July Event Log

[kaisoumods]

July Event
Dominant Element: Water
Waning Element: Fire

Full Moon: July 2nd - July 4th

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July comes to Kaisou and brings with two things: heat and rain, leaving the city a humid mess. Time to get dehumidifiers and make sure your AC works, because otherwise, you might just end up melting. The summer storms seem heavier and more frequent this year, with one occurring every couple days and lasting for several hours. All this rain is enough to flood basements and low areas. Wonderful.

Beat the Heat With the Power of Anime

Despite the miserable weather, it's still summertime in the city, so that means the city is alive with activity. With Kaisou being in America, you can fully expect the fourth of July celebrations to be in full swing during the first week of the month. Attend a barbeque or watch the firework show at the beach, which thankfully isn't rained out.

However if you want to go a little more nerd in your summertime celebrations - KaiCon, Kaisou's local anime con, is back in town! Normally, this would have been held in June, but thanks to the tornado last month, it got postponed. Held the week of July 16th, the convention brings in a ton of tourists both in and out of cosplay. There's lot of to do at the convention, from shopping for merchandise, trying Japanese foods, attending panels, entering cosplay competitions, and sitting in a ballpit. For once, those app users with odd changes or body parts won't stand out so badly!

Finally, if you're looking for a more educational way to pass the time, the Kaisou history museum is holding a special exhibit about artifacts from the ancient world. Throughout the exhibit are a collection of artifacts from the Ancient Greek era that are in remarkable condition. In fact, those with archeological training might find it a bit too remarkable, finding pieces in such a pristine condition. Those with a keen magical sense will detect energy signatures indicative of the Spirit Realm. There's even a few objects that hold curses from the Greek pantheon that could be triggered in the wrong hands.

Crystal Rain

It's never fun to be caught in a summer microburst. Even under normal circumstances, they will drench you within a minute and you can kiss any electronic device that hasn't been waterproofed goodbye. And unfortunately, thanks to the damage done to the Spirit Vein, these summertime annoyances have only gotten worse. While regular rain will still act normally, should you get caught in a microburst, you will find your limbs begin to stiffen as crystals begin to form on your skin. The longer you stay out in the crystal-inducing rain, the worse the effect will get and the harder you will find it to move around. Be careful not to let it get so bad that you're stuck as a crystal statue for a while.

Fortunately, the effects seem to be temporary. Once you get to a dry place and dry yourself off properly, the crystals will fall off and your limbs will return to their normal mobility range. While the plant life (which is still growing out of control) doesn't seem to be affected by the rain, animals caught in the microbursts do seem to be. It wouldn't be a bad idea to help out your fellow creature and help dry the crystals off their furs or feathers. As for the normal people, they don't seem to notice the actual crystalizing effect and will just blame any mobility issues on their muscles and bones not handling this rainy season well. Sure Jan.

Mysterious Fathoms Below

Blue Fish Lake has always been a decent sized lake. It's large enough to be a good place to take a take a boat onto it and spend the day fishing the healthy lake fish population. That said, it's not that big. You could always see the other side from the shore, and it's depth couldn't be more than thirty or so feet. A good sized lake, sure, but hardly one that's going to be in any record books anytime soon.

On the night of July 6th, there is an extremely heavy rain storm - one that stands out from the other storms throughout the month. Torrential rains and strong wind blast the city. Make sure not to drive through any standing water, as you might end up with your car getting submerged in water.The next morning, after the storm has cleared and people can begin to (relatively) dry off, there will be reports that not only has Blue Fish Lake flooded, but it's gotten much deeper from the rain. Thousands of feet deeper.

While the normal people in the city don't question why Blue Fish Lake is now as deep as the ocean, it's pretty easy for app users to conclude that there's no way a summer rain storm could cause Blue Fish Lake to get that much deeper. And Zodiac seems to agree, as on July 7th they send out a message over the Libra app.

