ya-ha-ha! 🍎 (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
bakedapple) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
kenoscomm2024-03-08 08:07 am
bakedapple) wrote in kenoscomm2024-03-08 08:07 am
Entry tags:
- arknights: gavial,
- boy's abyss: gen minegishi,
- culture (the): demeisen,
- expanse (the): amos burton,
- fate/: rin tohsaka,
- fate/: tezcatlipoca,
- final fantasy xiv: cid garlond,
- haikyuu!!: atsumu miya,
- legend of zelda (the): link,
- life is strange: chloe price,
- oc: matt jamison,
- persona: goro akechi,
- suikoden: yuber,
- terra e: tony asuka,
- zone-00: kiritsubo
locked to zenith
[ Link's mental space feels like being outside, so depending on where you are, you might not realize that someone has started Communion with you. Since joining the Zenith, the landscape of Link's mind has gone from idyllic, sunny forests to icy, overcast mountains. A frigid wind blows against your face, carrying the scent of firewood and meat roasting over an open flame. The diminutive Hylian is not sitting by the fire, but standing at the edge of a rocky ledge, his back turned. ]
There's going to be another Oracle soon. I can feel it. The rest of you can feel it too, right? That... pulling feeling.
[ He sighs. ]
If we lose this one, it's over. The Meridian isn't going to go easy on us. I know them... I know how badly they want to win. To them, the stakes couldn't be higher.
So let's talk. About what we're going to be up against, and... well, planning ahead isn't really something we can do, but at least we can warn each other of the dangers that individual Meri pose.
And I... I want to say something, too.
[ He sits down where he stands, his feet hanging off the cliff. There's a sense that he knows this isn't going to go over well, but it's important enough to him to say it anyway. ]
Killing the other guy before they kill you is what war is. That's normal. But Kenos is different. Death doesn't work the way it should here. We don't die permanently. You can neutralize someone threatening you by just dissipating them. There's nothing to gain by destroying their soul after you're no longer in danger.
So, I don't think any of us should shatter anyone ever again.
If you claim someone's Shard, you should protect it. If you feel that you can't do that, give it to someone else.
...I'm not stupid. I know a lot of you aren't gonna agree to this. And the Meris probably won't either. I'm sure they want revenge for what happened to Quetzalcoatl, and those of you who lost the Shards Yima gave you probably aren't feeling very merciful right now either...
But if we don't come to some kinda agreement now, that's going to become normal. Things are gonna get really bad. I don't want that. So... can we talk about it, at least?
There's going to be another Oracle soon. I can feel it. The rest of you can feel it too, right? That... pulling feeling.
[ He sighs. ]
If we lose this one, it's over. The Meridian isn't going to go easy on us. I know them... I know how badly they want to win. To them, the stakes couldn't be higher.
So let's talk. About what we're going to be up against, and... well, planning ahead isn't really something we can do, but at least we can warn each other of the dangers that individual Meri pose.
And I... I want to say something, too.
[ He sits down where he stands, his feet hanging off the cliff. There's a sense that he knows this isn't going to go over well, but it's important enough to him to say it anyway. ]
Killing the other guy before they kill you is what war is. That's normal. But Kenos is different. Death doesn't work the way it should here. We don't die permanently. You can neutralize someone threatening you by just dissipating them. There's nothing to gain by destroying their soul after you're no longer in danger.
So, I don't think any of us should shatter anyone ever again.
If you claim someone's Shard, you should protect it. If you feel that you can't do that, give it to someone else.
...I'm not stupid. I know a lot of you aren't gonna agree to this. And the Meris probably won't either. I'm sure they want revenge for what happened to Quetzalcoatl, and those of you who lost the Shards Yima gave you probably aren't feeling very merciful right now either...
But if we don't come to some kinda agreement now, that's going to become normal. Things are gonna get really bad. I don't want that. So... can we talk about it, at least?
HAYAME
She might be the most dangerous of the Meri at the moment. Not only does she want to kill us all, but she has the capability. She's similar to a creature known as a Lynel in my world, with the body of a horse, and a human torso and arms where the horse's head would be.
