"Yeah, they're on the rooftop right now. Let's go meet them, I'm sure you'll like them. They're hard to see though, because they're much thinner than your fat ass, so you need to stand on the edge to get a good look at them."
Terna giggled, "Just like old times, Anya? You couldn't hold it, could you?"
"Hey, not my fault he fits the bill for all my nagging on a one-to-one ratio. Look at him, cute as pie when I piss him off like that."
"Just like Dan from long ago. I'm sure you don't really need me to explain to me how to tolerate Anya, right?" Terna looked at Lass with an awkward look.
"Believe me. Somehow, someway, you get used to it. I'm trying to find out what kind of getting used to it this is anyway. Because there's getting used to eating the same food every day and having to walk over burning nails every day."
"Oh, come on big guy! Sure you can find an analogy for yours truly!" Anya nudged him.
"Eating the goddamn nails is a good way of putting it," he said with a straight face.
Terna laughed, "Just like old times. I'm actually kind of glad I ran to all of you. You made some wonderful friends yet again, Anya."
"Oh, come on Terna! You're just as much a friend to me as you are to them, I'm pretty sure!"
Ikarisa nodded, "Yeap. Just like Anya said! A pleasure to meet you. I know I don't look like much, but my name is Ikarisa. I'd like to re-introduce myself, in case that you missed it before during...that. I hope I didn't make it weird. Sorry if I did." she anxiously said.
"No, it's fine!" Terna smiled, "I take it you aren't a people person. It's fine, I actually wasn't one either. But now that I look at you a little bit better, you remind me a lot of another friend in our group I used to hang out with. She was just as shy if not more until she was left with a serious task or around us only!"
"I-I do?" she nervously said, "I guess so."
"You hair too...wow! So cute and fluffy!" she patted Ikarisa, "You're the cute one of the team, aren't you."
"I-sure!" Ikarisa jolted out of Terna's patting.
"Sorry, sorry. Got a bit carried away. And what about you two?" she looked at Yuno and Lass.
"Well, I'm Lass and that's Yuno. I guess you really were out of it back there so...basically, he's another part of me and I was a nobody until I hit the jackpot by winning a big tourney that happens once a year."
"I think I saw you somewhere. My phone had a direct connection down there, so I'm sure I saw your advertisement banner somewhere. I was trying my best to slowly chip away at the collapsed road to the other end of the tunnels without alerting the sensors to turn them green and alert someone. But I guess I failed right at the end for the others to find me, must have made it flicker once enough debris was cleared. I was out enough to still have access to the internet and the outside world even."
"Which reminds me...you're hella strong, aren't you? We saw everything from the outside to the inside." Yuno remarked.
"You mean the pillar? Yeah, I was defending myself against an awful person from the DPD. I took his gun after...I never wanted to kill anyone. Even now. Please tell me I used enough to knock him out only."
Lass softly coughed, "I, uh...yeah. You knocked them out."
"You meant him? It was surely a horrible man that I heard coming at me."
"I'd get the gender right...if I could see something else and basically imprinted graffiti on the wall."
"I-I...I see. And even then...that person down at the sewers. What was I thinking?" Terna began closing in on herself.
"Hey. It's fine. I'm not justifying your killing in any way but...were it not for that, you wouldn't be here today. They were horrible people anyway. Didn't even try to make an arrest." Anya pat her on the back.
"You at least through your sword at an angle and didn't have to kill anyone, rather than block them off...that's why I was always telling Gaz to not trust them. I guess it worked because he never really gave Riko access to anything other than surface-level stuff. But ever since you came, with what power you hold, he must have felt confident enough that even if he gave Riko and the DPD the info they were craving to get in order to find me, it wouldn't matter with such allies. Back at the tunnel...everything happened so fast, they blasted the debris away without notice and began rushing me. I barely managed to control the wind enough to send them away before you came...I hate that."
"So you control the elements then?" Yuno asked.
"Not quite. Hmm-mm.", she melodically hummed, getting Lass's sword so slightly flicked, "As far as my understanding takes me, the noises, music and everything of the sorts control Obsulyte itself, which runs wild everywhere in this world. So the elements are more like Obsulyte particles doing something according to my will if I were to guess. I never really tried to understand it, since I was so absorbed by my studies. I really did think songwriting and music production would be easy since I really liked it. And that was, before I realized that there was much more at play other than that. The compromises I had to make with the one and only company I had to work for...I don't want to be here anymore. And all I get is just awful comments on everything everyone thinks I do. I guess that's part of the reason why they ignored my voice when I came out as myself instead of making things like 'Candy Candy Love', maybe they thought that was a stunt or something."
Anya softly burped, "Yeah, don't remind me of that. Please don't."
"I don't want to remind myself either. Believe me. But when everyone did start to listen to me when they found out what was really happening in the inner workings of the city, it was both too late and I felt responsible for actually causing mischief among some. My reaction, now that I think about it, was so childish...running away like that and making Gaz worried sick. But if there's one way to make up for it, it's with this."