ALERT: SPIRIT REALM GATE DETECTED IN BLUE FISH LAKE.
Element Classification: Water
Danger Level: High
Designation: Atlantis
Zodiac has detected a Spirit Gate within Blue Fish Lake. Early reports indicate that this may be the lost city of Atlantis and might be worth investigating. Please go to the Zodiac offices for more information.

Should you head to the Zodiac office, there's a sense of excitement in the air. After all, the lost city of Atlantis isn't something you happen upon every day. The (fuzzy) Professor is there, and he's more than happy to tell you what he knows about Atlantis: It was a country that the philosopher Plato wrote of, one that fell into the ocean thanks to its hubris. Since then, there's been loads of people throughout history who have attempted to locate where the lost city was at, though usually with no success. A Zodiac intern will chime in to add that even many paranormal-based researches suspected it to be nothing more than a fanciful story, what with how long it had been since it'd been supposedly sighted. So the chance to confirm that Atlantis really does exist? It truly is a once in a life time opportunity.

That said, there is the issue of how to get to that realm, with it being so deeply underwater. In order to pull it off, Zodiac has decided to pull some strings and use what resources they can afford. They've been able to get in contact with the Bermuda Brotherhood - a paranormal group that specializes in researching and safeguarding the Bermuda Triangle - and convinced them to loan Zodiac a submarine and crew. Black Order and POKEGO members may have heard of the Bermuda Brotherhood before. They have a reputation for being an ornery group that is extremely territorial about the Bermuda Triangle and, convinced it's the crown jewel of supernatural hotspots. Not bad people by any stretch, but could probably stand to go to shore and touch some grass. Still, eccentricities aside, there's no doubt they're experts on deep sea diving and you'll be in good hands.

Once you're done preparing, it's time to head off. Sitting in Blue Fish Lake is an old-timey-looking submarine. It wouldn't be far out of place in a Jules Verne novel. Ancient as it looks, this is everyone's ticket through the spirit gate, which is submerged under the lake. The geese are, naturally, furious about this, and can be seen swimming around it and occasionally pecking ineffectively at both it and the crew sent by Zodiac to man the damn thing. The sub is big enough to hold a decent number of people, and once everyone's aboard (after dodging any of the angry geese nearby) the sub descends under the waters of the lake.

The sub goes deeper and deeper, much deeper than any lake should be able to go. Seaweed starts to appear, jutting out through rocky outcrops as schools of fish hurry out of the submarine's wake. It's clear you are definitely no longer in a lake, but under the ocean depths. Deeper and deeper you go, as light fades from dappled rays to almost nothing. Eventually, the only lights around are those from the submarine itself, lighting the way down.

At some point in the journey a deep, guttural, pulsating call can be heard in the darkness. For a moment, you could be forgiven for thinking a whale is making the noise, but as it gets closer and closer, it's clear that this is something completely different. The lights of the sub sometimes catch a shadow on a rocky crag, before it vanishes once again. Eventually, though, whatever is stalking you makes an attack on the sub. The craft is suddenly and violently jarred to one side as something very large slams against it. If characters aren't holding onto something, they're going to hit the deck HARD. The crew starts panicking, rushing about trying to assess the damage as the sub is slammed into again, and at this point, the submarine is definitely taking on water. In a desperate attempt to save everyone, the captain orders the submarine through a tunnel in the rocks the lights have just glanced off. Thankfully, this works, and as the submarine moves into the tunnel, a current picks up the downed craft and pushes it through to the other side, where it breaks the surface of the water into a cavern. The submarine is seriously damaged, and the captain states it will take time to fix it. However, the cave does seem to have a way out, and it might well be worth exploring that while no one can go anywhere else.

