2018-09-03: A War Meeting

From Dream Chasers
Jump to navigation Jump to search

<Pose Tracker> Cecilia Adlehyde has posed.

Adlehyde nearly burned a second time. It wasn't nearly as bad as it could've been - HAD been, before. The city was ready, in its way, and the Demons took a much more...direct, approach to the assault. The arrival of the Drifters helped save many lives...even if it was not enough to save the Castle Guardian's statue.

The uncertainty around the fate of Princess Cecilia - nobody seemed entirely sure under what circumstances she left the castle - quickly squares itself away, as she goes within and returns to her rooms without so much as a how-do-you-do to Minister Johan, the standing regent.

Some hours pass. People are able to take a brief rest, heal themselves up...but not quite get a proper sleep.

There's no thunderous bells of war, just the possibly equally enervating knock-knock-knock of castle maids gently urging you to the dining rooms, where Cecilia Adlehyde has claimed a circular table rather than the throne table as is her technical place. She has a huge spread laid out, as befits a sorceress after a battle. ...but all she seems interested in is the cup of tea in front of her, some herbal blend to settle her nerves. She looks up as people shuffle in. She motions quietly to the seats. "I thought the least I could do was offer a meal," she says. "I couldn't sleep, myself."

<Pose Tracker> Claude C. Kenny has posed.

Claude C. Kenny, like most of the other people invited to this little gathering, has had a really long day. It started with running through a burning town, then getting tsunamied, then crawling through dungeons filled with poop and pee water, then being subjected to his third interplanetary teleport in less than two years, then fighting Metal Demons in yet another burning town. And yet, despite all of that, he has emerged from the day's festivities needing little more than a hot bath. Compared to some people - like Lily - he counts himself lucky.

Tired but not exhausted, Claude was therefore quick to respond to Cecilia's summons, not the least because the maid used the words 'dining room.'

He enters the chamber in the same get-up he has been wearing since he first arrived on Filgaia, although he is wearing a sleeveless black shirt because it's time for the gun show, apparently; his uniform jacket is tied lazily around his waste like a 1990s high school student.

"Hey," he greets Cecilia, offering her a brief smile because... well, he's not sure what the Statue blowing up means, but it's probably not good. After that initial pleasantry, his eyes immediately turn to the table. His eyes survey the scene, then shift back to Cecilia, his head tilting curiously.

"Uh... so between you and me... what's everyone else gonna eat?" he asks.

<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.

Lily Keil, for her part, did not nap, did not sleep at all; she was taken to the castle healers, instead. She explained tiredly her own understanding of her injuries, and for her trouble got an outright stare from someone wondering how she'd been out continuing to fight after all of that. ...And some odd looks at her lack of scars, her strange markings. It was not precisely ideal, but she was remembered anyway--as someone who'd helped the medical corps during the invasion before, as someone who'd kept company with the Princess.

...She also refused medicine to make her sleep during the treatment. Regardless, afterwards she entirely skipped the room the maids had prepared for her and just had them direct her to Leon's instead, and would spend time speaking with him. Now...

Well, now she's walking slowly, carefully into the room, leaning on the other soldier's arm in obvious fatigue. She remains pale, and is bandaged heavily; wended about her head, the spot of her left eye padded generously. Her lesser wounds could be treated, but...

...The eye is gone.

Sitting down, Lily glances to the food ahead fo her--but doesn't start immediately. ...She considers it though.

For her part, she's wearing a borrowed dress, light red and in the current Adlehyde fashion, soft shoes. Her single eye closes.

She doesn't smile. She just looks at Cecilia for a long few moments before she looks back to the table.

...Despite the protests of the maids, Dog has followed her into the dining room and curled up at her feet.

<Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.

Fei has been checking on Elly since Cecilia kindly offered her healers to make sure she would be alright. Fei didn't seem to need any, despite taking several stab wounds and indeed the only wounds that seem to have left much of a mark are those caused by the Negative Rainbow. He'll probably get some scarring there, but he got scarring from the other times he got negative rainbowed too. It's just something too tough to just toughen up through. When Elly was healed enough that she was willing to move and talk to Cecilia, the medical team put her arm in a splint and they went off to the meet with their friends at the round table.

Fei Fong Wong knows what he wants to talk about, and it might not just be about the perils of screaming for the deaths of your enemies and the skulls of their people. It might not even be that at all. There are times for such conversations and it isn't in the middle of a war room.

Fei's clothes do not magically regenerate. His peasant wear is still torn. He gives a look towards Claude for a long moment. There is some sympathy there between their respective appreciations of Cecilia, but he always feels a little weird around that guy. He's not sure why.

"Well hopefully we won't clear out her kitchen after one meal." Fei quips before he bobs his head towards Cecilia. "Thank you, Cecilia, for letting Elly rest here."

He reminds himself to sneak Dog a snack later.

<Pose Tracker> Josephine Lovelace has posed.

    It had started out as a promising day. Yes, a city had been on fire, but Josie, being a questionable character even under more honest circumstances, had been having an overall good time.
    Until that thing had shown up.
    And until the point where a desperate expedition into the exposed guts of Azado had taken them on a one-way trip back to Filgaia. Under any other circumstances Josie might be thanking her lucky stars just to get back but...

    It had dropped them quite literally from the frying pan and into the fire. The statue in Adlehyde had fallen.

    And as such, there are times when even the mother-of-all-research goals has to take a step back. If this Mother eliminates humanity, there's not going to be much point in research at all, to put it mildly.

    So here she is, not well rested at all. Thanks to a head wound -- nothing horrifically serious in spite of the 'head wound' component of the business -- her white hair is unbound, tumbling long and loose over her shoulders. Bandages patch the worst of it, with some wrapped around her head, but compared to others, she's practically in good health.

    If not good spirits.

    "I don't know about you, but I could use a drink. Something with a damn lot of kick." She glances at Lily, leans back in her seat, and closes her own eyes.

