just need to work at it more!

[And she is getting a little sidetracked from her initial intent here. Just a tad. She shakes her head, before tilting it some, a small smile at her lips even as she seems rather curious and excited after raising her hand to one of the little pot plants in the room and just barely noticeably makes the plant grow a tiny bit in demonstration if one really pays attention.]

But what about everyone else? What about the stories from your homes? How are you all adjusting here?

[A whine can be heard, and she glances to the side, murmuring something about feeding her familiar soon, as then an oversized.....white and green dog....? appears in the screen's view and licks at Colette's cheek, causing her to giggle as she reaches to stop the feed.]

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You think so? Hee, thanks Kratos!

[She giggles and smiles, though it can't be seen, he can probably picture it anyway. Given how much time he spent with her back home to get to know her and her reactions, her personality. He knows her best from everyone here at least.]

I'm going to do my best! To get better with it. It might take a while to practice it though.

[He can definitely picture her expression right now. He'd gotten to know her well enough back home that he could pretty accurately predict some of her reactions, at least.]

Of course. Let me know if there's any way I can help.

[And he means it, if there's any advice he can give or guidance he can offer, he's happy to help. He lets that linger in the air for a moment, but decides that it's probably time to get down to business. He's still not entirely sure how to approach this topic, soooo he's just going to handle this like he handles most things and play it by ear.]

Colette, about the story you told... There's something that you and I should discuss.

Ah, have you figured your abilities here yet? I'm sure yours will be more impressive than mine.

[Given Kratos's ability to handle fighting and healing back home and all. She wouldn't be surprised if he had different abilities given his differing personality and fighting style in comparison to hers. But perhaps they could still train together at least. To practice.

She pauses in asking that though when he says there's something to discuss.]

Hm? About Mithos the Hero? What about that story? It's one we learned from school and the Church....

Some of my magic is elemental, something I'm used to from back home. There's... something else I haven't quite figured out yet.

[Technomancy, but he hasn't realized that that's what it is, yet. He thinks he keeps shorting his microwave out by accidentally zapping it with his elemental magic, oops.]

Are you in your room right now? It might be best to speak in person.

Elemental? Ah, so sort of like what Genis could do then. Something else? Maybe we can practice and you can figure it, at the training space? But yes! I'm just in my room.

[She doesn't bother specifying a number. He already knows, by now, in having helped keep an eye on her and all, and with her taking him there when he first showed up to talk some back then too.]

Sounds good to me. Before I can practice it though, I'll have to figure out what exactly it is first. Something to worry about another time, I'm on my way over.

[Yeah, he's probably been by her room at least once or twice a day just to check in. It doesn't take him long to reach her room, knocking gently on the door when he arrives.]

Ah -- okay!

[It doesn't take long. She's quick enough to answer when he knocks on the door, expecting him and all as she was. Colette welcomes him in, gesturing for him to take a seat if he wants while they talk. Taking whichever he doesn't choose of her chair or the bed.]

Um. You wanted to talk about Mithos the Hero?

[He takes the chair, nodding in response to her question but not elaborating any further just yet. Maybe he should have taken a minute to put his thoughts in order before coming over. It's fine, he's totally got this.]

..."Once upon a time, there existed a giant tree that was the source of mana. A war, however, caused this tree to wither away." This is true. Two warring countries depleted the Great Tree's mana through the use of Magitechnology. Mithos and his three companions put an end to the Ancient Kharlan War, and it's here where the legends begin to stray from the truth.

But that's just the start of the story? What else did they get wrong? I suppose it makes sense, for things to be changed or lost over time. That all happened so long ago now....

[Colette muses, a hand to her mouth as she considers what he has said already, taking a seat at her bed, her legs staying to the ground in her stockings. Where else had it gone wrong? Kratos was only telling her now? After all this time they'd been traveling together? With her evidently believing it the whole time?]

It's not a matter of getting things wrong. The history of the world as you know it is almost entirely fabricated.

[The whole world is lies, isn't that nice. He pauses for a moment to let that sink in before elaborating.]

Mithos and his companions did put an end to the great war, as I said. After the Great Tree withered, it left behind a seed, but this seed's mana was not enough to support the world. A massive amount of mana would be needed to revive the Great Tree, but the source of that mana, a comet called Derris Kharlan, wouldn't come close enough to the planet in order to supply that mana for several more decades. Mithos split the world in two as a means to conserve what little mana was produced by the seed. These worlds were named Tethe'alla and Sylvarant, after the two countries who had caused the war.

