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Legion was waiting in the hallway outside for her when she stepped out of the little room the console was in. Its shoulders straightened when she emerged and he turned to her, flanges flexing in what she always construed as happiness, like a friend smiling when you came into a room, and she nodded a greeting. Quietly, the two turned and left while the Turian watched them idly, headed out into a wide sitting area under and beside some stairs. Under those stairs they found a small table and sat down, silent for a long time while both thought and waited for the other to speak.

"So, Legion." She finally started, pursing her lips anxiously and then sighing and smiling gently at her companion. "Are you… I don't suppose 'feeling better' applies in the same lens to you, but I will ask regardless. Are you feeling better?"

"We have been processing information and referencing your words for clarity." The machine answered, only adding when she frowned and made a clearly dissatisfied face at him. And a rather theatrical one, too, for his benefit and her convenience. "We believe that the most analogous term would be 'following our instincts'. There is evidence that is not conclusive, but we feel that there is something here."

"Something worth pursuing, then?" She asked, "Something that you believe is worth the effort, well and truly?"

"Affirmative."

"Even if it's… Uncomfortable?"

"Your question is a worrying one, and your tone implies… Tension." The machine's flanges flicked at the realization towards the end of its statement and it leaned forward, looking at her more closely for a long moment. Like it was analyzing her, in spite of her scowl at the realization. "You appear unharmed. Why are you stressed? Has your secret been-"

"N-No! They didn't find out about-" She blanched and turned in her seat, looking out for ears that could have heard what little the machine had said. When she saw nothing, though, she relaxed and settled into the cold metal seat. "No, Legion, nothing that was said involved my past."

"Oh." The machine 'blinked' again, flanges flicking and light dimming for a moment. "We were worried for you, when you seemed afraid. We are pleased to hear that all is well."

"It is! All is… Fine." Or as fine as things possibly could be, she supposed, given everything that had thus far happened. And presumably seemed about to happen, as well, given the mission on offer that she needed to relay to her friend. Smiling, she started to do just that, "Nothing is wrong, Legion, like I said. Everything is perfectly fine. However, they... Made you an offer."

"An offer of cooperation?" It asked hopefully.

"Yes, but one with caveats." She answered, grimacing lightly when the machine cocked his head to the side in question. "She's offering you information in exchange for a favor. She needs you to head out of the system and investigate a Reaper derelict that she says no one else will go to. She gave me this for you."

"We will examine the details. A moment, please." The machine nodded, taking the little bricke from her and slotting it into a small input between two of its hands. Only a moment passed before Legion stiffened suddenly and yanked the drive free, slamming it on the table with uncharacteristic anger. "We will not abandon you."

"But your mission-"

"Our mission is in part to further connections and understandings of organic beings in pursuit of peace and understanding." The machine noted simply and firmly, "Abandoning our companions at the first moment of need does not further this goal."

"You aren't abandoning me, Legion, you're just going on a mission I can't." When the machine didn't respond, she sighed and pursed her lips to think of another way to phrase it. It could be hard for her, sometimes, to convey an idea appropriately when someone didn't like it. Confrontations like that just weren't to her talents or tastes, sadly. "If you had to go into space to fix something, and left me behind in the ship, would that be abandoning me?"

"No."

"And if we parted in a mission, to cover more ground?"

"...No." The machine answered, realizing instantly what her point would be. "A parting on the field would not last more than a few hours. This will last weeks or months. The matters are vastly different, Pyrrha."

"I disagree." She noted simply, smiling thinly at the machine and speaking before he could, a single hand raised in a request for his silence. A request that, as always, the alien machine accepted readily, listening to her say her piece. "Your mission is to pursue a better future for your entire race, and find Shepard in an effort to do so. And mine, self-appointed or not, is to help that. Not hinder it."

"You are not hindering our mission." The machine said, voice tighter and higher than normal. A sign of his agitation, she supposed. "Our acceptance in Omega is due to your presence. Aria T'Loak was unwilling to allow us to stay for such durations before you came."

