genessia | 007: And Then The Walls Fell Down [Action/Video]

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007: And Then The Walls Fell Down [Action/Video]

[Action]

[It was not difficult to notice that the bay had mysteriously disappeared, as he walked past it fairly regularly on his way to work. Normally, Zelos would avoid something odd like this entirely, dismissing it as too much effort to investigate, or just 'someone else's problem'. However...it looked harmless enough, and soon his curiosity got the better of him.

Wandering over to the where the old bay was, he slipped off his shoes and socks, pulled up his trousers past his knees, and headed into the cool water. He wasn't stupid enough to stray into the giant hole in the middle, of course, for now focusing on the small lights glittering around him.

Huh.

Tentatively, he reached into the water and scooped two of them into his hands to get a closer look. Before he could work out what they were, the two stars shattered, one after the other...]

[First Memory, Semi-open*]

A flurry of snow fell steadily past the windows of the Wilder mansion. Zelos - only a young child of 10 or so - bounced on the balls of his feet, staring up with wide eyes at the sky and across the city rooftops, the city square and the trees, all covered in a steadily growing blanket of white. Nothing like this had ever happened before.

Of course, when he finally tore his eyes away from the strange sight, the first person he ran to was his mother, racing past the family butler as he did so. To say the least, the friendly warnings of "Master Zelos, please do not race around the halls in such a manner..." were left entirely unheard by the excited child.

He found her drinking tea in the drawing room, dressed in an ornate, pale red gown fit for the noblewoman she was, long blonde hair done up in a tidy bun. She gave Zelos a tired look, a small, despairing sigh escaping her that he did not notice as he ran to her side, pestering his mother to come out and play in the snow with him.

To his absolute delight and surprise, she finally got to her feet, following her son as he dragged her as fast as he could into the gardens. Zelos was barely able to hide the bright smile filling his face and spring in his step.

The feeling of snow under his feet, the crunching sound that came with it, the little twinges of cold as the flakes melted onto his outstretched hands fascinated him. For a while, his mother just waited by the wide doorway, watching her son play with a bored disinterest. Eventually, though, she walked over to him and crouched down, starting to roll a large ball of snow. Zelos soon got the hint, starting on one of his own until it was big enough to make a snowman's head. Together, they carefully rolled the head onto the body, and Zelos gathered some twigs and stones to give it arms and a face, before standing on his tiptoes to drape his own scarf around it's shoulders.

But then, in a flash, the snowman fell apart. A deep red splatter hit what remained of it's body.

Zelos froze, only able to stare as his mother staggered from the spell's impact. She fell, grabbing onto her son's shoulder to try and support herself. The boy couldn't find his voice, his mouth just forming the word 'Mother' but no words escaped him. With her last, rasping breaths, she spoke to him for the last time:

"You should never have been born,"

Her hand slipped from his shoulder, and she fell to the ground. The snow around them slowly turned red with blood.

[*OOC: Because of how much of an impact this memory has on Zelos, I'd rather not too many people see it. If you're curious though and we haven't discussed it already, feel free to drop me a PM!]

[Second Memory, OPEN]

So, the group were getting ready to fight the angel Yggdrasil once and for all. Despite the tension and drive that filled the air that morning, Zelos felt strangely…empty. He released a long breath, that formed into mist in the cold air. He kept a bit of a distance from the others - just enough so that it wouldn't look suspicious. Knowing them, they'd assume he was mentally preparing himself for the fight.

Despite his efforts, though, Lloyd caught him as they prepared to leave town, brow furrowed as concern wrote itself into his usually kind and sure expresson.

"…Zelos, can I really trust you?"

That was it, then. Of all the people he hoped might, somehow learn to believe in him…in the end, it was all for nothing? Lloyd, the most forgiving, open-hearted person he'd ever met, even he couldn't bring himself to put his faith in him?

"What are you saying?" he replied, a fake smile and lighthearted tone easily slipping into place once again, "Of course you can trust me! I’m the type that responds to people’s trust."

"Really?" Lloyd still wasn't convinced? That only twisted the knife deeper. He really wasn't worthy of anyone's trust, he knew that.

"Really! Really, really, come on, let's go!" Zelos replied. He just wanted out of this talk.

