2019-11-23: A Better World is Possible
- Log: A Better World is Possible
- Cast: Citan Uzuki, Fei Fong Wong, Lunata Croze, Emeralda Kasim, Elhaym van Houten, Lily Keil, Xantia
- Where: Meria City - Central Commercial District
- Date: November 23, 2019
- Summary: The Black Wolves have a meetup at a cafe in Meria City. The discussion turns to recent events but then concerns Xantia's condition... as well as what they should make of Solaris. Or do about it, its influence and its apparent goal to control the world.
<Pose Tracker> Citan Uzuki has posed.
For exactly the same reason why the Thames is typically the location of choice for meetings -- there is a sort of privacy to be had in the chaos of that crowd -- the Black Wolves (and associated) had opted for a different sort of chaos in their semi-official reunion. There's bustle and noise in the city's commercial center--
And it comes without having a Gear mechanic accidentally stumble into their meeting or similar.
A little cash had seen a cafe's back patio rented without any trouble, and the group -- or at least part of it -- had settled in to have a bit of catching up. After all, some of them haven't quite crossed paths since Spira.
"...Apparently the bread is made by the bakery down the street," Citan remarks, settling back in his seat. "It has a strangely nostalgiac flavor to it, I think."
To be specific, it vaguely reminds him of Lahan.
But that, perhaps, is neither here nor there--
His gaze does linger on Fei, however briefly.
He's silent then, as if lost in thought, his attention for the moment over off at the cafe itself.
A lot of things have happened, as of late. Between Odessa, Solaris' appearance at the temple, the apparent fate of the Maester, the temple itself...
And other things, that the doctor keeps closer to his chest.
<Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.
Cartoon question marks appear over Fei's head as Citan gives him a look but he does not, at present, blow up Meria Boule.
Of course Fei lived in Lahan for three years before he blew that up so if you really think about it, he's got a couple years to go. If you think about it, one town every three years isn't that bad.
Fei wasn't around to see the apparent fate of the Maester. In fact, most people weren't! And Fei hasn't asked Yuna and friends about what happened to him because...
Secretly... in Fei's darkest of darkest hearts...
......Fei does not really care about Seymour Guado. Oh sure, he killed his dad, but so what? Some dads should be killed, obviously, just look at Lily's dad! Or his own dad. Honestly, Fei is really worried because he is a dad now, does that make him a bad dad who probably should be taken out by a hit squad?? ... ... oh yeah he totally probably is that, but the point is is that he isn't super quick to judge Seymour over dad murder because some dads are dicks. Also Fei naturally has no idea Seymour is totally dead for real forever.
"Nostalgic...? Have you been to Meria Boule before, Doc?"
Hammer is around too though he's been uneasy around Fei for some reason since he was secretly revealed to be the Demon of Elru. For some reason!! But he doesn't exactly want to abandon the Wolves either, especially not Miss Elly who is a sweetheart. He does not presently have lines and i nstead just continues to feel faintly outclassed by Doc even when Doc isn't really doing any particular classing.
"Want me to get you some bread? How many breads would people like?" Fei looks around.
<Pose Tracker> Emeralda Kasim has posed.
Speaking of Fei being a dad...
It is not, perhaps, a surprise that Emeralda wanted to come along when she heard there was a meeting. She does like to be involved, even if not everything spoken about always makes sense to her. But that's fine; she was happy enough just to meet everybody again.
And, surprisingly, she can can keep a secret, while she also likes to be helpful when she can. Also, she has blown up literally zero towns, though she did come close to trying that once. There's really not a lot of downside.
"I went to that bakery," Emeralda says. "I bought donuts. I didn't have enough gella to get some more for everybody today, though." She *had* brought one back for Fei and one for Elly the day she'd bought them, at least.
<Pose Tracker> Lunata Croze has posed.
"Rented out... huh?" Lunata speaks in the kitchen as she chats with the heron beastwoman. She quietly nods and adjusts the lunchlady bandana at her head, sighing softly as she muses, "Alright, I got it. I've done catering for wedding announcement parties before, you know."
The heron stares at her funny.
"Yeah, the guy... is kinda full of himself," Lunata admits. She grabs a pad of paper and a pencil and kneels down and hands it to a certain someone, then takes a second set for herself.
...
...
What waddles out to meet the Wolves at the back patio isn't Lunata but--
*waddle*
*waddle*
"He~llooo! I'm Servbot C, for Cooking!" exclaims the little lego man. "I recommend the Curry Rice--"
Servbot C stares at Fei for a moment, then up to Lunata when she arrives. He excitedly waggles his arms and exclaims, "You remember me~!"
"... oh. Hey, Citan, Fei..." Lunata waves. "Guess I'm your waitress for the afternoon."
<Pose Tracker> Elhaym van Houten has posed.
Elly is also here, not too surprisingly. She has gotten a scarf which she is wearing against the vague chill of the weather, and possibly just because it is extremely soft. It has a motif of autumn leaves and birds Elly does not recognize.
"-- Anyway; I think it's understandable, but you want to actually cross-connect the verniers. It's supposed to be more robust... your serial set up is more like the Aveh Gear connection configuration, but Vierge is organized differently."
That was what she said to Hammer.
Now she is settling down at the table, and she smiles at Citan, and she is about to say something when
HE~llooooo!
Elly looks at Servbot C with a deeply shadowed, shocked expression, almost flinching back from the creature as it gesticulates at Fei! Will Fei destroy it!?
Lunata's presence makes her calm down. "... Lunata," Elly says, with slightly flabby tension in her voice. "It's good to see you. I'm glad you, and, um, Servbot C have - um -"
Elly pokes her index fingers together. She looks at Citan as if hoping he can solve this problem, somehow, with medicine. ("That was a wonderful donut. I loved the strawberry icing.")
