Yanmei Aline Metatron And Azrael

[15:35] <Yanmei> Yanmei wondered about the little things. Like how she could be standing in a lovely star-speckled void when there wasn't actually a ground to stand on. Or how she came to be dressed in a black business suit with violet trim. She had only just noticed it as she had spoken with her father, and to be honest, she approved of it very much. The armor would have worried him, and being nude…
[15:35] <Yanmei> well, it didn't seem appropriate.
[15:43] <Minaplo> [Then there was a slight prickling on her neck.-
[15:43] <Minaplo> [Two people were coming to talk to her, vaguely familiar in a way she couldn't place…]
[15:49] * Yanmei frowned. She tried to place them anyway. Two people so… a couple? Asuka and Alexandre? No. The Bellamys? She let them come, whoever they were.
[15:57] <Minaplo> [And when they appeared, Yanmei would realise that they weren't human at all.-
[15:58] <Minaplo> [Two shimmering plumes of what seemed to be fire appeared in the air, bright, blazing and beautiful; one was silvery-blue, the other a golden-red. They swirled around each other like a dance.-
[15:58] <Minaplo> ["Hello, sweet child." Said the blue flame in a voice as clear as a bell.]
[16:11] <Yanmei> "You… came to visit me," was the numb reply. Yanmei stared at the lights in utter disbelief.
[16:12] <Minaplo> ["Of course we did." Said the red flame.]
[16:13] <Yanmei> "You're so confusing? Why are you always looking out for me? Like, you helped me during that last battle too."
[16:16] <Minaplo> ["You're our child." Said the blue flame.]
[16:25] <Yanmei> "But we still ended up fighting to the death? Twice in your case," she added, nodding toward the red flame.
[16:33] <Minaplo> ["Things happen."]
[16:45] <Yanmei> "Things happen," Yanmei echoed wryly. She shook her head. "I wish I could remember our relationship before we ended up on this planet. The only thing I can do now is respect that it might have been painful for you to recall it, and to thank you for your help."
[16:46] <Minaplo> ["It was our pleasure." Said the blue flame.-
[16:46] <Minaplo> ["We can tell you about our relationship, if you like." Said the red flame.]
[16:49] <Yanmei> "You would do that…? Thanks. I'd like to hear it."
[16:50] <Minaplo> ["You were very sweet!" Said the red flame. "You would dote on your father, and were always happy to see him. Nothing made you happier than seeing your dear father, and that is the truth. Whenever I appeared, you would drop everything and shout, 'big flame!', no matter who was around to hear it!"]
[17:07] <Yanmei> "Wh-what? Ah. That must have been back when I was really young, right?"
[17:09] <Minaplo> ["No."]
[17:10] <Yanmei> "…"
[17:11] <Minaplo> ["You're never to old to adore your Big Flame!" Shouted Azrael.-
[17:12] <Minaplo> ["He's teasing you." Said Metatron.]
[17:13] <Yanmei> "I figured," Yanmei muttered. She'd never experienced it with her normal human mom, but… was this what it was like to feel embarassed by one's parents? A slight redness was creeping over her face.
[17:14] <Minaplo> ["The two of you quarrelled a great deal." Said Metatron. "Not seriously. It was just part of your love."]
[17:15] <Yanmei> "Who won the most? Just out of curiosity's sake…"
[17:16] <Minaplo> ["You once called him an old fool whose unfathomable mind was focused entirely on ruining your day." Said Metatron.]
[14:11] * Yanmei snorted with something that was akin to… laughter? "I… I see."
[14:17] <Minaplo> ["Yes. Past a certain point, you were too occupied to spend time with your Big Flame." Said Azrael sadly.]
[14:23] <Yanmei> "There comes a time in every parent's life when their kid starts to act like a brat, I guess. It's supposed to be healthy?"
[14:27] <Minaplo> ["Perhaps that is true."-
[14:27] <Minaplo> ["It has been a very long time since we have talked, and then we meet again and you try to kill me, so it is very on form."]
