[ Well, that's not... helping. Izana's smile wavers, and he moves closer, to stand before Ace, now. Watching him.
Then he takes a deep breath, and his voice is serious, soft. ]
I almost got killed before I went to pick up the COMM device, too, you know. Everyone around me got killed, I survived by mere chance. If I hadn't taken you up on your offer, I might have died anyway, and I'd have accomplished even less that day. Just one more nobody.
It was not your fault that it happened, Ace. It was the Militesi soldiers. And it could have happened without you being involved at all. You were there to save the peristylium, and you did that.
And whatever reason there was for Machina's thinking about it all to get twisted as it did, I know it wasn't you who did that, either. I have my guesses, but it's not you.
It's... all a mess. But you're a good person, who's tried to do the right thing, the helpful thing, every time. Even the kind thing, even if so much of what you know has been fighting.
action;
Then he takes a deep breath, and his voice is serious, soft. ]
I almost got killed before I went to pick up the COMM device, too, you know. Everyone around me got killed, I survived by mere chance. If I hadn't taken you up on your offer, I might have died anyway, and I'd have accomplished even less that day. Just one more nobody.
It was not your fault that it happened, Ace. It was the Militesi soldiers. And it could have happened without you being involved at all. You were there to save the peristylium, and you did that.
And whatever reason there was for Machina's thinking about it all to get twisted as it did, I know it wasn't you who did that, either. I have my guesses, but it's not you.
It's... all a mess. But you're a good person, who's tried to do the right thing, the helpful thing, every time. Even the kind thing, even if so much of what you know has been fighting.
It's not your fault.
[ Catalyst, perhaps. But not a willing one. ]
You would never have chosen any of it to happen.