I Am Thou

[vieraofinaba]

It had been some time since Yua's adventure into the First, now with the land trying to find a way to rebuild after the return of the night sky. Perhaps it was because of it, she has a new appreciation of the beauty of the stars, the color of the skies when the light vanishes for the time. And Yua has been wandering more around Eorzea during the night taking in the sights.

It's when she is around Mor Dhona that during one of her trips, there is something that catches her eye: a very large tentacled creature slithering around like a serpent with a gaping jaw.

"That's odd, I haven't heard of a Hunt Mark like that one-" She stops in mid sentence because the voidsent doesn't even bother to take notice of her but rather a figure lying on the ground. She can't tell who it is from where she is standing but that does not mean the viera woman will simply stand there. Unhooking her chakrams from her belt, she dashes forward and throws them at the monster's eyes.

"Hey Ugly! Over here!"

Yua couldn't think of a snappier comeback, there's more important things like making sure that guy who is lying there doesn't get hurt.

"Who on earth would even be out here around something like this?"

Comments

[vieraofinaba]

That voice snaps her back into the land of reality as her eyes open up to see the settings on one of the Rising Stone rooms, feeling that she is tucked away in a bed and can hear the familiar tone of someone she thought was long dead. Slowly she gets herself into a sitting position and looks over to see the very same man, shock showing on her face.

"It wasn't a dream then? That...just happened?"

[angeloftruth]

"Yes, dear hero. Whatever "that" was, it most certainly did "just happen"," he replies. "They've sent for that black mage of yours, by the way. Be ready."

[vieraofinaba]

Yua can feel her face getting pale at the mention of Rhel and her recklessness. "Oh hells." she groans. "I do not know which will be worse: her burning me to a crisp because of fighting a voidsent alone or that I did that to save you."

But she doesn't sound like she regrets doing that second one.

"Speaking of that...how are you alive?"

[angeloftruth]

He just shrugs.

"I haven't the faintest idea. I awoke not far outside the Crystal Tower and stumbled around, dizzy and disoriented, until that creature decided to make a toy of me."

[vieraofinaba]

"So it likes to play around before wanting to eat." Yua shakes her head, rubbing her temples. "Honestly, it was good that I was there at the right time otherwise..." She leaves off the last part, assuming he may know what she means. But that's odd, a monster like that should not have given him any kind of issue, not with his powers. After all, Emet-Selch was able to pull people out of the Lifestream with ease and move around in the blink of an eye so...what happened?

"Tell me...what happened to your powers?" She asks quietly. "I didn't think something like a voidsent would be very hard for you to face."

[angeloftruth]

Emet-Selch doesn't respond right away, thinking.

"I'm not sure," he eventually admits. "Not that I was in any state to use them when that creature found me, mind."

[vieraofinaba]

Yua taps her chin, getting an idea.

"Try calling for something, anything that isn't deadly or can maim."

[angeloftruth]

"Right after I've taken a tonic for pain?"

Really?

[vieraofinaba]

"Just humor me. For Science."

Not like things can get much worse.

[angeloftruth]

"No. Not when I can barely sit upright from pain and tonics!"

[vieraofinaba]

"You really think I want to see it just for you to suffer?" She rolls her eyes as she swings her legs over her bed and get a better look at him. Yua still looks tired as hell but she can manage.

"If you have no powers and yet alive...aren't you a little curious as to how it happened? Or who did it?"

[thaumewturge]

"That had best not be the sounds of you getting out of bed, Yua."

Rhel gives Yua three seconds before coming in and giving her a Look. Emet-Selch, still in his bed, just looks between the two women. This will be fun.

[vieraofinaba]

"Oh fuck."

Yua grimaced and shot Emet-Selch an annoyed glare. "I'm here, Rhel. And still in bed."

[thaumewturge]

"Only just, I see," she grumbles, staff hand twitching. "What the hells did you do? All I got from Tataru was, and I quote, "there was light and possibly a mutant morbol and a Garlean and Yua's aether is fine but something happened, Rhel, and none of us know what"!"

