Interplanetary * Cooperation [or] Domination *

[Fateful]

Nahul, the closest planet to their sun in this galaxy resided approximately two years from the galaxy containing Earth. The planet had four moons of varying sizes that circled the planet at different rates. The Brightness of the moons reflected light all over the various parts of the planet and made it so four large cities thrived.

The people rested when the moons shone light in the cities and woke each morning as the sun rose with warmth over the horizon. The planet's proximity to the sun made it incredibly tropical, where winter didn't exist in any hemisphere. During this time of year, they approached the closest position to the sun: the rainy season approached.

s the sun rose on this day, one prince had already been awake for an hour. He darted from his room and went to the much anticipated event this time of year, a month before the rains: an exam. An annual exam that tested the intelligence, strength, and endurance of those who were about to come into season. Their scores were ranked and it helped them to determine their stations in life, including who would follow and become the next king. The most intelligent always reigned as King, as strength of mind meant more than strength of body.

There were two current princes, both of whom were born kissed of Makneshi's fire, one with hair of red fire, and one of the rarest white. The younger of the two was most excited.

When Near finished the first two exams, it was a little passed mid-day. There had been a three hour exam, an hour physical test, and another hour of endurance. In the exam, Near had no doubt he had done well, but the physical test left him tired, and yet he still finished the test of endurance in reasonable time. Since his birth, he had been smaller and of less physical strength than the others. While he was not the most powerful of his people, he often found ways to make the challenges easier for himself, resulting in less physical strain. However, not all the tests could be completed with strength of mind.

So, exhausted, Near drank a decent amount of the pink water from the alters.

Behind him, a dark figure appeared. Long, dark fingers came around his shoulder and pulled him back from the alter.

Near gasped, liquid dripping down his chin. "Ryuuk!"

The head priest chuckled to himself, wiping the boy's face. "I heard you did well today. I have a gift for you."

The white haired boy looked surprised and allowed the high priest to wipe his face. "It's bad luck to accept a gift today."

"No, child, not for luck, for completing your examination and becoming an adult. Please, allow me to give you something since your dear mother cannot."

Near hesitated, and then nodded, as parents customarily gave gifts once exams had ended. "Alright. What is it?"

Ryuuk went to the main alter and gestured for the boy to follow. Once he did, he lifted an old wooden box and then took a large pendant with a green and blue stone from within it, both of which were light in color, the green stone matching the eyes of his older brother, and the other blue matching the color of his late mother. "This belonged to her." He stated, lifting the emulating nd placing it around his neck.

"When she was high priestess."

Near suddenly felt weak with the heavy amulet around his neck. "But, I won't be. You should give this to Matt."

Ryuuk shook his head. "She would want it for you, as she left another gift for Matt when he came of age two years ago." Matt had received the spear he now carried as his weapon, a gift his mother had made when the boy was just a toddler, knowing his strength would eventually lead him to fight with it.

Near nodded and ran his hands over the medallion. "It pricks me."

"Yes child, it will affix to your skin. The pain will fade once your skin has calloused. The medallion is heavy, this will stop it from bruising your neck or chest. Give it three days. If it still bothers you, bring it to me and I will examine you."

"Of course." Near studied the high priest he thought would never like him and hugged him. "Thank you!"

Ryuuk was surprised, and patted the young boy's back. "Thank Makneshi. Now off with you."

Near smiled and waved, running down the sacred 185 sacred steps to the ground and running into the woods to find his brother.

With the boy gone, Ryuuk turned back to the alter and began a ceremony to identity the darkness that approached them from beyond the heavens. Clad in black silks and chains, he lit fires around the temple with a snap of his fingers. When his vision ended, he ran to the palace, breaking open the doors to the throne room. Bowing, he walked to the throne and kneeled before his king, "My Tlatoani.I've experienced the disturbing vision." Looking up at the king, his scarred face (from a training accident as a child) twisted in what could be concern, "An army is approaching. One strong enough to kill us all. Their numbers are numerous. I see three who stand out from the res: one among them will steal the heart of the prince, a second offers salvation, and a third will burn in flames and be reborn!" He bowed once more.

"Sacrifices must be prepared, and Makneshi has shown me.. she has shown me the face of one. She has shown me the face of a prince." He looked down at the beautiful carved and shined floors. "The most favored of us all."


.//.

Nearly twenty-five years prior, the same test had been issued for another generation, for another king with what was considered to be the greatest mind in their history.

Everyone teased and joked when L entered, laughing, for as intelligent as he was, no one truly believed he would be a great king. Secretly, they all prayed he would fail, that he would get something wrong so that Light would become King, so that the people-oriented and crowd pleasing Light would reign as their king. Secretly, however, they also knew that L would come out on top, as he always did, the superior mind between the dup who fought their entire lives for this privilege, to serve their people.

[otakulady89]

((The World Building Doc

Servant of the people. Ruler of all. The Great King who brings together the cities during the rains. Light had bit at the reigns to get at this title. His path to it long and crooked and heartbreaking, and now he sat on the throne. As such, he was of course, privy to all the hardest choices the kingdoms, the Cities had to offer. Starve one city, to save another wood? Mend one Cities' nets in exchange for not enough labor on the harvest of another? Normally the regular city kings, the Ch'totchin, could handle day to day running, and could even be trusted to leave Light out of most of the humdrum of ruling.

