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SEPTEMBER TDM + SETTING UPDATES
BEARING FRUIT (NEW CHARACTERS ONLY)
It starts out as a pleasant dream. You’re in your favorite place, with your favorite people. It’s a moment of idyllic comfort.
The light starts to fade, but only in time to see as the leaves cradling you immediately start to soften and crumble, and with it comes a torrent of dirt. Soft, loamy soil starts to fill the space around you in the dark as you’re buried. Or, rather, you already were. You reach out through the dirt desperately, and your hands finds a root, so you pull while you clutch that precious crystal so close that it almost feels like it sinks into you (in your panic, you don’t notice that it does). You reach out again, and this time, your hand hits open air and plenty of sturdy roots around to grab.
From a seed you’re born, and like a sprout, you make your way out of the ground.
And once you’ve clawed your way out of the soft earth and the roots, nearby, you see the soil shift. Another hand comes up to grasp desperately for something, anything, just as you had been.
You wake with a start, cradled by soft, velvety plants, and sticky with a sap that smells faintly of honey and iron. You can see the veins of the leaves that hold you, lit warmly and gently by what looks like a crystal embedded above you. Yet, it’s odd, because that crystal calls to you. When you reach out to touch it, it’s warm. Familiar. Important. You don’t know why, but you know you must hold onto this, because now it feels wrong for it to be suspended in these leaves. So, you pull it out.And then, it goes wrong.
The sky turns dark above, and as you look up, you see the black expanse of space spotted with faraway pinprick lights of stars. Yet, they’re not stars. You’re certain. They’re watching you. A billion eyes all looking down, and they spill forth as if sky itself was a dam holding back those dark waters. You reach back to the people you’re with, but they’re frozen in place. Their eyes are black, reflecting only the expanse of dark eyes.
So you run, even though you know you won’t escape it. You glance back and see it not overtaking, but consuming. The landscape around you is being devoured, and you can see it cracking apart. The world itself is breaking, and it cracks under your feet. You fall, and the billion eyes chase after you until the darkness swallows you whole. There’s agony as if you’re being ripped apart, and then—
You cannot see. You cannot feel. You simply are. Yet even so, impossibly, a woman’s voice speaks gently.
I’m sorry it couldn’t be saved. But, come, it’s time to wake.
The light starts to fade, but only in time to see as the leaves cradling you immediately start to soften and crumble, and with it comes a torrent of dirt. Soft, loamy soil starts to fill the space around you in the dark as you’re buried. Or, rather, you already were. You reach out through the dirt desperately, and your hands finds a root, so you pull while you clutch that precious crystal so close that it almost feels like it sinks into you (in your panic, you don’t notice that it does). You reach out again, and this time, your hand hits open air and plenty of sturdy roots around to grab.
From a seed you’re born, and like a sprout, you make your way out of the ground.
And once you’ve clawed your way out of the soft earth and the roots, nearby, you see the soil shift. Another hand comes up to grasp desperately for something, anything, just as you had been.
TWO CITIES, ALIKE IN DIGNITY
With the new Shard-Bearers present or en route, it is Kathova and Cetina that approach the established ones, requesting that they form mentorships with the new souls to assist them with the integration process. To this end, they have both provided a centralized zone in both Highstorm and Springstar for a small, casual meet-and-greet to be held before the new Shard-Bearers are unleashed upon Kenos as a whole.
Additionally, as Springstar and Highstorm are holding their events on different days, it is possible for the knowledge-hungry to participate in both informational sessions -- the tones and opinions held by both cities are doubtless to differ, and some Shard-Bearers who have chosen to harmonize with either faction may even find their way to the opposing faction's session as well.
However, for those who have attended such events in the past, they'll note a marked difference—Only newly arrived Shard-Bearers and members of the faction are welcome. If you're a member of the opposite faction, you'll be questioned and ultimately turned away. If you want to join the party, you'll have to be a little sneakier, it seems.
The welcoming party is in the Seat of the Tribune, with tables draped in white-and-gold-trimmed fabrics fare filled with fare typical to Springstar's slowly fading winter -- fruits and wines, savory smoked meats and roasted vegetables, and large bowls of soups like youvarlakia and fasoalda have been lain out to encourage forum participants to snack as they speak. There are plenty of grains and other dishes that elude to an abundant harvest from Alenroux. The atmosphere is ambient with informality and friendliness, though topics will inevitably stray towards philosophic or political, Springstar's meeting grounds are decorated with handsome chaise lounges and slouching klismos chairs in small, intimate groupings. This is a forum in the classical sense, where people are encouraged to speak freely, no matter the topic. Though excitement charges the air, the gathering at the Seat is much more muted than what transpires outside the center of the city.