"Yes, but that is separate. Here, I can't go with you. It's dangerous for me, hazardous enough Liara was unwilling to give the information to us if I was going to come with you." Even if she wanted to go with Legion, she didn't want to hazard whatever the Old Machines could do to her. "Going with you, I could be indoctrinated. If you don't go, though, you will not receive information potentially vital to your overall endeavours."

"..." The machine said nothing for a long, long moment, instead staring at her silently. Weight what she'd said, she knew, waiting in her own silence while he did so. Finally, the machine spoke, "We do not wish to leave you, however. You are the only Organic to show friendliness to us, and we do not wish to part with that. It is too rare. We fear the loss of that."

"You're not losing me, Legion. Friends part ways for vast lengths of time, and do so often." It was like he was a child, nearly. He didn't understand how things worked yet, and she was willing to wager his entire species was the same. "Being apart isn't the end of things, though I'm sure it's a novel thing for your people. We'll still meet after, and we'll still be friends. But this is everything you are out here for, Legion, you have to do this."

"Your logic is undeniable." The machine murmured, seeming to resign itself to what it didn't like even as she'd been speaking. "And you are certain this will not impact our relations?"

"Of course not." She responded with an earnest, reassuring and simple smile. "And you can use this experience as an example, of organic relations and what comes of them. Time apart is normal."

"We will accept the request, then." The machine stood, stopping to retrieve the data-device as it did and gave her a nod. "You will be… Well, while we are gone? You… Your needs are met?"

"I will find work for Credits, but beyond that, I am fine." The machine's flanges flicked and she raised a hand, smiling. "I don't want any of yours, Legion. You will be needing them, and I can readily earn my own."

"You are certain?"

"I am sure someone on this station would enjoy a guard such as myself, and should worse match worse, I will pursue fighting." Omega had to have tournaments, after all. It was the perfect place for them. And if it didn't, she was sure Aria would love seeing her fight. "I'll talk to Aria for work that fits my… Tastes and talents."

Meaning, that weren't anything overtly evil, like drug running or something worse. Or fights to the death for mere amusement, for that matter, though she'd have that out with Aria T'Loak herself if it came to that.

"ExtraNet searches show doctors in the quarantine zone requesting Human medical attendants and bodyguards, citing plague immunity." It was worrying that such a plague was growing so rapidly on the station… The machine gave her a look after a moment and then nodded, "Doctor Mordin Solus is among them. We recommend working with him. He is a known quantity, and history searches validate him as a good candidate."

"That… Is not a poor idea." She decided, standing and giving him a somewhat bittersweet smile. "Farewell, Legion. I shall… Ask Vakarian for a ride and head to meet Mordin."

Hopefully, he wouldn't mind giving her a lift back, since she didn't fancy walking the whole way.

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"Thank you for the ride, Sidonis." She murmured for the tenth time that day, Sidonis chuckling almost nervously and shaking his head wryly at her words. The Turian was, oddly enough, seemingly a man of few words, but he'd been more than happy to give her a ride when she asked. "I know you said it was nothing, but I do appreciate the time and effort of doing it."

"Like I said, better to get you out of my hair." He shrugged as the sky-car came to a stop beside Afterlife. Turning and leaning over her, the Turian pointed a talon past a row of pipes and at two sealed doors with tired, dirty looking Omega citizens milling about around them. "One on the right, and hook a right past the corner. Tell the guard you're working for Solus. Garrus sent a message ahead for you, so you're expected."

"He did?"

"Yeah, he's… He's a big softy, really." The Turian's face seemed pinched at that, but he shrugged it off and waved a hand in her direction in a clear dismissal. Of both his own expression and her raised brow, she guessed. "Probably felt bad for shooting you, even if it didn't, well… Stick."