He did not regret his path to the throne. He would never regret. And he certainly couldn't be said to shirk his duties. When his High Priest, his Maktoani, came to him with discussions of sacrifices, he would do what was necessary. The Lady who Shines gave him his place in the world, his intelligence, his strength, and he was not about to deny her her due. As the sun rose in the sky so to did their Goddess, giving her life each day to give them warmth. The end of the day was her death, and the dawn her rebirth, and all she asked was blood spilled to give life, the way blood spills from a woman's body when she is mature enough to give birth.

"A sacrifice... And you are certain that the one you saw was my Near?" The most favored prince... One could say that. Although Near's position was tentative, fraught with worries over health and welness. He was Light's favorite, the only child of his that had the dark and loving eyes of his beloved. He was the goddess' favorite evidenced by the blinding white of his hair, as of the brightest star. He was the people's favorite, adored and coddled as a child would be, despite now, on this day, finally being old enough to join adult society.

It should be a day of celebration, and all Light could feel was dread. They should be preparing a feast and awaiting the test results. He should have his sons at hand, to crow over and be proud of. This should be a day for discussing Near's future, for finding him work and determining what he would live as now. This should have been a day of days.

"...If I must, I will prepare my son... You prepare the alter." He ordered, turning to face the bright dawning sun, as it flooded the lilac sky. His sillouhette was hunched, steely, in his resolve. Matt would hate him for this. Light couldn't blame him.

.//.

"There you are!" Matt crowed, swinging a heavy arm around Near's shoulder, and almost knocking him over. The clinking of metal and jewels brought his attention to the medallion swinging at his brother's chest. "Oh... That's new. A gift?" He asked, mild curiosity tinging his voice as he tapped a finger against the gorgeous peice. "Ah, anyway, not important." He swiped his crimson hair from his face, thinking it a bit too long. He'd tied some of it to the side with some bright green-and-yellow string, to keep it in place, but it wasn't working too well. "How do you think you did?"

The intelligence test was the single most important test of a person's life. There was only one retake, and that was when one hit twenty five years of age, although there was precident for a retake at the age of 150 years. But that had only happened once in history, as far as Matt knew, and even that might just have been legend. He himself had scored 297 on a scale of 300. It was the third highest in history, just under Light's own score, and he was relatively sure it shooed him in to be king. Although... To be honest, he would have preferred the life of a priest. Other than devotion to the goddess, participation and leadership in prayers and festivals, and a few other minor duties, priests did very little. A cooshy job for someone who wanted a hassle-free life.

His own dress was much less fancy, despite being next in line for the throne. He wore a simple white wrap around his middrif, tied up so that as much of his legs as possible were free, and a drape of beaded brown-and-white cloth covered his entire chest and arms. He weighted it down with beaded-and-jeweled necklaces that clanked and clicked as he moved. Wrapped around him with a beaded string was the spear his mother had made. That beautiful mother with her golden hair and her blue eyes, who had seemed so strange before her death... She had made him a spear with a vibrant ruby tip, hewn and sharpened to a pin-fine-point, to shear and tear through the flesh of prey and predator alike. From his ears dangled the only really off-putting things on him, two perfectly round blue sapphires, set on wires of gold. Off-putting because his mother's color had been gold, and his father's ruby. Sapphire had been the color of the old king, of the king just before Light.

He smiled leaning against his brother and slowly meandering their way through the sleepy morning traffic. "We should celebrate. No matter how you did, you're an adult now! That means so much, brother, you have no idea! And with the Torrixta coming up, if we don't celebrate now, it'll get all wrapped up in the festiviities!" And that would just be a crying shame.

.//.

Nearly twenty-five years prior, the same test had been issued to another generation. And another two boys took it, scoring one right after the other. It came about much the same way everyone had predicted. L scored first, with a perfect 300. Light was behind him by only one point. 299. Rage seethed in Light that day, but as he was assigned the position of King's Hand, of Tinnocht, he could only think that he was proud of L.

They had a complicated relationship. Had for years. And now, it was made worse by the Sunless Orphan being named King-to-be. Others jeered and mocked, and Light, who had always lost himself in what others thought of him, jeered and mocked the man he would be working closely beside the entire time. A privelage to serve their people. His loss, to serve L.

[Fateful]

Ryuuk lowered his head in a bow this time so his disfigured face did not face his Tlatoani. "I apologize... but Near has a distinct face, aura and features. You know how difficult it would be to confuse him with another." Part of this was because of the boy's stunted growth, because he had never grown as large as his father and brother, perhaps due to the fact he was born so small and too early. Most assumed he would not survive, and many believed he should have been immediately sacrificed back to the Goddess.

And Misa begged for her son to live, despite her weakness and the condition following the birth. She barely survived the week, but lived long enough to know her son would live, but never discovered why before her passing. They prayed her next life would be more peaceful than this one.

"I assure you, I am sure that it is Near. She wishes for her favorite to return to her rays."

At the announcement of the preparation, he nodded, and started the ritual to have everything properly cleaned and arranged. Also, he looked through who would be the best suited to sacrifice the young prince. Surely, not the older prince, even though Ryuuk thought it would be good for Matt to experience such a loss. However, the elder prince was full of fire, defiance, even, and he would refuse. He would hide Near away and avoid the entire thing. So Ryuuk selected another, an experienced other priest, that showed glee in the honor to kill a prince. He actually told Ryuuk, it would be better to take NEar's life before his results came back.