If you come across her, don't engage. If you have to fight her, keep your distance if you can, and watch out for arrows. And if you have to fight her up close, stay away from her front and her flank. Attack the legs from the side.
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[ But there's a grin in Communion all the same. Link knows it, since it's what he'd met in the woods of the Beyond. ]
If you're in a tough spot with her, don't hesitate to hit me up. She's a warrior, so I have to put her through her paces to test her. Her heart—hell, or maybe hearts—are mine to claim.
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[Alright, that last part sounds more like a bit of admiration than a real warning.]
I got to tussle with her a little bit back in Springstar, so I can tell you her skills in a fight are no joke. Wouldn't mind a rematch some time...
[One without a building crumbling down to put a premature end to it...]
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[ Said at a bitter deadpan. But anyway, he actually has something somewhat useful to contribute: ]
I'm pretty sure she can cripple magic, too. Dunno how it works, but whatever it was messed with my ability last I fought with her -- made it harder to control, less effective. Long-distance ambush is probably the best chance against her, honestly. [ The equivalent of a sniper shot. ]
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[ Extremely helpful advice! Anyway, ]
If it’s a physical battle, you’re probably gonna lose. Doesn’t seem to be in her vocabulary to fight dirty though, so you can use that on her. You play your cards right, there’s a chance she’ll try to kill herself first before you can do much of anything else. [ Just speaking from a bit of experience there. ]
Don’t hesitate, cut her down, and fuck her up. Get her off the ground and she can’t do shit; play mind games and you might create the opening you need.
She’s tough, but she’s not unbeatable.
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DIMITRI
...he's a good person, though. I think he'll listen to reason if you give him a chance. But he's devoted to the Meri cause, so... maybe not.
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But his heart is big, too~
So you could always try laying down and playing dead if need be. Or, at least, playing pathetically injured or open to surrender.
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SHEZ AND BYLETH
They're good people too... but I don't think that you have any chance of avoiding a fight by talking. Be careful.
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offering: magic tattoos
But... we find ourselves in dire straits indeed~ Tribune dead or not, the Oracle numbers have not changed, have they? So in the interest of helping in a way you can more easily swallow... If you do not want what my eyes see and what my ears hear... How about my hands?
I'm considering a sale on my inking services ♡ The ones that come with a little built-in spell, of course, not the ones that just look beautiful.
If you need a testimonial on their efficacy, you may ask Amos Burton.
- But before you get too creatively aroused, I must remind you.
The design is up to your karma... and to me.
No edits~
Only while supplies last... And, of course, only if you actually plan to put that sort of thing to proper use for Zenith.
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asking about: Set!
The one they call Set claims to be a god of chaos and war. I must test his supposed might.
Tell me what I need to know to crush him!
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Swords
My magic is strong but nothing is as satisfying as a good cut.
Someone bring me a sword!
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But if you need something specific... you could ask Amos. He has a workshop.
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That should do it. ]
For the record, I agree about destroying Shards. Especially if it's really true that destroying them has a fundamentally subtractive effect. Like, even if you have no sentimentality about the preciousness of life or anything, I'd still say it's a bad idea. Kinda seems like doing oblivion's work for it.
I just don't think we can afford to lose souls at this point.
Also, I'm interested in chasing down a lead about the Oracles. What have people learned about them, apart from "they possess and/or influence people during sadistic tests"?
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They do seem to have... identities, if that's the right word? They each ask us to do specific things for them. That's what makes each one different, and why it's so impossible to prepare or plan ahead.
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ciiiiid!
it's been a while!!
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What a bunch of sentimental fools.
[ And this is him being generous with his word choice. ]
Spare the lesser Meridians if you will-- I myself would give them the chance to see reason. [ Zenith reason, that is. ] But make no mistake: they are zealots floundering in their own despair, and many will not hesitate to destroy our Shards. In fact, I imagine Silco-san's public [ execution ] performance must have further riled them up.
We cannot afford to be merciful, least of all when we're outnumbered. I say we should even our odds, and target the strongest among them.
