MR ARCEUS

[indigo_league]

Who: ANYONE AND EVERYONE
Where: ANYWHERE AND EVERYWHERE
When: MAY 20TH TO MAY 22ND
Summary: GET IN HERE AND MINGLE
Rating: BUT PLEASE MARK YOUR THREAD CONTENT ACCORDINGLY
Log:






Need a reminder of our Fourth Wall Rules? Find them here!

Comments

Emet-Selch | Final Fantasy XIV (Endwalker spoilers!)

[amaure]

I. Grani the Big Weird Dog(?) and His Equally Big and Weird Owner (pick a location)

[It truly does not matter where you are, considering the fact the weird weekends do not seem to care about the laws of physics, but likewise Emet-Selch's ability to teleport basically anywhere by will means chances are you will likely run into the man. He's hard to miss, considering that he's standing at a staggering 16'9", but furthermore his appearance is markedly different. Between the change in his hair both in color and style, he's wearing long, thick black robes.

Needless to say, he won't be found inside anywhere, but rather spending time outside with what is decidedly not a Pokémon, the beast proportionately sized to Emet-Selch. Whether riding it or merely taking a moment to enjoy the creature's company, you are just as likely to come across them. He isn't exactly making himself hard to find, after all.

In fact, if you do not catch him unawares in your approach, he will notice you. Those entirely too bright and intricate eyes finding themselves upon you, as he scowls. His brow knitting together as his mouth pulls into a frown.]

It is rude to stare, you know? Might I suggest you take your gawking elsewhere? Unless there is aught you require of me—but then again, mayhap especially then.

[Even though his size might have grown considerably, his patience seems to be as short as ever...]

II. A Fragment From an Unsundered World (Outside Goldenrod)

[For those who can fly, or those who have Pokémon that can, they might take interest in a very curious set of floating islands, ones with an architectural style they most likely are not familiar with. The land masses float above the sea just west of Goldenrod, their waterfalls pouring endlessly from the edges of the islands, dispersing into mist below.

Those who answer curiosity's siren song will be rewarded with beautiful islands to explore, full of lush foliage and beautiful buildings and structures, though they seem to be made for giants and not ordinary humans. There are also curious floating blue crystal structures that seem to act as central points for three of the islands. While these islands do not seem to be inhabited by people, there are beasts prowling the areas outside of the few gatherings of buildings. Likewise are these beasts massive, utterly gargantuan compared to a human.

However, (a) should you find yourself in trouble, unable to defend yourself against the giant beasts Emet-Selch will appear suddenly, snapping his fingers and making the beast(s) dissipate into nothing but aetheric sparkles that fade within moments. The giant of a man leveling a stern and expectant stare at you as to say "Explain yourself."

Or, (b) if you are smart enough to not get tangled with those beasts, and stick to the settlements, you will find that this place has one sole inhabitant: Emet-Selch. Whether you catch him off guard, or the opposite, your paths will cross eventually. Either way, the question he offers will be the same:]

And just what do you think you are doing here?

[Can't a man, in his endless servitude to his sentimentality, recreate a piece of the past he misses without someone intruding!?]

III. Wildcard

[Throw a prompt at me if you want, or hit me up on plurk(ZornSable) if you wanna hash something out!]

I

[bladeofnymeia]

[Mayhap it is rude to stare, yes, but the people of this world are not nearly the size of the Unsundered of Etheirys. And they are not, of all people, the Most Eminent Emet-Selch, ever. Because no one could be him but him.

But there is a woman staring at him regardless, a Highlander with soft features whose coloring is oddly similar to the hero Emet knows - and with the glimmer of a soul he would definitely know, at a potency that...well, it's as strong as his was when they last met, and it's as strong as G'rhyf's is now.

Azem, stop leaving your shards everywhere, geez.]

...You yet live.

[Sir. Sir. She thought you were in afterlife retirement.]

[amaure]

[This place seems to be downright lousy with Azem shards, you'd think they'd have more shame, and yet...

The woman and the voice are not familiar (besides the Ardbert-like features), but they needn't be when that soul is that color. A quick glance tells him what he needs to know, his eyes narrowing a bit more before he crosses his arms over his chest.]

Indeed I do. Not for a lack of trying for otherwise, were it up to me I would no longer be here, yet here I am.

[He tilts his head ever so slightly as he takes in a measured breath.]

I suppose I may as well come right out with it: while you share that soul, you are not the Warrior of Light I know, so do not expect me to be more familiar with you than beyond your likewise shared heroic deeds.

[bladeofnymeia]

[The explanation doesn't seem to bother her as much as someone might think it would? She frowns slightly, tilting her head and crossing her arms.]

...Somehow, I'm not surprised. I keep running into other Warriors as well. I suppose this place is strange like that.