.//.

Near touched the gracious gift around his neck and smiled, about to launch into the story when his brother entirely changed the subject. He made a face to show his soured mood, but didn't say anything to revert the subject back to the gift the high priest blessed him with and where it came from. perhaps when his fate was revealed, it would be something just as incredible as his father or brother. Somehow, it was expected that at least one of them would become Tlatoani one day.

"I think I did incredible!" Near stated with a grin. "I think I got at least as good as you, perhaps better!" This was mostly to tease his brother an he hugged him as the two of them started to walk toward the forest. "What do you want to do to celebrate?" Matt often had the most intrinsic ways of doing something, the best ideas which often ended in danger in some way. He wondered what his brother would propose and found himself excited at the prospect of running off to partake in whatever shenanigans his brother deemed worthy of today.

"What did you do?" The white haired boy finally asked. "When you finished your test, what was the first thing you did?"

It would be a shame to get swept into the Torrixta without a proper celebration, even if it was just something between the two of them.

[otakulady89]

Even as guards searched the twisted maze of the city's streets for the errant prince, priests spilled from the temple, four or five at a time, crimson ribbons winding down the steps and across rooftops. The minimal celebration necessary to sacrifice a life, the minimal decoration necessary for this great rite. Evergreen boughs brought from storage and folded, woven into circles, bedecked with crimson bows. Housewives dusted their doorways and entrances with ashes from the fire, a sacred invitation for the Lady who Shines to enter their home on this holy day.

It was rare, rarer than the blue moon, that Makneshi would demand a sacrifice. Always something specific about the sacrifice was named. A hair color, eye color, a birthmark or deformity. After, a suitable sacrifice was found, and bled before the goddess on her sacred alter. No matter who the sacrifice was, pauper, prisoner, prince, they were treated as royalty, bathed and dressed in the finest clothes, given the finest in meals, and allowed one dear one to stay with them by their side through the ritual. This person was sacred, and revered, for being allowed to go back to Makneshi's arms, where she might craft a better life for their next coming.

No one, as yet, knew who the sacrifice was, so did not stop the princes as Matt led him out of the city gates and towards the woods. Held at bay by the fourty-foot high walls, built of stone and mortar, the forest was old, and deep, and never silent. "Toitois!" He crowed, bare feet barely disturbing the grass beneath them. "We're going to stalk some Toitois until they lead us to some good fruit. We'll bring it back and have a little party in your room!" He declared, grinning. "It'll be fun, don't you think?" Toitoi were known for being hoarders of fruit, and capable of coaxing to bloom an out-of-season fruit. He couldn't wait to see what they gave him this time.

The trec through the forest was undoubtedly the best part of his day. Matt never felt fully at home in the city anyway. He preferred the branches of the trees, the swing of the vines. The test of his mettle against something four times his size, and the victory that came afterwards. Nothing comforted him as much as that, except perhaps for a nap. However, no matter where you were in the surrounding forest, so long as you weren't beneath the water, you could hear the city's bells. rung four times a day, six am, noon, six pm, midnight, the bells were a way of making sure everyone in the city knew what time it was, so that no one had to spend the extra money on a clock, unless they wanted to. Matt LIVED by those bells.

[Fateful]

The preparations went mostly unnoticed by the princes and most people until the red banners streamed from the temple, down the sacred stairs, a symbol of the blood that would spill and the honor that went down the 185 stairs. Of course, the blood of the sacrificed was gathered and no longer trailed down the gold stairs, but the symbol remained.

As the young men left the city, the billowing red silks were visible, and Near found himself wondering why he felt strangely dizzy all of a sudden. He shook the thought and followed after his brother. The two took off at a run into the woods. "Hey!" He called, trying to keep up with the long, muscular legs of his brother. Two of Near's strides equaled barely one of Matt's. And with the physical exertion he went through this morning in addition to his heavy new jewelry, Near found himself struggling. Sympathetic as always however, Matt slowed to allow his brother to keep up. With teasing words and encouragement, they stalked a female toitois until two males joined her. This was the best time to encounter them, as males would only reveal their hoarded fruit to females.

The whiteness giggled from the tree tops as both males forced fruits into season to impress her. The stronger and more fertile the Toitois, the sweeter fruit he could force into season. Normally they could only do one or two fruits at a time. These males were both powerful, but the female eventually chose one and trotted with him back to his thicket, which was filled with a wide assortment of sweet fruits.

Near saw a few of his favorites and glanced to his brother, pleased, excitement evident in his dark eyes. He gestured to Matt's favorite, Silver Speckled Boubous, a large silver fruit that resembled their largest moon. It had an incredibly sweet flavor. It was deceptive however, as the peel was silver, but the inner part, the sweet, incredible fruit was a deep red, rivaling Matt's hair. IT was said to be the symbol of inner strength and valor. A favorable favorite.

The assortment was incredible and almost unseen, as there were fruits from all over the planet laid out before them: Horsetail Swine Harlequin, Bolean Spotted Black Cherry, Thin-Leaved Pudina Windroot, even the coveted, Rum Black Touch-Me-Not. Near pulled one of the branches on the thicket and sent a rock flying. The male stampeded out to protect his female. Eating this fruit would, ideally, bring her into season since he had collected it. Since she was not in season, she would also be a good meal to bring home.

