Heroes Pandora Deserves [CLOSED]

Chaos in the streets, criminals walked the night. Aknaid gave up Urban City without hinting at a fight. He had a mutual trust with the nameless disease. They would actually aid each other. The Agency would learn to love, as Aknaid would learn to hate. It was not for war or peace, but to change the world by seeing life from both ends of the story.

Aknaid walked the cold streets of Gotham, wondering how time could change the world. He was either going to have to die a hero, or live long enough to see himself turn into something like Nameless. He would save this city. He'll be the hero Pandora deserves, but not the one it needs right now. They'll banish him, look down at him, and chase him away. Why? Because he can take it. Because he's not our hero. He's a silent guardian, a watchful protector. The son of Kaseki.

"God I could use some ramen..." he said to himself. He was slowly realizing how much alike he was with his father.

Alexei walked the streets of Gotham, enjoying the turmoil of the criminal district. This was one of the best places on Pandora, at least to Alexei. While Kaseki's chaotic nature permeated most of the world, this was one of the few places where it pierced every heart, every building, every inch of concrete, down to the very foundations. Even without his magic predisposing him towards disorder, Alexei reveled in chaos. Some men just want to watch the world burn; Gotham was that attitude, embodied in a society. And Alexei loved it.

Hero? Villain? There was no such thing in Gotham. Heroes find their morals twisted, even shattered, in the face of the world; villains perform heroic acts, preventing their rivals from gaining any ground in any battlefield. No white or black, just fifty shades of grey; as Alexei's eyes swept through the crowds, his Extremism ability revealed just how wildly diverse the population was. The entire spectrum was here, on a single city block; how could Kaseki stay in his castle while beauty like this existed in his world?

Alexei's thoughts were diverted as he picked out an irregularity some ways behind him: Somebody who resisted his Soul Gaze. That was fascinating; he must be somebody special, to be able to resist it. His appearance only served to pique Alexei's interest even more; he was hidden under a large suit of armor, with no traces of the body within visible. Even from here, Alexei could sense the aura of the being; serious, sensible...no fun at all. The God of Chaos would have to change that.

Alexei pivoted abruptly, lowering his weight to the point where the force he was exerting on the ground would push him towards his target. He launched himself forwards over the heads of the crowd, heading towards the man in the armor; once he was within talking distance, he extended an arm, grabbing the shoulder of a random passerby and pulling himself back towards the ground. Ignoring the man's complaints, Alexei stood facing his target, grinning widely. "Why so serious?" He asked, only half-serious himself.

A serpents tongue, a scent of venom, just like the tone of his step-sister. It was just one of the few mutations his body underwent when he passed by his own death, and interrupted an immortal's life with death. He was Aknaid, a being with no constraints of time, just as his father was bound to no laws of life, and his own child to the very fabric of logic. This was the blessing that all Fallen Spirits were blessed with, even their name was a conflict of reality. Their race was that of an altered lifespan, being twisted by that of a kind spirit, and a demonic demon. A Fallen Spirit, a name that conflicted the beliefs that spirits rise from their former glory, ascending into the higher planes of life, not descend...

But with that ideal in mind, his thoughts were focused on one thing, or rather one person...

His father was trapped in an everlasting love that was perfect. Both of them were destined to live forever, and thus would not suffer the losses of death of their lover, but alas, there was no mate for the Grandson of Death... until she appeared. Aknaid did not ever ask why Kaseki did his experiments, or who she was before he appeared. All Aknaid knew is that she was destined to venture into the depths of the void for an eternity. It was by changing the very beings of her, and disguising her as Kaseki's own blood as she able to escape her fate. It was Kaseki who created the first...

"Why so serious?" said a strange man. He had long flowing ivory hair and seemed to hold a chaotic and cancerous dream just like his father. If he didn't know better, it would be one of the people from his tales of being a child. But who was he? He was not the well-dressed man in the scarlet suit, so his name was not Harrigan. He did not smell of regret and disappointment of a demon, so he was not the white-haired leader of Nox Animus. There was no answer for him to grasp, so perhaps he was a new soul.

