Who We Are [Warrior of Light]

[Cosmos]

So it had come to this… after years of working together to fight Chaos and ensure that the light would persevere, Cosmos’s most loyal of warriors had left her side to go fight for the enemy instead. A part of her had always felt that it might eventually end this way, after all, Warrior wasn’t really a man of light at all… when she’d first seen him, there was neither light nor darkness in his heart, and the only reason he had initially joined her side was because she had given him some of her own light. Ever since she had done that, the goddess of harmony had wondered whether it had been the right thing to do. Giving him that light meant she had made his decision for him. He hadn’t chosen the light, nor had he chosen the darkness at that point. Had she left him alone, would he have naturally leaned towards the darkness that Chaos promoted? Now that he’d left, Cosmos couldn’t help but believe that that was indeed the path he would’ve chosen for himself. But something about the way he’d left just didn’t sit right with her… it had happened completely out of nowhere. It wasn’t like he had started to show doubt for their cause before, and that it had slowly grown over time to the point where he actively questioned her ideals. In fact, there were times when the Warrior of Light seemed even more dedicated to the light than even the goddess who represented it, if that were at all possible. Just before he’d abandoned her, he’d assured her of how the light would always win against the darkness, how he would always be around to make sure that happened. What had happened that would make him change his mind in a matter of a few hours at most?

The goddesses eyes looked up when she heard a pacing sound near her throne. After the Warrior of Light had turned against the light, and thus against Cosmos herself, she’d done something she really hadn’t planned on doing until the next cycle; she’d summoned one of her other warriors here. Though she felt that the next cycle hadn’t started just yet, Warriors betrayal had come so completely out of the blue and the change of pattern had frightened her enough to take precautions just in case Chaos had decided to change the way this eternal war had been fought in the past and would try and send his own warriors here to attack her this time. Cosmos was strong enough to fight and win against most of his warriors one on one, she was a goddess after all, but if all of them showed up here at once? If they all struck together? Cosmos wasn’t sure if she could handle such a fight all by herself, especially if Warrior was amongst the ones who attacked her as well. And thus, she had felt that summoning some back-up was in everyone’s best interest. When Cecil arrived, she’d quietly explained the situation to him, and then gave him the option of either staying or returning home. She could hardly make him stay here, but thankfully, the paladin had chosen to stay here with her for a time. Just until Cosmos could figure out what to do now that Chaos had taken her most faithful warrior away from her.

As she watched Cecil pace back and forth, the golden haired woman wanted to say something that would put his mind at ease… but the words just wouldn’t find her. She herself had been deeply wounded by recent events, and she herself needed words of reassurance as much as Cecil did. For once, the goddess was without any helpful advice, and that made her feel even worse than she was already feeling.
“Do you truly believe he will try and strike you down?” Cecil asked quietly as he stopped pacing and looked up at her with saddened eyes, “After everything we’ve been through together…?”
Cosmos smiled sadly and then looked away once again, without answering the question. The truth was, she had no idea whether he would do exactly that or not. In her heart, she knew that he wouldn’t… but wasn’t that just a side effect of her feelings for him? The believe that their love and affection for one another would make him stay his blade in the end? “That is a question only he can answer…” she told Cecil solemnly as she gazed down at her folded hands. Would they ever even see him again to get the opportunity to ask what had made him betray all of them? Why he had seen fit to join Chaos after all these years? Those were questions she couldn’t answer. Not yet.
“Have no fear, Cosmos. Should he…” Cecil trailed off for a moment, his expression showing uncertainty for a moment before looking back up with a determined look, “Should it comes to that, you won’t have to fight him. I will deal with him in your stead, I promise.” There was no way the paladin was going to ask Cosmos to fight the man she loved. Although Cecil saw Warrior as a true comrade and friend, it was better that he’d have to live with his blood on his hands than force the goddess to bear that burden.
Cosmos for her part just looked at him with a saddened and shocked expression painting her features. He would deal with him… that meant he would kill him if he had to. The goddess wanted to ask him not to, wanted to plead with him to let the Warrior live, but then… if it had come to the point where he wanted to kill her, was he really the man she loved? Was he really the man she’d die to protect anymore? Cosmos closed her eyes and fought back her tears as she mumbled out some last words to the warrior before her, “…thank you.”

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Words: 998
Tagged: Warrior of Light
Location: Order's Sanctuary
Outfit: Regular
Notes: This is kind of crap, but it should be okay to respond to. I put a Cecil cameo in there because it made more sense to me than have her sit there alone. He won't stick around during their conversation. =D

[Warrior of Light]

So…this is what it had come to?

After all the preaching Warrior had done once upon a time about following the light…he was turning into the biggest mess of a man – not even a man – that ever lived. The idea of watching Cosmos or his friends fall at the hands of some…monster, it just tore him to pieces. He’d be okay with fighting against Chaos and his warriors, but…the very thought of an ambush or something coordinated…not one person could hold those types of beings off. It was difficult to hold off a hoard of manikins by himself. Shaking his head as he stood beyond one of the gates that would lead to Order’s Sanctuary, Warrior felt a shiver run down his spine. He longed to be there, to be by Cosmos’ side, no matter what he was. And what he was…was the very thing people seemed to fight against during these cycles. He was nothing more than a perfected Manikin…but obviously by the way he was acting and feeling, he was far from perfect, it’s what just seemed to add more and more doubt to his mind these days.

Rubbing a hand at his forehead and the bridge of his nose, the Warrior of Light had to make a choice…he wanted to see Cosmos, to explain himself, and who aside from himself and her would know of this simple meeting? He took a few glances over his shoulders, hoping not to spot anything, no manikins, no warriors of Chaos, especially Nike. He was in the clear for now, but would Cosmos even bother to speak with him after he just up and left? She had too kind of a heart to turn him away should he want to speak up for his actions. He never would’ve left the side of the light had the lives of those he cared for not been threatened, and in such a way that not even Chaos’ goons threatened. They were usually straightforward with it all, but one particular enemy – an enemy to Warrior even if they were ‘on the same side’ – but this had just…it had been a big step to make, moving from the light he’d guarded for so long. Whether he was a manikin or not, he still felt his rightful place to be on the side of the light, but…he was going to let Cosmos make that choice, whether she listened to him, or dismissed him.