<Pose Tracker> Elhaym van Houten has posed.

Elly van Houten has lost more or less every material good she owned in the transit, except for the Lunar Rod. And rather than having to place her trust and faith in Rod, she has now been given the blessing - of maids.

Elly had kind of dozed off for a while, which did not freak out the local leechery because she did not hit her head, somehow. Her arm was cleaned off along with everything else, and in deference to the royal presence, she was washed and shampooed. Now she is here, her arm bound in bandages and a support strut. Otherwise she is in a white cotton gown. If it wasn't for being in recovery it might be rude, but the options are

* This
* Nudity
* Green sundress (badly damaged by Metal Demons)

So, you get what you can. She looks towards the spread of food - looks to Cecilia to say, "Thank you -"

And is CRUELLY STRUCK DOWN BY CRESS AL-VEIN, or more accurately, reminded of the cruel truth of Filgaia. Her head hangs forwards. Her stomach quietly complains.

"... I suppose it's an encouraging sign," Elly says after several long seconds of wrestling with interior guilt. "Isn't it? The siege must not have been a long one." She steps towards a seat, haltingly, and then lingers for an entirely different sort of awkwardness.

What do you do at a royal supper?? Elly leans back in her seat, looking at the food as if to will it all to climb into her plate or perhaps down her mouth.

Unfortunately, this Ether technique is known only to Borgan.

<Pose Tracker> Leon Albus has posed.

Leon walks in, a little after Lily.

He is in finer clothes, again: a button-up white shirt, freshly cleaned, with a suit vest and pants on. His coat and the rest is back on the Fereshte; his ARMs are stowed up in his room. His expression is level and tired; he spent much of the battle fending off Metal Beasts from the Fereshte, and his eyes are tired. He looks sleepy, and he looks down at Dog.

He doesn't wake her. Instead, he takes a seat; he looks sideways at Fei, and then nods his head. After that, his eyes move back to the Princess. "Well," he says. "Hopefully the cooks have more."

Then, he glances at Josie. "...I could, myself," he says. "A hell of a night. But... we drove them out of the city. Or they left--either way, I think I wouldn't call it a total loss."

<Pose Tracker> Cecilia Adlehyde has posed.

Cecilia chuckles, to Fei's remark. "I hear when the chef heard I came back with a fistful of magic users, he fainted dead away," she quips. "You don't need to worry too much. Adlehyde may not be Linga, but we have our reputation for supporting magic-users to maintain. We'll give the staff a workout, but it'll be fine." She glances to Claude, shrugging. "Whatever they bring out next, I suppose," she says. She's visibly tired, exhausted even, but the screaming, and fury, and crying, and sorrow seem to have wrung out the upper ends of her emotional range. She seems...flattened out, at the moment. Perhaps it's what she needed, in a strange way.

She looks to Lily. Injured again...Her eyes close. If she'd had a healing crest, could she have helped...? Possibly not. She barely had time to look at Lily amid all the fighting... "Help yourself," she declares. "For tonight, at least, you are all guests of the crown, and Regent Johan is too busy meeting with the emergency teams to tell me otherwise."

For all that she claims to find her responsibilities here burdensome...being back in a roof she KNOWS she controls is calming her greatly, and after her words she sighs a bit, leaning back into her plush seat. She glances to Fei and Elly, smiling tiredly. "You're welcome. I couldn't just...let you walk away." Even if he had made her cry. (That wasn't really Fei that did that, though...)

She raises a hand, signalling the maids to bring out The Good Stuff. Because this is a magical kingdom where only good things happen, someone soon arrives with a few bottles and glasses from the liquor cabinets.

Her eyes fall to Leon, nodding. "Not particularly how I expected my evening to go, but...at least we're home. Though..." Her fingers come up and pinch the bridge of her nose. "...what Siegfried said is worrying me. I sense something very wrong..."

<Pose Tracker> Morgan Newkirk has posed.


"I think I agree with the lady, I could really use a drink."

That statement, that bald faced and exausted agreement, comes from one Jack van Burnace. At least that is what he is back to calling himself.

The man is back in his old coat, hair pulled back into a pony tail like it used to be, though it is still snow white. He at least donned some more refined clothes before coming out...but then threw the long coat on over it all and entirely ruined the effect.

...espicially since it was still just a bit singed and soot stained from earlier.

He's exausted, but that smirk is still there. One missing from when he was calling himself Garrett. And Hanpan is back on his shoulder, the wind mouse looking as exausted as Jack must feel.

<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.

"I could usually use a drink," Lily admits to Josie. If anything she seems like she's been through a much worse wringer than she did while she was in the battle, but considering what was necessary and the fact that she's still conscious...

Well, Lily is resistant to most painkillers. Regardless, here she is. ...Injured, yes.

She glances up at Jack as she sees him, considering for a moment. "...It's surreal," Lily admits, "To be here again, amidst something like this again. Like it isn't entirely real."

She shrugs, "Maybe that's just the medicine."

When the maids bring out the liquor, Lily glances up with her good eye. "Thank you," she says, and pauses when she stops pouring. "Fill the glass," she directs instead, to a surprised and frankly scared look--Lily looks... intimidating, at the moment.

"The statue's lost, but the city isn't. That means we can afford to regroup and plan our counterattack." She glances to Cecilia. "...There's a lot wrong. But we aren't without our options." A glance to Leon, who's sitting on her good side. ...She can't see anything from the other side for obvious reasons.

Lily's glass freezes over in an instant as she passes her hand over it and takes a drink.

...Only then does she get near her food.

<Pose Tracker> Claude C. Kenny has posed.

Despite outward appearances, Claude C. Kenny has a surprising amount of experience with formal, even royal, dinners. For one thing, the Federation Academy's mealtimes are a surprisingly ordered and polite affair, as befits an institution responsible for raising young officers. And for another, as the son of a Hero of the Pangalactic Federation, Claude was often required to attend formal functions as part of his father's entourage.