"Ask yourself the same." Aknaid replied, "One who lived freely and by chance would have let this encounter happen, rather than forcing it. But perhaps it is because this city is one I enjoy." He would say, his mind still full of Tenshioni, his late wife.

Alexei's grin didn't diminish, but the armored man's grounded response diminished the reckless glee in the God of Chaos' heart somewhat. "I enjoy this city as well," Alexei said brightly, eyeing his companion with a bit more scrutiny now. "I like to believe that a world where one can do as they please is the best kind of world. As long as they're prepared for the consequences of said actions, of course." He looked into what appeared to be the armor's eye sockets as he continued. "Or did you mean Urban City as a whole? I can also agree with that. There's diversity here unmatched anywhere else in Pandora. Trust me, I've looked."

Alexei paused for a moment before he continued. He was getting a strange feeling from this man. He couldn't put his finger on it, but it seemed almost...nostalgic, in a way. He felt like this conversation had happened before; a different place, maybe, but the sentiments were the same. Taking a deep breath as he snapped from his reverie, Alexei continued. "As far as your other comment goes, however, I must disagree. Living freely and living by chance are two completely different things. One who lives freely does not leave his fate to the whims of the world; instead, he takes the reins into his own hands. Living by chance, not even attempting to challenge your own fate...that's just laziness. Everybody has the right to decide their own path, but those who don't take the opportunity to do so are just as bad as those who restrict the choices of others." Alexei's eyes were filled with determination, just as they had been in times past; this was a subject which could get Alexei easily riled, and had done so often in the past.

"Then perhaps you are one who does not calculate matters of life or death, not because you do not care, but because you find no interest in them?" Aknaid would say, and with a twist of his neck and a bend of his shoulders he cracked his very bones. "It is glorious to be free, isn't it?" Aknaid would continue on the topic, "enjoying every bit of time that world has to offer you. But what happens when the very thing you wanted to spend you freedom with, happens to..." He paused, to look into the man. He did seem like he had heard of him, but alas, not a name was spoken.

He would have gone on, but he needed not to reveal the mysteries of an event that millions of scientists and researchers have tried and failed to repeat. "But it is not the city, but this world. Pandora is full of people who are too afraid to be free. Everyone likes to remain in their bubbles and deal with only themselves than to break away of their chains of routine... An tust me... I've tried to change this world."

He wasn't sure why he said what he said, or why he was so lost in thought.. just something felt.... off.

"Well, calculating matters of life and death just sounds silly," Alexei responded, eyeing the strange being with unabated curiosity. "Why waste time calculating when you can diminish the chances of dying with action? As for your other points..." Alexei trailed off a bit here, seemingly lost in thought. After a long pause, he continued, more somber than before. "To be truly free, you have to let go of not just your commitments, but your past as well. Memory can be as cruel a prison as any construction of matter. The important thing is to never stop moving forward. Far too many people in Pandora are standing still, trapped by some form of restraints. Some are self-imposed; while I can't understand that, I can respect it. The others, though...The ones afraid to move forward, or bound by some other force...Those are the ones that keep Pandora chained down."

Alexei looked over his companion's head, admiring the skyline for a moment before coming back down to reality. "I dream of a Pandora that is free. There should be no chains on this world that the people do not desire there to be. If fear is truly what keeps a person back, well, one can simply burst their bubble. When you pierce the heavens, some will fear, but if they can live through the sky falling, what else is there to be afraid of?" Alexei looked back at his companion, trying to decipher the strange nostalgic feeling he was getting. Who was this man?

"Everyone is bound to the constraints of time itself." Aknaid argued, "For it's the past that defines what today becomes. However, these people fail to realize what this place really is." Aknaid's mask begun to fold into itself, collapsing, revealing his true face. He had no need for games, for Gotham was already a playground for the insane. "The very reason you stand here, is because these world have come together. That is past, but today is now. It's what we choose to do today, which allows us to shape our own predetermined destiny." He listened to his statement, realizing that what was meant to contradict... actually was true in a sense. Everyone has the ending of thir book written, but depending on the actions they make in the previous chapters, can change the words that are used on that final page.