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Silco-san?
[ Said with the most exquisite derision because my man, the guy doesn't deserve that much respect??? ]
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If I could make a formal request for fellow Zenites to stop inciting Meridian to kill them, I think that would do us well. We already have a smaller number of shard-bearers and painting a target on your back by instigating the other side is just asking for all your hard work to be wasted.
[SHE'S LOOKING AT YOU, ZENI DEATH COUNT POST HARBY ORACLE!!! Mostly because she could actually count it thanks to the papers. Otherwise she wouldn't know well enough to give a shit.]
Sure there are unavoidable exceptions, but we don't need to add to those by being smart-mouthed.
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GUNS...
[ There is something undeniably Zenith to Amos' communion presence now, cool and calm and collected. And pleasant, since he knows that here, in this space, he's among his people — willing and ready to embrace and protect all of them. Probably. ]
So, I came into a new spell not too long ago. Helps me build shit a little faster, as long as I got the materials for it. Which I usually do, considering my line of work and all — [ his repair/machine shop up north, knowledge of which could've easily been picked up through the grapevine — ] but when it comes to guns, they're a bit more difficult to obtain.
I can fix or build stuff for you guys if you need it, but the way I see it, guns are the best thing to target since they ain't exactly common here. [ A beat; a sigh. ] Them not being common also makes them more difficult to build, let alone accrue ammunition... but I've been working on it for a while now. [ Sometimes you are from a sci-fi canon and have interests. ] Still don't have anything up to the standards I'm used to, but the progress I've made ain't bad. Enough to give us an advantage.
Might take some time to put together, but if you want in let me know. Can probably set up a spot for target practice too. Make sure you get good at 'em before you go popping off, y'know? Not like you need to take your own eye out or blow your hand off first when you're in the middle of trying to kill the other guy.
[ Yes, he may be offering up advanced weaponry (by Kenos standards) at large here, but he is responsible, damn it. ]
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Now this is the kinda generous offer I like to hear, Big Bro! [ that's his nickname for now, yeah ] I adore guns. Got a good talent for makin' 'em myself too, actually. Just haven't been here long enough to dig into it, since like you said, they're disappointingly rare!
[ There's a grin, but it's excited and warm ]
You ever need help figuring out how to make some new hot shit, you let me know and I can break it down for ya. Just need one to be able figure it out so it can be replicated. Special talent of mine as a god of... Well, war adjacent, anyways. But in the meantime, if you're got anything like an AK or an Uzi sittin' around, I'd love one.
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Re: GUNS...
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sighs..............
Isn't it odd how your moral high ground only lasts as long as you dislike the subject of your distaste?
You can say my name, boy. It's not a curse that will damn you for keeping it out of your mouth. In fact, I am proud of my work.
After all, I hear none of such problems with permanently ending the life of their leader, hm? His soul is just as lost as Quetzalcoatl's, because there is no such thing as an afterlife, or souls, or any of the such nonsense you all prattle about. Metaphysical nonsense that you have no proof of but believe in fully. Ah, but Cyrus was not one of us, now was he? So it is acceptable amongst our ranks.
Quetzalcoatl, the fuel to which they used to power their attack, however, has "merit" to you.
And when she was going to be used again? And again? When Set's power hungry revenge against Yima's works is not found complete until he decimates the lot of us? Do you think he would allow us to merely destroy his weapon? Could you?
No, we remove the power, and all the better for it, for now it has been eradicated, never to be used again. Do you think our enemies care if you feel sad about a goddess dying? So what, that she had power? In a new world, her light will mean nothing. Her soul will be nothing. Our Meridian enemies do not care for you because they believe so fully in the fact that you will take their world away from them. It does not matter to them that their worlds are destroyed, because they simply fail to recognize reality. They hope so fully that their worlds are still out there, that you are simply the ones taking it from them. When it comes down to it, when the final Oracles are left, do you truly think that they will stay their hands, when you are between them and their world? No. It is best to cease their existence, prune their numbers, and fight for what you believe in. They want to paint us the bad people, for believing in something new instead of what is old, and already destroyed. They have failed to understand something — and many of you have too:
Death is death. Whether it is the crushing of a shard, or a death in your own world, it means little difference. The only difference is now you have all become foolhardy with your lives, and you have all died once, or perhaps twice, and thus you now fear seeing your own soul shattered, don't you?