It was settled, Warrior couldn’t stay away, he needed to see her, to say something…to make her understand that what he did, he didn’t do because he wanted to be on the side of chaos and discord, he did it out of fear, love and wanting to protect those he held dear to his heart, his…manikin heart. With a deep breath, he took a step forward, bracing himself for the gate, but it wasn’t like a portal, it was easier to move through, less hectic…and in a matter of seconds, Warrior did hear the familiar sound of water, and voices he knew well. Cosmos…and…Cecil? He assumed as much, someone needed to be here to protect the Goddess while she sat upon her throne, there were too many risks being taken had she been here by herself. Hearing the words in the distance though, able to make them out clearly, Warrior felt his eyes lower. He would never…never ever take up arms and try to strike down Cosmos, or any of his friends. He’d let them take him down before anything like that happened.

Taking steps forward, his armor making his presence noticeable, he made a direct line towards Cosmos and Cecil. “There will be no need for that.” He spoke clearly, loud enough to get their undivided attention as he strode towards the two, stopping a few feet from Cecil, but making sure he posed no threat, not a hand on the hilt of his sword, his shield remained strapped against his arm, but he wasn’t going to do anything, they’d have to trust him on that. “I mean no harm, I simply wish…to talk with Cosmos, should you feel it is safe for her. I give you my word, as a Warrior, no harm shall come to her, Cecil.” He said, looking at the Paladin he knew as a comrade before, and if there was ever a loophole to be found, a way to ensure Nike wouldn’t step one foot near his comrades and Cosmos, he’d leap back over to this side in a heartbeat, if he would be welcomed with open arms of course. Turning his eyes towards the Goddess, Warrior gave her almost a pleading look. “That is, if she’ll speak to me.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Words:[/color] 905
Muse:[/color] Excellent!
Tagged:[/color] Cosmos, (Cecil Cameo?)
Wearing:[/color] His usual armor
Listening To:[/color] Like you have to ask
Notes:[/color] Did you expect me to not reply right away?

[Cosmos]

Though she appreciated Cecil’s words, Cosmos really was in no mood to speak of this at all. Discussing what they should do in case her former warrior took up arms against her, deciding who should fight and perhaps take his life should it come to that… it just made her want to break down and cry, and Cosmos normally wasn’t one to resort to tears over just anything. This however, had hurt her deeply enough that even she had trouble keeping her emotions at bay. Out of everyone, the goddess would’ve never suspected that the Warrior of Light would be the one to turn away from her and join the mutual enemy they’d been fighting for years now. He was the only one she could trust completely and utterly, but it seemed her judgment had been faulty about this. She didn’t want to believe that he’d really turned against her, she wanted to believe that there was a reasonable explanation for all of this, but the sad reality was that she had to expect anything here. If he did intend to harm her, she needed to be prepared for that and everything that would follow that chain of events. Cosmos owed it to every living soul out there to survive no matter what, if she died, and Chaos was left free to execute his plans, what would become of the worlds? She had to protect them, and that meant protecting herself as best she could. That’s the whole reason she’d asked Cecil to stay here with her for a time, she needed time to accept what had happened and get in the right state of mind to deal with all this, one way or another. Right now, she was definitely not in that state yet. Right now, she was still in a heartbroken state, a vulnerable state. She didn’t like it at all.

An all too familiar sound rang in her ears, and had the goddesses eyes widen slightly as she looked up towards the man who normally took up the spot of her loyal protector, some of the tears she’d held back slowly rolled down her cheeks as she stood from her throne, “Warrior…?” she gasped lightly. What was he doing here? It didn’t seem like he had ill intentions, nor did she feel any darkness radiating off him… a slight sigh of relief escaped her lips at that revelation. There was no darkness in his heart, not even now that he’d joined forces with Chaos. There really was more going on here than just a simple change of heart then… Sadly, Cecil, despite being a warrior of light, couldn’t sense whether there was light or darkness within someone’s aura, not as well as the goddess could anyway. And so, the paladin spun on his heel upon hearing the clanking of armor and the all too familiar voice announcing the arrival of a man he’d once called his comrade. Cecil’s hand instantly reached for his blade, and he even unsheathed it slightly before noticing that the Warrior of Light wasn’t approaching them with his sword drawn, at which point his posture relaxed some, but his hand remained on his hilt. “Warrior,” he started with a solemn tone, almost like a sad greeting as he listened to what his old friend had to say, “I do not believe that you will,” he admitted as his lips curved downwards in a frown, “But what I believe doesn’t matter. I cannot take any chances with the goddesses life,” he held a hand up to silence her when he spotted Cosmos readying herself to say something on the Warrior’s behalf, “I want to trust you, but after what’s happened… I’m afraid it’s too much of a risk. I am sorry, my friend, but I must ask you surrender your weapon to me.”

Cosmos looked away for a moment when the Warriors eyes met her own, but they returned to his face after Cecil asked for his weapon. “Have I ever denied you a chance to speak?” she asked him quietly, trying hard to paint a smile on her face, but failing miserly at it. His actions had hurt her deeply, and he probably knew it, so why should she hide her sadness anyway? “Cecil, he will not harm me,” she tried to assure him after he’d finished speaking, but Cecil seemed determined. It seemed she’d come to the right person after all, he really did try his hardest to defend her, despite his own feelings on the matter. The paladin’s eyes met Warriors for a moment, “I am sorry, truly. But I must insist. If you are still the same man I once called my friend, the same man who vowed to protect Cosmos no matter what… you will understand why I have to do this.”

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Words: 803
Tagged: Warrior of Light
Location: Order's Sanctuary
Outfit: Regular
Notes: So much muse! <3 You can godmod Cecil walking off to give them some privacy in your next post.