The Lost City of Atlantis

Following the exit to the cave, you will find yourself entering a beautiful city. Ancient temples rise to the sky, with huge columns of stone decorating the entrances. It looks almost ancient Greek in origin, but not quite. Stranger still is that even though this looks like a city from ancient times, the people seem to enjoy many modern conveniences, magically powered by the crystals worn around their necks. The city runs in a circle, living and thriving. There are people here, who will happily welcome you to Atlantis- the first explorers that they have seen in...well, forever! If you squint and look to the very borders of the city, you can see stone monoliths holding up some invisible barrier. The ocean shifts behind it; fish and seaweed abound in an undersea world full of life. The people are excited to show you their city, though they come across as a very pious lot. If you comment on the city's beauty or vibrance, they downplay it, almost fearfully. If that strange behavior is brought up to them, they quietly point out that their pride and avarice is what angered the Gods enough to sink their city. They do not intend to incur the wrath of the Gods again.

Luckily, there is plenty for you to do in the city. You can eat almost wholly seafood-based meals from people only too happy to open their meals or food stalls to those explorers looking for a bite to eat. If you really want, you can go and get yourself a tattoo with glow-in-the-dark ink. If you request a tat of anything that existed after 1000 B.C, though, you will likely get very confused looks. Better stick to fish or Atlantean symbols. You can also get involved in crafting- though as might be expected, a lot of the crafts involve making fish spears or nets. Speaking of, natives will be glad to take you out on boats to the tranquil waters that surround the city, where there's plentiful fish and sea life to catch- you might even be able to catch your own meal! The natives will be very nervous about getting TOO close to the barrier, though, muttering that things have been unsettled with that as of late.

For the more academically minded, you can investigate the crystals all the Atlanteans wear around their necks. They are more than happy to hand one over to you to check out, explaining that the crystals were a gift from the Gods and were what allowed them to be such a thriving utopia in "the old days". For those with either an ability to sense or otherwise investigate the crystals, you will find them to be a perfect blend of magic and an unknown, almost alien technology. You will find that the crystals power everything - from lights, to starting fires, to boat engines, to even acting as a magic translator (just in case you were wondering how they speak English). You can also use them to power stone, fish-shaped vehicles, which you can ride somewhat like a motorcycle. These fly into the air, giving you a chance to view the city from above.

Unfortunately those hoping to find reading material will be out of luck. While the most important events are recorded through murals and stone tablets, scholars will explain that the humidity from being under the ocean makes preserving paper basically impossible. As such, most of their stories are pass down through the oral tradition, with storytellers and theater performers being treated with reverence. You'll be welcome to attend any storytellers performance if you wish to hear about tales of Atlantean history. If you're more interested in the arts, Atlantean theater offers a wide variety of plays- so long as you don't mind all of them being morality plays about the virtues of being pious.

Meanwhile, members of the Black Order who are keeping a watchful eye will notice that somehow they acquired an extra person that wasn't on the submarine. As it turns out, a curator from Kaisou Museum has been using one of the magic stripper poles from the Goodwill to go into different Spirit Realms and grab up relics to put into the museum. The Ancient Greek relics in his exhibit now? Were lifted from the tear Ash was dragged through last month. The curator seems to have no regard for the actual safety or origin of the items, rather just grabbing whatever he thinks would attract visitors. The Black Order will need to figure out how to deal with this man, and return any unsafe items back to the Spirit Realm where they belong.

The Price of Hubris

Once you have enjoyed the city and gotten to know the people well enough, they will lead you to the tribal council, leaders of the city who watch over all that occurs within. They explain that there have been breaks happening in the barrier which blocks Atlantis from the ocean- that leaks have been appearing, and they are worried if this continues, the city will once again sink, and this time the Gods will not protect them.

Finally, with the blessing of the elders, some of the native Atlanteans will take you to the borders of the city. You can see for yourself small cracks in the barrier, water leaking through them. Some have been hastily patched with pitch or mortar, but it's clear this will not hold forever. The people are frightened - they've been so careful, so pious. They've been sure to never let their pride overtake them again, and yet it feels like the Gods are threatening to finish the job. They will allow you to explore, explaining there are some ancient parts of the city they will not go near as they are blessed ground to Atlanteans, but perhaps outsiders would be able to go there.