And so once Cecilia gives her permission to commence with the feasting, Claude drops into a seat near Elly and provides her with an example of how to behave, i.e., by sliding a whole chicken across the table to in front of him, then starting to disassemble it down to the bone.

After thirty seconds or so, Claude pauses for air... and because Cecilia's spidey sense is tingling. "'She's awake,' or whatever he said, right?" Claude asks. "Probably this 'Mother' that Yarobeleedt and Zed were babbling about. I'm guessing she's the queen alien, or something like that?" He's at least trying to keep up, which is more than could have been said half a year ago.

<Pose Tracker> Josephine Lovelace has posed.

    "Tell me about it, Tiger," Josie mutters, at least opting to straighten up and open her eyes -- her gaze settling into a brooding 'hooded' like a plotting panther -- once it becomes clear that, yes, there will be drinks.

    The fabled 'good stuff' in fact, which while it might be doled out in smaller quantities than Josie might be used to drinking...
    ...she's also an experienced enough drinker to know that size doesn't matter, particularly when it comes to knocking you on your ass. But we digress.

    "Silver lining," Josie seems fit to agree, after she's had a drink. She doesn't move from her seat just yet. "And it's not as if the world's ending tomorrow. Heh. This 'Mother's' been asleep for a while, yeah? It'll probably take her a while to get up and running again. Just like the day after you've had too much to drink," she adds, swirling the contents of her glass.

    "Anyway. I'm an archaeologist. City defense and armies aren't my forte, but I can tell you there there's some Metal Demon Wars-era ruins around Ignas. I'll go give them a look and see what's lying around. Maybe we can find something useful."

<Pose Tracker> Leon Albus has posed.

"Something very wrong?" Leon asks Cecilia, with a concerned expression crossing his features. Those silver eyes narrow, after a moment; then he looks to the side, when he sees the newest entry. Jack van Burace; a man he knows more by reputation, and who had been a Hellion, than someone he has met. He looks towards him, and then he nods his head once towards him.

"Perhaps we should adjourn to a bar later today," he says.

He looks at Claude; his expression is somewhere between 'intrigued' and 'horrified' at his devastation of the chicken. He looks at Josie, though, and nods. "If it is this... 'Mother,' then yes. I think whatever we can. We'll need more information."

His brow furrows. Then, he looks at Lily. There is a question in his eyes, but he doesn't voice it. Really, he doesn't have to.

<Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.

Fei starts filling up a plate for himself. Or maybe Elly. Or ... Or maybe both him and Elly? Just how much food is he going to pile on?? Like he's picking up a smaple of at least everything on the menu ala It's A Wonderful Life but he's getting Elly some sliced salmon, salad, breads, cheddar cheese and a not insignificant amount of water on top of it all. Water is important for the healing process!

Fei asides to Elly, "If you want anything else, I can get it for you." Fei asides to Elly, because honestly with one arm it'll be hard to eat from a buffet like this.

She looks over to Josie for a moment before his eyes widen. Garrett. And Hanpan. It's a relief seeing them together again. "Hey man." He says. "Glad to see you again."

He shakes his head to Cecilia. "I don't think he's bluffing either. Mother is free. I can only hope that she's not at her full power already." He looks down. "...Before the Collapse she was hard enough to fight if my vision wasn't my imagination."

His vision. He thinks back to that time about Mother and he remembers something in it that may be of some use. He's been meaning to check in on that element too.

"I'm sorry I couldn't stop him from leaving." He says in a soft exhale. "But after everything we've been through these 24 hours, I suppose we should be glad it went as well as it did."

<Pose Tracker> Elhaym van Houten has posed.

Elly looks over with some horror as Claude just... rips the meat off of the bones himself. She is not used to formal occasions where you do that, because where she's from, most of the food probably is differently colored purees sopped up with geometrical novelties of toasted white carbohydrate.

She gives Fei an embarrassed but warm smile as he starts to stack up a platter. "Oh - if you could give me that little red meat, there - the one in the slices -" She indicates some kind of filet that probably got cooked on a skewer. "I think it would really be wonderful..."

Strangely, the brightly colored purees often tasted really good. But this stuff has texture that Elly's come to like.

"Thank you very much for your hospitality," Elly says then to Cecilia, bowing her head deeply. "I'm so sorry, that we could not do more." And then she lapses into silence because there is Jack! And --

Elly's eyes sparkle, because Hanpan... is... CUTE!! And not fat!! Unlike some other rats she could mention!!

"What do you speak of, Princess?" Elly then says, remaining seated until Fei delivers her one-hand-compatible feast, at which point she starts eating with only somewhat more daintiness than Claude. She wanted the sliced sirloin because she can get an entire slice in her mouth without drooling or slopping seasoning and grease everywhere.

<Pose Tracker> Morgan Newkirk has posed.


Hanpan is adorable. And he knows it. He also seems at least twice as regal as Jack. The former knight knows how he should act. He just chooses not to of course, thumping down into a seat with the boneless grace of the truly exhausted.

 Hanpan at least bows towards Cecilia. "Thank you for inviting us for food, and to discuss this issue, Princess." The wind mouse says in his high piping voice.

...as Jack reaches out to drag a steak over towards himself. Followed by one of those glasses of 'the good stuff'.

Hanpan just sighs.

<Pose Tracker> Cecilia Adlehyde has posed.

Cecilia brightens as Jack walks in - not unchanged from his sorrows but nonetheless here and back to some semblance of normalcy. "Well, lucky for you," she says, and motions to the servant who is quietly preparing a few drinks off to the side. "We have a few comforts, for once! I almost forgot what that was like."

The servant looks vaguely alarmed at this notion.

She gives Hanpan a smile. "I figured it was as good a time as any. If Mother's awake, that means...well, we don't..." ...She trails off, shaking her head slowly as if trying to focus her attention through a drowsy fog, hands coming up to palm at her face. Jack and Claude have definitely seen this, and maybe some of the others as well. It's a sign of the headaches she gets from the Guardians focusing their attention on her.