[Warrior of Light]

This probably wasn’t the smartest idea, anyone could’ve seen him enter the gate, but he could’ve played it off as not knowing the gate would lead to Order’s Sanctuary. Not that anyone would believe that, he was Cosmos’ former right-hand man, he of course would know what was what. Still, if anything should happen to him, it was his own fault, and he’d be willing to take whatever punishment came his way, so long as he got to see Cosmos, he would be content with the way things were going so long as she knew what was going on. Though he didn’t have much to tell her about being on Chaos’ side, he could at least inform her as to why he’d swapped sides. Not by free will or the desire to serve discord rather than harmony, no way, but the fact that…he wanted to ensure his friend’s safety, and another thought came to mind. From here, he could be filled in on the plans that Chaos’ goons made, and if this interaction with Cosmos went well…who’s to say that he couldn’t leak information to her? Just so the side of harmony had a head start.

Stepping into the realm of Order’s Sanctuary, Warrior had his eyes fixed on the two, Cecil and Cosmos, hearing their words and instantly having that guilt, that longing to be back here wash over him. Approaching them, Warrior’s attention was directed towards Cecil first, being asked to give up his weapon? He’d do that, if that’s what it called for to speak with Cosmos. Shrugging his shoulders slightly, he gave his comrade a brief nod in understanding, and in respect. “I understand.” He said before unsheathing his sword and turning it so that he was holding into the blunt end of the blade, holding out the hilt for Cecil to take from him. He even unstrapped his shield from his arm and dropped it to the ground before sliding it away from him with his foot, as well as his helmet, anything that posed a threat, he’d be willing to get rid of so long as he was trusted to be here and not do anything to harm Cosmos. Without any weapon, a shield nor a helmet, Warrior held his arms out as if to reveal there was no other weapons on hand, he was completely harmless right now, and hopefully that was enough for Cecil.

Shooting a glance at Cosmos, Warrior had given her somewhat of an apologetic look, he wasn’t sure really what to say to her right now in front of Cecil, but…saying something was better than seeming like he was ignoring her words. “Never, Cosmos. And…I appreciate you letting me speak even now.” He gave her a small nod before turning his gaze to Cecil. “If you don’t mind, I’ve given up my weapon, my shield and anything else that could potentially harm someone, if you’ll give Cosmos and I a short time to speak…?” he asked of his friend, a pleading look towards the paladin before he looked back to Cosmos. It seemed that…with Cosmos’ reassurance and Warrior’s willingness to give up anything he had to protect himself with, that he was allowed the alone time with Cosmos.

With Cecil gone, which Warrior appreciated the fact that he was even being trusted around Cosmos by himself, not that he’d ever think about hurting her, never in a million years, and even longer if it was possible, he looked towards the Goddess, sinking to one knee as he usually did in respect for her presence, he pulled a hand towards his heart, his eyes staring now down at the watery floor that covered the sanctuary. “I owe you an explanation. But first, you must know that…there is no one I wish to serve more than you. I will never be one to serve discord…but once I’m done explaining…perhaps you can understand why I’m temporarily on leave, so to speak.” He said before lifting his gaze and himself in general up to his feet, looking at her and hoping he could find the best way to explain this. If anyone deserved an explanation, it wasn’t Cecil, it wasn’t any of the other warriors, it was Cosmos.

“I didn’t have much of a choice.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Words:[/color] 836
Muse:[/color] Amazing!
Tagged:[/color] Cosmos
Wearing:[/color] Dat armor minus helmet, shield, sword...
Listening To:[/color] Trading Yesterdaaaaaaay
Notes:[/color] GO MUSE GO!

[Cosmos]

In the time it took Cecil and Warrior to handle the exchange of weaponry, Cosmos slowly sat back down on her throne again, trying to collect her cool for the upcoming conversation. Warrior wasn’t the only one with things to say, but she wanted him to get his explanation out first, maybe it would negate some of the things she’d intended to say to him? Who knew. He deserved a chance at least, that much was certain. And what happened after that, Cosmos couldn’t really say just yet. Hopefully he’d join her side again, but somehow, she had a feeling that he wouldn’t be doing that. Whatever had driven him to his current path couldn’t possibly have been dealt with in such a brief time, it had to be going on still. Whatever the problem was, the goddess had to wonder why he hadn’t just come to her for help instead of seeking out his old enemy, after all, even if they’d confessed to having more than friendly feelings for one another a while back, they were still companions as well, and while she could understand wanting to keep certain things from someone you loved, she couldn’t understand why he hadn’t told her as a friend. As a comrade. Even if it were so bad that he couldn’t tell her, why hadn’t he told Firion? Or Cecil? Or Yuna, or whoever? Surely they would’ve tried to help him as best they could too.

With his weapons surrendered, there really wasn’t anything he could do to cause harm any more, despite being in a slightly weakened state, the goddess of harmony could still fight. She still possessed powers that could easily knock a single warrior off his feet and out of her realm should the need arise. Without his weapons, he’d definitely put himself in a vulnerable spot here. But neither Cosmos nor Cecil had truly believed he would try and harm either of them, but then they’d never believed he would cross sides either, for whatever reason. But the Paladin could actually rest easy now that the Warrior of Light was no longer armed, and when he requested some privacy, he offered his old friend an understanding nod and a quick pat on the shoulder before he walked off into the distance, leaving the Warrior and Cosmos to discuss this situation privately. Of course he was just as curious as the next guy to find out why his comrade had done what he’d done, but he understood that now wasn’t the time to discuss that with him. He had come here specifically to see Cosmos, and Cecil respected that wish. Had their situations been reversed, he wouldn’t have wanted anyone else around while he spoke with Rosa either. And so, he walked off far enough that he couldn’t hear them anymore. Let’s hope leaving the two of them alone had been the right decision to make after all.