The "blessed ground" ends up being an ancient cave, untouched for millennia. Ancient texts are stored here, as are cave paintings, made with the same glow-in-the-dark ink that is used for tattoos these days. While you look through the cave, it's clear that things were put here to be hidden away; to avoid, like a dirty secret. Eventually, once you put enough clues together, you learn that "the Gods" did not sink Atlantis, nor did they give the Atlanteans the crystals that they're so proud of. The Crystals were plundered from the Spirit Realm by the Atlanteans themselves. Taken and crafted for their own use, to power their cities and give them an upper hand against the rest of the world. Unfortunately, the Spirit Realm is temperamental and prone to taking back what belongs to it. When it reached out to reclaim the crystals, it took the whole city with it, pulling it into the realm the crystals originated from. It was the ancient Atlanteans' own magictech that saved them, the barriers they'd built against potential invaders sealing them safely from the oceanic Spirit Gate that swallowed them whole.

Battle with Leviathan

As you exit the cave with all this newfound knowledge, the barrier is SHAKEN by another shockwave. This time, however, you're close enough to see what's caused it. This is no act of the Gods either. A huge sea serpent is slamming against the barrier, full of snarling, frothing rage. Get close to the city and the Atlanteans will offer a terrified explanation- that is the Leviathan, a sea monster which has haunted their city since it "sank". You realize quickly this is what attacked your sub when you were coming to the city in the first place. The Atlanteans say it was only a threat to anyone trying to leave the city previously, making it impossible to explore outside their literal bubble. It's never attacked them directly like this before, and they don't understand the change in behavior.

Regardless of what can be causing the increased aggression, this needs to be dealt with, or Atlantis really will be sunk beneath the waves. The Atlanteans luckily do have a means to breathe underwater- thanks to the crystals, they have invented a breathing mask to allow you to breathe underwater for about an hour at a time. They could never use it to truly escape the city thanks to the Leviathan's presence, and they were too fearful of it to actually attempt to fight it. But now you're all here, and maybe things can be different! Maybe you can be rid of the creature for good!

If you head to the cave where you originally entered, you will find the captain still working on the sub. He explains it's not ready yet- but you have other fish to fry. Literally. Using the flying fish vehicles, you drive into the water and use the apparatus to follow the tunnel out into the open ocean again, where the Leviathan is waiting for you. You will have to be able to swim and fight at the same time, and if you're a fire user ... well, good luck. The creature puts up one hell of a fight - it's fast and it's HUGE. Easily fifty feet in length. It can churn the water around it, sending out blasts of the stuff like aquatic projectiles. It will not be an easy battle at all. During the fight, you might notice it stop to swallow a discarded crystal- it seems this is what the creature feeds on, which would also explain the attacks on the city itself. Either way, it will give no ground, and you will have to work together to dispatch it for good.

Aftermath

Once the waters have settled and the Leviathan has been defeated, the barriers will slowly begin to show signs of repair. The Atlantean elders are surprised by the revelations of what actually caused their downfall, and they will request discretion as they sort out how to go about telling their people (after all, news on this scale could completely undo their way of life). Should you ignore their request and tell the population on your own, you can expect Atlantis to experience several instances of unrest throughout the month.

Either way, the people of Atlantis will be thankful for your help. The elders will grant you permission to keep your own power crystals, should you wish. Which leaves characters with a choice. A magic energy source like this could easily give you the power you need to build your own version of the Libra app, and even break free from relying on Zodiac or any other faction. However, if not handled carefully... these could drag all of Kaisou into the Spirit Realm, just like Atlantis.

It's not an easy decision to make, so characters should probably talk it over with one another before deciding.

No matter what you decide, the submarine will be repaired and ready to go within a few days. Once everyone returns to the surface, with the waters now safer, the city of Atlantis will be available to visit for the rest of the month before it disappears back into the dark oceans of the Spirit Realm.