"A common problem for those like me." Though there were none in this realm, or world, or however one referred to it, the sentiment was true nonetheless. Stepping out onto the dark, firm concrete outside Afterlife. "Have a good-"

With a muted screech, the sky-car listed away and down, dipping out of sight and vanishing into Omega's bowels. Where he was headed so quickly or why he'd so rudely brushed her off even as friendly as they'd been, she hadn't the faintest idea, but she shrugged it off and turned to leave regardless. Whatever was the case, it really wasn't her business. And she was willing to wager he was off on some grand adventure or mission for Garrus and their band of apparent crime fighters.

Because apparently, Omega had those.

For a brief moment, so short it passed inside a single voice, she paused and felt her gaze drawn to the doors of Afterlife. One of the guards there, a Krogan with a thick helmet on, saw her and gave a nod of recognition. She was a known quantity, here in Afterlife, and especially so in her armor and carrying her weapons. She could go and offer her services to Aria for far more credits and influence than Mordin could possibly ever give her. Influence and credits that she and Legion could put to good use in the fight against the Old Machines. Whenever that started, at least, though Liara seemed to believe it would be soon.

Soon for an Asari could be centuries away, though.

"No sense thinking of what may be when you haven't yet dealt with what is, Pyrrha." She chided herself gently, offering a respectful nod to the Krogan and turning away, headed the direction Sidonis had pointed out. "One step at a time along the long march to success, as the old king once said."

It occurred to her that if the fable of the Sisters of the Seasons was true, then the fable of the Old Mountain Kings might be as well. And the King of Black sounded… Familiar.

"I would wager it does, and how kind of you to be thinking of me." She gasped at the voice, its breath brushing against her ear so intimately she flushed, and spun on her heel.

In the same motion Omega vanished, the old, grimy station interior replaced by bleak white and rock walls that closed around her and high over her. The god of Darkness chuckled at her holding her sword out towards him and she grimaced, lowering the weapon fearfully. He was larger than she remembered, and lounging on a throne that looked to be made of as much ash as solid rock. Overhead, the ash and rock looked like a cathedral, almost, albeit old looking, dilapidated and crumbling.

"M-My lord." Almost an after thought, she knelt, laying her weapons on the ground and watching the apathetic face of the ancient deity all the while. When he didn't speak she swallowed anxiously and asked, in a weak voice, "It is, um, it is good to see you."

"Oh how I wish you meant those words…" The being sighed and sounded… Morose, in a way that was shockingly surprising to her. Her brow furrowed and he shifted almost uncomfortably, avoiding meeting her eyes for a moment. Finally, he grunted, "Do you know why I wished to revive you?"

"You… Wanted the amusement in watching me fight and flounder." That had been his original statement, at least, though she wasn't sure that was the truth now that he asked. Or at least, now that he asked like that. "Is that… Not the reason why you saved me? Or-Or reincarnated me, maybe? I don't really know the right term for what you did in all honesty..."

"I would say I healed and moved you, since while you did die physically, I plucked your soul and body from your dying point and brought you before me." The deity helpfully offered in that same ever-present, ever aloof and snarky tone. In a way, he reminded her of Weiss, albeit much bigger and exceedingly more powerful and terrifying. "Frozen in time, I mended your wounds and sent you on your way."

"I see…" A more conventional form of rescue then, oddly enough considering the whole 'literal divine intervention' thing. "So… Why did you save me? Why give me this second chance?"

"...In the old days on the World, your Remnant, my brother and I lived apart from each other by design." The being began, sounding… Wistful, nearly, though at the same time sneering and dismissive. Like he was deriding his own beliefs and what he himself had done. "Each of us had different tastes for how we wished our homes to look. You have seen his, the trees and stretching oceans full of fish and the like. And this is mine."

"It… Is?"

"Of course it is! Why else would I dwell in a place with my power? I need not settle for second rate and not attempt to attain my beauty. I…" The deity cut himself off with a sigh and, suddenly enough she stiffened in fear, the deity stood and began to make its way towards her. And then past her, towards the door out of the strange cathedral, "It would be easier to show you, Nikos. Come."