"We should take her for the festival, to honor the sacrifice." Near pulled a knife from a leather pouch attached to his clothing, behind his back, just above his hip. The ceramic blade was a stunning gold with small sapphires in the handle, a gift from their father. Since Matt was already of age, Near took the honor before his brother even had a shot, killing the female and tying her limbs to drag back with them. As princes, they were expected to honor and sacrifice as well. If only they knew what awaited as the two walked back, eating a variety of fruits, carrying the limp Toitois female.

[otakulady89]

"I suppose that'd be the best use for her. Toitois have been getting pretty numerous recently..." Matt commented, his eyes on the branches and leaves around them. Some of them had signs of passing beasts, probably migrating to their floodless homes for the rainy seasons. The dark clouds that had been gathering for days overhead were still streaky enough to see the sun passing by. She was nearing the end of her life today, brilliant red and just touching the edge of the canopy. "We should hurry, though. The sun will set soon, and I've heard the shinigami started their migrations earlier this season."

He reached out a hand, snagging a branch and pulling himself up. He held out a hand to Near as a boost into the treelimbs, and then got them going. The tiny ecosystems living on the branches were disturbed, tiny frogs flying off into the lower reaches, and insects buzzing in disturbance, but it was far faster. They arrived home in half the time it would normally take.

.//.

"Are you certain? Check it again." A voice demanded, and the bridge of the ship swarmed. More people than had been in here since it's day of departure were crammed into the electronic walls, some seated, others standing, all agape and awed. The screen before them, large and almost windshield like (Although it was really just a screen with the outboard camera's pictures projected upon it) displayed a beautiful planet, something almost like a cats-eye-marble made of ametrine.

"Results are the same, captain. The atmosphere tests positive for all nutrients. We'd have to double check by getting a real sample, but..." The woman tending the computer looked back over her shoulder, her blue eyes bright and excited in a face lined with wrinkles. "It's promising. Very, very promising."

"Get us closer. close enough to take a sample." The captain's order was met with a flurry of movement, some rushing to obey, others scrambling about the ship to tell the news to everyone aboard. News reached the 'ponics bay late, as always, and a blue-eyed man, son of the woman before, stared in awe. Was this it? Was this... really the opportunity that everyone, generations, had spent searching for? Finally. A planet they might call home.

.///.

Home teemed all around them. The night-time-festival before the sacrifice, quick stalls set up to share abundant goods, dances on street corners to celebrate the returning of this life. Matt laughed and joined one of the circles for a few seconds, twirling and then rejoining Near. "I wonder what disaster the priests hope to avoid with this sacrifice? ...You don't think one of the births ended tragically..." It was possible, sometimes, for that to happen, and usually, the child was sent to join the mother, and the Lady who Shines, posthaste.

[Fateful]

The ship drew closer to the planet and launched a small capsule that landed, incidentally in the water. It was a failed way to collect a sample. Annoyance led them to find the genius who designed the ship. He had been eating, instead of fixing a small repair on the combat deck of the ship - a break - he called it. However, no one knew more of the ship, so he was an essential.

Lawliet was lead to the control room and looked around at the numerous projections and holograms of the planet they approached. Details of the planet populated and text lined one screen. "Huh..." L approached a screen, analyzing the planet. IT was a like Earth in water content, surprisingly. "What is this?" He asked, seeing the darkness take root on the planet, casting the deck in the same darkness as the sun finally pulled back.

"Your pod failed." Ivan demanded, bringing up a report. "It crashed into the water and got no viable information before it imploded."

"My coordinations vary from planet to planet. Why didn't you call me to reprogram it?"

Ivan growled in annoyance. "Send another. Correctly, this time!"

.//.

When the boys reentered the city, laughing and joking, dark approached. People offered them small trinkets. Near offered some of the fruit they gathered in gratitude. "That's a good question. Maybe it's for the good season we had? IT's always good to be preemptive about good fortune and harvests." They approached the stairs and ascended toward the temple. Once at the top, Near caught sight of their father, dressed in incredible gods and fine red silks. "Father!" He called, running to where his father had their back toward them.

Near reached his father and hugged him, smiling and looking up at the beloved Tlatoani. "F-father?" He asked, hesitating. A look in those melting caramel eyes confused Near and he stepped away, believing he'd done something wrong.

.//.

After some short reprogramming, L sent out another ship to test the soils and air. However, like before, the ship spiraled out of control and crashed into the planet without accurately accomplishing it's programming. This brought a look of shock to LAwliet's face.

"Idiot!" Ivan yelled. "Mello, fix this!"

Mello started to program another drop ship, only to have Lawliet grab his arm.

"No. This planet isn't stable. The gravity is too aggressive, it might crush us. We have to pull away from the planet. This one isn't inhabitable."

Whispering followed.

"Mello, take Lawliet from the control room please." Ivan instructed. "See that he rests so we can try more testing."

Mello hestitated, but followed his orders. He had worked too hard: he attained a rank unheard of for his age. "Come on, Lawliet. Let's go for a walk."

"Gevanni!" Came a command from Wedy. "Please see that they get there safely."

[otakulady89]

As soon as the younger staff had left the room the captain's voice boomed, ordering the ship to be moved closer in order to test again.

