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Nathan Hall     The body is split apart. The head is torn down the middle, the two halves barely held together. The book is ripped into hundreds of pages, torn up. The Orb in the center seems to have collapsed into the tremendously damaged central arena for all this, shattered almost enough to make it impassable. Most of the masks are broken. Fluttering fragments of paper fall through the air.

    There is a palpable feeling of threat. The concentrated force of War God did not successfully cleave through EVERYTHING. Something caught. Something resisted. Somewhere, deep inside, there's

    "IF  THIS  IS  WHAT  MUST  BE,  THEN  I  ACCEPT.  I  WILL  USE  THE  GREATEST  POWER  POSSESSED  BY  THE  LIBRARY  OF  TIME."

    The corpse is blasted away. A shockwave of wind and force tears it to shreds as if it were nothing. Something inside is glowing, draining the power away from it, drawing it into a single humanoid form. "YOU  ARE  LINEAR  BEINGS,  CAPABLE  OF  PERCEIVING  THE  WORLD  ONLY  LINEARLY.  YOU  HAVE  SO  MANY  RULES.  SO  MANY  RESTRICTIONS  UPON  WHAT  YOU  ARE  AND  WHAT  YOU  CAN  BE.  EVEN  MORE,  FOR  THE  SPECIFIC  TYPE  OF  LINEAR  YOU  ARE.  I  HAVE  LEARNED  FROM  THE  GREATEST  POWER,  AND  UNDERSTOOD  THE  RULES,  THE  BOUNDARIES,  THE  ACTIONS  YOU  ARE  UNABLE  TO  TAKE,  NO  MATTER  HOW  MUCH  YOU  DESIRE  TO  DO  SO,  AND  NO  MATTER  HOW  MUCH  POWER  YOU  AMASS." The shining light is coalescing into a cyclopian humanoid, bearing a single eye where a face ought to be, blank and featureless otherwise.

    It burns with power. There is an absolutely absurd degree of energy being brought into it. This feeling dwarfs the power it showed before, a merest fraction of what comes next. The sensation is mentally and emotionally overwhelming. The sheer quantity is almost impossible to comprehend. This is not a power drawn from Nathan's timelines, because he never showed it. It's a power stolen from his soul, a power that leaves no doubt in anyone's mind: However this power is about to manifest, this being will now be impossible to kill. Its hands hum with untold energies. It raises them, palms slowly opening, power at the verge of activating...
Nathan Hall     "I  SURRENDER.  YOU  WILL  NOW  NEGOTIATE  WITH  ME."




    One assumes there may be a stunned silence here. That's when the Causality Demon speaks fully and directly. Its voice seems more human now, like Nathan's own. "As beings that fall under Linearity's definition of 'good' and 'morally correct', you are constrained by rules. These rules will make it impossible for you to cause my 'death', which the one called Priscilla has educated me on, when two specific conditions apply. As I am both surrendering and offering a means to perform objective 'good' for the thing you call Nathan Hall, you will not harm me. Doing so would constitute damage against the advancement of your ethics and the betterment of your ally." The faceless being puts its hands down and takes the neutral, stoic stance familiar to those who have seen Nathan Hall negotiate. "Therefore, you will not and should not kill me. It goes against the rules that you aspire to act upon, and I am fully willing to make relevant compromises."

    The demon seems more than aware that it is, well, a being of betrayal, and therefore there will be some desire to actually kill it to minimize risk. But it truly is one example of that most rare sort of enemy: The one smart enough to know when to hold, and more relevantly, when to fold, and salvage whatever it can from an inevitable loss. "The Library of Time. If I cannot use it to Be, then I will use it to ensure that it is used to further what few wishes I have. Whatever else may Be as a result will suffice. It is re-composing its timelines, attempting to recover the consumed portions and reform itself, while the entity Shiori keeps it. Without the impulse of the 'REDEEMER' and of 'DOOM', temporal development past this point would force you to attempt to recompose the timelines by hand, inexpertly, as a group. You may still do this. The result would be." There's a lengthy pause. "IMPRECISE."

    "You will not kill me, because I surrender, and I offer a way to enact what you would call 'healing' upon the timeline of 'Nathan Hall', to your specifications. In exchange, you will give me what I desire, as without the Library of Time, I will not have existed in the first place in the way you know."
Guest Psyber     Adjudicator is gone from his hands and in its place is Psyber's standard handgun, "Flawed analysis. If you had even halfway observed everything that Nathan Hall knows about me, or even to me in this fight, you would know I will kill you regardless of surrender on your part, and that I won't lose any sleep over shooting a surrendering opponent," Psyber says, pulling back the hammer on his gun.

    "You've already overplayed your hand in this negotiation and proven that you can't properly use the tools Nathan Hall has. You negotiated last, from the point of least advantage," Psyber says firmly, "Your understanding of my morality is stunted, at best, and outright misinformed." His tone is cold and detached, "Whatever hypothetical damage I would do to my own morality is outweighed by the overarching benefit of not letting you enter the Multiverse in your current state of existence."

    He shoves the gun forward, "And I'm more than willing to fuck over anything I have for that singular fact. My objective good outweighs yours." Psyber says forcefully, stepping forward, "So if you want to negotiate, you better offer me more reason than 'You are surrendering' and 'You can heal Nathan slightly better than I can', because my chips are that every single time before this that I have let something like you walk out the door, it has come back to ruin my life within thirty-six months."

    "Kalameet hurt Priscilla, because I hesitated. Viridian Sunrise threatened the Multiverse, because I hesitated. Terra Majora nearly tore my entire office to pieces, because I hesitated." Psyber waves the gun, "You don't tell me what I won't do. Because, as you are right now, I will abso-fucking-LUTELY kill you in your current state. It is the objectively GREATER good than letting you leave this place in your current state of being."
Setsuko Kaminagi     As she does with so many of her techniques, Setsuko stands utterly still in the followthrough of her attack, shoulders rising and falling. She's breathing hard, the last flickers of that incredible power that formed Zanjintou's blade dying away, leaving the 'weapon' in her hands nothing but an oversized hilt. She holds that posture for several seconds, as if waiting to see the effects of her attack, and then... keeps holding it. Keeps breathing heavily.