The mood in Springstar as a whole is jubilant, with not just a party at the seat of the tribune, but elsewhere, including the Psychagogía district. Parties line the streets, establishments that overflow with bodies, drink, and libations of all sorts. There is a sense of excitement in capturing the latest oracle, and the people seem to treat the shard-bearers of Meridian somewhat reverently, and new ones, they will pull aside and explain with excitement about how the Shard-Bearers captured the oracle (with varying degrees of accuracy) and how it is because of them that they will be seen to victory. Cyrus’s name, however, still comes with notes of disdain. It’s clear that the Tribune has not bought much good favor by their victory, and instead, if any ask, or follow the threads, they will hear the names Desmond Ó Ruadháin and Agapitos Voreen as likely successors to the Tribune. However if one asks how that happens… details become a bit more muddy. Apparently, the role of the Tribune is for life. And apparently, the denizens of Springstar trust the Shard-Bearers to see the oracles through, and still see Cyrus as a weak link in their chain.
There are few places to be seated in the Manor's courtyard, resulting in a milling of bodies as they flow and ebb between smaller gatherings, clustering in small-to-large groups with small platters and shimmering flutes of drink held in their hands. Yet, as you look, you’ll see that the selection is also quite interesting. The foods and drinks on offer are from a multitude of worlds, and so you may find a new favorite! Or something not suited to your palate at all. It’s at least a chance to be adventurous. If you try something and don’t like it, might not want to say that out loud, lest you insult someone who’s from that world.
The city itself is more muted than usual. The last dregs of Highstorm’s chill summer are coming to an end, and the cold is an opportunity for Highstorm’s denizens to batter in more frequently, and the chill may have something to do with the lost oracle. Though, if asked, they’ll say nothing of the sort, of course! In opposition to Springstar’s mixed jubilation and doubt, Highstorm’s denizens seem determined that lady Yima will see them through, and that one loss is no reason to fall into despair. Though they are still disappointed, and will say so. Though blame does not seem to have a target, mere disappointment filters through the city, as they start preparing for winter. The prices seem higher, whether one is looking for potions, supplies, or even small trinkets from the The Antiques & Baubles Market. Things seem… leaner in a sense. There’s nobody starving on the streets in Highstorm, but the control of Alenroux continues to lead to tense relations, even though a compromise seems to have been recently reached between the two factions.
Additionally, as Springstar and Highstorm are holding their events on different days, it is possible for the knowledge-hungry to participate in both informational sessions -- the tones and opinions held by both cities are doubtless to differ, and some Shard-Bearers who have chosen to harmonize with either faction may even find their way to the opposing faction's session as well.
However, for those who have attended such events in the past, they'll note a marked difference—Only newly arrived Shard-Bearers and members of the faction are welcome. If you're a member of the opposite faction, you'll be questioned and ultimately turned away. If you want to join the party, you'll have to be a little sneakier, it seems.
SPRINGSTAR, αιώνιος ήλιος
In Springstar, the seat of the Tribune becomes available for such a forum. While a section of the building itself has been reserved for the meeting between fresh faces and experienced Shard-Bearers alike, the hustle and bustle of Heliopolis continues around them -- acolytes still gather their robes and tomes, hurrying from their quarters to lessons. A score of young militants march in step across the yard to the training grounds.The welcoming party is in the Seat of the Tribune, with tables draped in white-and-gold-trimmed fabrics fare filled with fare typical to Springstar's slowly fading winter -- fruits and wines, savory smoked meats and roasted vegetables, and large bowls of soups like youvarlakia and fasoalda have been lain out to encourage forum participants to snack as they speak. There are plenty of grains and other dishes that elude to an abundant harvest from Alenroux. The atmosphere is ambient with informality and friendliness, though topics will inevitably stray towards philosophic or political, Springstar's meeting grounds are decorated with handsome chaise lounges and slouching klismos chairs in small, intimate groupings. This is a forum in the classical sense, where people are encouraged to speak freely, no matter the topic. Though excitement charges the air, the gathering at the Seat is much more muted than what transpires outside the center of the city.