Luckily, Lloyd was soon distracted by the others, and that gave him plenty of time to excuse himself. The journey to the Tower of Salvation was a quiet one, each member of the party lost in their respective thoughts. Soon enough… the massive building grew closer. Their journey was nearly over. Just as they ran to the entrance, it became apparent that the angels - winged beings with expressionless faces, armour and wings, were ready to get in their way. The lifeless beings kept coming, threatening to block both their route in and their route out.

"Lloyd! This way!" Huh. So Yuan had come to help them after all. Before the angels could make their strike, their former enemy ushered the small party into a secret passage.

"Why are you helping us?" Lloyd asked.

Yuan shrugged off the question, focusing on the path ahead. "Now that the truth about me is known to Yggdrasil, the only way left to save Martel is to work with you. Don’t think that I want to be your friend or anything."

Wow, talk about sour, but at least he was honest.

"You have a real negative attitude, you know that?" Lloyd said with a sigh, "Well, whatever. Thanks for helping us. Let’s go everyone!"

It wouldn't be long now. As Lloyd and Yuan chatted, Zelos hung at the back of the party, focusing on Colette. This shouldn't be too hard. At least he'd finally, finally get out of this nightmare.

[The betrayal, part 1]
[The betrayal, part 2 - if you want to skip the fight, jump to 8:15]

[Zelos staggered back, hand clasped over his mouth as all the colour drained from his face. For now, he just focused on swallowing back the nausea rising up his throat, he had to make sure he didn't throw up right in the middle of this place. Don't be sick. Don't be sick.

His other hand clutched at his stomach and his side, just to make sure the wounds hadn't somehow returned. It was all so painfully real. As if he was right there, fighting his former friends again, dying a second time.

And his mother...That memory was somehow worst of all.]

[Video, a few hours after the memory-sharing mess, OPEN]

[Zelos wouldn't normally give a PSA to help everyone else in town, but for now…he really didn't want to chance anyone else finding out about his history.

Those who had spoken to Zelos before might notice that he looked a little agitated - something he tried to mask with a bored expression.]

…Guys, quick word of advice. Might want to avoid where the Bay used to be. It's pulling some really screwy stuff right now.

[With the message out the way, the feed abruptly ends.]

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[Zelos isn't the only one checking out the Bay today.

Normally, Arietta prefers to keep her distance from people, living a nomadic life within the woods rather than find housing within the city itself. It's not necessarily her first choice of living arrangements- she doesn't want to be alone- but at the same time, she doesn't trust people; the two that she did are long gone.

Still, eventually, news of the missing Bay catches her attention, and curiously, cautiously, Arietta sets out to investigate, wanting to see for herself what's going on. The glittering stars in the water fascinate her, leading her to try to catch one for herself. Zelos' memory catches her offguard, though, and she drops the star with a startled yelp, confused as to the scene she had just witnessed. It isn't until she picks up another star that she begins to regret the decision- it's the memory of her duel with Anise, of her death (from ~15:31-21:20), playing for her as strongly and vividly as if it were happening all over again.

It's too much to handle. The emotions from both of the memories combined are completely overwhelming and upsetting for Arietta as she backs away from the water, unaware of the presence of anyone else in the area.]

Ion...!

[...what had she just witnessed? That poor boy. Tori knows what it's like to not be wanted by a parent, but that... that's even worse than what she's experienced, and she doesn't need the feelings the foreign memory has given her to tell her that.

Still, Tori feels like she's invaded someone's privacy, and unfortunately she has a pretty damn good idea of whose privacy that may have been.

It's a good thing that when she picks up two stars of her own, that invasion will be set up to be returned, isn't it? ...not for her, of course.

"...this is it," Satania says. "This has to be where he's hiding."

Tori looks around--for someone who's apparently been trying to lay low and send others to do his dirty work, this place is insanely extravagant. Almost like a palace, a place that definitely stuck out in this day and age. She's surprised that this place had been so well hidden.

The interior is just as fancy, gold decorations to be found everywhere one looks. She's impressed by how good it all looks, but still manages to be disgusted, remembering who this place belongs to.

Donovan Kairos. Aero of Wind. They're finally going to get to the bottom of this.