(Oh, this is hilariously entertaining. He wishes he had a snack.)

"Is this at all related to your star-hopping? That...oh, whatever it was you told me about? With the voices?"

[vieraofinaba]

Yua looks down at her hands and nods. "Yeah. I didn't think it was possible here for them to come out but...I can remember being caught by that voidsent and not wanting to die. And then...I heard it again."

She then looks up and places a hand over her heart. "It was the same almost as if I was re-awakening but they were all there as if a weight was lifted off my soul. For that moment...I could call on my Personas again. Although there's one more concern we have." and points to the ascian in the bed next to her.

"I called on them while saving him."

[thaumewturge]

Rhel finally glances over at the bed before shrugging and turning back to Yua.

"He's harmless right now." Rhel ignores the squawk of protest from Emet-Selch and presses on. "Don't even need those goggles of Urianger's to see that," she says. "We'll worry about the Ascian in the room in a moment. I am much more concerned about you, essentially, summoning voidsent from Mephina knows where!"

She pulls out a crystal and a small bag from the pack at her waist, going over to Yua's bed. "Sit still, I need to check you for corruption."

[vieraofinaba]

Yua puts her hands up and squeaks. "I can assure you that they are not voidsent! They're parts of my soul!"

And then the realization.

"And I am probably exhausted because I did not just call on one or two...more like twenty."

[angeloftruth]

Rhel is clearly having none of it as she goes about checking for corruption as if Yua was a neophyte in the guild who accidentally got too close to the void. Emet-Selch, meanwhile, just stares.

"I'm sorry, did I just hear you say you summoned twenty parts of your soul?"

Rhel snorts. "Have fun explaining that," she mutters. "And he doesn't have the benefit of three bottles of good Lomisian brandy to make it all go down smoother."

[vieraofinaba]

"Apparently he was given tonic so it all depends if mortal medicine makes ascians loopy instead." Yua tries to make a small joke but it probably fell flat.

"But yes, you heard right: I have the ability to summon forth pieces of my soul in order to fight. We call them 'persona', think of like a mask to use in battle." It's the best she can describe it but Yua continues on nonetheless.

"It's actually a rare ability that anyone can gain but only under certain circumstances...and most can only call on one. I'm more of a special case."

[angeloftruth]

"You--you shattered your soul." He can feel the vein pulsing in his forehead. "Into twenty pieces and you're...you're fine? You're still you?"

[vieraofinaba]

That tone in his voice cannot be good. Yua has to think carefully how to word what she says next.

"I don't know if that is the case. More like someone gave me the potential and I had awakened in the same way as our previous encounter. If anything...I don't feel anything as if it were shattered but...possibly being whole?" the whole time, her hand is over her chest.

"Many bonds but working all together it feels like."

[angeloftruth]

He reaches up with his good arm to rub at his temple.

"And--and what's this about world-hopping? We've kept an eye on that soul since the Sundering--it's never left!"

"Told you there was no way you were anything like what he was saying," Rhel mutters. "You're not weird enough for it."

[vieraofinaba]

"I have no clue what he is talking about with that." Yua says to Rhel, shrugging.

"The Source nor any of the Shards is where I come from. I'm from an entirely different universe all together. Traveling between worlds was never something I intended but outside forces always pulled me away; the first time I could travel freely was when I traveled to the First."

[angeloftruth]

"No, no, your soul never once left this star! We checked. Regularly."

[vieraofinaba]

Yua's eyes widen, her mind immediately coming up with ways to respond to that line. 'Have you been stalking me?' or 'Please don't say you and Lahabrea decided to watch me sleep one night' but finding the right words to say and not look like an absolute asshole in this situation won't look good for her. In other words: Yua is trying not to snark back and properly use her words for good this time around. The tension in the room is already thick enough to cut with a butter knife.

"It's true though. I don't know how that's the case but what I have learned from being on the First is that you don't lie. But it doesn't make sense; if what you say is true...why was I on Earth? Why go that far?"