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ajremixWhat started as a silly scene with Cress's pun ended up turning into a nearly 2k post-Mirrage Prison fic. Caveats: I've only played, like, three Tales games and two of those were 15+ years ago so characterizations are primarily based of ToRays depictions. Apologies if they're inaccurate. Also my knowledge of Mirrage Prison is an incomplete hodgepodge of translations and summaries. Apologies if that, too, is inaccurate.
Title a re-worded line from Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here" because ~what are titles~?
Title: Trade Your Ghosts for Heroes
Fandom: Tales of the Rays, Tales of Vesperia
Rating: PG
Word Count: 1996
Characters: Flynn, Yuri, various minor appearances
Summary: Following the end of Mirrage Prison, Flynn is finally properly introduced to the other Nexuses.
Though everyone kept a clear path to the makeshift medbay, there were plenty of onlookers as Yuri, leading the return group, carried Ix. Which was as good a time as any for Yuri to name each Nexus they passed to Flynn. Proper introductions could be made later but the roster was pretty big, so he may as well get a head start. Raine and Ruca met them just outside the medbay, the young man and Mileena taking Ix from Yuri and bringing him inside with Kocis following close behind. Raine gave the remaining two men a slight smile. "Why don't we go to the conference room," she said with a mild warmth that barely disguised a cool caution- which Yuri would bet she wasn't really trying to disguise. If Flynn wasn't already used to having his every move scrutinized and questioned, Yuri might have been offended on his behalf. "I'm sure everyone would like to officially meet you."
The conference room wasn't quite filled with people, many still making their way back to the fortress, but there were still a good number in there. "Yo," Yuri called out to the group, clapping a hand on Flynn's shoulder and pushing him forward slightly. "This is Flynn."
Flynn gave Yuri a sideways, disapproving look when it was clear that was the extent of his introduction. His attention was drawn, however, by a sharp bark. Repede charged at the duo, jumping up so his front paws hit Flynn's shoulders hard enough to rock him back a step and covering the man's chin and cheeks with long licks. "Repede!" He laughed, giving the dog a good scrubbing at the thick fur of his neck. "I'm glad to see you, too!"
"I've never seen Repede so happy before," Sophie said, looking envious.
With a playful nip at Flynn's fingers, Repede dropped down, moving to sit between Flynn and Yuri's feet as Estelle took his place, embracing Flynn with a great big hug. "Flynn! We were so worried about you!"
"I'm sorry for making you worry, Lady Estellise," he gave her a hug and, when she moved aside, held a hand up for Karol to slap with a wide grin. While Judith, Rita and Raven didn't greet him with anything more than warm words and welcoming smiles, they gathered around the latest member of their group like they were worried someone might try to take him away again.
Standing toward the back, Velvet gave him a cool once over before declaring more than asking, "So you're the guy Yuri lost his head over?"
Flynn laughed, both self-conscious and self-depreciating. "I didn't really apologize for putting you in that position, did I?" He gave his best friend a guilty smile. "Sorry about that."
Yuri just scoffed. "What I said about that gloomy expression is still in effect."
This laugh was more genuine, "Of course."
Expression cautious and arms crossed, Cress asked, "We've heard Baldr's side but I think it's worth us knowing: what exactly possessed you to do such a thing?" Chester's arm shot out like a reflex to punch his best friend in the arm. Unfortunately he only hit pauldron and he half curled over his aching knuckles with a quiet 'ow'.
"Well, it wasn't exactly-" Flynn paused for a moment then grinned, "Oh! Very clever!"
Estelle giggled, "Cress is very good with word play."
Cress gave Chester a smug look and Chester just groaned. "Why does everyone keep encouraging him?"
"Yeah, sorry, should've mentioned," Yuri said with dry resignation, "Flynn's got terrible taste in everything."
"Including friends, unfortunately," Flynn said, equally dry.
"Maybe I won't care so much next time you get bodyjacked."
"Or maybe you could react in a less haphazard way."
Yuri made a show of scowling. "I get lectured even when it's not my plan."
Flynn just gazed back at him coolly. "I'm talking about your particular actions. As always."
"Next time I'll submit my snap decisions for you to review before saving your ass."
