002 ♛ video

[euphemia]

[ The feed begins with a young girl with pink hair who appears to seated in a room of some sort. Doesn’t seem like any room, but yes. After a moment, she smiles once she realizes the video began. ]

Hello everyone.

I hope that for those of you who just arrived you're settling in and adapting to things comfortably enough. I hope the experience thus far has not been too traumatizing in any way. I know it's a lot to take in, but I assure you that for those of us here before, we're just as baffled as you are about ... well, everything.

[ There is a pause as she looks off, contemplative and worried. After a moment, her attention falls back to the camera. ]

What I've come to learn recently is that we all seem to be in this together. As in—ah. As in literally. [ Pause. How to talk about this? ] I haven't had a lot of time to think about it but, uhm. Does anyone else recall experiencing some kind of fight with an army of creatures that looked like ... [ her voice lowers as she looks off. ] people I recognized.

[ Frowning. Concerned. Deeply. Seeing that person in that memory was jarring. Yet within moments, she lifts her head to continue. ]

I haven't found any answers to explain what happened. Not yet. However, I figured I should ask here and see if anyone had any similar experiences? Maybe talk a bit about it to understand? It was the only thing I vividly remember [ —there was another, but. ] and I feel there was a reason behind seeing it. I'm not even sure if it was even real?

[ Brows furrowed and eyes downward, she takes a moment to collect her thoughts before lifting her head again with a smile renewed. Positive time! ]

Ah! Forgive me! I didn't introduce myself. For those of you new, my name is Euphemia! I'm a White Mage and Nurse at the Yun'Ashia hospital. I'm also going to be starting school very soon there, too. It’s been a goal of mine to go back and finish my studies! Being a student and getting to go to classes again—I’m excited! Is there anyone else going to school? Maybe we can be study friends! Perhaps we can be study buddies? I will admit that I sometimes need a little help here and there, so please, let me know if you're interested!

As for the rest of you, if you need me for any reason, just reach. Or visit the hospital! Or call! I can do either of those things. I'm here to help.

[ Her expression turns a bit soft as she stares intensely at the camera. Solemn. A pause. ]

I hope everyone stays well. And ... take care of yourself, okay? Wherever you are.

[ A smile, albeit lacking the same mirth as her earlier one. With that, the video feed ends. ]

Comments

[euphemia]

[ Euphemia blinks, surprised to see her come forward so quickly. It makes her somewhat skeptical of how willing she is to truly discuss it, but she doesn't say a word on it. Curiosity was high enough to allow it. That and she wanted to make sure all secrets were out once and for all. ]

What was it then? What is it you were unwilling to talk about that day?

[arosetowar]

Are you familiar with the Damocles, or with FLEIJA?

[She doesn't think that Schneizel had told Euphy, but either of the boys or even Nunnally might have.]

[euphemia]

[ Thankfully, none of that was told to her yet. ]

No, I'm afraid I don't.

[arosetowar]

Damocles was an aerial fortress from which Schneizel had planned to orchestrate a lasting world peace, and FLEIJA was the warhead through which that plan would come into fruition.

[euphemia]

[ Isn't sure how she feels about this knowing Schneizel was not brought up. Polite and kind, she didn't know too much about his work or influence. ]

I see. [ Staring. Not even sure she can picture this at all. ] Is ... dear brother Schneizel okay?

[arosetowar]

I don't know. It's been months since I last spoke with him. [Since she last saw him from more than an impersonal distance away. She suspects that Lelouch had placed a Geass on him but won't raise that point because she doesn't know for certain.]

Earlier, I told you that I'd spent a year researching Geass. What I neglected to mention was that in order to do so, I abandoned my duties to Britannia and departed from Pendragon without a word to anyone. I broke off all contact during that time. Not even Schneizel or Guilford were aware of where I'd gone or what I'd hoped to accomplish.

