- 85 [Action]

[fortunefail]

[It's been two days since Yuan was returned from his most recent kidnapping and did something very stupid. His memories are still as faulty as the moment when he returned, though he has been filled in on the basic situation by now. The real situation, and not some garbled version his mind might concoct at the moment.

Thanks to this state, he's allowed himself to be tricked by some evil little madman and hurt an innocent person. Not to mention that ridiculous assumption he jumped to when he saw Sheena. What if something like that happens again? Raine advised him to stay in the clinic until the kidnap effect wears off, but he's far too restless for that. Magical amnesia or not, Yuan will be Yuan.

Now he's sitting outside the plaza clinic, watching people as they pass and keeping an eye out for a familiar face- any familiar face. He keeps wondering what else he's forgotten and while stray memories surface from time to time, some of them are actually from experiments. He just can't tell what's real and it's pissing him off.]

Comments

[shiningbinds.livejournal.com]

...my name is Kratos.

[fortunefail]

[Kratos... Kratos Aurion! That's right. He is... head of the Tethe'alla Knights? No, not anymore. Wasn't he exiled because he disgraced himself somehow? Because he fraternized with half-elves? What if Yuan was that half-elf? ... Or perhaps that's part of a Luceti experiment. Raine did warn Yuan not to make any more assumptions, because his memories can't be trusted. But it seems so right, somehow.

In any case, Kratos seems a little dejected that Yuan had to ask. He probably owes him an explanation.]

I'm sorry. I can't... [He trails off, rubbing his temple with one hand. Forcing himself to remember things is giving him a headache.] The Malnosso did something to my memories.

[shiningbinds.livejournal.com]

It's all right. I suppose I will have to help you to the best of my ability, then.

[fortunefail]

... Why?

[He can't remember why he befriended this man, if they are indeed so close. He can't remember ever doing anything for him that would warrant a favor in return. ... Or did he? Didn't he save this man's life?]

[shiningbinds.livejournal.com]

Regardless of if you remember it or not, we have been companions for far too long for me to do nothing.

[fortunefail]

Companions... [But then where are all these memories of them fighting each other coming from? They're all so different, too. It ranges from arguments to actual swordfights and Yuan's sure he fought with the intent to kill. How can he be sure Kratos isn't tricking him, just like Mithos did?]

Is that really the truth?

[shiningbinds.livejournal.com]

Yes, though we've been enemies before as well.

[fortunefail]

Why were we fighting?

[He needs to know this. If he wants to trust this man, he needs to know why they opposed each other before, and what ultimately changed this situation. He needs to know what really happened.]

[shiningbinds.livejournal.com]

Back when I was a Tethe'allan knight, we were on opposing sides of the battlefield. And... much later, you were trying to think of a way to bring down someone we both know. In that sense, we were both enemies and allies at the same time.

While not so recent for you, I was brought here right after an incident in which you attacked me. You wished for me to release a seal within me, and... you attempted to use my son to convince me.

...I blocked an attack you meant for him.

[fortunefail]

[Yuan's eyes widen, but for the longest time he says nothing. He wishes it weren't true, because none of these accusations are making Yuan look good, but even as Kratos refers to these instances he starts remembering them. All this actually happened.

They did oppose each other on the battlefield, because Kratos was from Tethe'alla and Yuan from Sylvarant. Yuan hated his guts during that time because Kratos was just such a damn good soldier. He did try to blackmail Kratos using his son. A boy with a bright red shirt and spiky brown hair... Yes. Releasing that seal would kill Kratos and he knew it, but he desired it anyway.]

... So why? Why are we companions? I clearly want you dead.

[Should he be worried? Should he retreat back into the safety of the clinic? If he means to kill Kratos, surely that feeling is mutual.]

[shiningbinds.livejournal.com]

...you also told me that, in your past and my future, you save my life.

Only a companion would be willing to attempt a mana transfer, correct?

[fortunefail]

[Mana transfer... That's something dangerous. He has no clue what it's for, let alone how it would help Kratos, but it's definitely dangerous. Why would he save Kratos's life if he wanted him dead? It's all just too conflicting and it's really not helping his headache.]

I suppose... [He presses a hand against his forehead, closing his eyes. Dammit, he's this close to remembering the missing link. The reason why he would care about this man despite wanting him dead.]

[shiningbinds.livejournal.com]

...how much, if anything, do you remember about Cruxis?

[fortunefail]

[The mention of that name is giving him a cold feeling in his stomach region, for one, but he's not about to tell Kratos that. He remembers... Darkness. People with large feathered wings- angels. A large glowing... thing. Like a gigantic flower bud. Or was it a seed? He remembers that people died because of Cruxis. And of course, he remembers what Raine told him.]

Mithos was in charge. Not anymore, though. He was killed. Before that, he was manipulating the entire world. Using people for his own selfish goal.

[... Whatever goal that was. He's still sure Mithos is somehow connected to this Goddess, but he just can't put his finger on that. If his first assumption about that was wrong, who's to say his next theories would be any more accurate?]

[shiningbinds.livejournal.com]

Yuan.

Both you and I are--or were, I suppose--members of Cruxis. I suppose you do not remember what Mithos' goal was then, correct?

[fortunefail]

[He was pretty certain by now that he was a member of Cruxis, by now, but Kratos too? Damn, he just keeps learning more and more unsettling things.]

... No. [Does he even want to know, at this point?]

[shiningbinds.livejournal.com]

...

He wished to revive the person who was dearest to him after she was murdered.

[fortunefail]

That's impossible. [But even as he says it, he starts to doubt himself. For some reason, his mind strays back to that glowing seed. There was something about it... Something important.] ... Isn't it?

[shiningbinds.livejournal.com]

In normal cases, yes. However, her soul is now within the seed for the Great Tree, the source of all mana. Mithos has spent ages trying to revive her, trying to prepare a suitable body for her...

[fortunefail]

[Yuan buries his face in his hands, attempting to block out everything else. The Great Tree's seed... That's what it was. Yuan used to visit it, from time to time. Whenever he did, he'd be overcome by a strong feeling of loneliness, but that didn't stop him from going to see it again. He visited the seed because it was important to him, didn't he? And her soul was within it. The person who was most important to Mithos... His sister.

Trying to remember any more is giving him a massive headache. He knows he should stop forcing himself. He knows even these memories might be faulty. Hell, he still doesn't know if he can trust Kratos. Perhaps he'd be better off if he stopped this right now.

Does he really need to know any more? None of the things he's remembering are making him feel better- they're only making him feel worse.]

... Enough.

[shiningbinds.livejournal.com]

...

Very well.

[fortunefail]

[He lifts his head up again, trying to meet Kratos's gaze. It's not like he wants the man to get lost. He just doesn't know how to cope with this situation. As much as he wants to deny it, he can't properly function while he's like this and it's not something he can cure by himself. He needs to wait this out.]

... Raine suggested that I stay in the clinic until my memories have fully returned. [Yes, he's asking for your opinion on the matter, Kratos.]

[shiningbinds.livejournal.com]

It may be a wise idea, yes.

[fortunefail]

[That's all Yuan needed to know, though. If Kratos really wants to keep an eye on him, he'll just have to stop by the clinic some time.]

All right.

[shiningbinds.livejournal.com]

...I will visit you.