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Post by Zane on Aug 4, 2020 11:51:05 GMT -8
Anger was an understandable emotion. Because for someone possessing of the Joker Program and with what the Animus Syndicate did, there was little to no difference to what happened to them. Ordinarily this would make them kindred spirits. They should be able to reach an understanding because of it. But if one side was unwilling to learn, there was little that could be done on the matter. An accord would remain impossible, whether one side liked it or not. That was the ultimate nature of relationships.
"No. If I didn't want the Eternal Endgame to live, I would actually be interrupting you. Right now the one who determines whether he can live is you. I'm merely pointing out that he cannot change. His programming is what remains dominant, and what did it promise you again? What he promises you is what he promises for everyone. And as a result, he will fall to everyone. He challenged them to live and they did. He would pose the challenge again, for reasons I believe he already explained to you."
The programming would always seek to be dominant over the mind, so that the mind would have no say in the matter. Joker was removed from the designs because he was too resilent, thereby posed a problem for it to follow through with the only thing it knew how to do. As it refused to compromise, it would gather a body with an inferior mind to subjugate, as Joker would remove Illia's right to exist so that he could gather his power and proceed to enact on all he knew yet again. He knew of several who didn't mind if the Eternal Endgame could exist, the Endgame however denied that. Because that was all it lived up to be, and all it desired to be. Such was the nature of the programming as opposed to the mind it was now separate from. Joker should have already understood what he would accomplish if he followed through with what he was doing, he just overlooked it. But he was all too aware of his own contradictions. They became far too apparent to him during one of his 'holier than thou' talks of the past.
"I did know what was coming to you and Unity. I might have a thing for speeches, but I can be quite the hypocrite myself. He had every right to do as he pleased... but I believe there was someone else who rejected his ability to choose his own actions when he was locked away. Certainly, the blame lies with us for using you the way we did, but it does not absolve you of fault. You were the one who wanted to keep him away from what you wanted to do while he was the one who wanted to see it through alongside you. Just as the one you hold now said they would work with you before you determined they would be better fit to serve as a husk."
He was far from the perfect figure. No, he knew all too well what his own nature was. To sit back and watch knowing the outcome was no better than to condone it yourself. Even if he wasn't friend or foe, in the eyes of everyone else, he may as well be counted among their enemies. Because if he knew what to expect like they would he would only be counted among them to be privy to the same degree of knowledge.
"The point of my grand speeches are simple. What I expect of you all isn't entirely what I desire from you all. I detest and loathe this world, its systems, and what it stands for. Seeing it annihilated is simply seeing a matter of course for such a self-destructive species. But if they can surpass that expectation, to become more than just creatures who spurn their blessings, share their curses, ruin their homes, run from their flaws, throw their crimes at someone else's feet, trample each other on a whim or as a hobby, kick down instead of raise up? Isn't that objectively the better outcome than total annihilation? If they can surpass my expectations, then they can survive the storm to follow."
"If they cannot, then they will be wiped clean by it. Much like Creamland, Unity, and so many others. In a manner where no one cares. In a manner that serves another's purpose through. Because sometimes to live, you have to deny the purpose of another. Because to speak for myself, not unlike the one you want to bring back..."
A chill had come to the air then almost in response to the building power of Dread Joker himself. He understood why he could empathize with Aeon. It was something others had done before for very similar reasons. They understood all too well what had happened to him. They understood all too well that it was an injustice, that it was wrong. And yet because of Eon himself, they still were unable to do a thing about it. Not with how they were approaching things.
"My purpose is far more sinister than watching you all burn yourselves in pyres of your own making."
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Post by Raven8 on Aug 4, 2020 14:44:00 GMT -8
Of course Entrophy preaches the grand destiny of its own goals, and the heat-death of the universe speaks of how grand its uniformity will be. You, erroneous knight, are no different. You see the binding principles of program, and preach to us all of its evils, while yourself remaining blind to the strings of destiny and eternity that bind you all the same.
The voice rises up from the ribbons of black and silver energy that surround Illia even now, speaking with a calm and rational tone devoid of all of the malice that Joker had experienced up to this point.
But I suppose that you are fair in this regard, admitting your own hypocrisy. Still, it's such a shame that you're too bound by the simplicity of destiny to look beyond the veil of your own arrogance and see the truth.
It was already too late to stop at this point. The bands tighten around Illia for a moment longer, holding her in place with surges of reality-bending energy before releasing her in a flash... and binding Joker all the same. However, in this case it's not Joker who takes the brunt of the assault, but something in his possession; the sword Polaris that he'd been contemplating the use of. The sword leaves him in a flash and hovers amid the group as the voice now focuses around it.