[14:30] <Yanmei> "Some of that was self defense. It's not like you were perfectly innocent during those fights! That goes for both of you." She glanced between the two fireballs with an air of disapproval.
[14:40] <Minaplo> ["I didn't enjoy it like your father did." Said Metatron defensively.-
[14:40] <Minaplo> ["I won two out of three." Said Azrael happily.]
[14:52] <Yanmei> "Th-those were just part of a strategy to buy time for my team!"
[15:00] <Minaplo> ["I also beat up your team, too!"]
[15:13] * Yanmei tried not to grump. It was undignified. "Maybe you had a slight advantage with the lava and all…" she admitted through grit teeth.
[15:14] <Minaplo> ["Admit it! You're hugely impressed by your Big Flame being as unstoppable as ever! I bet right now, you're wishing I was in a more huggable form so you could shower me with affection!"]
[15:16] <Yanmei> "You cannot possibly be like this all the time, can you?"
[15:16] <Minaplo> ["That sounds critical!"]
[15:45] * Yanmei spared a glance at the blue flame, but it was impossible to read its expression for obvious reasons. "I will admit that you were impressive," she said slowly. "You gave me the hardest time out of almost everyone?"
[15:45] <Minaplo> ["Only almost?"]
[15:52] <Yanmei> "Well…" She gestured to Metatron. "Let's just say that your dance partner didn't make things easy either?"
[15:52] <Minaplo> ["Oh. Well, yes." Said Azrael.-
[15:53] <Minaplo> ["Yes. That, too, is very on form, for both of you." Said Metatron sweetly. "Never forget that I rule both of you."]
[15:57] <Yanmei> "Well, was there anything about this war that surprised or impressed either of you?" Yanmei asked hopefully.
[15:59] <Minaplo> ["Beating me was impressive. A group effort, but still worthy of praise."]
[16:02] <Aline> …A sensation of someone poking in and asking permission to appear. It was, of course, obvious who.
[16:03] <Yanmei> Permission granted, of course. Yanmei immediately peered around in anticipation.
[16:04] * Aline …emerged, settling in a simple red dress with beret, pushing up her glasses. "I'm… not interrupting too much, right? I wanted to explore this family connection a bit more…"
[16:15] <Yanmei> "Well, welcome. I'm sure you guys need no introduction…" she nodded to the flames floating in front of them.
[16:16] <Minaplo> ["It is my other baby!" Shouted Azrael. "Come to Big Flame!"]
[16:17] * Aline had the strangest of expressions. Mouth gaped a bit too wide. Eyes open, also a bit to wide. "… …Hi! I. I need reminders! …Abstract hugging, I." …She did walk closer to the red-azrael-flame.
[16:18] <Yanmei> "Look out. He'll probably burn you. He's good at that," said Yanmei dryly.
[16:27] <Minaplo> [A plume of flame reached outward towards Aline; it was warm, but not hot.-
[16:28] <Minaplo> ["Welcome back, sweet Librarian." Said Metatron.]
[16:29] * Aline went ahead and hugged the fire! "Thank you, thank you. …It was a long and strange trip."
[16:29] * Aline beat. "…I won't force her, but I have spoken with the Dawn Maiden already."
[16:31] <Minaplo> ["Oh no." Said Azrael.]
[16:34] <Yanmei> "Well, what did she say?" Yanmei assumed her best neutral facial expression.
[16:36] * Aline briefly had a 'derpy smile' face as she took a nearly full second to process that. "…It was mostly about 'hey why did you mess with humanity, fight with the youthful king, et cetera, so much'. I got answers that were weird and a bit bitter but made some sense. I gave her some encouragement?" …Aline blushed a bit. "She did think you were overly stiff, and to maybe play along a bit I sorta related some of the parts of the
[16:36] * Aline war that were really hard." Aline was looking to Metatron, there. "B… but she said I was really sweet at the end so I think it went well."
[16:47] <Minaplo> ["You've had worse interactions in living memory, so that's good." Said Metatron.]
[16:51] <Yanmei> "'Overly stiff'…" Yanmei muttered. "Well. Whatever. Better a positive conversation than a fight?"