Their group consists of herself, Satania, Alade and the Parmalee triplets. Tori keeps close to Jeb, taking his hand and squeezing it. She can tell he's anxious. The six of them enter a large ballroom, a place just as beautiful as the rest of what they've seen so far. They don't get to enjoy it for too long, because Donovan is standing in the exact middle of the room.

"Ah, Flamma," he smiles pleasantly. "How good of you to bring Terare's reincarnations here."

"Please," Satania snorts, "They're not here for you."

That's all that gets to be said before Donovan calls forth his children--Thanatos and Andrite--to handle Alade, before engaging in battle with Satania. Tori manages to get the Parmalee triplets to a safe place to hide, watching the chaos in front of her.

Even against two people, Alade manages to overpower both Thanatos and Andrite, and even Satania has a good upperhand against Donovan eventually. He orders Thanatos and Andrite to retreat, looking over to Tori. He... he knew where they were hiding the entire time?

Their eyes meet. Tori narrows hers. She could never forgive him for hurting people close to her, she could never--

"I'm so glad she brought you here, Fragment."

...what?

No. No, she can't be the fragment that's been mentioned over and over all this time. She can't be a part of the man who's caused so much damage. That's why she's been denying it could be her up until this point. She's been able to, with it not being explicitly said. But now...

She can feel her stomach getting upset, and she resists the urge to get sick right then and there.

"Hm?" Donovan raises an eyebrow, looking over to Satania. "Did you really not tell her?"

What previously felt sick now just feels cold in Tori. Satania knew. Satania knew, and she never said anything.

She's barely aware of Alade and Satania fighting Donovan after that. She's barely aware of Jeb's arms wrapping around her in comfort. She's the fragment. She's part of the man who has caused so much trouble for the people she loves.

Eventually, Donovan is able to successfully gain the upperhand against Satania and Alade, using wind magic to blast them against the wall furthest away from them. Tori comes back to her senses then, and for a moment she's terrified that he'll come for her and the triplets, moreso them than herself.

He doesn't.

"The reincarnation process is a tricky thing," he says. "To think that Terare of Earth would be reborn as three individuals..."

The triplets. Terare, Jeb, Jebbi. Tori glares at Donovan, moving in front of all three protectively while ignoring Jebbi's claims that she could take this asshole on. This simply makes Donovan laugh.

"You believe you can protect them?" he asks, mockingly. "Please, Fragment. Flamma may be unwilling to tell you the truth, but I will. You're nothing but an inferior extension of myself, an incomplete soul I've been trying to wipe out for millennia. And yet, you continue to be reborn."

No. That isn't true. That isn't... can't...

"But this time, I will be successful. You may wish to simply give yourself up now. From the moment you were born, you were marked to die at an early age. Your life holds no purpose aside from me to end it. I will not allow you to see the day that would mark two decades of your life... and should you not come quietly, I will make sure everyone you care for suffers until you breathe your last breath."

She's unable to block any of this out. Her life hasn't meant anything? Never will? No, the bastard has to be lying. Has to be. She can still fight him. But what if he's right about making the people she cares about suffer? She already knows she can't fight him, so...

Fortunately, she doesn't get to make a choice. Satania and Alade not only manage to recover, but also to fight Donovan off. He escapes, leaving the six of them to deal with the aftermath.

Tori couldn't help but send a glare toward Satania. That woman... she's known all along. About the Parmalees, about her being the fragment, everything. And she put them in danger anyway. She withheld information from them... why?!

But that isn't what hurts the most, is it? It's the fact that she's the fragment. She's connected to the man who's caused so much hurt. It's her fault.

It's all her fault.

Tori holds herself, bending over slightly and allowing her hair to spill over her. A protective veil that doesn't truly protect her at all.

Damnit, she's gotten over this. She knows it's not her fault. It's Donovan's. It's Donovan's...

But reliving all of that has quickly taken its toll, and her legs are shaking so badly that she doesn't know if she can move without falling over. She can certainly relate to the concept of being someone who should never have been born, can't she...?]

Edited 2015-04-12 11:31 (UTC)

...What's happening at the Bay?

[Someone's out of the loop, as usual.]

Let's...just say it's causing people to see things that aren't really there.

[He doesn't want to explain this. Then again, he should've expected people to ask.]

Really? That's strange...

What are they seeing?

[It ought to be easy to come up with a cover story...or at least easy enough to fool her with it.]

