Infinities

At the rest of Kyouko’s words, Sazh’s eyes narrowed.
“I think I see what’s goin’ on here, ” he said, a hint of accusation in his words. “You’re raggin’ on this poor girl ‘cause she’s tryin’ to be idealistic with her powers… but you used ta be just like that at one point, didn’t you? That kinda cynicism doesn’t just come outta nowhere. Now somebody else comes along, tryin’ to be what I’m guessin’ you couldn’t, an’ you decide you’ve gotta put her down ta feel better about yerself.”
 The pilot placed his hands on his hips. “Am I right, Little Miss Social Darwinist, or am I wrong?”

'''


Elizabeth looked impassively down at Selim's further posturing, but decided to take no action. Link could handle that if he cared to. Instead, she sat on the ground in front of the boy, reached into her robes and pulled out a deck of cards, with the same black-and-white mask design on their backs as the ones she used for summoning. She flicked her way through them with practised ease and drew one out.
 "I will signify him with the Page of Swords." she announced, placing the card down in front of her. It showed a youth standing on a hill, holding a sword perhaps a little too big for him in both hands. Despite this, he was holding it easily, and correctly. The boy looked out into the distance as though trying to see something. Oddly, his features seemed to resemble Selim when seen from certain angles...
 Elizabeth had chosen this card for a few reasons. A Page would fit Selim's youthful appearance, and the Swords suit would work for a question to ascertain the truth... and one of possible enmity. The card's meaning, energetic curiosity and enthusiasm, also reflected Selim's demeanour on the journey over. The card would work as an adequate symbol to represent Selim. So she began shuffling the deck with quick, fluid motions, keeping the question of Selim's intentions in her mind.
 Then, at lightning speed, she flicked ten more cards on the ground, face down. Despite them flying out of her hands, they all landed n position perfectly. Two of them were placed on top of the Page of Swords, one at a 90 degree angle, forming a cross. Four more were placed at each side of the Page, forming a larger cross. The last four were placed in a pillar off to the side. "Right then, let's see what we have." Elizabeth said, reaching for the centre of the cross. She turned over the two cards that directly lay on top of the Page.
 She regarded the card that covered the Page completely first. "In the position depicting the general atmosphere, The Five of Coins." she said sadly, looking at a sorry scene that depicted two beggars walking past a church through the snow. The younger of the two hobbled by on crutches. "Poverty and struggle, perhaps inflicted by a recent loss." she explained to Link. "It appears that little Selim isn't quite so happpy-go-lucky as he was acting... and in the position depicting the forces set against him, the Three of Cups."
 This card depicted three maidens in differently coloured garbs dancing together in a meadow, each one holding high a golden cup in toast to the other two. "Friendship, or community." Elizabeth said. "That is his problem. I can't see how that would be to anyone's detriment, so perhaps he lacks those things...?" She didn't want to jump to conclusions, though.


Marshes of Ia-Kong
-Break his limbs-
-Make him helpless-
-He'll be yours for all eternity-
Now where had Sayaka heard this before? That's right, back home. Kyouko had picked a fight with her after she caught her visiting Kamijou. Word for word Kyouko was now repeating to her the taunt that made her see red.
 However, unlike last time, Sayaka had neither the strength nor the opportunity to start the fight Kyouko was begging for. She was already exhausted from the Hydra battle and the drama that followed afterwards; even if she wasn't on the verge of nodding off she was still in the company of several beings who could probably end her without much struggle. Thus the fire of Sayaka's anger was forcibly choked by her environment.
 "I heard you the first time you bastard"
Sayaka looked at the ground in utter wretchedness. She really really wanted to punch Kyouko in the face.
 “I think I see what’s goin’ on here, ” he said, a hint of accusation in his words. “You’re raggin’ on this poor girl ‘cause she’s tryin’ to be idealistic with her powers… but you used ta be just like that at one point, didn’t you? That kinda cynicism doesn’t just come outta nowhere. Now somebody else comes along, tryin’ to be what I’m guessin’ you couldn’t, an’ you decide you’ve gotta put her down ta feel better about yerself.”
...
Sayaka looked up at Sazh. The man was defending her. The man was soon joined by the pony and Sayaka blushed in embarrassment. Her problems were meant to stay her problems, this was her fight. Still, it comforted her to know that they cared.
 Despite herself, a smile crept back onto Sayaka's face.
"Thanks..."

The Marshes of Ia-Kong
The vine’s tendrils began to whip about as Grey leapt away, curling towards him as if trying to grasp the reploid even though he was well out of its reach. By chance—or possibly design—some of its fronds managed to slap several of his kunai with their large, curiously-shaped leaves, knocking the blades out of the air and sending them clattering down to the ground below; others, however, managed to connect with the vine, which writhed as if in pain as they sank into its leathery hide.
 Sap began bleeding from the wounds, but it did not seem to be done just yet. All of the vine’s tendrils curled upwards in defiance of gravity, their leaves rustling in curious ways as if being stirred by a breeze that Grey couldn’t feel. More than that, the air around these leaves seemed to shimmer and distort, as if something supernatural were taking place…
 Suddenly, the branch Grey was standing on began to groan ominously, and quickly began curling up on itself as if trying to pin and crush him against the trunk of the tree!

***

Hearing the distinctive sound of groaning wood, Sazh turned and looked up into the tree. He squinted, unable to see what was taking place in those shadowed boughs. “Now, what’s goin’ on up there…?”