The mood in Springstar as a whole is jubilant, with not just a party at the seat of the tribune, but elsewhere, including the Psychagogía district. Parties line the streets, establishments that overflow with bodies, drink, and libations of all sorts. There is a sense of excitement in capturing the latest oracle, and the people seem to treat the shard-bearers of Meridian somewhat reverently, and new ones, they will pull aside and explain with excitement about how the Shard-Bearers captured the oracle (with varying degrees of accuracy) and how it is because of them that they will be seen to victory. Cyrus’s name, however, still comes with notes of disdain. It’s clear that the Tribune has not bought much good favor by their victory, and instead, if any ask, or follow the threads, they will hear the names Desmond Ó Ruadháin and Agapitos Voreen as likely successors to the Tribune. However if one asks how that happens… details become a bit more muddy. Apparently, the role of the Tribune is for life. And apparently, the denizens of Springstar trust the Shard-Bearers to see the oracles through, and still see Cyrus as a weak link in their chain.
HIGHSTORM, луны-близнецы
Eternally in opposition, Highstorm provides the Manor's courtyard as the setting for their informational meeting. Formality is of utmost importance here, with attending Zenith loyalists and residents dressed in beautiful, albeit austere attire -- they are, after all, standing before Lady Yima's home. A buffet-style luncheon is spread alongside one of the largest reflecting pools, wherein you may gaze and find your memories revealed in retrospect upon the water's surface. Soft tunes filter over the courtyard, and if the sounds of them sound familiar – perhaps remind one of home? That’s because they are! Yima’s musicians seem to be able to pilfer strings and strands of music, and weave it all together expertly, to give both new arrivals and old friends reminders of their home.There are few places to be seated in the Manor's courtyard, resulting in a milling of bodies as they flow and ebb between smaller gatherings, clustering in small-to-large groups with small platters and shimmering flutes of drink held in their hands. Yet, as you look, you’ll see that the selection is also quite interesting. The foods and drinks on offer are from a multitude of worlds, and so you may find a new favorite! Or something not suited to your palate at all. It’s at least a chance to be adventurous. If you try something and don’t like it, might not want to say that out loud, lest you insult someone who’s from that world.
The city itself is more muted than usual. The last dregs of Highstorm’s chill summer are coming to an end, and the cold is an opportunity for Highstorm’s denizens to batter in more frequently, and the chill may have something to do with the lost oracle. Though, if asked, they’ll say nothing of the sort, of course! In opposition to Springstar’s mixed jubilation and doubt, Highstorm’s denizens seem determined that lady Yima will see them through, and that one loss is no reason to fall into despair. Though they are still disappointed, and will say so. Though blame does not seem to have a target, mere disappointment filters through the city, as they start preparing for winter. The prices seem higher, whether one is looking for potions, supplies, or even small trinkets from the The Antiques & Baubles Market. Things seem… leaner in a sense. There’s nobody starving on the streets in Highstorm, but the control of Alenroux continues to lead to tense relations, even though a compromise seems to have been recently reached between the two factions.
SETTING UPDATES
In both locations, information passes between all in a forum, spread and disseminated among the masses - it's a good opportunity for city residents, faction loyalists and interested new parties to share and share alike. Once the meet-and-greet has concluded, twin missives from both faction leads are read out -- invitations for all present to explore the cities to their heart's content, and warnings about stumbling ill-prepared ( or at all ) into the Below, or worse yet, the Beyond. As Shard-Bearers new and old take in their cities, they'll all see it change throughout the month...
OOC, these are all updates to the setting at large that players both new and old are free to interact with as little or as much as they wish! Feel free to use them as prompts on this post, in your characters on-going lives and arcs, or just let them go "that's none of my business" and ignore it. The world of Kenos is shaped by our playerbase, and these are some of the wider reaching effects of various player plots and actions.
OOC, these are all updates to the setting at large that players both new and old are free to interact with as little or as much as they wish! Feel free to use them as prompts on this post, in your characters on-going lives and arcs, or just let them go "that's none of my business" and ignore it. The world of Kenos is shaped by our playerbase, and these are some of the wider reaching effects of various player plots and actions.