[The dead yet live, the same soul thrives in many bodies, she's got a Poochyena that reminds her of a wolf pup she once traveled with - basically, this seems like a typical weekday for a WoL. Just weird shit spilling out everywhere.]

But...that's fine. Honestly, after Ultima Thule, I hadn't...I didn't think I would even get to see you again while I lived. [A shrug.] That's enough for me.

[He needn't be overly familiar - just let him be himself, gods. No need for her to stress him out.]

II

[stardiving]

[It's not that Estinien particularly cared to explore the suddenly appearing floating islands, as they could just as suddenly disappear, but tell that to an overly enthusiastic dragonet who just said 'Well, I can fly!' before zipping off to investigate.

Orn Khai keeps eluding Estinien's attempts to catch him and make their way down to the ground before the absolutely massive beasts up here take note of them and decide that they might make for a tasty morsel. First he tried to simply jump after, but quickly discarded that idea--it was far easier for something with wings to switch directions midair, whereas he generally went in one direction then back in the other. Flying on Ratatoskr was only marginally more successful--she was faster, but Orn Khai was smaller and more maneuverable.

The buildings were providing great sport for the little dragon, at least...until he flies around a corner and straight into Emet-Selch.

(Estinien and Ratatoskr manage to pull up short, so at least it isn't a two dragon pileup.)]

[amaure]

[Well, that's unexpected. The (very) tiny dragon's collision does nothing to move Emet from where he stands, but merely invites him to look at what could have possibly flown into him—only to spot the small (so small) dragonet. He quirks an eyebrow, both surprised to see a familiar type of dragon here, but likewise to wordless inquire about his inelegant crash into him.

Not that the little guy gets the chance to answer before Emet spots Estinien approaching. At least his expression shifts from grouchy old man to smug old bastard. Wait, maybe that's not a good thing?]

Is this small child yours? I hadn't known you were a father, Estinien.

[stardiving]

Oh, you've done it now.

[That's all the warning Emet is going to get before he gets a tiny dragon, utterly unphased by Emet's size as only a dragon whose grandsire is also Massive can be, all up in his face.]

I beg your pardon, I am the elder! More than ten score his years!

I

[lightningbearer]

"Is it?"

Said utterly deadpan. And to be fair, he'd paused to stare less because of the giant man and accompanying monster (that only merited enough of a look to get an idea of what they are) but the fact that he's pretty sure he recognizes the guy.

Of course, Geddoe himself is essentially unchanged... But for the fact that he has what's effectively a lightning god residing in the back of his right hand, whose power is granting him immortality. His thick gloves hide the visible mark of it, but anyone sufficiently sensitive to magical power could most certainly sense it anyway.

[amaure]

"To most, it is. Including myself."

While he may state that, he is likewise a culprit in this crime with how his own gaze goes to that curious hand of his. Not only can he sense magic, he can see it through his soul sight. His being unmatched in its power save for Hythlodaeus who trumps even his. Which is to say, there is nearly nothing that can escape his perception.

"What a very curious bit of magic you've got there. Certainly isn't your own, if the state of your soul is aught to go by."

[lightningbearer]

Now that remark has Geddoe's attention. And also has him reflexively on guard, though there's little enough change in his impassive expression.

"What about it?"

He's not stupid enough to try to deny what the other man clearly already knows, but the nature of that interest matters considerably. For all his complaints about the rune, Geddoe still considers it something of a duty to avoid letting it fall into the wrong hands.

2-3 combo-wombo!

[songofthedawn]

[Really, as soon as G'rhyf noticed the massive islands floating upin the clouds, there wasn't any way they weren't going to try and make their way up there. Thankfully for dear sweet Farrok's wings, their first attempt of teleporting to one of the aetherytes up there works a perfect charm. To their utter delight, this phantom Elpis does not mirror the enlargening effect Emet had placed on them before, and G'rhyf is quick to set off on foot around the place.]

[And them being who they are, it's not long before their path crosses with that of Emet-Selch. Or rather, their path finds its way to him, as the Ascian had yet to take notice of them. G'rhyf takes a few moments to consider their options, then grins and darts forward. With a great leap they throw themself as high up as they can and grab onto his robes somewhere around his buttocks.]

[What follows is probably a rather chaotic whirlwind as G'rhyf starts clambering up Emet's back and he almost certainly attempts to stop all this tom-foolery. Should they not be scruffed like the feral cat they are, G'rhyf ends their ascent with a 'Hup!' as they pull themself up onto Emet's shoulder to perch, but either way they're grinning madly and their tail swishing back and forth with clear amusement.]

You know, I was a little disappointed I didn't get to explore this place at my proper size back then. Not that I blame you for making everything more convenient, of course, but it really does enhance the sense of grandeur.