OOC Notes

The dominant element this month is Water! Anyone with an affinity to the water element will find themselves boosted throughout the month. This could mean a boost to their power, having more energy, feeling more inspired with creativity, having better luck on different attempts -- the boost can manifest in all sorts of different ways. By contrast, anyone with an affinity for Fire will be experiencing the opposite. Perhaps their powers will be weaker, they have less energy, they're having a creative block or general worse luck - again it can manifest in all sorts of way and players are free to play with this mechanic as they'd like.

NOTE REGARDING THE POWER SOURCE: Whether characters decide to take the Atlanteans offer on the power source will have lasting consequences in the game, as such this will be put up to a vote among players that'll be open until July 12th. The vote can be found over here.

The original OOC plotting post for this event can be found here. Another Zodiac Post will be going up July 15th to serve as an intro post for new characters and allow characters to react to developments over the network.

Comments

crystal rain

[reenforces]

[Mikleo thought he'd seen Vash from across the street. While Sorey goes to claim the last chocolate fancy donut for his partner, Mikleo slides into the seat across from Vash.]

Did you get caught in the rain? Let me see your arm.

[He holds out his hands, which are small and pale but nevertheless the hands of a healer.]

I don't think I've gotten a good look at this one yet.

[doubledollar]

[ oh look its one of his favorite people--his face goes from a quiet, concerned frustration to one that's bright like the sun in moments. Without a second of hesitation on his face, he's picking up the arm with his one and only current hand, and offering it over to mikleo.

It's a little heavy, especially burdened with crystals all along the joints and gears that holds it together, but... ]

It did. I don't usually mind the rain--walking outside while it's pouring is actually a comfort I've gotten used to, here.
But there's something wrong with it, today. It just completely stuck up the joints on it...

Varian made this one recently.

[reenforces]

[Mikleo's look of intense scrutiny (focused on the arm, obviously) turns to a gentler smile when he glimpses Vash's beaming. Yeah, it's heavy-- but Mikleo's not exactly made of paper, even if he looks like he could be see-through if you got him wet.]

You get the mist as well as the drizzle. Both are nice in their own way, even if it's weird in July. But this...? Can't say I'm a fan of rain that tries to freeze people.

[He turns the arm slightly to get a better look at the wrist and the inside of the palm.] I thought this looked like Varian's work. He's a talented kid. I was really happy to see him enlist in the apprenticeship program.

[Holding the arm steady with his right hand, he hovers his left above the arm and concentrates, a familiar furrow appearing between his brows. The crystals resist for a good five seconds and then they begin to dislodge. Without something to adhere to, they turn back into harmless droplets of rain and coalesce between Mikleo's hand and the surface of the arm. It's clear that some movement is returning, though there's so much water stuck in the cracks that it'll take a minute or two to complete.]

I've never dealt with something that looked so much like ice but wasn't ice... [He's got a walnut-sized orb of water spinning beneath his palm like a planet, now, and it's sucking in more water droplets from the crevices as it spins.] If the weird rain had happened a month ago, this would be a lot harder. My control got better all of a sudden...

[doubledollar]

Absolutely not a fan myself. Especially not when it does stuff like catch your body part up in stiff crystals like this...

[ he's gonna rest his chin against the heel of his palm as he watches Mikleo look at his arm, this way and that. ] --Oh, he's with PokeGO, right? With Jun? I heard about that. I'm sure they'll both do fantastic in their own way.

[ he isn't just paying lip service here, either--he truly believes it. With every bit of sincerety behind his smile.

He's watching the other now, though, with a rapt facination that he always does when magic is involved. even if he can do some of his own now, his interest in other people doing it would never wane--especially when it's so showy, like this. ]

It's like, solid like rock while it's on the surfaces of things, but when it's dislodged it becomes water again. I can't even begin to imagine what sort of science is behind that. [ a pause. ] If you can call it scientific at all. [ which bothers him. ]

You're doing what I could manage in an hour in just a few minutes though. Damn.
Maybe your magic is just getting stronger over time...?

[reenforces]

Yeah. They've both done really well so far. It's good for them.

[Mikleo doesn't miss that smile, as he returns it. proud of their apprentices, even if Ryouta's as dumb as a rock. He's doing his best. Turns out mentoring has been good for Mikleo, too...]