THE BLIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL
Since the Blight’s conclusion, both cities have undergone a fair bit of effort to reconstruct the districts and buildings that were destroyed in the Blight, though Springstar seems a touch further along than Highstorm, due to Shard-bearer efforts. The unusual weather pockets present previously have very nearly all disappeared, though there are some patches still present, lingering in the areas still somewhat ravaged by the Blight. The pockets seem to be losing their effects now, and if one finds themself within, will experience a mild slowing down or speeding up of time. Visions still appear within the small bubbles, reflections of dear ones or important events, though they seem to be only memory, though anyone within the bubble can bear witness.FURTHER DETAILS
OOCly, characters can still stumble into small bubbles of time, though they are fewer and far between than they were 3 months ago! These time bubbles still have some time-warping energy, and will continue to allow characters to either speed up or slow down, depending on player preference! In addition, the time bubbles are no longer bringing back remnants of Kenosians past, but there is still the chance of some memory reflections to briefly manifest in the bubble. They will come from player characters as a whole, and are purely up to whatever is fun for you! Think of it as brief flickers of memory sharing, they can be as brief or as distorted as you like! Think of this as the last gasp of the Blight, as it withers away thanks to the concentrated efforts of all shard bearers!
CHECKS AND BALANCES
Alenroux continues to improve, and with the new balance between both Springstar and Highstorm, the separate island is safer than ever! The tensions between both factions seem to have reduced over the island, thanks to the efforts of several shard bearers, and the populace seems to be warming to both factions once again.FURTHER DETAILS
After the resolution of the first Kenos Ambassador agreement, the balance of power in Alenroux is already starting to shift. The island already has a much more evenly-matched number of military forces from both Springstar and Highstorm, the number of troops in the area has reduced significantly. The number of monsters does not seem to have increased at this time, which bodes well for the area. The uptick of Highstorm locals has certainly led to more food flowing into Highstorm than had before, and the people seem pleased with the arrangement – for the moment! The small murmurs of discontent and unrest seem to have alleviated at this time. Though some still seem uncomfortable with the amount of troops, they seem less willing to say that out loud. Though nights in Alenroux will possibly never be wholly safe, the threats seem more manageable, though nobody will ever turn down Shard-Bearer assistance in a pinch!
TO INFINITY – AND BEYOND
Rumbling about temples being erected in the Beyond, which lies outside of Highstorm’s city limits, close to another that had been erected previously. Not one shrine out there, but two it seems. It shines like the sun when the moonlight catches it just right, and it’s visible over the line of trees that marks the edge of the Beyond. The more brave and curious of Highstorm’s denizens have started making more treks into the Beyond for both shrines, and the fact that most come back unharmed seems to encourage others to follow. And for those that may not be able to make the trek safely, there's an opportunity to make a bit of money by leading the way to the shrines and offering the curious pilgrims protection from the Beyond's dangers. There’s rumbling amongst them – Quetzalcoatl – Set – the names of gods of worlds long past, and though there are not many that will stray from Highstorm’s resident deified figure – Lady Yima – there are enough that it’s easy to catch pilgrimages out to the temple, and to visit them yourselves, as well!FURTHER DETAILS
Quetzalcoatl erected a bright and gigantic temple right next to Set's in the Beyond! Right next to Highstorm! I'm sure that's fine and will not have any diplomatic consequences in the future! Both gods have been drawing in new curious individuals – some who may be worshippers with time – and it's drawn the curiosity of many.
SMALLER CHANGES
GRAND LARCENY
An uptick in crime between both Springstar and Highstorm has both the Legion and Yima’s own private guard scrambling as they struggle to find rhyme or reason behind the latest crime spree taken up in both cities. Though there doesn’t seem to be a specific source, local chatter suggests that it might be coming from a mysterious underground, though most can’t say where... there’s vague gestures, and remarks about Below, without any concrete details. Those who are familiar with – or find out about – Kowloon, may find plenty of stolen items within Kowloon’s markets, though if asked, the keeper will simply shrug and say they retrieved it from a reputable source. Who? Well, they don’t know, they don’t remember their face. I’m sure this is fine and won’t lead to trouble later down the line!
Completely unrelated, those who are known to be or obviously affiliated with Springstar continue to encounter difficulty in Kowloon. It’s become a touch more brazen – more pickpocketing, even higher prices, or even some outright derisiveness from some businesses, although they seem to be centered more around Draumahol, and the further one gets from the business in the underground city (or as far as one can get) the more willing businesses seem to engage with those from Springstar, and the more… apologetic they are about higher prices, though they do still seem to be across the board.