With Cecil away, Cosmos suddenly found it hard to even look at the man she cared about so much. He told her there was an explanation, that he really didn’t have a choice. What she really wanted to do now was tell him that there was always a choice to be made, and that he had made his and had to own up for that decision. But instead of saying that, she remained silent for a while even after he’d finished speaking. For once, she couldn’t really think of any comforting words that could make this meeting less awkward and more relaxed. Such words probably didn’t even exist for things like this. Cracking jokes at such a serious moment was most inappropriate, saying something nice might be more than he deserved, based on his reasons for leaving. So what else could she say? Her eyes moved back up to look into his own, “Then please, do explain it to me, because I couldn’t be more confused about any of this,” she started quietly, opening her mouth again to say more, but finally just deciding against it and shaking her head slightly. “Whenever you are ready to start…” she sighed sadly before letting her eyes fall back to the watery floor of the Sanctuary.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Words: 701
Tagged: Warrior of Light
Location: Order's Sanctuary
Outfit: Regular
Notes: Sorry for adding to your post pile again, I just had to get this one up. xD

[Warrior of Light]

This was going to be rather difficult. Warrior could tell that much already. He of course was the guilty party in all of this. He could’ve easily searched for another way around this but…with that being said, it was also one of those ultimatums, whether he wanted to ‘lose more than just information’, information he wasn’t sure he was happy about hearing. He shook his head ever so slightly as Cecil made his leave, it made things a little more uncomfortable that was for sure. Still, the privacy was needed, in due time, Cecil would know as well as anyone else why Warrior had chosen this path, not of course entirely by free will, but…there was just a lot to be said, or at least that’s what it seemed like, in reality, there wasn’t a whole bunch of talking that needed to be done, just a simple explanation would do it.

Standing there, not wanting to meet Cosmos’ gaze, but forcing himself to at least look at her as she kept her eyes diverted from him as well, he felt the need to take a pause. A pause that would cause him to feel uncertain, and he didn’t need that. “Alright.” He simply replied, giving himself that extra moment to put his words into sentences, he still knew he was wrong, everything about this was falling on his shoulders, and if anyone was to blame, it wasn’t Nike, it was himself. “I take full responsibility for the choice I had come to make…” he started, not knowing whether to talk about what he’d learned, or get back to the real topic at hand. Maybe it would be best to set up the situation so that she understood the feelings he had felt at the time, the ultimate feeling of having the rug pulled from under your feet, the weight of the world crashing down on you…and anything else one might want to add to throw you into complete and total shock and despair. “I’ve finally figured out my past. That…is also a contributor to this. I remember you telling me not to give up on finding out about my past…I didn’t give up, but stepping away from the light was one way I could get that information.”

What information had he gained exactly? Well, he was going to fill Cosmos in, and it was something he’d definitely rather not get spread through the different warriors of harmony. It was disgraceful to him, it was…awful, feeling more like the enemy than he really was. “I have no memories because…I am not like the rest of them. The other warriors, they come from different worlds they call home, they have lives and friends, families even…but me…I wasn’t born into any world, I was created.” He said before shifting his weight around, folding his arms across his chest and finally letting his own eyes fall to the watery floor he was standing on, it was depressing to be talking about this, to inform Cosmos to what he really was. Not even human…but a manikin, what he should be was simply a hollow shell, no feelings…no heart…but somehow he’d pushed himself to be more than that, without even knowing his true origin. “I’m simply a manikin, just like the ones that tried attacking this sanctuary not long ago.”

Well, that was part of it, it wouldn’t suffice for now. There was more to it than just being a manikin – feeling hollow inside since finding this out – and now it was going to turn to the topic of Nike, a warrior of Chaos whom he hadn’t seen before their first meeting within the old Chaos Shrine. She’d had the answers, not necessarily the storybook ending that Warrior was looking for, but it was still answers, the fact that he was a manikin nearly made him crash right then and there, but the idea of being able to keep an eye on Chaos’ goons, especially Nike now, it was quite the idea, it kept him going, no matter how silly it was. “Your life, the lives of my comrades…they’d been threatened by a greater force than perhaps just one warrior of Chaos, but by the lot of them…by someone I had never met before, with my eyes on the other side, I could…know what they were doing, if they’d ever plan a strike…I’d be there on time to take arms against them.” He said with his eyes still not looking at her. He knew his friends could handle themselves, especially when they were in groups, no many battles had been lost unless you were on your own, something Warrior seemed to be falling back into these days. “I’d lost you once to Chaos before, I couldn’t bear to go through that again."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Words:[/color] 937
Muse:[/color] Excellent!
Tagged:[/color] Cosmos!
Wearing:[/color] Dat armor
Listening To:[/color] Leave Right Now: Will Young
Notes:[/color] Wolly muse is leading a full dictatorship in my closet, just so you know.

[Cosmos]

Listening, that was something Cosmos was good at. Just listening to what other people had to say and then patiently waiting until they’d finished talking before she’d reply to them. It was a skill that had been perfected over many years, and it came in useful for situations like these, where missing even a single detail might mean you misunderstood the entire story. And that’s the last thing Cosmos wanted here. She wanted to know what was going on, why had chosen this path and why he had come back to her now to explain himself. Because she couldn’t sense any darkness around him, it seemed pretty evident that someone had put him up to this, probably a warrior of Chaos, or even Chaos himself. But they’d tried before to trick him, and it had never worked, his resolve and his dedication to this cause was unfaltering, so whatever had been said or done to make him come to the conclusion that turning against his allies was a good idea, it had to be something major. Aside from a few nods here and there to show that she was indeed listening to his words and not just sitting here, staring at the water or off into the distance without even paying attention, the goddess didn’t say anything. No mhms or anything, not a single sound was made by the woman as the Warrior of Light explained himself to her.

When he got to the actual start of his explanation, Cosmos felt her stomach churn a little as she bit down on her lip. He’d discovered something of his past… and the only way for him to learn of it was by turning to Chaos. She supposed she could understand that, had their roles been reversed, she might’ve done the same. How long had he been searching for his memories now? Too long, that was for certain. If this was really the only way he could’ve found out more about himself, how could she hold that against him? Especially after she’d actively encouraged him to keep looking for his lost memories in the past. ”What information did you gain?” she asked him softly, still unwilling to meet his eye. To be honest, Cosmos had never really known the truth about the Warriors past either. When he was brought to her by Prishe, he’d been more dead than alive inside, and while she’d always suspected that he wasn’t fully human, there had been no proof to show for her assumptions. For all she knew, he was just a regular man who had somehow lost his memories; an unfortunate soul that had accidentally been teleported to the world of Dissidia. She’d never told him or anyone for that matter about her suspicions, after all, what if she’d been wrong? Telling someone they didn’t have memories because they weren’t human and then later finding out that you’d been wrong, that they did have lives before they’d met you… that was a possibility she didn’t want to deal with. It seemed better to let him find out for himself who and what he was, whatever that might be, and then try and talk to him and comfort him if it was something he didn’t want to hear. Now that she saw what her silence had lead to however, she regretted not speaking up sooner. Maybe she could’ve made it clear that she was uncertain, but that she had a hunch about what he was. He could’ve still continued his search, but at least he would’ve been prepared for a potential disappointment. She looked up at his with a pained expression when he confirmed what she deep down had known all along; he had no memories because he wasn’t human. He was a manikin, created by Cid of the Lufenians, just as she was. Only, Cosmos had been a success in the sense that she actually had the full memories of the person she’d been based on; Cid’s own wife.