"So let's start right away then. I guess I can drag everyone to the storage house and back to get what we need. But as far as everything else goes...not quite sure how to manage the construction work." Lass scratched his head.
"I'll follow that Linda girl and do what I can to help her with the PR stunt, so by the time you're back, I should probably be done and able to direct the building of the float, including putting some of my magic on it to make it a bit more suitable for this. I think I can work it out with the components that are a possible find in the warehouses." Anya planned out."
"I'm always sticking with you, so there's that." Yuno merged with Lass.
"Then...what can I help with?" Ikarisa asked.
"Oh, I've got just the very special thing for you, Risa!" Terna winked.
"We'll go with that then. Let's go and I'll be back within the 2 hour mark, assuming I don't have to start playing commander due to an ambush. Hopefully no more DPD for the day."
"Hold that elevator, I've got a riot to build before that." Anya followed after Lass.
Leaving the room quickly to execute the plan, Ikarisa was then left behind by the final member of their now expanding group, getting ready to announce to her her special surprise.
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"So, um...what was it?"
"Goddess of this world, I want you to sing with me on stage!" Terna announced.
"Eh? What?" Ikarisa didn't catch it.
"You know. The microphone, the lights, the camera and the action!"
"Eh?! No! No, absolutely not! Why would you even want that?!"
"I saw how you struggled to even make acquaintances with me, so I'm sure this will help you get some more air in that chess of yours and brim with confidence."
"Terna, I-I don't like being exposed like that, where everyone can see...I hate that! No, I don't want to turn this entire operation wrong because of screwing something up."
"Risa, you are the fabled goddess of the entire world. Surely, you simply existing on stage for everyone to see will boost morale!"
"Gods, deities, Terna, it doesn't matter. I've long realized that when it all goes bad is when people look up to something above...but when I was in the bad, being the one thought up above, I had no one to look up to. Had Lass, Anya, or anyone that's accustomed to Obsulyte the way they are now been there back then, I assure you, they'd be labelled as the deity of choice for this world. I-I can't get on that stage. I'm not how everyone perceives me to be. I'm not a...goddess. And when I am up there, the only thing that'll happen is that everyone will realize that they too, don't have anywhere up to look at."
"Hmm...I get you, actually." Terna replied to an Ikarisa about to tear up.
"What? You...you do?"
"Look, Anya knows this but...I guess I should tell you too. Back when I was in that town, city or whatever, once I had left a small farm I lived in, I met up with a special girl there too. She was with the Temple, as they called it, being treated as a deity herself, along with many others, as the ranks of the Temple where high and mighty. She always sat at the sidelines and never quite used her influence on anything or anyone, instead just treating me and my other friends as equals. I guess it was what she really wanted, since those who marked the Temple as pure lies referred from ever touching their members with hands or words to begin with, and those who did believe became sort of like...enslaved, by their title alone. I wrote a song about it somewhere, not in the book I burned down at the studio, but she taught me something very, very important that time, by simply existing. A lesson that no matter how my poor memory tries to forget, I never will. Influence is power. You can choose to ignore it like her and passively exist alongside it, or politely deny it and be treated according to its strength. But when you do actively use it, if it's stronger than the power of someone else's influence...the world can shift and turn where it reaches. And as influence is power, depending on the person it lands on, it can be used every which way."
"Terna, I saw first-hand how that influence works. The Chaos Sect is not ordinary with their reach either, and when I encountered them...it was bad. Plus, it's the reason why Anya told us she came along as well. Her title as the daughter of that famous father of hers is powerful enough. You can argue that I could make people dance around if I wanted to when they think of me so highly for no reason. But what happens when people stop actually thinking of me that highly? What's...my purpose then? My powers as a higher than average Obsulyte user?"
"I'm struggling to understand something here, Risa. Is it that you fear getting on stage because you're a shy shorty with puffy brunette hair...or because you want to preserve that title as prestigious as everyone thinks, without tainting it with something?"
"I don't care about my title! I hate it! I hate being called a stupid, cliché goddess!" Ikarisa snapped at Terna, tearing
Terna realized she went too far, "Wait, sorry, I didn't mean-"
"From the moment I was branded that way, I was treated differently for no reason at all...and not the good kind either. Every single day that passed after people chose to follow me back then has only been a disaster, and they did it without me even realizing it. Once it didn't go well either, I was surprised that it was all actually my fault. I was careless enough to use my powers in front of others to an extent it gave them enough hope to follow me, only to destroy themselves. Because of me, how careless I was, so many died between conflicts, I lost so many friends and the ones that kept on believing in me because, they too, got caught up in that mess my title was and perished believing in actually nothing. Lass, and Anya, earned their titles through strife, one fighting for it while the other gradually climbing up her career ladder to get it. How did I get mine? I didn't. I fear the words that come out of my mouth are stronger than what I'm able to use to fight in actual combat. And when I just got found out, gained that stupid courage to go with Lass, I exposed myself again...and ever since we left Reingard, I've been feeling awful. I caught myself in the same web of lies again and there's no way out. What I say, what I do, can mean the difference between who lives and who dies without me even realizing. I told Lass about powers, how they are used and good and evil, all those stereotypes...but how do you describe the use of powers you don't even know how to handle...those that use themselves when you don't even know it? How do you get judged in a justified way then?"