Before Derris Kharlan came close enough to supply the Great Seed with mana, a group of humans seeking to monopolize what little mana the seed produced attempted to take possession of it. During the conflict, one of Mithos' companions was killed; his sister, Martel.

A lie? But....? Oh. I guess that makes sense then? With Sheena being from there and us not realizing about Tethe'alla until we met her. That's why both worlds don't have enough Mana without the other suffering.

[That much makes sense at least? In hindsight in her having met Sheena and all at least. But....then he continues. Martel.]

His sister?

[She still isn't necessarily grasping the implications. What that has to do with the lie about the Chosen system. About the real motivation behind the Chosen's Journey. But even this was amazing. That Mithos and Martel really existed back then.]

How do you know all this? Professor and the Church didn't go into all this.

The world was structured that way deliberately, as a means of conserving mana until the Great Seed could germinate. It was not a structure that was meant to last for as long as it did.

[He nods, pausing again while trying to decide what more he should tell her. More accurately, how he should tell her. He wants to lay it out gently, but not so much so that he glosses over important information.]

Mithos and Martel, as well as one of their companions, were half-elves. One was human, but in time, they discovered how to become angels. Martel was never a goddess though, but she was a kind hearted person who wanted to see a world free of discrimination. In her final moments, she told Mithos as much. In his grief, he not only misinterpreted her final wish, but doomed the world to remain in it's split state for centuries. Desperate to save his sister, he diverted the mana from Derris Kharlan to Martel, rather than the Great Seed, and her lifeforce became entangled with it. Martel's soul lingered within her Cruxis Crystal, but her body was no longer able to support her life.

In short, the Journey of Regeneration isn't really about regenerating the world. It's about finding a new body for Martel. The purpose of the journey itself is to strengthen the Chosen's bond with their Cruxis Crystal, as well as strip away their humanity in preparation for presenting it as a vessel for Martel.

[And now he hesitates. Which is stupid, he knows.]

...I know because I was there. Prior to my arrival here I was an angel, a companion of Mithos' during the Ancient War.

So it was only supposed to be temporary. Only, it took longer than he thought? For the Great Seed.....

[It's a lot. A lot to take in. The Martel the Churches taught her about, the Journey was all a lie. Of course she takes a bit. For it all to sink in. For her to really understand the implications and all. As the Chosen, she was to be Martel's vessel?]

So I was....just supposed to succeed in the Journey for Martel? So she could use my body? None of the other Chosen, they didn't....it didn't work?

[For some reason? She isn't sure exactly on how it works, now. Why she was Chosen for this. She isn't sure she wants to start questioning everything in her life like this. Isn't sure what was true or not out of everything she was taught. Everything she believed in.]

You were? But how -- you're....you too? You're an Angel?

Your mana signature was the closest match to Martel's that we'd ever seen. Before you, no other Chosen had been compatible.

[Of course, every other Chosen before her had been incompatible, which means they were super dead now. Until now Kratos had been doing a good job of keeping any outward manifestations of his emotions in check, but it's kind of hard not to look a bit miserable when you're thinking about all the lives you had a hand in ending. He'll try not to dwell on it right now, doing his best to school his expression into something more neutral.]

Yes. Obviously, I was never a mercenary. I was sent to ensure your safety and success on your journey, but... well, in the end it didn't go as planned, and that's for the best. I'm sorry for deceiving you.

Mine was?

[She isn't sure if that's something to be pleased or upset over, considering everything. Considering all that occurred, all she went through because of that. Something out of her control. But then. Very little of Colette's life was under her control, really. Colette listens as he explains, as he apologizes. She probably should be more angry. Furious at the lies. It's taking time to all sink in. But while Kratos might be at fault to some extent, he was far from the only one that had lied to her. She shakes her head.]

N-no. I mean. It isn't like you're the only one. With all this, pretty much everyone lied to me, to each other.

[He nods slowly in response to her question, part of him perhaps wishing that she was angry with him. He knows what to do with anger. But here was Colette, just rolling with the fact that she'd been lied to so much and acting like it wasn't a big deal. He's not necessarily surprised, he's known Colette long enough to know what kind of person she is, but it kind of bothers him that she's so willing to just accept the lies and deceit as just another part of her life.]

I suppose a lot of us were dishonest to some degree.

[Including Colette, the way she always insisted that she was okay so that nobody else would worry.]

That doesn't make it acceptable, though. I accompanied you knowing full well exactly what fate awaited you. Everyone else was just trusting in what they were taught by the church, yourself included. I'm the only one that is to blame.

I mean. It had been so long. Probably the Church and most everyone else don't know the truth. At least. Not all of it.