“Warrior…” she started softly, but then sighed and hung her head in shame when he told her the rest of it. So someone had manipulated him into doing this then. A warrior of Chaos with powers greater than all the rest of them had come to him and made him believe that the only way to keep his allies safe was through joining them somehow. Was that it? His only intend had been to keep an eye on the enemy and defend his loved ones, even if it meant effectively giving up his freedom and allowing himself to be trapped by them? A grim smile settled on her face, because that was just exactly like the man she remembered, exactly the man she loved. Someone who was willing to sacrifice himself for everybody else, that was how he always had been, always worrying about everyone else, and putting himself last. She should’ve known it would be something like this, no… she knew it was something like this. In her heart, she’d always known something like this had been the reason behind his seeming act of betrayal. “Stop… just stop, I’ve heard enough…” she told him softly as she stood up from her throne and walked up to where he was standing. Reaching both her hands out, she grasped the sides of his head and made him look at her as she smiled up at him, genuinely this time. “I understand… I understand why you believed this was the right course of action to take,” when she’d made sure he was looking at her, she let her hands drop back to her sides, “I also know this is a mistake. A mistake made with the best intentions at heart, but a mistake all the same. If it is true what you say… that this warrior is more powerful than the ones you’ve previously faced… then that’s a problem, and we’ll have to deal with it,” she shook her head, but this time kept her eyes on him, “But not alone. The only way we can ever hope to defeat such an enemy is by fighting as one. If we’re alone… divided, we’ve already lost the battle. We need to draw strength from each other, like was always have before. I think you know that too, when you’re being honest with yourself and look at this objectively.” she reached down and grasped his hands, just like they had when he’d first appeared before her again, not too long again, “As for comparing yourself to the manikins you’ve fought in the past… please tell me you don’t really feel that way, because you are not at all like them. You never were, and you never will be.”

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Words: 1118
Tagged: Warrior of Light
Location: Order's Sanctuary
Outfit: Regular
Notes: I actually had to revise this post because it had gotten way too long. There really is such a thing as too much muse. XD

[Warrior of Light]

Taking on warriors of Chaos, taking on hoards of manikins, even taking on Chaos himself seemed to be easier than this explanation he needed to give to Cosmos. Anything and everything would be simpler, this was just…something he had never wanted to do, but to protect his comrades, to protect Cosmos, it had needed to be done. Though his tactic might’ve been risky, foolish even, it was what he’d thought was right at the time, taking on things alone and dealing with them by himself. Being a manikin, it brought more longing to be left in solitude as it was, never did he want to be compared with the imperfect beings they had been fighting for so long, through each cycle of Dissidia. He was nothing but a hollow shell, but…something pushed him to work harder, to overcome what he really was, even if he didn’t know he wasn’t human before a short while ago. He wanted to defend the light, it was the path he’d taken, he’d allowed himself to fall into the category of harmony, and he still fought for the light…just in a very very roundabout way.

It was difficult to explain and get every single detail out, but Warrior wasn’t going to shorten his explanation for a time saver, he just wasn’t sure as to where to begin, whether he was supposed to start with the reasons for his actions, the information he’d gained that’d nearly crushed his spirits, his journey to find his memories had come to an end…and that was enough to cause someone to think totally differently about their life, their purpose and what good they were to the world. In fact, he’d spent a good time wondering about who he was, why he was even created and perfected to an extent to not even look the same as the distorted manikins he’d fought against. Was there even a purpose behind him? Or had his formation just been a lucky one? There were no definite answers, but one thing he was sure of, he still needed to fight for the light, manikin or not, it was what he’d trained himself to do…what he sought to do, and by leaving Cosmos and his allies, he was still doing that, but more for personal reasons rather than ones that even seemed justified. He was sure many people wouldn’t understand, but if he could get at least Cosmos to understand…that was all that mattered, the rest would come eventually.

Warrior had spoken, he’d started to explain everything, he’d done his best to keep the facts straight, keep his expressions not as pained as how he was feeling revealing all of this. Cosmos had been housing a manikin, the very beings that the cycles had to deal with, that comrades had fallen to…how was that supposed to make one feel? It was understandable, but yet, no one could ever understand how he felt about it all. No one had been in such a situation, no memories to look back on, no purpose…but as Nike had told him upon their first meeting, he’d given himself a purpose. He’d longed to have a purpose, to take up a sword and shield and defend the light like some sort of knight that lived in the older times, like the world he’d become associated with, living in Cornelia for awhile between different cycles, it wasn’t out of the ordinary to don a bit of armor here and there, it was almost perfect…maybe that’s why he ended up there after defeating Chaos and gaining their crystals, it was simply a perfect place to throw him in the mean time, when in reality, he had nowhere to go.

Manipulation wasn’t easy to deal with, but Warrior had fallen to it, sort of. The bigger picture was keeping an eye on Chaos’ minions and seeing what they were up to. There wasn’t a doubt in this warrior’s mind that should someone try to strike an attack on Cosmos while she were to be in the Sanctuary, Warrior would be there first, shield and sword in hand as he defended her, a true warrior of the light…but by the looks of things, one could easily be fooled by his motives. He couldn’t bear to lose to her to the hands of Chaos again, either directly or indirectly, and after he said that…he’d cut himself off, especially as Cosmos told him to stop. What more was there to say? His motives hadn’t been anything all that different, to simply protect the light, protect her, but in a completely different way than what he was used to. With his eyes still down, he had heard her rise to her feet, even walking slightly through the water that covered the ground, which did bring his gaze upwards slightly, but then she really did make him look at her, both hands clasping around his head to bring his gaze and full face up to meet her eyes. He stood there with somewhat of a defeated look, but nothing too depressing as he saw a genuine smile on her face, his words…she’d believed them…just as he had wanted her to, that’s all he’d wanted, her trust, even now.

