Too Many Cooks Spoil The Multiverse: This Is (Not) A Joke

Zone 4, Not Far From Weaver's Warehouse; Nathan Grey

"Did you hear that screaming?" Vult suddenly said.

"What are you talking about? I heard no screaming whatsoever." I responded, mildly irritated.

"Well, I've got better hearing soooo, I'm pretty sure I heard that." She responded with a notable degree of certainty.

"What do you mean by-"

She interrupted. "You seriously forgot?"

Then she pointed to the top of her head, specifically her wolf ears. What is she-

...Oh, right.

"...Uh... okay, then what about this... screaming?" I attempted to move on from my... blunder.

"Yeah, sounded pretty panicked and pleading, but muffled. Was over there." She pointed towards a nearby warehouse. "Wanna take a look?"

"...If you insist." I acquiesced, for as much as I'd prefer to get to the hideout as soon as possible, a simple side trip should be... fine.

Besides, it could one of the unusual creatures that occasionally stalk the streets of Concordia, which I would very appreciate getting a sample of. Science never stops, after all.

In any case, we walked towards the door into the warehouse.

Vult examined it for a moment, before saying "Its locked as tight as a puritan."

Metaphors I cannot understand aside, the door was quite securely sealed. From the inside as well, so we could not attempt to pick or break the lock. Perhaps enough force to the door would cause it to buckle, but not without alerting those who are likely still stalking within, which would likely be incredibly inconvenient for our involvement in this incident.

I turned towards Vult, who seemed to be looking upwards towards something.

And then she suddenly grabbed me.

Alexi Vult

I moved, carrying along Grey for the ride, and using the nearby stacked crates as a way to leap up towards the open window.

Then, I landed us upon the rafters, letting Grey go. He seemed a bit shaken, but I'm sure he'll be fine.

In a situation like this, you need to move quickly, so no time to ask permission.

Let's see what's going on here.

Some guy with his hood off standing in front of a decapitated corpse.

Kinda underwhelming.

I turned towards Grey and quietly said, "What do ya make of this, Grey?"

He didn't answer, desperately holding onto one of the rafters in fright.

Is he- You've gotta be kidding me.

"Are you afraid of heights, Grey?"

He turned towards me, clearly trying to avoid looking down, and nodded.

"Seriously?"

He actually started speaking at that, albiet tz. "L-look, b-back home we didn't have any buildings above a single st-story, so e-excuse me for be-being unused to being up h-high."

"Fucking hell, Grey. Look, just tell me what you think of that silver-haired guy over there." I responded, frustrated.

"...is-is that James Marcus?"

"What?' I looked back at the silver haired man. While one could see the resemblance, it wasn't a very good one. Especially with those moles. Almost looks pickled, somehow.

"Pretty sure James Marcus didn't have any moles like that. Or such a swollen jaw."

"O-oh. My mistak- Wait. How did you know what James Marcus looked like? Did you know the Alpha Council?"

Shit. Better counter this. "How'd you know he was part of the Alpha Council?"

"...uhhh... I don't... know?" Grey lied. Poorly.

"Cut the crap, Grey."

"W-well, look- I-" He breathed in heavily. "...Could we not do this on these rafters? I am starting to fear that they might-"

Then the metal rafters creaked just a bit.

"-collapse." He said in the quietest voice I've ever heard from him, as his eyes narrowed in fright.

"Look Grey, just-"

Then he fainted and fell off.

"...relax. Ah, fuck." I swore, exasperated.

I looked down. Lucky him, that crate full of snowberries broke his fall.

Maggie and Blair, Zone 7, Flashmarket

"As am I," Blair agreed with Kayne. "Though to be clear, this isn't a 'ceasefire'. That would imply that I plan to resume hostilities once Darien is dealt with, and that is not the case. Once he's out of the picture... I'm going to leave you alone."

She sighed, her next words not coming to her easily.

"I'm sorry, Kayne. I have not been fair to you, I haven't been kind to you. I assumed it was only natural that we who come from these different backgrounds and who live these very different lives should be enemies. But... I've seen the friendship between you and Maggie, and I think I was wrong. Perhaps, once Darien is gone, I don't have to have enemies..."

She thought for a moment before quickly shaking her head.

"No, that's... naive. I know how most of Concordia feels about me."

"Do you?" Maggie asked. "I don't think most people hate you, honestly. Or at the very least, I'm not willing to just assume that's true."

"I..." Blair trailed off for a moment. "I guess I don't know for sure. If Kayne was willing to give me the time of day, I suppose it's conceivable I'm wrong about that."

Speaking of which, she turns back to her.

"I'm aware of how dangerous Brand can be. I will try to be careful and not do anything too hasty... though if he provokes me to a great enough extent and essentially forces my hand, I'm going to have to take offensive action. I will try to avoid such a scenario for as long as I can, but unfortunately, what I do will in large part be determined by whatever he decides to do. If he takes Maggie, he and everything he's built are gone. I don't care if the rumors that he has the United Front dancing on puppet strings are true - I'll wipe them out too, if they get involved. I have to set a red line and make an example of him should he try to fuck with me, because I'm not going to send a message to all the creeps in this city that they can just do that without worrying about the consequences."

"I'll take a look around at some of the items around here," Maggie said. "With everything the two of us know about magic, I'm certain that we can figure out a way to use something here to our advantage."

Kayné Ainsel & Moloch "Moko" Kothys—Zone 7, Flashmarket

"Oh, Blair...Yes, I think you're right. I haven't quite been fair to you either, I reckon, and I hope it'll be water under the bridge after this," Kayne answered, looking down at her feet in contrition. "To tell you the truth, if you decide to go all scorched-earth, I will understand. Have no fear. Depending on what he does, I'll even join in, make some bones of my own. Children should be left well enough alone in this war of ours."

As for the rest of the contents of the Flashmarket, well. By now it was bustling and set up properly, and Kayne's promises of unique products were well borne out. There was a rainbow of heirloom produce varietals, a selection of fine cuts from the most recent slaughter to be packaged or preserved with the leave of the customer, and the artisanal dairy was to die for. On the magic side of things, hedge practitioners sold maps that changed to follow Zone 7's capricious landscape, potions for livestock and not for human consumption, and even some ingredients and reagents that couldn't be obtained easily inside the City for but a pittance—powders and plants and the odd critter's body part. Whether it was because of the proliferation of all things green and growing or the natural ingenuity of those living in Zone 7, what others would consider contraband, they possessed in bulk and in variety through hard work, determination, and jerry-rigging.

Edited by JumpingFruit on Nov 12th 2023 at 4:55:51 AM

Zone Three, Jenny's Office Building

"Oh, you know, the back door you didn't know about that totally exists!" Matsumoto drawls as Teto attempts to beat the ever-loving stuffing out of Petunia.

Matsumoto, I transmit even as I hoist the stunned Jenny up into a fireman's carry.

Aye, Cap'n, already on it! I'll be at ground level in T-minus 10!

"Sorry, Teto!" I quickly apologize as I dash for the front doors. "Keep him busy!"

9...

Begonia may attempt to grab hold of us. Prepare to evade if necessary.

8...

I do not care about finding the Front. Unless Jenny insists on taking us to them, we will instead take her to a safe place. The Smiths should have no reason to know who V is or where he lives, unless Jim has already foreseen it, and Johnny should allow him some level of resistance to psychics.

7...

I throw open the doors and step cautiously into the light of the false sun overhead, gripping Jenny tightly as I glance left, right, up, and down, searching for the presence of the remaining Smiths, prepared to dodge if needed, though burdened by the weight of my friend's life.

6...