This lasts long enough for people to notice and become concerned.

    Shaman........the Demon Mother is free...Released from her seal...
        Darkness will engulf Filgaia....

    You will not hear from us again....but.......
        All is not
lost
                Tear
            drop

"Earth...Golem," Cecilia croaks, and releases a long, horrible groan, her posture collapsing, her weight spreading across her shoulders and into her planted elbows.

"...she's drowned out the Guardians," she whispers, numb. "I've never felt such a power..."

<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.

"...We were able to save and guard a number of Statues. We'll just have to hope that that gives us some advantage in the coming battle..." Lily starts to trail off, looks down into her drink. "And prepare. Maybe there should be a concerted effort to look into the ruins," Lily agrees with Josie. Well, agrees and builds on. ...When Leon looks her way, though--

Lily looks right back into his eyes with her single, and shakes her head lightly. "Later," she answers him quietly, and then looks out to the food...

Lily starts collecting it. Half a length of good bread; a bowl of tomato soup, a quantity of roast vegetables, two game hens, a duck breast, and three hamburgers with a lite saucer of fancy mustard. ...Also, the darkest beer on offer to go with her liquor.

...She does this over the course of the conversation, though she pauses sharply, setting down her glass as she starts to look to Cecilia even as her hands are moving up to her face. Her single eye focuses--and then she too lowers her head slightly, as if something is a little too loud. And then... she hears the whisper to go with it. The confirmation--even--

"Your Highness," Lily murmurs, and stands up immediately, coming around to kneel beside Cecilia and look her over, look into her eyes, look for signs of ailment. ...She uses the title, even though Cecilia doesn't like it.

"...Earth Golem?" she murmurs, looking to the others for an instant. "...Can the Guardians really mean for us to unleash that power again?"

Regardless she starts to help Cecilia up.

<Pose Tracker> Claude C. Kenny has posed.

Claude C. Kenny knows that sigh but misses it, busy as he is polishing off a drumstick. When Cecilia starts muttering in her 'I can hear the voice of the world' tones, however, he drops what he's doing (in this case, said drumstick) and watches. If he's not mistaken, the next thing after the talking will be...

He pushes himself out of his chair to go get Cecilia, but Lily beats him to it - something that surprises him, given how beat up she looks. Thus foiled, Claude tries to best serve his destiny by... thinking things through and asking questions. It's not something he's used to. "Earth Golem?" he asks, looking around the table at the others. "By Earth Golem, does it mean, like, a Golem with earth powers or is if from... uh."

Claude clamps his mouth shut, looking quickly at Fei and Elly before snapping his gaze back to Cecilia. "Uh... which one is this Earth Golem, anyway? It's not Lolita, is it?"

<Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.

"Sure, sure." Fei tells elly as he goes to fetch that skewer for her. He is going to be waiting on her hand and foot for a while, no doubt. He says, "There's actually something I want to--"
Himr at least, that's how far he gets before he notices something...namely Cecilia clutching at her her face and whispering something.

He quirks his head, and his eyes widen. The Guardians--she can still hear them. Slowly, he puts the skewer down on Elly's plate as he watches this happen.

He looks towards Claude for a moment before blinking at him, "From Earth?"

He looks at him for a long moment before adding, "I don't know of any place like that." He looks back to Cecilia and adds to her, "But I think 'Lolithia' was a different one." He makes sure to add the h there. "Are you okay, Cecilia?"

He can hold off on what he was going to bring up to make sure she's alright.

Also to shove meat into his mouth.

<Pose Tracker> Elhaym van Houten has posed.

"Ahh! Princess!" Elly cries out, starting to get to her feet immediately. But Lily and Claude beat her to it, and also, so does her arm. She sinks down into her chair, slouching and looking towards Claude.

Her expression is enigmatic for several seconds. Then she explains, "The Golems were made by the Elw, as best as we know. I don't think they were naturally occuring... even if they did have an appearance very different from Gears..."

<Pose Tracker> Claude C. Kenny has posed.

"Uh... yeah, Urth," Claude says, not meeting Fei's gaze. "It's a village."

...

"...in Aquvy."

...

"...which is where I am from."

<Pose Tracker> Leon Albus has posed.

"Later," Leon agrees with Lily.

He takes a plate; with a knife, he carves off a piece of steak and takes a bite. His eyes follow around the room, noting some of the coversation.

When Cecilia shifts like that, her head shaking and a hand over her face, Leon tenses. Years of social training as part of an aristocratic class in the Kislevi officer corps takes over; he stands up, and starts to reach a hand out. That outstretched hand, however, stops when Cecilia begins to mutter that way.

The words, Leon quickly realizes, are not gibberish. His silver eyes widen, nervously, at first; then, they narrow, with concern. "That... sounds like a terrible problem."

His brow furrows. "I am, however, inclined to listen to the Guardians. If they say that we need a Golem... then, perhaps, we should go looking."

Leon looks at Fei, and then nods. "Lolithia was a different one, I'm afraid. I've no idea, rightly." Then, he turns to Claude. He looks at him for a long moment.

An eyebrow raises.

"I can't say I've heard of it, but--hm. Tell me, which side of the conflict was Urth on?" he asks. "Between the Aquvy Union and the Congressional Knights, when the war broke out?"

<Pose Tracker> Josephine Lovelace has posed.

    "Cage Tower might be promising -- I saw a thing or two last I was there that could be worth looking into. And there are other places. I'll ask around -- someone might know a thing or two."

    She takes a sip from her glass. "But first things first... we need some rest."

    Even Josie knows when it's best to stop and take stock before rushing on out, and if it's the time when she's got a head injury, Lily's missing an eye, and Elly looks like she's been right through the wringer...

    Well, they either have time, or they're all already dead. So they might as well make haste slowly.

