[A day's long enough that it takes Zelos a few extra seconds to remember why Raine's talking about this. Funny; he should be used to that. Raine has a tendency to pick up conversations right from where she left off, no matter how much time passed in between.]
[It works, doesn't it? Zelos has figured out what she meant, after all, and there hasn't been any extraneous time taken up re-hashing what they don't need to.]
Let me see... he succeeded, temporarily, in resurrecting Martel through Colette, but she refused.
The denial by his sister, however, seemed to break Mithos further, and so that was where we fought.
...You were with us, by that point. Many of us had fallen into traps in Derris-Kharlan, along the way to try to reach Colette; you and Kratos together saved us all.
[Herself included. Raine knows Zelos won't be happy to hear of Kratos's inclusion; but it's important, after all, and perhaps it will be helpful to know that Kratos was there too. Concretely helping.]
[Kratos was the one offering Zelos his help, the moment before Zelos got pulled into Keeliai. Hearing that they worked together after that isn't as surprising as when Zelos first heard that they actually win.
A part of Zelos still can't wrap his mind around that. He didn't think Lloyd's idealism was possible. He didn't think it could be that strong.]
Colette turned out okay? Having a goddess inside her head didn't mess her up?
Colette seems to be fine, and it's been a little while since that fight.
And Martel... wound up somewhere else entirely. She left Colette's body of her own choice. She'd been awake all that time, she said-- unable to do anything but watch Mithos.
[Four thousand years. Raine can barely fathom Martel's existence.]
The fight was... difficult, but not impossible. In the end, all that was left was Mithos's Cruxis crystal.
[Zelos doesn't have words. He can be flippant -- Goddess finally grew a consience, etc. etc. -- but contrary to popular belief, he actually does know when to stop. Being awake but totally helpless for four thousand years sounds like a fresh level of hell.]
Oh, tell me you guys remembered to destroy the cruxis crystal. After everything Regal and Presea went through? Seriously?
[... Okay, he can't be too harsh. If he was there, then he forgot as well. Maybe he wouldn't even have pegged it now if Raine hadn't been so ominous.]
Genis wanted to keep it. It seemed dormant; we didn't realize Mithos would be able to move it.
[It was a crystal. That shouldn't have been possible, or so she thought.]
We made the pact with Origin, and then he possessed Genis, taking him to Derris-Kharlan. I believe I mentioned something of the sort earlier. So it was necessary for us all to pursue him, and there was one more battle to be fought.
...I wasn't with you, but in Derris-Kharlan that time, all of us faced certain images of our pasts, preying on our weaknesses. I'm told you surmounted yours.
[Damn it, Genis. Way to put everyone in danger, you little brat.
... And, again, Zelos can't be too harsh. He was there, even if he doesn't remember it.]
Oh. Good. [Images of his past? What could that have been? He can make a few guesses, and none of them are encouraging, so Zelos goes back to the 'surmounted' part.] So we won that last fight. And I guess after that, Lloyd united the worlds. Everyone lived happily ever after. Am I missing anything?
[He sounds a little bitter. He feels a little bitter. It's as surprising to him as it probably is to Raine.]
[Hey. Hey. Good thing that wasn't in your outside voice, Zelos.]
No, that's more or less how it happened. We fought Mithos once more; Lloyd shattered his Cruxis crystal, and then Lloyd reunited the worlds and germinated the Seed. With Colette's help.
[Raine hears that bitterness, Zelos. She gives him a flat look.]
If you try to say it could have been done without you, I can guarantee you won't like the results.
Why? 'Cause you'll hit me? [Zelos hesitates, then smiles into the camera.] Obviously, I was irreplaceable. Totally crucial to the whole thing. There's no way you could have done it without me.
[How can he be jealous of himself? If everything goes according to plan, he'll eventually be the one who helps them out. The one who makes the decision to stand up and keep going. Keeliai is supposed to be a reprieve, not some consequence of failing.]
[Wait, isn't he trying not to be bitter? That totally counts as a tease, though, right? Good-natured friendship teasing.
Zelos makes the conscious decision to relax.]
Hey, thanks for letting me know. Something for me to look forward to! ... You know, once the worlds are saved. I'm not looking forward to the fights or anything.
Of course I did. [That part he never doubted. But...] I swear that almost sounded like a compliment. I haven't heard one of those from you since the time you found out I could help teach Lloyd and Genis math.
[And technically not even then. It occurs to Zelos that Raine doesn't give out compliments very often -- and definitely not to him. He's not sure whether to be touched or not.]
[He doesn't mean to sound derogatory, except for where he totally does. Anyone who can get along with Genis probably isn't much fun to be around. Or he's like Lloyd, which is kind of disturbing where being engaged to Raine is concerned.
Zelos brightens.] His life was probably a whole lot better with a decent cook around. What did you guys eat before then?
[Raine raises an eyebrow at him. That's an odd reaction. Getting along with Genis rapidly isn't at all a usual thing, after all.]
[That lasts about three seconds before she scowls.]
We weren't without recourse. We were living in the Midnight Hotel at the time; the proprietor often cooked himself, but regardless usually there were meals provided.
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video;
['Are you all right' strikes her as a foolish question, given the context and the person in question. Raine leads with something different.]
