Not-so-Triumphant Return [Private]

Alexei entered the gates to Era, looking around curiously. It had been at least two years, probably a bit more, since the God had been anywhere near Fiore; returning so suddenly felt odd, but Alexei had had a sudden urge to do it. He wasn't sure why; maybe it was Phenax playing a cruel joke on him. It wouldn't have been the first time; Alexei was growing seriously sick of being on the short end of the God of Deception's pranks. As it was right now, though, he would have to grin and bear it.

All in all, Era didn't actually look as bad as Alexei thought it would. After the Wizard War, most of Fiore had been completely demolished; the God of Chaos was honestly surprised at how well some of the buildings had held up, and how fast new ones had been constructed. The citizens were just as boring as they had always been, too; none of them looked like they would be any fun to even mess with. Maybe he would start a riot; that would be a good way to waste a few days, if nothing else.

The one thing that struck him overall was the lack of people from the rest of Pandora in the town. Every single person was dressed in a Fioran style of clothing; Alexei looked around for somebody, anybody that could be from another world, but to no avail. It was downright depressing; there was an entire world of cultures and peoples out there, and none of them were sharing with one another. It made Alexei fear for the future, something he rarely did.

And so Alexei continued walking waiting for somebody to ease his boredom.

The freedom fighter walked through the streets of Era remembering her time as a Rune Knight. She had not been any simple rune knight, of course. No, Bea had inflitrated the ranks to smuggle information to the freedom guild; Nox Animus. Bea smiled. It all seemed as if it had been a different life and, in a way, it was. She had lived and even witnessed the happenings and aftermath of the War that Ended All Wars. The war that had wiped out most of Fiore and its people. She, as true to her nature, was a survivor of it. The freedom fighter stopped in front of what would had been the Magic Council Headquarters and grinned. "Those corrupt always pay the price." she said as she crouched down in front of the rubbled building. She took a pebble and tossed it lightly steering her thoughts to her life before the war. She combed her fingers through her glossy black hair and sighed. Life back then had been simple, now... now, not so much. "Friends... Comrades..." she whispered softly. What had happened to those she had learned to accept and hold dear? Where they even still alive?

As he was walking, Alexei took note of the Magic Council Headquarters...or at least, what was left of it. He was glad that it burned down; Fiore's symbol of structure had burned down and represented the fall of structure in the country. It had been a happy time, for Alexei at least; that is, until he lost her. As he continued walking, he caught a flurry of black hair out of the corner of his eye; he turned to look at who it was, then froze.

His heart leapt out of his throat.

Bea T. Black was standing there, admiring the ruins just as Alexei had done. She certainly looked older, but she was definitively Bea; the pitch black, glossy hair and a few of her facial features gave it away. Alexei watched her for a moment, frozen. Should he go talk to her? He looked completely different than he had when the two had known each other; would she think he was a madman and turn him away?
No.
Alexei had to talk to her, if only for his own sake. Bea could quite possibly be the only survivor out of the few friends he had in Fiore; it was quite possible that he was the only surviving one out of the people she knew as well. The two of them had gotten along quite well; Alexei knew he was somewhat different now, but it was worth a shot to talk to her. Clearing his throat, he walked up to the mechanic girl and spoke. "Bea T. Black," he said to the girl. "Do you know me?"

Bea remained crouched and replayed her entrance into the Magic Council in her mind. She had been with her most prized creation, Cerberus, when she had stepped through the doors. There, she had met with a fellow corrupt soldier, Necro, and, together, they had leaked information to Kaseki and Yuna in order for them to use against the Coucil. Bea shook her head with a smile as she again tossed another pebble. One of these days, she was going to reprogram and upgrade Cerberus. As to why she had shut down his programming, she did not know. Perhaps it was that she needed time to find herself after the Great War? Bea sighed and glanced at her ring lovingly before glancing back up at the ruins. Life had certainly taken a turn after the War.