[Zelos didn't even notice Arietta approach the bay. He was still reeling from his own memories, just focusing on trying not settle his stomach. Of course, that meant that soon enough he stumbled backward, stopping his fall but grabbing onto another star in the process.

This time, it's not one of his own memories.

Zelos didn't recognise the people he could see as he watched the duel play out before him, and a chill ran up his spine. That girl had to be near his little sister's age, and her red hair reminded him of her as well. Perhaps he just couldn't get his own past out of his mind, but watching his own death followed by that girl's? Where to even start handling that?

He didn't have time to think though, gasping and snapping from his thoughts as he heard Arietta call out that name from the memory. He'd seen her past? How was that possible?

Shakily, he approached her, voice coming out far smaller than he wanted: ]

Hey...

[He tries to make his reply sound as bored as possible. As if this was no big deal at all, but he spoke a little too quickly to entirely make that convincing.]

Weird stuff that doesn't make any sense.

... You know, people and creatures who aren't actually in Genessia, that sort of thing.

[Sadly, Zelos is a little shaken up from everything he saw, so the best he can manage right now is just being as vague as possible and hoping the problem goes away. ~~He's doing a poor job of it~~.]

Edited 2015-04-14 22:07 (UTC)

[Right now, Zelos was just trying to pull himself back to his senses after having his own memories come back to haunt him. Nightmares were one thing, but reliving it all over again was something else entirely. He felt those words sear themselves in his mind like they had so long ago when he was a child, reminding him that his life was a mistake.

He barely even realised someone else had entered the bay when his vision was suddenly assaulted by another memory. This time one he did not recognise - a small mercy, perhaps. But this wasn't a pleasant memory, either.

Fragment...born only to become a sacrifice? That sounded a little too much like the Chosen system back in his world for his liking. Heh. Someone's existence causing others to suffer? That was definitely a feeling he knew far, far too well. Tethe'alla was better now he'd died, wasn't it?

...But what about her? Was she still alive, in her world?

When the vision cleared, Zelos felt numb. Numb and sick and-- he saw Tori nearby, but right now, he didn't have the strength to do much. He managed to find his voice, even though it was shakier than he would've liked.]

...H-hey. Tori.

[She hears his voice, but she isn't sure she has it in her to even lift her head at the moment, not... not after what she had been forced to relive.

"I will make sure everyone you care for suffers until you breathe your last breath."

She's... done so well to not believe that anymore. That she isn't Donovan's fragment, that she's not the cause of everyone's pain. For the most part, anyway. It's been so easy, when Jeb's been there to reassure her and when she could find other ways to shove it down. She had even gotten better at not dwelling on it so much, but now--

It's all back. It's all back, and she feels like she's back at square one. Why, why...

Oh, right. She... she should probably reply to Zelos, right?]

...Zelos. [Her own voice is shaky, and she feels like she might throw up if she uses it much more than that. She does anyway, despite still not lifting her head.] Fancy... fancy running into you here, eh?

[...she had seen it. Zelos' betrayal, and the death that followed. A memory that felt like it had really been her own. She felt everything Zelos had felt, including the pain of his wounds and the sensation of death grasping and taking hold.

So... it is true, then. Colette's been spending her entire visit here hoping the events leading to her arrival here had just been a bad dream. That Zelos hadn't really betrayed them.

But even if it is true... Zelos is a good person. Colette still believes that. Through those memories, she had felt Zelos' pain, how hurt he felt when Lloyd hadn't trust him (but why hadn't Lloyd trusted him? That confuses Colette. It doesn't sound like Lloyd at all...), the despair Zelos felt throughout that entire battle.

And... there's also the fact that despite everything, Zelos had told Lloyd and there others where she was being taken. If Zelos had never been their friend--never been her friend, there would be no reason to have done that. He wouldn't have told them to save her.

But then... why had Zelos betrayed them to begin with? Why did he fight Lloyd and the others, only to lose his life?

"I was getting pretty sick of living anyway."

...he threw his life away.

Colette can't help but feel a little anger at that, as uncharacteristic for her as it is. Not really at him, but at herself. Ever since getting her soul back, she's wanted to make sure that no one else made the mistakes she did. And yet...