FAE MISCHEIF
It’s not just the underground that seems to be reeling from a spike of theft, though this one seems more obvious – and innocuous! Faeries from the Greenwood Yard seem to still be reeling from recent Shard-Bearer intrusions, so bearers new and old may find small items of varying importance are missing. They’ll generally come with a calling card; a small note that is part threat and part invitation for a game, to come find them within the Greenwood Yards. After hearing about the issue, a certain potion shop owner sets up a small stall by the yards, and will offer to help the shard bearer with their predicament – for a price, of course! Better have a few gold coins on you!
The owner will offer bearers a round-trip to tiny town yet again, to retrieve whatever was stolen, though this time it comes with no visions, and generally the fairies will consider things to be even, if bearers come to retrieve it with politeness and a request for it to be returned. If a bearer threatens them… well. Let’s hope you brought a friend along to help with this fae threat, then!
OOC NOTES
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kenoslogs.
no subject
... or, he will, once he grapples with that whole realization. For now, he just blinks a couple of times more, shakes his head, and finally addresses the familiar voice: ]
Ah, Yuri--! [ Good, that is a face he knows, but the next time he blinks, it's as he takes in the fact his friend is... not in a state of dirty disarray like Shez. Unharmed, at least? That's a relief. ] What do you mean a few of us? Who else did they get? We gotta help'em out!
[ There will be time for chastising himself over his failures later, their priority is to rescue their friends! (Yes, he's still in denial, why do you ask.) ]
no subject
It's...going to sound strange. [ He'll preface with that. ] The others have somehow been here longer than you or I have. They're safe, but— hold on, let's take care of you here.
[ Yuri spares a moment to concentrate his magic, lifting a hand to flick a cleansing spell Shez's way. A burst of glittering light quickly relieves him of the dirt, leaving one intact and uninjured Shez as far as Yuri can see. ]
There now, that's better.
[ He's getting some real mileage out of creative applications for what Marianne taught him, in this place. ]
Now then. It's said time passes differently here than at home. Byleth's here — was for months before I came. I don't doubt his account. [ Byleth is, or was, the only one from their Fódlan before Yuri wound up here. ] The others...well.
[ He trails off. How does he explain that Dimitri and Claude are from some reality in which they had never met Shez? It still sounds surreal to him. Schoolteacher Byleth. A five year war, one in which their king had lost himself and had to find his way back. ]
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But, judging from how calm and collected Yuri seems to be about whatever strange ordeal has grabbed hold of them -- so much so that he can even afford to waste time patching Shez back up with a spell, which he acknowledges with a quick thanks -- then perhaps their situation isn't as critical as he thought? As long as the others are safe, he can breathe a sigh of relief.
... only to immediately narrow his eyes at Yuri's continued exposition. What does he mean time passes differently? And that well at the end almost sounds so ominous... ]
Yeah, strange doesn't begin to cover it. Okay, just-- just go back to the start. How can you and Byleth have been here for months, I was with you guys just a while ago? And who else is here?
no subject
He'll do the best he can with what they've got, modest as it is. ]
You'll find a general lack of information here regarding...anything to do with why and how we come to be here. Some suspect it, others don't, but the best guess anyone seems to have is that time passes at a different rate here than back home.
[ He shrugs, wishing he had a better, more satisfying answer than this. Byleth's presence here having long preceded his own had prompted him to question how it was possible too. In the end, getting hung up on it simply hadn't availed him any. ]
As for the others, they're Dimitri and Claude from some...version of Fódlan where they didn't cross paths with you. I know that sounds insane, but I've been here long enough to accept it's somehow the case.
[ Strange as it is, it's best that Shez know in advance. Dimitri and Claude look different, the former markedly so, but to not be known or remembered... At least he and Byleth know and remember Shez. For the moment, Yuri witholds the bit about some other Byleth coming to the rescue instead of Shez, for all that it may imply.
As good at rolling with the punches as Shez is, there's only so much to drop on the man's lap at once. ]
no subject
Still, he falls uncharacteristically silent as he attempts to parse through this initial batch of life-altering information; he can more or less accept that time doesn't follow the same rules of physics he's familiar with because, well, his powers involve challenging the usual laws of space as it is, but to think there's a whole... version of Fodlan, as Yuri calls it, where some of his friends didn't know him at all? That... stings, he has to admit.