When I did return, the situation was chaotic. The Tokyo settlement had been destroyed and it wasn't long afterwards when Lelouch assassinated our Father and usurped the throne. Schneizel lead a splinter force of which I became a member – [Passively, she supposes now; a member by default, by lack of anywhere else to belong, of any other cause to support.] – and we relocated to Cambodia while he completed the final preparations for Damocles. I had asked him at the time what his intentions for FLEIJA were and he'd told me that he meant it to be used as a countermeasure against Lelouch. Though I wasn't confident that he was telling me everything, he had always been a moderate thinker and I chose to believe that he wouldn't launch FLEIJA without due cause.

[In hindsight, it was a foolishly sentimental belief to have made. There was nothing moderate about the Damocles, about FLEIJA, about the state of the world and the desperately violent extents to which the war had developed. She had been so out of touch with everything, though, and Schneizel had been so central to it all that his movements beat to the pace of the war's heart. What insight could she offer? So she was silent. Deferential. Everything she never used to be; everything she never should have become while the world's hatred had reached its chaotic climax.]

He used Damocles and FLEIJA to obliterate Pendragon, Euphy. Our own people, massacred as some manner of statement against Lelouch. When I confronted him about it, he revealed the full extent of his plan: Schneizel had intended to rule over the entire world from Damocles as though he were a god, doling out punishment through FLEIJA should one party ever raise arms against another.

[Maybe she should sound angry here. Bitter and resentful and cruel. Instead, she only comes across as being tired and ashamed. She could have stopped this. Should have. But just like with the SAZ, she sat indifferent in the sidelines while tragedy struck.]

However, by his standards, Pendragon was an inadequate sacrifice. The first stage of his plan would have seen him launching FLEIJAs against the entire world. An excess of one billion people would have been killed in that first series of strikes alone.

I couldn't stand by and allow for that to happen so I drew my weapon against him, and in response he activated a hidden turret. That is how I was injured.

[euphemia]

[ Euphemia listened as her sister explained her reasons behind her own hesitation to speak. A reason that soon became clear as she went on to detail the events that happened afterwards. The research of Geass, the destruction of Tokyo, and Schneizel's schemed plans for Damocles and this FLEIJA.

Perhaps it was due to Lelouch's blurting and Suzaku's confession that sort of dulled the shock of hearing most of this. Not significantly, but enough to keep her composed enough to hear everything. Hearing there was further feuding between her family members was starting to feel like a norm now. But between the two of them? The people she assumed to be in the most control of everything?

Her expression shifted between surprise, then worry, and finally fear. That their own brother would think to fire at Sister? How could he? Why? Was this also another circumstance where she had to forgive him?

And then there was Cornelia. She stood to fight against his methods but was ultimately taken down.

Silence. Only silence. How can she believe there is peace now? It didn't sound like it. Not by a long-shot. ]

... How could he? [ It made her eyes well up with tears, but nothing more. She loved Schnezeil as she did Cornelia. Yet to hear this. ] Why? Why is there so much fighting?

[arosetowar]

Nobody truly wanted the fighting to stop. [Not their father. Not Lelouch. Not the heads of enemy states. Not Cornelia herself.] We claimed to rally in the name of peace yet favoured victory, and conquest, and the power to shape the world according to our own beliefs. A war of such nature... it can't end except through desperate measures.

Schneizel realised that before anyone else and took the only course he saw towards lasting peace.

[euphemia]

[ Silence. What can she even say to all of that? It only proved that the world really did go mad after she died. A part of her even wonders if her moves to try SAZ triggered it. That was far too big an assumption to make, but... ]

Did I do all this? Did my idea... spark this?

[arosetowar]

The world had been building towards this point ever since you were a little girl, and it would have continued down the same path regardless of your plan. There was simply too much hatred existing between factions to be expelled through hope. Please don't believe otherwise.

[euphemia]

[ A nod is given slowly. It was better to not put blame on herself, even if a quiet voice said otherwise. ]

The fighting stopped at least, yes? And there is peace?

[arosetowar]

That's a question better suited for Nunnally. She is from a later point in time than I am and has experienced the peace; I, however, know little of what transpires beyond the end of Lelouch's reign.