[amaure]

[G'rhyf does indeed get to his shoulder, since the initial grapple caused him to jolt and freeze. So G'rhyf got treated to scaling the most rigid and stiff tree, fortunately his robes likely made that a far easier endeavor.

Once on his shoulder, they're given little more than a scowl before Emet reaches over to scruff them. He could have tried while they were scaling him, but he'd have looked like a fool and felt like one, better to wait for the ample opportunity than to waste attempts like that.

Holding them in front of him like an incorrigible kitten, his scowl does not lessen.]

Was climbing me like some sort of tree part of that denied exploration?

[songofthedawn]

[G'rhyf laughs and shrugs as best they can with how they're being held--they're lucky the top their wearing has such a wide collar or there would be a lot more choking going on.]

Missed opportunity to annoy you, maybe! But I did have a job to do, so I didn't have much spare time for pleasure then, anyway.

[They're not exactly worried about any comeuppance they might get for this needling. G'rhyf is fairly sure that Emet isn't so put out about them that he'd do more than toss them about, and they've suffered worse before.]

I

[sylphchild]

[ There is almost a snort as Sasaxia sees Emet-Selch. As he talks to her, because she WAS staring a lot. ]

Tall One wanted to be Tallest One.

[amaure]

[He shouldn't be surprised to see a Lalafell here, but honestly this is the first he's seen one. That this Lalafell shares Azem's soul and talks like a Sylph is, decidedly, more of a surprise.]

My height has little to do with my wants.

[So he says, and while this might be his natural height, he could change it at any time, thus proving this is on some level a want. A point he doubts this Sylphafell will pick up on.]

Is there aught you need? If so, make it quick, I am very busy.

[No he isn't.]

II

[mustknow]

[One of the invaders to Emet-Selch's sanctuary is ... .. NOT a warrior of Light! And he hasn't run into trouble with the local creatures as yet, though it takes quite some time for Xehanort to actually stumble across Emet-Selch at all, for he's taking a lot of time to carefully position himself to ... of all things, take pictures, pull out a tablet and then take notes on each and every lifeform he's coming across, a small human-sized figure perched on the back of a proper full-sized pegasos, that seems disturbingly fine with him being there.

Which might have something to do with the fact that there is something massively wrong with that pegasos' aether, far too skewed towards Darkness than it ever should be almost but not quite like Tempering. A very sedate carvanha floats along beside them, alert and interested but depressingly normal for a pokemon.

It's in the pursuit of a VERY elusive petalouda that the young scientist finally comes across Emet-Selch, looking terribly startled. His surprise is echoed, in perfect time, by the tainted pegasos he sits on. That's a much taller humanoid than he expected to encounter. MUCH taller.]

Oh! Please forgive me, I was just taking some notes and photographs, I'm not sure any of these are 'pokemon', and it seemed like a marvelous opportunity to do a bit of recording.

[He has a tablet and everything!]

Oop sorry for the delay!

[amaure]

[That someone else is here isn't what catches him off guard, nor even the dark-aspected pegasos (though that is not without its intrigue), but rather the remarkable similarities this man holds with his own countenance. Far from exact, but there's certainly an uncanniness about it that's a touch striking. Not that it matters much beyond the momentary curiosity it births, seeing as he must needs play host to this uninvited guests, regardless of visual similarities.

He certainly does not share his height, however, and thus is he forced to crane his neck as he looks upon the two. His golden eyes oscillating between the rider and his steed, before settling upon the former.]

...Indeed they are not. These are creatures made in likeness to species who have long since been lost, just as their creators have been. I can only assume by your chosen activities, not to mention your choice of dress, that you are a researcher of some sort?

]He crosses his arms, though that red mask upon his chest stays in view.]

Who are you?

it's okay!

[mustknow]

I am, though I admit it's curiosity that drives more than academic papers this time.

[He's apparently quite open with that intention, even if he suspects his unwilling partner in conversation might be less than pleased with his presence. Xehanort isn't COMPLETELY oblivious to social mores, he just chooses to ignore them most of the time.]

And if these creatures are long extinct, then all the more reason to observe how they behave, for there may never be an opportunity to do so again.

[Xehanort's worldview DOES accept giants. Everything was giant here, he was the little one, and thus out of place. On some other world, surely it made sense that everything might be four or five times larger than he's used to! And all of these are merely a likeness, a recreation?

A guess would suggest Emet-Selch made them. He would definitely need to take more notes.. Especially given certain unexpected similarities in quick observation between himself and this giant.]

I am Xehanort, of Radia-- [No. Not anymore, is he?] ..Ah, nowhere now I suppose, but no matter. With your permission, I would like to observe this place further.

II - Here have a (retired) death god! :)

[groessteunterihnen]

Verloren had no idea where he even was, let alone what he was doing here. He was intimately familiar with every form of life of his creator's world--of course he was, it had long been his very job to ensure those lives ended as they were meant to, after all--and none of them matched this.