"Take for example, you and I. We both have put our lives behind us, out of sight, but not out of reach. We traveled here to see this new world and to make a change... yet here we are, looking at the people we're trying to push into a new era, push back at our very selves." He gave a hint of a smile to his amazing expressionless face. He was just another bug that would be squashed by reality... but he had the bigger boot. "I would imagine you have come from a much more distant place than I. I can can see it in your eyes." to which he smiled and thought to himself, "But I cannot see your name."

"I don't think it can really be considered a pre-determined destiny if we shape it with our actions," Alexei responded dryly. His eyes widened a bit as the being revealed its true face; he had not expected such a creature to exist in this city. It did, however, serve to pique his curiosity even more; he had to know who this beast was now. "I firmly believe that nothing is set in stone; we write the chapters of our own lives by the way we live, fight, and even die. The past can influence that, yes, but only via foreshadowing and previous development. The words on previous pages are important, but not as important as what's on the current page."

Alexei was about to continue when he froze, as if struck by a bolt of lightning. His eyes widened as it dawned on him where he had had a conversation like this before. Considering what he knew about this world, it was completely logical...But it would be a hell of a coincidence. "You..." Alexei paused before starting again, speaking more smoothly this time. "You wouldn't happen to be related to Kaseki, by any chance?"

"Fate seals how our chronicles end. But we can choose how we get there..." he uttered. He was sickened with people who thought they could control the world, and bend it to their will. Extremist views only lead to war. It was the logical radicals who could better the...

"Extremists... Radicals..." They it hit him.

"You...You wouldn't happen to be related to Kaseki, by any chance?" he spoke, the discovery almost in synch with his own. Perhaps fate had brought them together, only to allow a different ending to the tale of Dragon Fang.

"The self proclaimed Demon of Life?" Aknaid said half jokingly, "I call him father." He looked again at the white haired man, only to recall the stories about Kyonshi, not of him specifically. His father always told tall tales about Dragon's Tooth, the most potent alcohol he had created, mostly due to the barreling of ironbark. But the encounter was told in two halves, one of Kaseki's largest shipment, as well as his first child, Lily. But Aknaid knew what became of Lily, for she was just another plant based on a world that his father had left. She was the origin of the new era...

"Then you are Alexei Sarona." He spoke, "Though from my recollection of a simple tale, you are much more than a mage who plays with metal."

To think it was his own anger that lead to the manifestation of Dragon Fang, the only group that sought out peace despite the names of guilds... and the very group that people seemed to be over zealous about. That was the cause of the war... they were afraid of the unknown... But little did they know that the leader, as well as other kingpins had left long before. They were never powerful, all they shared was a dream of peace... and freedom...

And thus, Pandora was created.

"The self proclaimed Demon of Life? I call him father."

And just like that, everything clicked into place.

The feeling Alexei was getting was exactly like his first encounter with Kaseki: The feeling of meeting some strange being that didn't adhere to the rules of the normal people around them. Before, Kaseki had seemed to Alexei like a creature brought out from the Blind Eternities to rest in Fiore; as he later learned, that wasn't far off from the truth. With the being he was currently speaking to, however, the feeling was different somehow: While Kaseki had seemed like a fish out of water both physically and goals-wise, Alexei's current companion in conversation blended in with his surroundings. At the very least, this is where he belonged; this city was his home.