    That can't be good.

    After a second or two more, it becomes obvious that she's no longer 'holding still'; she's outright /straining/, just to stay on her feet. Zanjintou's grip and crossguard snap back into their katana shape, but the blade still has not reappeared, and seemingly the only thing keeping her vertical is stark defiance of whatever the Causality Demon is winding up. When it says the words 'surrender' and 'negotiate', that's when her body finally gives out. She drops to one knee, then two, then down to her hands and knees, head hanging. She can't even lift it to look at the Demon.

    But she does manage to utter quietly, "I... am of a mind... with Psyber. You... do not understand us. Could I but... lift my blade... I would... strike you down. Its past owner... died, taking such a deal... even when... he knew... it was a mistake." A hiss of effort, and then, "...Psyber... if you need it... use Zanjintou. It will not transform, but... it will cut."

    And at that point even 'hands and knees' becomes too much. So does 'conscious'. She loses out on both at about the same moment.
Nathan Hall     "Because I will not exist in the current state of being without the Library of Time contained within the temporal profile of Nathan Hall. The most that will result is a new being formed from the local equivalent of my temporal profile, as provided by an escape route I have arranged. What it does is unrelated to me. You perceive a continuity where none exists. By giving up the Library of Time, I will be 'DEAD' in the way that Linearity defines it. My objective is to further my few goals in the interim and salvage what is possible to salvage. If you seek for the remains of my CORPSE to be picked over to your specifications, this will suffice.""

    The being tilts its head. There's a feeling almost like a smile. "You seem to not understand the extent of the options being provided. I am outside linearity. You have no obligation to act blindly without awareness of the future. The end results of your actions are as present as your actions now." The head jerks, suddenly, to look at Riva. "You created the IVY. With your permission, I will be able to bring, into transient view, proposed timeline compositions of the Library of Time." The eye stares, unblinking to her. "Would you like to be advised by the potential resultant 'NATHAN HALL'?"
Eleanor Lamb     It is from somewhere behind Setsuko though, that another voice perks up, clambering out of the mess of time and space and timespace and spacespace that's being muddied up into a goopy awful sludge.
    Now we are discussing Ethics in Librarians and this is something the Eleanor Lamb is more than able to handle as she fights her way through to the right time stream. "I'm sorry, Thing, but you've co-opted our friend and are now once again dangling the life you already held in your claws as some sort of additional point of barganing? That's not a very successful place to start."

    As she comes up behind Setsuko, she plants something on a bare patch of skin. It's a plaster made of Eleanor's own ADAM, which ought to perk the demi-goddess right up, if make her feel a little bit conceptually skeevy for a while. "And Nathan Hall has already consulted with us on this point, so... no, I don't think that will be neccessary. Thank you for providing the option or the idea though." Now her voice is something more clinical, more abstract as she slides her hands down to Setsuko's, gingerly placing her palms over the handle and pommel Zanjintou. "Come on, Warrior. You've done your part for now. Let someone else bear the burden."
Guest Psyber     Psyber looks over his shoulder at Setsuko and nods, "If the need arises, I won't hesitate to use it. Thank you, Setsuko," And then Psyber's attention is back on the demon.

    "And what, precisely, are your few goals?" Psyber still has that gun pointed straight at it. And in his other hand is Memento, dagger gripped tightly, "Pray do tell me what you wish to further and what you will do with whatever compromised were to be reached?" Psyber asks threateningly, waving the gun right at it.

    "I may not be Nathan, but I know enough to see someone cutting around a topic. Attempting to avoid saying something. What is your goal in the Multiverse? What will you gain in walking out of this?" He narrows his red eyes, staring the being down.
Setsuko Kaminagi     The ADAM paste begins having a noticeable effect on the injuries across Setsuko's left arm and leg, wherever it's placed; it seems to synergize quite well with the demigod's healing factor... which is probably a good thing, as a minute or two of watching will tell anyone around that said healing factor has stopped working on its own. That probably gives some sort of tip as to why she's out like a light, especially in tandem with the fact Zanjintou has no blade. Using that immense attack apparently burned every last ounce of divinity she had available.

    There is at least some small good news, however, in that a few seconds after Eleanor has applied the ADAM plaster, Zanjintou's blade slowly reforms itself from the hilt up, until it is a proper katana again. She's still out, but it's... something.
Kimiko Shinobu     "Wrong." ...is what Shinobu Kimiko says to the Demon. "I told you." In some timeline. "You are not an enemy. You are prey." It is not like the Demons she hunts, but she is still a hunter of Demons. One does not negotiate with those. "No surrender need be accepted, from a monster."

    Then it's explaining that it will be 'dead' in either case. Psyber's already asked the pertinent question before she can. What 'goals'? In the meantime, the wounded Puella Magi, now far too serene for how damaged she is, makes her way over to Setsuko, kneeling down and spending slow moments checking her condition. The revival of her sword is something, at least.
Nathan Hall     Eleanor gets weird look. Whatever emotion the Causality Demon is feeling, it's something of an alien mind. "I do not understand." There's a brief surge of light where it feels like power's being drawn from something. More diplomatic ability being channeled from Nathan. "You have made so many 'mistakes' in handling the Librarian by failing to acknowledge his statements. Do you truly believe that denying them further is the correct path?" That's a low blow, tough to roll with. It then focuses back on Riva, seeming to focus on her opinion on that. She's the one with conceptiual control over the 'Ivy', after all.
Eleanor Lamb     Eleanor smiles down at Setsuko, as she watches both that healing kick back in, and the blade... Her Blade... seep back into existance. Well. That's a mercy. Eleanor's blue eyes half-lid a moment, as she rocks on her heels and seems to dive within herself.