[16:52] <Aline> "Much better, yeah." Aline scratched the back of her neck now, as if she dodged a terrible fate. "…B-but I don't much remember what that was like. The living memory? …I uh." She wiggled the neckscratch hand. "…I'm sure you just got asked similar by her…"
[17:01] <Minaplo> ["Yeeees. You will have to go make up with her, too." Said Azrael at Yanmei.]
[17:10] <Yanmei> "What? Why?!"
[17:15] <Minaplo> ["Because this family has survived the greatest war the galaxy has ever seen, and I will not see it be torn apart by some Destiny-fuelled spat over spilled fluids." Said Metatron. "Every one of us has killed millions, we all need some forgiving."-
[17:15] <Minaplo> ["I never killed millions." Said Azrael; his flame 'huffed'.]
[17:20] <Yanmei> "Fresh wounds," said Yanmei, ignoring Azrael. "I think I should have the option of waiting a few million years until they scab over a bit, hm? Then, maybe if we see each other again, I'll forgive her."
[17:22] <Minaplo> ["Please. You won't even remember what happened in about two hundred." Said Metatron. "This is always your problem! You bear grudges."-
[17:23] <Minaplo> ["Yes. That's why she did so well as ambassador to the Grudgers." Said Azrael idly.]
[17:24] * Aline was a bit baffled now! "…There's Grudgers? Were? … Uh. But uhm. …Really I don't think she's capable of waiting that long even if we do something to preserve memory regardless of human limitations…"
[17:32] <Yanmei> "Grudge or no grudge, it's not like she's knocking on the door to give me an apology. So if neither of us are comfortable with it…"
[17:35] <Minaplo> ["She might be."]
[17:36] <Aline> "Do you want… backup?" Aline asked, curiously.
[17:39] <Yanmei> "For her? No, that won't be necessary. It's not like she can do anything to me now?"
[17:39] <Minaplo> ["Emotional backup." Said Metatron.]
[17:40] <Aline> "…Yeah. It's not about being safe, it's about /feeling/ safe." Aline explained. "…I dunno. It's just. A bad look, arguably?"
[17:56] <Yanmei> "I'm fine. Seriously." said Yanmei simply. "I'm perfectly capable of facing someone who I have a bad history with."
[17:57] <Minaplo> ["Sure." Said Azrael. "Like that time you perfectly faced dealing with the Thief of the Stars after you found out she tried to woo Peaceful…"]
[14:10] * Aline pouted slightly. "…Jealous forever, huh?" Beat. "…That or people have been trying to snipe him off of her forever." Aline winced after a second. "…Bad word choice."
[14:14] <Yanmei> "Bad choice indeed! And when did this upstart Thief try to do this this wooing?! I'll woo their throat with my hands!"
[14:28] <Mianplo> ["No, you won't." Said Azrael.]
[14:30] <Aline> "It assumes they have a throat. That they're here." Aline noted.
[14:39] <Mianplo> ["Peaceful wouldn't want you to be so vengeful." Said Azrael.]
[14:43] <Yanmei> "Ok, fine," said Yanmei bitterly. "So I won't. For various reasons. Not like I could even do it here if I wanted to."
[14:45] * Aline nodded, with, maybe, a bit of a sigh. "…Yeah…" She turned. "So. …She seems to be who she's always been?"
[14:46] <Mianplo> ["Many things change. Many things don't." Said Metatron.]
[14:54] <Yanmei> "Well. Rather than talk about the past, let's talk about the future?"
[14:56] * Aline had something of a vague pout, but… "Like…?"
[15:01] <Yanmei> "Like… like this big enemy we're all facing? No one seems to know when it'll come or what it'll be like? But it's supposed to be overwhelming."
[15:02] <Mianplo> ["I doubt you'll encounter it in your current lifetime." Said Azrael. "Which is a good thing."]
[15:03] <Aline> "…Didn't the…" Aline waved her hands, conjuring some images of the Void Asterion as little 'holograms'. "…That, actually mimic the Enemy? And doesn't the Enemy, ah, 'delete' things from existence and memory? I certainly remember how much Ezekiel yelled at us about that during that one mission."