Alexei was woken from his musings by his companion's further comment, more notably the mention of his name. The God of Chaos smiled wryly. "So the old tree-man told stories about me?" He mused, as much to himself as to his conversation partner. "Interesting. I didn't think we had the kind of association where he'd tell other people about me." He looked up to make eye contact with the Demon of Life's son, grinning. "As for the other things, son of Kaseki, it's been years since I've Steelshifted anything." He motioned to his body, likely very different from the short, auburn-haired boy Kaseki had met a lifetime ago. "I've acquired a new role in this world. Before, I just tinkered; now, I work to free those too afraid or weak to free themselves. The small boy your father met so many years ago is as good as dead, although he lives on somewhere within me. Until then..." Alexei bowed.

"Alexei Sarona, God of Chaos and Freedom, at your service."

He smiled at his encounter. He was a proclaimed god of freedom and havoc of sorts. He knew it had came to be not by his father, but of the connections he had with other parties. He was one to indulge himself in literature, just off the principle of knowing more that his enemy. Unlike his father, his sanity remained intact, however... his body was far from what it used to be.

"All of us live in a different world." Aknaid spoke, "Even if I grew up in the house across from yours, we would still learn things worlds apart from each other." He knew what he meant, and wondered if his perspective on perspective had made its way across to the man. "As for your new role, I could only imagine what our keyblades have in store for us." He smiled, almost laughing about the many scouts of the Legion of Neutrals. It wasn't to spy on him, but rather to ensure the safety of his son's wife, as he always had done. "They call me Aknaid." he spoke, "But you'll soon know me as the Demon of Time."

Alexei arched his eyebrows as Aknaid mentioned his Keyblade. "So you knew that, huh?" He remarked, pulling back a strand of white hair that had fallen on his face. "I suppose being the son of the ruler of the world has its benefits. Or should I say the many worlds?" He smiled before continuing; it had been a while since he had had a good debate.

"Pandora is a patchwork world in more ways than one. There's the obvious one, but the one that you described also holds true. Different ways of growing up, different ways of living, different types of abilities...Every person is a world unto themselves, and they all see the things around them differently. It's my job to preserve those unique qualities; every worldview is valuable to somebody, so they should all be nurtured. Of course," He finished, his smile fading, "Some perspectives should stay entirely theoretical."

"You're a fool if you think he rules anything." Aknaid said in a joking manner. He scoffed at the conversation, finding it a bit pleasing to find someone of a similar caliber. "If you haven't realized that you're in what humans often refer to as purgatory, then you must learn to open your eyes." he gestured with his hands, as if welcoming him to the city around them. It was as if the people around them had vanished into their homes and both of them stood on the sidewalk of the widely corrupt city.

"You're a self proclaimed god, with only a simple murder of a god as your reasoning for such a title." He said it lightly, as if it was hilarious to him. It was not to poke at him, nor to open wounds, but to drive a point. "And my father is an immortal, a sociopath, a psychopath... and I fall far from the... tree, as you say." He looked back at Alexei, in a demeanor that only Kaseki could, "You must learn to accept the fact that both our goals are the same. By both, I mean all three of us. And by all three of us, I mean the Legion, The Agency, and you." He smirked and exhaled through his nose, almost like a rabid dog. "But that's just my perspective. We all want to free this world from the chains of limits, but we all have a different way of connecting to our audience... don't you agree?"

If he didn't know better, he would have thought himself of going mad. However that was not the truth, he just loved battles of the mind rather than battles of the sword.

"But if I may..." he continued, "The difference between my title and yours, is that I am not bound to it." He smiled, knowing fully that Alexei was driven to free the world from whatever cages people lay in... while Aknaid was bound to no constraints of time.

Alexei listened to the first half of Aknaid's response in silence, with a smirk on his face. It was good to know that he wasn't the only one who had something against Kaseki, although the Demon of Time certainly didn't fall as far from the tree as he believed. Even if their ideals clashed, the bond between father and son was difficult to break.

The other points he made were entertaining as well; he wasn't quite a self-proclaimed god, having been pronounced as a member of the Pantheon by Corona, but he was distant enough from them that all but the most well-read and observant members of society would notice. As for Pandora being purgatory, well, he had figured that much already. This place was a graveyard of worlds, pulled here by some power he did not quite yet understand; it wasn't extreme enough to be heaven or hell, so purgatory seemed like a nice fit.