This is about as far from science as you can get. Lucky for me, it's water-aspected. Not so lucky for everyone else, though.

[Mikleo's brows knit with concentration.]

In my memories of my past life, this was definitely something that was within my ability. In this life, though, I've always been a few steps behind. I did my best with what I had, but...

[As wonderful as that is, it's clear that it weighs on him heavily. Something does.]

The tears in our world, the things from other places that keep showing up, the Spirit Realm being unpredictable and affecting people in weird ways, powers getting stronger... All of that happened because of my mentor. It's his fault that you got stranded here, Vash.

I'm worried it's only going to get worse.

[doubledollar]

Are you having fun being a teacher?

[ because of course he's gonna' be right out and say it. He's never been much of a good teacher himself, but... maybe it'd suit someone as smart as Mikleo? He thinks so, anyway. ]

Water definitely isn't an element I can do much with. While I don't understand magic, I uh. I'm not sure if I told you, but, I've managed to find out I can use some of it myself.

[ he's bad at it, mostly, but even being clumsy with it, he's managed a few neat things. ]

....Ah. [ and that's when he pauses. The bit about Mikleo's mentor clicking into his brain as he... lifts his head to look at the other. Slowly... tipping his head to the side. ]

Your mentor's fault, huh.
Did... he do it on purpose, or...
...
I like to put my full belief in people, but. Doing things on such a large scale that can do something ... that crazy...

[ his memory flickers to Kni. The kid who is, currently, back at the garden, with Libra. His expression darkens. ]

[reenforces]

[Vash can read people so well. Mikleo smiles little and ducks his eyes. He can have his shy moments at times.]

I am! I think I'm doing okay so far. No explosions, and the screaming has been kept to a minimum.

[He looks up again at that confession however.]

Whoa, really? That's... huh. So even people from other worlds can end up having their mana alignment change... If it was water magic that you got, I could help you, but somehow I see you as more of a Light person. Or maybe an Earth person...? No, definitely Wind.

[Mikleo please stop forcing your headcanons on other people. But... ah.]

... It was on purpose. For him, the consequences we saw were just signs that his plan was working. He tried to use the god of the sun to revive his dead world. [He breathes in.] Even my partner at the time got sucked into it, and he tried to get me to come with him. I think Willow promised him that he could bring back the dead. Everyone knows that's not something you should think about, let alone attempt... but I couldn't convince him. So I ran and hid until everything was over. I didn't want to be part of some god-eating machine.

A lot of people died and went to the underworld that month. Most of them didn't come back. [He shakes his head.] His plan was born from a place of desperation. His grief... I understand it, but I can't forgive him for it. Not yet.

[He's still sucking up more of those crystals with his water powers, dislodging them as he goes. The tiniest crevices are the worst.]

A-anyway, I brought this up because it's not well-known. We don't get a lot of refugees from other worlds, so it doesn't come up a lot.

[doubledollar]

[ 150 years of watching people and envying their ability to connect with others, baby. ]

No screaming and no explosions sounds like half the battle when it comes to teaching people, I think. [ is this a joke, vote now on your phones.

He does a bit of a giddy, half-giggle when mikleo tries to guess his element, though--a hand moving to the back of his head as he wiggles his fingers at him.

Light would have been a good one, it's true--but...

He'll wait until the other finishes his story before he brings up the answer. It's a question he asked, after all--and being a refugee displaced from his home world, he's absolutely interested in the answer, here.

...Eyes widening a little as the truth of the seriousness of it settles around his ears. His expression going sympathetic about the loss of life, the grief-stricken man making such a heavy mistake because he couldn't think about naught but his own broken heart...

Vash reaches out to poke a finger against the little orb of water Mikleo's been making, stealing away the crystals from the nooks and crannies of his arm. ]

I appreciate you tellin' me. I think I understand a little, then. It was a pretty serious crime he committed, and it didn't just effect him--but everyone around him, huh. [ and even those from other worlds... ]

Some of the people I'm closest to are from other worlds, like me, but. Thinking about it, other than those few people... most of the people I know are from Kaisou itself. I hadn't considered that.