    And then she's back, and her stance changes ever so slightly into a proper swordsman's stance, more balanced for the long blade as opposed to her usual 'bash them with a blunt object' style of martial art. There's more. A subtle curl of her lip, a nervous tic of fingers flexing and unflexing on the handle of Zanjintou.

    Not-Quite Eleanor Lamb is here, a slightly more cock-sure version of herself. "Well if I've made so many bloody mistakes, it hardly behooves me to stop making them now." It's a Male Voice, something aristocratic. /Posh/. It's still Eleanor's voice but the cadence is different.

    Blue eyes glance over to Riva and Psyber, and the posh git voice continues. "But if you really think it will change our minds and have us not gut you like a wounded blood sausage then by all means..."
Riva Banari Riva is in... not the best shape. She's been almost wiped out of existence multiple times in this conflict. The experience has been extensive, leaving her feeling raw, pained, bleeding and abused not only on the physical level, but in ways she had no idea existed.

She screeches to a halt in ghe face of that thunderous declaration as she stares. "You... You're what?" She pauses, grimacing. "Now you're just playing dirty!" She calls out. "You're trying to use our own behaviors as a shield to escape the consequences of your own actions."

As Setsuko falls nearby, Riva looks over to her in shock. "Setsuko!" She calls out, but it looks like Eleanor is on the case. Riva nods, that'll work out fine. She hopes.

She turns her attention back to the demon. "So... You're functionally dead no matter what we do. You're trying to negotiate with us as to what kind of remnant you might leave behind as a legacy."

Riva squints. "You're still trying to leave your toothmarks in him despite all our work. And whatever projection you make is of course going to want to exist, it's something you're helping to create. You're trying to add another time-person arguing your side, someone we'd want to listen to because it's theoretically going to be the person we've been trying to save all this time." Riva points out, and sighs. "I mean, sure, you're basically negotiating to try to salvage something out of what you did, but if you make Psyber mad enough he's going to just mulch you, and I doubt anyone here is going to argue after you tried to tried to annihilate us in ways most of us didn't even know were possible."

She huffs for a moment. She sort of understands what the beast means. The ivy is forcing continuity in an unstable situation, and it works both ways. "All right, let's see this." Riva says, gesturing. May as well let him the beast play this out.
Nathan Hall     "My goal is to transition elements of myself from 'NOT EXISTING' to 'EXISTING' within Linearity. Your Linearity, during its exposure to 'NOT EXISTING', became briefly accessible. I am also 'NOT EXISTING', and sought to become 'EXISTING'. The creation of the Library of Time was a necessary step. If it must be cut out, then I will exist with what you would consider." There's another long pause. The being seems to consider its words. The head-eye rolls around a bit. "MISSING ORGANS." It fixes back on Psyber. "If there are more of them that you demand to place under specific control, under specific restriction, or under specific separation, you may do so."

    Then there's a long moment where it seems to contemplate him for a long time. "You regret the actions you have taken. Mercy you have shown, which results in later pain. Do you prioritize the lack of pain over the temporal health of 'Nathan Hall'?" Another low-blow. These are some mildly ruthless rhetorical punches. "I perceive all potential future timelines. None place me in conflict with you further. The most substantial future conflict we are currently having is several potential arguments we are having in the relative future of a location called Omelas. You are calling the future corpse of myself rude names in our discussion. You may choose to believe this perception or deny it, as I am a being of 'betrayal'. You may choose any relevant 'organs' you require harvested in order to prevent more substantial threats."
Setsuko Kaminagi     Zanjintou itself, is as far as katanas go, simple but utterly flawless. Perfectly balanced. Perfectly curved to suit Setsuko's style of bladework. And of course, very, very sharp. It feels... solid. Reliable. Its divine nature is subtle in this state, simmering under the surface rather than declaring itself brightly, but it nevertheless suffuses the blade's very existence. This is a weapon without a sense of malice, but one which nevertheless will kill in its owner's hands, no matter the enemy. There is also a faint sense of... something. A yearning. A purpose. Impossible to define, or even get a metaphorical 'grip' on.
Guest Psyber     "I prioritize the greatest good over the greater good. Nathan Hall's holistic recovery is a greater good. The safety of the Multiverse is an objectively greatest good. Nathan Hall, given choice, would likely agree that his life is not worth the potential suffering of an infinite amount of other lives," Psyber points the gun again, "If you wanna hit me below the belt, you need to swing harder. I wear the emotional equivalent of a cup and believe me, it takes harder shots than that to make me flinch."

    Psyber, eventually, lowers the gun a bit, "But your offer is compelling. You simply wish for some iteration of you, no matter how diminished to exist in linearity." Psyber lifts up the gun again, "How many more of your kind are attached to Multiversal Elites? You can see the future, so show me a sign of good faith. How many more times do I do this dance?"
Nathan Hall     Riva gets a wide-eyed look, which is the only look this being can give. "Then it will be manifest."

    Nathan isn't manifesting dramatically. He's just sort of... Not there, one moment, and then there, the next. He looks about like Nathan did when Psyber invited him. He's standing somewhere among the group, seeming a bit out of sorts for a moment.

    "Oh. Salutations." He says, in that usual monotone. No... No, not the usual monotone. In fact, not even the restored monotone Nathan had as a soul. He seems... Less stoic, more tranquil. Less of an emotionlessness, more of an... Emotion-lacking calm. "This is the..." He starts, quirking a head to the one-eye humanoid. It nods in return. "I understand." And then he speaks now to the group. "Thank you for permitting me to manifest in this mode, however briefly. It is... Relieving." He takes a moment to breathe deeply, in and out. He seems to like existing like this. Rather a lot. "Now. I am here, primarily, to advise you about the Eye of Betrayal. Before I do, I will apologize for my behavior up until now. It was unconscionable. That is all I should spend much of this valuable time saying." He doesn't seem hung up on it, but the apology seems authentic. Contentment alongside remorse. It seems meant more generally than for anyone in particular.