Zone Seven, Flashmarket

"Come one and all to witness and purchase Concordia's finest, expertly designed and homemade morphing enchanted multi-tools! Get your morphing enchanted mutli-tools here, my friends!" an extremely suspicious-looking white-haired man barked out jovially from behind his small stand near the congregated mother-daughter duo and the Arborwatch pair. "A smoking pipe, a blowtorch, a drill, a hammer, a screwdriver, a lock-pick, and more in one compact package! Don't pass this one up, folks! Made by yours truly and guaranteed to work as promised! Even higher-quality than the Nightshades' stock, if I do say so, myself!"

Zone Four, Mount Fuji Hotsprings Inn, Mixed Bath

"Our given names alone are just fine while we're in private like this, dearie!" Yukari assured, her satisfied smile conveyed through her voice. "Do please call Ran and I Senator Yakumo while in public places, though. Have to keep up the mystique, you know! Fufufu... I must thank you for accepting my offer, however. I think your help will be more valuable than you realize."

"Indeed," Ran concurred, a slight lift in her voice the only evidence that she was smiling minutely as well. "Welcome aboard, Mr. Watch. I look forward to working with you."

"Hooray! That's great, Leo!" Prushka cheered, and looked like she was about to say more before a loud growl from Chen interrupted her. Specifically, the growling of the catgirl's stomach.

"Nyahaha... I guess I'm pretty hungry," the youngest of the Yakumo clan tittered sheepishly, scratching her head.

"Well, why don't we go get something to eat? Prushka and Leonardo, you two are welcome to come along as well," Ran offered genially. "What about you, Lady Yukari, Lady Areum?"

"Oh, maybe in a little while. I think I'll keep soaking here for a bit. The heat helps to ease my arthritic old person joints, hee-hee!" Yukari giggled demurely, though beneath the water's surface, she surreptitiously opened a gap and reached through to tightly grab Areum's submerged arm and gave her a side-eye, shaking her head slightly even as Prushka happily and obliviously looked away at Ran and chirped:

"Sure, we'd love to! Right, Leo?"

Edited by darksidevoid on Nov 12th 2023 at 3:22:33 PM

Maggie and Blair, Zone 7, Flashmarket

"It's quite alright," Blair reassured Kayne. "I've lived a very, very long time, I've formed a lot of grudges over the years. And within Concordia, I've seen people far, far less reasonable than you. The way I see it, there's no reason to hold ill will towards someone that's willing to put bad blood aside and move forward. Besides, Maggie obviously cares for you a great deal, and that's something I value a lot. I'd rather not get in the way of that."

Maggie seems happy that Kayne and her mother are reconciling, though she does pout just a bit at something Kayne called her. True, she was young, but she wasn't a child or teenager anymore.

"I'm not a child," she corrected her, crossing her arms. And she certainly didn't look like one, for that matter. "Though... I understand you're both just looking out for me, and I'm grateful for that. Truth be told, I'm not exactly eager to get involved in all this, but I may end up having to because of the role I play in all of this. Brand needs something from me and my mum, that much seems clear to me. He wouldn't have approached her and tried to force her onto his side otherwise. If he just wanted to kidnap me, or take her money, wouldn't he have tried to do that by now instead of dicking around with this fake 'partnership' bullshit? I think the two of us are uniquely positioned to sabotage him, but I don't know how yet. I don't even know what he wants, but I really doubt his true ambitions lie with that shop he opened up. He clearly doesn't need to make whatever salary he's earning in this rinkadink ship, so there's gotta be more to this we aren't seeing."

Maggie notes down some of the more notable inventory in the flashmarket. Some of the ingredients might particularly be useful for the potions they make.

Then the Nightshades notice the suspicious vendor claiming his wares are better than theirs. It didn't go unnoticed that it was kind of weird he was doing this within earshot of them. Was he trying to get their attention? Well, it worked.

"Forgive me if I have my doubts," Blair said. "I've been refining my magical craftsmanship centuries upon centuries upon centuries before Concordia was even a twinkle in the eyes of that oligarchy of dullards. I'm pretty confident I know what I'm doing in that regard."

"Yeah!" Maggie joins in. "I'd like to see this multi-tool of yours for myself."

Areum, Zone Four, Mount Fuji Hotsprings Inn, Mixed Bath

I smiled at Leo, before turning my attention to the Yakumos. Ran talked about going out to eat, which was tempting, but then I felt Yukari nudge me using one of her gaps. I shook my head.

"I have some other business I need to attend to at the moment," I reply. "Perhaps I'll have time to join you all once that's over. In the meantime, you all have fun now!"

Edited by HilarityEnsues on Nov 12th 2023 at 10:13:47 AM

Kayné Ainsel & Moloch "Moko" Kothys—Zone 7, Flashmarket

"To all mothers, I'm sure their children will always remain as such," Kayne remarked, though she did accept Maggie's statement with good grace. "Nevertheless, I will do my utmost to include you in any plans that your mother and I make and respect your autonomy."

"...I ain't never seen you around the Flashmarket before," she said neutrally, eyeing the man up and down. The statement was metaphorically true, in that she had not seen him in the Flashmarket, but she had seen him during the labor protests in a glamor. Witch had even warned her about him. "Nevertheless, show us that multitool, then, if you're so sure of its quality."

Edited by JumpingFruit on Nov 14th 2023 at 1:15:01 AM

Zone Seven, Flashmarket

"Ahhh, finally, some interest! And from the Lady of the Arborwatch and the Nightshades themselves! I'm honored!" the man did a little bow, then proceeded with a demonstration.

"Well, my multi-tool's first and most important function is as a smoking pipe, and it can be lit with just an intentional thought!" he began explaining, stuffing some snuff into the end of the pipe and lighting it accordingly, then took a long drag from it. Puff, puff... "And then, if one exhales the smoke and it is inhaled by others, even in trace amounts..." he paused leadingly, waiting for the ladies to smell the earthy scent.

"Then I'm able to control the senses of whoever inhaled it for a time. It's remarkably useful for having private conversations!" they would hear, though his lips don't move. "Then again, this illusion spell is more of a specialty of mine, and not a property of the tool, hmm-hmm. And now I'll disperse the smoke in a bit of a wider area to snag anyone who happens to be passing by and conceal your own words and actions from them, and we can get to the real point:"

"You want to take down Darien Brand, correct? Then our aims are aligned, ladies. Allow me to introduce myself properly." He paused to bow theatrically again. "Lin Xue Ya, phantom thief, also known as the Enigmatic Gale. I'm not quite as famous as I used to be, but if you've any familiarity with Zones Five or Six, perhaps you've heard of me, or at least seen my wanted poster."

Edited by darksidevoid on Nov 16th 2023 at 11:50:06 AM

Kayné Ainsel & Moloch "Moko" Kothys—Zone 7, Flashmarket

"Hmm, yes. I have heard of you," Kayne said, two bright points of light piercing through the clouds of smoke to alight on Xue Ya. Her eyes, usually muddled and far away-looking behind a pair of glasses, seemed to see more clearly within the bounds of the illusion than they would anywhere else. "You're wanted by Witch, aren't you? Yet you want to help us. Curious."

"I'm going to be blunt, Enigmatic Gale," she continued, as she lit a pipe of her own, the smoke of the peace pipes mixing together. "I have no problem with gentleman thieves myself, but your own gentlemanliness is in doubt. You did a small but deeply cruel thing to Satsuki's daughter, whose help I am courting, and this coalition being formed is made mostly of mothers. I am already not amused. I imagine nobody is, or will be."