Heads bobbed around the bridge, various Nexuses muttering to themselves or each other, "Definitely childhood friends."
"As much as I hate to break up the heartwarming bickering," Raine said in a way that clearly stated this was not the case, "Cress's question is still a valid one."
"Yes, ma'am, I apologize," Flynn said and Raine muttered an amused, "Such manners!" into her sleeve.
He cleared his throat and said to the room at large, automatically falling into professional knight mode, "Before the procedure that placed Baldr in my body, I was only aware of very few things: I was not in the world I knew and the Asgard Empire was determined to use me in some way. When Baldr and I first... well, spoke, I suppose you could say, he told me that he wasn't able to possess my body without my consent. I could sense he was troubled by the entire process and didn't seem very keen to do it but, he knew as I did, that Mercuria and Naza would find another body if he was unable to use mine. We came to an agreement: I would allow Baldr to use my body but I would retain my consciousness. This allowed open dialogue between us and he even allowed me control of my body on occasion. Despite his misgivings over the Empire's actions, Baldr was loyal and it took some time before I was able to convince him that they needed to be stopped." Flynn cast a sideways look at Yuri. "I suppose I'm lucky for the experience of dealing with someone far more stubborn than he."
Yuri just snorted, "You're worse than I am."
"Asides from Naza, I was the first to be possessed. Apparently there is something about my ...anima, I believe? That's unique but I'm uncertain as to the details of what that means or even why it is. As far as I'm aware, I've never been any different than Yuri." At his side, Yuri nodded. Had it been Estelle or Raven it would have been obvious, even with Judith or Rita guesses could have easily been made. But the two of them and Karol were just regular guys.
Rita stepped in front of him, arms crossed, looking him over as if she could find the answer if she glared at him hard enough. "You should come down to the lab so we can run some tests. I don't know why you would be unique, but that might mean some of the other 'normal' Nexuses we've gathered might also have unique properties. If that's the case, it's definitely something we should know about."
"If the bodysnatching process was so easy for you and Baldr," Chester asked, looking like he wasn't sure if he should be upset or not, "why did the Empire have so much trouble with others?"
"I think," Flynn said slowly, thinking through his answer, "that has to do with Baldr needing my consent. For that, I had to be... me, still. Awake, aware- but for the others, it's like their minds and personalities were completely rewritten. The Empire had to rework the procedure and," his expression grew dark with guilt, "a number of people were left comatose before they succeeded. I don't know how many or where they were put after, Baldr kept me away from... the failures when he realized how upset I was."
Estelle put her hands around one of his, giving it a squeeze. "It's alright, Flynn. We figured out how to bring them back."
He let out a shaky breath and grin. "Thank you, Lady Estellise. It's relieving to know. There was only so much I was able to do, even when Baldr decided to help me. I hated being unable to do anything for them."
"Yeah, yeah, we know what a bleeding heart you are," Yuri drawled. "Unfortunately, now Psycho Princess is intent on taking Flynn's head in addition to Mileena's, so you should probably lay low for a bit."
Raven hummed unhappily. "Kiddo didn't take betrayal too well, huh?"
"Guess she's less forgiving than some people," Rita said flatly. Raven's only response was a rueful twist of his lips. A couple others in the room shifted uncomfortably.
"If I may take a moment to recap here," Jade said with a feigned thoughtfulness, "in answer to Cress's question, Flynn allowed Baldr to possess his body because he knew the Empire was adamant about using him, if it wasn't his body then Baldr would be placed in someone else, and, because Baldr didn't seem entirely happy about the Living Doll Project as a whole, you thought you might be able to convince him to defect. Is that more or less correct?"
"Yes," Flynn said.
There was a brief silence, then Raine asked incredulously, "That was your entire thought process?"
"Well," Lloyd said in cautious defense, "it worked?"
"It is quite the Flynn thing to do," Judith said with amusement.
Raven nodded. "Wouldn't expect less from the man that helped get the Union and Empire working together."
"I'm sorry everyone," Flynn said softly. "I thought I'd be more useful than I ended up being. I should've done more to help."
"Oh," Jade said with flat distaste, "he's one of those genuinely humble types." He them promptly walked out.
