[The parallels are obvious, as he might recall from her own story. This might have been Etheirys's fate, had the faction that wished for Zodiark to restore their world gained its power. How far of a step is it, after all, from restoring the dead to refusing to let them die again, especially when the sacrifice came at the first step?]
Travel between worlds is rare indeed, but some beings have done it. The eldest of dragons and the strongest of machines. Given what you describe, I would guess they called upon the latter.
Yeah, they built this old man named Garland to oversee the process and for a while, it seemed like things were working. However, I don't know if they were running out of planets or just short on time - I think it was the latter - but the next planet they found met all the criteria only life had already started on the surface. They decided to try the fusion process anyway and it didn't end well...
In that case, I'd expect that even weakened as it was, the planet Terra had stronger aether than this newfound land did, and as such, surrendered even more of its limited aether in the fusion.
[This is only an educated guess, and so she offers it up curiously, awaiting his appraisal of her assessment.]
Actually, the fusion didn't work. Terra was rejected, but ended up fused inside the planet while some of its landmarks appeared on the surface and its moon started orbiting this new planet. A lot of life ended up lost including on Terra.
[But Zidane shakes his head and shrugs.] Now with Terra trapped, Garland decided he would keep trying to turn this new planet, Gaia, into Terra from the inside out. Meanwhile, what Terrans survived put their souls into stasis.
Oh. [Venat curls her fingers, mind already racing to analyze just what might have happened. An enforced Rejoining, without the "Re-" -- the incompatibilities must have made the connection impossible. What a terrifying thought... Any sort of survivors were lucky indeed.]
This Garland fellow puts me in mind of some others I knew.
[The Unsundered, whose commitment to the Rejoining never wavered. No wonder Meteion's report had been so dark and unsparing, if people truly were like this in all times and all places.]
Yeah, but not for his lack of trying. First, he planted the Iifa Tree to try blocking souls from returning to Gaia and introducing Terra's souls instead to the other planet, but it was taking its time. He tried speeding it up too by making kingdoms go to war through this stuff called Mist which, when you're exposed to it too long, it ramps up every hostile feeling a person has. Course, that didn't work so well when kingdoms began building above the Mist and also using it as an energy source.
[He grins wide... but too bad his story wasn't over.]
Well, since that plan wasn't working anymore, Garland moved onto his second plan. He was already making new vessels for the Terra's souls when he finally claimed Gaia so he decided to make a being that could travel to Gaia and instigate wars that way. The person he created, he named them Kuja.
He was pretty human by all accounts. Did his work pretty well too, but Garland wasn't satisfied with him. He'd created Kuja almost without flaw, but found his strength lacking because he didn't have a soul.
[No explanation needed, Venat understands. Does this far off world of Gaia, or Terra for that matter, understand dynamis, or is it the same mystery it was on Etheirys for so long?]
If I were to guess... he discarded Kuja immediately in favor of a new model.
Aha, that would've been the nicer option probably. Nah, he kept Kuja around, but on a reduced lifespan to make the next model with a soul. He was going to make sure that the second one had the power to handle any conflict they might encounter on Gaia; but he didn't fully consider that Kuja wouldn't like the idea of being replaced.
He had no consideration that Kuja might consider himself a person and worthy of life...
[The arrogance of the Ascians, played out in full once again. How she had hoped to hear otherwise, yet truly, what else could be true? Only those who move forward can avoid those mistakes, and yet Garland's very identity demanded turning the clock back.]
Nope. Kuja and any of the ones created after him were tools for an end after all. Garland considered Kuja a wrench though 'cause he really messed things up for him soon. He took the second project and threw it away on Gaia. Why he didn't just destroy it? Probably to prove he'd be superior to them one day.
But he was created in turn -- a being set to a long task, one which required he have no compunctions or scruples. I wonder, perhaps, if Garland did not even know caring was an option.
Probably not. I mean, he still had some feelings, but usually in response to things going against his plans and Terra. Like, after Kuja's whole stint, Garland banished him to Terra too... and then made a third to replace him and the second one.
Tellin' ya, pretty expendable. I don't think he even tried finding the other; probably thought it died since he made it develop from a baby and all.
It wouldn't be for years until he got into it. Might've left Kuja and Garland to their things still, but that part of the adventure all begins with a small outing to kidnap a princess for her safety.
Well then. [Venat folds her hands together, leaning in slightly as the story seems to pick up.] Certainly you'd never be on such a mission, adhering as you do to the straight and narrow.