[euphemia]

I see... [ It made sense to go to her. Either that or Suzaku, but ... there were certainly reasons to be hesitant about going in that direction. After a short pause and a long exhale, Euphy closed her eyes to let herself accept what she learned. ]

Thank you ... for telling me, Sister. [ It was easier to learn this way than through some other means. The gentlest way of learning grave news thus far. If only the others had been as fair. Then again, maybe they just prepared her? ]

There's nothing I can do for what happened at home. I guess the only thing I can do is move forward in this world.

[arosetowar]

[Takes her own pause, unsure of what's best to say. That she's sorry? The words still feel empty. That she wishes things were different? It's so helpless-sounding, so defeatist. She can't devote herself to determining a way for Euphy to live on, either, with her knowing so little about how Vaikuntha draws people in, how it returns them home. So she offers yet another generality.]

For the time being, it's all any of us can do.

[But generalities aren't enough anymore, are they?]

There is something else I want to say. Though I can't fully comprehend all the difficulties you're facing in moving forwards, I hope you now realise that you aren't alone in feeling conflicted. Please don't consider anything to be off limits if you ever do need to talk things through.

[Strange as it feels to be giving permission for conversation, it is the one thing she can be more specific about. Cornelia has never been a very open person. She holds so much of who she is, and how she feels, and what she thinks deep within herself that not even Euphy really knows her. Only Darlton. Only Guilford. And even they were never made aware of everything that she should, perhaps, have shared with them.]

[euphemia]

[ A small smile emerged at the last words offered. It meant that should she want or need for anything else in terms of questioning things or merely talking, she would do so. Seeing how much her sister had changed since arriving here made her hopeful that the others might follow in her footsteps. Then again, she had the benefit of being her sister... ]

I will keep that in mind, sister. Thank you...

[ Sitting upright, her attention turns to the window thoughtfully. ]

When I am ready, I will speak to Lelouch. But only on my terms. Just ... not right now.

[arosetowar]

Take all the time that you need. Lelouch can wait; he has Nunnally by his side. [Contemplates mentioning Suzaku as well, but she still isn't certain what form their friendship takes and doesn't want to reassert the fact that Suzaku became Lelouch's knight, a knight of brutality.]

I only wanted to spare you from having to believe he'd acted out of hatred or indifference, or that you'd done anything wrong.

[euphemia]

[ Euphemia could only nod. Knowing Nunnally was there to keep Lelouch company was a quiet relief, but not a complete one. ]

For now, I believe tomorrow I will take advantage of the current Blitzball tournament and head over to support my friends. You're welcome to join me, sister.

[arosetowar]

We'll see. There are a few matters I'd like to attend to tomorrow morning first. [Training against the monsters. She means training against the monsters. She always means training against the monsters. :|]

[Happier sister means happier sister though, so smiling now.]

Will your friends be meeting you there?

[euphemia]

Yes. A few plan to join me there! It should be an amazing event. I've never seen Blitzball before!

[arosetowar]

Good. Let me know when you've arrived in the city. I'll have my Moogle accompany you to the airship here as well. [Look this is still a step-up from being crazy overprotective.]

[euphemia]

Yes, of course, Sister!

[ It was strange moving on to subjects easier and lighter, but it was probably for the best. While she had questions, those were better saved for Lelouch himself. But now was not the time to think of that when there were happier things to focus on! ]

You should meet Tidus. He's a wonderful person and part of one of the Blitzball teams!

[arosetowar]

Then you'll have to introduce us sometime. When will he be playing?

[euphemia]

Well, the games are starting tomorrow, I believe. I plan to travel out that way to meet with him and go over his supposed injuries. Then the big game I believe starts that evening or tomorrow! It's a big tournament!

[arosetowar]

[...wait meeting a strange boy, alone, to treat his injuries?! Sounds shenanigans-y. Gradually becoming less sure.]

Euphy... how well do you know this Tidus?

[euphemia]

Since I arrived here. He's among the few I met when I first came into contact with this place.