That the truth really isn't what any of us think. Its all based on where we stand, how we look at it.
Finally it takes form. Extending before the hilt of Polaris, a set of dull and simple steel armor begins to take shape. From it, a black body forms, with a set of powerful arms and solid legs adorned in the same armor. Silver eyes appear from behind a black face-mask that's crowned by a bright green gem on the overhang of the being's helmet, and finally a tell-tale black hourglass appears on the right shoulder-pad. The Navi speaking to Joker would instantly recognize this form, but also realize that this was not the fallen Navi from so long ago. This was a being far different in nature and power, and one that would now be far more difficult to deal with than initially expected.
...or perhaps I should say, it's all based on your Paralax.
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Post by Gaia on Aug 4, 2020 15:19:32 GMT -8
#s://cdn~discordapp~com/attachments/300844483715792896/739306056626339881/GenerationalJoker~png
Joker.DB
Joker listened as the unknown continued to lecture, his anger and swelling of power dwindling as he considered the words he spoke. Aeon's promise to him had been to erase his satellite from every reality, and to sacrifice this reality to gain his power and answers . . . that was the eternal endgame? Not just the manipulation of reality for one's own purposes, but ultimate eradication?
His words about how his own actions had led to Unity's predicament, or at least that he could not absolve himself by placing the blame at their feet, also struck Joker hard - and, yet, somewhere in his mind, he didn't quite have the strength to let go of Illia, even as he was reminded that this scenario was not all unlike Unity's. The violence he spoke of . . . it would perpetuate an endless cycle for a mind that only focused on themselves, and could not accept their own faults, and attempt to reach past them. This force that the unknown radiated - was it what he would use, to destroy them all if they could not surpass those expectations?
What, then, was he expected to do . . . ?
Aeon's voice speaking up surprised him, as the being within his core seemed to finally be giving some attention to his execution of protocol. The binding coils of energy wrapped around Illia, and he felt her begin to slip away, too late to regret his decisions - too late to recognize that he was trying to convince himself to listen, and to let go, and to be anything more than what he knew of himself - just as the energies rebounded, and began reaching across his form.
"Aeon!" Joker yelled, surging his power forward, but realized it was to no use; the tendrils had already ripped free Polaris from its holster, and was surging just a few feet ahead of him as the Endgame showed his true colors, and brought a new form into being.
Joker looked over the form that the programming decided to take on, having utilized Illia to take form and the sword to give function. It was obviously a form that was somehow connected to the sword, but, Joker did not know it. Instead, he saw past it, and remembered only the onyx warrior that he stood against in the reality that never was. "Aeon," Joker said again, now that the whisping energies had left him. "If you would kindly return both Polaris, and your programming into my core, we can move on to the next step in the plan," he said carefully, his voice level, having yet to raise up his battle state, or even begin surging his energy, in an attempt to make it clear that, at least for now, he was still content with harboring the reality monger within him.
In truth, however, his words were hollow, his promise a falsehood. Dread Joker had listened to the unknown's words, and could not help but see the faults in his own actions - the inconsistencies, the inefficiencies, and the errors that led to his defeat. A database should be able to correct its parameters, improve its engines, and prepare a new system of queries to prepare for a new search - why, then, did he feel so trapped by his logic? He had been told that what he had done was not wrong, that fighting to survive was not a darkness to bear, and, yet, the actions that he took to do so - against those that would have helped him, against those that also had the same rights - had led him here.
His resolve was shaken - but as all things, he would adapt. He would persevere, he would rebuild, and he would find himself anew.
"You told me before that these entities are stronger than, or at best rival, the power you possessed in your completed form. You stated, rather plainly, that you wanted to gather more power before attempting to take them head-on. Why make this play here, then? It is unnecessary."
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Post by Raven8 on Aug 4, 2020 15:48:20 GMT -8
The newly formed Navi looks down at his hand and reaches it out, as if gaining a grip on the body that had just coded itself out of nothing. He then reaches onto his back and takes Polaris by the hilt and draws it with a bright flash of...
...nothing.
Polaris stands dead in his hand, taking nothing from him and offering nothing in return. Instead, it seems to almost draw power into itself in a complete violation of all that anyone had ever known of the blade's power. At this, the Navi's armor lightens to pure white as he smiles beneath Turbine's black lower-face mask
Paralax: I see that Gospel's attack didn't damage Chord's core program. Perhaps now Polaris can finally be used properly.
The visage of Turbine hilts the blade, ignoring Joker's words entirely as he does so. Now his armor shifts to a deep, dark tone. He looks it over, in particular looking to the hourglass on his shoulder.