She understood, and that brought somewhat of a half hearted smile to the Warrior’s face. “Fighting as one, that’s always been the objective. Until we can figure out the proper course of action against this warrior, or any of them that should ever pose threats to you or anyone else we all care for, just know that you have your eyes on the other side.” He assured her with a nod before continuing. “I'll be sure to check in periodically, should you allow that to be possible…and once we’re ready to take down this force, I will rejoin my comrades on the right side.” Another nod before his hands had been taken, and he easily gripped her hands with just as much tightness as she was giving him, enough to assure her that he was still true to her, on the right path, but going in a completely roundabout way as to protecting the light, to protect her ultimately. “I can honestly say at first I was a bit…distraught at first, but…after taking the time and thinking about it, I can truly understand the difference. Manikins have nothing worth fighting for, they have no friends nor no one to rely on, it isn’t the memories that make you someone worth keeping…it’s what purpose you give yourself. Might is, and will always be, right here.” He said giving her a nod, gesturing with his gaze towards the ground while still holding her hands. His place was right here. “To be by your side, that is my place, my purpose. No hollow manikin has the privilege of such a life, they’re emotionless, void of any feelings…but that light you gave to me, it…it separated me from the lot of them, and for that I thank you, over and over again.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Words:[/color] 1306
Muse:[/color] ^ Self explanatory
Tagged:[/color] Cosmos
Wearing:[/color] Dat armor
Listening To:[/color] Viva La Vida: Coldplay
Notes:[/color] AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!

[Cosmos]

Deep down, Cosmos had always known that the Warrior of Light hadn’t betrayed them, hadn’t betrayed her. It was just something that was completely out of character for the man she’d come to know and love, and so she was hardly surprised when he told her about what had happened. Some of the information he gave her was troubling to say the least, but the goddess of harmony had complete faith in her warriors. The battle might have gotten tougher with the arrival of this new threat, but hope was definitely not lost. They’d battled Chaos himself before, and won. They could win this fight too if they all fought together with the same resolve they’d shown in the past cycles. Even if some of them didn’t remember those times, their hearts did remember it. The resolve they’d found then remained inside of them, and it always would, for as long as they lived, and whether they were aware of its presence or not. Still, if Chaos had turned to new recruits, maybe Cosmos would have to seek out more warriors as well to even the odds. She didn’t want to get more people involved in this struggle, but she had to. There was really no other way to handle this. There needed to be enough warriors of light to counter the warriors of discord if they were to win this upcoming war, yet another cycle that couldn’t be avoided.

With a deep sigh escaping her throat, Cosmos nodded her head slowly. “If you feel that this is the best course of action to take, then I will take your word for it,” she spoke quietly, “However, you will need to inform the other warriors about what you’re doing. You can’t be fighting each other over a misunderstanding when there is so much more at stake. I cannot tell them in your stead, this is a choice you made by yourself, and so you will have to be the one to answer whatever questions they might have,” she finished with a look of finality. It wouldn’t be easy to answer some of the questions they’d pose for him, but Cosmos still felt he owed it to the others to face them himself and answer whatever they wanted to know from him. Of course it would’ve been a lot easier on him if she were to tell them, but that would be a mistake. If he was really sure of this decision, then no amount of questioning would weaken his resolve. If it did, then it meant he really wasn’t sure of his own decision, and that was important to know as well. Some might have found the goddess harsh in her ways, as she never really answered any questions or concerns her warriors might have, but she honestly felt that this was the best way to go about things. To put it very simply, it was like telling a child not to touch a hot pan rather than letting him burn himself and figure out for himself that touching hot things lead to a painful experience. Yes, telling him was the nice way to handle the situation, but doing so meant the child still wouldn’t understand why he couldn’t touch hot things. His curiosity would remain, and he would’ve learned nothing from it. Letting him touch the pan and letting him burn his hand slightly was harsh, but at least then he would truly understand why he should or shouldn’t do certain things. The warriors of light weren’t children of course, but the same thing counted for that scenario too. Finding your answers by yourself instead of relying on someone else to give them to you lead to greater understanding about oneself, and that was exactly what Cosmos wanted. And even though she was closer to the Warrior of Light than she was to all the others, she was still fair enough to make him undergo the same things the others had to undergo as well. She was sure that was what he wanted too, he wouldn’t want to be given special treatment just because he was closer to her. “This is your home as well,” she told him with a smile in reply to his desire to check in once in a while, “You will always be welcome here. Never forget that.”

When the matter of his nature came up, Cosmos took his hands and looked directly into his eyes, nodding her head along with what he was saying. “Exactly so,” she whispered quietly, “Even though you may not have been born as the others were, you are more like them than you are like the creatures you’ve fought. What you are is irrelevant, it’s who you are that truly matters,” she shook her head lightly at his words, “It wasn’t my light that brought you where you are today. It may have sped up the process, but it was ultimately your own doing. You were never destined to be a mere manikin,” she let go of one of his hands and gently caressed his cheek, “When I first met you, I already knew you were special. I wasn’t certain about what you were, but I could see who you were meant to be, and what I saw wasn’t a heartless, mindless being. It was a man so just and kind that not even a goddess could stop herself from falling for him,” she giggled a little at her own sappy words, and directed her gaze downwards when she felt her cheeks burn up a little, “And I’d say that is a pretty incredible feat. We don’t just fall for anyone, you know.” She looked back up, a soft, yet serious expression taking over her amused one from before, “Even if you’re not human, and even if you don’t have any real memories… it hasn’t changed my feelings for you. I gave you my heart, and for as long as you desire it… it is yours to keep,” she told him with a warm smile, “As for memories… my only memories are the ones granted to me by Cid’s wife, upon whom I was based. They are lovely memories, but they are not my own. I would like to have some happy memories for myself… perhaps we can make them together. Just you and I.”