<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.
Catching up--that's definitely one way to put it, one thing to do. "hmm," Lily accoutns for the bread, and considers that flavor herself. But there is... a lot, yes. Lily at least is pleased enough to see Hammer. But now--
Lily stares at a Servbot. She wonders, not for the first time, how it works. She hasn't stopped wondering. But she does look up, "Oh, hey, Lunata. Looks like."
"Bread is fine," she tells Emeralda. Lily is actually not dressed in military surplus, for once--an actual dress, albeit in charcoal.
And she's standing at the railing of the patio at the moment, exhaling a little smoke before she turns back to the others again. She looks over each, in turn, a face at a time, as they're here and not lost in all of this.
<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.
"I'd like some more bread!"
No prize for guessing who that was. Xantia couldn't say much about nostalgic flavors, but she sure knows all about the bread's taste. Given how she already had a basket of it all to herself when she arrived, by now already empty even though she hasn't been here that long. Of course she would busy herself with that before doing much of any talking. So far, so typical.
Also typical: failing to read any tension there might be going on at any given time. She just blinks blankly at the arrival of the Servbot before her cheer returns in short order. "Oh! Well I've already had bread anyway, so why not, curry rice sounds great!" Then Lunata arrives, and her mood only gets that much better for it. "Oh, wow! So is this... Death Waitress Curry??"
That's a thing, right? Of course it's a thing. Xantia just made it a thing. What about concerns, are there any of those? Not by looks of things, if it's Xantia you're looking at. Everything's perfectly fine here. No hidden worries at all!
<Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.
Fei looks at Servbot C. He blinks a few times. He waves a hand towards Servbot C. "Hey uh. I'm Fei Fong Wong. Uh. It stands for ... .... ........my name?"
He sounds a little dissapointed that he can't say Wong stands for cooking or something.
"Oh well--" He looks to Lunata. "I guess some bread would be great." His cheeks pinken faintly. "Um, how--uh--how's the 9 to 5, Lunie?" He tilts his head. "You doin' good?"
He immediately brightens upon seeing Emeralda. Maybe he's remembering the free donut. It's hard to not care for the kid. "It was really sweet of you to spend some of your gil on donuts for us. Is there anything you'd like from the cafe?"
Wait is this the moment where he becomes a BAD DAD?? When he gets Emeralda an extra donut or something and thus RUINING HER LIFE? He pats at his face a bit with a kerchief, trying to avoid looking faintly nervous.
Hammer always looks at least a little nervous. "Oh hey it's Servbot C," Hammer says, raising a hand. "Up top, C!"
Fei looks back up and over to Lily. He waves towards her too, beaming brightly. Despite being a bit anxious he's in a good mood.
"Oh man curry rice." Fei says.
<Pose Tracker> Emeralda Kasim has posed.
Emeralda still has her scarf, and approves of Elly's scarf. She has managed to hold onto that through thick and thin. Same with the black and red dress and boots she likes.
"Well, I just mean it was a good donut! So I'm sure the bread is good too," Emeralda says. "And I do want something! I want, um..." She stops. She's heard a voice. A voice she doesn't know. A voice that comes from...
Emeralda's eyes widen. They are very round when she looks down at the Servbot. "Hi, Servbot C!" she says in a happy voice... before she slides off the chair, ending up kneeling near the Servbot. While Lunata is busy being a waitress, she whispers, "What's a servbot and where'd you come from?" to the little robot.
She has forgotten to actually order anything. Hopefully Fei picks something she likes.
<Pose Tracker> Citan Uzuki has posed.
"If you would like, I may be able to provide a few suggestions," Citan had said to Hammer.
He did not of course mention the particulars about why he'd be able to provide a few suggestions about that Gear, specifically.
At Fei's question, Citan shakes his head. "I have not," he answers, "though I have heard and read about the city and the surrounding lands. And if I am not mistaken, I believe that ARMS--"
"HE~llooooo!"
At this point Citan turns to regard Servbot C, his expression seemingly studious in profile. Then his attention lifts to regard Lunata, in the doorway.
"...Aha."
Then: "Lunata, it is good to see you again. Now, this is a fortuitous turn." He smiles, if briefly. "Yes, it does seem that way."
His attention -- briefly -- shifts Elly's way.
He reaches out and gently rests a hand on the young man's shoulder, as if to stall Fei. ...From his quest to go and pick up bread, surely. "...No, I do not believe we will need you to retrieve bread, Fei."
Though it appears it was hardly needed, given that Fei and the Servbot get on famously. He glances back over at Elly and ever so slightly, shrugs.
"In that case," he says, when Xantia remarks on the curry, "perhaps it should be curry all around. Unless, of course, someone would rather have something different."
Once that's all settled with and lunch is on order--
"I admit..." Citan voices, once the silence again makes its approach upon their dining table, "...I am concerned about the situation we encountered at the temple and what it may mean."
He, in Citan fashion, does not specify what part of the situation he found concerning.
Though perhaps it may not be that hard to guess it.
<Pose Tracker> Lunata Croze has posed.
Lunata hasn't seen Xantia in a while, waving and nodding to her before pausing to scratch her cheek. "Ah... well, if you like it spicy, I could certainly make it Death Waitress-level," she recoups, because she can't believe of all her accomplishments that one wound up being the most persistent.
(Lunie not everyone winds up winning a martial arts tournament ok)
Lunata looks to Lily with a wave. The crack on her face is looking a bit better ever since Lily healed it with death magic, but it's still kind of... visible. Not overtly so, however.