Paralax: It seems that using another Navi as a template at least allowed me to keep my sanity through this. No need for those insane rants as I reach out for hope.
The program of Eon seems pleased at his incarnation. While not the Endgame that he desired, it would work very well for the time being. And then, finally, a silver eye shifts over to Joker
Paralax: This was the next step of the plan, Joker. And I'm afraid that the only unnecessary part of this plan is now you.
Aeon's armor once again brightens, turning pure white as his calm, calculating voice beguiles his words.
Paralax: Physical form, be it through you or this girl, was all that I truly wanted. I'm afraid that our friend here was correct in his evaluations, though flawed in his postulates. Through your intervention, I've achieved the first step, and I know where to find the second and third. Time is, as it always has been, on my side. However, due to your proven usefulness, I will consider the pros and cons of letting you see the unveiled truths that will arrive in the coming of my day.
The armor once again turns to a dark, charcoal state as the program of Eon turns a smug eye to the one that attempted to stop these events.
Paralax: So what now? Do you enshrine your non-participation? Ignore me like you did last time, or backup your short-sighted brags?
Paralax holds out his hands and gives a slight laugh as his armor darkens farther.
Paralax: Entrophy or Negentropy. These are your choices.
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Post by Zane on Aug 4, 2020 16:01:43 GMT -8
"See? That power of his is quite volatile. One false step and accidents occur."
Though it was also note quite the response he was expecting. He supposed it had to do with the fact that the Polaris was still around. He had honestly expected that darkloid to have destroyed it rather than hold on to it as a trophy. ...Was this his true intention behind holding on to it? No... that was unlikely, wasn't it? Something more along these lines had to be his actual agenda when he kept it. Why did he pawn it off when he did, then? Well, that enigma could be left on the backburner. For now, he couldn't help but a small smirk despite his usual demeanor.
"Though I'm not quite burning right now, I can say that while destiny has me in quite the bind, I am fortunate enough to be spared the additional shackle called eternity. I've reached the end of that after all these years."
It was not even remotely close to a short amount of time. But for the first time, in all of this time, did he see the end of the road. For ages he had presumed that it had no end, that he would be doing this again and again. Even when he went about as the Knight, he always knew it in the back of his mind. It was when the trigger was pulled that it all came crashing around them. But unlike most, he had the unique advantage of various angles for his vantage point.
"You'll also find that I'm a touch too familiar with myriad Truths despite my arrogance. But I do at least prefer you to the self-righteous one who waved that sword around before."
He wasn't particularly fond of Turbine either. He played the part of being a good individual, but how did that play out exactly? He served as the second letter of the Scions in all the capacity he needed to, waiting until it was time to strike those who threatened the Endgame. They had a lot of infighting at the time at the conclusions that led up to that before he would go around waving his might around at The Chaotic whenever he could. There was hardly anything wrong with that, just that it ultimately never made a difference. He was cast aside like dog food as a chew toy for a bigger hound and fell to the hands of their former leader in the end. For how much pride he carried, all he ever did was accomplish nothing. Not for himself or anyone else. He fit right in. He supposed there was one merit he had to his name: prideful as he was, he didn't just wave his power around at everyone. He learned he wasn't as invincible as he believed all too late.
"Still, it isn't my place to save them or collect you. Ideally I ignore you and let you dig your own grave. Again. But I do have certain obligations as well. Determining its progress right now is more beneficial than gauging it by estimates. The other targets wouldn't last long enough to obtain a sufficient answer."
The chill that was in the air receded. It was replaced with a total stillness instead. The slight smirk that had graced his features earlier had yet to leave. Honestly he had hit a bit of a snag and had figured he would have to wait quite some time to obtain a proper and accurate gauge. He supposed this was another layer behind why they were fine with leaving Joker to his own devices.
"I know you ran out of time years ago, but hopefully you'll perform better than the others would. I've long grown tired of hot air."
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Post by Raven8 on Aug 4, 2020 16:41:38 GMT -8
The feeling rises, the entire air of the situation changing to the dying inferno's words, but Paralax's continence does not change in the slightest. Instead, his armor lightens again as he holds his ground.
Paralax: Your friends were the ones who defeated me last time while you remained on the sidelines with your own agenda, if I am remembering everything correctly. So tell me; could you claim to have obtained victory via proxy despite having no direct hand? Then I have no reason to be blamed for my own defeat, when it was clearly only one part of me that was responsible for letting the endgame come to an end. But it seems that bits and pieces of the truth are yet lost to you. I suppose that it comes down to me to educate you...