Of cooourse... besides, is it really kidnapping when the Princess asks to be kidnapped? Too bad her knight went and made it difficult. Ruined a play, ruined an airship, and sent everyone crashing straight into the Evil Forest where no creature that's entered has ever been said to survive. Not to mention, we were now in the Mist.
... but nah, we had to split up with some of the crew and one person got petrified. Still, we made it out and started walking. With North Gate and South Gate closed, we had to take the scenic route through the Ice Cavern. Vivi said it'd get us above the Mist and that was really first priority, but damn, none of us were dressed for that except him.
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timeasmymeasure
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Date: 2022-07-13 08:47 pm (UTC)Travel between worlds is rare indeed, but some beings have done it. The eldest of dragons and the strongest of machines. Given what you describe, I would guess they called upon the latter.
no subject
Date: 2022-07-13 09:02 pm (UTC)Yeah, they built this old man named Garland to oversee the process and for a while, it seemed like things were working. However, I don't know if they were running out of planets or just short on time - I think it was the latter - but the next planet they found met all the criteria only life had already started on the surface. They decided to try the fusion process anyway and it didn't end well...
no subject
Date: 2022-07-14 12:58 am (UTC)[This is only an educated guess, and so she offers it up curiously, awaiting his appraisal of her assessment.]
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Date: 2022-07-14 03:28 am (UTC)[But Zidane shakes his head and shrugs.] Now with Terra trapped, Garland decided he would keep trying to turn this new planet, Gaia, into Terra from the inside out. Meanwhile, what Terrans survived put their souls into stasis.
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Date: 2022-07-14 10:39 pm (UTC)This Garland fellow puts me in mind of some others I knew.
[The Unsundered, whose commitment to the Rejoining never wavered. No wonder Meteion's report had been so dark and unsparing, if people truly were like this in all times and all places.]
A work of centuries, if not millennia, I'd wager.
no subject
Date: 2022-07-14 11:06 pm (UTC)[He nods this time at her statement.]
Yeah, but not for his lack of trying. First, he planted the Iifa Tree to try blocking souls from returning to Gaia and introducing Terra's souls instead to the other planet, but it was taking its time. He tried speeding it up too by making kingdoms go to war through this stuff called Mist which, when you're exposed to it too long, it ramps up every hostile feeling a person has. Course, that didn't work so well when kingdoms began building above the Mist and also using it as an energy source.
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Date: 2022-07-15 12:52 am (UTC)It is ever the fate of those who conduct such grand plans to neglect the influence of those people they consider smaller and lesser.
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Date: 2022-07-15 02:33 am (UTC)[He grins wide... but too bad his story wasn't over.]
Well, since that plan wasn't working anymore, Garland moved onto his second plan. He was already making new vessels for the Terra's souls when he finally claimed Gaia so he decided to make a being that could travel to Gaia and instigate wars that way. The person he created, he named them Kuja.
no subject
Date: 2022-07-17 02:28 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2022-07-17 04:34 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2022-07-18 09:59 pm (UTC)If I were to guess... he discarded Kuja immediately in favor of a new model.
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Date: 2022-07-19 12:06 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2022-08-03 02:50 pm (UTC)[The arrogance of the Ascians, played out in full once again. How she had hoped to hear otherwise, yet truly, what else could be true? Only those who move forward can avoid those mistakes, and yet Garland's very identity demanded turning the clock back.]
no subject
Date: 2022-08-03 05:39 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2022-08-03 09:09 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2022-08-03 09:21 pm (UTC)Tellin' ya, pretty expendable. I don't think he even tried finding the other; probably thought it died since he made it develop from a baby and all.
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Date: 2022-08-04 01:09 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2022-08-04 08:48 pm (UTC)[He grins wide. She gets it.]
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Date: 2022-08-04 09:06 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2022-08-04 09:25 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2022-08-05 01:00 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2022-08-06 10:05 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2022-08-08 04:54 pm (UTC)[She doesn't even bother trying to hide her amusement.]
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Date: 2022-08-09 06:45 pm (UTC)... but nah, we had to split up with some of the crew and one person got petrified. Still, we made it out and started walking. With North Gate and South Gate closed, we had to take the scenic route through the Ice Cavern. Vivi said it'd get us above the Mist and that was really first priority, but damn, none of us were dressed for that except him.
no subject
Date: 2022-08-14 02:25 am (UTC)Vivi was a member of your band of merry criminals, then?
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