No, that's not what he should be thinking about right now-- you know, aside from the more pressing matters of a post-apocalyptic nature! But that's one friend who does recognize him right here, helping him out with a spell and shared knowledge and the familiarity of a known presence, all of which he is truly grateful for. It may have been the only life he knew for the longest time, but... Shez wouldn't like to feel entirely alone again. ]
If you say you believe it, then I guess I'll take your word for it. I could trust no one better than the lord of the underground himself, to scour even the end of the world for intel.
[ It's about as much teasing as he can offer at the moment, but give him a little time. If nothing else, at least it earns a bit of a smile. ]
All right-- [ With a shake of his head and a slap of his palms on either cheek, he snaps himself awake-- or rather, braces for this nightmare scenario. ] You said you've been here for a while, yeah? So, what's the next step?
no subject
It's just one unpleasant surprise Yuri couldn't let Shez be blindsided by, knowing as he does how rough the business of mismatched memories was for Byleth. The poor guy had the opposite problem — people being so much more attached and familiar toward him than they ought to be.
Somehow, Yuri's spared all this. As best he can tell, little changed for him. That other Yuri apparently never became a mercenary though, so he surely kept his slender figure, lucky dastard. ]
Scouring's still underway, mind you.
[ But he says so lightly, recognizing the banter for what it is and yielding the course of the conversation to Shez's steering. ]
For the time being, I'd say getting the lay of the land. The major powers here are most assuredly throwing welcome parties for new arrivals, which is customary here. They're grappling for power and we're an asset they want, basically.
[ The chances Byleth's there with his satchel stowing food away like a squirrel stocks up for winter are quite high, not to mention Dimitri and Claude are liable to turn up as well. It'd be a good way to see the differences for himself, he thinks, and chances are they'd have their own insights to share. ]
no subject
Better give me the friends and family discount, if your scouring is successful. My pockets are awfully light.
[ Except for... dirt. He doubts Yuri would like to be paid in dirt, but he can probably at least appreciate the banter.
And speaking of dirt: ]
But you know, if we're an asset, I'd expect them to give us a little better treatment. Any chance there's a secret third group that doesn't try to bury us alive? I'd be a lot more amenable to joining their side!
[ Maybe next time he's forcibly pulled into a dreamscape in his waking hours, Arval will be there for him like they used to be. ]
no subject
Playing that f-card, are we? You've gotten shrewd.
[ Though Yuri's not one to openly admit it, he has missed being able to talk this way. Often, people around him take him at his word, and it's a coin toss as to who will cotton to his humor and when. But Shez gets it.
It's a relief, in a way, though he wouldn't have wished this bizarre place on anyone from home. ]
The only third option I know is staying neutral. But that means your magic and other abilities just don't function. I took my time about it, but being unable to do something when others need help...it didn't sit right with me.
[ He'll just gloss over the part where he tried to join Zenith as a spy and got rejected for believing his people must still be out there as fervently as he does. ]
Not that I think either side should get the upper hand here.
no subject
Still, while Shez wasn't really expecting there to be a third option, what Yuri reveals next ends up earning his attention for a different reason: ]
Wait, you mean that's why I can't use my powers? Because I haven't picked a side? If that's supposed to be incentive, it's sounding more like blackmail...
[ It's a war he knows nothing about, for one, and even though each leader's promise of payment is worth so much more than coin, there's so much that doesn't feel right. If Meridian and Zenith truly hold so much power that they can restore or create worlds anew, what do they even need help with? And why would they do it out of the kindness of their hearts alone, without asking for any kind of compensation? No one does work for free, right?
Apparently, Yuri has some reservations about it, too. ]
And it sounds like there's more you're not telling me about them. Is it a lesser of two evils sort of deal?
no subject
Yuri folds his arms, shifting his weight ever so slightly. The small matter of how they're strong-armed here, with convenient excuses, is very much like blackmail indeed. ]
They say it's something to do with the energies of the place — that it simply doesn't work without being connected to one force or the other.
[ His tone makes it evident he doesn't believe that in the slightest. Who would, really? ]
The thing is, they tell us their version of what's going on as it serves their purposes. How convenient for them if our homes have mysteriously vanished, and we wind up here, where people like us are the only ones who can gather these power sources they want. It's hardly credible...yet we're stuck here.
[ There's more that troubles him, but the very premise itself is enough to leave a man like Yuri suspicious. It's awfully fortuitous for the locals that the very specific few people they need just so happen to drift in here after their worlds were supposedly destroyed, just when there is that need.