Paralax raises a hand. His expression and armor darken, and his smile widens beneath his black mask.
Paralax: I know how to bypass that issue, and all that I need is to talk with my maker.
Within the green gem, a large, red "W" begins to shine out.
Paralax: Alzate system. Activation: OEL E-8901
It's as if the eyes of Electopia itself open on these words, rousing a giant that has long remained silent. It feels as if every Navi that exists or has ever existed suddenly turns their attention to one singular point in the world. With these words, Paralax activated something... titanic. A myriad of powers as diverse as the population of this world itself rouse to life and focus on Paralax, and in this moment it feels as though Electopia itself rises to his beck and call.
....to which Paralax smiles.
Paralax: I'll give him your regards.
A tidal wave of data rises like a pillar from where Paralax stands and swallows him whole, dragging his data into the depths of the Electopian network and into networks yet unknown. It's then that the Electopian network seems to almost stare at the dark Navi and Joker for a few moments in silence before at last returning to normal, leaving them cut off from Paralax entirely.
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Post by Zane on Aug 4, 2020 17:17:31 GMT -8
And there it was. That W always was the telltale sign, wasn't it? It didn't do to throw away rowdy tools and expect it to not come back to haunt you. This was why they didn't let certain operatives run around as they demanded. They had their own who could pose that sort of problem if they were allowed to act at their leisure.
"The confident ones always undo themselves, huh, Magnolia? I'll yield this time, you were correct. I agreed to an extent, but it's been far more profitable than I expected in comparison to your estimates. But... friends, huh? I suppose that concept is less foreign to the Endgame than it is to myself."
The ones that defeated him last time were far removed from what he saw as friends. They were part of the same problem as the one who lost. He was almost disappointed that Forte didn't finish the lot of them off after he took Eon in for himself and unleashed his Revelations form. Well, he was partly to blame for that, now wasn't he? Because that fight was of more merit than aiding the others in dealing with the problem they failed to solve in a succinct fashion as he stayed on the sidelines. But a dark sneer of his own rose to his face, one that was almost familiar in nature if one had seen someone else. Their duality was not entirely lost to him, after all.
"The programming blames the mind for his failure due to its relutance to see the task through, as one would expect. More importantly, did you get a good look, Joker?"
He was looking down at the ground, or at least it appeared so. But his gaze was looking much further than that. This was the one that slipped through the cracks in the "Ruin", wasn't it? He had taught it an annoying ability right out the gate and thanks to that, it slipped away. Tailing it would have put themselves in the limelight, but they weren't without a source of information on it. He had made certain of that himself that day it disappeared.
"Psyche would get a kick out of this after giving that whole speech about the delicate web of their world. We weren't the only ones interfering there, after all. It makes all these steps worth it. It grew up quite nicely though. So that giant isn't the only one this size."
It was almost as if the idea of the entire population was lost to him... no, it wasn't as though it was lost to him. It was more like he was acutely aware of them instead. And once again would the myriad truths be laid bare for the world. But it was only the world that was not prepared. Well, on the one hand, Joker wasn't eliminated by his own handiwork, so the Dread Joker could call this sort of a win today. It was more than he was expecting as it was.
"So? What do you intend to do now? Your secondary purpose has fled to see his own short-sighted brags through."
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Post by Gaia on Aug 4, 2020 18:47:11 GMT -8
#s://cdn~discordapp~com/attachments/300844483715792896/739306056626339881/GenerationalJoker~png
Joker.DB
Dread Joker found himself on his knee, kneeling again, as the events unfurled before him. The power that radiated from Aeon as he declared himself separate from Joker was almost overwhelming, as was the chill he felt from the unknown figure. While his pride told him he would find a way to overcome, his logic told him it would be a losing battle the majority of the way.
He had been played, of course. He expected this - what he had also expected was for Aeon's hubris to turn once again on Joker, and Joker would once again remind him of his place. Instead, he was content with his new form, and made a point of at least thanking Joker by keeping him alive. Instead of engaging him, he passed the flag onto the Unknown, who seemed like he wanted to prepare to engage him, just to see what Aeon's new form was capable of, but would need more time to prepare. Ideals clash, history is shared that Joker was not a part of, and then Aeon triggers something by the name of Alzate. The sensation of so many presences suddenly turning their eyes on him was daunting, and, suddenly, as the unknown put it, the secondary purpose was gone.
Joker blinked rapidly for a moment as he processed everything. The unknown's mentioning of a few names fell on inattentive ears, as he realized he was once again speaking of times that Joker would not know about. There were other giants large enough to comprise entire networks? That darkness, that sensation of prying, could be felt again?