Lunata also pauses and quietly wonders if she'd look cooler with a cigarette, but she doesn't actually voice it.
"Not bad," Lunata answers Fei, of the 9 to 5, waving at Elly as well. Hopefully it's not awkward, after that skirmish. "Lots of drunks here, but it isn't like Adlehyde wasn't infested with them." She glances to Emeralda, then to Fei again. "We have red velvet cake and almond slices, unless that's too much sugar for your girl?"
MEANWHILE, Servbot looks to Emeralda with a :D face as she bobbles up to him, and asks--
What is a servbot, and where'd you come from?
Servbot C pauses as Servbot C experiences a transcedental crisis of 0s and 1s in the background.
Where do Servbots come from?
And... where are Servbots going?
These things... Servbot is going to destroy!
"Miss Tron says we come from a servo-stork," Servbot C answers plainly.
Then Hammer distracts him from crises of creation by giving him the down lo. Up high! "Yay!"
<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.
Lily is fine with curry. She does not require it particularly spicy. She does however go for a double serving. Because of course she does.
She also looks over Lunata's... scar, in passing, but before that she inclines her head back, waving her cigarette vaguely in greeting. And now, of course--
"It's a concerning situation," Lily agrees simply, not offering Lunata any tips about being cooler at all. She waves to xantia too, though, and looks thoughtful.
"Odessa," she says simply.
Then, she frowns, glancing over--
"What's on your mind?" she asks Xantia. It's almost like somethind distracting someone else in the room distracts her some.
<Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.
Fei blinks twice as Lunata brings up DEATH WAITRESS but Id doesn't show up to be a Bad Dad today. Though, really, Id has enough self awareness to know that maybe he shouldn't show up to Emeralda's first day of school or other such outings.
"Hmm..." Fei considers as Emeralda doesn't actually order anything and she stands up and leans in to murmur to Lunata. "I'd like to get some curry rice. And also for Em..." He murmurs something quiet to Lunata.
'Can you get Em some curry rice too? But...try to cute it up a bit?'
He sits himself back down afterwards, his desire to expand Emeralda's palette beginning...here!
"Oh uh, not Death Waitress level though." He probably means Emeralda's 'order' here.
He doesn't seem to hold the skirmish against Lunata and the awkwardness is fading. "Oh and--yeah, that sounds delicious. The red velvet and almond too. For desert."
It might be too much sugar but Emeralda was being sweet so she gets sweets. That's how it works right???
Hammer hifives the servbot. "Yay!" He says, and then he promptly looks horrified at hiimself and gets despair lines.
He probably agreed to take lessons from Citan because he's jealous, sure, but he has no shame.
Fei is prevented from going on a breadquest but he blinks blankly a few times before saying, "Situation?"
<Pose Tracker> Emeralda Kasim has posed.
Emeralda is ignorant of Servbot crisis...es.
"Oh," Emeralda says, sounding slightly uncertain. Is that right? Are storks where all robots come from? This is something she is going to have to think about!
Seeing Hammer offer a high five, Emeralda does the same to the Servbot. Since she is kneeling it is significantly less high up. But she wants in on this too! "I'll let you get back to work," she says, as she stands back up, dusting her knees off before hopping back onto her chair. If she heard what Fei ordered, it doesn't show.
Once back up, she looks up at Lunata, smiles, then over to the rest of the table. Xantia gets a big smile too. "Which thing?" she asks Citan, because she isn't entirely sure *which* part he means.
<Pose Tracker> Elhaym van Houten has posed.
Elly has few questions at the moment, so she straightens up a little (and asks, curiously, "Curry rice?")
She side-eyes the Servbot as it approaches her invicible robot daughter, but she seems to be able to tolerate matters well enough. Elly accepts the Servbot's answer. Maybe it's literally true. Back to Lily - to whom she says, "Odessa?"
Back in turn to Citan. "If you mean the conflict in Spira... we never quite managed to make it to the temple. I know Lombardia was able to engage with Sin. It was astonishing... I think Lombardia was winning. But these things are rarely as simple as that, though it would be a nice change of pace. I hope that Lombardia will come through it all, alright..."
(She also waves Emeralda over to her without calling out aloud. This may go unnoticed, but Elly is patient. She may have a secret agenda of her own.)
<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.
Xantia blanches at Lunata's description of what Death Waitress Curry would actually be. "D-death Waitress-level is spicy? Maybe... maybe not then, ha ha... I was just kind of hoping for something extra-tasty." Somebody had a bad experience with spicy curry before, it looks like.
At least it's Xantia using the moniker - it only makes sense that she'd seek to combine martial prowess and food-making prowess into some kind of uber-prowess. That's not weird at all, it's just... Xantia.
She certainly looked perfectly content to just focus on the food and have a good time. Even when Citan brings up the concerning situation at the temple, she doesn't react to it one way or the other.
But then Lily calls her out. Xantia looks surprised for a moment, but before she can even wonder aloud why she was asked that question, she figures it out. Of course it would be transparent to Lily. It usually is, isn't it? She looks down at the table for a moment, considering. Then she speaks again, more calmly and seriously than before.
"You know, I'm glad you're all here. There's actually... something I wanted to talk about, that's sort of related to what happened at the temple." She chuckles before continuing, "I'd have called you together myself, but I didn't want to alarm you by doing something so unlike me as calling a meeting. Can you imagine? You'd have panicked, right?"
She looks around with a smile on her face, not realizing that this particular sort of attempt to lighten the mood isn't much like her either. She clears her throat. "Anyway, before I do..." Then she turns to Citan. "...Doc. When I brought up wanting to talk before, in that place below the lake, you said that there was something you'd been meaning to ask of me. What was it?"