It had been quite a tranquil moment of rememberance only to be broken by the sound of a male voice calling her name. "Bea T. Black," The voice said. "Do you know me?" The voice held much familiarity to it, but she wasn't too sure. The freedom fighter looked up and tilted her head curiosly at the stranger. Despite the familarity from his voice, he was definately not one she recognized. "I am afraid I don't," she said with a  kind smile. She stood up from her crouched position and extended her hand for a handshake. "You know me, but who might you be?" Bea  took in the stranger's appearance in hopes of recognizing him that way. The man's white hair and formal attire still did not ring a bell. Who was he and how did he know her? She gestured towards the broken down building. "Are you also from before the war?"

Alexei was rather disappointed by Bea not recognizing him. Sure, his appearance was different, but his voice was almost unchanged; had it really been so long that she didn't recognize it? It was somewhat hurtful, but then again, Alexei's heart had been hurt enough times in the past three years that it barely hurt. Suddenly, the thought occurred to him to not reveal his true nature to Bea just yet. He would give her a bit longer to try and figure it out; even if she didn't guess it, he'd reveal it to her at some point, and they could have a good laugh about it.

Snapping back to reality, he realized that Bea had asked him a question. "You could say that I was before the war," he responded, walking up next to Bea and observing the rubble she had gestured to. "Since I'm here, though, you could also say that I was after the war." He turned to look at Bea now, somewhat amused by the fact that he was now looking down on her instead of the other way around. "Here, walk with me for a little while. We'll see if you can figure out the riddle." He stepped down and began walking towards the town square, beckoning for Bea to follow.

Disappointment overcame the stranger's face causing a slight pang of guilt raising the question yet again, who was this man? Just as fast as his hurtful expression had come, it disappeared only to be replaced by a twinkle of what could be seen as playfulness and mischief causing her to raise an eyebrow. "Are you from before the war?" she repeated. He seemed to hear her question for he snapped back into reality. "You could say that I was before the war," He responded, walking up next to her and observed the rubble she had gestured to. "Since I'm here, though, you could also say that I was after the war." The stranger turned to look at her amused by something only he knew. "Here, walk with me for a little while. We'll see if you can figure out the riddle." He stepped down and began walking towards the town square and beckoned for Bea to follow. Bea shrugged and walked besides the man. What had she to lose? "A riddle..." she repeated softly. She turned to look at the man. "What guild did you call your own?" she asked. If he was from before then he must have been part of a guild or he could have been guildless as she had been before infiltrating ranks. Either way, it would bring her closer to finding out who the stranger was.

As Alexei set off down the street towards the town square, he looked over at Bea and smiled at her questions. "I never chose a guild," he responded, observing Bea's face for any hints of recognition. "I chose to forgo a guild connection for my own reasons." In truth, it was because he didn't want to be bound by the rules of any guild; saying that, however, would give him away, and what fun was that? He would string her along for a little longer. He continued to make his way down the path, pacing himself so that Bea was always even with him.

As they walked, his attention once again turned to the citizens. "There are so many people here who refuse to leave Era, afraid of what awaits them," he muttered, more to himself than to Bea. "Why? Don't they want to use their newfound freedom?"

The stranger smiled at her question as they continued on their walk. "I never chose a guild," he responded, observing her face for any hints of recognition. "I chose to forgo a guild connection for my own reasons." Bea nodded in understanding. She had done a similar thing with the exception of having joined the group Dragon Fang and helped Nox Animus with accomplishing their goals.  "Glory in the Limelight," she said out of the blue with a faraway look in her eyes. It was a term that held much significance to her. Glory in the Limelight had been a team-up of three guildless mages including herself. Even if they had only lasted but a mission, they had made a mark in her life. Malm and Alexei, the plant mage and the metal mage. She wondered what had happened to them two.

They continued on there walk leisurely until something seemed top catch the stranger's appearance. "There are so many people here who refuse to leave Era, afraid of what awaits them," he muttered. "Why? Don't they want to use their newfound freedom?" Bea turned to look at the stranger with amusement twinkling in her eyes. "Change," she said simply. After all, it was a simple answer. "Change is what terrifies them. They do not accept it and so they will forever remain locked in the past until they do." She sighed. "Even if they are free, they remain prisoners of the old. Even so, it is a battle only they can fight." She stopped short. Guildless. She knew only of five. Three males and two females. She studied the man. "Your magic," she said. "What is it?"

