It's not the End of the Galaxy, but you can feel it from here

[prismphantom]

[And so the Balmarian Empire, feared for their power and the scope of their domain... were now homeless.  Their Spirit Emperor a coward who tried to have them all killed just so he could live, their Prime Minister a flawed revolutionary whose noble goals were mired by the lengths he had to go to for them, and their planet destroyed by a freak force of nature that their military might had been unable to stop because they'd been off fighting wars elsewhere until it was too late.  And the person in the best position to lead them?  A girl who had been meant to be a mere sacrifice.

[But they could start over.  The galaxy was a vast place, and conflict was starting to finally die down.  But in the wake of everything...]

... Why...

[-Something still feels off.  Like there's no reason to celebrate just yet.]

-It feels like I'm forgetting something.  Or something's trying to tell me I'm forgetting something...

It could just be exhaustion from the fight, Miss Selena.  We went through a lot... but with Spectra and Calico dead we've definitely more than earned a break!

You'd think that but I... I just don't know.

Comments

[a_linear_mind]

Hey, you doing alright?

[prismphantom]

Decent enough, considering everything. But just... restless. And I can't put my finger on why so that doesn't help the feeling at all.

[a_linear_mind]

Your subbot must not be doing a very good job if something is still worrying you.

[He taps Elma's forehead twice in a slightly mocking manner.]

[prismphantom]

Whaaaaat?!? I've been trying to help Selena stop worrying all of this time!

[The Subot flips up, appalled by Willis's blithe accusations, but Selena holds him back.]

... It's fine Elma, like you said, maybe I really am just tired.

[a_linear_mind]

It's just a joke Elma calm down, I thought you would know me better by now.

[He holds out both hands in order to defend himself from Elma before the Subbot if thankfully restrained.]

...maybe, but generally I think your intuition is usually pretty spot on.

[prismphantom]

Well, things have been getting turned on their head a lot, haven't they? And even a perfect clock ends up being wrong when the owner has to stop and wind it back up again.

Who knows? Maybe it's just I'm turning psychic. We haven't had anyone do that recently, have we?

[a_linear_mind]

Psychic no, considering to some of the people we have around here developing psychic powers would seem pretty normal.

[prismphantom]

All the more reason not to rule it out then.

And until the results get back, I'd just have to be prepared for anything, which just ended up being par for the course here for me.

I mean it started with encountering a dead man.

[a_linear_mind]

A lot of us wouldn't still be here if it wasn't for that dead man like it or not...

[star_of_sad]

I think it's just that... well. When something really dramatic happens, and all the tragedies of your life are finally over, but that closure won't bring what you lost back.

I know how that feels.

[Setsuko nods sadly.]

[prismphantom]

[But Selena shakes her head.]

If you're meaning Albhard and the rest... I knew Spectra's death wouldn't change that.

It's more now I'm feeling... anxious. More than I did before we went to Balmar.

[star_of_sad]

A very bad feeling... do you think our troubles with Balmarians aren't finished yet?

[prismphantom]

Their own problems aren't finished yet, I know at least that much.

The galaxy's quieting down finally but... they still need to find a home out there, somewhere. And they might need help... or worse yet get desparate.

[But then she smiles.]

No... Armana wouldn't let that happen.

[star_of_sad]

Hypothetically speaking... it is possible that some Balmarians still act against us, isn't it? It's not that they all will listen to Princess Armana. Even Ruach had people acting behind his back.

Sorry, it's probably not what was worrying you. I don't mean to add to the worries - and even if it happens, we'll just have to deal with it.

[majestic_keiki]

What kind of thing? Maybe one of the rest of us heard it and can remember.

[prismphantom]

That's just it... I can't put my finger on it. Ruach and Shiva's plans are stopped, and there shouldn't be any reason for worrying.

But the feeling's still there. The kind that makes you think you forgot something at home even if you checked and you're sure you didn't.

[majestic_keiki]

Apocalypsis is still a thing, we saw it on Balmar, and there is the whole issue of how Ruach had so much personal power. Not to mention the Zehirut, whatever it even is. Why did it need worship and sacrifices like that?