[Voice]

[dragoon-rising.livejournal.com]

[Vague apology is going to be vague, but that's how Kain does these things. He'll leave it public partially as an act of penance, partially because he's still readjusting to these devices and their filters. He isn't even sure that all of these people are here- he's been gone from Gaia for only a couple weeks, but to him it feels much, much longer. Don't worry Zidane, when he realizes you're not here, he'll bother you when you arrive.]

Cecil. Squall. Onion Knight. Bartz. Firion. Zidane. I apologize to all of you, especially.

I should also extend that apology to the other warriors of Cosmos as well.

I'm... sorry.

[He's still recovering, but he can't finish this without offering:]

...and if anyone has need for another fighter, I can be there at once.

Comments

[Voice]

[dewdrop-pebbles.livejournal.com]

[She perks up instantly.]

Kain! You have returned?!?

Lindblum is in dire need.

[And she'd like to see him.]

[Voice]

[dragoon-rising.livejournal.com]

[Don't believe him, he's getting over two back-to-back battles of doom here. Not that he'll share that directly though.]

Yes, I returned a few days ago, to find the world overrun by monsters.

[Voice]

[dewdrop-pebbles.livejournal.com]

Aye. It was the Lunar Cry, provoked by Lufene.

[Pause.]

In the midst of that chaos, I encountered an odd sight.

[Voice]

[dragoon-rising.livejournal.com]

I've heard. [Slight pause.] What odd sight was that?

[Voice]

[dewdrop-pebbles.livejournal.com]

A being which resembled you in every detail, save that it was crystalline in nature. It even attacked as you do....

[Voice]

[dragoon-rising.livejournal.com]

[There's a shocked gasp, and then a pained one, as Kain is startled entirely by that revelation.]

...no, manikins... not here... the situation is entirely more dire than I feared. Where is my-

[He gets up, though he's entirely not up to it, but moving like a madman to seek his equipment.]

-beware! Death at their hands is permanent.

[Sort of.]

[Voice]

[dewdrop-pebbles.livejournal.com]

...truly? Can you explain further about these manikins? Why do they resemble you, and others?

[Voice]

[dragoon-rising.livejournal.com]

They're from a place I just returned from... they resemble those of us who were there...

[He's glad this is voice, as he's going to just... go slump against a wall for a few.]

They're nothing but mindless, worthless puppets, who know only to kill. The pathetic things would be best off obliterated.

[Voice]

[dewdrop-pebbles.livejournal.com]

You did not return to your world? You recall you previous location, then, and what occurred within?

[Holding off further manikin discussion for just a moment. Memroies and what happens to the people who disappear from Gaia yet do not return home is of personal interest to her.]

[Voice]

[dragoon-rising.livejournal.com]

Yes. I was sent to fight in an endless war between rival gods.

[At least she's likely to believe him and not be confused, having no involvement...]

[Voice]

[dewdrop-pebbles.livejournal.com]

This must be the war of which I have heard mention over the sky phone. I know not the details, though I had thought it long past.

[Voice]

[dragoon-rising.livejournal.com]

I only just returned from it, but... it's complicated to explain.

[Voice]

[dewdrop-pebbles.livejournal.com]

Still, I would hear this tale when you wish to share it. I understand if other matters take priority.

[Voice]

[dragoon-rising.livejournal.com]

Well... once I've... remembered how to filter on this device...

[Voice]

[dewdrop-pebbles.livejournal.com]

It is not difficult. There is a button your press; it ought be on the upper left-hand side....

[Voice/Filtered]

[dragoon-rising.livejournal.com]

[There are a bunch of beeping and other noises before eventually Kain sounds triumphant about getting it.]

...Right. That's better.

This conflict was fought between two gods, Chaos and Cosmos. Both had summoned a number of warriors to fight for their side. I was summoned by Cosmos.

[Voice/Filtered]

[dewdrop-pebbles.livejournal.com]

But if you were summoned by Cosmos, then why are you apologizing to her warriors?

[Voice/Filtered]

[dragoon-rising.livejournal.com]

That's... the complicated part.

It involves the manikins.

[Voice/Filtered]

[dewdrop-pebbles.livejournal.com]

The manikins...you said death at their hands is permanent.

[Voice/Filtered]

[dragoon-rising.livejournal.com]

That's right. And someone on Chaos' side had unleashed them upon us in the cycle of the war I just came from. There was a rift from which endless hordes of the atrocious things emerged... Our situation had grown desperate.

[Voice/Filtered]

[dewdrop-pebbles.livejournal.com]

What did you do?

[Voice/Filtered]

[dragoon-rising.livejournal.com]

Keep in mind that the cycles of battle were endless and that between each cycle, our memories were purged. No one knew the truth of what would happen... that even if we fought and fell to one another, we would just be brought back to fight again in the next cycle.

...but a warrior of Chaos told me about all of that. About the truth of our situation. If we fell to the manikins, it would mean death and oblivion, but if we fell to other warriors... we'd live to see the next cycle. But with so many manikins around, our fate seemed sealed. I knew something had to be done.

I formed a plan with another warrior of Cosmos...

[Voice/Filtered]

[dewdrop-pebbles.livejournal.com]

And what did this plan entail?

[And why does he need to apologize for it?]

[Voice/Filtered]

[dragoon-rising.livejournal.com]

[He'll get to that reason. Eventually.]

...essentially to yield, that cycle. To remove our own warriors from the field. A defeat in the short term for an eventual victory overall. Because if our fighters were taken out by a real person, they'd at least be saved for the next cycle. We'd have a chance.

[Voice/Filtered]

[dewdrop-pebbles.livejournal.com]

Then...you attacked your allies?!