    "Now, for the business at hand. Our primary concern is that the Causality Demon will return and cause harm similar to what it caused before. You will want to, in that case, remove its ability to use that power upon the real world." He looks to Psyber, seeming content and approving of that idea. "Psyber. I think your interests will be best served by trying to break down what potential threats it can pose, and distributing them. Violence here, destroying the pieces... I feel like it only introduces more pain where none is necessary. Separating the parts into multiple places, people, contexts, this seems like the safest, least painful way to handle things."

    "The Eye of Betrayal is already ashes from its own perspective, simply a sort of death where speaking and existing in certain ways that linearity can handle continues. There is nothing lost by scattering its ashes with respect, even if they caused me a great deal of pain in other temporal context." He nods, deeply. He seems... Content. At ease with the previous wounding, while being aware of it. This particular outcome of Nathan Hall's healing seems to be at peace with the things that happened. There's an odd noise at the entrance of the arena of combat here. Like walking, maybe...? Tough to catch it when Nathan's speaking though. Is there someone else here?
Setsuko Kaminagi     "...why..."

    It's a faint, feeble sound. Setsuko's eyes are open, but only just, and she doesn't even have the strength to move her head; even talking is an effort. But she apparently feels it important. "...heard 'what'... heard 'how'... but... not /why/." Her fingers weakly curl. "...Demon... you want... to exist... in linear time. Like... like us. Enough... to risk not... existing at all. To... cut deals... that are bad for you. /Why/... want it so badly?"
Guest Psyber     Psyber lifts his head and looks over as Setsuko speaks. He lifts an eyebrow and looks to the demon.
Eleanor Lamb     Eleanor's... the smug is wilting out of her as she asserts proper control over this Memory, and shoves the others clamoring for attention out of the forefront of her mind. Something about holdign this sword is helping. Something... it's Right to be Holding This Blade. There's something anchoring about it, and as Setsuko's words lift up into the air, she bites her lip. That was the big question.
Nathan Hall     The eye of the demon turns back to Setsuko. The head tilts and the question seems regarded as poorly understood. "The same reason you wish to exist. The same reason you deny all attempts to make you cease existing. A complex web of deep and intense personal motivations, obligations, ethical desires, and ambitions forms the impulse to Be. I can express few of these to linear thought. I will express one that is possible to understand."

    "What is outside 'EXISTING' causes 'MISERY'."
Nathan Hall     "My kind." There is a long moment that it stares at Psyber. It seems... Somber? "I wished to be with them. Of those who survived your brief 'NOT EXISTING', the majority sought to enter. We do not have names. Upon their 'DEATH' in various locations of your timeline, they have been named by the linear beings responsible for the death. 'The Teeth of Desolation', 'the Hand of Avarice', 'the Wings of Obsession', 'the Ichor of Contempt'. They attempted, are attempting, or will attempt to construct their Library at their point of contact, just as I did, at points where 'NOT EXISTING' happens."

    "When you turned against me, I began to take an action that can most accurately be approximated in your linear paradigm as 'screaming for help'. There was no response. I believe all others were, are, and will be rendered 'NOT EXISTING' as you do now. In all timelines that you do not choose to involve yourself in these Hunts, another group has or will resolve the matter."

    Sounds like that other group of Hunters was hard at work. Didn't they say this was the top dog for them? Must just be the only one that got out of their class.
Riva Banari Riva has been standing here listening since the appearance of Nathan. She has had a studied expression, the usual joviality no longer there. A shadow hangs under her ragged gaze as she watches the interplay, her eyes flickering as she watches behavior, expression, and posture, contsiders words, context. Not just what is being said but how. The demon has been busted down to the point where it's being forced to interact with others in a way that people can comprehend, through colossal effort and time.

And yet, Riva hasn't said anything yet. She is reserved. simply quietly watching.

Psyber makes his offer. Riva nods. "If that's what you're willing to accept, Psyber, I'll back you up."
Eleanor Lamb     Eleanor has remained quiet as well, fingers still gripping Zanjintou. That said, Nathan's... captor is being negoiated with. ELeanor's eyes flicker from Psyber back to the Demon and then over to Riva. She can see the worry in her friend's face, and matches it with a look of her own.

    Now's the time to see if they've been negotiating in good faith.
Kimiko Shinobu     Negotiations are neither Kimiko's strong point nor something she is particularly interested in doing with the Causality Demon. It is happening, and she is uncomfortably trusting others to work it out. 'While' this is happening, she is removing her armor (through the expedient method of desummoning it), and checking the burns covering a good quarter of her body. They should be incredibly painful, but she has, as never rarely mentioned aloud, a method of dealing with that. She certainly acts as if it's less important, overall, than watching Setsuko. That kind of power, that god-cutting strike, isn't something she's seen before. Worry is tempered with a more comfortable trust.

    "Safeguards are good. But that's a... mitigation of risk, not removal. Doesn't justify it. What can be promised--proven--to make this better than destruction of all possibility of betrayal? What," she asks of this Nathan Hall, "will make this worth any risk at all?"
Priscilla     The idea that they, or at least Priscilla herself, could be convinced to spare a life by an alien entity's grasp of ethics, so newly and loosely obtained as to be called childish, or that Psyber or Setsuko would settle for a likewise pale imitation of an understanding of objective and great or greater good, has already been rebuked with plenty of much deserved scorn. As utterly absurd as such a confidently bald-faced claim that the creature cannot be killed while negotiating is though, getting over her initial disbelief and petty urge just to stab the demon out of spite for being so cocksure, Priscilla is left with the annoying reality of the fact that they'd never quite figured out what killing it would precisely /do/ to Nathan, or how they might go about fixing it.

    The thing doesn't make its case well at first. She's thoroughly behind Psyber for the majority of the argument, slowly pulling ahead of him as he begins to see what sense there is behind its words after it has channeled a sufficient amount of Nathan's understanding as to sound less ridiculous and out of touch with reality, as ironic it may be. It is only begrudgingly that the weight releases from her metaphorical trigger, as she decides to control her impulses for the sake of the situation at hand, if only just slightly.