[15:05] <Mianplo> ["The Enemy is difficult to comprehend. We can't really claim to know everything about it." Said Metatron.-
[15:07] <Mianplo> ["We know it as an entity from beyond our current dimension. We found it in the Realm of Thought, but who can say if it was born there?" Said Metatron.-
[15:08] <Mianplo> ["To understand why we fear the Enemy, you must understand this: the Enemy is not an entity that wishes us evil."]
[15:09] <Aline> "…Do we know what it DOES wish us?" Aline immediately asked.
[15:10] <Mianplo> ["The Enemy seeks to understand things." Said Metatron. "It seeks to understand everything, as far as we can tell. But consider this: If you want to see things with your eyes, then something must be visible, yes?"-
[15:11] <Mianplo> ["The tragedy of the Enemy is that it only has one way of understanding things, and that is by making things a part of itself. It does not erase things, exactly, it consumes the very idea of their existence."-
[15:12] <Mianplo> ["Presumably, the things it consumes still 'exist', within the Enemy, but whatever is within the Enemy seems to no longer be part of our conceptual reality, except as part of the Enemy's sheer physical presence." Said Metatron. "So theoretically, there are people we have lost, societies consumed, that still exist within the Enemy, trapped…"]
[15:14] * Aline twitched. "…Hm. … …I think I'll spare us the speculation on if it'd ever be possible to 'fix it'. …in part because I assume I /already have done that before/."
[15:16] <Yanmei> "Sounds likely," Yanmei murmured. "You'd think it'd be as easy as having it consume something that could wreck it from the inside out?"
[15:17] <Aline> "Fix, not kill."
[15:17] <Mianplo> ["Yes, you've floated the idea before." Said Metatron.-
[15:19] <Mianplo> ["This is what is frustrating about the Enemy: it can manifest that which it consumes, having gained its power, and whatever is consumed by it seems entirely subordinate to it. Yet this means the Enemy can clearly perceive through its puppets, so why does it need to consume things to understand them?" Said Metatron.-
[15:20] <Mianplo> ["You both played a part in realising what it truly was- Watcher, who observed and analysed, and Librarian who theorised, collated and answered." Said Azrael, proudly.-
[15:22] <Mianplo> ["Aline… In your time fighting our kind, you surely came to the realisation that we, with our vast intelligences, yet struggled to comprehend human details, and more to the point, communication was almost impossible?" Said Metatron.]
[15:24] * Aline nodded. "I did. …That often without safeguards, the very act of communication sometimes was like… as if the voice itself of your kind was sanding parts of human sanity off just from the 'sound'."
[15:24] <Mianplo> ["Yes." Said Metatron. "I went as far as to weaponise that…"-
[15:24] <Mianplo> ["Which I apologise for, as it stands."-
[15:33] <Minaplo> ["We tried to communicate with the Enemy, but it never responded. It never tried to communicate with us." Said Metatron. "Even as it manifested puppets of people we knew, they never seemed to speak in a way we could understand, and showed no comprehension of our attempts to communicate."-
[15:35] <Minaplo> ["So we assumed, then, that the puppets were facsimiles created by the Enemy for pure defense and offense. That's not high logic, that's pure primordial instinct." Said Metatron.-
[15:35] <Minaplo> ["Similar to many of the Angels you fought: great creatures that seemed to rely heavily on instinct, yet you knew we were capable of more." Said Azrael.-
[15:37] <Minaplo> ["But as the war went on, you noticed a change in its behaviour. It became more frantic, more desperate, the stronger it became. You realised that we'd misunderstood the Enemy. It wasn't some alien organism or massive entity." Said Metatron.-
[15:38] <Minaplo> ["The Enemy is a primordially sentient, expanding universe birthed within our own, capable only of comprehending things within itself, but being governed entirely by the basic desires of its inhabitants, all of whom came to be in there unwillingly." Said Metatron. "And so the Enemy is governed by two overriding desires: the desire to comprehend, and the desire to be free."]