Gevanni led one of the only teens on the ship out into the hallway. His cobalt-blue eyes following Lawliet worriedly. "Are you feeling okay? You look really stressed out." Everyone knew that Lawliet slept wherever he was working, usually when he passed the hell out. Of course, with a ship this size, and being the genius he was, he was in high demand. Gevanni didn't envy that particular need. His own set of skills, carefully crafted by his father and the other ecologists and botanists on the ship wouldn't be needed until they actually made planetfall. IF they ever made planetfall. "Here. We can head to my quarters."

Gevanni's quarters were an offshoot of a set of four quarters. They had originally belonged to his mother, father, and himself. Now, it was just his mother and himself. His father had new quarters, with his younger wife, and their daughter, Aletta. His sister. It had been... a bitter seperation, and was now a bit of minepit if anyone accidentally brought it up. He loved Aletta, his little sister, but he hated their father, for what he put his mother through. Now, however, he was lucky that there was extra space, as the two rooms that had originally been for a growing family, had now been designated as storage.

,//,

Light's eyes reflected the sorrow he felt in this moment. Somehow, it felt poignant that Near would be taken from him, and if he were honest with himself, if this were how it was going to be done, he would have rather had it done years ago, when Misa lay on her dying bed, and Near had been a squawling infant. He'd rather be spared the heartache he and Matt would now suffer.

"Makneshi calls you home, Near." He answered, taking a deep breath. "The Maktoani has had a vision, and in it, to avoid a great calamity, we must send you to your mother's spirit. You are to be honored, and revered, as all sacrifices are. Anything you wish, you may name it." He swallowed, and took a deep breath, "Who is it you wish to be by your side during this time?"

[Fateful]

Lawliet walked with Gevanni and glanced to him briefly. A shrug followed. "I guess." They went to Gevanni's quarters and L eased himself into a chair and closed his eyes for a brief moment. He remained awake however. "This planet will likely crush our bones. The gravity here is strong. Stronger than any other planet we've been to. It's... dangerous. Or it can be." He finally conceded, opening his eyes. "Do you have any contraband tea or sweets?" he questioned with a broad smirk. after all, Gevanni was incredibly well connected. His father avoided a court martial and execution after his affair and subsequent coverup of his mistress and infant daughter. Aletta was two when the ship found out about her.

As the two of them settled in, Mello came in after them and sat down, handing Gevanni a bottle of liquor, more contraband that flourished on the ship. Almost everyone knew how to make hooch. The issue was keeping it a secret. "So, what do you think the likelihood my father and the others will obey you?"

"About 27 percent." L answered, refusing the alcohol.

.//.

Near watched his father. His eyes widened at the news of what would happen. Makneshi called him back, she wanted him home. This was a great honor. He would save his people, he would protect everyone and stop whatever ill would come to them. And he was honored, proud, and deeply saddened, not for himself, but for his father and his brother. He reached out to Matt and took his brother's hand, squeezing it tightly. He exhaled and then held out another hand toward his father.

A sad smile came to his face and he nodded. "I want for you not to be sad, but I know that's quite impossible." He glanced to his brother. "I have lived much longer than most expected and I'm happy to serve my people and protect them. I ask for nothing for I need nothing else before this." And the child meant it. HE was content, he far outlived most in the position he was born in. Every day hd been a gift from Makneshi, and he accepted her wishes without question, without fear or suffering.

The chose between the two he loved made him nervous. He glanced at the two of them. "I.. I would be happy to have either of you at my side, but somehow I feel that it would bring you both great pain to accept." He looked then, from his father to his brother. "If neither of you wish to be there, I won't be afraid to face this alone."

[otakulady89]

Amber eyes closed in relief, and verdant eyes stung with tears.

Light felt only releif, and a surcease of sorrow. Near had given him an escape, an out. He would have time to be away from the ceremony, to convince his heart to give up it's hard-won ties to this child. He would be able to rip out the stitches that bound his heart to Near's, and it wouldn't be as painful as the loss of his L, or the echoing, almost-painful loss of Misa. If that were the case, he would not question why, why, why Makneshi felt the need to take those who loved and cared for him most. The metal beads on his clothing jingled lightly with the shaking of his body, his fingers clenched tightly into fists to keep the emotion from showing. "Such a brave child." He complimented, "I am so very, very proud of you."

"I'll stay!" Matt's voice broke over the words, and tears, unashamed and hot, flowed down his cheeks, the freckles hidden by the shimmer of them in the dying sunlight, and rising moonlight. The first moon, the Little Wife, Sirrshe, lit the way for her bride, Makneshi's funeral. It felt to Matt like a funeral as well, but for a different reason. It should be an honor. It should be something to be proud of. But for some reason, Matt only felt sorrow that his brother was called home to the goddess. He felt pain, in his chest, and one hand went there, to clutch at the beaded fabric just over his hearts were beating. "I'll stay with you, Near. I'll watch over you during your journey."

A priestess came forward, her milky-gold hair bound in tight braids, gesturing for Near and his chosen to follow her. "We will begin the cleansing ceremony."

.//.

"...What's the worst case scenario?" Gevanni couldn't stop himself from asking. The walls around them had been painted a cheerful yellow a long time ago, by a previous holder of these rooms. Gevanni could see marks on the walls of where children had grown from toddlers to teens. He swallowed, taking the booze Mello offered and taking a drink. The dry burn of it made him wonder if he'd grown the potatoes that went into it himself. There were a dozen different burgeoning liquers running around the ship, fascimiles of old earth drinks like vodka, schnapps and rum. None of them were perfect. None of them were even very good. But sometimes it was nice for things to just... dull for a while.

