2017-12-13: The Risk We All Take
- Log: The Risk We All Take
- Cast: Riesenlied, Ambrosius
- Where: Wayside
- Date: 13th December 2017
- Summary: Riesenlied catches a discussion with Ambrosius in the wake of her proclamation, and how fate may turn them against each other... and the resolves they take even in the face of that.
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
Ever since Riesenlied's proclamation, things have gone something to a head in Wayside -- as much as she'd like to have spoken to every Tainted that has joined them from battle wounds, she hasn't had the time or space to do so... and the effects are clean to see.
"You've made scapegoats of us all!" shouts a particularly harrowed-sounding soldier, who's been nursing a grevious chest wound.
"It was not my intention to do so..." Riesenlied tries to calm the soldier down, mindful of her wound.
"I didn't follow you to be a traitor! Adlehyde was just a minor setback for me! What of Mother?!" she shouts.
"I do not intend to make traitors of anyone who does not agree," Riesenlied answers more calmly. "You will have the support--"
"You think they'll just take us back in with no quarrel?! Just how naive can you be?!" the soldier shouts, as she limps forward, and tries to take a sudden swing at Riesenlied. The blonde Hyadean gasps as she tilts back, taken aback--
--but this was taking place just outside Ambrosius' workshop, not far away...
<Pose Tracker> Ambrosius has posed.
Ambrosius had been quiet, in the days following the proclamation. Very few people had seen him, and he rarely stopped to speak to those who had. He already knew what Riesenlied's stance on the situation would be. It would not have come as any surprise to him. So what was the purpose behind his silence?
Outside his workshop, an argument becomes fevered. A Hyadean soldier takes a swing at Riesenlied...and the sound of a revolver firing rings out.
Standing there, outside his workshop, was Ambrosius, Conversator pointed into the air.
"Ceeease your aggreeession... I will not...permit it here..." Ambrosius warns, lowering the weapon. He glances toward Riesenlied, then.
"Are you alright...?"
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
Riesenlied lets out a quiet wince as the shot rings out, the soldier backing away just as her fist looms inches away from her. "... I--I will, I will..."
Riesenlied ushers for another nearby soldier to lead her away with an apologetic look on her face, still a little rattled.
"Yes... thank you, Mister Ambrosius." She sighs very quietly. "These people just need... time to think... to sort their feelings out. The most I can do is support their decision, whichever way it may go..."
<Pose Tracker> Ambrosius has posed.
Ambrosius watches the soldier impassively, and once it is clear that the danger has passed he returns Conversator to its holster. Hopefully, he would not need it any more today.
He turns to Riesenlied, offering her a nod.
"Iiindeed...it will not be an...easy move for them...nor...a quick one..." He replies, turning to face her fully.
"For my part...I would like to...contiiinue assiiisting you...how I can...however..." He pauses for a moment, taking a moment to consider.
"There is...something I must...speak to you about... Would you...like to take a seat...?" He offers, gesturing to a few chairs outside his workshop, on the porch area. After a /certain someone/ started coming by, he felt it probably would be a good idea to have a place to sit outside as well...
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
Riesenlied has a quiet sigh... and nods slowly, as she takes a step towards the seat to gently sit down on it with a somewhat subtle limp in the way she walks. The battle at the Wellspring took her toll on her, after all.
"... of course, Mister Ambrosius. Anytime," she nods. Janey's been coming about to take her lessons, but she's not here right now!
<Pose Tracker> Ambrosius has posed.
It hadn't gone unnoticed by Ambrosius. Indeed, that was part of the reason why he had suggested taking a seat, rather than starting the conversation then and there. He walks over to the chairs and takes one for himself as well, facing Riesenlied.
"...You are...aware of my...staaance on the...Staaatues... And...Lord Volsung's staaance...as well..." He states. "I have...consiiidered the possibiliiities...and...it is not impossiiible...that there will be...confliiict beeetween us...in the future... With your...proclamaaation...increasing the likelihood..."
He's quiet a moment, before continuing.
"Should that happen...I want you to know...that it will not be...anything personal...against you... But...it will be difficult...to contiiinue using...your position...as an eeexcuse to remain here..."
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
There is a quiet look of rumination as she nods slowly, and places her hand to her chest. "... I understand. But... at the same time, I wish to reiterate as well..."
She looks more keenly towards Ambrosius. "This is not a matter of allying with the Guardians. You know as much as I do the issue is more complex than that... it is an inroad, a first step towards discovering truth. Both for my brethren, and my fervent hope, for the Veruni as well."
She holds her hands to her chest. "I understand it is difficult in the face of official orders and public stances... but communication is the only way forward, I feel. Even if all the Guardians may not feel the same way... even if they may still treat me as an enemy."
<Pose Tracker> Ambrosius has posed.
"I understand that...yes...but those above me...may not..." Ambrosius replies with a nod of understanding. "You are awaaare of...our situaaation... Our surviiival...may not simply be a matter of...discoveriiing truth...or...perhaaaps...it is better staaated...that they...may not see it that way..."
"I will do what I can...to proviiide...a road of communicaaation...to my people... That may be...the best I...can offer for now..." He explains.