[15:41] <Yanmei> "This sounds a little complicated? What should our priority even be at this point?"
[15:45] <Aline> "…Indeed. An existence that… is the ego of a… of a univ…" Aline shook her head. "Pragmatically, we need to keep it contained, and research what we can /without/ taking it out of its 'box' or risking it breaking out on its own. Maybe some day, when we or another race is both aware of it and disciplined enough, researchers might be able to work in the Realm of Thought. …But not until they are both, or it'll be VERY BAD. The
[15:45] <Aline> ultimate goal of research, I think?" Aline closed her eyes -
[15:46] <Aline> "…Would be to stabilize it as a 'normal' universe operating on laws we would recognize, just, 'physically parallel' to our own. Not having the data my older lives had, I wouldn't know where to begin with that. …But I'm sure it might be possible some long day from now."
[15:56] <Yanmei> "Our dear Exarch predicted that the Evangelion was here to stay, and would eventually evolve way beyond anything we can even comprehend? That could be a key to stabilization, right? Or a means of gathering more information about the enemy. Or something. Eventually."
[15:58] <Minaplo> ["Your first goals should be reclaimation." Said Metatron. "Finding our ancestral knowledge and reclaiming the Library, for example. And locating the lost Ever-Slaying Swords."]
[16:11] <Yanmei> "Better than starting over from scratch," Yanmei admitted.
[16:14] <Aline> "Very much." Aline agreed. "…with the Evangelion we will be centered between Life and Knowledge. Not Ancestors or even close, but uniquely positioned. …With luck, people like us can keep humanity on-level as we expand outwards, and maybe reclaiming those things and trying to bridge… …whatever happened with the other five seeds' children."
[16:16] <Minaplo> ["They and their descendants are probably flourishing all over the galaxy, although I suspect they'll be running up against the edges of the broken plan's jagged edges by now." Said Metatron.-
[16:17] <Minaplo> ["The Enemy remains contained, of course, and its cage remains well-tight I believe. You should some thousands of years to try and smoothe those edges out as best you can."]
[16:28] <Yanmei> "So we just keep looking, experimenting, and hoping for the best, I guess," Yanmei sighed.
[16:31] <Aline> "Mmmhm. Observe, theorize, collate, answer. Iterate indefinitely." Aline said with surprising firmness. "We have a whole galaxy to learn about. …And … for lack of a better way to put it, a gameplan to send the last two seeds off with. …In a way, the disaster of the two landing on the same world might be a blessing in disguise for that reason."
[16:46] <Minaplo> ["It might just be, yes." Said Metatron.]
[16:53] <Yanmei> "That's a fine, strategic perspective to look at it from, I guess?" Yanmei said. -
[16:55] <Yanmei> "Has Blanc - er - Librarian always been this research-focused? She never gave you two any trouble back in the day?"
[16:55] <Minaplo> ["You all gave us trouble." Said Metatron firmly.-
[16:57] <Minaplo> ["Besides, I wouldn't say research-focused." Said Azrael. "All of you, our children, are similar in one aspect: you're all very passionate. Librarian, your passion simply manifested in a desire to know things… And a desire to share that wisdom with others. That's why you built the Library."]
[16:59] * Aline slowly nodded, if smiling a little. "…Even if the wisdom could use a lot of work. The shouting fights me and Watcher had in this life already…"
[17:01] <Minaplo> ["Passion is a flame, and sometimes… It burns." Said Azrael. As if to underscore the point, he flared momentarily.]
[17:07] <Yanmei> Yanmei nodded with approval. "Keep on burning, Blanc."
[17:08] * Aline …just smiled. And for the briefest of moments, a white flame flickered instead of her image.
[17:17] <Minaplo> ["Keep burning, indeed!" Said Azrael, his wisps of flame wrapping around them both.-
[17:18] <Minaplo> ["Now, this makes me happy, for it means I can tell some old stories again and you will not know the ending." Said Azrael happily. "Let me tell you about the time the Watcher pursued the Thief of the Stars across a thousand worlds, only to find that the Thief was back on the homeworld the entire time- with Librarian's unwitting help!"]

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