[At least on Lloyd's part. He and Genis went with her on her Journey oblivious to what to expect in what would happen to her. But he isn't exactly wrong. In that Colette herself lies too. Just generally on reassurances that she was fine, really! That she doesn't want to upset or worry everyone, is all. This was a lot, but she's. Trying to take it in stride and not just completely break down in front of him. Even if Kratos of all people would well understand, would best understand how huge this is for her.]

But you -- well. I guess that's true....but. You miss her. Right? That's why even after all this time, you were still wanting to try help me on my Journey.

[.....Trust Colette, the girl who became bffs with the ninja sent to kill her to try empathize with the not!mercenary sent to lead her to her death. Of course she is. Even if she's oblivious that Mithos himself is still around and all.]

The Church was not privy to the true intentions of Cruxis, no.

[Sweet, simple Lloyd. He probably couldn't tell a lie if his life depended on it. Everyone else is probably going to Hell. At least a little bit.

Kratos sighs, not quite irritated, but still kind of... bothered, in a way, that Colette was so willing to take this in stride. Not that he's surprised at all, this is just how Colette is. He knows this, but he doesn't believe that he deserves this kindness, this level of understanding from someone that he'd betrayed.

He's silent for a moment, taking time to stand up and cross the room to the window. Should he just agree that that was the reason, or should he stop fucking lying about everything?]

...That wasn't the reason. At least, it wasn't a very big part of it. The truth is, at that point in time, I no longer had the capacity to care. When I took on the task of being your escort, I was at a very low point in my life. Mithos had promised to reunite the worlds after you became Martel's vessel, and I simply wanted it all to be over. At the time, I thought that would be good enough.

I guess that makes sense. Though, perhaps even if they were aware, they might not have told me that part.

[They wanted her to go through with it and all. So maybe if they had known they would still have neglected to mention that part. About her becoming a new vessel for Martel. She isn't sure if they would have told at least Colette herself or not. Maybe it doesn't matter. Whether they would have or not. Whether she herself would have still gone ahead with it in figuring still going on her Journey or not. But it's still a lot to take in. Her gaze follows him as he goes to the window.]

It wasn't? Oh....I guess, it's been long enough. If he had his sister back....if he was still around. Waiting. That's a long time.

Probably not, if we'd instructed them not to.

[Then again, there were always going to be people who would look at a situation like that and decide to go all righteous about it. The less people know, the easier they are to manipulate.

He glances thoughtfully back towards Colette for a moment before turning his gaze to the window again.]

A very long time. In that time, we caused countless people to suffer. No matter what our reasons were, there is no excuse for the sins we committed.

[He feels like he needs to drive that point home, just because this is Colette and she's too nice and tries to be understanding of literally everybody she comes across. Sometimes it's okay to just be disgusted with people, Colette

I'm not saying it isn't that others suffered. The previous Chosen, everyone dealing the declining Mana supply....I can't deny all that. I'm not excusing what you did. Not just with me but everyone else. But....whatever I say, however I feel, won't change what already happened.

[All they could do was focus on the future. How to move on from it now. Or, at least, on her end, once she figures all this back home. Still, Colette is reeling with it all. This was a lot and perhaps she is still kind of taking it all in yet. That it will probably all really hit later once she has more time to let it sink in properly.]

[He's a bit relieved to hear her say that. Good, she shouldn't excuse what he did. He sure as hell isn't excusing himself for it. But, she also has a point. No matter what they do or say now, it's not going to change the past.]

I suppose you're right.

[Well, he's probably blown the poor kid's mind enough for one day, right? Not sure what else he can say, if he even should say anything else, he turns away from the window to face Colette.]

I'm sorry to burden you with this all at once, but you deserve to know the truth. If you have any more questions, I would be happy to answer them. Otherwise, I'll take my leave. I'm sure this has been exhausting.

Ah, I guess. I mean. Maybe I'll just. Take some time. If I have questions I can message you and we can meet again.

[She gives a nod to the idea of leaving things there as she takes time to get her head around it all. Colette figures that seems best. If she has questions she could always later message him once she figures letting it all sink in. It is a lot. So she agrees.]

Understood.

[As much as he hates to just dump all this on her and then peace out, he can't think of a better way to handle this situation no matter how hard he thinks about it. Giving her some space is probably the best thing he can do right now. So, he crosses the room to the door and pulls it open, giving her a polite nod as he steps out.]

I'll be available whenever you should want to speak with me.

[In other words, he'll drop whatever he's doing for her. It's the least he can do.

With that, he leaves, gently closing the door behind himself.]

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