[As Mikleo enters the building with the shattered glass, he takes a moment to survey the room. He's looking out for potential enemies and structural failure, but the place seems sound. It's by far the safest building he's come across in this wasteland.
Mirror shards crunch under his shoes as he carefully steps more into the room. The water seraph turns in a circle and appears mostly satisfied that the place has been totally abandoned. Yet, something catches his attention from the corner of his eye. He looks over, and then, all of a sudden, sound reaches his ears.
What remains of the mirrors shows a scene that's altogether too familiar to him. It shows Heldalf confronting Michael about giving up Camlann, and the former Shepherd's consequent refusal. It shows how the village was destroyed by Hyland forces, how Heldalf didn't lift a finger to help them. It shows Muse, injured, and Michael taking her baby to the altar, laying a curse on Heldalf and killing her child.
Just like before, Mikleo can't look away. His hands clench into fists, jaw and shoulders tensing, and he tries to school his expression. It's...it's hard, though. He doesn't want to see this again. He wants to move passed this, not be haunted by it.
[He's seen this so many times in his nightmares, you'd almost think he'd be numb to it by now. But he's not. The image of him pulling his sword out on Stahn, of telling him--
I chose to do this of my own accord...
--and then everything went so very, very wrong, and even just seeing the water crash in through the disjointed mirrors is enough to leave him short of breath. He hates it. He hates it. It's almost a relief when he sees something else, except... that even though he doesn't entirely understand without context, as soon as he sees Mikleo, it clicks.
Ah.
But the words catch in a throat that feels raw even though there's no water to drown in here, and a chest that feels tight from lack of oxygen (but isn't it just because he needs to breathe?) and in this dusty, broken-down building, there's only the sound of their memories haunting them for a long moment.
[Oh, the water seraph totally sees it. So many things click into place, from the moment they had to cross a river to now. Mikleo completely understands why Leon has always been wary of water. It makes sense, and he's determined to do what he can to make sure the Swordian Master doesn't go through that again. As long as CERES doesn't take away his control over the element of water, that is.
Now, the question is, does he acknowledge it to Leon? Or does he play it off? ...Perhaps it's time to acknowledge it.]
You died, didn't you?
[It's blunt and Mikleo knows it, but he can't really think of a gentler way to say it. Then again, he's not sure Leon would've appreciated gentleness.]
[That's almost so blunt that it's like a punch to the gut, really--Mikleo's really not holding back here, is he? Leon feels the breath leave him in a short huff of air, and then he's crossing his arms, looking away.
Defensive, curled in on himself a tad bit, trying to avoid the mirrors (but they're really everywhere, and they're impossible to ignore, intermingling visions of unhappy memories--and death.
What does he even say to something like that?]
...It was what I chose. That...is all there is to it.
[It was what he deserved, in the end. The fate he had to accept, because he'd betrayed his friends and hurt them all, and because it was the only way to save them while still paying for his part in endangering them all.]
[Usually he'd fuss. That's a bit much like a command--there'd be a bit of "Don't think you can tell me what to do" mixed in with some petulance.
But he wants to get out of here as much as Mikleo does, so he just turns wordlessly to stalk out. He's not going to respond to anything Mikleo said until they do reach (somewhat) fresh air, and then.... he drags in a shuddering breath, as if surfacing from water even though he was never in danger of anything of the sort.]
... Don't be.
I don't want your pity. It was the choice I made, and all I deserved. Leave it at that.
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[Action] Phase III of the Feb Event
Mirror shards crunch under his shoes as he carefully steps more into the room. The water seraph turns in a circle and appears mostly satisfied that the place has been totally abandoned. Yet, something catches his attention from the corner of his eye. He looks over, and then, all of a sudden, sound reaches his ears.
What remains of the mirrors shows a scene that's altogether too familiar to him. It shows Heldalf confronting Michael about giving up Camlann, and the former Shepherd's consequent refusal. It shows how the village was destroyed by Hyland forces, how Heldalf didn't lift a finger to help them. It shows Muse, injured, and Michael taking her baby to the altar, laying a curse on Heldalf and killing her child.
Just like before, Mikleo can't look away. His hands clench into fists, jaw and shoulders tensing, and he tries to school his expression. It's...it's hard, though. He doesn't want to see this again. He wants to move passed this, not be haunted by it.
Damn it...why does he have to be so weak?]
no subject
I chose to do this of my own accord...
--and then everything went so very, very wrong, and even just seeing the water crash in through the disjointed mirrors is enough to leave him short of breath. He hates it. He hates it. It's almost a relief when he sees something else, except... that even though he doesn't entirely understand without context, as soon as he sees Mikleo, it clicks.
Ah.
But the words catch in a throat that feels raw even though there's no water to drown in here, and a chest that feels tight from lack of oxygen (but isn't it just because he needs to breathe?) and in this dusty, broken-down building, there's only the sound of their memories haunting them for a long moment.
He needs...to make sure Mikleo doesn't see it.
He needs to.]
I'm so sorry this is late, Cal ;;
Now, the question is, does he acknowledge it to Leon? Or does he play it off? ...Perhaps it's time to acknowledge it.]
You died, didn't you?
[It's blunt and Mikleo knows it, but he can't really think of a gentler way to say it. Then again, he's not sure Leon would've appreciated gentleness.]
no subject
Defensive, curled in on himself a tad bit, trying to avoid the mirrors (but they're really everywhere, and they're impossible to ignore, intermingling visions of unhappy memories--and death.
What does he even say to something like that?]
...It was what I chose. That...is all there is to it.
[It was what he deserved, in the end. The fate he had to accept, because he'd betrayed his friends and hurt them all, and because it was the only way to save them while still paying for his part in endangering them all.]
no subject
Let's step outside.
[Where they won't be haunted by their pasts. Mikleo will take on a giant automaton before coming back inside this place again.]
...For what it's worth, Leon, I'm sorry that you had to make that choice.
no subject
But he wants to get out of here as much as Mikleo does, so he just turns wordlessly to stalk out. He's not going to respond to anything Mikleo said until they do reach (somewhat) fresh air, and then.... he drags in a shuddering breath, as if surfacing from water even though he was never in danger of anything of the sort.]
... Don't be.
I don't want your pity. It was the choice I made, and all I deserved. Leave it at that.