Just as Shizuka was running towards the entrance, the angels drew another card. Of course they had all the luck, and they summoned one of their most powerful allies: Iona, also known as the Judge Magister, Ruler of Law, Highest Judge of The Court Of Paradise. Of the many heavenly figures Shizuka knew, Iona was one of the many she never wants to meet. Usually because of the implication that Shizuka had died and would now be judged for her sin.
Almost immediately after Iona was summoned, every machina was wrapped in holy chains. Shizuka didn’t resist knowing that her weapons couldn’t break the chains, and ironically enough she’d be safe so long as Iona was judging them. At least Shizuka was almost certain she couldn’t be affected by the actions of others while trapped. One of the demons released some sort of mind-affecting gas that notably started to affect Tatiana, who was starting to unleash all her firepower in mostly random directions. Shouting over the comms Shizuka tried to speak to Titania before she caused more harm than good.
”Tatiana, control yourself! It’s the gas affecting your mind, hold your fire!”Fortunately for Shizuka, she came to this battle wearing her combat armor, which was sealed against gas attacks. However it did block her line of sight and left her only with her sense of listening. Unsure of what was going on in the area around her Shizuka could do nothing else but face Iona’s trial.
Shizuka knew this day would come one day. She never imagined it would be while she and Hibiki still lived, but such was the Nexus. In the Nexus, killing another was hardly a sin since everyone came back alive anyways. She wasn’t worried about that. But the only true sin that Shizuka had committed always lingered on her mind: The fact she betrayed the Nexus. The three factions in the Nexus was already hostile enough, and there was no other force who could stand against one of the three. Thus your loyalty was tied to the faction you were born into, and Shizuka first took breath in the hands of the Angels. Being a holy spirit herself Shizuka was, by all rights, an Angel. Or at least part of the heavenly people.
But Shizuka threw that all away when she met her mortal sister. Separated at birth thanks to death, no where in the world but in the Nexus could Shizuka have met Hibiki. Despite never meeting her and never truly knowing her, the moment Shizuka saw her mortal sister she knew no other bond, Heaven may provide all the pleasures in life and a peaceful existence, but for Shizuka all she wanted was to be with her family. And to do that, she turned her back to heaven itself, against the powers that be who brought her from the dead, trained her to be the ultimate warrior, and even blessed her with the power to do good. She was grateful for what she learned and regretful for leaving the kingdom of heaven. But there was no bond stronger in the world or the nexus than the bond of blood.
”If it is a sin to love my family, to even to turn my back against paradise, then I am guilty. When I saw my sister on the battlefield that day on the opposite of Heaven’s army, I knew that this was not heaven for me. If this was truly paradise then I would have been able to live a peaceful life with my sister, with my family, as a normal girl. Instead I must fight in this hell called the Nexus. But it is not a sin for me to be with my sister. Because I am with her, I can guide her to be a better person. Because I can be here, at her side, neither one of us has to suffer in this horrible world. Even when we are defeated, even when we are sad, because we have each other we will know no strife. As long as I am with my sister, I am in heaven. And I will not let you take that from me!”All the while Hibiki remained at Hohenheim’s side. She paid no mind her her leering, it tends to happen. However when she saw Shizuka get captured by Iona, she grew somewhat cold. She was glad that she had not taken part of the battle now, knowing that unlike Shizuka, Hibiki was guilty of far worse things than what Shizuka had done. Sure, Hibiki could claim that it was all part of her job as a maid for the Machina’s, but she still made the choice to do them. She could have, just like Shizuka, chosen to do something different. Arguably something good.
@Flamelord@KoL