<Pose Tracker> Citan Uzuki has posed.
Citan had opted for curry -- but had stressed it be mild.
Some people just don't have a taste for spicy food.
At Lily's comment, Citan nods. "Yes, Odessa." He glances over at Fei; Elly helps to clarify what was seen or not seen. "Ah, I see." For their benefit, he explains, "I had hoped that the threat they posed might be somewhat mitigated by their smaller presence on Lunar, but I had discounted their will to move more of their forces to Spira." He pauses, as if to delay the inevitable. "Solaris, as well. They appear to have at least partially reverse-engineered Odessa's technology in that field, given the presence of their Gears." He bows his head, apparently lost in thought, still--
When Lily calls out to Xantia and asks what is on her mind.
Xantia says what it is, in a manner of speaking.
That there's something she wanted to talk about. That she wanted to call a meeting about it.
And speaks, again, about what he had said to her down in the shrine beneath the lake.
He readjusts his glasses, regarding her still.
"Yes, that is correct. What I wanted to speak to you about is your magic. Your Ether, to be precise. It is," and he glances back at the others for a moment, taking in the lot of them, "atypical for someone not born and raised in Solaris to have the ability to use Ether, though it is by no means unheard of. Though, many of them are ultimately..." He pauses, glancing away. "...taken by Solaris."
A moment of silence passes before he continues. "I understand you, too, are missing your memories." He pauses, as if to take in the room again. "I believe we can all be trusted enough for me to say this to everyone here: judging from your form and expression of Ether, I find it unlikely you are from or were trained in Solaris."
Formally, at least. And in most cases, that would be enough to rule it out entirely.
<Pose Tracker> Lunata Croze has posed.
Lunata returns, through the magic of telling time to wait for it because she'll hold on really hard, with curry: as promised, no one's is terribly spicy, but they all look rather attractive through the presentation of the yellow rice that's been spiced with turmeric! An Aquvy special...
And as promised to Fei too, Emeralda's curry contains three very cute octopi sausage with little smilies engraved onto it, along with two slices of rabbit-shaped apple because knifework isn't actually that big a deal for Lunata.
Then there's drinks, and the desserts too... red velvet cake and almond slices.
The Servbot high-fives Emeralda too with a happy giggle, despite having done no work. Oh well, occupying the customers' attentions is work too! "Miss Lunie's curry is tasty..."
After setting everyone's meals down, Lunata wipes her brow and takes her lunchlady bandanna off, looking to Elly.
She quietly listens in as Citan makes his assessment about Ether. Ether, huh... she can't help but quietly wonder if she would've ever fallen into the Rephaim if she ever had power of her own. "Huh... what other place'd do that, then?"
But there is the other topic too. "I wonder," Lunata muses, "if Solaris found an Elw teleporter of their own. But we were brought to the Thames, not... another one on the other end."
She bobs her head quietly. "It'd kind of make sense if they made use of the one underneath the temple... didn't Odessa use the Sorcery Globe?"
<Pose Tracker> Emeralda Kasim has posed.
What can go wrong with curry rice?
Emeralda swings her feet in her chair while the others talk. She's listening, though. Of course she's listening. She knows what Xantia told her about her memories, and Emeralda knows she's missing some too. Though it's not the same as with Emeralda...
"But that means Solaris might try to take her!"
Emeralda hops up out of her chair, hands on the table. "You can't let that happen, right? Right? You're going to watch out for it? Because that would be really, really bad! When I was there..."
Emeralda does not remember much about Solaris. Fragments, dreams; a lot of it is not clear. But that means she can't remember everything that happened, either. And with the whole 'Lydia' thing she's been pretty worried about that lately. She doesn't want them to take Xantia away too!
Emeralda may be making a fuss, but she thinks it's important. She calms down a little when Elly gestures for her, and she edges over that way, getting out of the way for food to be brought. She does stand up on tiptoes to get a better look at it. Is that sausage *smiling*?
She's going to have to take a better look once she sees what Elly wants.
<Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.
"Um... I know in terms of Xantia's martial arts... It's really similar to Shevat Open Palm. Or rather, it's really similar to mine which I heard was from Shevat. It's not exactly the same, but it's ... pretty similar." Fei rubs at his neck briefly and adds, "Though to be honest... I'm pretty sure Wiseman also used a pretty similar style... but uh... I haven't seen him in like a year..." He frowns a bit. "..." Then he hangs his head. "...I don't think he likes me very much. Or maybe he's tired of kicking my butt..."
Gloomily, Fei stares at the table brightening only when the adorable curry comes out and he slips Lunata her bribe I mean her tip under the table while being super casual about it.
"W-wow! That's really cute!" Fei says, faintly sweating.
"Yeah, it's good," He asides to Elly. "You should try some."
Then there's talk of Lombardia. "I don't think she likes me very much either..." He's back to being gloomy. Despair lines! Gloom!
<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.
Lily does often know--she is patient, waiting for Xantia to answer, and then she notices--that uncahracteristic calm, the attempt to lighten the mood. Her entire way of speaking seems different to Lily, who considers her thoughtfully.
But she explains. First, Lily addresses Citan's words--
"Lunata is right, I think--they're different methods. Or at least, they can't both be using Elw technology."
About... Xantia's magic. Lily stiffens, at the matter of being taken by Solaris--the story that haunted her dreams as a little girl, as a teenager...
"The same applies to me, of course," Lily says. "My approach is clearly not Solarian--Elly's told me enough of how they process their Ether. We don't even conceptualize elements in the same way."
Lily eats curry when she isn't talking; of course she's going to get food.
"Don't worry," she says to Emeralda. "We won't let them ahve her."