That said, while it was no world he knew that didn't mean it would do for him to wantonly kill the creatures here. And even if he happens to be retired now, that doesn't change his fundamental nature: as the overseer of death, his mere touch would be fatal, even for the denizens of Heaven. Oh, it wasn't so very long ago that he wouldn't have cared, perhaps, but free of his onetime grudge he no longer desires to simply to destroy.

Which is why, when some of the gargantuan wildlife begins taking an undue interest in the wandered, he simply unfolds a single, skeletal wing and flies up to take a seat in the branches of one of the immense trees. He can continue to observe from here just as easily, after all.

II

[uber_marionettist]

Dirk can fly, obviously. Of course he can fucking fly. Emet also knows he can fly, and no doubt expects him. He better expect him, because Dirk (irritatingly) still can't bestow the guy with a Narrative sense of expectation or foresight regarding Dirk's actions or presence. Which is also why Dirk has to go looking for him instead of just dropping a little Narrative clue in Emet's thoughts and then honing in on that to make good on his appearance.

Everything has to be done the hard way.

Thanks, Zodiark.

[amaure]

Poor Dirk, unaware of Zodiark's release of Emet, but perhaps it's better he has a target to blame for his inability to narrate for Emet. He certainly didn't find it crucial to tell Dirk of his untempering, it being such a minor thing in his mind, and how the only thing it would have changed in the long run was how long he held out doing what he did.

Tangent aside, he is absolutely expecting Dirk, but he's not sure what to expect from him. He looks notably different now, not to mention two and a half times the height Dirk has grown used to. Perhaps he shouldn't have made Elpis to scale, but then again this recreation is more for him and Hythlodaeus than anyone else.

Dirk is included too, but this place holds deeper significance to himself and Hythlodaeus.

Needless to say he's vigilant in keeping an eye out for him, so when Dirk makes his way through the skies and into Elpis' parameter, he takes no time to teleport himself over to his general location. Looking up at him with a smile and gesturing for him to land.

"I had wondered when you might show up. Welcome to Elpis, my dear."

wildcard!

[singlespacedad]

[After a certain amount of zooming around and having fun, Mando gets down to business. He has his full armour back, and he'll likely only have it for a couple of days. Now is the time to do whatever it takes to make sure someone can make him more, once it disappears.]

[Emet isn't hard to find. Especially since he's now huge, holy shit. Mando uses his rocket pack to descend into a tree, close to Emet's eye level.]

Hello, Emet.

[He gestures to himself.]

I have my armour back.

[And guns! So many guns.]

[amaure]

[Well, just as his size makes him easy to spot, the zooming around and peculiar look to Mando's armor makes him similarly easy to take notice of. With mild amusement he watches him as he approaches, raising a curious eyebrow—and though he might be peering at his soul, it does not tell him who this is considering his lack of prior reference. Instead, it is his voice that does so.]

Indeed you do. A terrible shame it will prove rather temporary, just as my true form will be.

[Though he now turns his attention to the armor specifically, scrutinizing it for what he can see of it—which is all of it, in truth. His sight does not stop at the mundanely visible and souls, no, his eyes are keen and able to discern the basest components and structure of an object—be it material or immaterial.]

Am I to assume you have come to show me it in hopes I may replicate it once this star returns to its usual ways?

[hythlodaeus]

[It's hard to ignore the enormous floating island system in the sky. Well, when it's here rather than where it was so long ago. A single look does distinguish it as being an elaborate stage that Emet-Selch has set for some reason. ]

[How fun! How intriguing. But how to get up there? His usual mode of transportation is now much too small. He has little on him, except that he does sense that he could summon a bow. Hm. Perhaps...]

[Whatever Emet-Selch is doing, hopefully he isn't too busy to notice the impossibly high streaking arrows coming up over the ledge and exploding into sparkles and spooking the local flora and fauna.]

[amaure]

[Of course he notices that! How could he not!? Between the obnoxious sparkles and the spooked wildlife, he'd have to be dumber than a stone to not take notice.

Fortunately he isn't nearly as stubborn as he could be, he could just go about ignoring it, maybe even place a glamour in the sky to make it invisibly to not only himself, but the creatures! He could force Hythlodaeus to become a bit more creative, anything! Instead, he gives in, because the thought of enjoying Elpis with him once again, without the dire circumstances that had (temporarily) ruined the trip, is much too sweet.

Which is why, before long, Hythlodaeus will see Grani descending from the islands, though without its creator. The intimidating beast smoothly flying down and landing besides Hythlodaeus, giving him a sidelong glance that almost carries the clear agitation Emet-Selch is likely feeling.

Hurry up, it doesn't say, but it can certainly be felt.]