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
Riesenlied lowers her head further... and nods slowly. "... I do not wish to fight you... but... it may come to that. It hurts me to think of it."
She bites her lip. "When I say that I seek the new world, that includes the Veruni too. I would not rest until I have known why... so-- please, as much as you're able to, in your position... give me the chance to help your kind too."
She tucks her head to one side. "... so much has happened since we arrived in this valley. Underneath us, a primal evil still dwells, that threatens all of our kind -- human, Hyadean and Veruni alike... there is no end to the task, is there?"
<Pose Tracker> Ambrosius has posed.
"I would prefer to...avoid it...if at all possible...but... That is...reaaality... Just know that...I would still respeeect you...for choosing the path...you beliiieve in..." Ambrosius replies. He chuckles kindly, then.
"Iiindeed...you would not be...Riiiesenlied...otherwise..." He replies, then shakes his head ruefully. "I will...do my best...to enaaable that...but...do not put...too much faaaith...in me... I am afraaaid that...among my people...I do not...carry much sway..."
He was no Captain, nor was he even widely regarded among his people. He was merely a soldier and a spy, sent on a mission few of his kind would accept.
He goes quiet for a moment as she continues, and nods once more.
"Indeed...it is a fight that...very well may never end... We can do our best...but there will...always be something...that needs fixing...or iiimproving... That is...something a mechaaanic...knows quite well..." He replies. "...But...that does not mean...it is fruitless...to try..."
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
Riesenlied pauses a moment, sighing as she-- can't help but shed a tear, dabbing at it with her finger. "... I have been really glad to know you, all of these months -- as a friend, as a comrade... I know Kaguya will also take the news quite poorly, and I must gird myself to break the news to her as well."
She smiles just a bit more ruefully as a nod. "Indeed, the only moment in which something is truly inevitable is when we give up..."
<Pose Tracker> Ambrosius has posed.
Yes, Kaguya...Ambrosius could imagine her reaction to the proclamation. He had not had an opportunity to speak with her in some time, as she was off keeping an eye on that merchant group...but the situation was much closer to her than it was to him, as she was being directly affected by it.
"And I as well...Miss Riiiesenlied...it has been an honor to...work alongsiiide you...and I hope it can contiiinue...for quite some time..." He replies, bowing his head politely. It would feel unusual, to go back to working mostly on his own. He would do what he had to for his people, but...
"...Indeed." He agrees.
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
Riesenlied nods slowly, as she... comments gently, "I hope it does not come soon. ... Janey and Mikaia are owed the explanation, and I will explain to them, but..." There's a kind of gentle laugh as she says, "I have no doubt she would still sneak up to your workshop to continue learning under your tutelage. She's quite fond of you."
<Pose Tracker> Ambrosius has posed.
That gets a laugh out of Ambrosius, as well.
"Indeed...there is little...that can dissuaaade that girl...once she has her mind...set on something..." He replies with a hint of a smile.
"She is an eeexcellent student...with much poteeential... I do hope...to contiiinue our lessons...for some time..." He says.
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
Riesenlied can't help but change the topic to something a bit fonder. "She keeps talking about the things she's learned from you at the dinnertable... last week, she said she managed to make a little walking robot. Janey is truly more clever than I am when it comes to machines, even!"
She sits still for a moment, and says, "I hope you've been able to derive some meaning from Wayside as well... to us, it's much more than just a village..."
<Pose Tracker> Ambrosius has posed.
"Ah...yes...I remember that... I was...quite proud..." Ambrosius replies with a nod. It sounded like she was quite proud of it, as well. "I would be...more than happy...to give you lessons as well...if you liked..."
Deriving meaning from Wayside...Ambrosius leans back for a moment, staring upward.
"Before...I would have never imaaagined myself...being a part of something like...Waysiiide... It is...vaaastly different...than life...back in Veruuuni lands..." He comments. There was something refreshing about it. It might be difficult, going back to Laila Belle or Locus Solus...it would at least feel a little cramped, certainly. "Our homes are more...enclosed...and...I had a teeendency...to keep to myself... But here..."
He quiets for a moment.
It'd be hard to leave it behind when it came down it, some day...
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
Riesenlied flushes just for a moment, and says, "... I'm-- I'm not sure I would be a good student. Cetiri has often grumped that I am hopeless with science and technical topics, haha... but, if the time does allow, I should broaden my skills, of course."
She looks around the village as he speaks... "... I just want you to know..."
She steps up from her seat and says, "You'd always be welcome here. I often try to teach people that we are all complex, and that we shouldn't fall prey into black or white thinking."
She looks back to Ambrosius. "We'll keep your workshop intact, of course..." she chuckles.
<Pose Tracker> Ambrosius has posed.
"I see...but yes...it is always good...to at least try..." Ambrosius replies with a chuckle. "After all...now more than ever...you may find yourself...needing that knowledge..."
He quiets and watches her for a moment before standing up as well.
"...Thank you...Miss Riiiesenlied...It means... a lot to me..." He replies, with a polite bow of his head and then, when he looks back up, with a smile.
"...I appreeeciate it..." Looking into his workshop now would reveal that it was a bit emptier than usual, but it still meant a lot to him.