Alexei couldn't help but smile when Bea muttered the name of their old group. They had only been together for one mission, sure, but it was Alexei's first; he greatly appreciated working alongside the other two mages as he had learned from their example. Now, of course, he was far more powerful than he had been then; still, Bea and Malm reserved a special place in his heart. He found himself nodding along as Bea talked about the people's fear of change; it may be their own battle to fight, but Alexei felt bound to free them in his position as the God of Freedom. These people had to be freed from the shackles of their fear, but how?

Alexei was shaken from his thoughts by Bea once more, as she asked what his magic was. A smile crept across the God's face, revealing sharp teeth that still unsettled Alexei even after all these years. "Unfortunately, my true nature is not one we can discuss in the open. We have to find somewhere a bit less open to discuss that." He glanced around for a moment, purple eyes picking out a ruined building that obviously hadn't been used in years. "Come with me. I'll reveal everything to you in there." He set off quickly for the building, feeling excited for the first time in years.

Her question seemed to bring a wide smile upon the stranger's face, his pointed teeth in display. "Unfortunately, my true nature is not one we can discuss in the open. We have to find somewhere a bit less open to discuss that." Bea raised an eyebrow. Things had certainly taken quite a turn. He glanced around for a moment until catching sight of an abandoned building. "Come with me. I'll reveal everything to you in there." The stranger then set off quickly for the building while Bea just watching him walk away. She glanced uneasily at the deserted building. Why was all this secrecy a neccessity? With a sigh, she followed suit. After all, what had she to lose?

A cloaked individual leaned against the marble column of the building. His arms were folded and a single light was seen in the shade of his hood. He watched it all unfold. The man was familiar to him, as was the woman. "Bea T. Black." he said aloud. Of course, no one was around to hear him. He pushed himself off the pillar and took a small step forward, closing the distance between him and the two. He smiled and begun to laugh. His volume grew, as it seemed to fade as his sanity disappeared. "How silly of me," Kaseki said lightly, "Or is it Bea T. Fighter now?" He found it funny how it was the two chaotic fighters for freedom that happened to be the actual birthparents of Yuna. "... And a red haired boy that is no longer a boy. My my... times have changed.. haven't they?" Kaseki was no more than a few yards away from the white haired man. "Well I'll have you know you were too late." Kaseki spoke in a venomous tone, almost as a taunt, "For I disbanded Dragon Fang myself... to create a new world."

Kaseki looked around at the world around him. He wanted to stretch and touch the ends of the world. The only stretch he did was unsheathing his keyblade to lean on it as a cane. "From a boy that toyed with metals, to a god. I'm impressed." Kaseki said. He was surprised to watch all of these worlds of his past appear in his realm. He was one of the true natives of Pandora, and the natives had power beyond even a god's reach.

Alexei slowed to a stop as the hooded man walked up to them, only to break into a wild grin when he realized who it was. "I should have figured that you would show up here," he said, his sharpened teeth on full display. "Son of Death himself, and ruler of Pandora, Kaseki." He chuckled at bit as Kaseki mused about the differences between now and then, although he was shocked to discover that Bea had married; the God of Chaos had figured that her sense of freedom would have prevented her from settling down in a relationship. Regardless, there were bigger issues to deal with now.

Kaseki was taunting him, saying something about Dragon Fang being disbanded, to which Alexei snorted in response. "I've long moved past that petty grudge," he remarked, staring at the spirit with a serious gaze. It was a lie, albeit not entirely; Alexei no longer cared about Dragon Fang, if only because the current situation was much worse. He looked Kaseki straight in the eyes as the Demon of Life pulled out a Keyblade and remarked on how far Alexei had come, smirking. "Well, I suppose the game is up, then." He turned to Bea, bowing formally. "Alexei Sarona, God of Chaos and Freedom, at your service." As he rose, he turned to face Kaseki once again, still smirking. "If I may ask, what brought you to Era on this day? I'm sure that little old me couldn't have been the reason; I'm far too beneath the notice of the ruler of the realm, after all." There was an edge of venom to the voice, reflecting Kaseki's own tone.