She looks then through the others, considering. "There's a lot that we lack explanations for."
<Pose Tracker> Elhaym van Houten has posed.
"Thank you for the meal," Elly tells Lunata when it comes, picking up her fork and studying it. She forks up some of the curry with the rice despite having, to all appearances, never seen this dish before. When Citan speaks up, she seems obscurely abashed, but curry hides all ills.
As does Emeralda. When Emeralda approaches, Elly tells her, "I got you something at Akbar's," and reaches into her pocket. Who Akbar's is, is not revealed, but the something is. Elly turns to hold it out to Emeralda - it resembles a standard everyday sportsball, a small type such as you might throw for a dog or hit with a stick. But it is made out of dark polished wood and bright-polished brass, all interleaved and placed together as much as you like.
"This has three puzzles in it," Elly says, "and I put something for you inside. I don't know how to open it myself... but you can take as long as you would like. I just thought that it would be something you might enjoy..."
After this, on gravyer- er- graver matters, Elly says, "I don't know what's going on in detail. But, an Elw teleporter makes sense. If Gebler had access to something like Vinsfeld's use of the Sorcery Globe, then I don't think they would have airships at all."
She stirs her curry a bit into the rice. "... when the Tzadkiel - the Gebler skyship that we, they, managed to launch just in time to try and intercept at Azado - was in repair, there was talk that the mother country might send a special rocket with supplies. But those would have been irreplaceable components... there were significant forces on Spira."
"So, between those two facts, it does make sense. There must have been a number of Elw sites..."
"We won't let them hurt Xantia," Elly then tells Emeralda, quietly. Then she looks at her food.
No, at Emeralda's food. "... it does look like it's smiling...?"
<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.
Xantia wasn't sure what to expect from what Citan had to say. But when he makes the Solaris link, her posture changes. She's tense, visibly so, seated very rigidly and ummoving at the table. And then Citan says those words.
'I find it unlike you are from or were trained in Solaris.'
Xantia is silent for a time, expression inscrutable. Then it's like she deflates, all the tension suddenly falling away all at once.
"You have... no idea what a relief it is to hear you say that. I was so worried that I might... be like Lydia. I mean, not in the way that Emeralda is like Lydia, but in the way that... they were using me, in control of me, and I could be in control of them again. I mean, there was that thing in Dazil when I attacked everybody, and even before that, I couldn't help but think... is it really coincidence for me to be here right now, with all of you?"
She doesn't say it out loud, but it's probably obvious what she means. Being in the company of all these people with ties to and/or wanted by Solaris. It wouldn't be too far-fetched to suppose she might have been some kind of sleeper agent all along. It's enough to make her doubts return again somewhat, turning back to Citan for support. "You're sure about this, right? I mean, it's not just what I can do, but back then... I remembered them. A lot of things about them. Things about their organisation, their technology, their goals... even their language."
At that, she turns to Elly. "We should test it. Quick, say something to me in Solarian, like, I don't know, <What are the weather conditions?>"
It takes a full three seconds before she realizes that she just said that in Solarian herself. "I... guess I already know that one," she mutters softly, looking at Fei and Lily for a moment, considering what they said before looking back to Citan for his assessment. He sounded so sure just now, she's depending on him to maybe solve this mystery that's plagued her for so long.
Even so, she still manages a smile at Emeralda's outburst. That seemed to help settle her down a bit, and regain a bit of her usual confidence. "They can try to take me. They won't succeed. You don't really think they can beat me, do you?"
Or maybe that was just for Emeralda's sake, as there is one very telling thing regarding Xantia's mindset still not being anywhere near normal - she has so far completely failed to acknowledge the food.
<Pose Tracker> Emeralda Kasim has posed.
Emeralda accepts the sphere from Elly with a surprised "Oh!" Emeralda turns it left and right, poking at it but not actually trying to work at it right this instant. "Thank you!" She was clearly not expecting such a thing - and it did a lot to calm her down.
She actually gives Elly a hug - a big one - before she returns to her seat. The sphere gets put down where she can see it, because she wants to look at the food for the moment. "Oh, they *are* smiling!" She thought so, but she couldn't see clearly from across the table.
Her feet swing again... and then stop when Xantia says something.
'Not in the way Emeralda is like Lydia, but...'
Emeralda doesn't know that she's not more like Lydia than she first thought. Not that she was put into this body, of course - this is her body and it always was. She knows that like she knows the back of her hand. But she doesn't know that Krelian can't tell *her* what to do, either. She remembers hearing him speak to her when she was there... even if she doesn't remember everything he said. Especially because she doesn't remember everything he said.
She slouches at her seat and suddenly looks a lot less enthusiastic about her cute curry, which she picks at with a fork. Her agreement with Xantia is somewhat noncommital. "They're so good at taking, though..."
<Pose Tracker> Citan Uzuki has posed.
"Yes. I assume they made use of a similar source to the Sorcery Globe, but I cannot begin to guess what it might be. I suspect it is separate from what we uncovered in the shrine beneath the lake, or we would have eventually crossed paths with Solaris on our exit." Or seen them on the Thames (or they would have been seen by the Thames) for that matter.
"I can confirm the presence of two Solaris Gears. I believe they also sent in a small strike team but it appears, from what I have gathered, that it was simply to delay while they made their exit with... that young woman." Meaning Lydia. "If there was any additional motive or gain on their part, I do not know it."
"But that means Solaris might try to take her!" Emeralda brings up.
He glances over at her, thoughtful for the moment. His brow then furrows--
But on whatever he was thinking, he does not voice. Instead, when Lily says she won't let them:
"Indeed." He lifts his hand to the bridge of his glasses, any easy calm for now gone from his expression. "That... we cannot permit."