"I'll hear you out, but you best not put your cart before your horses. You'll also have to make your case before the other members of the alliance," Kayne pronounced. "Those are my terms. So, choose your next words carefully."

Edited by JumpingFruit on Nov 16th 2023 at 9:53:47 AM

Maggie and Blair, Zone 7, Flashmarket

"Thank you Kayne," Maggie said. "I'll do all I can to help."

"She's right," Blair agreed with Kayne. "You'll always be my little girl."

"Mum..." Maggie turned away, looking embarrassed.

Once Lin Xue Ya introduced himself, the two women were intrigued, though somewhat skeptical as well.

"I've seen your wanted posters around the city," Maggie replied. "I don't really care about petty theft, but what exactly did you do to Satsuki's daughter? Whatever it is, Kayne seems to think it's worth noting, so please explain."

"Whatever incident Kayne is referring to," Blair chimed in. "I will point out that random acts of ignobility are counterproductive for winning people over to our cause. Brand has already convinced many Conocordians that he is a noble industrialist who has saved them from their economic precarity. It will be much easier to get rid of him if we can change their minds and get them to collaborate with us in his destruction, but it's going to be very hard to do that if you go around poking hornets' nests like Satsuki. So if you do intend to align yourself with us, you're going to need to choose your enemies much more carefully."

Zone Seven, Flashmarket

"Oh my, it seems you haven't got the whole story with regards to the incident with Asuka!" Xue Ya drawled - or rather, manifested the illusion of a drawl to the ladies - with an ever-present friendly smile. "Well, allow me to enlighten you: I was minding my own business one day, just impersonating a Peacekeeper by the name of Stabler who works in Precinct Nine over in Six, taking my time to filter through their paperwork and update my stamp and signature collection for forgery purposes, when who should appear but a beaten and bruised Asuka Langley Soryu, trudging in the door and looking to turn herself in for the 'crime' of assaulting a Peek who'd triggered the lass' survival instincts by awakening her trauma. Naturally, I wasn't about to let the brutes of the Peeks interrogate her as to what had happened, as I figured they would cover the entire incident up and punish the girl for it, like what happens all the time over in Five."

"So, I left 'my' post and took Asuka into an interrogation room and revealed myself to her as a fake, and then, after allowing her a cigarette for nerves, I guessed at what had happened, which she glumly confirmed. Well, I figured I should allow the child a chance to let her mother figure know what had happened, considering I wasn't so sure it was a chance the Peeks were going to give her, so I pulled out my magical Satsuki Kiryuin communicator—" here, he demonstrated by pulling a small Satsuki figurine out of his robes and showing it to his audience "—called up Satsuki, and had Asuka explain the situation and ask to be picked up. Then, I was just about to elaborate to Asuka about how to talk to the Peeks in such a way that she not incriminate herself, when that purple-haired menace of a fool Satsuki calls a bodyguard saw fit to interfere."

"Not only did Rider retrieve the actual Stabler from the nearby abandoned warehouse where I had him bound and gagged and dump him on the floor of Precinct Nine's lobby, but she also deliberately broke the lock on the interrogation room door and forced it to swing open, putting both me in my Stabler disguise and the actual Stabler in full view of the Peeks down the hall! Obviously, this cut my advice-giving short and I was forced to retreat, but before I left with the help of a smoke bomb, I let Asuka know that I had been talking to her through an illusion, in case the Peeks decided to make use of their surveillance footage. Then I vamoosed, and that was that! So if you ask me, my very fair opinion is that everything was perfectly fine until Rider interfered, and any misfortune that happened as a result is her fault entirely!"

Done with his spiel, Xue Ya returned his pipe to his mouth and continued puffing away, waiting for the ladies' reactions.

Kayné Ainsel & Moloch "Moko" Kothys—Zone 7, Flashmarket

"Nobody asked you to do it, I'm sure Rider was only doing her job to prevent Asuka from being alone with a stranger with unknown intentions, and Asuka ended up having to explain the whole debacle twice over," Kayne deadpanned, the brightness of her eyes seeming to smolder red, belying her anger despite her calm demeanor. "Intentional or not, your actions contributed to her humiliation. It would have been more painless had you not intervened."

"I will concur with the Mistresses Nightshade," she finished, tapping her fingers on her arms after she crossed them in a subconsciously cautious manner. "Previous behavior aside, how do you plan on proving your sincerity? Illusions would be ill-received by many who have already been tricked by dishonest corporate officials. And there are many people waiting on their revenge on you already, which means that any aid you might render may be...short-lived, at best."

Edited by JumpingFruit on Nov 19th 2023 at 3:58:22 AM

Maggie and Blair, Zone 7, Flashmarket

Maggie and Blair look among themselves, unsure of what to make of Xue Ya's account. Kayne's reply only makes things that much more ambiguous.

"I don't know what happened that day," Maggie admitted. "But evidently Kayne has a different understanding of events than you do. I'm just trying to figure out why that is."

"Kayne also makes it sound like you have more than your fair share of enemies," Blair says. "Is she referring to Satsuki's militia? Or are there others we should be concerned with?"

Zone Seven, Flashmarket

"Oh, I would wager the comment about having enemies is mainly in reference to how I've stolen quite a lot from a lot of predatory high society types, so they obviously have a vendetta against the name Lin Xue Ya," the thief explained with a shrug. "I suppose I'm an enemy of the Peeks as well, but what respectable person isn't these days? Naturally, if you all would use one of my aliases rather than going around telling people I'm Lin Xue Ya, I would appreciate it, and the problem of my many enemies would largely solve itself! Especially so if I utilize one of my disguises, which, if I may toot my own horn a bit, I am a master of! I even pretended to be somebody else right next to Witch the other day, and she was none the wiser!"

That said, he turned to Kayne's concerns, and elaborated, "As for popular distrust of illusions... Come on, now! You don't really think a phantom thief is going to operate as a thief out in the open, do you? I already have multiple plans to ruin Brand without subjecting any large group of people to an illusion. Deception, yes. Illusion, no. Deception is necessary, because as you noted, he is squeaky clean, reputation-wise and legally speaking."

"By the way," he continued, briefly tapping his forehead in thought, "I hope I'm just misunderstanding, but do you mean to tell me that if you were in my position, you would have actually trusted that the Peeks wouldn't have thrown Asuka under the bus, as they say? Even if hindsight is 20-20, that's quite an odd stance for an avowed anti-authoritarian anarchist who lives on the edge of society to take. But then, I suppose you do have friends in high places, like Princess Kaguya..."

Kayné Ainsel & Moloch "Moko" Kothys—Zone 7, Flashmarket

"You will remember, when you fled, that I was right there, outside the door. I was right there. Witch was right there. She wouldn't—she's being trying so hard, you know, as an officer, a Guardian, a friend—she wouldn't have let anything happen, even if I am legitimately medically myopic and partially deaf from habitual handling of firearms to perhaps not notice anything going on inside," Kayne seethed, clenching a fist at her side. Her accent warped like metal beams under stress, then finally evaporated like dew in the molten morning sun. And what was left, then, after the moist night of the desert passed? Baked sand, sweat, desperation, and a clear, crisp enunciation. "'Anarchist' is something other people call me, you know. It was never a title I wanted to adopt."

"I'm more of a machinist. I'd rather build something out of scraps than break something someone else built. But the latter is exactly what Brand does for fun, not even for a living. And most of my objection comes from the fact that there are now more fractures in the system than ever before, between all the different factions," she continued, chest heaving, golden tears of sunlight seeping from her eyes. "And that would be a good thing, except if we need to set off a controlled explosion to catch Brand in it, any move larger than drawing the arc of a scalpel, we run the risk of breaking everything. And I do mean everything."