"Y-Yes! I'm, ah, coming, Lord." She squeaked, standing and following behind the giant as he led her out, feeling like a child following a parent.

"Tell me what you see, girl." He said once they were outside, the chill air of the moon-like surroundings brushing against her gently.

"I see… I see nothing." She answered, and that was true to her eyes.

There was nothing around them save a stretching, bleak expanse of silvery-white land and bright, starry skies overhead. In the distance, a massive mountain stretched high into the sky, monolithic and powerful, and her eyes felt drawn up its sharp slopes to the apex. Beyond it, a gas planet sat, storms raging on its surface clear even to her where she stood, and spindled around the peak of the mountain.

"Do you like that view, Pyrrha?" The being asked quietly when he saw her looking and turned to kneel beside her. The woman could only nod, transfixed by the patterns of the storms, and the being chuckled. "Beauty through destruction and simplicity are what I enjoy. And you enjoy it too. You're doing it even now."

"I am…" And surprisingly, she was. The way the gas planet backlit and highlighted the mountain was surprisingly splendid, and seemed almost purposeful and tied to the bleakness around her. And that brought her to a realization. "You destroy to shape things, and install bleakness to draw the eye to features you create and their artistry."

"Precisely!" The being clapped like an excited child and rose, striding forward and spreading its arms as though to encompass the entirety of the mountain and the planet beyond. "Where my brothers fills to the brim his own ideals of beauty until they are mediocre and crushing to the senses, I prefer the bleak to allow the extraordinary to stand out. And I destroy them, inevitably, for the beauty of their destruction and impermanence."

"An immortal being that prizes the impermanence of things?" The god nodded and she blinked, surprised by the juxtaposition of the idea in her head. "I'd always supposed that one with infinite time would want that which matched their infinite time. Though I suspect that would grow old and stale at some point."

"Exactly! A wonder my brother lost touch so swiftly…" The deity sighed and shook himself then, and turned to the young woman with his terrifying grin. Or, well, it was a normal grin but his face made it frightening for virtue of how he was made. "You asked why I saved you, and the reason is simple. My brother always got all the worshippers, and even that wretched wraith he tethered to the world loves and obeys him. Yet not a soul ever honestly cared for me in the same way."

"You want me to… Worship you?"

"I want you to want to, yes." The being corrected, turning to head into the cathedral once more with the woman trailing unsurely behind him. As he walked, feet thundering on the stone of the ground and leaving imprints half the size of her own body. "I do not want to force it, though. I am not my brother, to lord over those beneath me and demand subservience."

"Your brother… Forced people to worship him?"

"Nothing so base and simple, I assure you." He waved her off and sat in his massive chair, the woman only meeting his shoulder while he was lounging. A disparity in size to match the one in power, she supposed. "My brother exchanged favors and granted wishes, the same as I was willing to. Unlike myself, though, he went first and offered them. And then required idolization to continue granting them."

"What kinds of... Favors?" She asked, feeling a bit… Off put by the idea, with that same typical undertow of suspicion she'd learned from Ozpin and been practicing with Aria and those like her. "That they couldn't keep from going to him, I mean. I'm assuming they couldn't, at least."

"Oh, ha, no they could not. They very, very definitely could not, and for a wide variety of reasons as well." The deity laughed again, the sound long and harsh as it echoed around them and out across the desolation. "One such favor was bringing rains to otherwise desolate regions. Another was causing fruits to seed more, well forgive me the pun, fruitfully than normal. Now picture what rescinding that gift would do to cities built upon that food."

"People would starve…"

"And that begot reverence, which then begot zealotry. Soon, those peoples who had never fallen to knees for him were warred against. Oh, my brother didn't order it, of course. But… Nor did he intervene." The god sighed and looked to the side then, out the window and at the space away to the other side from the mountain and the gas giant. "Soon, most of the world loved and worshipped him. For fear or not was never relevant."

"And you were alone, because you didn't push yourself on others." Pyrrha guessed, smiling grimly at his curt nod. "That is… Truly tragic."