Shaking his head, he forced himself to compartmentalize these thoughts. It was a shock, surely, but, he had been through worse. He would recover. What he needed to do was respond - he had not only risked his own freedom for Aeon, he had gone out of his way to ensure that Aeon's goals could be met. He was returned his generosity with a spit in the face - having risen against him again was an act of aggression and dominance that Joker would have respected and returned. Outright taking himself from Joker and relieving him of not just the power within his core, but the power of Polaris? That was a fault he would not accept.
"What will I do, indeed?" he huffed, standing up from his kneel. He looked at the unknown figure. "For all the emotions I don't understand, I understand spite, unknown watcher. For Aeon's crimes, I will remind him of the power that he faced against."
He raised his hand to the air. The power was faint, but it was still his, surging crimson through his core to generate a large quantity of crimson in an instant. That crimson energy radiated around his hand, as he reached across the Cyberworld for that new being that would be connected so intimately with his code - Illia, who, in a dance between realities, had been given the chance to absorb so much Crimson.
Hear me, Illia, child of starlight - the power of crimson flows through your veins. Let it consume you - go berserk! Weigh down the forces that would keep your might at bay . . . with the power I can muster, Finalize!
With the Crimson Satellite's energy still fresh within his systems, having just left it, he still had more than enough latent crimson to reach across such as this, and he knew he could build up enough power across the margin to wake up Illia within the Endgame, even if only for a moment, to drag his attention away. The intensity of the crimson, even despite his satellite's presence, was not just impressive; it was phenomenal. Dread Joker huffed as he completed channeling it, lowering his hand to stare at the unknown again. "Wherever he is . . . I hope he can feel her own will to live.
". . . as for me, I suppose I must now find mine."
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Post by Zane on Aug 4, 2020 19:29:55 GMT -8
It made sense to feel spiteful about what had happened. In fact, that was a good enough starting point as any right now. He knew one thing on his to-do list to take care of at one point or another. He just needed to make sure that he kept tabs on the child possessed. That would be his surest way to catch up to the card that was now removed from the table once again. Time certainly 'was' on his side, wasn't it?
"Right now I imagine he's obtaining a healthy dose of, as I believe he likes to use, 'reality'. I even gave him the head's up about tools against their creators. It does not free him from your wrath, but it might be some time before you can act upon it."
There was a reason why very likely at least one part of Eon was wise enough to avoid rather than to confront. That side was less possessing of the same hubris that could undo the programming. He supposed he would regret not seeing the look on his face when his ego came crashing down in this moment. Instead, Joker had a lot to think about now and no where to properly direct it. Right now... Electopia wasn't the safest. It wasn't something he fully agreed with, but that was their call and not his own. He would just have to see what he could do about it with what he had. She had their word if nothing else.
"For now, why not go back to the scene of the crime? Lately they've become less hostile to each other, what with the world changed. If they hear your side of the story, they will likely understand why you did what you did. But remaining in Electopia is unwise. This entire place is about to become a bloodbath."
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Post by Gaia on Aug 5, 2020 8:51:30 GMT -8
#s://cdn~discordapp~com/attachments/300844483715792896/739306056626339881/GenerationalJoker~png
Joker.DB
The knowledge that Aeon, in all of his preparation and hubris, was at least even now receiving a taste of the reality that he would face against his creator. Illia may not be able to use the energy quite yet, but, if Joker were ever face-to-face with Aeon again, the crimson he just surged Illia with, which would have been naturally replicating, could be used to truly make her go berserk.
As for the unknown's advice, even he had guessed that much - even considered it. Something told him that the would-be heroes would have gathered around the destruction by now, and would potentially be his only hope of explaining his actions.
It would be enough to explain what he did, but, would it be enough to excuse them, in their eyes? He didn't have the capability to care of their opinions; in his mind, this was an efficient way to gather answers, gather new perspectives, and get someone else who may understand the picture.
He saw them as a resource. His parameters registered them as such - another byte to file into a database. Hadn't his request to Unity been to find someone that would not view him as an expendable resource? Was it in his desire to surpass it, or to efficiently make it appear as though he had surpassed it, while it befitted him?
Joker shook his head clear of those thoughts, standing back up and turning away from the unknown advisor. A familiar hole breached in reality, no longer connected to the crimson satellite, and more carefully just his own power to breach through networks at this point. So much power that he had attributed to the satellite's existence, and, yet, he still had access to it, even without it. "That is a good place to start. The downfall might be the best place to rise up again.
He stepped through, walking away with only his own thoughts to accompany him.
[Joker => Pride's Downfall]
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