The Farplane~

*As soon as Mana enters, she is presented with [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]. The group itself stands on a platform, far above any of the ethereal scenery before them*
Yuna: Ah...
*Yuna seems to pause for a moment*
Yuna: ...I always forget...
Paine: It's something, huh?
*Paine doesn't seem as interested*

Mana: *with wide eyes, she takes in the scenery* It's... beautiful, yet... very strange...

*Yuna nods, but she seems only barely connected to everyone else. Paine takes notice*
Paine: ...You wanna go try, Yuna?
*Yuna pops back into the realm of the living, metaphorically speaking, at Paine's prompt*
Yuna: Oh? No, no, we have a job to do-
Paine: Then go and scout for Seymour over there by yourself.
Yuna: -
Paine: We'll look over here. He's probably not up here, but it's worth checking anyways.
*Yuna glows appreciatively towards Paine's soft side, and she nods*
Yuna: O-okay.... thank you, Paine.
*Paine hums annoyedly and swats her away. Then she turns to Mana and Sugar, arms crossed*
Paine: Just give her a minute.

Mana: *nods distractedly, looking around the Farplane* Paine, do you know where I might find the Fayth?

*Paine shrugs*
Paine: Don't know. Try thinking about them. Maybe the pyreflies will call them for you, like the sent.
*Sugar opens her mouth to speak, but silences herself in timidity*

Mana: *doesn't seem to notice Sugar's hesitancy as she nods in response to Paine's advice* Alright. *closes her eyes and clasps her hands together as if she's praying*

*Pyreflies do begin to shimmer in front of her, though...*

: Hm hm hm hm hm... So... you've come, Summoner Mana....
*The pyreflies twist and bend, and her plea to the Aeons is turned instead into the familiar, blue-haired man that stood before her in the past*
Seymour: I am pleasantly surprised....
Sugar: S-Seymour!
*Seymour looks between Paine and Sugar*
Seymour: Ah... you've brought your friends... and I heard Lady Yuna was here as well....

Mana: *readies her wand defensively and glares at Seymour* Yeah, I'm here. And what have you been up to lately, Seymour?

*Seymour chuckles lightly to himself, almost giggling*
Seymour: I have merely been "preparing the decorations".
*He takes a single step back*
Seymour: You see... I have composed a proposition for you, since you have so adamantly denied my previous offer.... You are... aware of the nature of the Farplane, are you not?
*He pulls his frond of hair from his eyes, further revealing his ever-present smile*

Mana: *eyes narrow* It's supposedly well-known for distracting people, from my understanding...

*Seymour smirks, as if Mana's reaction were just what he was expecting*
Seymour: Oh, but it is so much more than simply a distraction....
*He takes another step back and raises his arms until they are both spread far apart at his sides*
Seymour: The Farplane is a realm of the dead... a true testament to the serenity with which death brings... for you see, anyone who truly accepts death will eventually find their way to this place.
*His smirk turns into a pungent grin and he steps to the side, revealing behind him a cluster of pyreflies that begin to take a vague shape. The form of a light pink cat with cerulean-coloured eyes fades into appearance, stepping down from non-existent steps and giving Mana a warm, motherly smile*
: ....Mana...

Mana: *gasps and takes a hesitant step backwards, reeling from the appearance of her passed mother* M... Mom...?

*She tilts her head in recognition of the title. Behind her, another cat, a navy colour with patches of white, wraps his arm around the first woman's back. Together, they seem to exude a certain happiness, though their smiles almost see right through Mana. Seymour somehow found his way to Mana's side, and, in an alluring manner, whispers into her ear*
Seymour: They seem... happy to see you... Are you?

Mana: *suddenly starts and unleashes a huge flare of energy around her to repel Seymour but controls it well enough that the energy would pass harmless through her friends and she begins to shake with anger* How dare you...

*Seymour almost floats as he's pushed back, and though the rush of energy did catch him off guard, his returned smirk shows that it wasn't entirely unexpected*
Seymour: Calm yourself, Summoner. Do you not see what I am offering you? I can give you back those who were taken wrongfully from you. Those people who you cared the most about. You can have them back.
Sugar: That's a lie!
*Sugar finally finds enough courage to bring her voice to an elevated squeaking*
Sugar: P-people in the Farplane... th-they can't come back no matter what! They aren't real!
*Seymour gives her an amused glance*
Seymour: Then explain myself.
Sugar: Y-you're an unsent. You rejected death for your own selfish needs!
Seymour: And yet, my mind is at it's utmost capacity, as I was in life~
Paine: So you were a jackass then too. Big deal. Any fiend can try to kill everyone.
Seymour: I am disappointed to hear you say this.
*He ignores both Sugar and Paine and turns to Mana*
Seymour: But you, Summoner Mana. Surely you must understand the unfairness of it all. Wouldn't you do anything to have back those who are most precious to you?

Mana: *although there's a strong conflict in her eyes, her fiery glare at Seymour doesn't dissipate* My family... have passed on. Death might be unfair, but it's not like life is any different at all. Crying about it has gotten me nowhere, and anything you have to offer is basically taking poison from a snake.

Paine: Snakes do offer the best poison...

*Seymour's eyes drop for a bit, but find their level again*
Seymour: I.... see.
*Seymour takes another step back, all the while putting his hands behind his back*
Seymour: I am dismayed by your choice. However, you will see things my way, soon enough.
*He turns to walk away, but pauses*
Seymour: When you have changed your mind, I shall be waiting deeper within~
*He waves his hand behind him, and continues on his way. The forms of Terra and Tempest block the path towards him, staring down the three girls with an expression nothing like the previous. They begin twisting their faces and bodies, horrifically contorting until horns and teeth sprout from terrifying locations, and they only barely resemble the parents they were a facsimile of to begin with. Sugar catches her breath in horror*

Paine: ...So they were fiends in the first place...
*Paine readies her sword*

Mana: *clenches her wand and glares at the now-turned fiends of her parents with teary eyes* That bastard is going to pay...

*Sugar responds very quickly*
Sugar: Mana-!
Paine: Not now. They're coming.
*One of the fiends lunges full-on towards Mana on all fours, a giant horn threatening to impale her. Paine attempts to defend, but is swept off by the other fiend, which uses its now-lengthy tail to whip her into Sugar*

Mana: *with a pained but livid expression, a spike of energy materializes from the ground and pierces the charging fiend right through its body while at the same time, another wave of energy cushions Sugar and Paine's fall and returns the favor for the other monster, flipping it on its back*

*The first fiend bursts into a large plume of pyreflies, and both Sugar and Paine land in a soft heap. The second fiend twists around until it's painfully contorted itself to its back. Its tail lashes out to Mana, using its hooked edge to try and harm her*

Mana: *without moving an inch, spirals of energy surround her and effortlessly stops the attack before they're sent flying outwards at the fiend, mercilessly slicing through its being*

*This fiend, too, breaks down into pyreflies and drifts away, leaving Mana alone with Paine and Sugar. Paine lets out a low whistle after composing herself*
Paine: Hn... with power like that, what do you need the aeons for?
*Sugar immediately runs to Mana and stops just a step before her, cautiously giving her space whilst inquisitively looking to her*
Sugar: ....Mana? Are you... okay?

Mana: *takes a shaky breath* Honestly... I feel like I just killed my parents...

*Sugar shakes her head vigorously*
Sugar: No.... it's not like that.
*She lowers her eyes with timidity*
Sugar: Ah...I mean... you know... those were fiends, just now... they weren't really your parents...