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Words: 1056
Tagged: Warrior of Light
Location: Order's Sanctuary
Outfit: Regular
Notes: Good God I love these two, thank you so much for conning me into taking her. <3

[Warrior of Light]

Looking to Cosmos with a determined yet very understanding look on his face, Warrior gave her a small nod, understanding her words about having to tell the other warriors. “I will do so, but in due time, the next time I get a chance.” He said to her, and he always did make good on his word, so there would be no worries there. He just hoped he got a chance to talk to them sooner rather than later, but he would want them to keep it on a hushed level, if they were to ever meet face to face during his time on Chaos’ side, they’d need to fight, and it couldn’t be fake, it was all part of keeping up a good act, so to speak. But he trusted his comrades to keep quiet and do that for him while he was keeping a closer eye on Chaos and his lackeys than anyone really could right now, he really did think deep down that this was a good tactic, and soon enough he’d return to Cosmos’ side, right where he belonged.

Perhaps the next time he came here, there would be someone to give an explanation to, aside from Cosmos herself, and maybe whenever Cecil returned he could speak with him, to make sure he understood what all of this was about, to ease the mind of at least one of his comrades. With a small faint smile appearing on his lips as he gazed down at the goddess of harmony, Warrior gave her a few more nods. He really did consider this place his home now, especially since he hadn’t originated from anywhere that he knew, not Cornelia, yet not the rift where all the other manikins were escaping from. The first memory he could retain was seeing Prishe fighting against Garland in the Old Chaos Shrine…the same place he’d met Nike, but he would never consider such a place home. A home wasn’t just where you were born or grew up, it was where you felt welcomed and loved the most, that was definitely Order’s Sanctuary, no matter what side he was on and no matter who or what he was. Manikin or human, it was all the same to him in terms of a home.

“I will always consider this my home, make no mistake of that. I’ll check in as often as possible and inform you of the matters on Chaos’ side.” Warrior spoke with clarity before his hands were intertwined with hers, feeling more at ease than when he’d first arrived and approached her, almost fearful of her reaction to his mock betrayal. No matter what happened, it seemed she really did love him, and that was another reason Warrior fancied her, she seemed more human than anything else, not some high and mighty goddess who would smite you should you say the wrong thing…she was passionate and understanding, a very attractive feature and something he held high in his books with her. She was correct though – like she usually was – he was no mere manikin, nor was he destined to be one, it didn’t matter if she had given him some of her light or not, ultimately he would’ve chosen his own path and that most likely would’ve led to the light side, the path that screamed for him. He was just glad he’d gotten to this side sooner rather than later, it was then he’d met Cosmos anyways, and for that he was grateful, perhaps a thank you was in order towards Prishe next time he saw her.

Cosmos really did know all the right things to say, to make his own heart swell on the inside. Even though he was a manikin, you simply couldn’t tell it. He made himself have emotions, feelings and thoughts that mattered. Warrior was simply…human in the eyes of pretty much anyone, even though he was created as a manikin. Oh Cosmos…if only you knew how much of these emotions Warrior had gained…just because of her. It was amazing the impact one single person, one single being could have in your life. It sort of brought him out of that cold iron shell of his, instead of being so icy cold and stoic all the time, Warrior had given himself a bit of freedom with his emotions, smiling, even laughing around sometimes, he owed a lot to her, more than any words could ever express. Chuckling at her words – that freedom again! – Warrior gave her a loving look. “I must’ve done something right, too.”

Then came…the explosion of emotions. The words that made Warrior’s heart swell even more beneath his armor as he took Cosmos’ hands again, squeezing them slightly as he gazed at her, his amused attitude fading just as her had, but still…the words had gotten to him crystal clear. He had her heart, and that wasn’t about to change, never could he look at another and feel the same way that he did about Cosmos, and even now, now that there were difficulties, they would still make it through without any troubles to their relationship. Soon it would be over and they could be together again, Warrior could promise that much, but he didn’t say it aloud, making promises like that made him seem more like he was an ‘all talk’ type of guy, it was best to just work hard and show what you could do to make things work. “I shall desire it, always.” He informed her quietly with a small nod. “As for memories, I’d be nice to have them…though the past doesn’t matter now, the things I would remember had I not been a manikin, but it’s the future I choose to look forward to, and many happy memories with you. Once all of this is over…we can get to work on those memories.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Words:[/color] 1102
Muse:[/color] Excellent!
Tagged:[/color] Cosmos
Wearing:[/color] Dat armor!
Listening To:[/color] What About Now: Chris Daughtry
Notes:[/color] I had to cut this short, otherwise it would’ve exploded.

[Cosmos]

There were of course a lot of problems with Warrior’s idea of joining Chaos just to keep tabs on what their opponent was doing, and Cosmos had some doubts about whether it would actually work or not. Not only were Chaos and his warriors not half as foolish as some might think, the goddess also knew that it would be hard for some of her own warriors to fight the Warrior of Light, even if it were a pretend battle. It would need to look real, and they’d have to pretend the fight was genuine and not something that had been staged. The easiest way to achieve that effect was of course to keep everyone in the dark about what was really going on and letting them think he really had turned against them, but then… what if they had the upper hand and took their chance to eliminate what they believed to be a former ally gone bad? No one would even be able to blame them, because it was their duty to deal with the warriors of Chaos and ensure they couldn’t wreak more havoc, if Warrior really had joined their side, he too would need to be stopped. Cosmos just couldn’t help but feel worried about both his safety as well as the safety of her other warriors. Whichever route they went with was risky, but Cosmos genuinely felt that telling them all about what was going on was the wisest thing to do in this scenario. At least then they wouldn’t kill him if they had the chance, sure, if a warrior of Chaos or even Chaos himself witnessed it they would grow suspicious, but she trusted the Warrior of Light’s judgment as well. If he noticed that they were starting to catch on to what he was doing, he would return to Order’s Sanctuary and tell her that too. He wouldn’t risk being exposed, she really believed he was wiser than that.

