maskormenace | video.

Entry tags:

video.

[After speaking to Loki and a number of other individuals, Lightning resolves to make this commentary. Her experience with gods is lengthy, and what she's learning here in this world is that many are quick to dismiss them. While there were myths back home that people frequently ignored, it had never been the same. Myths included stories of the l'Cie, told to scare people when they would go to bed lest they might be turned into soldiers against their own world's gods. But that was different. Having lived alongside the fal'Cie all her life, she had accepted their involvement.

That this world dismisses gods, that the people from multiple worlds, can dismiss gods, strikes her as odd. To say the least.

There is much she can say on the matter. She only hopes that she covers all that matters.]

It has come to my attention that there are a number of people here who dismiss the presence of gods. Given the circumstances that we currently find ourselves in, I've chosen to share my experiences with you. I understand that many of you come from worlds where gods are uncommon or not present at all. Even in this world, gods are dismissed as myths ... or are a feature of religion, thought to be separate and distant. It's hard to believe in something you can't see. I don't blame you.

But my home world was one where gods worked alongside humans. Prior to my present, there was a war between worlds, between Gran Pulse and Cocoon. The gods pit these two powers against one another, hoping that they would destroy existence in order to bring forth a certain being for their own goals. Gran Pulse was wiped out as a result of this war, each and every person who lived there vanishing into thin air as a result of the apparent decimation. Cocoon, my home, prospered alongside the gods, the fal'Cie. They provided goods, electricity, and everything else we needed. For so long, we lived under their whims and according to what they wanted, not realizing that we were all up to eventually be thrown away when they grew tired or disgusted with us. We were their puppets, and we had to learn how to do things differently. That was a journey that we all went on from the beginning to the end, until we finally defeated god after god so that people's memories and experiences would be remembered.

That is not to say that you should all share the same experiences, but there is good reason to believe that we are experiencing that here. There is proof left and right. I worry about what this god ... these gods—[the emphasis itself is said rather forcefully]—have in store for us in the long term. But dismissing them, pretending that it's not a concern ... that's the last thing we should be doing. Treating it like "superstition," treating it like there's a more immediate concern at hand ... is unwise. They are one and the same.

I do not know if this government is unwittingly playing to gods' whims. I can't say that for myself, but I've been asked many times what I'm prepared to do. If they are, we can help them unchain themselves. What I know is that gods shouldn't play with our lives, and we should be prepared to act to stop that

[There's a pause here, where she sighs and glances away in the video.

There's a huff of breath before she presses on:]

If you have any questions, feel free to ask. Everything I know about these present gods I have learned from others, but I am more free to share my own experiences.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

No, their biases are what's important. If they have all lived through this, then their memories matter. If they know what happened, and can all state that it happened, it happened. You cannot strip them of that. I won't allow it.

And you can call it a bad idea all you want, but I think people shouldn't be tangled up in someone else's threads. I've been informed about what they do coming into this, and how freely they'll cut away what doesn't matter anymore.

[Eyetwitch. Like bashing his head against a brick wall.]

Okay now listen up. I've watched humans give the system the finger, I've aided them in doing it, and it worked for them. But right now you are jumping into one big mess based on what? What a couple of people have said? Yes, memories, good. Those are what make humans human. Trust me to know that much, sweetheart, I spent a few millennia watching humanity grow up, so don't think to talk at me about humanity. At the same time though, you are basing what you are hearing upon your own experiences. And that is nightmare fuel, that is a rookie mistake to be making. Your Gods are complete assholes who obviously didn't even know what they were doing. You cannot jump to the assumption that the ones here also do not know what they're doing.

Is any of this sinking in yet or should I go pour myself a few shots and come back later?

There are threads out in the ocean where the porter was found. I think you can put together what that means.

I've been here since February, and I'm only making these statements now.

Edited 2014-07-14 18:02 (UTC)

Yes, good. Threads where the porter was found, great news because you can tie it down to a Fate. And yes it probably is Lachesis, or Clothos, or Atropos since those girls come in threes. But at the end of the day, in this world they are not Gods. There are Gods here that make those three look like ants, so do you really want to pick your fight with those Gods? Do you really want to lead humanity into a battle with the unknown?

The first step is to make sure that humanity understands that gods are involved. If the Fates' involvement has been approved of, then every individual involved should be stopped.

It's dangerous, but I'm prepared to protect humanity along the way. I will do everything to ensure that they are safe, and the current mode of existence does not mean they are safe.

In fact, I would bet on these Fates being thrown away again.

I'm going to throw this out here, and this is nothing personal. I'd say this to any human who said what you just did.

You cannot guarantee the safety of humanity. Everything you do to ensure they are kept safe may mean diddly squat. These are not the same Gods you are used to dealing with, so again that's an unknown. I dare you to look me in the eyes and say you can protect every person here 100%, no losses.