    "Understandeth that thou art offering us very little in exchange for thine life. We hath little to gain from trusting thee, and much to lose. As I wouldst personally wish to see that little done however, as a simple matter of certainty, then I shalt concur with compromise to even the scales by making certain we hath equally little to lose." She stamps the butt of her scythe against the surreality's floor, gesturing towards the demon. "I shalt do no such thing as foolish as to simply take thee on thine word that thou art 'dead' in whatever bizarre interpretation of the word thou ascribeth to. I will not believeth thine death hast transpired in any significant sense until I see thine soul for mineself. In that sense, mine own terms art very simple." That gesture turns demanding, as if indicating to someone to hand over something they've been dawdling about with for too long. "If thou failest to adhere to them, I shalt simply enact them by force."
Guest Psyber     Psyber listens very carefully to the causality demon and thinks over the matter. He seems to grit his teeth for a few moments before slowly letting his gun lower, "Very well. Here are my terms."

    "You will surrender your causal capabilities to me in a solidified form. Gemstone, fancy pocket watch, your choice. Not picky. But it will remove your influence, and your ability TO INFLUENCE, from Nathan's timeline." Psyber states the first term, "This will prevent you from playing a substantial threat against my friend in the future."

    Psyber listens as Priscilla says her piece. The half-angel nods his head slowly, "Very well then. Your 'soul', I don't know what your kind calls it, will be removed from cyclical reincarnation and kept under Priscilla's watchful eye. If you attempt to cause any more betrayal and misery, few could bring retribution upon you as quickly as her."

    "And finally, what remains after this is removed will be given to someone to watch over, to tend to as they see fit. This will be the form you are allowed to exist in linearity with," Psyber says firmly.

    "In this way, you will be allowed to enter linear time in a controlled setting with suitable failsafes in play that will allow you to experience existence but that also serve as a punishment for the actions you have taken to date."

    He eventually looks to Kimiko and explains to her, "The being does have one point. What makes this worth giving him even the slightest chance is that if he can create a more cohesive iteration of Nathan Hall, and one less damaged by the excision of the being, then that will benefit our attempts to help him recover. A loathesome agreement to enter into, but if it is willing to accept this level of itself being mitigated, it may be worth the exchange." Still, he gives Kimiko a look she can recognize as him clearly being unhappy about it altogether.
Mizuki     Something clicks for Shiori when she hears the entity's answer to Setsuko, something that calls her to take a more active role in the 'negotiation'. It isn't that the answer is surprising; rather, it's because that is exactly the reason she had been expecting. That is the single thing that links all living things in any time, place, or reality: the will to live, by any means necessary. Kalameet had it, once he experienced his first tastes of mortality; the demon has it, for no reason but to feed itself and repeat its own cycles; every human has it, out of some celestially-ordained law built in to them, to compel them to pass on their genetic information. But what underlies that, exactly? If that is common between all these forms of life, what makes them different? What key component diverges in the demon to make them something humans, things so similar to it in basic concept, can consider 'reprehensible'?

    Well of course, it's how they go about it. More than that, it's the fact that this particular entity has chosen a rather unfortunate host, one visible to a very particular group of individuals with a very particular set of skills that might be capable of destroying it where nothing else could. But what would satisfy this creature's desire to exist - to 'Be' as they had called it so many times before - if they cannot live without a host? If they cannot live without Nathan Hall? Surely there must be some way to tear it apart from him completely, to disassociate it from his timeline in favor of something else. Yes, it must be -possible-, but there must be some incentive for it to volunteer the possibility and the method. Surely.

    It's only after the entity responds to Psyber, though, that Shiori actually begins to take pity on it. She has said it before, thought it before failing that, but it did not necessarily -choose- parasitism as a means for its birth. It doesn't seem particularly remorseful, either, but nor do most animals if they are not fed, if they are not safe. Mizuki herself has said something similar to that effect before, even: It is the great privilege of those with power or resources to offer kindness to others. It is even greater a privilege for those who have covered their basic needs to feel sympathetic toward those who don't. In a way, this entity does not so much as possess the things -beneath- basic humans needs: it has yet to be born at all. Viewing things that way, can they, should they be blamed for what they are doing? Failing any human conditioning, is it even true 'evil' when one considers all the future atrocities it would commit if allowed to live, now?

    This is an absolutely ridiculous train of thought. Isn't it?

    No?

    Well, 'boundaries' exist for a reason -- people decide to condemn and hate certain viewpoints, certain people, certain organisms because there is absolutely no chance of their coexistence in any feasible, perceptible future. But what if she were to suggest that there -was- such a chance, would it change anything? Not likely. Not after it has already stubbed an emotional toe, broached communication with them in a manner so violent. Still, she would like to try. She has already done enough to draw the ire of the others in this group through her sarcasm, through stifling the personality of one close to them, so what's one more offense? Absolutely nothing.

    "Wait," Shiori says, gingerly waving her hands after Psyber and Priscilla make their respective 'offers'.
Mizuki     "I know, I know, I have done very little to earn your trust. I know all too well that my words will never be credible to any of you, and that is fine, but please. Regardless of what transpires now, this entity sits upon the gallows. It is condemned to certain death, and there is nothing further it can do to hinder you at present. Knowing that, is it not a 'basic human right', as you may have called it throughout history, for this entity to have 'representation'? Someone more adept in legal language -- or in this case, humanity generally -- to speak for it? There is no one else here who might earnestly be willing to advocate for them, is there? So if it please, I will act as the demon's 'Attorney'. I will give a counteroffer that is both less harsh toward the accused, and perhaps even safer for your lot. Now, if I may?" She gives a brief moment for objections before continuing.