Shall I tell you the details, of how we defeated Mithos?
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[A day's long enough that it takes Zelos a few extra seconds to remember why Raine's talking about this. Funny; he should be used to that. Raine has a tendency to pick up conversations right from where she left off, no matter how much time passed in between.]
Oh, you mean because of -- ? Sure, why not.
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Let me see... he succeeded, temporarily, in resurrecting Martel through Colette, but she refused.
The denial by his sister, however, seemed to break Mithos further, and so that was where we fought.
...You were with us, by that point. Many of us had fallen into traps in Derris-Kharlan, along the way to try to reach Colette; you and Kratos together saved us all.
[Herself included. Raine knows Zelos won't be happy to hear of Kratos's inclusion; but it's important, after all, and perhaps it will be helpful to know that Kratos was there too. Concretely helping.]
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A part of Zelos still can't wrap his mind around that. He didn't think Lloyd's idealism was possible. He didn't think it could be that strong.]
Colette turned out okay? Having a goddess inside her head didn't mess her up?
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And Martel... wound up somewhere else entirely. She left Colette's body of her own choice. She'd been awake all that time, she said-- unable to do anything but watch Mithos.
[Four thousand years. Raine can barely fathom Martel's existence.]
The fight was... difficult, but not impossible. In the end, all that was left was Mithos's Cruxis crystal.
...At least, at first.
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[Zelos doesn't have words. He can be flippant -- Goddess finally grew a consience, etc. etc. -- but contrary to popular belief, he actually does know when to stop. Being awake but totally helpless for four thousand years sounds like a fresh level of hell.]
Oh, tell me you guys remembered to destroy the cruxis crystal. After everything Regal and Presea went through? Seriously?
[... Okay, he can't be too harsh. If he was there, then he forgot as well. Maybe he wouldn't even have pegged it now if Raine hadn't been so ominous.]
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[...and then Raine has to shake her head.]
Genis wanted to keep it. It seemed dormant; we didn't realize Mithos would be able to move it.
[It was a crystal. That shouldn't have been possible, or so she thought.]
We made the pact with Origin, and then he possessed Genis, taking him to Derris-Kharlan. I believe I mentioned something of the sort earlier. So it was necessary for us all to pursue him, and there was one more battle to be fought.
...I wasn't with you, but in Derris-Kharlan that time, all of us faced certain images of our pasts, preying on our weaknesses. I'm told you surmounted yours.
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... And, again, Zelos can't be too harsh. He was there, even if he doesn't remember it.]
Oh. Good. [Images of his past? What could that have been? He can make a few guesses, and none of them are encouraging, so Zelos goes back to the 'surmounted' part.] So we won that last fight. And I guess after that, Lloyd united the worlds. Everyone lived happily ever after. Am I missing anything?
[He sounds a little bitter. He feels a little bitter. It's as surprising to him as it probably is to Raine.]
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No, that's more or less how it happened. We fought Mithos once more; Lloyd shattered his Cruxis crystal, and then Lloyd reunited the worlds and germinated the Seed. With Colette's help.
[Raine hears that bitterness, Zelos. She gives him a flat look.]
If you try to say it could have been done without you, I can guarantee you won't like the results.
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[How can he be jealous of himself? If everything goes according to plan, he'll eventually be the one who helps them out. The one who makes the decision to stand up and keep going. Keeliai is supposed to be a reprieve, not some consequence of failing.]
There, is that better?
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I can be more inventive than that about punishments.
[But it is better, and she relaxes, offering him a tiny smile in return.]
Yes, that is better. And entirely accurate, as it happens.
[And Zelos should remember how much she doesn't overstate things that don't have to do with ruins.]
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[Wait, isn't he trying not to be bitter? That totally counts as a tease, though, right? Good-natured friendship teasing.
Zelos makes the conscious decision to relax.]
Hey, thanks for letting me know. Something for me to look forward to! ... You know, once the worlds are saved. I'm not looking forward to the fights or anything.
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You acquit yourself admirably in the fighting too, naturally, if that makes any difference.
[It's a genuine compliment.]
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[And technically not even then. It occurs to Zelos that Raine doesn't give out compliments very often -- and definitely not to him. He's not sure whether to be touched or not.]
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There aren't many people who are ahead of Genis in math. It's an accomplishment to be proud of.
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Yeah, well. If he ever shows up and makes that accomplishment useful, let me know.
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You missed him by about a year and a half.
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[Whoops.
A year and a half is a long time, though. Maybe not to a half-elf or an angel, but to most people. How old is Raine, anyway?]
Did he miss your engagement?
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[Raine nods shortly.]
But he knew Solomon; and, after some initial tension, they seemed to... get along. Genis taught Solomon to cook.
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[He doesn't mean to sound derogatory, except for where he totally does. Anyone who can get along with Genis probably isn't much fun to be around. Or he's like Lloyd, which is kind of disturbing where being engaged to Raine is concerned.
Zelos brightens.] His life was probably a whole lot better with a decent cook around. What did you guys eat before then?
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[That lasts about three seconds before she scowls.]
We weren't without recourse. We were living in the Midnight Hotel at the time; the proprietor often cooked himself, but regardless usually there were meals provided.