Once Aknaid reached the second half of his statement, however, things changed. The mention of the Agency caused Alexei's face to darken, but he remained silent until Aknaid had finished. "You're well informed indeed," he remarked again, although the mirth was gone this time. "I hadn't thought anybody knew about my...quarrel with the Agency." The God of Chaos' expression was unreadable as he continued. "I don't believe our goals are the same. I cannot speak for this Legion, but the Agency and I seek to break different limits of the world. I seek to break the fear and unwillingness to move forward that grips this world; the Agency seeks to break limits on power for the benefits of them, and them only. Even if our goals were the same, I cannot condone their methods; they experiment on humans and other creatures with impunity, forcing them into paths that they never would have taken of their own volition. Perspective is a wonderful thing, but only if your view doesn't block others from seeing what they want." The God of Chaos took a deep breath, calming himself as he waited to hear Aknaid's response.

He would silently nodding in agreement with the being of freedom. It wasn't a farfetched ideal, it was just he was trying to do the same thing for the past dozen years, and perhaps longer. He often lost track of time in Pandora. There was many a time where he would set up arranged battles with the Agency, just to act as a catalyst for something... for that hope that something would change. Only yo find himself, that nothing would.

Everyone lived comfortably in this world. They were free to their dreams, yet they bound themselves to just what they could reach. If it was just an inch, no one made the effort to obtain it.

"I also, do not agree with their methods of experimentation. However I can only say that those I have crossed paths with, have been experimented on willingly." Aknaid continued, "Truth is, I, and Nameless are growing old and tired of doing the same thing. Soon the parasite will retire, and the Legion will grow so large I won't need to have my hand in the matters." He gave a sigh, almost in relief of the thought. There was much for him to do. "I will take a step back from this world for the same reason as my father. I'm a catalyst of war. I was born a mortal, and my life has turned me into a weapon. Where I go, wars follow. It's just that today my battle is with my words." He gave a smile to the man, something that seemed odd when you picture a massive insect trying to smile, "However if ending the Agency is in your interests, perhaps I can lend you a hand."

Despite the passionate rant he had just given, Alexei couldn't help but smile at Aknaid's responses. Kaseki might be a madman and a fool, but his son was somebody after Alexei's own heart. He felt as though the two of them could learn from one another, helping each other build their own perspectives and revealing pathways to the other that would have otherwise been invisible. Their ideals slotted into one another's particularly well; both of them wanted to change the world for the better, in a way that didn't oppress people. The God of Chaos wasn't sure if the extent of the insect-man's idea of freedom went as far as Alexei's did, but any assistance with Alexei's goal would be much appreciated.

Once Aknaid had finished speaking, Alexei began his response. "Stepping back, eh? Both you and the leader of the Agency? I'm not sure how to feel about that, honestly. On the one hand, maybe the Agency will calm down a bit once their current leader steps down. On the other, I'd lose a new partner; perhaps, even, a friend." Alexei paused for a moment to let that sink in before finishing his thought. "Your offer's certainly not something I expected to come from this meeting, but it'll be invaluable. I accept." The God of Freedom reached out his hand for a handshake, smiling. "For as long as you remain 'in the business', so to speak, you'll have my support. I hope I can have yours as well."

He would reply to the motion with his four-fingered hand as well. He would clasp the hand of the mortal, smiling at the conversation. "He will be stepping down, but I will only be stepping back. For when a new enemy arises, I will resurface once again. But that is a lifetime from now." He had much to think about. The more he considered the offer that the parasite offered him privately, the more he considered the Agency to be corrupt and uncontrollable, and the leader a mere scapegoat. He didn't care for nothing more than freeing Urban City, while he sought to unify it by some extreme measures. After all, with an organization of that magnitude, things were bound to happen without his order. Even if he was in total control, some things would fall into the cracks.

"Well, be as it may," Aknaid began, "even for just a short time, The Legion would be glad to have you."