No sooner had they both reached the proximity of the deserted building when a hooded figure approached them. As she had long come to expect, it was no other than Kaseki himself calling out the them. "I still have not changed my name, but it would be Beatrice Fighter now." she replied to Kaseki. What was he doing here? Her questioning look turned hard when she took note of Kaseki's behavior. Last time she had seen him this way, it had led to nothing but trouble. Even so, she held respect towards the master of Pandora. Perhaps more out of loyalty and thanks than anything else. After all, he had taken care of her daughter, Yuna, and guided her through the correct path a few years back. It was something that she felt indebted to him for. That and locking him in the most high leveled Magic Council prison when under the guise of Rune Knight. Although, he had asked Necro and herself to do so.

Bea remained quiet after her reply for the conversation had steered into another direction. It was not until the mention of Dragon Fang that sparked recognition in the freedom fighter's eyes. She looked at the stranger. Everyone in her team had joined the group, but one person. Alexei. "I've long moved past that petty grudge," The man remarked, staring at the Kaseki with a serious gaze. The simple comment added to her point. "Well, I suppose the game is up, then." The man she assumed to be her former comrade and friend, Alexei, turned to her, bowing formally. "Alexei Sarona, God of Chaos and Freedom, at your service."  Bea gave a simple nod. "At the mention of Dragon Fang, I assumed it to be so." Alexei turned towards Kaseki with a smirk. Bea would catch up with him later. Now wasn't the time to do so. Not with the tension that had started to arise.  She focused her attention to the resumed confrontation between the two. "If I may ask, what brought you to Era on this day? I'm sure that little old me couldn't have been the reason; I'm far too beneath the notice of the ruler of the realm, after all." Bea looked at Alexei and then Kaseki. What had sparked this dislike towards one another? Certainly it wasn't all because of Dragon Fang, right?

Kaseki smiled with joy, "Well now that I know you are you, and not Nameless, I can finally speak freely..." Kaseki let out a deep exhale. It was true, he ruled over this realm, but not with an iron fist... more like an iron wood palm... thing. Open palm? Eh.

"A million years." Kaseki said, "I only spoke to my wife, and my son." He flinched at the last word. It felt odd for him to say it. Something about that word was wrong... but correct. "You are one of my greatest rivals, Alexei." Kaseki said walking towards them. "That fateful day we met, I strived for a world where everyone would be free of hatred. A world where anything was possible. So I left Fiore, I cast myself far away. And so I died." Kaseki kept the same smile on his face. It was as if everything he every did finally came into play. "However, these people are afraid to enjoy the great freedom and excitement of a new world." He extended his open palm to the man, "So, I have come here to ask a god for help."

Kaseki had this world planned from the point it was created. Never did he expect so many worlds to appear. He had to keep tabs on everything. He had to, or it would fall into war again. This world was the last stop before isolation.

"And besides... my son has been in a lifelong fight against himself. I'm sure you'll know how to fix that."

Alexei had been fully expecting Kaseki to make more snide remarks, so he was completely taken aback when the Demon of Life smiled and suggested that they join forces for the exact goal that Alexei had planned. He looked the Pandoran native up and down, trying to figure out if he was joking or not; if he wasn't, this could easily be the thing that Alexei had been waiting for. It would be wise to go along with it, at least for now. He began to pace slightly as he spoke. "I'll do it, on a few conditions," Alexei said warily, eyeing Kaseki for signs of trickery. "First, you aren't allowed to complain about my methods. Freedom is something that has to be taken, not given; a freed slave has to be pushed out of the nest before they can realize what they were missing."
His eyes flickered to Bea for a moment, watching the black-haired girl as she watched their confrontation. He desperately wanted to talk to her, to know exactly what had happened during these long years, but that could wait. He resumed his monologue. "Secondly, know that this doesn't mean that everything is good between us now. There are some things that we won't agree on, and that will never change."
He stopped moving and zeroed in on Kase's eyes, Alexei's own eyes boring directly into them. "Third, realize that although we will work together for the purposes of uniting Pandora, my ultimate goal needs you out of the picture. It will likely be years from now, even decades or centuries, but both of us are immortal now; it could easily be millennia from now, for all it matters. At some point, we will become enemies once again."
He stopped to breathe a bit, watching Kaseki's outstretched hand. "If you accept all three of these conditions, then," he remarked as he cautiously reached out to take Kaseki's hand, "you have yourself a deal."