    "It is my understanding that this entity is presently chained to Nathan Hall. It has not been asked whether the demon may, willfully and of its own accord, detach itself from Nathan and continue its present quasi-existence. So firstly, demon: is this feasible for you?" Whilst waiting for a response, she continues, "And if it is, here is my offer. It is my understanding that the Mizuki of this present has inherited my library. My library has access to infinities of stories, wrought in controlled environments, which the demon may observe so that it can in effect continue its bid to experience suffering, and in so doing eventually furnish itself genuine Being. This way, the demon may attain its goal by feeding off of entities that are not real, that can not feel pain. Perhaps the demon may develop more slowly this way, but I have come to doubt that they are at all concerned with how expediently they may achieve this goal, and the rest of you may well be glad to hear it will take longer. Correct?"

    "As a promise of my own, and as a foundation upon which to prove my intentions, Psyber and Priscilla may keep all the critical elements of the creature as he has proposed. I, however, will seal some measure of the demon in a reasonable conduit that will remain in the library, thereby granting it access to Silent Night's -- my library's -- archive. This conduit will tether it to the physical realm in the same way Nathan did before, although the elements that will satisfy the 'spiritual' facet of its existence will be stored separately: with the others. Then as it has been noted, the demon's need for 'strife' will be qualified by the books that will be in close proximity to it in the library."

    With a deep breath, an exhale, and a subsequent refolding of her arms behind her back, Shiori reaches her conclusion. "This is my proposal. I believe this would be the most fair alternative for all involved, and seeing as this option would not only -wholly divorce the demon from your friend-, but also satisfy their superficial needs, I believe there is less chance of the demon 're-emerging' some time in the future. They will simply have no drive to do so. So if you could not care less whether the demon is 'happy' with whatever we decide," She allows for a meaningful pause, "I can assure you that their relative satisfaction is still practically beneficial to all of you."
Nathan Hall     Nathan looks somberly at Kimiko. "...You are correct." He says, putting a hand to his chin. "There was a time that I thought that specific way. Better to destroy the vectors of betrayal than to risk it." He takes a rather unfamiliar tone. Or rather, the posture to Kimiko seems more like... The posture he had years, many years ago, and hasn't had for a long time. "It is possible that this being might try to do what it did to me again. But I do not desire to become someone who accepts killing as a solution for betrayal. And... If you do kill it entirely, that is what I will become. It is simply a matter of principle. Maybe it will happen again. I will not demand that you do so, but if you would, I will ask that you, as my allies and friends, help me shoulder any pain that comes of it, rather than take the route that is violence." And then he makes a helpless, plaintive noise, shrugging a bit. "But if you choose not to, I will hold no grudge. About that, anyway. Bitterly holding grudges is something I will probably continue doing for a while, in those cases."
Nathan Hall     Priscilla gets a weird crack of the neck from the being, as it looks up for her. The head's eye rotates around a bit before it fixes properly on her. "You wish to take the Life as it manifests in your world. The Strength of Action, the capacity to Exert Will upon the world. What I used to extend my influence into the spaces you infrequently entered." A long pause. There's a soft, distant noise, a dialtone.

    "Acceptable terms."

    The body of the humanoid flickers and jumps. The being's access to Kalameet's power grants it the ability to interact with the rules that govern the land of Lordran. It can provide the Soul it possesses. If Priscilla takes it, the flame itself will be... Extremely unusual. At all times, the dancing, flickering light forms the shape of an eye, ever-staring at Priscilla herself. It feels 'like' Kalameet, but lacks his strength. Instead, it seems to be a soul fueled entirely by the potential future of other souls. It will grow in power based on the potential future growth of other souls sent into it, but assimilating the power of the soul itself will be a one-use event. The Causality Demon seems... Less so, now. Running on a low tank, so to speak. It distinctly lacks some of itself now.
Eleanor Lamb     Eleanor sighs as people start divvying up the Demon into parts, looking around to Mizuki and Priscolla and Psyber in turn. Something... wary in her eyes as each of the three startto take piece of Not_nathan into themselves. "We're still not... hearing exactly what sort of Nathan we're getting back, you know."
    She lifts Zanjintou, and points it at the shade of Nathan. "This thing has been undermineing us at every turn. What if you're... if you're getting vital parts of Nathan and you can't put him back?"
Setsuko Kaminagi     When Eleanor lifts Zanjintou, her grip slips, apparently holding it in just the wrong way that the movement is enough to pull it from her fingers.

    Setsuko has finally managed to turn her head. She's staring from the floor, up at Eleanor. "...never... point a blade at someone... you do not intend... to use it on..." There is a faint note of chastisement in her voice. Aside from the general feebleness of it, anyway.
Eleanor Lamb     Oh, bother. Eleanor manages to snatch up the sword before it hits the ground, and puts the blade back at rest at her side.

    A mumbled apology, both to Setsuko and Zanjintou.
Nathan Hall     The Causality Demon looks to Nathan, and Nathan looks back to him. The tranquil look on Nathan's face takes a brief tone that can only really be described as ':I'. "If that is the necessity of your terms. As stated, I ask that it remain intact, however you choose to care for it."

    "I need to handle this next part." Nathan says. He steps forward, taking something from the Causality Demon, then he returns to Psyber. He hands him... a library card. It's simple, plain, rather unmarked in fact. "Please take good care of it, Psyber." It feels like maybe it carries some other potential too. 'The ability to affect Nathan Hall' seems very narrow. It might have other applications.
Riva Banari Riva shakes her head and keeps her arms folded as she watches the proceedings. "It's a demon of betrayal. It needs us to trust it, but betrayal only happens if you can break that trust. Psyber and Priscilla and the others are working to make sure that doesn't happen. And if we can all trust each other..." Riva shrugs. "Then there's nothing for the demon to feed on. Being paranoid is just as much a help to it as a hinderance."

Riva turns to look to Shiori, who's chosen to argue for the demon. "Be careful with that... Shiori." Riva comments dryly. "Don't feed it after midnight." She sighs for a moment, and rubs a temple. "Speaking of trust, why do you even care, Shiori? I don't understand why you'd want to allow this thing any kind of agency at all. This isn't a person. It doesn't think like a person and other than the basic need of wanting to exist and prolong and propagate that existence in whatever way it can, all it does is live to hurt people."
Nathan Hall     Shiori gets a rather somber look as well. "Your offer is what makes surrender worth the option." THe being says, straightforwardly. "However, I require that you understand something. I am still 'dead', and will be. What you hold and cultivate will be what I can approximate in linear terms as my 'child'. Little more."