Naturally, there's no assurance either faction would keep their promises once either has what they want, to boot. No incentive. ]
no subject
And I'm guessing no one has figured out a way to regain their powers without joining a side, huh? [ It's practically a rhetorical question, based on Yuri's tone alone. ] Yeah, that sure sounds very convenient to them, to have us working like willing hostages.
[ Not that it hasn't happened once or twice in his years as a mercenary, but usually a contractor would learn the hard way not to mess with them-- sometimes with their lives. But that's back home, a familiar place where the stakes aren't quite as critical; in this world, he's having trouble figuring out how to level the playing field.
He heaves out a sigh, more from all the mental exertion than his physical struggles from earlier. ]
Sounds like if we're to fight at all-- [ For them or against them, but he's at least wise enough not to say it out loud and just hope Yuri will catch on to it. ] --then choosing a side is the way forward. Which one did you pick?
no subject
I had a go at joining Zenith, if only to gather information. The others joined up with Meridian. Seemed the logical choice, when they lacked anyone on the inside. Problem is, they can somehow read what you actually believe.
[ He huffs out a vexed breath. Dimitri and Byleth know, it's inevitable that they would, so he may as well tell Shez and save him some trouble. ]
Best I understand it, being sure that our home and people are still out there waiting for us meant I didn't pass muster. Took my time about it, but I ended up in Meridian, same as the others. Probably for the best... I doubt Byleth or Dimitri could play along if we had to pretend to be at odds.
[ Too earnest or honest for it, to say nothing of Byleth never having had to hone that skill the way Yuri or Claude did. He appreciates their honesty at the same time that it concerns him. ]
They give people a month to make a choice here, free housing and all that for that duration. The thing to keep in mind is some people here have actually embraced the whole thing.
[ Very much like hostages can view their captor in an entirely different light. ]
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Right, one month it is, then. [ A nod. ] I'm no stranger to being out in the streets, but I'd rather avoid it in this place if I can help it.
[ Especially so when he can't properly defend himself, is what he's not saying. And without Arval to guide him, the task feels all the more daunting; he's been alone before, but that almost feels like a lifetime ago.
With the more pragmatic part of the infodump out of the way, he can focus on the... less savory bits, a heavy sigh welling forth. ]
That those guys can be so convincing, though... And, what, do they just read our minds? Our feelings? I don't understand how anyone could be fine with that, let alone personally take their side, but... I guess I can see how there could be some animosity, if someone desperately wants to go back home...
[ That is to say, he doesn't think anyone could hate their entire world so badly that they'd want to see it gone, but to return to family and loved ones? Yeah, that much resonates with him. Incidentally: ]
Y'know, that's about the only thing that feels normal so far. [ And despite himself, a smile forms past his breath. ] That you'd end up with those Meridians, I mean. If you'd ever chosen to leave your mom and your people behind, there's no way you'd be the same Yuri I know, either.
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I don't know who I'd be then, either.
[ Shez isn't wrong, and Yuri knows it as he palms the back of his neck. Likely no one else knows just how dear his mother is to him. Maybe Byleth does, he supposes. At the time that he'd failed, he'd ill-understood the whole harmonization business. He wasn't told why it didn't work, it simply hadn't, leaving him to parse it out himself. Inside information would've benefited the others, it seemed the natural course to take, and yet...
The best he could come up with was that he didn't just want to go home — he needed to. A better world isn't worthwhile to him if his people aren't there to see it with him, and he doesn't accept that they've all suddenly resolved only to names to pen into his notebook. ]
I can't say I know exactly how it works. I've known people who are unsure what to believe in all this, and they harmonized just fine. Seems to come down to whether you believe anything strongly or not, almost like it can pick up on that.
[ It's one among many things Yuri finds he can't explain to his safisfaction. Still, where he'd gone in somewhat blind save for helpful tidbits from others, he can spare Shez some of that trial and error. He knows it's a lot to absorb, and there's far more, despite how many questions remain unanswered. ]
But there's the small matter of being able to talk with our minds, so...
[ Let Shez not be blindsided by a man yelling threats and demands in his head at wild hours like Yuri was. ]
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Seems like the best way to figure it out would be to keep asking around. Guess I'll add it to my priorities.
[ Although the pragmatist in him is still more concerned with his own survivability, so housing and money claim the top of his list. Whether it's a strong belief or feelings, if it's true these energies can just pick up on it, then it'll just happen naturally for him at some point, right? No use beating himself up over something he has no control over.