Yuri snickered at the exit- he certainly hoped watching Jade and Flynn interact would be as amusing as he imagined. But... ignoring the people quick to reassure Flynn he'd been helpful- and keeping the Empire from realizing Baldr had left was very much so -Yuri prodded his friend in the chest hard with the sheathed end of his sword. "I warned you. I'm wiping that look off your face right now."
"Wait," Reala looked between Yuri and Flynn. "You're going to fight him? But you just got your friend back."
"It's that bastard Baldr's fault," Yuri said decisively, arms crossed over his chest. "I don't care about his reasons or that Flynn agreed to it, I'm pissed that he took over someone's body. But since he went and disintegrated before I could beat his ass, I'll just beat Flynn's for being stupid enough to agree in the first place."
Confused and hesitant glances shifted around the room, made all the more so by the fact neither Flynn nor any of their friends seemed at all bothered by this declaration.
Reala inched a little closer to Flynn. "Are you alright with this?"
He just looked as if that was a strange thing for someone to ask him. "Certainly."
"They fight a lot," Karol said like it was perfectly normal.
"I haven't let loose in a while," Flynn added with a deceptively angelic smile, "it'll be a nice challenge."
"You making preemptive excuses for when you lose?" Yuri asked with a sharp grin.
Though Flynn's smile hadn't changed, there was something decidedly less angelic about it. "You know what they say: once is an accident."
"You saying my win was a fluke?"
"I suppose we'll see."
"Wait," Kyle popped in between them with wide eyes, "does that mean Yuri's only beaten you once?"
"Oh, well," Flynn chuckled and turned away from Kyle's awed expression, ever the humble knight, "I... suppose I may have won more often than not when we were kids."
"All of 'em," Yuri said bluntly. "He won all except for the last."
"It really isn't as impressive as it- er?"
Suddenly Cress and Luke were on either side of Flynn, grabbing an arm each. "Sorry, Yuri. You'll have to postpone your match a bit," Cress said brightly.
"Yeah," Luke added, "I have got to see what this guy can do!" Then, using Flynn as a pivot point, the two turned around and started pulling Flynn out of the room.
"O-oh, um... okay?" Flynn called out even as he was dragged away. "It was nice meeting everyone!"
Yuri just sighed while Estelle and Karol giggled. "Always the charmer," he drawled with- and he'd deny it if confronted -a spark of fondness in his eyes.
Title a re-worded line from Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here" because ~what are titles~?
Title: Trade Your Ghosts for Heroes
Fandom: Tales of the Rays, Tales of Vesperia
Rating: PG
Word Count: 1996
Characters: Flynn, Yuri, various minor appearances
Summary: Following the end of Mirrage Prison, Flynn is finally properly introduced to the other Nexuses.
Though everyone kept a clear path to the makeshift medbay, there were plenty of onlookers as Yuri, leading the return group, carried Ix. Which was as good a time as any for Yuri to name each Nexus they passed to Flynn. Proper introductions could be made later but the roster was pretty big, so he may as well get a head start. Raine and Ruca met them just outside the medbay, the young man and Mileena taking Ix from Yuri and bringing him inside with Kocis following close behind. Raine gave the remaining two men a slight smile. "Why don't we go to the conference room," she said with a mild warmth that barely disguised a cool caution- which Yuri would bet she wasn't really trying to disguise. If Flynn wasn't already used to having his every move scrutinized and questioned, Yuri might have been offended on his behalf. "I'm sure everyone would like to officially meet you."
The conference room wasn't quite filled with people, many still making their way back to the fortress, but there were still a good number in there. "Yo," Yuri called out to the group, clapping a hand on Flynn's shoulder and pushing him forward slightly. "This is Flynn."
Flynn gave Yuri a sideways, disapproving look when it was clear that was the extent of his introduction. His attention was drawn, however, by a sharp bark. Repede charged at the duo, jumping up so his front paws hit Flynn's shoulders hard enough to rock him back a step and covering the man's chin and cheeks with long licks. "Repede!" He laughed, giving the dog a good scrubbing at the thick fur of his neck. "I'm glad to see you, too!"
"I've never seen Repede so happy before," Sophie said, looking envious.
With a playful nip at Flynn's fingers, Repede dropped down, moving to sit between Flynn and Yuri's feet as Estelle took his place, embracing Flynn with a great big hug. "Flynn! We were so worried about you!"