"In a war of ideology, to birth a new way of life, there is nothing so shameful as a miscarriage of justice. When ideas don't catch on, when people are too beaten down to resist," she intoned, voice flat. "When unnecessary cruelty happens to the people, the children, who are caught in-between. My job back in my world was to throw wrenches into gears, so that there would be enough gaps for Scavengers like me to slip through. But I arrived here, and it seems like everyone's scattered their own wrenches into the drink already! I was damned good at my job, and my instincts tell me it's delicate, a game of jackstraws—so I stay still. Running out of time until not a single move can be made by people who are only fighting for the right to exist. Zugzwang."

"Tell me, have you ever awoken to vultures pecking at your flesh? In such a state as to be half-dead?" Kayne asked, eyes smoldering red. The reflection of a crimson sun in the heat haze of war was reflected within. "Would you ever gnaw on the bones of a friend just to live another day? At that point of starvation, all rationality and civilization disappears. I lived in such a world. The principled anarchists are dead. Their ideals are dead. They fought indiscriminately and bombed indiscriminately and so they killed indiscriminately and were killed indiscriminately. The more thoughtful ones may yet live to see the founding of a better tomorrow. And I think!—that as the larger rat between me and him, Brand thrives on chaos and dissolution, and causing more simply isn't in our favor right now, do you understand? It wouldn't be our chaos to claim. Tell me you understand."

Edited by JumpingFruit on Nov 26th 2023 at 4:26:47 AM

Maggie and Blair, Zone 7, Flashmarket

Maggie and Blair just look at each other for a good long moment after Kayne is finished speaking, both legitimately quite unsure what to say.

"I think Kayne is correct," Maggie said. "If she didn't have ties to authority figures like Kaguya..."

She frowns as she says the next part.

"...She might not be alive now. After what those brutish thugs did to her already... is there any real doubt that she'd be in even more danger than she already is if she didn't have people in high places in her corner? Some would call it hypocrisy, but what are those without some form of supernatural might or magic to do against a violent, irrational regime like this one? You can just run away and use your illusions to weasel your way out of trouble. Mum and I are very powerful in both strength and sorcery, plus we can just heal from everything if things get dicey. What about normal people who have nothing to rely upon but their own cunning and grit, though? What right do we have to judge and speak down to them? Especially to someone who is doing more good for this city than most of us are with nothing to her name but a few followers and a dream?"

"It's not as though I haven't made compromises myself," Blair admitted. "I never thought I'd join forces with Kayne, or anyone else here for that matter. It goes against my pride to have to rely upon other people, and yet I've done it all the same. Now, it's obvious there's a clear disagreement between the two of you on what sort of methods we should resort to in our venture. Believe me, Lin Xue Ya, I would rather there not be any limits to how we deal with Brand. Why should there be? The bastard threatens me and treats me, a mistress of magic in my own right, like I'm his goddamn secretary. Why should I afford him even the smallest mercy? And yet... Kayne knows Brand better than I do. Hell, she knows Concordians a lot better than I do."

Blair sighs, evidently having trouble handing anyone a victory like this.

"Given that, I'm inclined to take her advice on how we should approach this very seriously."

???, Nursery

As the din enveloped the town square of Nursery, and Mother Root's calls for silence went ignored, Bondrewd stepped to the edge of the fountain.

"People of Nursery, my name is Bondrewd!" he began, spreading his forearms at his sides and splaying his hands after turning to the crowd, his raised voice sonorous yet warm and gentle as always. "First, I wish to reassure you that the one you call a Scout is not one in service of the Eater, but rather the only one of her sisters who managed to escape his influence before he could overtake her will. I found her barely functional on an expedition one day, and restored her as best I could, alongside my daughter, Prushka. Thereafter, she took on the name Maia, and we adopted her into our family. At no time has she ever demonstrated any sort of obedience to the Eater. Rather, she has proven herself to be an independent and trustworthy second daughter, and I could not be more proud of her kind and gentle nature. I promise you on all that I hold sacred that she will not harm you."

"Your sister Theca's death was the result of a terrible misunderstanding, one that I deeply regret failing to comprehend until after she had already perished at the hands of another. Had I been wiser or quicker of wit, she might still be alive today. For that, please accept my deepest and most humble apologies." Saying that, and resting one arm at his side while holding the other to his heart, Bondrewd bowed low to those gathered. "We cannot return Theca to life, but, presumptuous though it may be for me to say, we can honor her memory. If Theca sought to ally Nursery with the grafted place, a place which is called Concordia, then out of respect for her wishes, I will extend a hand offering Concordia's friendship in turn. Of course, the choice is not mine to make, but rather Nursery's, and I will entirely understand if Nursery chooses to reject such an offer. I know, however, from meeting Mother Root and Pith, and from seeing all of you now, that Nursery is full of people who simply wish to live in peace and happiness, just as the people of Concordia wish to, and that you are also suffering and in anguish. I know well that I am merely a stranger intruding upon your home, but if there is anything that I can do to ease your pain, then please, tell me."

Zone Four, Mount Fuji Hotsprings Inn, Mixed Bath - Leonardo Watch

Leo felt fortunate for Chen's interruption, heated as he was from the round of attention. He hesitated in answering Ran, allowing Prushka to speak up first - and without the need to play humble, he found himself looking forward to a meal. "Yeah, sounds great! Sonic's probably waiting for us to get out anyway."

Something about Areum's answer gave him pause. A stilted quality. Maybe he was hearing something that wasn't there, but... well, he didn't want to pry. She'd already vented enough for one day. "You two take care," he said instead, smiling in the direction of Areum and Yukari's voices. "Hey, Prush, could you grab my cane...?"

And so, with a little assistance getting out of the water, Leo departed with the trio, the occasional tap of his stick against the ground fading down the inn's corridors.

Zone Six, Industrial Atelier (Day Edition) - J.J. Macfield

Ah, how you envy Lora. How many years has it been since you went "off the record"? When was the last time you snuggled up next to Emily, hot cocoa warming your palms, and had a good bitch about your workload? Of course, you tell your therapist about the mold in your brain and how well you've been scraping it off, inch by inch, but you don't tell them about the mundane things. About how you wanted to scream at a waiter for spilling coffee on your clothes, or the many times you've resisted the urge to flip Triple J's desk. Nobody needs to know about those.

-____-

Shut up, FK.

You make a show of taking pencil away from paper as Lora beckons you into her lair of candor. Your initial assumption was that Lora's nervous demeanor spoke to fear of her boss, but that seems to not be the case. So it's about the Diet, is it? A desire for change and a distaste for the "fat cats" wasn't damning in itself - if it were, most of Concordia would be a suspect - but for one of Brand's employees? Something to take note of, at the very least.

What's more interesting is her assertion that Brand built his empire from the ground up. Were his words that lathered in honey, or did Lora have access behind the curtains?

You stow the question for now, offering Lora naught but a surreptitious wink as she shifts back into business mode. You hadn't been expecting a third party, not so quickly, and so you'd rather play it safe while you still have a tentative hold on Lora's trust. Until you know who the Diet have sent to-

It's Witch. Of course it's Witch.

You had to have known it was going to be Witch because your eyes only widen for a second, too quick to be seen by anyone who didn't have their attention on you at that very moment. And why would they? You're just J.J. You're not a threat to anyone. You don't have a giant blue tail that glistens in the sunlight, nor a long purple cloak that frames you in shadow. What could possibly pull someone's attention to you?