What other place would do that, Lunata wonders. "..."
He bows his head, as if thinking. "There are... possibilities, though they would be on a much smaller scale," he says, straightening again. He nods, when Fei brings up Shevat -- and the similarity there between her style and Fei's, along with the mysterious Wise Man -- and Shevat Open Palm.
"Yes. There is that," he says, taking a sort of back seat in the conversation as they trace the threads of connection themselves. "I am familiar with the style myself, and it seems to be that or a variant thereof."
...This statement may raise a few questions, for a variety of reasons.
Lily remarks that her magic is also different. "Yes. We learn of our Ether in a regimented way, aligned with the four traditional elements in Solaris of water, earth, wind, and fire. This has the effect of making it easier to grasp, but it also means that our magic is uniform and predictable."
Except for those who attain Element rank and are privy to a deeper truth, that is.
"Whereas yours is... more primordial, more raw."
Xantia's reaction is one of pure relief, as if he had lifted a great weight from her.
It's this reaction that prompts him to -- distantly -- frown, his face a mask of muted concern. This reaction, when coupled with her lingering concern that she still might be.
There is of course one other possibility. For her, with Solaris. But... is it something of which he can speak, without having more evidence?
"I cannot say that I am completely assured of this. However, I find it highly unlikely. Even those they take from the surface and bring under their control they typically train in their methods. There would be some sign of their hand, and I have see none."
But there are exceptions.
They just don't typically escape their leash for long and live.
"What do you remember about them, if I may ask?"
<Pose Tracker> Lunata Croze has posed.
Lunata takes a moment when she sees Xantia's actual relief, when she deflates, to pat her on the back empathically. It's perhaps not the most common reaction from the usually kind of reserved waitress.
"... I kind of get that feeling too. I'm glad you got some assurance," Lunata answers.
She doesn't know Solarian, nor Solarian culture, nor any of the martial arts that've been compared and contrasted... but she knows enough that Gebler's harrangued her mother and her since even before.
"I kind of feel that way sometimes too, with my-- own setup," Lunata admits. "It's why I've been trying to just... learn something of my own. My own fighting style that wasn't forced on me."
She squints her head and rubs at the back of it, saying, "... I mean, I haven't gotten anywhere, just flailing on my own, but it kind of... well, every little bit counts. Really would like to find someone to guide me, though."
Lunata watches Elly offer a puzzle to Emeralda and has a bigger smile of her own. "... you're getting to be a real good mom. And dad, both of you," she comments to both Fei and Elly.
She doesn't really interrupt Emeralda because discovering the fun of cute curry is its own reward. She can't help but have that smile when she discovers the smile, though.
"... Solaris can try to take you, but-- you know you've got my help too, whatever boneheaded decisions I wind up making, right?" Lunata muses. She glances to Fei.
"... I kind of wanted to stay away from the Rephaim, but given all that's been going on, and seeing you... well, take Weltall back, maybe I shouldn't be running away myself."
<Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.
Fei seems concerned about Emeralda's current state. He rests a hand on her shoulder and says, "Hey...if you eat it while it's warm, it might help. And.. I want you to know, Em... I won't let them take you back, okay? We won't." He does not clarify what he means by 'We' but there is the obvious inferrence and other options. "And we won't rest until you are safe from them. I... I promise."
Can you keep that promise, Junior?
"...I have to," He murmurs, leaving it at that.
"And we won't let them take Xantia either. Or any of us. Because... That's what I want to fight for." He raises his head. "I... I know I'm not the most reliable, but I have been thinking about this for a while. It's not just me that Solaris is...trying to control. To take and discard as they see fit. They were thinking about taking Lily, I bet, and you know my...other self was working for them too. And now because Elly left they want to hurt her and--but it isn't even just us. They're taking anybody they want and throwing them away. They're even meddling in wars--they even threw Bart's life into dissaray because of their machinations."
He exhales. "I tried apologizing, I tried taking the blame... but Solaris isn't going to be satisfied with that. They need to be stopped. I'm sure there's a lot of wondereful people there, just like in any other city... but they have to be stopped. Or they'll just keep doing this. Forever. To anybody they see fit."
He shakes his head. "I don't know if we can even get there... but there must be a way to stop them. Otherwise why would they bother coming to the surface in the first place? Why bother meddling? They say it's for our sake, but I think it's just to ensure their power over us."
She looks to Xantia. "Like... we don't have to say 'I'm from Shevat or Solaris' either, you know? Maybe you're both from Shevat. But then Solaris took you. Think about it, that'd make sense right? I think... I feel like..."
He frowns, rubbing at his forehead like he has some kind of headache. "Anyway... uh. We can do something, right Doc? I know... I'm certain that it's really dangerous, but we beat Mother, you know? We helped Lombardia drive off Sin. I think we can do more than we think we are capable of doing. And I'd rather try. I don't know where to start but...Maybe we can find that out too."
<Pose Tracker> Elhaym van Houten has posed.
Elly coughs a little, when Xantia prompts her.
And then she thinks, and says, to her, a short paragraph in that other language. She says it quietly and a little hesitantly, and of course it sounds very different from the usual talk. "<Hey, everyone, everyone. This is the Big Shop down on Level Three. Every day's a sale. Every sale's a win. Come down and shop victoriously at the Big Shop, the only shop where you can see the seat of the presence right outside of the door. Ask about our shaved ice specials.>"
She makes a distinct c_c face at Citan as if hoping he doesn't recognize it. In Solarian, it rhymes - in fact, it came with a catchy tune, though Elly didn't try to imitate it.
Her face turns red at Lunata's praise... and she focuses on her food rather than respond directly!! Which probably means thanks!!