"Like, not the worst-worst," He clarified, because he didn't want to hear about how they all died horribly by burning to death in atmo. "Like, what if we hit the soil, survive somehow. What can that kind of gravity do to the human body, do you think?"

[Fateful]

Near smiled, basking in his father's pride. He tookhis father's hands in his own and squeezed, leaning up upon his toes. "I love you, father. And you are far more brave than I. I'm sorry, so very sorry that you have to watch me go, but when I do, you have to know that there is something great out there for you. I am not your next great love, if I was, then you would be able to dance again, and you can't. I'm glad to have had you as my father and I hope that my reincarnation is held long enough for me to be your son. Nothing.." He paused. "Nothing would make me happier than to be bound to you in life again!"

The boy turned to Matt and jumped into his brother's arm. "I would be glad to have you, but promise you will not hurt whoever sacrifices me."

The priestess came and Near looked to her. He smiled and held out a hand, letting the woman lead him.

Near was stripped, washed, lightly fed, cleaned, and prepared. No expense was spared. He was given gold, jewels, riches, and gemstones. He was made to look beautiful and elegant as any who went back to the goddess would. However, Near felt that these gifts were wasted and wished to wear the gift his mother gave him. The request could not be honored, but he did give back some of the jewels and gems his body had been presented with. Now, in fine, rich silks that wrapped only his hips, with a single hand carved gold medallion around his neck, and a cuff on each arm, he was lead with a white veil to the alter where he would be bleed and returned to the goddess.

.//.

Lawliet paused and considered this for a few moments, mulling it over. "Worst case scenario?" He clarified, and when greet with not worst-worst, he started to recalculate. "Should we survive the impact, and that is a big if, as there is a 20-20-20-20-20 chance that the ship will rip apart, crumble in on itself, explode, implode, and crash into the ocean. The gravity may change once we clear the moons intense pull. There are three main outcomes: one, it will stop our blood from pumping and we will immediately die should we survive impact, we can live, but are severely weakened and easily exhausted, and three, we are the strongest animal on the planet. However, if in the second condition, there is high oxygen on the planet, we should be able to adjust and eventually grow into the gravity with increased strength. However, that would mean that the atmosphere would be part Oxygen, which is entirely possible."

He leaned back and looked at the metal ceiling. "However, there are other possibilities, but these are the most likely. So, I suppose, bluntly, worse case is we live to have our arteries explode on the ground. Charming, yes?"

Mello reached out to Gevannii and took the liquor he'd offered and took a rather substantial gulp. "Well then. Let's hope my dad doesn't fuck this up. Let's talk about something else."

So, they wasted much of the night joking and laughing. Toward dawn, they'd managed to nod off in a light slumber. That was, until the ship suddenly jerked and spun 180 degrees, flipping the rear of the ship toward the planet.

[otakulady89]

Matt watched, as his brother was prepared. He watched the priestesses spread oil of the Sika flower. He clutched at his own arms, trying to keep a smile on for Near, as Near was dressed in a gaudy amount of jewelry. Drops of diamonds, drips of pearls, strings of golden beads from arms and legs and lips. He watched as Near pushed all but the simplest away. He watched as the priests declined the single request that Near made. It sparked an anger in his hearts, and he had to fight against his own wishes to keep his promise to Near.

He had learned all of these rites. He knew every step the preists and preistesses took, as they lead Near towards the table, sat him down. He'd learned every step they took in feeding Near, his hands not allowed to touch the food. Feeding the sacrifice was the highest honor the priests and preistesses bestowed, symbolically showing that the sacrifice would never again have to lift their hand to feed themselves, to labor in this world. Matt bit his lip till it was red, angry at the thought that his brother would never again run and laugh and scream in this world. He knew this ritual, and he knew how it ended. Had he been chosen, he might have been the one to hold the knife, to bleed his brother to death. A priest he was, and he knew, as any priest knew, how this ended.

He watched as they lowered the long white veil, lace and woven by widows, over Near's entire body, and he could only see his brother's beautiful eyes through that veil.

"I love you." He declared, determined that his brother know that he was loved on this world. That he would be missed. "I will see you again." He knew this to be true. Their spirits were bound, brothers as they were. They would see each other again. He led Near to the alter, and stood to the side, paying no attention to his own frumpy state, his own dirty body. He watched his brother's tiny feet step up to the alter, watched him kneel. Matt watched his baby brother lay his head on the red-stained stone.

.//.

Alarms screamed, the hallways filled with the shriek of people terrified and fleeing, the pounding of boots as officers and engineers streaked through, trying to find some way to hold their nest together long enough to get them onto the planet. Gevanni's training kicked in, and he immediately bolted for the 'ponics bay. The plants there were delicate. The beds would need to be strapped down, covered and bolted shut so that the soil didn't spread everywhere. They had to try and preserve some of their crops because if they survived this, they would starve to death without the food. He and the other ponics workers lazer focused.

