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[It's not long before he arrives at Merisia's apartment, having made his way over there as quickly as his speedy legs would take him. When he does so, he's not surprised by the kind of decor Merisia keeps. She always struck him as the intelligent, scholarly type, so books being everywhere seems just like her. It reminded him of Euclase's house.

What was concerning to him was the emotional effects at play, though. The way Merisia sounded on the amulet seemed fine and normal to him. So seeing this was... worrisome. He decides to call out to her.]

Merisia? Hey, I'm here!

[ The moment Merisia hears Kor's voice, things shift in the apartment. The darkness ebbs - though not entirely - and the air warms. This isn't something she's looking forward to, but as shaky as things are and as apprehensive as she feels, Kor is someone she trusts. He knows what he's doing. ]

You got here fast.

[ She sits up, turning to face her visitor. There's really no point to hiding how worried she feels, so her usual stern look is missing. ]

Just how do you plan on going about all this, anyway? [ She has a feeling she knows the answer, but she might as well ask anyway. For all she knows, Kor is a bag of tricks just like Sora. That and, well...Merisia isn't just worried about herself, here. ]

Honestly... [He hadn't given it a whole lot of thought as to what he was going to do, at least insofar as to be able to give an answer on that. Despite promising her that he'd make an attempt, he didn't really have any intent to actually try to remove her Echo, though he wasn't so sure how obvious that was to Merisia.

Might as well be obvious about his plans.]

I was just planning on winging it. I dunno what to expect when it comes to your Echo.

[ Merisia isn't sure whether that should be amusing - after all, this is Kor, did she really expect anything else? - or worried. She shakes her head. ]

Figures.

[ She really does have little choice other than to trust in Kor. If only that were all there was to this... ]

I'd tell you not to do anything stupid, but there's no point in that. [ She knows your type, kid. ] Just be careful, alright? I don't know what to expect either, and I don't want you getting hurt because of me.

[ She knows precious little, after all, and there could be some dangerous secrets hiding within that she's yet to learn of. The fact that Kor is willing to jump into this without knowing what to be ready for speaks either of his recklessness or his reliability. Merisia is doing her best to lean towards the latter of the two. She trusts him, but she can't help but be worried. ]

[He almost feels like he's being called out here.

Almost. But he can at least tell she's concerned about this. Truly, genuinely concerned, and about him.]

Don't worry, if I think I'm in over my head, I'll make sure to pull out. For your sake.

[If anything happens to a Somatic on a Spiria Link, it's the Somatic's fault for not taking proper precautions. But he certainly can't have Merisia beating herself up over this, now can he?]

You ready, then?

[ Merisia doesn't reply for a few long seconds, opting to stare at the floor for a few long seconds. This isn't really the time for second thoughts, but she can't help having them anyway. Anything could go wrong, after all. ]

...right. Of course.

[ The way he puts it, it's like he's not in that much danger at all. Notmally, that would worry her, but something about Kor's words put her at ease this time. That sort of thing is just like him...

She glances up and gives Kor a curt nod. She didn't come all this way just to throw all that worked-up courage out the window, now, did she? ]

Ready when you are.

[ Within, Kor may find that the imitation of Ul'dah in Merisia's Spiria is in much better condition than his last visit. Unfortunately, it's much darker, making it difficult to see the still-recovering city. The thunderstorm from last time still rages overhead. ]

Edited 2018-05-22 04:12 (UTC)

[With Merisia's permission, Kor initiates the Spiria Link, transforming into an orb of light that enters her body.

Inside, he takes note of the differences between his last visit and this one. The physical condition of this city within her Spiria was noticeably improved, which he could only take as representative of a marked improvement in how Merisia handles her emotions. But he didn't need to see the city to see that; it was plain as day just in his interactions with her that she was making noticeable strides in being more open.

That thunderstorm was problematic though. He wasn't sure what to make of it. Some deeper problem Merisia wasn't dealing with, maybe? But the thunderstorm wasn't why he was there, so the cause would have to wait.]

Where to start, huh...

[This was one confusing looking city, way too many corridors. It was almost less like a city and more like a maze. How do people live in a place like this?]

[ It may be dark , but luckily Kor isn't alone. Or perhaps that's unlucky, considering the state of things...

A brief flash of lightning illuminates what appears to be a beast standing atop one of the walls nearby, but in the next flash it's gone. For a time, there's nothing else, until a soft golden light shines from behind Kor, and a voice rings out. ]

Well, look who we have here! What brings you to this place?