    She's content for the moment to lapse into silence, up until the point where Cecilia utters a series of words as if she's been possessed, and Josie immediately takes a vaguely suspicious look at her own drink only to shrug, then look more pointedly over at the princess.

    "Stress?" she whispers to Leon.

    ...It doesn't look like stress. Is this the power of the Guardians, before even they are silenced?

    "...Right. The Golems were used as anti-Metal Demon weapons according to the legends. There were three at the festival, but..." She sets her drink down. "Diablo's the one Shalune was fixing. So that's one. I don't think it's 'earth', though. I took a look at it. Unfortunately, Golems aren't my speciality, but that girl should know a thing or two."

<Pose Tracker> Claude C. Kenny has posed.

Claude C. Kenny receives follow-up questions. He was not planning for this; he'll have to rely on his natural improvisational skills.

Talents

Originality
Dexterity
Writing Ability
Pitch
Sixth Sense
Sense of Taste
Sense of Design
Sense of Rhythm
Love of Animals
Blessing of Mana

"Uh, we're a village so small and out of the way you've never even heard of it," Claude answers Leon, giving him a look halfway between 'are you kidding me' and 'please don't push this.' "We don't even hear about that sort of thing. Did you make it up?"

Claude C. Kenny - signed up for drama class to meet girls.

<Pose Tracker> Elhaym van Houten has posed.

Elly's head turns to look at Claude, indicating that he is not defraying the skepticism of the natives.

<Pose Tracker> Leon Albus has posed.

"No, I'm afraid that I prefer to peruse the reference section, instead," Leon answers with a polite smile.

<Pose Tracker> Morgan Newkirk has posed.


Jack is almost out of his seat when Cecilia has her moment, but others get there first and the knight sits back down with a thump. There is a side glance at Claude for a moment before both he and Hanpan shake their head.

They are judging you.

But soon enough he turns back to the more important problems. Like Guardians being muffled and silenced. "We'll have to uncover these Golems then. If they were Anti-Metal Demon weapons that they used back then. They might be some of the only chances we have now. Espicially if this Mother is already this powerful."

He's pretty sure the direct approach isn't going to work.

Hanpan looks shocked that Jack didn't suggest the direct approach though.

<Pose Tracker> Josephine Lovelace has posed.

    "You never heard about it?" Josie says, before lifting her wineglass to her lips again. "Hmm."

<Pose Tracker> Cecilia Adlehyde has posed.

Lily and Claude (with Fei and Elly on Good Thought duty) get to Cecilia. She hasn't properly fainted, though her head has hit the table, visibly exhausted and troubled besides. Her breathing is heavy. "I'm...I'm fine. Thank you," she murmurs, though she sounds even more drained than before. She accepts help up and lets her back hit the back of her chair. She draws in a few long breaths, eyes fluttering like it would banish the headache. "The Earth Golem...yes," she says, nodding toward Josie, whom she...probably knows? Maybe more by association.

"The Golems were anti-Demon weapons. Even if they've mostly been damaged or scattered, they may be necessary for battling Mother. The Earth Golem..." She slowly shakes her head, trying to get some red blood cells going through that noggin.

She finally settles her eyes on Hanpan, hoping for some help from the ancient Wind Mouse. "I remember from the festival...As...gard? I think. Yes. Asgard. The Fortress of the Gods. I don't think we know much else."

She does not save Claude from judgment because she is an occasionally terrible friend.

<Pose Tracker> Claude C. Kenny has posed.

Okay, that didn't work, Claude thinks. Plan B: tell the truth in a way that hopefully won't be believed, then tell a slightly more convincing lie.

"Oh boy, okay, you got me," Claude answers, throwing his hands up dramatically. "I'm a space alien from space, except I look just like you, have the same number of arms, legs, and eyes, and somehow speak the same language. I flew in on a big metal bird and could go anywhere in the galaxy but instead I came here so the gods of your world could call me names."

...what was it Elly called him again? Oh right.

He rolls his eyes. "Shevat save me, we're all on the same side, okay? Or, at least... slightly different sides that are for right now all against the big sides that are against all of us."

<Pose Tracker> Elhaym van Houten has posed.

Elly visibly relaxes. Oh, he's a Shevat agent. That makes sense.

She resumes eating.

<Pose Tracker> Rudy Roughnight has posed.

 Shortly after Jack and (perhaps more importantly) Hanpan arrive, there is a young boy who makes his way in. Hanging on the outskirts of conversation, he pauses at the mention of Mother. Shame covers his face and he almost takes a step back. If he had been strong enough to stop Berserk.

 The initial reflex to flee is stopped, however, Rudy merely coming to terms with the truth of the matter: Filgaia is more in more danger than when they left it. The wounds of the previous battle still recovering from the bandages on his left arm, Rudy walks in. "I'm glad you're not dead," Rudy offers with a faint smile toward Elly before looking toward the group. Time for him to use up his words for week in one conversation.

"I know there are powerful ARMs often in ruins. Elw stuff seems to be rather.... Effective and the stuff I've seen I can usually get working. It's not that hard," Rudy offers helpfully as his brown eyes look from person to person. After all, Rudy's sure that near perfect interfacing with Elw technology is just an easy thing for every Normal Human to do. What else would it be, is he right? "While Mother is powerful, Berserk was strong when we first faced him and we manage to find the strength to stop him. Sure we'll do it again."

 There is a pause as he's looks toward Claude as he reveals information to others. A second's pause is given before "You didn't tell me you had a metal bird," he points out with faint signs of pouting.

<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.

When it starts up with Claude and Leon...

Lily sighs. It is a big sigh. It communicates volumes, and those volumes are definitely not... positive. ...A little amused, but that's it.

"Yes," Lily agrees after a moment though. "...I'm leery of using the Golems' power, but it may be necessary." She pauses, looks to Josie thoughtfully. One...

"Solaris took one. ...And..." Lily considers, looking away, but stops speaking as she looks to Cecilia instead, inclining her head. "All right. If that's what you need. ..Tell me if the headache doesn't go away."