The ship jolted, and Gevanni's stomach rolled, but he didn't stop. He couldn't let fear keep him from safeguarding the survival of the human species. His thought process ground to a halt as a bulkhead cracked and broke open, nearly pinning one of the others to the floor. His body moved without his will, and his back was to the bulkhead. He screamed for them to get out of the way so he could let it fall. It burned his back through his clothes. He could smell chicken cooking, or maybe it was him.

.//,

A hush fell over the crowd as the sacrifice lowered his head, the prince ready to go home. The priest chosen lifted his dagger, a wicked smile on his face.

"LOOK!" A shriek rang out, something terrified and confused. Matt's eyes shot to the sky, and there, brilliant white and streaking through the clouds, was a star. A big star, and it was burning it's way through the clouds, CLEARING THE SKY, on it's way down. A strange whistling shriek peirced the air, and Matt's entire body shook.

Light stood, quickly, staring. "What... in all the world is that?"

"STOP!" Matt cried, taking the priest's wrist in hand. "Wait! The Lady sends omen! This is unjust and We must wait."

[Fateful]

Near felt no fear. The whole process, his preparation, his feeding, the cleansing and the redressing. It all felt surreal and quite strange. He felt honored to die, for some reason strangely happy with all he had been given. He lived much longer than most others in his station, who's mother had died in birth. The fact he lived this long was a blessing by Makneshi. He felt loved and deeply humbled that his people seemed so mixed of what was to come. They all were glad to see him willing accept the goddess' light for their benefit, but many adored the young prince and wished to see him grow and perhaps one day lead.

As he climbed the alter, Matt reached up to take the veil and reveal to his people the plain state of his dress. Those who were sacrificed did have choices. Some chose to take with them great wealth and riches into their next life. It was their right as a sacrifice. However, Near wished only to have his father and brother with him in his next life, as people he loved and loved him once more. So, he left behind all the refined jewelry and eloquent luxury that he felt he had no right to take for it had always been his as a prince. To leave it behind for the next sacrifice would be the single most humble thing he could do. He lived his life in comfort nd love, there was nothing more he wished to take from this world.

The explosion in the sky caused Near to look upward. He saw something, something that looked a great deal like a star falling from the sun. His eyes widened and he wondered what it meant as the flames surrounded it. At one point, the star broke in two and from the cracked star, came a bolt of lightning that was drawn to the tallest thing on the planet: the temple.

The young priest pulled away from Matt and raised the dagger once more to impale the white prince.

Lightning pierced the young, excited priest who still held the knife high above him. It carried through his body and a part of the shock flickered and struck Near's body, interesting through the medallion upon his chest. A gasp escaped him. His body collapsed upon the alter without injury. The body of the priest was charred and beyond recognition.

Suddenly, Near's body began to let off a strange shimmering light, and he sat upright and his eyes, white as his hair shot open. A very delicate laugh left his lips in a tone too utterly sweet to be that of a man come of age. This laugh seemed almost playful, happy. "My children, I do not wish for sacrifice. Instead, I offer you wisdom--" Near's mouth stopped moving and a strange choking sound came from his throat. His hands shook and the choking sound grew louder before he collapsed onto the alter once more. The glowing light evaporated from his skin within 30 seconds.

His heart was still beating, but when a hand was placed upon his skin to check it, a small shock passed through them, a sign of the Goddess's presence within his body.

.//.

The gravity was stronger than Lawliet predicted. Not much stronger, perhaps only 5% at the distance they were, but it was enough for the ship to flip with the rear facing the planet. With little warning, the gravity began to pull the full metal hull of the ship. It took very little distance to draw the ship toward the center of gravity. It took only a mile before the course was irreversible. A mile traveled in about four minutes.

"What do we do!?" One of the officers asked. "There has to be something."

Lawliet's mind raced. "No. The gravity is too strong and the mass of the ship is too great. The ship is the size of the third moon and this must be the gravity of at least two moons. There is nothing we can do to pull from it now."

"You can't give up! You're Lawliet! L Lawliet!"

L shook his head. "You don't understand. I warned you not to get close, the gravity is stronger than our rockets. This is why we could never approach the Axum galaxy. We have to brace for impact and lock down the outer shell of the ship. You wanted this planet and it's all yours now. We'll land."

Ivan grabbed Lawliet and spun him round, shaking him by his shoulders. "Where should we gather to survive? How much time?"

The ship started to shake as it started to rapidly accelerate toward the ground. Lawliet's mind raced and his eyes darted as he calculated. "Lock the ship, within three minutes, we'll hit the ground."

"Where is safest?!"

"There is no safe. The ship will likely rip apart."

The shaking continued and within thirty seconds, power was lost as the tear in the ship formed. Within a minute, it had broken in half. Within three minutes, the ship crashed into the planet in two, large pieces. The first, landed just outside one of the oceans, a decent sized mass that landed on the beach, scattering people, supplies, and plants across the black sand.

Five miles away, the other part of the ship crashed, this part with L and most of the high level crew and commanders. It was rough. There was an explosion, made worse by clear water, as the water as flammable. An explosion followed and destroyed half of the ship which crashed. The flames billowed up from the wreckage and Lawliet fell unconscious, outside the ship, in a small pool of pink water in the woods the ship destroyed upon landing.