[ Behind him, hopping down from a few crates, is none other than Topaz Carbuncle. He's a bit bigger than the standard Carbuncle, though not by too much, and his glow stretches out enough to illuminate a little of the surrounding area. Beyond that, nothing seems too notable...except, perhaps, the voice that accompanies him. Kor may recognize it; it's the same voice as a certain young swordsman featured in many of Merisia's memories, albeit somewhat disembodied. ]

Not looking for trouble, I hope?

Edited 2018-05-25 02:24 (UTC)

[Kor figured Carbuncle would make his appearance here sooner or later. He was well aware that Merisia and Carbuncle relationship was definitely far deeper than just a pet.

But hearing a voice seemingly coming from Carbuncle? That was new and unexpected.]

Huh? ...Carby, you can talk?! [He recognizes the voice, too. Not as a voice belonging to someone he's personally met, but more as one he's heard before. But.... Nah, it couldn't be. That guy's supposed to be dead, and why would Carby sound like him anyway?]

[ The Topaz Carbuncle chirps in amusement, sitting down to scratch behind one of his ears. ]

Hahah, of course I can! If you can call this talking, that is. Actually, I'm surprised you-

[ Lightning strikes again, this time much closer and brighter. The crash accompanying the strike is followed by a distant growl.

Topaz stands, taking on a somewhat regal air and returning his gaze to Kor. Though his words suddenly sound more urgent, his tone barely changes from its warm and friendly air. ]

As much as I'd like to stand here and chat, this is hardly the place. Whatever it is you're here for, you should do it quickly. [ He bounds over to a nearby passage, pausing to glance back at Kor expectantly. ] I can help you, but first you'll need to tell me why you're here.

[Kor's so baffled by hearing Carbuncle talk that he's not sure how to respond at first. When he finally manages to regain his composure...]

I'm...! [Breathe.] ...Merisia wants me to help her with her "curse". [The way he says that last word carries his doubts as to it really being a curse at all.] Can you help me find it, Carby? Wherever her Echo would be!

Her "Echo"...?

[ Topaz freezes, staring carefully at Kor as he takes in his words. Even as the storm rages overhead, he almost seems like he's looking for something. A few seconds pass before his ears twitch and he glances quietly downward. ]

I see... So this is no coincidence. [ He straightens again, poised and ready to run at any moment. ] You're in luck. What you're looking for isn't far. I can lead you there, but be careful. The closer you get to the truth, the stronger the distortions will get. You'll need more than just your eyes to see.

[ There's a furious screech and a bolt of lightning strikes a wall nearby, sending chunks of rubble tumbling to the ground and revealing a pulsing crystal beneath. Topaz darts towards a different path nearby, stopping in front of it to wait for Kor. ]

Hurry! You can tell me what kind of "help" you intend to offer on the way!

O-okay!

[The lightning strike catches him off-guard, causing him to jump, ironic considering how prevalent lightning and electricity is in his fighting style. ~~You might even say it shocked him.~~ He shakes it off and goes after Topaz, following him down the path.]

Honestly... I haven't really decided what I'll do. Merisia, she... She wants me to get rid of it, and I might be able to, but...

[There's a pause as he regains his composure, swallowing hard.]

A Somatic's job is helping people come to terms with themselves. So what I want to do is help Merisia accept that she has a beautiful gift, not a terrible curse! I want to help her understand it!

[ Topaz tenses when Kor mentions removing the Echo, as though he's just as keen on the idea as Kor himself is. Despite this, he remains patient and attentive, allowing Kor to finish. When Kor is done speaking, some of that tension leaves him, and he chirps in approval. ]

I like your answer, young man, but I wonder if you really know what you're getting into. [ There's a beat as he seems ready to continue that line of thought, but he opts not to...for now. ] Convincing her won't be easy, but if you've made it this far, perhaps you have a chance. Besides, the way to a secret like that won't open for just anyone.

[ Continuing on, Topaz leads Kor down a winding path through the twisted streets of Ul'dah, the storm raging overhead and occasionally striking either behind them or at the walls on either side. The further they go down the road, the more crystalline its appearance becomes. Fortunately it actually is crystal this time, and not ice.

And just as Topaz said, it isn't long before the end of the road arrives. There's a small, unassuming wooden door to their left near a dead end, flickering in and out of existence and only solidifying as Kor draws near. Topaz skids to a stop in front of it. ]

It should be through here.

[ There's another echoing growl, and storm once more strikes the path behind them, leaving a smoking crater. Bits of crystal peek out of the damaged street, some of them shifting from a vivid navy blue to a sickly dark yellow. Another beastly silhouette appears nearby in the flash of lightning...was it closer this time?...but it's gone in the blink of an eye. ]

[Kor smiles fondly at Topaz's commentary, thinking back on everything he's been through with Merisia over the past year or so.]