"I'm sorry for making you worry, Lady Estellise," he gave her a hug and, when she moved aside, held a hand up for Karol to slap with a wide grin. While Judith, Rita and Raven didn't greet him with anything more than warm words and welcoming smiles, they gathered around the latest member of their group like they were worried someone might try to take him away again.
Standing toward the back, Velvet gave him a cool once over before declaring more than asking, "So you're the guy Yuri lost his head over?"
Flynn laughed, both self-conscious and self-depreciating. "I didn't really apologize for putting you in that position, did I?" He gave his best friend a guilty smile. "Sorry about that."
Yuri just scoffed. "What I said about that gloomy expression is still in effect."
This laugh was more genuine, "Of course."
Expression cautious and arms crossed, Cress asked, "We've heard Baldr's side but I think it's worth us knowing: what exactly possessed you to do such a thing?" Chester's arm shot out like a reflex to punch his best friend in the arm. Unfortunately he only hit pauldron and he half curled over his aching knuckles with a quiet 'ow'.
"Well, it wasn't exactly-" Flynn paused for a moment then grinned, "Oh! Very clever!"
Estelle giggled, "Cress is very good with word play."
Cress gave Chester a smug look and Chester just groaned. "Why does everyone keep encouraging him?"
"Yeah, sorry, should've mentioned," Yuri said with dry resignation, "Flynn's got terrible taste in everything."
"Including friends, unfortunately," Flynn said, equally dry.
"Maybe I won't care so much next time you get bodyjacked."
"Or maybe you could react in a less haphazard way."
Yuri made a show of scowling. "I get lectured even when it's not my plan."
Flynn just gazed back at him coolly. "I'm talking about your particular actions. As always."
"Next time I'll submit my snap decisions for you to review before saving your ass."
Heads bobbed around the bridge, various Nexuses muttering to themselves or each other, "Definitely childhood friends."
"As much as I hate to break up the heartwarming bickering," Raine said in a way that clearly stated this was not the case, "Cress's question is still a valid one."
"Yes, ma'am, I apologize," Flynn said and Raine muttered an amused, "Such manners!" into her sleeve.
He cleared his throat and said to the room at large, automatically falling into professional knight mode, "Before the procedure that placed Baldr in my body, I was only aware of very few things: I was not in the world I knew and the Asgard Empire was determined to use me in some way. When Baldr and I first... well, spoke, I suppose you could say, he told me that he wasn't able to possess my body without my consent. I could sense he was troubled by the entire process and didn't seem very keen to do it but, he knew as I did, that Mercuria and Naza would find another body if he was unable to use mine. We came to an agreement: I would allow Baldr to use my body but I would retain my consciousness. This allowed open dialogue between us and he even allowed me control of my body on occasion. Despite his misgivings over the Empire's actions, Baldr was loyal and it took some time before I was able to convince him that they needed to be stopped." Flynn cast a sideways look at Yuri. "I suppose I'm lucky for the experience of dealing with someone far more stubborn than he."
Yuri just snorted, "You're worse than I am."
"Asides from Naza, I was the first to be possessed. Apparently there is something about my ...anima, I believe? That's unique but I'm uncertain as to the details of what that means or even why it is. As far as I'm aware, I've never been any different than Yuri." At his side, Yuri nodded. Had it been Estelle or Raven it would have been obvious, even with Judith or Rita guesses could have easily been made. But the two of them and Karol were just regular guys.
Rita stepped in front of him, arms crossed, looking him over as if she could find the answer if she glared at him hard enough. "You should come down to the lab so we can run some tests. I don't know why you would be unique, but that might mean some of the other 'normal' Nexuses we've gathered might also have unique properties. If that's the case, it's definitely something we should know about."
"If the bodysnatching process was so easy for you and Baldr," Chester asked, looking like he wasn't sure if he should be upset or not, "why did the Empire have so much trouble with others?"
"I think," Flynn said slowly, thinking through his answer, "that has to do with Baldr needing my consent. For that, I had to be... me, still. Awake, aware- but for the others, it's like their minds and personalities were completely rewritten. The Empire had to rework the procedure and," his expression grew dark with guilt, "a number of people were left comatose before they succeeded. I don't know how many or where they were put after, Baldr kept me away from... the failures when he realized how upset I was."