She stops. She turns towards Claude, and as he mentions he's an alien, she notices a feeling, and... She...

Stares at him. She could almost swear she thinks he's telling the truth. Luckily(?) Rudy's revelation of his expertise with Elw technology gets Lily's attention. "...Yes, maybe..." She pauses. "We have no choice; we have to kill her."

"...But" she says, "Asgard. Yes, I see. That, we can look for. I..."

Lily purses her lips, and looks down. "There is... one man I know. One man, who is expert on the matter of the Golems. Who has managed to control one."

Lily doesn't look at Leon.

"...Dietrich Keil. My father."

<Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.

Fei blinks as Leon presses on Claude's words and then back to Claude. "This may not be the best..." He frowns as Claude mentions that he's from Shevat. That seems to make ELLY relax, but it doesn't make Fei relax at all. In fact, he seems even more tense than before. Does he buy it? Does he not buy it? Ultimately he doesn't go into it, but he does keep giving Claude suspicious glances. Surely Fei isn't someone who believes in people coming to Filgaia from space and all that alien jazz.

"Well," Fei says. "Alien or from Shevat, I guess it doesn't really matter. Though--" And he takes a cue from Leon here. "--I do need to visit Shevat some time. I have a few things to talk to them about. So maybe you can take me there sometime."

And then he turns back to Cecilia and nods slowly. "I know the Yggdrasil still has Diablos." He says to her. "But ... Asgard huh." He frowns thoughtfully. "Strange name. But--" He shakes his head. "I'm not sure where it might be. But ... I might have a lead. Not just on the golems."

He takes in a deep breath and adds, "But if we're going to see her, I think we should go in a small group. She seems like she'd be easily spooked."

<Pose Tracker> Josephine Lovelace has posed.

    "Any port's welcome in a storm, Tiger. Maybe it's not as reliable as a well-tuned ARM, but I don't think we've got room to get choosy."

    Though the fact that Diablo is not in great shape is more of a problem, perhaps.

    "Hmm. Asgard. I'll keep an eye out for the name."

    A space alien from... what? The dubious look on Josie's face only intensifies, her glass frozen halfway to her lips as he spins one whale of a tale.

    Before opting for what is, apparently, the truth.
    'Shevat' is a name that means nothing to her.
    But the general gist of 'apparent spy'? That's universal.

    "Takes all kinds," she opts for, before finishing the contents of her glass.

    ...A giant metal bird would be pretty good to have, though, she thinks.

<Pose Tracker> Cecilia Adlehyde has posed.

Cecilia has generally found that leaving Claude to flounder about helplessly in his own web of lies is actually one of the more effective ways to get people to stop seriously inquiring after his secret. The hell is a Shevat?

Cecilia brightens up visibly when Rudy comes in. It's like she's a teenager or something. She favors him with a smile. She's tired, but...well, the positivity helps. That hope. "Yes," she says, and feels confident about it somehow, even though she recognizes the platitude. "We don't really have a choice but to find the power we need. Whatever it may be. The demons have the Teardrop, and their Mother is awake. We have to end this, somehow. The Guardians failed to transport us to the Demon citadel months ago, and then we spent all that time searching for Statues and lost on Lunar..."

She sighs, twirling chow main around a fork listlessly. "We're out of time. We have to stop this."

Her eyes slide over as Lily mentioned a name. "...I am sensing this is not a fond relationship," she ventures.

<Pose Tracker> Leon Albus has posed.

"I'm doubtful about the metal bird. But, Shevat, you said...? I've heard of them," Leon says, eyes narrowing. "All right, then. Good to know."

He looks sideways at Rudy, when he enters. Leon raises a hand to him; he waves once at him, before he nods. "Well, I admire your enthusiasm. I'd just like to be sure we bolster it with a plan," he says, with a sigh. Then, though, he tenses; he looks sideways towards Lily, eyes widening for a moment.

"Finding the Colonel might be difficult," he adds. "He did attempt to overthrow the Kaiser and fled. I also have... concerns about what he would share with us."

He takes a long drink of his beer, then he looks back at Cecilia. He nods. "He attempted to destroy our careers, killed most of our team, and then recruit us into said coup d'etat. Suffice to say, he won't be receiving excellent seating at the wedding."

<Pose Tracker> Elhaym van Houten has posed.

"Oh, congratulations," Elly says, between bites of lemon-roasted potato.

<Pose Tracker> Claude C. Kenny has posed.

And thus, Claude C. Kenny's problems were solved through... lying! Sure, it has created several more problems down the road, but that is Future Claude's problem. Suck it, that guy. Breathing a little more easily, the Boy From Shevat, Apparently pulls some bread off the table and tears it open, then goes looking for butter.

While so doing, he gives Rudy a look that promises an explanation about metal birds later. Seriously, the guy goes weeks without talking and then drops that. Man.

"Congrats," Claude adds politely to Leon and Lily, his hands busily stuffing meat into the bun; he starts chomping down on the improvised sandwich immediately. "Well, if your dad isn't findable, we could always ask that Emma lady from the Ancient Machine Festival or whatever. She certainly seemed to know a lot about them. Or..."

Claude frowns, then mentally shrugs. Hell, they already think he's from a super-weird place, right?

He brushes his hands on his pants, like a classy gentleman, then pulls a small crystal rectangle from his pants pocket. Claude touches the surface with a finger, and his tricorder lights up, a holographic map of the city emerging into the air. "If we can get close enough to Lolita or one of the other Golems with this..." Claude says, waggling the rectangle a bit (which does not cause the images to shake, which may be more unnerving than if it did). "...we might be able to find something that would let us track the other ones down. Energy readings or something like that."

<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.

"I agree," Lily answers Josie about being choosy, though it's clear that she's not thrilled about it. Nevertheless she stands up once Cecilia's state seems stable enough for her, and returns to her place at the table, sitting beside Leon and looking down to her just, incredible amount of food. ...She looks at Leon, then; she watches him for a few moments; obviously she heard his response, understands his surprise.