"First, you aren't allowed to complain about my methods. Freedom is something that has to be taken, not given; a freed slave has to be pushed out of the nest before they can realize what they were missing." Kaseki smiled, It was good to have his friend back. He wanted a world of freedom, and he wanted to nudge the people into a new era. He understood that. "Secondly, know that this doesn't mean that everything is good between us now. There are some things that we won't agree on, and that will never change." Kaseki wanted to laugh, but he held onto his cheeky smile. This was his world, his realm, nor the Devil, nor the great god, or even his father could control him. He held the powers of each kingdom, he just preferred to stay home. "Third, realize that although we will work together for the purposes of uniting Pandora, my ultimate goal needs you out of the picture. It will likely be years from now, even decades or centuries, but both of us are immortal now; it could easily be millennia from now, for all it matters. At some point, we will become enemies once again." Uniting the world that Kaseki once brought peace too. All was agreeable, but what did the tree think?

"Freedom," Kaseki spoke, almost as if he speech was prepared, "Is not something taken, but a window one is allowed to look through. I bind no one here, but they are too afraid to look outside. Show these people freedom." Kaseki paused to recall the second point. Then he made his comment, "I never said I asked for your friendship, I asked for a solution. And you are the answer to this new problem." Then Kaseki thought about the last point. Him out of the picture? He would never hand over Pandora. but then.. he had his answer. "Konahagakure, Urban City, and the Kingdom of Kai are together. Forgotten isles is under the care of Maria Zaroff. Kanto remains unknown to me, just as Toon Town is." Kaseki inhaled deeply. He left short of breath, "Pandora will always belong to me. But it's up to you, Alexei, to define it. I never ruled this world, I only intervene when necessary." His smile faded. He looked the man in the eyes, "As you are the god of Chaos, you should know my middle name is Khaos." He was absolutely serious, "This world is not meant for equality, but balance. I never intended to rule, but it came out that way. As far as i planned, I never wanted to be in the big picture." He sighed, "As long as you don't interrupt my Ramen Time, you have a deal."

Alexei listened intently to Kaseki's responses, then briskly shook the tree spirit's hand in agreement before backing up and smirking. "You're as knowing as ever, aren't you?" The God of Chaos said, not knowing himself whether he was trying to be complimentary or insulting. He sighed lightly. "Well, I suppose my vacation is over, then." He turned to Bea and bowed formally once again. "I'm sorry that I have to leave so suddenly, but I will return not too long from now; We'll have to catch up some other time. As for you..." He continued, turning to Kaseki. "Well, I suppose we'll have to keep in touch. It's rather hard to liberate a world together without knowing what the other is doing, I'd guess." He said that part stiffly, as if he was reluctant to give Kaseki a way to contact him.
Rummaging through his pockets, Alexei pulled out a scrap of paper and placed it in Kaseki's palm. He then pulled out another one and gave it to Bea in the same fashion. "On those sheets is the Hymn of Chaos," he said, somewhat proudly. "If you say the words on the sheet anywhere, anytime, I will be alerted to your location and will come as soon as I can." He was silent for a moment before adding, "Don't abuse it." He backed away from Kaseki and Bea somewhat, his eyes glimmering with excitement. "This is exciting," he remarked, a trace of happiness entering his voice. "An entire world, waiting to be freed...I can't wait." He lowered his body weight to the lowest he could, letting the breeze pick him up. "I'll see you around!" He called out as he was swept upwards, leaving the other two behind as two specks that grew smaller in the distance. Looking out towards the water, Alexei smiled an earnest smile. As much as he disliked working with Kaseki, this was going to be one of the highlights of his life; bringing freedom to an entire world...
Alexei's mind brimmed with possibilities as he was swept out towards unknown worlds.