Estelle put her hands around one of his, giving it a squeeze. "It's alright, Flynn. We figured out how to bring them back."
He let out a shaky breath and grin. "Thank you, Lady Estellise. It's relieving to know. There was only so much I was able to do, even when Baldr decided to help me. I hated being unable to do anything for them."
"Yeah, yeah, we know what a bleeding heart you are," Yuri drawled. "Unfortunately, now Psycho Princess is intent on taking Flynn's head in addition to Mileena's, so you should probably lay low for a bit."
Raven hummed unhappily. "Kiddo didn't take betrayal too well, huh?"
"Guess she's less forgiving than some people," Rita said flatly. Raven's only response was a rueful twist of his lips. A couple others in the room shifted uncomfortably.
"If I may take a moment to recap here," Jade said with a feigned thoughtfulness, "in answer to Cress's question, Flynn allowed Baldr to possess his body because he knew the Empire was adamant about using him, if it wasn't his body then Baldr would be placed in someone else, and, because Baldr didn't seem entirely happy about the Living Doll Project as a whole, you thought you might be able to convince him to defect. Is that more or less correct?"
"Yes," Flynn said.
There was a brief silence, then Raine asked incredulously, "That was your entire thought process?"
"Well," Lloyd said in cautious defense, "it worked?"
"It is quite the Flynn thing to do," Judith said with amusement.
Raven nodded. "Wouldn't expect less from the man that helped get the Union and Empire working together."
"I'm sorry everyone," Flynn said softly. "I thought I'd be more useful than I ended up being. I should've done more to help."
"Oh," Jade said with flat distaste, "he's one of those genuinely humble types." He them promptly walked out.
Yuri snickered at the exit- he certainly hoped watching Jade and Flynn interact would be as amusing as he imagined. But... ignoring the people quick to reassure Flynn he'd been helpful- and keeping the Empire from realizing Baldr had left was very much so -Yuri prodded his friend in the chest hard with the sheathed end of his sword. "I warned you. I'm wiping that look off your face right now."
"Wait," Reala looked between Yuri and Flynn. "You're going to fight him? But you just got your friend back."
"It's that bastard Baldr's fault," Yuri said decisively, arms crossed over his chest. "I don't care about his reasons or that Flynn agreed to it, I'm pissed that he took over someone's body. But since he went and disintegrated before I could beat his ass, I'll just beat Flynn's for being stupid enough to agree in the first place."
Confused and hesitant glances shifted around the room, made all the more so by the fact neither Flynn nor any of their friends seemed at all bothered by this declaration.
Reala inched a little closer to Flynn. "Are you alright with this?"
He just looked as if that was a strange thing for someone to ask him. "Certainly."
"They fight a lot," Karol said like it was perfectly normal.
"I haven't let loose in a while," Flynn added with a deceptively angelic smile, "it'll be a nice challenge."
"You making preemptive excuses for when you lose?" Yuri asked with a sharp grin.
Though Flynn's smile hadn't changed, there was something decidedly less angelic about it. "You know what they say: once is an accident."
"You saying my win was a fluke?"
"I suppose we'll see."
"Wait," Kyle popped in between them with wide eyes, "does that mean Yuri's only beaten you once?"
"Oh, well," Flynn chuckled and turned away from Kyle's awed expression, ever the humble knight, "I... suppose I may have won more often than not when we were kids."
"All of 'em," Yuri said bluntly. "He won all except for the last."
"It really isn't as impressive as it- er?"
Suddenly Cress and Luke were on either side of Flynn, grabbing an arm each. "Sorry, Yuri. You'll have to postpone your match a bit," Cress said brightly.
"Yeah," Luke added, "I have got to see what this guy can do!" Then, using Flynn as a pivot point, the two turned around and started pulling Flynn out of the room.
"O-oh, um... okay?" Flynn called out even as he was dragged away. "It was nice meeting everyone!"
Yuri just sighed while Estelle and Karol giggled. "Always the charmer," he drawled with- and he'd deny it if confronted -a spark of fondness in his eyes.