"Like dying alone on a tower, saving a man who only knew your love for your farewell kiss?" She flinched and felt tears well up before suddenly, a shadow loomed over her. Gently, almost fearfully, the god of Darkness laid its hand on her head and rubbed it like a parent would a child. "Forgive me. I didn't mean you harm, little one."

"I… Figured not. You don't seem the, well, abusive type. In spite of… Everything." She didn't step away from him even if she felt a desire to, instinctual and deep within her. Where it came from, she wasn't sure, but it was always there. Nagging at the back of her mind. "Both our stories are tragic. Is that… Is that why you chose me? Instead of anyone else?"

"Perhaps, and perhaps not." The god chuckled, leaning back and sighing, its arms resting in his lap comfortably. "In truth, you were just… Convenient, I suppose is the way to say it. He agreed to my demands, and you were dying in the same moment. So fate fell into place and I plucked you from yours."

"I see…" And in truth, she did, and for the first time looked up at the being and saw what should have been impossible to even consider for a literal deity. "You're like me, then. Aren't you?"

"Hm?"

"Lonely." She clarified simply, sighing and taking a seat beside the throne, with her back resting against the cool stone of his seat. When he made no move to force her away, she relaxed and explained, "From a young age, I was forced onto a pedestal where no one could reach me, or speak to me without proper reverence and respect. And if none wished to approach me, I would not approach them and shatter their hope filled illusions of my grandeur. And so I stayed alone."

"In the same way that I was unwilling to foist myself onto others to gain what I desired, you did not force others to see you differently." Darkness nodded, a long finger drumming on his chin while he leaned on his palm, watching her. "I… Suppose you are right, and we are more similar than I would have considered. Fate, maybe."

"Would a god be ruled by fate?"

"It would appear so, even if I don't care to think about it." The being shrugged, seemingly casting aside the conversation in a deep breath and sigh. "Regardless, my brother advised that I should tell you I wanted to earn your faith. And to give you something to pave the way towards that."

"Give me something...?"

"Oh yes. Something from your own world and realm, and someone you ought to enjoy, from my observations of you." He snapped his fingers and a sound like thunder rumbled through the world around them. With it came a sound like shattering stone, and roaring fire, before the deity sighed contentedly and relaxed in his throne. "Oh, I love breaking the laws of reality… This is the second time I've gotten to do this."

"The second…" She stood and looked out across the cathedral, but didn't see anything but crumbling stone and old architecture. "What did you-"

"Salutations, friend Pyrrha!" An old, familiar voice called from her side, the woman rounding suddenly and stiffening at the innocent, smiling face that blinked up at her. Grinning wider, Penny bounced and clapped, "Oh it is so good to see you again! I had feared we would never speak again, friend Pyrrha!"

All Pyrrha managed to do was scream and flail.

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Espa's Message Zone of Messaging :

Hello everyone, this is the Mastermind that thought up this interesting story and pitched it to Twisted. I must say I am both surprised and happy at how popular this story has become. Those that have followed or subscribed to this story thank you for showing us that you enjoy the story.

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Dragoon :

What characters say and feel are not reflections of my opinions, or objective truth, but theirs. To some, Salem not mentioning speaking to Darkness' brother is enough for a lie. Also, why wouldn't Darkness care about pettiness? Genuinely curious, as it would shape the character.

Pyrrha's death literally precipitated the crippling of Cinder Fall and the destruction of Kevin, the Grimm Dragon, through Ruby, for instance. Victory is not what she accomplished, but that doesn't mean she accomplished nothing.

Thermidor 606 :

Thank you~!

Over Lad (Guest) :

Darkness is who he is. He likes monsters, blowing stuff up, and so on. He still wants love, though, as evidenced by his eagerness when Salem came to him. He wants these things, but doesn't understand how to go about getting them.

Japanese Optics :

Espa relayed your review to me and I will say to you what I said to him. I have them in view for MUCH longer, thus the added depth. Glad you are enjoying it though!