She turns to the others again and inclines her head. "Leon is... right." She has mixed feelings, conflicts. It's hard to consider dealing with him at all. "But he has the expertise we may need. It's not my first choice... But I'll seek him out if it's necessary. If anyone can draw him out," she says, focusing on Leon again, "You know that it would be me."

She doesn't say anything about the wedding. For the moment.

"...I might've..." She stops, closes her eye, shakes her head. "It's true in any case. One way or--" She pauses, suddenly, and turns faintly red at Elly's comment. "Ah, no, we--w-we haven't... I mean, we aren't--t-there's no date--"

She forgets to address Emma Hetfield.

<Pose Tracker> Josephine Lovelace has posed.

    A short low chuckle slips Josie's lips.

    "You didn't tell me you were getting married," Josie interrupts then, giving Lily a withering look that might be partially (partially) in jest.

    "If the organization's trouble, though, you know where you can find me. Getting the right ring is such a pain~"
    She pours herself another glass.

<Pose Tracker> Elhaym van Houten has posed.

Elly smiles at Lily - she even starts to laugh a little, although pain stops it - pain and the knowledge that, you know, Cecilia is there, and suffering and so is Filgaia. The lemon potatoes demolished, she shifts a little to see Claude's Shevat spy gear. His evil Shevat holo-display does not draw an exclamation from her, although, she thinks to herself: Are they that much more advanced? Then again if they're exploiting the -Lambs-...

Elly of course has much yet to learn.

"That makes sense," Elly says. "Gebler was able to do it in the Aveh deserts... If Vierge will start up, we may be able to get the tracker files, if the data structures are compatible."

<Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.

Fei says, "Not 'excellent' seating huh?" to Leon. "...Honestly it's nice that we just have a plan now. Or a backup plan." He narrows his eyes as Claude draws out a tricorder. He stares at it a long while. It even makes him stop talking about whatever the heck he was getting into before.

He rubs at his face for a moment. He thinks of moment, where he was looking down at Filgaia from above and he seemed so happy, but he tries to turn his attention off of that moment. This is why he tries to avoid hanging around Claude too much. Cecilia, by contrast, has this way of putting him at ease.

"Anyway, the person I'm talking about is named Mariel. I don't know if any of you know her though--" He looks to Leon. "We did take a job from her once." She looks back to Cecilia. "She might not know much, but she's an Elw. She might have an idea of where to look or, at least, the truth of what happened five hundred years ago. And that truth might be something we need."
Elhaym van Houten (Elly) pages Josephine Lovelace and Lily Keil: since, i mean, the AERODs need mega-high ether potential to run but it's a Gear

<Pose Tracker> Rudy Roughnight has posed.


 Cecilia's smile is returned with a gentle nod and a faint smile, only the topic making subduing his happiness to see him. Rudy glances from Lily and Leon as the name of Dietrich is brought up. Not one to repeat the question, it's clear he has some idea of the friction which is soon explained. While Rudy is perhaps not the most knowledgeable of the group, there are times he can be insightful and sometimes empathy can be just as powerful an investigative tool as deduction or memorization. "I must have lost something, but not sure who we were supposed to be killing. Some girl?"

 As Fei mentions his lead, Rudy blinks. "A surviving Elw, but I thought" He leads off, recalling going through their ruins with Zepet. "Well, if there is anything I do to help, let me know. Other than helping with the digs and fighting the Demons, not sure what else I can do."

 Rudy taps his chin in thought. "Maybe if we killed Siegfried, though, draw him into a trap, it could give us more time. After all, you take out the leader and they usually take time to get back into fighting shape." A glance is given toward the people, perhaps concerned about where he knows such things. "You know, learn that stuff dealing with bandits."

<Pose Tracker> Cecilia Adlehyde has posed.

Cecilia grimaces as Leon and Lily explain. "I've already asked a lot of you," she says. "Perhaps there will be others. Yes, we should speak with Emma. Doctor Hetfield may know something, or at least know someone relevant. I believe I spotted her fleeing from the battle in Adlehyde, so she's probably back." She glances to Claude, nodding. "And your device may help as well, if we can locate a functioning Golem. As I understand it, most of them are not, uhm, properly functional anymore, but we'll have to try. Every avenue is worth pursuing."

She nods to Rudy's comment. "If we can take Siegfried off the field it'd likely shake them," she says, entirely aboard for 'let's murder a guy'. "But...I don't think it'd stop them. Not now that Mother's back."

Lily getting flustered is the most precious thing Cecilia has seen in days and she just sort of watches it with an entirely overpleased smile, enamored to the point she almost totally misses Fei trying to get her attention.

Then he says the words 'but she's an Elw.' Her head jerks over like it's on a swivel, blinking owlishly. "They're...gone, though," she says, blankly, and then pitches a sigh into her chow mein. "Myths aren't all supposed to be real at once," she mutters, and then slurps up a mouthful of noodles.

<Pose Tracker> Leon Albus has posed.

Leon cracks a smile, but keeps his calm. He sits down, then, and takes a bite of his steak. He blinks a couple times; his eyes turn towards Rudy, first. He hesitates, though. It is a sound strategy -- but he considers what effect it might have upon Riesenlied, from what he does know. He keeps quiet for the moment.

Then, he looks to Fei. His head tilt to the side, and he shakes his head once. "Well, far be it from me to find reason to decline," he says. "If she might know anything... I think it's worth our while."

<Pose Tracker> Elhaym van Houten has posed.

Elly pokes at the remains of her plate with the fork.

"... Siegfried..."

Elly looks up, blinking once as she glances at Fei. The news of the Elw comes up. Her lips purse for a moment, but then Elly speaks. She seems to look towards Rudy and Cecilia primarily as she does.

"I don't think that you should kill him."