<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.
Through most of this for the moment, Lily is mostly quiet, speaking softly. "I agree," she says simply about Solaris's source being separate. But he mentions Gears, and that is disturbing, considering that she sure couldn't bring hers up there. If they had brought Gears--would she have to have...?
"Getting her was bad enough."
Cannot, will not permit it. Lily looks between Fei, Citan, Elly, and Xantia over martial arts and languages, though she at least is pleased to note that this is one language she doesn't mysteriously understand. But--
"...Primordial," Lily repeats, chewing it over. Raw she might say. But maybe that... "I've seen some explanation of how the regimented systems work," Lily says to Citan, nodding to Elly, "Though I still can't make water magic work despite it being the same as my Ice under Solarian theory. It just... doesn't relate, for me. it's closer to fire than water."
"That makes sense," Lily says to Xantia though. And Lunata's...
"Forced on you, huh...?" Lily wonders, for a moment. "I've never considered mine forced on me, even if Colonel Keil intended to use it. ...Funny. It's something that's always been 'my own.'"
"While I understand your reasons," Lily says of the Rephaim, "I think that may be wise."
Fei, though--He says a lot. And sure, he asks Citan, but--
"I agree with you, even if my previous position on the matter might be untenable. I don't know how we stop them--I don't know what form that takes. But I know that together, this group of us who they would want to see taken--together, we can go further than we would on our own, and we can protect ourselves. Maybe if anything is 'meant' to be about this--it's that."
"Besides, it's like Xantia says. Sure, they're good at taking... But we're good at taking back. Good at destroying. They had me, in their custody, for a while--but I broke out, and Fei and Elly both came to help me, helped me get further away."
"No... If we work together, I think there's more we can do than we realize. I understand that, now. I'm just... still thinking of what my place in it is, because..."
She looks down. "...because I'm finally starting to understand who I am. Not who Father wanted me to be... but what I've found, despite him."
She lifts her eyes, looks to the others. "If they come for us, we'll destroy whatever they send. We'll send their agents who don't fight to the death back to them, to take back that message. And we'll find a way to stop them. ...Besides, Em. It has to be true. Apparently, I'm a doctor."
<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.
Citan's response is not quite as definitive as Xantia would've liked, that much is plain to see. Still, she nods, readily accepting the 'it's not likely' as something to pin her hopes on. Choosing to view things in the most optimistic possible way is still happening - she's not that different from the Xantia that everyone knows. She smiles at Lunata for the extra reassurance, which also reminds her about the other thing of import happening right now. "Thank you for the food. It looks really good." And yet, not eating right away.
First, she kind of stares at Elly's choice of Solarian phrase. That one has her unsure if she actually does know the language. "Um... I heard something about a sale in there... and <shaved ice>, I know what that is! Oh, right, I shouldn't let the food get cold... mmm, it's good!" Finally then, she's started eating some. A relative return to normalcy. And that actually was telling, in a way. Xantia might know the language, but her mastery of it is questionable - and she doesn't appear to recognize that particular sequence of words.
Of course, she does have to pause, because there's still the follow-up question to consider. It's a complicated one, prompting her to cross her arms and frown deeply, trying to think of the best way to phrase exactly what she knows. Eventually, she settles on, "They're... dangerous." Of course, she's not going to leave it at that, it just felt like the most succinct way that she can summarize the way she feels, if a giant understatement.
"It's... kind of a jumble," she admits, after a failed attempt to put all these memories in order. The way they returned, it all happened in an instant, too much to digest into a concrete, complete picture. But she can boil it down to what feels most important. "They want to control Filgaia. Or... feel like they already do. They think they have the right to do what they want to it, take what they want from it. They think they're superior, that everyone else is like... a lesser life form."
Fei pretty much echoes her sentiments in that regard, and goes the one step further, which prompts her to nod eagerly in agreement. When Lily chimes in too, she stands up, agreeing verbally as well, "That's it, that's exactly it, the kind of things I wanted to say to you all! I couldn't really figure out how to say it in a way that would make sense, but... I just feel like there will never be real peace, real freedom for Filgaia, unless they're stopped. And that's why, more than anything... I want to stop Solaris. And... and I feel like I've felt that way for a long time. This could be it. The important thing that I've always felt like I had to do."
She pauses a moment before adding, "I don't want to cause trouble for you all. But, with the way I feel now... if I know they're up to something, I don't know if I'll be able to stop myself from trying to stop them. So... I just wanted to tell you that. And, if you ever need to stop me from doing something stupid, I understand, and I'm sorry."
And, as it's always easier to focus on another's concerns, she notes to Lunata, "I don't know what you're running from, but... I think any of us would be happy to help you, if you need it." Easy for her to say perhaps, not knowing the first thing about what Lunata is going through, but Xantia tends to have a simple and earnest response to everything regardless.
<Pose Tracker> Emeralda Kasim has posed.
Emeralda has absolutely no complaints about the curry. That, at least, is good. She is currently investigating a carved apple.
"...okay. If you say it..." she says in response to Fei. Better keep that promise...!
She does look up (fork in her mouth) after a few moments to look at Lily. She swallows before she speaks. "Okay," she says, more firmly this time. "Yeah. We can all do it!" Maybe, she thinks, and then tries to forget she thought that. Even Xantia is feeling better again.
...
Emeralda decides to cheer herself up by taking a forkful of the red velvet cake. Before she finishes the curry even! (Don't worry, she'll still finish the curry.) She looks a little less unhappy, at least.
<Pose Tracker> Fei Fong Wong has posed.
