savetheearth | video;

video;

[Video flickers online of a young woman with long dark hair and a stern expression. Beyond that, it's fairly unreadable.]

I suppose I should say this is not what I anticipated. The "heroes" who saved Locke City from certain doom had been scurrying and hiding in the shadows for nearly a year prior. [Pause, a slight lift of her considerable eyebrows.] Not without reason, perhaps, yet... not what one anticipates.

My question is, are you satisfied with what path now lies before you, and what it took to get there? [Her tone grows quicker, and far sharper.] What do you think that path is?

After that snake, this city was beset by creatures once more, yet beings from another world cleaned up the mess. Altruistic thought their intentions may be, and I will give credit for cleaning up their own disaster, or what was left of it... I for one am not satisfied to simply let myself just be protected. To simply be reactive to the problems we are sure to face.

[Her eyes narrow.] I imagine the same must apply to more of you out there. To push forward, become stronger, and seize the power that's been put within our grasp. Because there will be other threats. Out in the open, Numbered will not remain so good natured forever. People will use us. Monsters and aliens are real, and even if these visitors mean us no harm, who knows what else may be out there now?

So, I am curious.

[Her head tilts back, voice raising a little.] Who has the pride in their ability and self worth to truly steel themselves, to really be prepared for what else may come down this road we've been forced upon?

[She lowers her head, expression never wavering throughout.] I would simply like to know those whom I am dealing with.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[No, don't pay attention to the obvious magical knight bishounen armor. It's only there for Arthur to have no idea how to properly put on.]

Kids shouldn't be fightin' in the first place. [His voice seemed to be dying down, here.]

Nobody should. From what I'm gettin', not many people really got a good idea of who they were. What if you were bad news back in the day? I don't think we should be havin' a chat like this when somebody could get real bad ideas about it.

[Nah, she's still gonna stare at the armor.]

They have fought, however. What is done cannot be undone. There is obviously a need to fight, to some degree... and I do not think my own will so weak that I would go down an unfortunate path just because this "past self" might have.

Or maybe she didn't.

Either way, it is all for my use in there here and now.

[That armor wasn't there for her amusement or as a plot device or as a metaphor for the dreams of heroics resting in the back of Arthur's mind.

The narrative, though...]

...Do you always talk like that?

[Eyebrow raise.]

Is there something wrong with the way that I speak?

I don't think it's somethin' wrong. [It was on the cool side, but he couldn't help but notice it was dramatic.

Knowing better than to say something blunt and honestly, he veered off the road.]

It's more like... Theatrical? Like, you're really pourin' a lot of depth out.

[Or, stupidly. He could say it stupidly.]

[Saretha actually... smirks. It's true, actually - she is being theatrical. Over the top. She could be even more so, but these were her lessons on public speaking at work.]

I wanted attention.

I received it.

[And yes - she is pleased at someone her calling her on it.]

[Unabated, Arthur stared at Saretha awhile, really wondering how he had gotten to that point in that conversation.

For some reason, he wasn't worried anymore. His instinct had gone wild at the start, but it had relaxed considerably when she said that.]

It might not be my business, but I wanna ask anyway. Do you wanna be a hero, miss? Not just doing what you said--living with pride, right? I mean--do you actually want to help people out if you have superpowers?

A "hero..." Heh. I suppose there are some people who think of themselves as that, hm?

[She tilts her head a bit, still smirking.] If one is to attain power, it's rather useless to let it sit and waste, isn't it? I have no need for criminal endeavors.

I want this world to survive. I think we all have that goal in mind. I don't know what that makes me, be it a "hero" or something else, because I would rather do what is necessary to make certain it and its people do survive.

[There was a bit of a frown on Arthur's part.]

You sound sort of like a hero, but... [Something was obviously off. Saretha sounded a bit sinister at that. Referring to everyone as if they were just an outside thing to preserve aside from the world. Why was she talking about 'the world', anyway?]

What if we're not really needed? How close are we to being the villains in this mix-up, do you think?

Edited 2014-04-28 06:58 (UTC)

[She scoffs ever so lightly.]

It is not about whether or not we are needed. We are here and by all signs, we - as a whole - are not going anywhere. It's a new world, and we have a responsibility to figure out our place in it.

I say we decide for ourselves what that place is, rather than wait and let others make it for us.

However... it is only a fool who becomes a villain.

Responsibility isn't it. [A bitter sort of feeling sunk in Arthur's heart. It was a sort of cynical realization that things like the Wise Snake--they were just chains of events that could make or break an individual's short span in the world.]

It's because people wanna feel important--they put that kinda thing in their minds, like it's something they have to do. A lotta people in the world don't have any purpose like that and just because we've got weird superpowers doesn't mean anythin'.

We do what we like and make up reasons for it.

I don't mean responsibility to others - I simply mean to ourselves, as individuals.

[She purses her lips, and nods a bit.]

The rest, however... You are right. In the end, it is doing what we wish, and anyone who claims otherwise is deluding themselves. Even if they take some moral high ground, its because that's what they want.

[Arthur didn't see the difference between 'others' and 'himself' in this case.]

Then, you should just worry about yourself. If you get really good at being... whatever we are, then you could just do what you want.

I could, at that. But there needs to be a purpose, regardless. What we've become is important, but we must all figure out what the point to it is for each of us. These "echoes" seem designed to change us, but I'd like to think we can decide how they'll change us. How we'll use what they give us.

[There was a pause in Arthur's words. He didn't lose his voice. He just dwelled on what Saretha said.]

Did you get anything useful-- with your Echo?

[She smirks a little. Yes, you could say that - this sword and the ability to use it were very, very useful. Not that she's going to say what it is outright.]

I did, at that. Yourself?

[He thought about using his words carefully, but then--his caution had been removed. A mixture of being a dragon and now a charismatic knight was a bad mixture, indeed.]

I think I'm a monster.

[Thinks he's a monster? Well, there were certainly people who would classify as that on this Network. Plus, what Saretha has seen...]

Mine evidently wore one. So, that is at least some manner of common ground.

[Sort of.]

...So, how do you wear a monster?

[Is it anything like that brand new popular hat monster anime out there?]

With great difficulty.

[No, she's not making a joke. She's dead serious as she says it.]

Willpower. A lot of it.

What, is it like a talisman? Or, is 'wearing' it like some sort of metaphor?

[He added, cautiously.] Just curious.

It's hardly a metaphor. It is... [She frowns. She really doesn't want to give out too much information, but after thinking about it for a moment she realizes it won't give anyone a specific advantage in knowing this.]

Clothing. The monster is clothing.

[His jaw hung for a moment.]

OK. So, that sounds a little scary.

Does it like, try to kill you?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

video;

Video;

Video;

Video;

Video;

Video;

video;

video;

video;

video;

video;

video;

video;

video;

video;

video;

video;

video;

video;

video;

video;

video;

video;

video;