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

[tattooism]

Binding, hmmm...

A legitimate concern.

[Says the woman who... has used tattoos to bind people more than once in her hundreds of years of life. But that just means-]

I know how to counter such things. Seals are something of a specialty of mine. Worry not.

[settingup]

[ There's a notable brightening in the mood feedback at the mention of Gavial's name. It's clear someone is a fan of the gator lady. ]

Gavial I could see, but you really think that stuffy demon is gonna wanna play?

[ Nothing against Sebastian (at the moment), but the man doesn't strike him as the type to relax and have fun. ]

[settingup]

Sorry, your nose?

[ What is this lady saying right now? ]

I didn't do anything. I'm still kickin' it at Amos' place if that's what you're tryin' to ask, but in a weird way.

[tattooism]

I have a keener sense of smell than most~

[DW about the nose3 thing! More importantly--]

If you are still staying there... then you are still in the "yous"... are you not?

[As if this conversation makes no sense, and its his fault, not hers.]

[semicharmed]

[ The gator lady is the BEST. Matt's mood brightens in answer to Atsumu's. A moment of psychically going, Okay. Okay! OKAY! ]

Well, he's proper for sure. But I don't know about stuffy. [ Matt feels a bit of a protective urge here. Sebastian's a demon from the depths of hell who doesn't feel human emotions or scruples, but one thing you gotta say for him (in Matt's opinion): He's fun. Anyway, all that passes through his mind in an instant. He concludes, ] I think I might be able to sweet-talk him into it.

[ Admittedly, Matt's mental image of Sebastian playing volleyball still involves the demon in gloves, black jacket, and impeccably starched shirt. ]

[settingup]

I ain't like the other yous though!!

[ He's different than the other two! Better!!

According to him and only him. If you asked Tony, he'd probably say the same thing about himself. If you asked Gen........

Hard to say. Gen hates himself, but he also wouldn't want to say anything that propped up the other two. ]

[settingup]

[ Just two guys mentally high-fiving over the coolest gator lady. ]

If you can talk him into a game, I ain't gonna complain. I got some bites like half a year ago when playin' beach volleyball. Though uh...

[ He pauses here. So many of the people who had agreed to be taught by him were Meridian, which meant they were OUT when it came to organizing team meetings. He might not want to get stab happy on all of them the way some people here do, but that doesn't mean he wants to fraternize with them after everything that's happened. ]

Most ain't people I could rope into a game at this point.

[semicharmed]

[ Matt frowns. ]

So you've been here awhile, then.

[ A pause. Then, with a sense of weighing and balancing, like a server carrying one too many plates, ] I hear things used to be different for the Shard-Bearers. I mean, obviously they're different now, but ...

[ Yuri mentioning that pan-faction vacation still looms large in his mind. What a plummet from there to political assassinations. ]

[tattooism]

Unfortunately in this instance, whether you smell better or treat lighter... You are still interfering in my engagements, so I must sadly lump "you" all together, sweetness ♡

[... She does think he's different, though. Still!]

Well, if you're upstairs, it makes your journey to my chair easier. Come on down when you're ready.

[settingup]

[ For a long while... since the first round of Shard-bearers were brought over from another doomed world. Long enough to know that while the rivalry between the factions had always been there, things hadn't taken the nastier turn it's taken at this point until more recent months. ]

Long enough to know exactly what people mean when they say that, yeah.

[settingup]

Huh? I got no idea what you're talkin' about right now...

[ He aggressively does not pay attention to the sex lives of others, and probably to everyone's relief, he will continue not to. ]

You got time right now then?

[semicharmed]

It seems like a lot to adjust to, on top of everything else.

[ Being friendly enough with people to hit them up for beach volleyball, then ending up where they are now. Trying frantically to minimize future war crimes, debating how much murder they need to do.

Matt thinks something fleeting about the way people bond under trauma. About how much it would hurt to have those bonds taken away. Being destabilized once can suck, but twice can be deadly. ]

[settingup]

No kiddin'. I didn't exactly come from a place with demons, and gods, and magic and all that either.

[ He had to build himself from the ground up compared to everyone else, who seemed to be decades into their magical combat training, even if they weren't that much older than him. ]

[tattooism]

And apparently, things need to stay that way~ For your sake. So no need to fuss about it.

[Ugh, Amos' child protection house rules. Whatever!!!]

I have nothing but time now.

[semicharmed]

[ There's a sense of gentle nodding, of an affirming mmhmm. Then a bit of a pause. ]

Well ... just in my experience, even coming from someplace with magic, it didn't necessarily prepare me for this magic. And knowing about demons didn't prepare me for these demons either.

Not to say there's no advantage in my background. Just ...

I don't know. We all have things to learn from each other, I think.

[ Though of course, if people aren't talking to each other because of Zenith-Meridian rivalries, that learning will start to run dry. ]

[settingup]

[ There is a strong feeling of agitated confusion that can be read nice and strong through the connection.

But the tattoo is more important to him right now, so Atsumu actually drops it. ]

Gimme a sec. I'll be done in a moment.

[settingup]

[ Maybe the Meris shouldn't have attacked their home if they didn't want that to run dry!

... Maybe the Zenites shouldn't have attacked their leader, but Atsumu's not feeling reasonable enough to be fair on this one. ]

Not like I'm gonna really argue with that when I went and got myself a magic teacher here.

[ Though he has no idea she'll be disappearing in the near, or, frozen in time shenanigans considering, far future. ]

[tattooism]

[Look, see, no fussing about it!]

Alright~

I suppose I shall get some clothes on, then. Just knock twice so I know it's you ♡

[ ... Though she's not above teasing, apparently.]

1/3

[settingup]

Yeah, yeah. I'll do your secret kno--

[settingup]

[ Hold up... what was that about clothes? ]

[settingup]

[ Give him a second here. He's had some encounters of the explicit variety before, but not that many. He's still a young man, and the wheel in his mind spins for a moment before he gives a full reply. ]

I'll uh... I'll take my time comin' down then.

[tattooism]

Or don't~

[... Honestly, she'll have fun either way.]

[settingup]

[ The good news is that Atsumu Is Not Immune. ]

HUH???

[tattooism]

[It’s good according to Kiritsubo anyway! … Whether that’s bad or not, who knows.]

Oh… was I not clear?

[settingup]

I'm gettin' your words here, lady, but not their meanin'!

[ Or more he's left struggling to figure out if this is some kind of invitation, if she's just teasing him for fun, or maybe she's just got an exhibitionist streak, and wants to show off a little before getting to business. ]