You slip your hand into your bag, root around until elastic tangles around your fingers. You recognise the other detective - it's hard not to know Kim Kitsuragi once you've been in the city for long enough. You offer them a polite, cold smile as you pull your hair into a ponytail, shifting your silhouette ever so slightly.

Lora brings up ice cream and pancakes, and you were so focused on pretending not to care that the trickle breaks the dam and your eyes sparkle with interest. Hot batter and cold cream, mayhaps with syrup or fruit? Oh, Lord, if indulgence was a sin then why did He give you a metabolism that most girls would kill for?

While we're on the subject, how did He fuck up so bad when making your-

You recognise the girls too. One of them lurks at the Barovian, often enough that you suspect she works there. You hope she doesn't recognise you in turn: you never worked the courage to get too close to the doors. If she were part of Witch's entourage then that went a little to explaining her presence here. But what about the redhead? The Shrine Well's most famous daughter - or infamous, perhaps. Each piece of gossip had carried an insinuation of jagged edges, and now you see why: not a single part of this girl is smooth. She hasn't learned how to dull herself.

Perhaps you envy her, too.

"My apologies, detectives." You smile slightly, placidly. "If I'd known what time you were coming, I would've moved my own schedule. I hope we're not interrupting."

Zone Six, Alleyway -> Zone Four, Warehouse - Ichiban Kasuga

Something Weaver says catches Ichiban's attention, but only slightly - a twinge in his gut telling him that something doesn't quite add up. But that thread can wait. They have the numbers, four versus two, but-

A figure crashes down from the ceiling, sending wood and berry juice everywhere. Shit. Four versus two and an unknown in-between.

Ichiban ducks bodily behind the pumpkin, back up against its dark green shell as he yanks his smartphone from his pocket. Steam almost seems to billow from his ears as the cogs in his head turn. "You ask me, we're better off squashing any critter that can take off a head that easy," he replies to Kiel. "And hands-off will be the safest way to do it. I can distract the little bastard - if you've got a firearm, Cowboy, or something else up your sleeve, then I'd appreciate the help. Violet-"

This is where he hesitates. He doesn't want a kid anywhere near that slug. He doesn't want a kid here period, but they can't risk going a man down without knowing what Weaver's capable of. He blows air out his nose as he navigates into his contacts. "You stick by Kiel and see what you can do about Weaver. But listen, the second you feel like your life's on the line, you book it. Call for help if you can, just get yourself to safety first, got it?"

There's no time to wait for an answer. "Kiel, you watch out too. I'm gonna grab whoever just dropped in on us, then... well, I'll figure shit out from there." His finger slams down on the screen, the call button flashing from green to purple as the phone starts to shake with sudden, violent energy. "Alright, let's go! Taka the Striker, I SUMMON YOU!"

He thrusts out the cell and multi-coloured lightning bursts out of the screen, hitting the warehouse wall with a thunderous BOOM! then ricocheting off the rest, creating a calamitous uproar that only ends when the lightning strikes down behind a stacked pallet of squashes. Silence follows in its wake, as deafening as its precursor, until it's broken by a noise that wasn't oft heard in the alienated streets of Concordia, but was an essential part of any other urban sprawl: the souped-up rev of a motorcycle engine.

"Let's burn it up, motherfuckeeeer!!"

A garish beast of purple and black skids out from behind the pallet, front light blinding and horn bellowing. The rider - a man in an equally bold purple tracksuit, with a corncob pompadour that dangles precariously over his burning eyes - hoots and hollers as his bike tears across the warehouse floor. It's here that one may drag their eyes past the violet fairing and dark flame decals to realise that a more literal fire envelops the bike's back wheel, leaving a sooty trail in its wake. Taka roars through the open space, slaloming expertly between the pallets, until the slug is within his sights. With another boisterous bellow, he hits the front brake and throws his weight towards the slug, sending the bike skidding around it in a circle of flame. Once hellfire has surrounded the beast completely, Taka screams "Take THIS!" and hauls his back wheel off the ground completely, spinning his machine so that the slug has only a second to react before flaming rubber and metal will come crashing down atop it.

As this is happening, Ichiban sprints out from behind the pumpkin and to the broken crate of snowberries. He gets halfway through asking the stranger if they're alright before realising that they aren't that strange at all - well, not in the sense of being unknown, at least. "The hell you doing here, Grey?" He asks, reaching into the crate to try and haul the man out.

Edited by whizzerd on Dec 2nd 2023 at 1:00:00 PM

???, Nursery

Mother Root recognized godhood, yet refused counsel. On the one paw, it was reassuring that she did not blindly follow anyone who proclaimed divinity. On the other, it was frustrating to not be trusted, even if it was understandable.

Amaterasu was silent as the many trees shouted over one another. Bondrewd spoke first; his voice carried well, and he spoke calmly and firmly. If one did not know the true nature of Concordia, his words might have been reassuring.

She glanced over at Jengbish during the speech, wondering what the old warrior thought of potential peace. Of a people that were not controlled by the Diet, or by Kaguya-hime.

When Bondrewd finished, Amaterasu dabbed a few dots onto the ground, and from them sprouted trees, tall and sturdy, adding to the greenery. Flowers bloomed around their base, and those with the sense for it could feel the sacred magic added to the soil.

"I am Okami Amaterasu, a humble goddess who lights the sun." She announced. "As you can see, I hold the power to bring life. I can also call forth rain. If you all so desired it, I could turn the desert into a verdant field. Though even I cannot bring back the dead."

The wolf bowed her head, laying down and resting it upon her paws. "I apologize deeply to all of you for the loss of Theca, and as I told Mother Root, I offer my power to aid you however I can."

Edited by kagescorpionakki on Jan 7th 2024 at 3:47:34 PM

Zone Four, Mount Fuji Hotsprings Inn, Mixed Bath

Once the tapping of Leo's cane and the footsteps of the younger ladies had faded down the hallway, and she was well and truly sure they were beyond hearing, Yukari made a quick, wide circle in the air with her finger. With a fairly loud sound like a zipper, the entire area of the mixed bath was enveloped in a sort of bubble, a ｢Boundary｣ that separated ｢Here｣ from ｢There｣, though which nothing could pass. From the perspective of those both inside and outside of it, the edges would seem to be a blackish-purple void, covered in slowly drifting red eyes that seemed to be looking both everywhere and nowhere at once.

"Hmm!" Yukari hummed in satisfaction and nodded, then moved a little ways through the water to sit opposite her bubblegum-aqua haired friend and smiled at her.

"Say, Areum, I know our worlds are a bit different, and you're steeped in Eastern rather than necessarily Western political thought, but did you ever read Machiavelli?" she asked, spooling a wet lock of hair around her finger. "He said that it is best for a ruler to be both loved and feared, but that if one cannot be both, then it is best to be feared rather than loved. What do you make of that?"

Areum, Zone Four, Mount Fuji Hotsprings Inn, Mixed Bath

I scratched my chin in thought at Yukari's question. I had supposed it was obvious why she was asking me, given how the Diet governs.

"That is true," I nodded. "But I've had plenty of time to read works from all around the world, given my age. As for Machiavelli, I believe The Prince was meant to be taken as a work of satire, and the guidelines he presented in that were not meant to be genuinely adhered to if one were to be a good ruler. Though for the sake of the question, let's assume he was being entirely serious. I would still give a resounding 'no' as my answer, as I think being feared is actually quite detrimental for a ruler. Because generally, that fear is often paired with a burning hatred that can only be kept below the surface for so long. I think back to..."

I sigh, feeling a heavy weight in my heart as I breach this topic.