You're making an assumption here.

[She's not pointing it out. Lightning's well aware of what she is until her soul travels to the new world it's designated for, though she's thankfully got her thoughts, feelings, and guilt all back, and she's stronger for it.]

I can't guarantee it, but I'm damn well willing to do what needs to be done. That's the first step. I don't believe in giving up before I even start.

I know. Same assumption people make at me all the time. Get used to it, kid.

[Shakes his head.] Sorry, but if you can't guarantee it, then you shouldn't be doing it, that's false advertising. I am not telling you to give up, I'm telling you to get your facts straight and in order before stirring up the natives.

I've made enough mistakes that I don't need a lecture from you on how to not make a mistake again. I know what I'm doing.

[This is probably the only time Gabriel is ever going to be kind on the network. In fact, he's going to private it, giving his best sympathetic look.]

No sweetheart, you don't. Not quite. Your beliefs are spot on, but you've not quite worked out on how to get from point A to point B. And if you keep insisting that you are right, and not take into consideration what others are saying, then you're headed for a fall.

No, you misunderstand me. [Lightning has enough guilt that she knows she can't let it burden her—not anymore. It will always be there with her, but that doesn't mean that she can let it weigh her down.

She isn't calling for immediate action. She's made mistakes. She's lost her sister because of it, which for some time was a greater mistake than killing thousands of people. Lightning carried that weight more. But she's not going to tell him that.]

I'm not calling for action right this second. We don't know the risks of that. I know that. I didn't act against Bhunivelze before the world itself that He prepared was ready for the souls to arrive. That would have been unwise. You're making other assumptions ... about my experience, about what steps I will do to prepare us.

I've already learned the great costs of not doing that. Don't misjudge me here. And more than that, I will have on my side many people who are willing to do what they can to ensure they hold on to their free will. Perhaps not everyone, but those who saw the previous world's destruction ... surely they will be prepared to do everything to help this one.

I believe in that. I'm not infallible, but I'm not alone. And while I am not the best at plans, I am a fighter, and I will do anything possible.

I have to.

Alright, I get it. I might not agree but that doesn't mean I'm too stupid to understand it. So I'll give you what I was told.

In the last place, The City, Lachesis was the one responsible for dragging people around. And everyone who didn't like it decided to harness to power of her sister Atropos. That shit never ends well, so she destroyed the world and it was Lachesis who sent as many as she could from there, to here.

I was given that info about two months ago and not put it out there, so congratulations.

That's what I learned, as well. The information lines up.

What you don't know is that Lachesis messed with people all the time outside of that. While Atropos eventually proved to be the greater threat, Lachesis saw people as playthings along the way, claiming they were ... heroes.

You can see the similarities, can't you? No one should be doing that, regardless of their greater intentions.

There's no knowing that the people here can't just be on another board, pushed around and played with all over again.

Yeah. I heard Clothos was around too, which isn't a surprise since those sisters are never far from each other. Didn't do much though, nothing on them. And regardless of anyone's intentions, I don't think tying down a deity to use their power for anything will ever do anyone good. Not saying the last world deserved it, I'm saying that they should have thought that part of it through some more.

They can't, and won't be pushed around. You'll see. When crap starts getting uber weird? Then they'll push against it. For now, nothing remotely deity-like has even happened, which means they're not really going to believe you. I mean my brother's name is known throughout a good few worlds, and the most he got was laughter and "we don't believe you're really called that". I've had my name and status thrown out there and gotten nothing. People won't believe in things they don't want to, so if you want to sit and try to convince them? Then all the luck in the world to you, kiddo.

I might give you a hand with this stuff though. I've been sat around for months long enough I've left an ass groove in the coffee shop seat. And I'd rather not see humanity go extinct after I just helped avert that in my own world. It gets ugly real fast.

[She watches and even replays his message a second time before she responds.]

If you're interested in helping, you need to understand that the rules are made to be bent and broken. There is no "can't." If it's about helping people, if it's about helping this world, you have to get over that part first.

I don't do rules and I certainly don't follow them. As I said, my main issue is merely you lot throwing yourselves at a currently unknown thing. If you want word on the deities in this world, library is probably your best bet. I sure don't have time to go through them all with you. Though anything about the archangel Gabriel, take with a pinch of salt and assume I didn't do it unless I say otherwise. Otherwise sure, why the Hell not? Isn't like I was doing anything here anyway, so I'll help out.

[Research.

Like Lightning is going to do research.]

I'll be glad to have your help.

[What.

Don't look at Gabriel for research. Researching is for schmucks. ~~They're going to get real far~~]

See you around then.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

video.

video;

video;

video;

video;

video;

video;

video;

video;

video;

video; private

video; private

video; private

video; private

video; private

video; private

video; private

video; private

video; private