[otakulady89]

Sand was in his mouth. He could taste salt and sand and something fishy. Gevanni coughed, spitting out some of the sand. conciousness came slowly, like the unfurling of a flower. He took note of his body, of what was happening. He could hear the sounds of rushing water, in rhythm. He could hear the crackling of fire, and the creak of stressed metal. He could hear people crying, and screaming in pain. He felt something soft underneath him. He could feel heat and cold at the same time, and something wet moving on his hand. He opened his eyes.

A lilac sky peered back at him, swirled with marble clouds, and the light of two large moons shone down on him. He took a deep breath, and the air felt heavy and thick, different. He had to remind himself that it tasted strangely because it was unfiltered air. This... This was their new home. He rolled over, and pain blazed through him. His arm burned, friction burns marring the flesh there through his torn shirt. His leg felt achey, like something might have bruised it.

He looked around, taking in the dead bodies laying in the wreckage. Taking in the containers with their safe cargo of plants and food. He gave a sigh of releif at the sight of several of those containers leaning haphazardly against each other. It would be a pain to replant, but they wouldn't lose the whole harvest, not if he had anything to say about it. Getting onto his feet, he forced the pain into the back of his head. He had a job to do. They had made landfall, but before he could begin his duties, he had to make sure they had a semi-working colony he could base out of. He made a list. First things first, he had to gather up all the survivors. Second, he had to get medical help to those who needed it. Third, he needed to get in contact with upper brass, figure out who was in charge now. Then fourth, they needed to regather and secure all of the supplies and resources they could before it was scattered too far.

He started by calling out names.

/.../

Matt sat at his brother's bedside, the moonlight bathing them both in gentleness. The second bride and the wandering husband had come into the sky, pushing the littlest bride out of the marriage bed. It had been two days since Near's sacrifice, since the silver star exploded in their sky and the goddess spoke. He had stripped Near of the sacrificial cloth, and dressed him in his own clothes, comfortable and soft. He'd returned their mother's medallion to him, and Matt's hand lay over it now. He fought back a wave of jealousy, thinking that he was the one that should have had it. But he got the spear. His mother knew who would want what. He swallowed down the jealousy, and focused on how peaceful the sleeping boy looked.

It was clear now, who would be what. No king had ever channelled the goddess. No king had ever spoken her words. The Goddess spoke through priests and preistesses, through chosen ones. Near would be Maktoani, and Matt would be Tlatoani. That was that. Reaching out with the hand not resting over the jewel, he picked up a book, and settled himself to reading, waiting for Near to wake up.

[Fateful]

Mello felt as if his body was burning. He struggled, feeling weight on him. He managed to get loose and push himself back. Darkness surrounded him. He smelled foul gasses and choked. He struggled now, kicking at what he realized was metal. Finally, it creaked and the heat made it give way. Once it had broken, Mello crawled clumsily toward the smell of the ocean, a strange smell.

Once he managed to get to the edge of the ship, he crawled out and fell about ten feet to the sand. Small burns were on his arms, his right hand. His clothes were tattered and his bones ached. Cuts covered his shoulders, neck and face. When he managed to stand, he looked at the enormity of the ship before him. He saw nothing but sand. He was at the far end of the ship, the tip, near the central command station, trying to help them stabilize the ship's gravity field to keep the ship together. It held longer than he thought it would.

So, he started to move toward the other end of the ship, where the break occurred. He prayed there would be more survivors there. He had sent everyone out from the room when the ship fractured, knowing they'd be safest in the center. Hopefully their engineers had survived. With a slight limp, he moved across the beach, heading toward what he hoped would be more than corpses littered in black sand.

The smell of smoke was strong. After almost an hour of walking, he heard a voice, yelling, people screaming. He started to run and in the center of a crowd of almost fifty people, he could see Gevanni. How he knew it was Gevanni, he had no idea. "Gevanni!" He called and moved through the crowd.

Shouting followed, people called to Mello and looked relieved and scared to see him.

..//..

Peaceful, incredible dreams graced the young prince. He felt incredible things and felt happier than he had in his life. The priests and priestess' knew of this but had never experienced it. Misa and Ryuuk were the only two in recent memory who channeled the goddess. Before MIsa, was Rem. Now, only Ryuuk, and it had been years, longer than Near and Matt had been alive. Actually, it had been not long before L passed.

After that, Misa had been able to, but sparingly. Less and less so after Matt was born and twice when she carried Near. The last time forced her into labor and she died not long after Near drew breath. Everyone seemed to know now what exactly it was that Near had taken from his mother, the essence of her spirit that lived on within him: the channeling of the goddess, and the divinity to accept her spirit.

Near fainting was normal, especially as he had not entirely been trained to accept her. While they all received training in the temples, Near had not been accepted as a priest, as his spirit was quite gentle and he hadn't done well in certain tests as a child. Perhaps the reason why seemed clear now, he defied when he felt justified and it angered the priests in a way they feared would anger the goddess. In the most humble way, he accepted death and she would not take him. There were plans for near. All knew it and they prayed for his recovery and to the goddess for her divinity and light, her incredible wisdom.

The recovery could take a long as a month. Untrained, there was no telling how long Near would sleep, and if he would wake at all.

On the third dawn following the goddesses' possession, his eyes woke as the sun rose. He felt numb and heavy. HIs eyes opened and he rolled to his right side, shaking slightly, feeling as if his body was asleep. A very minor ache followed and he blinked blearily and finallyy focused on his hands. His brother's hands. His head raised and he smiled.

"Matt..." he managed, his voice soft, body still quite weak.