"...The United Front. If fear is such an effective motivator, why do they so boldly try to kill us in plain view? I mean, they're not stupid, they have to know that they're risking death every time they do this. They have to be aware that I could kill all of them very easily if I wanted to, that they don't have a chance against me. And yet they're willing to risk it all because they hate me that much. Because they hate the Diet that much. Maybe they'd wise up if I really did just start slaughtering them. Or maybe that'd just harden their resolve that much more. I don't know..."

Edited by HilarityEnsues on Nov 27th 2023 at 9:39:27 AM

Zone Four, Mount Fuji Hotsprings Inn, Mixed Bath

"Squishing them all like insects is a tempting prospect, yes~!" Yukari purred with an eye-smile. "Buuuut, I don't believe that will solve the fundamental problem. And that problem is that more than a dozen different interacting factions are gearing up for civil war, and are just waiting for the right spark to set off the powderkeg. I'd rather it not explode at all, but in spite of my reputation as an all-powerful manipulator, my reach is not omnipotent, sad as it is to say. I can't plan to avert every single possible way the fuse might ignite. And so, we are left to choose among those dozen or more groups.

"The Diet alone has four broad factions within it: the capitalists, the Peacekeepers, the religionists, and the Houraisans. Nigel from Zone Six, the populist, also has Mr. Speaker in his pocket - or so they say. You know all this, of course, but it's been a while since you've been in the chamber.

"And, hmmm, try not to spread this around too much, Areum, dear, but I've been doing a bit of inconspicuous eavesdropping, and I'm afraid our dear Kaguya has been plotting a coup d'etat to install herself as God-Empress, and is quite far along in her plans! Confirmed to be in her corner are Jengbish, Amaterasu, and the furball's Tao Troopers. Myn is likely to join her and throw his entire apparatus behind her as well, considering he still carries a flame for her, no matter how well he hides it. I've taken a peek into his dreams, you see.

"The oh-so-enlightened Toyosatomimi-no-Miko is trying to ally the gods and goddesses of the city for her own ends, although she seems to have shifted tactics as of late. I'm not sure if she sees anything as really important - although then again, we know each other from long ago, and even then she was an enigma. A very smug enigma... much like myself.

"In Zone Seven, Kayne Ainsel wants to take advantage of the balkanization of the City to form an independent nation, and for such purpose is forging alliances of convenience with the Nightshades and the likes of Satsuki Kiryuin and Guardian Witch. In Zone Five, Theophilus Houraisan has allied with The Drifter and is being sheltered by Myn, and his men are being gone through with a fine-toothed comb, but they'll not go down without a fight. When war breaks out, they're likely to attempt to take over what portion of Five they're able, completing the metamorphosis from police force to armed gang. Their major competition for Five and Six are Satsuki Kiryuin and her militia, and the United Front.

"Kiryuin holds her cards very close to her chest, so I only know for certain that she intends to fold the entirety of Five and Six into her domain. If I had to guess, however, I don't think a person like her would stop there. The worst-case scenario is that, rather than holding firm in Five and Six, she tries to conquer the entirety of the City, block by bloody block. I don't know whether Witch will align herself and her people with Swain or not, but if not, I know she's abandoned the Diet as a concept and considers herself an ally of the common people first, so Satsuki or Kayne are the next logical choices.

"Speaking of Swain, he has no love to lose for the Diet, so he certainly can't be relied upon. I don't know whether he would align himself with anyone else or just stake out territory for himself with his Peacekeepers, but he was a dictator in a past life, in a society that valued strength above all else. Whether that means he considers himself stronger than the rest of us or whether he would join whomever else he thinks is strongest is an open question.

"Meanwhile, in Six, Darien Brand has built his magical factory, the Industrial Atelier, and is expanding his financial hold through the center of production. He claims to be doing this out of hard-headed business sense, but we all know that's a lie. And I also hear that he had a brief altercation with Kaguya a few months ago, and that he has history with Ainsel. If he becomes a new Robotnik, we'll have trouble on our hands.

"And finally, there are the ones I know you want to know the most about, the United Front. They've tried to kill you twice already, of course, and they burnt down Pax Primis, so you know exactly who they are, but what I think is that they're almost certainly linked to Lorem Ipsum. They have a leader, a tall man in a black cloak... of course, they're all in black cloaks, but I assume his is especially black. They hate us and want us gone, not that I can blame them. Still, I've always been one for self-preservation, so what I think is that you should get rid of them before they actually do get rid of you.

"Needless to say, I don't know who's going to win, but I rather hate losing~!" Yukari trilled with a half-smirk, reaching her arms behind herself and knitting her hands behind her head as she sunk deeper into the water. "So, who do you think is going to come out on top, Areum, dear? And where do you see yourself fitting into it all?"

Areum, Zone Four, Mount Fuji Hotsprings Inn, Mixed Bath

"Much of this I have info on already through various sources, though it's good to get a refresher. What you said about Kaguya, however, is not something I knew about - though I must admit, it's not entirely surprising. Creating this 'perfect bloodline' so that she can have a dictatorial hold on power, speaking in juvenile, superstitious terms like 'the Mandate of Heaven'... She's a fascist. I know their kind, they tend to not directly speak about what they actually believe unless pushed into a corner, as they know their ideas are toxic to normal people. Actually, even if she isn't one, it doesn't matter to me. She's the number one threat to this entire city all the same because of her ambition, and the same goes for all who consider themselves her ally. I had written off Jengbish a long time ago, honestly I kind of had to. He too is a fascist, and unlike Kaguya I don't think there's any real doubt about it, as he's quite proud of the violence he committed in the name of an expansionist empire. And Myn... actually, I don't even want to think about him right now. But Amaterasu? I admit, that's actually disappointing. I guess it goes to show that she is more driven by the interests of her friends than a sense of goodness. Not that I can blame her too much for that, as I think that applies to most people, myself included. But I won't lie, it's sad to see that this is where she's ended up."

All the old members of the Diet that made me feel like shit and the divine representative of the country that has caused Korea more pain than any other in recent memory are teaming up to subjugate Concordia. I should be angry, I should be sad, but at this moment... all I can do is think about the time I rolled around in the grass with Amaterasu's friends. I think about the first time I met Kaguya and the rest of the Diet, and how I wondered if maybe we could become friends. I was unhappy to no longer be in Korea, but I thought that maybe I could start a new life here that was just as meaningful as the one I had before.

"You may think I'm being too hard on Kaguya, I'm not entirely sure where you stand on her. Hell, I expect that she, Myn, or Jengbish will come to me to make their case about why she should be Concordia's dictator relatively soon. Maybe try to bribe me with some small role of power in her crude fascist experiment. But I just... I can't see it. If there is some ray of light hidden within her stony heart, if there is some indication that she is not the person I think she is, I'm going to need quite a lot of evidence at this point. She has been planting the seeds of dictatorial rule through her children and her manipulations for over a century now. Am I supposed to just believe that the puppet strings she's attaching to Concordia are benevolent? Seriously?"

...But I never did. I felt an emptiness that I tried to get through via my music, but it never really worked. As I remained in this city, I watched as the Concordians around me died while I stayed the same age. That was not a new experience for me, as I had gone through that many times over in Korea. The difference was that in Concordia, people didn't live full lives. They lived in a hellhole, separated from their friends and family, unable to escape, forced to die alone from the people they loved. I would sometimes think about the awful fate this city had subjected them to and cry for them. I still do, every now and then.