Heh... Convincing her's never easy, but never giving up on her is why I've made it as far as I have with her.

[As they arrive to the destination, Kor gets a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach. There was something foreboding about this place right now, the way things had begun changing. But it was surely also the sign that this is where he needed to be. The most well-guarded secrets were well-guarded for a reason, after all.

He lingers in front of the door, not yet going in.]

Merisia's told me bits and pieces, but... Not the whole thing. Can you tell me why she hates the Echo so much, Carby?

[he's probably heard enough from Merisia to be able to piece it all together himself, but there might be a difference between how Merisia on the surface perceive it, and how her subconscious would.]

[ Topaz Carbuncle dips his head low, his eyes closing and his ears drooping. He's eager to get away from this storm, but...well, answering Kor's question will have to come first. ]

She doesn't...hate it, necessarily. She's afraid of it.

[ The storm churns overhead, and Topaz offers Kor a sincere look. As sincere as a Carbuncle can, anyway. ]

There's too much that she doesn't know about it. Everything it can do, everything it does to her... She scarcely even knows when she acquired it. She has no control over its powers to speak of, and the visions occur without warning. But one of her greatest fears is that it might somehow bring harm to herself, or to those she's come to care about...and there would be little that she can do to stop it. [ He shakes his head. ] Uncertainty has always been one of Merisia's greatest enemies. Not knowing if she can trust a stranger is difficult enough, but that's something she can handle. Not knowing if she can trust her own power, well... There's not much you can do to escape something that's a part of you, is there?

[ If anything, Topaz seems to agree more with Kor's sentiments than Merisia's, judging from his warm tone. Even so, there's still a sadness to his words, a level of concern that isn't outright stated, but still eager to make itself known. ]

If you really can help her...maybe that'll heal the damage it's already wrought.

[A fear of hurting others with her power... Kor can understand that sentiment. It's one of the biggest dangers of being a Somatic, after all. Having the power to correct a person's Spiria with your Soma also means you invariably have the power to damage their Spiria. Somatics are supposed to take a creed to help others, but his encounters with Striegov have taught him that evil Somatics do exist.

But fearing your gift and fearing what you can do with your gift are two very different things. You have the power to choose how you use your power, that's what Kor believes. Merisia could use the Echo to do terrible things, or she could use it to do the kinds of things Kor envisions it to be capable of.]

I'll do whatever I can help her, and with style, I might add! That's the Kor Meteor way! [No trying to help her, only actually helping her.]

[ Topaz Carbuncle lets out a trill of joyful approval and he straightens up, waving his tails. ]

Hahahah! That's the spirit! If your actions are as genuine as your words are, then we've got little to worry about.

[ That storm isn't too happy about going ignored, unfortunately. There's a loud - and close - crash of lightning, and there's a loud snarl, almost as if the beast it belongs to is mere inches away...but the beast in question is nowhere to be seen. The crystal visible in the area continues to shift to the same sickly yellow shade, while several few of them stubbornly remain blue, even glowing brighter in protest. ]

I'm afraid we've lingered long enough. Unless you want to make this place your grave, I'd suggest we get moving!

[ Topaz waits anxiously next to the door for Kor to hurry in...not that anything will be terribly visible once inside, as it's pitch-black. One or two lit torches can be seen nearby, but their light is hardly enough to illuminate whatever room they're in. There does seem to be a faint white glow in the distance, coming through what looks like a corridor, but otherwise it's impossible to see anything...for now. ]

[Yeah, Kor makes it a policy of his to not die inside the Spirias he's traversing, so he wastes no time in heeding Topaz's warnings. He pushes open the door and hurries inside, only to be greeted by near total darkness. He reaches over and grabs one of the torches, trying to use it to illuminate the area, but even that didn't seem to help anywhere near enough, almost like the darkness was just eating the light. There was that glow in the distance, though. His destination, maybe?]

I guess there's no way to make this any brighter, huh?

[ Topaz Carbuncle shakes off, trotting a few paces ahead. ]

There's always a way to bring light to darkness. It's like I said: you'll need more than your eyes to see. But, I'm afraid I have one more question for you.

[ Topaz sits down calmly. It certainly won't do to stumble around in the dark, and they really should keep moving, but there's something he needs to take care of first. A chill passes through the air, accompanied by a soft pulse of static. Several pairs of glowing blue eyes appear in the darkness, staring intently at Kor. Topaz either doesn't notice them, or doesn't seem to care, and he continues. ]

Merisia does everything she can to protect herself, and that includes hiding these things away from even those she would trust with her life. The fact that you could even open that door, let alone see it, is no small feat. She may trust you and see you as a friend, but if she's misplacing that trust...