And yet, she let Zelos do exactly that. What kind of friend is she? What kind of Chosen is she? She has to make this right. She has to talk to Zelos.

And if she saw all of that... that means he's here, right? Just because she didn't see him at the bay doesn't mean he wasn't.

She gets her answer later, when Zelos makes a video addressing everyone in Genessia. It takes her a little while, but she manages to make a filter so they can have their privacy.

Please let it work...]

Ah... [For a few moments, she can't find her voice. Is it really right of her to do this? Zelos hadn't contacted her for a reason. ...no. She has to do this. She can't let Zelos suffer along like this. She isn't even considering that maybe he saw something of hers as well, she's so concerned for him. She finally manages to find her voice.] Zelos? Zelos, it's me, Colette. Please... we need to talk.

Edited 2015-04-14 23:00 (UTC)

[Dammit, he didn't want her - or anyone, really - seeing him this worked up. Unlike Tori, who'd at least managed to not believe that, Zelos had never quite managed. He always knew his Mother was right about him but right now it felt more raw than it had been for a long, long time.

He barely even let her reply sink in. He was so caught up in his own thoughts that he couldn't take in too much. His head was swimming he couldn't think.]

Yeah... weird huh...

Very weird...

[She still feels incredibly sick to her stomach. She should probably get out of here. Go home and take a nap, or sew, or talk to Jeb, or anything to get her mind off of both things she's just experienced. But her legs are still shaking to the point where she knows it's probably not a good idea to attempt walking.]

You know what else is weird? This thing I just experienced. [She needs to stop talking, especially when she feels like she's going to throw up. But she can't stop herself, it's like rambling the only thing that's keeping her from losing herself in both the memory that isn't her own and the memory that actually is.] Yeah, I just experienced the strangest thing...

[...Dammit. As soon as Zelos heard her voice over the communicator, he realised that in his panic to just get that message out the way and protect himself, he'd forgotten to lock her out of it, and thus revealed to the one person he was trying to avoid that he was here.

He couldn't just hang up on her, tempting as it was. What good would that even do? She knew he was here. Metaphorically putting his fingers in his ears and ignoring the issue wouldn't work...hell, if he just didn't respond, she could easily ask Genessia about him and hunt him down that way. He was cornered.

...Truth be told, though? What made him finally pick up his communicator to talk was that, just after he had seen his own memories play out before him, he'd seen it all over again. Their group getting ready to move out to the Tower of Salvation, Yuan helping them, all of it... but this time, it was through the eyes of Colette herself.

Her shock and denial as he handed her over to Pronyma. Her fear. Did she really see him as a good person, in all that...?

"It’s not true, is it? Please say that she’s lying…"]

...looks like I got careless, huh?

[Even though he had the feed set to video, all she'd get for the time being is a view of Zelos' ceiling. He didn't want her to see his face. The usual carefree act was completely gone from his voice. He just sounded tired.]

[Zelos glanced up at that. She experienced something. Weird. Did that mean she'd seen the same things he had? No...no, that's not possible, right? No way could she have seen into his past so easily. No way.]

You too...? Yeah...yeah, that's pretty odd...

[He couldn't bring himself to ask what she saw. Unlike her, Zelos could barely squeeze the words out. His usual, lighthearted mask had been shattered by those memories and without that, he couldn't even fathom how to talk to people fully. It was like part of him was still stuck in the mindset of that small, frightened child.]

...do you really feel that way?

[She couldn't blame him if he did. She's failed him, both as a fellow chosen and as a friend. She never even saw how much he'd been suffering...]

I'm sorry, Zelos.

[She says that all the time, doesn't she? She's constantly apologizing. But she always means it, and she means it even more now. She never meant for anything to happen the way she did. Zelos was--is--her friend. Certainly, things would have gone differently if she had just...]

It's okay if you don't want to see me. I just want to talk to you.

[She means it. She doesn't mind it if she has to look at the ceiling the entire time they talk. She just wants to talk to him. She wants to assure him that she doesn't blame him for what happen. She wants him to know that they're still friends. She wants him to know how sorry she is.]

Edited 2015-04-14 23:46 (UTC)

Yeah... they were like memories, I guess. Not just my own, but--

[...wait a second.

Finally, she manages to lift her head up. It takes a lot of effort, but hearing Zelos sound so shaken manages to get through to her.]