"I'll tell you this right now, I'm not going to acknowledge any government she attempts to establish as legitimate, something I expect will cause severe conflict between us. But I will not allow her to subjugate me because she thinks she's the Showa. Fuck that. What in the world has she done to earn this city? She herself is one of, if not the primary source of its rot to begin with. As you can imagine, though, this puts me in a serious dilemma. Once I make my feelings known, she's going to want me gone. Once she peels off her human guise to reveal the monster underneath, I can't imagine she'll want to even pretend that I have any use for her. Then she'll probably martial Jengbish against me. What am I going to do against the likes of them if they try to kill me? What kind of life would it even be to be stuck in this place with her, wondering what kind of decisions she'd make without the non-Houraisan factions to keep her in check? Not that we did a very good job of that, I'll readily admit, but there was at least some impediment to her just doing whatever she wanted before. Now? Who in her camp is going to stop her from stepping over the line? At most, maybe Amaterasu. But Kaguya has a silver tongue, and seemingly godlike luck that makes basically everything go her way, so I have no doubt she'll be able to recruit a lot of people to her cause. And even Amaterasu is not going to be able to take down Kaguya if she has enough people fighting under her banner."

Most people have long since moved on from the initial trauma of being sent to Concordia at this point, or at the very least have decided that they just don't want to think about it anymore. But I can't stop thinking about it. I can't help but feel incredibly bitter and resentful when I think about how the last 150 years were essentially robbed from me. And I'm someone with infinite time. If I were human... I don't know what I'd do, honestly. Maybe I'd just break down and start sobbing once I reached my twilight years, cursing the unfairness of it all. If I'm being honest, I don't know how they manage to live with their heads held up high. To age, to become weak and decrepit as I'm dragged into the dying light after a small fraction of the years I've lived is unthinkable to me, even without the additional context of having to live one's life in a place like this. I've always admired mortals for that, genuinely. It's not as though I've never experienced genuine pain before, but they have a strength of mind and spirit that I'll never have to possess for myself.

"I'd like to believe that one of the other factions may be able to triumph over her, but I don't really see it. But even if I was wrong, and Satsuki were to emerge victorious, would that be any better for me? I cannot imagine that she views me very favorably, and she and her band of militants may very well seek to kill me as the United Front has attempted to do once things get into full swing. That is the nature of the despair I feel now - I don't feel as though I really have a place in Concordia anymore. I want nothing to do with the Diet, but it's stain remains on me and isolates me from the common man. So what am I to do in this situation? You may think I'm being dramatic when I say this, but I honestly think I may need to consider leaving the city entirely. I don't really know what lies outside Concordia, but I don't see myself faring well in the situation I find myself in should I stay here."

Is that what I want? To just... leave? Kind of, honestly. It has been a sad time, that much I cannot deny. Would anyone blame me for turning away from a land that has caused me to have prolonged mental breakdowns on a regular basis?

But at the same time, there are little lights that make me happy in this dark and evil place. Like Leo and Yukari. Perhaps people like them make it all worth it. I don't know, I'm not able to reach a decision yet.

"Actually, you know what? No, I'm not leaving. Not without trying, at least. So... let's say that I remain here in Concordia. In that case, I think it's obvious I'll be opposing Kaguya and the United Front, as they are the greatest threat to my freedom and life respectively. Though I can't imagine I'd have much in common with Toyosatomimi-no-Miko, or Swain, or that I'd be able to work with Kiryuin. Perhaps Kayne would be sympathetic to me and I could join her cause, but I don't know. All I know is that I will not be brought to heel! Imperial Japan and America could not make me bow to them, like hell I'm going to let Kaguya or Satsuki or Brand or Swain or whoever the fuck else do that! I will live by my own principles!"

There was still the question of what I wanted to do moving forward. That's simple enough - make up for the bad I've done in the Diet and help people. But how, specifically, do I do that?

Perhaps I'll try to use my music to effect some kind of positive change. Or maybe I'll use my magic to benefit the people of Concordia in a way that I doubt Brand would ever be willing to. I can't produce artifacts at the speed of a factory, but... I can do my best dammit."

Edited by HilarityEnsues on Nov 30th 2023 at 9:55:47 AM

Zone Seven, Flashmarket

Xue Ya watched and listened to Kayne's impassioned rant and the Nightshades' concurrence with a small smile, the ghost of amusement tugging at his lips. "You know," he drawled via his illusion, still puffing away at his snuff, "just because there's deception and subterfuge involved doesn't mean it has to be chaotic. For example, Brand's coat seems to have a massive subspace inventory of all kinds of tools and objects that are all at his disposal at any given time. But even he has to take it off at some point. If I steal it and replace it with a fake while he's in the bath, well, I would say that makes the situation more stable, since he no longer would have the means to threaten anyone with his most powerful weapons, even though he would, of course, do his utmost to conceal that fact."

"But what do I know?" he finished, shrugging with a slight snort. "I'm just a thief and chaos agent, after all!"

Areum, Zone Four, Mount Fuji Hotsprings Inn, Mixed Bath

"So, you think that Kaguya has the advantage currently, but you're still going to oppose her and not bend the knee to anyone else, and naturally, you want to get rid of the United Front," Yukari summarized succinctly, smiling faintly as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Good for you! I wish you all the best, dear! As for me..."

The blonde paused heavily, then let out a sharp exhale and continued, "This is a secret that I've never spoken of in Concordia, so only Ran, Chen, and Kaguya, who hail from Gensokyo like me, would know. Don't go spilling the beans to anyone, alright? ...The reason I asked you about a ruler being loved versus feared earlier is that others' fear is something I can't do without. We Youkai are quite literally created and sustained by mortals' fear of us. Ran and Chen are a different matter, because my power flows to Ran and through her flows to Chen, so they need not be feared in order to keep their strength, but I must be feared by others, or my supernatural abilities and eternal youth will fade away like dust in the wind.

"Naturally, this creates a conundrum. I must be feared in order to have the power to protect myself, Ran, and Chen, but the very fact that I am widely feared means that people will turn on me and try to destroy me when given the chance. For example, Kaguya in particular is extra wary of me due to my reputation as an untouchable puppetmaster back in Gensokyo, so if she wins and I have not joined her, she will almost certainly seek to kill me - and as powerful as I am, even I have weaknesses to holy artifacts and the like. Yet, if I do join Kaguya's faction and she wins, what guarantee do I have that she won't turn on me anyway, after her victory? I face a similar problem with every other faction as well. My best chance of survival is to join whatever faction is going to win, but even then, Ran, Chen, and I's being left in peace is not a certain thing. And so..."

The mistress of gaps sighed again, sagging. "What I really, truly want," she admitted, closing her eyes, "is for the Diet to persist in some more stable form, or for there to be a government where ambition is made to counter ambition, and they're all too busy with each other to come after me. Maybe that means incremental rather than radical change, but I can't think of any other way my girls and I will be safe! Maybe you think I'm a coward... and maybe I am, but I don't know any other way to live!"

Yukari sniffed, opening her frustrated, watery eyes to look over at Areum, then shifting her gaze to the bucket at her side, snatching up the jug of sake, and chugging the entire thing down before dropping the empty container back in the bucket with a clatter.

"But yoooou, Areumdear... hic... You, you'remafriend!" she slurred, looking up at the taller woman, her eyes shining. "Iknow Icantrust you! So, hic, whaddayou th— hic —whaddayou think Ishoulddo?"

Kayné Ainsel & Moloch "Moko" Kothys—Zone 7, Flashmarket

"And where are we going to store the things you steal?" Kayne asked, still mulish and rather put off by Xue Ya's flippant demeanor. "Even if we let you hang onto the stolen goods, wouldn't that lead back to us if you're found out? No, if you want to go big, then go big. If you want to be a chaos agent, you should be a chaos agent. And if you want an impossible task, you should set yourself an impossible task. We are stealing legitimacy from one of the richest men in the multiverse, not trinkets he could easily replace."