After nodding slowly to his words, she smiled gently when he mentioned that he really did consider this Sanctuary to be his home. That was always good to hear, even though it hardly came as a surprise. It was this place he kept returning to, time and time again, even before he’d found out what he was, exactly. It also relieved her to know that he didn’t truly think of himself as a mindless creature like most of the other manikins were, and that he considered himself worthy enough to have a home and people to love and be loved by. For a moment, she’d worried about him, because he’d sounded so negative about himself. It was perfectly understandable, but it wasn’t justified, and thankfully he understood that as well. Good for him, because even though Cosmos preferred to let her warriors figure things out for herself, she would’ve more than likely gone on a long, ranty speech about why he was more than just a manikin and explaining exactly how she saw him should he have been genuinely depressed about what he was. He really had dodged a bullet there.

“Hah!” she laughed again, feeling her mood rise despite the long and tiresome road that no doubt lay ahead for all of them in days to come, “You did several things right, in fact,” she spoke in a happier, quirkier tone and flashed him a somewhat cheeky smile, “I’m not telling you what it was though. You’ll have to figure it out for yourself, are you up for that challenge?” What? Goddesses needed some fun and play in their lives as well, how else were they supposed to last for centuries without going insane? Hmm? HMM?!
But even though it was a nice little distraction, Cosmos didn’t want this particular talk to turn into the two of them playfully flirting back and forth. It was fun, and she definitely wanted to continue it at a later time if he felt up for it as well, but right now, she was trying to tell him something serious. Something he probably already knew, but she felt the need to say it out loud anyway, just so he could know for certain about how she felt towards him. Although her smile remained, it changed into something more sincere, something deeper than what it had been before, as did her tone of voice. It would seem her message had had its desired effect, because Warrior’s attitude changed along with her own, his tone and his expression mirroring her own.

Her eyelids slowly dropped and her smile widened some when he mentioned how he would always want to keep her heart, and upon hearing his words, she felt her heart race in her chest. Now that she knew what it was to have someone to love, to genuinely love as a man rather than just another warrior she had to watch over and guide, she really wasn’t even sure anymore how she’d been able to go so long without it. This feeling had to be the best feeling ever, and even though Cosmos was a goddess and was probably supposed to be above all of this, she still felt like she could get addicted to this thing called love. For some reason, she didn’t think Warrior would mind it all that much if she did grow addicted to the feeling though, because he himself seemed to enjoy it quite a bit as well. When he finished talking, Cosmos did something rather bold, even for a goddess. Looking up into his face, she stood on the tips of her toes and brushed a soft kiss against his cheek, “I look forward to it.” She whispered softly before wrapping her arms around his waist and resting her cheek against his shoulder. If only they could stay like this forever, without having to worry about war and chaos and destruction. But alas, they both had duties they needed to tend to, but maybe that was what made moments like these special. It was something to look forward to, and something to fight for. Cosmos would forever continue her fight so long this warrior fought alongside her, and held her like this when the fight was over. “Don’t stay away for too long, alright? I’ll be waiting for you.”

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Words: 1048
Tagged: Wolly! <3
Location: Order's Sanctuary
Outfit: Regular
Notes: I'd say we've about squeezed all the possible cuteness out for this thread (unless you had something else you wanted to do?), so we can probably end it after your next post. Or even now, if you want! XD

[Warrior of Light]

Being here with Cosmos, it felt so natural. It was just like he was in his rightful spot, at her side, but unfortunately he couldn’t remain here for much longer. He didn’t want to get some wandering eyes to the point where the Warrior would be looking over his shoulder constantly for Nike or one of the other warriors of Chaos. He was quite ready to get out of here, to find the threats that lay within Chaos’ realm and find that loophole that would get him back to where he really did rightfully belong, right here. It was a painful thing to accept, that he couldn’t stay here much longer, it was saddening, and it clearly showed a look of pain on his face, strain, not wanting to leave…like a child being ripped away from their home, friends, family, everything they knew. It was amazing he wasn’t just ditching everything and remaining here, still, he couldn’t be at ease if he knew there was a possible growing threat that could easily take care of Cosmos…he needed to do what he could to save her.

A brief respite…

Warrior had the tiniest of amused smirks on his face as he and Cosmos poked a bit of flirty fun back at one another, it was nice, but definitely now wasn’t the time for it. Still, at least it was nice to know that she knew what was going on, how he felt and how he hadn’t changed on a whim. He was still the same old warrior he’d always been. Wanting to protect the light, and her of course. There really was no difference, she of all people understood that, and that’s all Warrior wanted of her. “I’ll do what I can to figure it out, in due time.” He smirked towards her with that tiny smile on his lips before feeling a sense of seriousness float into the air again, pulling that playful attitude away from both him and the goddess. As sad as it was to see such happiness go away, it was necessary, things needed to be taken care of, Warrior couldn’t just hang out here all day, someone might get suspicious and go looking in places they shouldn’t be. Cosmos was sure to understand that as well.

Memories would be nice, especially with the person you cared about the most. With a saddened look on his face, yet a smile remained as he looked down on her, he so wished to remain here, even for a few moments longer! Soon Cecil would need to come back, soon Warrior would need to go do his investigating, and soon…all of this madness would be over with. Watching her though, feeling the kiss upon his cheek, he really did feel like some sort of knight in shining armor, being here with his princess. Had she not immediately had her arms around him, head resting on his shoulder, Warrior was sure she would’ve seen even the slight creeping of a blush on his cheeks. Luckily she wasn’t looking directly at him to see any of that. All he could really do was put his arms around her as well, gently stroking her back with one hand up and down. “Soon enough…all of this will be over. I promise. You won’t have to wait long.” He pledged to her, a real promise that he could and would intend on keeping. For her…any risk was worth it so it seemed. Manikin or not, Warrior certainly had the mindset and emotions of a human…what was the real difference anymore?

He had something worth fighting for, the manikins didn’t.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Words:[/color] 700
Muse:[/color] Tired...
Tagged:[/color] Cosmos!
Wearing:[/color] Dat armor!
Listening To:[/color] FF Stuffs
Notes:[/color] El Fin~!