The Scaled Nations, Village of Threshold
   I wouldn’t do that, if I were you,    a deep, rumbling voice echoed in Selim’s mind.
 With his powers, the Homunculus would be able to sense that there was another presence somewhere nearby, a presence that, for some strange reason, seemed nebulous and hard to pin down. One thing was clear, however; wherever and whatever this presence was, it was watching him intently.
 Elizabeth might also have a vague feeling that she, Link and the boy were not alone, though she would not be able to hear that disembodied voice.

The Village of Treshold
So that's what reading his fortune meant. Those cards apparently could tell Elizabeth and Link things about Pride... or from the looks of things, about Selim. It seemed like some kind of Ishbalan magic trick, and the uncertainty in Elizabeth's voice made it clear the cards were giving out double meanings.
 Pride began to move towards the windows- but not only were his moves so quiet and subtle that one would have to be focused on him to see them, his shadows were also covering his moves, gently obscuring certain sections of the storehouse to make it look like he wasn't moving at all.
 He'd still need them to be distracted by something else before he could move to the windows. He already had a plan for that... but he needed to wait for the right moment...


The Village of Treshold
Pride froze, partly thanks to the unexpected bodyless voice talking to him, and partly because he feared the two "adults" distracted by those cards had also heard the voice and would look towards him.
 And why should I listen to you? The shadows whispered back, Pride remaining completely still. He was on a thin, thin line, and any bad move could destroy his facade forever. And time was running out. He had to get rid of this new variable, and he had to do it quickly.



The Doctor coughs, having watched all that's been occurring within the group ever since they've began. We've got a long way to go.
 The Doctor walks over to Sayaka and pats her on the shoulder. "Hey. You feeling any better? I can see it's been a long and stressful day for you and nothing seems like it can go right. Well, I promise you that it can and will get better. Saren will warm up...someday. He did for me after all."
 He smirks. "And look how Saren's been flirting with Miss Aran here. When I first met him, he was super grumpy and angry and all, " the Doctor does a deliberately terrible but recognizable impression of Saren as he says the next sentence "Raarrghhh all humans are terrible and everyone but me is stupid, look at how grumpy I am!"
 The Doctor laughs a bit at his own joke and pats Sayaka on the shoulder again. "I guess the point of what I'm trying to say here is that it'll get better and that if you need anyone to talk to, I'm here. As a friend or a father or whatever you need."

"I'll go check it out, " Fluttershy said to Sazh, mostly because the Doctor decided to help out as well and she did not want to deal with the red haired girl anymore. The pony flew towards where the groaning of trees were, thinking it was some kind of animal......

----

Feeling a prickling on the back of her neck, Elizabeth looked up from her reading and took a quick look around the room. Selim seemed a little further away from her than she remembered, but that wouldn't account for the odd feeling she'd just had. "Hmm..." she muttered, clearly not convinced that it was nothing, before looking back down at the cards, turning over the one beneath the main cross.

"The Emperornote  for the root cause or motivation." she said, looking at the image. "Authority, structure, order... or fatherhood. Though I can't see how any of that fits in. Let's move on for now."

The next card revealed was the one on the opposite side, above the Page. This time it showed a woman seated on a throne, confidently holding up a sword towards the sky while her other hand was held out as though offering something. "The Queen of Swords, in the position representing the current focus of his thought." Elizabeth said. "Perceptive and organized intellect, and thought independent from emotional influence. Or, considering that it's a court card, perhaps someone fitting that description." Indeed, the Queen did seem to look a little bit like Elizabeth herself... though she did not notice that personally.

The Doctor shakes his head. "Sorry, Sayaka. I've had a long couple days too honestly. And you're clearly not fine. I know that sad look in your eyes, Sayaka. Believe it or not I used to be a grandfather! Oh I still remember that look in Susan's eyes..."

The Doctor sighs, trying to hold back sadness and mourning. "But that's a different story. So what's really the problem? And would you like to talk about it alone?"

The Doctor suddenly leans over and waves to Kyoko. "Unless you want to go and help out too. You two seem to have...some form of history together."

The Marshes of Ia-Kong

Sensing the approach of fresh prey (and more obviously palatable prey, at that), the assassin vine’s tendrils that were nearest to Fluttershy began whipping and lashing in her general direction, attempting to ensnare the Pegasus within their powerful, strangling grasp and crush the life from her. At the same time, a number of branches groaned and creaked as they swung ponderously towards her, animated by whatever supernatural powers the vine possessed; like the tendrils they two were trying to grab Fluttershy, though the branches were slower and clumsier than the vine’s actual appendages.

The murderous plant seemed to have forgotten Grey for the time being, the branch it had animated to try and crush him freezing mid-motion.


"EEP!" Fluttershy squeaked as the vines started to ensare. Despite her seeming fragile frame, the pegasus proved to be a lot more sturdier than expected. The pony still felt the crushing pressure nonetheless.

"Um.....help! HELP!" she yelped, only then feeling the pressure on her neck.



-----
'''Kyoko; Marshes of Ia-Kong'''

Sayaka looked angry. A bit less angry than she would had liked, though, which is why Kyoko's grin wasn't quite as wide as before. If anything, she looked more miffed than usual.
Afro provided a good distraction.

"Got it in one," Kyoko said. Her Pocky moved lackadaisically. Ignoring Sayaka, she turned away and gave Sazh a sardonic look.

"I used to believe in being a hero, an' then I realised that it was more trouble than it was worth. Stupid people only hurt everyone around them. So now I'm trying to help her stop being stupid. Seems she doesn't want to take my advice, though, which is a shame..."

Fanged smirk.

"For her, of course." The munching continued. She seemed unusually unperturbed at the personal jab, like she had gotten over it years ago.

"But ya shouldn't read too much into it, Mister Afro.