"I want to lay claim to the Charter's power. It is something that is unique, and therefore will be coveted by Brand and those like him. It is the lynchpin and the horseshoe nail of the City, and they cannot be allowed to have it. What would you say to that?"

Edited by JumpingFruit on Dec 1st 2023 at 12:34:54 PM

Areum, Zone Four, Mount Fuji Hotsprings Inn, Mixed Bath

"Yukari, it's going to be alright. Kaguya is not going to kill you, or Ran, or Chen, or me for that matter. I'm not going to let her. For that matter, you're not going to let her. I know how strong you are, even if you don't like to show it that often. Also, before we get too caught up in the idea of a life and death battle with the Houraisans, let's try to look at this logically. I don't think either of us are really going to be her number one priority from the beginning by a long shot, truth be told. In the long run, that's probably Satsuki. Both of them - or at least most likely in Satsuki's case - want to take over the city, and it goes without saying that they're eventually going to come into conflict with each other over that. Not to mention that Darien is still at large as well. And honestly, I do have to wonder to what extent Kaguya can even act so brazenly without alienating Amaterasu. Look, I know what I said earlier, but... honestly, the more I think about it, it is kind of hard to believe that she would truly be ok with Kaguya just killing all of her enemies to consolidate power. I've been in this city with the White Wolf for 150 years, as have you. Maybe Ammy being around will temper Kaguya's behavior, or... well, honestly it probably won't, but it'll probably lead to the two splitting up at some point. That seems like something that could be a potential weakness, and someone that could potentially be a powerful ally in the fight against her if she can be persuaded to switch sides."

"And look, you know her a lot better than I do, but if you really do think there's a chance she's going to try to kill you, please don't join her side to try to somehow appease her. Honestly, I have to imagine that's only going to get you so far before she decides you aren't useful to her anymore. Besides, you said you didn't approve of the Diet's corrupt elements either, am I wrong? Stand true to what you believe. Though I must say, it doesn't seem like we have exactly the same view on how Concordia should be run. If you ask me, the Diet itself is a pretty flawed system. I don't think a bunch of immortals should just be ruling over the city forever and ever, because I think that's naturally going to cause a lot of conflict - at some point, I really do think Concordia's governing body needs to be staffed by mortals, who would be periodically replaced by mortals, with other mortals. Not sure how that transition would happen, but I truly think it's necessary. Maybe you think that's a bit too radical, and sure, it would be a big change, but honestly? It's disgusting to me how much money Swain manages to funnel away from the poor and into the hands of Peacekeepers who power trip and hurt people. It disgusts me how the Houraisans spend so much time lining their own pockets. It disgusts me that Myn has basically created a fake religion to try to justify why people who work so hard are still struggling, how that's just their place in the hierarchy and they have to accept it. The current order is anathema to me, and the fact that Kaguya thinks that everything will be fine once she has even MORE power is ridiculous!"

I find myself getting a little bit worked up at this point, my face contorting in anger, before I quickly calm down.

"Besides, while the safety of you and your family admittedly cannot be guaranteed if you leave the Diet, I think things will ultimately be worse if you stay. You'd be a much more likely target of terrorist violence - from the United Front and potentially Satsuki's militia as well, potentially from Brand too given that his threats to Kaguya imply some serious enmity towards the Houraisans, if not the entire government - should you remain with Kaguya, and you'd be relying on a woman that you really don't seem to trust very much at all to maintain order and keep you safe. I cannot tell you what to do, obviously, but joining up with her doesn't really make a lot of sense to me."

"I mean... I'm going to think about myself for a moment. I don't age, I don't get sick, I don't even get hungry or thirsty. Sure I do all those Analog Mukbangs, but I just do that crap because people watch me do it, I'm not doing it for the food. What I'm getting at is, I don't think someone like me should rule over these people forever when I literally don't even experience life and its struggles the same way they do on a biological level. Same applies to the rest of us."

"And look, it's not like I haven't struggled or suffered in my life. The 20th century was nothing short of a nightmare for Korea. But that doesn't give me any understanding of the day to day struggles the people of this city go through. It just doesn't. And if I used the pains of my past or my feelings of depression I've felt in Concordia to say that I understand the suffering of the common man now and that I can just be an oligarch forever without any self-reflection... I'd just be making excuses to take power over the people without their consent. Kaguya, Myn, Swain, and the rest of them all have a litany of excuses for why they should be able to do that too, and where has that gotten us? In this clusterfuck."

"But honestly, I understand where you're coming from to some extent. You likely think retaining the same rulers forever retains political stability, and I admit that much is true. We also haven't tried any other form of government, so I suppose it may seem like there's no other option. But I also think that it has caused great suffering. And I think that if the people in charge are ones who live with the understanding that they have to get off this ride eventually and they need to make things better now before that happens, there's a chance that they may be able understand and address their needs better than we ever could."

"I did say that Kaguya probably has the best chance of emerging victorious, but honestly? I think it's by pretty thin margins, and ones that could reverse depending on future events. And keep in mind I'm biased to begin with - I see her all the time, I see how she managed to take control of the Diet. I don't really understand what headway Satsuki or Kayne have been making in that same visceral way or really know what they're capable of. For all I know, the situation might be entirely different to what I've said."

"As far as your nature as a youkai... Don't worry, I'm not going to tell anyone. Though I have to ask - given what you're saying about fear from humans being necessary to retain your powers, what were you doing in Gensokyo before you came here? At least from what you've told me, you weren't in any kind of formal leadership position like you are in Concordia. Would it not be possible to find an alternative way to earn the fear of the people of this city without ruling over them or otherwise putting yourself in a situation where you'd be under increased scrutiny and people may want to hurt you? I just don't really understand how things worked in Gensokyo, I guess."

"Now honestly, I'm not sure what you should do. I'm not even really that sure what I should do beyond generalities. What I'm certain of is that for starters, I need to fight the United Front. I don't really have a choice in this, it's just necessary for self-preservation. I also need to protect those who are close to me, like Leo. He's going to be very, very vulnerable during all of this conflict, and I can no longer feel safe with the assurances that his connections to a venerated Master Draughtsmen are going to protect him. They didn't protect him from that thug, that animal in human skin that assaulted him the first time, and they're certainly not going to protect him from the indiscriminate violence of war that looms on the horizon. And of course, that includes you and your family as well. Right now, we need to look out for each other. But beyond that? I'm sorry, I don't really have any guidance. Kayne's goal is tempting, admittedly. A nation that is separate from Concordia and doesn't have to deal with its baggage, I mean. Perhaps that is something worth working towards. But... I'm kind of drawing a blank right now. Sorry."

I give Yukari a hug - seems like she needs it right now.

Maggie and Blair, Zone 7, Flashmarket

"We may have to steal from Brand at some point," Maggie admitted. "I'm not ruling that out. But I think that is a decision that we should come to together."

"Claim the charter's power?" Blair sounded incredulous. "We don't even know where the charter is, or what it looks like... hell, I've seen no real proof that it even exists! That it's not just some fairy tale the Diet created to justify their rule. This is what has been pissing me off as a witch - it's the most important magical document in the entire city, and I have no empirical proof that it's even real!"

Maggie scratches her head, not sure how to respond to this.

"I'm not sure that the Charter exists either," Maggie concurred. "But I think that topic is a little bigger than what we're discussing right now. Kayne, how would you 'lay claim to the Charter's power'? I think that requires some serious elaboration, because that's something that I'm honestly not sure that I can really grasp."

Edited by HilarityEnsues on Dec 2nd 2023 at 2:48:42 PM