She keeps going, having made her topline remark. "Of course - if he's leading an attacking column - you shouldn't restrain yourself. His life is no more precious than either of yours, or that of anyone here. And he is the one who is instigating these attacks... whatever his motive, you have the absolute right to defend yourself."

Elly looks towards her plate. "But... I feel as though I know him. I don't know everything that happened when they were younger. And, I might just be going soft. But I think that he's filled with regrets. If we understood why..."

Elly looks back up, blinking once. "Well," she says, "If I'm there, I'll take responsibility for stopping him." which historically has worked out so well for her but be that as it may

"If nothing else, I don't know if anyone else could command the Hyadeans after we resolve this crisis."

<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.

"Josie!" Lily answers, as if betrayed though she's shyer than she is actually upset. There's another sigh as she palms her face, conveniently blocking everyone out for a few moments as things turn to more serious matters. It's...

Well, it's not the worst thing; if someone looks closely, they might actually catch Lily looking not grumpy.

"An... Elw?" she asks, and blinks--looks to Rudy at his thought, to Cecilia considering the option... and Elly.

...Lily's hand slips down, rests on Leon's for a moment, under the table--just for a moment. Her skin is colder than it should be.

"...You are soft," Lily says to Elly simply, bluntly though without rancor. "That's not in question."

"...But it's true that if there are any more like Riesenlied, then... we won't simply be eliminating them when this ends. That there may be remnants to deal with after."

"...If it's possible to leave him alive," Lily answers, "I'll do what I can. That's the best I can offer. But..."

She considers, looking into the distance, before she looks at Elly again. Elly... Familiar? No--No, of course she is. Why wouldn't she be? Lily puts aside that impression.

"But the reason this conflict continues is deaths on either side. If it comes down to it... If all we do is kill and kill, there'll be another generation that needs revenge. If we aren't prepared to exterminate their entire race, we need to think about how to make peace with them after we defeat this god of theirs."

<Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.

Fei Fong Wong says, "Well... she looks exactly like one," to Cecilia, and frankly Rudy too. "And well, I've seen a lot of Elw corpses. In my head." He pauses for a moment. "So I know what they look like." Pause. "Mariel is alive though. I can't say for sure she knows anything. I think she's a child? Or very young? Normally I wouldn't even want to bother her and let her live her life as she wished, but after what we heard from Lombardia... and considering our current situation...I don't know if I can be that kind."

He nods to Leon. "I'll bring a small group at first. I don't want to scare her away. It'd be tough to find her again." Well actually it probably wouldn't be tough at all, but he still doesn't want to scare what may be the last remaining Elw on Filgaia. He nods to Rudy and, because he seems like someone who is looking for something to do (and is a gentle soul), "I was thinking Elly and Cecilia, but since you're here, I'll bring you along too if you'd like."

Then Siegfried. Rudy just flat out suggests murdering the guy, which is kind of a shocker to Fei, but it may be understandable considering the current situation.

His hesitance here lets him look over to Elly as she says her own piece. He blinks a few times.

He understands why HE wouldn't want Siegfried to be killed. He has seen visions of him in much happier days, and even fought alongside him once. But Elly?

But then it becomes apparent why. She also feels like she knows of him.

He looks down for a moment. "...He's lost a great deal. I guess...I'm sympathetic to that, but I..." He hesitates. "I agree with Elly. I think if he happened to be killed, then someone like Alhazred would take over. I don't think there could be peace if he is killed."

He pauses. "But I wouldn't ask you to sacrifice yourselves either." He looks to Lily. If it's possible. That's all Fei can reasonably ask for. Any more is putting an enemy over the lives of his friends.

"If only he could just....stop hating for a little while and we could talk to him normally."

He laughs. "...Anyway, I feel like I have to keep facing Siegfried if I am going to find out the truth of who I am." He pauses. "What I am."

<Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.

Fei Fong Wong smiles at Lily after a long moment. "Thank you." It's strangely heartfelt.

<Pose Tracker> Cecilia Adlehyde has posed.

Cecilia looks down as Elly and, somewhat unexpectedly, Lily, speak of mercy for the man Siegfried. Cecilia's hands shake a little.

From Rudy it didn't do much. It was untroubling to her. Yes, of course, can we eliminate Siegfried? The sooner the better.

Elly's point is softly spoken and terribly kind. It is an entirely reasonable middle ground. Cecilia should be able to agree with it easily. If he attacks, defend. But don't simply seek him out to destroy him. Perhaps there is another--

---Another-----

A blade slashing her father nearly in twain.

A blast of light blasting Claude entirely off the roof.

It will end when every last one of you is broken.

She doesn't notice her hands shaking until her fork flies out of them. There's a loud clatter as the instrument leaps from her fingertips, crashes off the tabletop. It's a small thing but it echoes in her suddenly overtaxed thoughts like a gong. She jams her hands together, folding them in an attempt to stop the tremor running through her entire body. Her breathing comes fast, her eyes unfocused, tears beading on the edges without any obvious prompting. She squeezes her hands like she could forge diamonds between them.

"I'm sorry," she says, quietly, her voice trembling.

"I don't...I don't think...that I..."

A lump forms in her throat, blocking any other words she might speak. She draws a shaking breath.

<Pose Tracker> Elhaym van Houten has posed.

Elly smiles at Lily, wanly. She listens then, her head nodding slightly. "Fei's figured out his style, at this point... I can't say it would be easy, but I don't think it's impossible, either." She looks to Fei as if to confirm his ability to dumpster everything Siegfried can possibly do.

She startles, then, and tries to get up as Cecilia cries. "Ah - I," she falters, but the attempt to rise disturbs her arm. Her face blanches and again she slops back into her seat, grimacing. As she cradles the limb, she says, "Princess... I'm sorry..."

"But everyone insists that the only way is through a path of corpses," she says, half to herself. "Everyone... if they were right... then..."

The thought trails off, as yet uncompleted.