locked to zenith

[bakedapple]

[ 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?

Comments

[settingup]

Yeah? And?

[ Sucks to be the one on this side of things, doesn't it, Gen? ]

[settingup]

Not really, but I ain't turnin' down something potentially useful, but I like to know what I'm gettin' with it first, you know?

attempt at private

[semicharmed]

I have some things I'm not saying, [ Matt says, which even he can tell sounds idiotic on its way out. ] It's just, so far, I have better luck when I go into Communion already knowing what I wanna not say.

[ A sighing pause.

And he tries, veeeeery gently, to narrow the aperture of Communion to something that's just Gavial and him. ]

Well, now you know what my relaxation tactic of choice is, when there's no bubble bath available.

[alliterating]

Dribble him like a basketball.

[erbe]

Not everyone has the iron stomachs that we do in regard to him.

[fursuit]

Then, yeah, don't even worry about the others. Let's just try luck first, since my luck, is uh.

[ uh, ]

Well. It's bad. So, this works? You're becomin' my official hairdresser.

[erbe]

Oh, anyone who doesn't agree with his vision for Zenith is automatically a spineless traitor to him. Honestly I wouldn't really give him a listen. The man's a lunatic if he thinks he could run Zenith all by himself.

[alliterating]

You got the lunatic part right. At least he's only one guy... he can't do that much.

[epiprocta]

[ JUST. THIS VIBE. x 100. ]

[zauneyete]

[ A laugh. ]

You would be surprised what odds I can survive. Even if they all gun for me, I'm quicker, smarter, and far more capable than they would give me credit for.

I watch my back carefully, after all. I've been targeted by beings far greater than I, or even the gods that walk this earth, from time to time. Somehow, I continue to survive.

[ The Innocence being after him has always been a point of pride, for Silco, and he never forgets a grudge. ]

[zauneyete]

[ He knows, but he laughs, all the same. ]

Chaos is not all we should make, mind. [ He sais, simply. ]

But a world without any would be a world not worth existing at all.

[ He fully intends for it to be a playground for certain chaos-loving people who shall remain nameless his daughter ]

[zauneyete]

I'm not interested in making anyone happy, or satisfying your bloodlust.

[ Bluntly. ]

The coliseum in Springstar exists, and I'm certain there are plenty to bloodlet there. You will not goad me into a senseless fight just because you want one.

[picketship]

[It's more than likely Demeisen is fucking with him—but also, he never said that the house Meridian tried to dismantle was Yima's manor.]

No argument here. The locals have been killing each other for generations, as I understand it, and I can't say I'm impressed with the results.

You've pinned your hopes on a new world, then? I see you've stuck yourself in with the rest of us Zenites.

[picketship]

Oh?

[Demeisen raises a brow at the rather tongue-in-cheek nickname, but he doesn't make any objection.]

And what are the stakes, exactly? I've seen dissent among those in just this faction, to say nothing of Kenos at large.

[picketship]

Could be, [he agrees. From where he's standing in communion, Demeisen tilts his head to look down (way down) at the young man.]

You fine with that? Meridian's people taking justice into their own hands because Zenith won't hold its own members accountable? Seems like the sort of thing some here might like to avoid.

[settingup]

Guess not everyone can be as impressive as us, huh?

[settingup]

[ Haha. ]

[settingup]

We really gotta work on your communication skills, man, but you're gettin' better.

[ A step up from hoping all humans die, that's for sure. ]

Re: GUNS...

[settingup]

If you need help gettin' all the raw stuff you need for 'em, I can probably help out.

[ It'd make him feel like he's staring to at least contribute in some way to Amos household. ]

[youngprodigy]

Uh—

[The question catches him off-guard. He hasn't stepped foot in Springstar for a very long time, for a variety of reasons.]

Certainly. That could prove useful, especially in the future.

I have a spell that can hide myself an a few more of my choosing for a time, but it's not so useful in Springstar. Too much light.

[settingup]

[ He's not going to say he agrees with any part of this, but... he agrees with some parts of this. He'd still rather do to the Meridian shards what Quetz did to Silco's, but he gets some of the points being made here...

He's just not going to get himself dogpiled by voicing that. Sorry, Silco, you made your own bed by making a spectacle of this whole thing, and Atsumu's just going to stay on the peripheral like 🧍‍♂️]

[baltimores]

Nope.

[ Why would he be... ]

Honestly, not even the weirdest thing here. Some people can just shapeshift. You get used to it.

[baltimores]

[ Well, why would she be lying? He's happy to keep chatting along. ]

What'd you shoot? I'm mostly working with M97s here. You can pop on over for some target practice if you want.

[baltimores]

[ There's the sense of him freezing at Set's name. Amos listens as Yuber says his piece, but it's also as though his mind is half elsewhere, particularly deep in thought.

And then, finally, ] You can't be thinking fun if you want to seriously take him out. You go for the kill immediately, or you aren't getting him at all.

[ His voice is sober. Serious. ]

I got him with a black hole, after he blew up the manor. One and done. He had no response for it. That's how you kill him — a pair of swords probably ain't going to cut it with someone like him. He can turn himself into sand; he can dodge every physical attack you can throw at him if he wants.

I can try to work on a gun that'd take him out, but it's gonna take a while. And it might not even be something I can do.

[ At least one person here respects Set's claim over war and chaos, it would seem. ]

[baltimores]

[ Oh... he's actually kinda touched by this. ]

Yeah? I'd appreciate that. I mostly scour the marketplace here, but might have to go someplace like World's Edge and see if there are more raw materials there. Been running kinda low since I got a couple put together already.

[ And manufacturing is more... Springstar's thing... whoops... ]