But what Yuri says next is-- ]
Okay, hold it. Go back. What do you mean, talking with our minds?
[ Incidentally, that'd be the least odd part about any of this, considering Shez is no stranger to chit-chats with a voice in his head... ]
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It's a busy place. Harder to filter. ]
They call it communion around here.
[ Sounds weird, he knows. ]
You can contact a single person or the whole lot of those brought here remotely, which...convenient, yeah? But you have to be careful you don't convey something you didn't intend to share.
[ It shouldn't be so much of a problem for Shez, since he doesn't compartmentalize or obfuscate the way Yuri does. He envies that, in a way, since trying to think only what he means to at others can be a troublesome thing. Face-to-face is still far preferable so far as he's concerned. ]
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Communion... Okay, but how does it work, exactly? Say, if I just think to myself, 'damn, I could really go for a bite right now,' [ likely to happen ] or 'where in flames am I?' [ even more likely to happen ] then all those other Shard-bearers will pick up on it? Is there any way to turn it off?
[ He may be a no-thoughts-head-empty sort of guy but this sounds... excessive. ]
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[ He hopes to the Goddess that's right, anyway. So far no one's responded to thoughts that he hasn't intended to share with the class, so to speak, anyway. This place would truly be hell for him otherwise. ]
Want to give it a try?
[ Practical experience is better than theory, after all. ]
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What if they're already doing so? Ugh, so much to consider, so little brainpower... ]
Guess it's worth a shot. So, what do I need to focus on, exactly? A name or a face...?
[ In which case, does it qualify as cheating since Yuri is right here? So many questions!! ]
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[ It makes more sense in practice than it does describing it, really. Yuri had avoided it for a time, but he can't deny that there's a certain convenience to it, so long as one doesn't yield anything too intimate.
For topics one truly wants to enure there aren't eavesdroppers for, speaking in-person still strikes him as best. ]
Try thinking of something you'd want to tell me.
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[ With a deep breath, he closes his eyes and tries to clear his head of all other thoughts-- which is usually an easy task, but today has been A Day and his mind space is considerably busier than usual.
Still, he can at least try to focus on this one familiar face right before him: first an amorphous image of white and lavender, outline and contours slowly taking shape until Yuri's visage is clearly distinct in the eye of his mind. Now, for something to tell him, and him specifically, well-- ]
Regulus...?
[ I'm sorry, was there something about not yielding anything too intimate? We didn't catch that! ]
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That's what you came up with?
[ His first Communion message and it's sniping him like this. The absolute savagery of it, Shez! But at least he knows how to make use of that now, which is a start. Sometimes it's their only option or can prove preferable to speaking aloud. ]
You can also convey what you're perceiving, for instance your surroundings.
[ Potentially very useful, no? ]
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Sorry, sorry! I had to make sure you knew it was me!
[ The thought comes out so naturally, and perhaps that alone is enough evidence that Shez's intent was genuine. He knows this is a big deal to Yuri, but what if someone else tried to contact him just as Shez did? Is there a queue? An answering machine for mental calls? He wouldn't know!
Successful test drive (and Yuri targeting) out of the way though, he's free to let his eyes snap open again and resort to a more normal method of communication. He's spent so long entertaining a noggin ghost, he isn't sure he's ready to be the voice in people's heads now... ]
Okay, so, what-- I can just paint mental pictures and share them with people willy nilly? Can't deny it's convenient, but phew, how much weirder does it get...?
[ Don't answer that, he's not sure he wants to know. ]
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Especially considering how large this place is. ]
Pretty damn weird, honestly. You can have a whole crowd of people responding to you and each other all at once. Takes some getting used to.
[ He still isn't, not really, with how much he's used to being able to compartmentalize and keep to himself. Letting something from his busy mind slip out without intention remains high on his list of concerns. ]
But let's say you vividly recall something, or you're looking right at it. If you concentrate, you can send that just as you do words.
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[ He doesn't even mean it just now, trying out this communion thing with Yuri. But that's something they can get back to, at a later time. For now: ]
Would it work for anything I can vividly picture, then? Like a memory, or maybe a dream?
[ Not... that he has any idea as to what he would do with this information, but it's probably worth knowing the exact extent of this communion deal, if only for the sake of being mentally prepared. ]
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