[ He lets those words sit for a moment, the silence filled with nothing but a soft crystalline hum. Although his words are stern, the warm tone never leaves Topaz's voice. If anything, he seems more concerned than accusatory. ]

You say it's a Somatic's job to help people come to terms with themselves, but is that the only reason you're here? Who is Merisia to you? Just another patient? A broken tool to fix? Or is there something else in your heart that drove you all the way into this abyss to help her?

[More than your eyes to see, huh... Kor closes his eyes for the moment, trying to focus his other senses, but also to block out everything that's going on in the room so he could think more clearly.

Topaz posed an interesting question, certainly one that could trip up most people. But for Kor? The answer was simple and straightforward.]

It's the job of a Somatic to help people, yeah. But that's got nothing to do with why I'm here, besides the fact that I'm a Somatic. The truth is, it's the job of Kor Meteor to always help his friends when they need him. That's all there is to it. Merisia's my friend, so I'm helping her. I don't have any motive besides that.

[ The silence lingers for a moment longer, allowing Kor's words to echo in the darkness. Then, finally, Topaz softly trills in approval. ]

That's just what we need. Did you all hear that? We've got nothing to worry about.

[ The watchful eyes widen and shimmer, then scurry away. Almost on cue, the lights from the torches brighten, and the room illuminates. It's reminiscent of an old ruin made of stone and hidden away in a cavern, with a few chambers branching off from the main hall where Kor stands; in other words, the perfect place for an adventurer to explore. Though old, there's a welcoming warmth that fills the area as the light does. Further ahead, where the light is, the stone begins to fracture off, floating in what appears to be an otherworldy void. It's almost like that part of the ruins simply doesn't belong, yet it's meshed itself with them and made itself at home regardless.

And yet, with all the warmth, the static remains in the air...and it grows stronger. ]

...something isn't right... [ Topaz shifts uneasily, pawing at the ground. ] What you're looking for is just ahead, Kor. Just be careful. I can guide you, but I'm afraid I can't protect you from what lies ahead.

[Kor watches at the room suddenly brightens up, revealing its true form as an old catacomb. He kicks the ground with the toe of his boot, just to make sure it's stable. Everything seems okay, at least in this part.]

Don't worry, whatever's ahead, I can take of myself.

[He starts heading on ahead, going towards the light.]

Besides, I should be protecting you here, you're an important part of Merisia.

[ Topaz pauses thoughtfully at Kor's reply before chirping happily. ]

So I am... Thank you, Kor.

[ That said, he trots happily next to Kor, picking up his pace to walk in front of him once they near the light.

Past the fractured-off area, it seems that there's nothing but an enormous, blue abyss and nothing else. Despite the lack of visible ground, however, Topaz keeps right on walking. Small ripples of light beneath his feet signify that it's totally possible to walk onward, and if anything it's like walking on marble.

It doesn't take long for the main feature of this strange place to come into view: an enormous, sparkling crystal. Though not nearly the size of what it mimics, it's easily the size of a large building, dwarfing Kor and his guide. The void around it swirls with calm and beautiful light, the air filled with a reassuring and welcoming warmth. It's almost like this place is some sort of secret safe haven, or a familiar place, yet filled with countless secrets and mysteries.

And so it remains for several long seconds, allowing a precious moment of respite before a familiar snarl resonates from behind them. A huge shadow leaps overhead from behind the two, landing neatly between Kor and the crystal. It's a small, shadowy behemoth, its entire body cloaked in darkness and black sparks of electricity. Its sparks taint the air with an almost tangible fear and confusion, sickly yellow eyes stare wide at both intruders. Topaz is the first to step forward. ]

Damn it all, it followed us all the way here! Hurry, you have to-

[ Topaz doesn't get a chance to explain. The monster lunges forward, snatching Topaz up in his jaws and hurling him aside like a rag doll. Topaz shrieks, tumbling to the ground and unable to push himself to his feet right away. The beast then turns its eyes on Kor, its fangs bared, but it doesn't move to strike...not now, anyway.

But who knows how long that will last... ]

[Kor marvels in awe at the sight of the large crystal they arrive to. It somewhat reminded him of a large willstone, like the one back in Dronning. But to compare it to such would be truly undermining the majesty this thing carried. It was inspiring and comforting just being in its presence. But the time he has to appreciate this thing was short-lived, as the behemoth descends.]

--! Watch out!

[Kor stands by and watches in horror as Topaz is pounced upon. He cries out in shock for his little furry friend, rushing over to him with due haste.]

Carby! Are you okay?!

[He stands between Topaz and the behemoth now, keeping his guard up but not drawing his weapon. Not yet, at least.]

Carby, you know what this thing is? What the heck's going on?

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