Forget about that. Are... you okay?

[A great question for someone who sounds like crap herself to ask, right?]

[It hurt, hearing her talk to him again after all this time. After spending so long trying to run away from anything and everything connected to his world, after disconnecting himself from that life completely and starting a new one here... he couldn't just ignore all of it with that painfully familiar voice talking to him again. Apologising like she always used to. Dammit... he squeezed his eyes shut, as if that would really help block out the voice.]

Pretty sure you've got that the wrong way around. I did hand you over to Cruxis, remember?

[What did she even want? He had no idea how much she'd seen. For all he knew, she could be contacting him because she saw his message to the whole of Genessia. There was a chance she hadn't seen his memories, after all?

Why did she want to talk to him?]

Edited 2015-04-15 00:00 (UTC)

Yes, I know... but that's because you didn't think any of us trusted you, isn't it?

[She wishes she knew why Lloyd didn't trust Zelos. She wished one of them had talked to her about it. But then... maybe she just should have noticed, herself. Why hadn't she?]

I... I should have noticed what you were really feeling. I'm sorry.

[Not just her own...? Wait, that means she really might have seen his... that couldn't be right.]

Wait...wait, wait, what'd...you see?

[There was a question directed at him somewhere in there wasn't there? "Are you okay?"

He was going to have a Hell of a time getting out of that one.]

...Dunno.

[An honest answer, for once.]

Yeah. Okay. ... You?

[Or not.]

[Damn. It hurt hearing her say that so bluntly, especially when that was the truth in the end. He'd failed to earn their trust, but more than that, it had proven to himself once and for all that he wasn't worth anyone's trust.]

...nah, I was just showing my true colours.

[By Zelos' standards, that was a poor lie.]

Truth be told, I was playing your group, Cruxis and the Renegades. I wanted to end up on the winning side.

[He wanted to die.]

Why...?

...please, Zelos. You don't need to lie to me anymore.

[She feels bad for pushing him like this, but she isn't doing him any favors if she lets him run from everything again.]

I... I went to the old bay today, and... I relived when you betrayed us. Both from my point of view... and yours. I felt what you felt, and...

Edited 2015-04-15 00:17 (UTC)

...do you or don't you know if you're okay?

[She'd be more annoyed at the indecisiveness if she weren't in a position where she'd be the same way. She sighs, shaking her head slowly.]

The memories that weren't mine... belonged to a child. A boy. At first he seemed so happy, but--

[Should she really be talking about this to Zelos? Just because she has a feeling of who this memory belongs to doesn't mean she's right.]

...sorry. These memories belong to someone else, after all. I probably shouldn't talk about them.

[So she could see through his lies? Damn, he was losing his touch. And right now...he didn't think he could lie to her again without digging himself deeper into a pit. Instead, he just ignored the point entirely.]

You too, huh...? Yeah, I pretty much saw all of it.

[She experienced how he felt, then? Those crushing feelings of despair and self-loathing and...wait. Did that mean she saw him die?]

...Guessing you saw what happened afterwards?

Yes. I know you told everyone to save me, and... I know you died.

[She doesn't understand how that can be. Zelos is talking to her right now, how could he have died? She still doesn't want to believe that part, just like she didn't want to believe that Zelos betrayed them in the first place.]

I know it wasn't mine to see... I'm sorry, Zelos.

Let's...go with the second one...

[Words. Yeah, that's words happening right? He can manage words.

...Dammit, that didn't narrow it down at all. There had to be something he could use to pinpoint it without ripping open a new wound, but did he want to? Or would he be happier just denying it?

The uncertainty made him feel more sick than he did already.]

...red snow, right?

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007: And Then The Walls Fell Down [Action/Video]

action; memory #2

[action]

[Video]

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action;

[Video]

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[video, filtered to everyone but Zelos]

[action]

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[video, filtered to Colette]

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[video, filtered to Zelos]

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[video, filtered to Colette]

[video, filtered to Zelos (and the first comment was supposed to say FROM everyone but zelos orz)]

[action]

[video, filtered to Colette (haha, no worries, I guessed that's what you meant ^^)]

[video, filtered to Zelos]

[action]

[video, filtered to Colette]

[video, filtered to Zelos]

[action]