[reenforces]

[It's a joke that gets Mikleo to smile a little, at least?! But he also doesn't argue that because it's quite literal with Varian on the team... though to be fair, Varian's showing a lot of promise and restraint. Surely that will not end just because a gate to Hyrule opens up in August. Surely he will continue on his journey of responsible pyrotechnics. Surely... :)

Anyway, he sees Vash's face journey and feels a little bad for just kind of dumping all of that on him like that, but it's a heavy topic that he's connected to, and Mikleo can't not talk about his personal involvement... Willow was his mentor, after all.

When Vash touches the water ball, a little bit spins off and splish-splashes like playing with the stream coming out of a faucet. Mikleo doesn't stop him, though. The water droplets that fall onto Vash's arm get sucked right back up into the water ball. He might be getting to the end of this little trick, seeing as the flow of crystals-turning-to-water has slowed to a trickle.]

Very serious. But... even when he was captured and his plans fell apart, the people of Kaisou chose to save his life and give him the chance to atone. I'm not sure I could have been so generous if the choice were up to me back then... [His smile is weak, more sad than anything.] Willow recruited me personally—he rescued me from my own funeral. He's the reason I went into this area of study in the first place.

[That kind of betrayal cuts deep.]

Yeah, people who come from offworld aren't as common as the past-life people. I wish sending you back home was as easy as shoving you back into the hole you came from, politely of course, but...

[He harmlessly chews on his bottom lip while concentrating.]

Almost done. Let me just... [He flexes the fingers of Vash's prosthetic and gets a little more of the pesky crystals out that way.] There. Good as new.

[doubledollar]

[ look, Vash adores Varian, little gremlin that he is, so. he's got a lot of hope for the weird little teenager. explosions and weird experiments and all. it was thanks to him that he even HAD this arm that Mikleo was focusing on helping him fix, after all!

vash looks up when that little ball of water stops spiraling and flowing after he'd messed with it, a little... frown on his face as he tries to imagine why someone would recruit another person at their own... funeral, of all things? He knew Mikleo was a nature spirit, so it was probably related to that why he still lived, after dying, but... ]

...Some people are opportunistic when people are grieving, I think. The best time to take advantage of someone is when their emotions aren't in check. [ it's absolutely the worst kind of betrayal and manipulation. It's how July... ] I very much believe that anyone can start over new, end the kind of life they've been living up until the moment they want to change. But that doesn't mean the people you wronged have to forgive you, either. Living with your sins is something many can't cope with.

[ he reaches out, taking his arm back from Mikleo, giving him a wide grin, shifting to look it over. It really does look brand new. ]

I really owe you one. It looks good as new.
Thank you, Mikleo. I mean it. For this, and the talk.

[reenforces]

Yeah... That's how I feel too, looking back on it. But if I hadn't gone with him, he told me someone much worse would come for me. In the end, I can't say I regret my choice—I just regret the circumstances.

[The Black Order. He doesn't think he'd be cut out for that life. There isn't a lot of room in an organization of killers for pure-hearted people, though he doesn't doubt they exist, having met Jusis in this life, and Rose in the last one.]

That's right. He still has the opportunity to do good in this world, if he wants to try.

[But Mikleo still doesn't have to forgive him. And hearing that is comforting somehow, because he knows on some level that forgiving Willow will take a load off his shoulders, but it would also be like moving on from his old partner. He can't forget like that.

He brightens a little as Vash looks over the arm and seems pleased.]

Don't worry about it. We're friends. [He pats Vash's good arm and tries for a smile.] Thank you for listening.

... A while ago, I told Varian that POKEGO would fix what Willow did. I want you to know I haven't given up on that. You deserve a choice, at least.

When that day comes, whether you choose to stay in Kaisou or return to your world, you'll always have a home here.