Friends or Foes

Within a flash, everything had changed. 

Yuna had grown somewhat accustomed to the feeling of teleportation in Evermere, but this felt unique. The divine energy that funneled her from one destination in Everemere to another was warm, bright and welcoming. 

This energy was neutral and surgical in precision. It felt like barely avoiding a lighting bolt from a powerful storm. 

Yuna was no longer standing amidst an army of Directive soldiers - nor within the fields of Evermere at all. She was in a small corridor of sleek, polished metal. The substance looked metallic, at least. It was far more smooth and uniform than anything she had seen - including the Directive robots themselves. 

The hallway extended out in front of her to a alien-looking door. The entire hallway was lit from electricity running to the floor. To Itsuki, it would've looked like some futuristic sci-fi spaceship. For Yuna, who had never seen any advanced technology, it was completely foreign. 

Her thoughts were interrupted when a voice suddenly rang out through the corridor. 

"Please proceed through the door ahead, Miss Yuna."

It was a man's voice. It was gentle, but firm. Yuna cautiously did as instructed. She was in the heart of Directive territory. She wasn't going to be able to resist their demands, but she could still make it difficult. The worst they could do was re-enslave her or kill her, and neither would end well. 

The door automatically opened as Yuna approached, pulling itself into the wall to reveal what sat beyond. It was a small room - still uniformly made of the same metallic substance. At its center sat a simple four-legged table. On each side, a simple chair. The chair closest to Yuna's side of the table had a strange-looking device positioned on the table in front of it. Behind the chair opposite her was another door. 

"Have a seat and place your hand on the Polygraph machine."

No further explanations. Yuna pulled out the chair and sat. She reluctantly placed her hand atop the strange device in front of her. 

"You're going to feel a unique sensation momentarily. I assure you it is completely benign."

After a moment, a pulse radiated out of the device and reverberated around the room. It wasn't harmful or unpleasant, but it was definitely noticeable. Despite receiving the warning, she instinctively yanked her hand back when it happened. 

"What was that?" she called out, unsure if her observers could even here her response.

"Apologies for startling you. The Polygraph Device was simply finishing calibration."

"Poly...what?"

"It's a lie detector."

Yuna looked to the device in surprise. How could such a small device possibly provide them information on whether she was telling the truth or not? She had no reason to doubt them, though. She inhaled deeply and steadied her breathing. 

"Are you nervous, Miss Yuna?" the voice questioned. 

"Is that unreasonable?" Yuna retorted. "I've entered the lair of our enemy. Wouldn't that cause anyone to be nervous?"

"Perhaps, but your statement is interesting..."

"How so?"

"Your nerves about being in an unknown place are completely valid," the voice responded. "The interesting bit is that you referred to us as 'the enemy'. Why is that the impression you have of us?"

"The Goddess of Evermere spoke about your Directive and the crimes you commit across the Fallen Lands. Kidnappers, murderers... and controllers of the Cataclysm."

The voice seemed to pause momentarily before proceeding. Yuna couldn't tell what the voice on the other side of the walls was thinking, or if it even thought at all. 

"Tell me, Miss Yuna. You are from the Fallen Lands, correct? Not Evermere?"

"Correct."

"A place where 'kidnapping' and 'murder' are as commonplace as hunting and sleeping. Is that not your viewpoint as well?"

Yuna's eyes instinctively dropped. The voice may have been right, but...

"Cruelty isn't a contest..." Yuna voiced her thought aloud. 

"I agree," the voice responded almost immediately. "I do not believe I am your enemy, despite what you may have been led to believe."

"Then why do you want Itsuki so badly?" Yuna asked. "What reason could you have to drag him here forcefully with your army?"

"Miss Yuna... You and I both know the Goddess of Evermere would never have allowed him to come here if we hadn't displayed such a forceful show."

"What about Firefly Pond?" Yuna questioned. "Your soldiers killed guards and civilians alike!"

"The only people harmed in that community were those who attacked the soldiers first," the voice declared. "Self-defense is a basic right for any being, organic or robotic."

"You marched on their homes!" Yuna yelled out. "What else were they supposed to do? What would your soldiers have done if that happened here? Sit by idly?"

The voice paused once again. It was a bit longer this time, like it was pondering the best answer to give. 

"I do not have a justifiable answer for you, Miss Yuna," it finally admitted. "All I know is that speaking to Itsuki is of paramount importance, and I am willing to sacrifice far more than one community to ensure it happens."

"Why?" she asked again. 

"There's a multitude of reasons, I suppose," the voice admitted. "There's a lot of information to share - information that will only make sense to his mind. Telling you would these things would achieve nothing, but that doesn't make you less valuable. You believe the Judge will trust your words and opinions?"

"Yes, I do..."

"Then my current objective is to convince you that we mean no harm and are worthy to speak with him."

"How do you intend to do that? A voice in the walls is going to have a hard time convincing me of anything."

"A reasonable response. Very well, then - I will also trust you. I will come in momentarily, and hopefully I can provide clarity..."

The voice then disappeared and the door across from Yuna began making strange whirring noises. Several mechanisms seemed to be activating in an effort to unlock the door. Yuna's heart began to pound a bit harder. What was going to be behind that door? Another robot? A person? Some other deity?

The door opened. A figure stepped through. Yuna's eyes widened in shock as her expectations were shattered. 

A man stood before her. He was in good health, but he was significantly older than most she had seen in the Fallen Lands. He had to been in his seventies at least, despite his peak physical condition. More distinctively, however, was his white hair and facial features. 

"You look...exactly like he would if he were your age..." Yuna spoke with awe. 

The man in front of her simply chuckled as the door closed behind him. 

"Makes sense," he admitted. "My name is Shin. I have much to discuss with you as the Overseer of the Directive... and as Itsuki's younger brother."