    There is a very long pause here, where the being seems particularly contemplative. Like the decision to say what it says next will be important somehow. "Take good care of it." It eventually settles on that. "Your understanding of continuity is limited. It will be me, and it will also be my child. This is the way beings outside time function. What I become will be up to what you choose to feed." It looks to Riva, and then... Nods. "I am not 'real'. I am not 'a person'. I am not capable of having a goal beyond 'Be'. This is why I sought to devour the Library of Time." It gestures to Nathan. "Linears are capable of many other goals. I did not consume enough to understand mercy, only that this was the path to achieve it through."
Mizuki     There's something of a delay to Shiori's response to Riva, but when it comes, she looks back toward her somewhat. "Exactly," She says. "It is that specific contrast that makes them a worthy subject for observation. One can glean nothing about humanity if they constantly look to humans without some... black for humanity's white, yes?" Then she faces forward again, eyes fixed almost ominously on the demon's provided imprint of Nathan. "And it would be somewhat nice to have another... resonant consciousness flitting about the Quiet World. It would be awfully nice to have someone to share my misery. It's been an awfully long time since I've had any sort of extended conversation, least of all with another..." She pauses a moment. "With another 'parasite', as you so aptly called them."
Guest Psyber     Psyber answers Riva in regards to Shiori, "Because she can empathize with it. Not that she'll admit to it. You're forgetting that it has been a very long time since Shiori was anything close to a human. By this point, she is closer to its state of existence than she is to yours. Because of this, it piques her curiosity to observe another such being from an external standpoint," Psyber notes in a flat and bland tone.

    "Few beings exist in the Multiverse that offer her this chance, so even in a diminished capacity, she wishes to preserve the chance to watch her own growth from an external point of observation," Psyber says as the Library card is taken from Nathan and inspected. Of all places, Psyber puts it in his pocket for now.

    "Think of it as a far more narcissistic manifestation of Mizuki's fascination with observing the narratives of others."
Nathan Hall     Eleanor gets a curious look. "You perceive narrowly." The Eye of Betrayal says. "Why do you assume that you must make the choice now and have it be utterly permanent? I am timeless. If you desire, the un-healed timeline and the healed timeline may co-exist. For example, the former may be sealed into a seperate manifestation based on relevant restrictions for release. This would increase the survivability of the being you call 'Nathan Hall'. Other similar options are within my power. You may conceive any arrangement, and adjust your decisionmaking long after our agreement is completed."
Mizuki     Shiori is smiling.

    -- no, it isn't that bullshit-coy sort of smile that she's usually wearing. It's a -genuine smile-, and it's actually a bit creepy coming from her. Even moreso for those who listened in on the radio conversation, and who gleaned why the grin exists at all.

    "I will groom them as if their were my own kin," She says, "don't fret over that. Oh, and if my understanding is limited now, it will not be for long. Not too long. I will learn your ways, I will incorporate your understanding of the universe into mine. All that is must be known. All that is will be known. I and the world that will be thank you greatly for this contribution you have made to the future betterment of all sentient-sapient life, and I will see that you are rewarded accordingly."
Eleanor Lamb     Eleanor... okaty so she's not pointing the sword any more, but she's still grumpy about this. She can hear Riva's admonishment and the rather... ambiguous mesages being given to everyone else as the demon is being divvied up. All the piecesare in play now, and Eleanor grouses. "Yes, you bloody infuriating thing. /You/ are timeless. We are NOT. Nathan is NOT. When this is over with, you are going to cease to be. This whole bloody mess will CEASE TO BE. And then we are going to be on the OUTSIDE looking at what you've left of us of Nathan Hall. It's a little DIFFICULT to fix that once we don't have you in one go."
Mizuki     ... the bluster of Shiori's 'triumph', though, is interrupted by something. For the briefest of moments, her expression straightens and she looks back to Psyber. She bats her lashes a few times and stares. It's hard to tell why this occurs, but at the least one would garner that she looks... conflicted? Just a bit, perhaps.

    No matter. It doesn't last for very long before the smile returns, albeit in a form less manic than the one in which it had incarnated before.
Nathan Hall     The Causality Demon, most negotiations complete, turns back to Psyber. It seems... Very, very lesser for the troubles. What few bits of it remain after having core organs yanked out or denied existence seems hollowed out. "Then this negotiation is completed. I have sacrificed the ability to enact action upon your world and to enter your incarnation cycles, and relevant parts of my being. I have sacrificed the ability to interact with the timeline or physical form of the being you call Nathan Hall, or the Library of Time therein. I will not acquire the Library of Time or its similar essential temporal organs. I will experience 'DEATH' as your linearity defines it. 'Before' this occurs, I will enact 'HEALING' upon the timeline of 'Nathan Hall', to your specifications." It glances to Eleanor very briefly before turning back. "You may conceive any arrangement of healing in an atemporal sense, to address all concerns. In exchange, the 'SOUL' will not be disposed of, the 'LIBRARY CARD' will not be disposed of, and the 'CHILD' will continue to exist. If you choose for the Library of Time to remain in existence, sealed or otherwise, you will permit it to continue to exist."

    "I will be within the Maelstrom. The ivy will sustain this area for twenty four hours into your relative future, and that is the approximate window of time for the timeline of Nathan Hall to be altered. When you have determined which arrangements you wish to have for the healing, you can bring those terms to me." Looks like... The group doesn't need to decide tonight! They can just, uh, go and sleep on it. Talk it out. The Causality Demon will still be here.
Eleanor Lamb     And then it's done and... that happens and... Eleanor looks at the Not-Nathan and Maybe-Nathan and the rest of the group. Something... desperate in her eyes as she has that moment in front of everyone.