Fei exhales after saying all that and looks to Lunata. He blushes severely at her compliment and he says, "Really?" He rubs the back off his neck bashfully. "Eheh... Lunie... I, I don't know... but it's funny, if a Servbot took Weltall away from me a year ago I would've said 'good riddance'." He doesn't say a 'but' or 'now' but he does wonder--if he just gave up, or...
He'll worry about that later.
"I... I believe in you, Lunata. If you have to run away, it's fine. I run away all the time too. If we can be cowards together, maybe we can be brave together too."
He offers a hand towards Lunata. "And hey--boneheaded decisions just means you're one of us."
For this moment, the easily depressed Fei...seems genuinely joyous. Maybe it's the chorus of agreement, maybe he's just happy to get it off his chest, but--
--he remembers what he learned from the Photosphere, what Asgard and his friends punched into his skull.
It may be hard, but... a better world is possible. It's happened before.
And it can happen again.
He sets aside his own thoughts of 'maybe'.
<Pose Tracker> Citan Uzuki has posed.
It would be nice to be certain in this, to assure Xantia she can't possibly have been an agent. But as much as he's sure this isn't the case--
He can't rule it out. There are things that are hidden even from him.
Lunata voices into the discussion here -- of what is one's own will and what is forced upon one -- her misgivings on her own ability to fight. How it's not even her own. He glances over her, his gaze distant -- someone looking upon a time long past -- and thoughtful. "Perhaps in that I may be able to assist you, Lunata," he says. "Though, I admit that I am somewhat rusty..."
Somehow, Citan retains a straight face when Elly recites an advertising jingle.
(Watch closely and you'll see the corner of his mouth twitch, though. He has valiantly managed not to laugh...)
"If you did not catch all of that, Xantia, then you may be able to consider yourself, ah, in the clear," he says, and fortunately for Elly, doesn't look her way.
Xantia's discussion of what she knows of Solaris and its mission just prompts the doctor to nod, wrinkling his brow. "The basics, then. But it is interesting when you speak of it: 'they'. As if this was not something you believed..." He settles back in his seat, the remainder of his food for now forgotten.
"That is one way which I might put it, yes. There is room for some leeway, of course: water typically is manifest as ice but may also be liquid or mist. Lightning is a common component of wind Ether. But it is more typical for one who specializes in a given element to have more flexibility within that element than you describe. Perhaps for you it is the emotions of the elements in question that present the point of connection, rather than the type of element itself. Or at least, that is my guess," he says, appending that remark with a self-effacing smile.
The 'doctor from Lahan' is uncharacteristically silent, lapsing into utter quiet as the younger adults speak their various pieces about Solaris.
About what ought to be done.
"I see," he says at last, his gaze sweeping the lot of them.
"If that is your will, Fei, then my suggestion to you is to find a way to reach Shevat." He explains: "They have historically been enemies of Solaris. Lily has the right of it: to take the battle to Solaris directly would be... beyond anything you have to now attempted. You will need whatever allies you can find." He pauses, glancing away from them all for a moment. "Futhermore, there are other considerations and obstacles that you will need to resolve or overcome. ...But to tackle a problem, it is best to break it into smaller steps. This is the first one. Making an ally of Shevat is my recommendation."
And here he turns his attention to Xantia:
"If nothing else, Shevat will also be able to provide you with some answers about yourself."
Even if only about the fighting style she utilizes.
<Pose Tracker> Lunata Croze has posed.
Lunata is kind of absorbing the motivation to stop Solaris, and to prevent them from taking any more people... kind of as a whole, really. She's a little distracted about something, but-- it feels good. It reminds her of the initial burst of hope that she remembered when she first met the Wolves and Bart's crew, back when they were the Yggdrasil Alliance.
... the lone jacket still is a symbol of that, that she wears to this day.
Elly's song she can't understand, but she admits:
"They kinda know... how to make a song catchy, huh?"
Lily mentions how they're good at destruction, and she can't help but chuckle ruefully and say, "Yeah. You remember how I used to tug my Gear everywhere I could... I'll chip in to that 'I'm pretty good at breaking things' pile..."
She looks to Xantia. "... kinda... myself, more than anything, maybe," as she looks to Fei as he encourages her. "Yeah... Lily said as much. Running away so you can gather your strength... let's be brave together."
But it's Citan who offhandedly mentions that he can help--
And she blinks a few times.
"... you know swordfighting, doc? I mean... sure, I welcome any help you can give..."
Simple Country Doctors!
<Pose Tracker> Xantia has posed.
There's almost a visible question mark over Xantia's head regarding being 'in the clear' if what Elly said earlier doesn't make complete sense to her. It transitions into averting her eyes in a thoughtful manner when Citan points out her use of 'they'. She hadn't thought of it as signicant, but now that she thinks about it, she certainly couldn't picture herself ever agreeing with what 'they' believe to be true.
In the span of Citan responding to Lily, Xantia handily polishes off her curry - even now there's nothing wrong with her ability to make food vanish if you take her eyes off of her for a few seconds. But she did catch the words - particularly on how Lightning is supposed to be an aspect of wind Ether, but it seems to be a speciality of her while wind feels like its own thing. Very similar to what Lily said regarding ice and water. Hmm.
She doesn't speak again after her impassioned outburst until after Citan's final conclusion. Which she'll of course fully support, making a fist as she declares, "Well then, I guess we've got to figure out a way to go there, don't we?" She has no actual ideas to make that happen, of course. But she's totally on board with any ideas that do end up happening, you can be sure of that.
And, as if to prove that underneath all of that complicated stuff that's bothering her she is still Xantia, she points out to Lunata: "It's silly to try to run from yourself, you can't escape you."
It might be kind of deep and poignant, if you couldn't be absolutely sure that she means that literally.