[ surprise!! The person Silco is raging against this time is you zenites 💚💚💚💚💚💚 ]
Good.
Use it, then. Prove yourselves capable. If you refuse to shatter shards, then perhaps you will purchase the goodwill you so desperately crave. And your efforts to build a new world only go as far as what you are comfortable with. Do you think a war cares if you are comfortable? So few of you have had to fight for something that you believed in, and had to watch as everyone else falls back into complacency when it becomes difficult. I've seen it before, and do you know where it leads? Defeat. When it becomes hard, I wonder how many of you will still be fighting. It will not be easy. It will not be comfortable.
The sooner you all recognize that, the sooner we can get to business and stop wringing our hands about how Meridian will feel about it, and how mad they will become. I do not care about them, beyond the obstacle that they place in our way.
But oh, I forgot, you want them to be your friends, don't you. [ The impression in communion of rolled eyes. ] Do not come weeping, when these "friends" betray you, for I've told you all time and time again. You will only be allowed to exist as long as you are convenient. I only hope you do not find this out only at the bitter end, and regret your lack of conviction.
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not here
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SEBASTIAN (nsfw)
God ... I should ask Sebastian if he's busy tonight and wants to fuck me until I forget my name.
[ A swirl of emotion accompanies the thought: longing, relief, a certain heated nostalgia. Impressions of wisps of shadow, curling coolly around bare skin.
No, Matt absolutely does not know he's thinking this out loud. ]
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SILCO - VOTE NOW ON YOUR PHONES
Can we kick someone out of the faction? Is that something we can do? I just don't wanna have the creepy old guy talking about destiny and how we gotta kill everything blasted into my brain every time he thinks we're not motivated enough.
C'mon, I'm taking a vote on this.
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[ yes, he’s still on this. there’s the sense that tony is counting on his fingers as he thinks about the people he’s encountered, but unlike the last time he came onto communion blasting an entire species, he’s a little more thoughtful this time. chrono, flat, …howl? he doesn’t know if that last guy is a human, but he sure had the moral compass of one. ]
I’ve learned something. Just because they’re human doesn’t mean they can’t do anything.
[ that said. ]
But most of them are still no match for me. I’m stronger than almost everyone I’ve met so far, and I don’t think that’s going to change. If you need to escape from somewhere quickly, call me. Communion lets anyone do that, even without psionics, doesn’t it?
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[After all... Silco's shattering of Quetzalcoatl's shard was evidence of that.]
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War Crimes 😏
[Demeisen's image is so high-definition he may as well be standing right next to those who view his message. He doesn't bother to conjure up a setting, instead seeming to stand nearby, wherever his recipient already is.]
No point in trying to set up an agreement like that unless you're willing to take responsibility for the people who don't sign on. Even those who'd agree on principle might make "exceptions" in the heat of the moment, if they can get away with it.
So. [He raises his eyebrows meaningfully, aimed toward those who have objected to the methods of certain high-tier Zenites.]
Can they?
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I understand it'll be hard and maybe unrealistic to enforce, but I'm willing to try. [ There's a quiet space in his mind where, under other circumstances, he'd be noting mordantly that someone around here has the ability to compel and/or circumscribe thoughts and actions, even if they've only used it on Sebastian so far. ] I doubt Meridian would trust any of us to keep our word. But even if some people manage to shatter a hypothetical accord, I don't know how much worse that would be than not trying at all. We're kinda operating from a deficit right now.
For the record, in my cultural context, these are some actions that would be considered war crimes and wouldn't be allowed:
I'd put "Shard destruction" in the war crime category, honestly. If we absolutely have to have somebody out of the equation, we could presumably just put their Shard in a box somewhere.
Out of curiosity ... has anybody here ever heard the saying "the master's tools cannot dismantle the master's house"?
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