    And then shes moves back over to Setsuko to hand over Zanjintou... and just... tries to make her way out of the group as best she can. And not get stared at.
Mizuki     Shiori regards the demon again for a moment. "Hmm. If I leave... I will cease to exist. I will likely not surface again for some time. I could remain here such that I may be able to make contributions to this discussion myself, next time... or I could leave and allow my present self to take control again. Vexing, really. Though I suppose my present self would have much more to say on the subject of the specific person, and it would be awfully confusing for the child to meet me and then never see me again. Yes. I suppose I'll take this time to brief her rather than remain here, nervously awaiting renewed destruction. Really, as one who willfully committed the most total iteration of suicide imaginable so many eons ago you would think me less fragile. But, alas!" She's still smiling.

    "But," She says, folding her arms, making her expression faintly more serious, "if I am never to speak with you again, then as one parasite hanging upon death's door to another, it was... it was an interesting experience to meet you. Even if human sentiment is completely lost on you, I feel that I'm going to miss you, somewhat. So before I go, may I give you a gift of sorts? I said that you might begin to feel 'fear' if you internalized too much of Mister Hall, but there are other feelings, too. Much more pleasant ones. I would like to share with you the human feeling called 'happiness' before you leave us. Is that acceptable?" After a pause, she adds, "-- and no, I am afraid this is not a betrayal in the making, nor a trick. That is a gift I could only give you once, I am afraid."

    She holds out her hand then in offering. Should the demon take it, she will transfer the feeling to them.
Setsuko Kaminagi     By the time Eleanor brings Zanjintou back to its owner, she is capable of moving... barely. Her hand closing around the weapon's grip, at least, gives her enough energy to - with great effort - roll over onto her back. There she lies, panting quietly, before making the effort to re-sheath the sword.
Riva Banari Riva nods to the beast. The agreement is reached. They have 24 hurs to come up with the measure of a man and figure out what wounds should be healed.

What wounds even /can/ be healed. Or /should/.

"That makes sense, Psyber." The insight from the half-angel seems to click in her mind... And yet there is something else that causes Riva to turn. "Be careful about what you do here, Shiori. You're making arrangements on behalf of someone who isn't you. I know you're happy to get out and about for a change, but..." Riva shrugs. "If you do anything permanent to my friend, we're going to be having a talk."
Mizuki     "If there was anything I could do, 'Miss Banari', I would have done it already." She smiles. "But I should leave you with the parting thought that I am quite literally the larger half of what you might call Mizuki's 'soul'. Not only that, but I am also the sole reason why she exists as she does today. There is no Mizuki without me just as there was no Nathan without the demon. Just remember that for me, would you? Knowing that I'm thought of is such a sweet, sweet feeling. Humans experience that too, don't they?"
Riva Banari Riva scowls. "I see we're going to be having a lot of quality time together in the future, then."
Mizuki     Shiori narrows her eyes, slightly. "I quite agree with her: you -are- one of the interesting ones. Hmhmhm~." She ties her arms behind her back again, rocking in place. "I feel that I would actually enjoy such a chat. By all means! ... if you can find me, that is. I'm really rather obfuscated when I'm away in my manger. That -is- how that song used to go, isn't it?"
Nathan Hall     The Causality Demon is every bit as stoic as Nathan Hall himself is. It looks to Shiori with no human emotion. "It was interesting to make contact with you as well. I do not know what events would have occurred without your involvement in this temporal storm. I consider the involvement to be a great benefit. There are no positive reactions I experience that match the human cognizance paradigm. However, if given the choice between meeting you again and not doing so, I would choose the former."

    Well, that's indirect, but at least it vaguely communicates some mutual appreciation for Shiori. The being accepts the outstretched hand, and goes still as it experiences the sensation. It takes a long time for the being to respond. "I wonder why." The question is as unclear as the potential answer. "Thank you."
Riva Banari Riva looks profoundly unsatisfied with the exchange, but she says nothing else. Looks like she's willing to let Shiori have the last word for now. It would be really silly to get into an argument with someone who doesn't/did/will exist in a place that was/will be/has never/will always exist thanks to the efforts of a number of parallel timelines crashing together.

Riva rubs her temples again. Maybe this really is giving her a headache.
Mizuki     Shiori only smiles at the response she garners from the demon. "All that is must be known," She echoes. "And I will not forget you."
Priscilla     Despite dealing with Manus himself, the soul Priscilla receives from the causality demon, somewhat surprisingly given willingly, is strongly competing for the strangest she's ever held in her hands. She is of course immediately suspicious of the fact that the demon is willing to part with it so easily, but that doesn't really change her awareness of the fact that it won't be doing much without it, even if it wanted to. On this particular subject, she'd be able to tell deliberate duplicity or forgery on the instant. The thing is clasped inside her hand for the moment, waiting on a more sustainable place.

    For a moment, she almost wants to crack up at Psyber's dry dissection of Shiori's motives and her reflection on Mizuki, but ultimately feels that it would be unwarranted, especially here and now. Especially not with Eleanor's flat refusal to accept, or perhaps simple failure to fully understand, the utterly one-sided 'compromise' they have settled, for causing her so much grief. Instead, she decides to be productive, moving over to help Setsuko to her feet, doing the exact opposite of what she is essentially known for and coming directly to the aid of a divinity, even if it is just helping her stand and walk, casting aside a "Thou dost thineself no favours with such a comparison, Lady Shiori." She gestures to Riva, knowing exactly where this is probably headed. "I wouldst ill like to attempteth to make such decisions over Sir Hall's life, both already lived and yet to be lived, in such a current state. I side with Sir Psyber."
Setsuko Kaminagi     Bringing Setsuko to her feet would be surprisingly difficult for a person of ordinary strength. Six feet tall, with the slightly wiry build of a career martial artist who has trained for a mix of strength and speed, she weighs a fair bit more than she looks like she ought. And she herself lacks the superhuman strength she ordinarily uses, meaning that there's no help in it from the demigod herself. Fortunately, Priscilla is not a person of ordinary strength, so it's much less of an issue. But the weight, at least, is worthy of note.