Ikarisa started crying under the pressure of Terna's seemingly normal words, them having taken more of an effect on her than Terna could've imagined. She sat on a nearby chair, covering her eyes as she sobbed between her arms, lowering her head to avoid any form of eye contact even further.
"I'm no god. I'm normal...I'm normal! N-No...worse yet. I'm a lie. A lie people forced themselves into believing because I stole all hope away from them in their darkest times. I can't meet all those expectations. But I can't do anything...if I slip up again, once they realize my lies...they're all dead again. The way everyone thinks of me...one wrong word and it will happen again. I don't want to use that influence...I don't want to use that power! I-I'm...I'm stuck. Forever since."
"I guess I also got caught up in the hype of it all that I didn't stop for a moment to think how something viewed so heavily could be so personally...detrimental. Ikarisa, I'm really, really sorry."
Ikarisa wiped her tears, "Don't be. I snapped at you for no reason. It's not like you knew anyway."
"In many ways, it felt like this had it a long time coming. But I'm starting to see that from your perspective, even though I can understand a part of it, it's not the same. Guess I wanted to empathize with you on that part just to get you to level with me enough to tag along with my plan. My...my pride on what I do got the better of me. And for that, I'm sorry. But I'll say this. I don't see you any different. If it makes you feel any better. Kind of like my friend from back then...it's just a title anyway."
"Thank you for that...and don't worry, I don't mind you trying to do that. In more ways than one, you're thinking of the better for the bigger picture. With how everything has been escalating, especially now that it blew up and news traveling faster than we do across countries..." Ikarisa rubbed her shoulder.
"No stranger to pressure either. But can I say something a bit crazy sounding to you?"
"Sure."
"That's why, you need to use your title, your influence, Risa. Actively, this time. No wandering about and letting it leak behind. Think of the chaos sect. Their preaching goes out to routing everything that isn't 'normal' under their standards. In many ways, Neviro is the exact same, trying to use his position to leverage this horrific message over others. Obsulyte users, godly figures, you name it, they want it gone if it doesn't line up. There isn't anyone quite doing the opposite. When I began my journey as a singer and then turned into an idol, my goal wasn't to become famous for the sake of flexing numbers. I merely wanted my voice to be heard, to help people change their lives and this world for the better. This parade isn't as one-sided, you know. If it does succeed, maybe then I'll grab more attention for people to hear me and send my voice far and wide. The world has always been in a battle between opinions and whoever got their message across first always had a higher chance of winning with their grip on the newfound following. Not all opinions are sane and not at all are they always for the better. But when that opinion, that voice has struggled to be heard in front of, or straight up smothered by the other to the point of being silenced...that's when people come together. But to do so, they need that push, that sliver of a tiny voice making itself known in the slightest to grab on and carry with them. The world believed you as their hope, because they were desperate. When it gets desperate, everyone wants to find the one to hope into, a leader, or someone to blame for their misfortune. Use your voice, even behind me if you want for now, to show the world that they should never follow one singular voice, rather than align their own with others of their same singing. Show them that even when a voice sings a different song, no one voice needs to smother the other, but rather join in a ballad. Who knows, I might be projecting my feelings for my dreams, my goals and ideals onto you right now...but if you share even a part of them, at least for now, join me."
Ikarisa softly chuckled as she got up from her seat, being able to slowly relax herself in between Terna's words, breathing slowly and taking in all of the powerful hopes and dreams she laid before her, "You are...indeed worthy of where you are, Terna. Can't believe you...you actually convinced me," she softly giggled, "I disagree, surely, that some 'songs' are better left in the dust as notes of paranoia, unfounded and plastic, even harmful blabbering with the need for something without meaning. But I agree that in the grand scheme of things, I follow your idea and where it's headed. However, because I actually...dislike it when I am in the center...can I at least be in the back? The very, very back? We can still combine our Obsulyte powers then too, right?"
Terna skipped around happily, "Hehe! That, we can! Come on, I'll show you the lyrics, get you ready for it. It's nowhere near 'Candy Candy Love'. That was just mindless plastic I hated writing, let alone singing. This one is galaxies away...and it is a bit unfinished in the end, since my escape and all from here. Had lost all my hope of finishing it back then...how about you help me finish it, now that you've given me back that hope?!"
Ikarisa wiped her face off and looked at Terna with a determined look, "Alright, let's get it done!"