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

[fursuit]

Easy. Someone offers up their life to become the sun, duh.

[ He's joking and playing with his own mythology/truth, but there's a feeling of "point taken" in Communion despite his joking around. ]

People are short-sighted, especially with uncertainty. If there's a concrete way forward, that's what people are going to take. S'why this war is more appealing than looking at that darkness. There's a concrete goal and way to achieve it. So, the tactics of that battle don't always help out what you might need for the next one.

You think combining their energies is the way to do it?

[semicharmed]

[ There's a hint of a chuckle for the reference, feathering into a listening quiet. ]

Combining Zenith and Meridian energies has worked for some other things around here, [ Matt replies carefully. ] Fixing a magical corruption, rebalancing energies when they start to make us sick. Healing, basically. I think it's worth a shot.

... But even if I'm wrong, there's still a lot of possibilities out there. And being overly certain, overly concrete--like you say, it closes off roads you might need later.

[ Matt goes quiet for a moment in his mind. Thoughts swirl like wisps of cloud. Then, almost wistful, ] Maybe that's something I can be good for here. Looking into the dark, so we don't forget we'll need a way out of it.

[fursuit]

[ He’s quiet in turn as he listens, but there’s not much in the way of his emotional impression from it. It seems perfectly neutral about the prospect, oddly. ]

Even if you might not like what you find? You think you could look into it and not get swallowed up?

[ His tone isn’t challenging—this is an earnest question he’s asking. ]

[semicharmed]

[ Set asked him something similar--what will he do if the answers he gets here aren't ones he likes. Matt's not a hundred percent sure yet. ]

I don't know, [ he admits. A quirk of ruefulness flickers through his psychic presence. ] But so far, I've been pretty good at coming back from the brink of being eaten, so at least there's that.

[ How many times has it happened now? Fewer than half a dozen, but more than twice. Enough to make a pattern. ]

[fursuit]

[ He laughs, at least! It’s not the kind of assertive, committed answer that he’d prefer to hear, but. It’s acceptable, considering the topic. Diving truly face first into that kind of thing takes a certain kind of person. ]

That so? Sounds like you must be pretty damn tasty if it’s happened that many times.

[ is this flirting or literal… a mystery ]

Well, work on not gettin’ eaten so much first. Ain’t gonna be any help if it takes a chunk outta ya, from the sounds of it.

[semicharmed]

[ Matt laughs in return, though his is more of a mordant huff. ]

You have to give something to get something, don't you?

[ Heavily implicit: wouldn't Tezcatlipoca know better than any of them? Lord of the Smoking Mirror, of the Near and the Nigh, He By Whom We Live? ]

minor lb7 spoilers ahoy

[fursuit]

...Sure.

[ He agrees with a smirk in his voice. "Do as I say, not as I do," c'mon. But he doesn't hate that this is the angle Matt is taking. ]

But you only got so much to give. And not to put too fine of a point of it, but I've got some experience with world-eaters. [ He and Daybit had been trying to wake it up, in fact. ] Well, anyways. When you're certain that's the path you wanna walk—and no turnin' back from it if you do—then I might be able to help out. That's why I'm curious.

[semicharmed]

[ Matt's curiosity is piqued by both particulars: experience with world-eaters, the possibility of aid. He's not surprised, exactly; from what he recalls of Tezcatlipoca's history, he has been both eater and eaten. ]

Help out how?

[fursuit]

I mean, you wanted to see a miracle, right? Taking a good lil peek at something creeping in on my domain is a good opportunity for one.

[ He says it casually, but it's also very vague on purpose. ]

But you gotta show me that you're committed to that path. Maybe pass one of my Trials. Then I'll consider it.

[semicharmed]

I do want to see a miracle, [ Matt admits quietly. A thoughtful pause follows. ] And it's not like I haven't committed to irrevocable paths before. I just hate the thought of giving up a possibility when I don't have to.

[ With a hint of a smile: ]

Do I get to know in advance what the trial would be?

[fursuit]

Depends on what I cook up. Sometimes, not knowin' is part of it. Others, it's just beating me in wrestling.

[ He snickers, since that's pretty obviously not what Matt is going to get, but. It's a nice little call to his mythology, and since Matt's one of the few people that knows it, he can't resist. ]

Either way, they're not easy! Would defeat the whole point if they were. So, I'm not lookin' for an answer now or anything. Just somethin' to consider.

[semicharmed]

Oh, I definitely couldn't wrestle you, I'd forget all about fighting. The competitive kind of fighting, anyway.

[ mATT ]

... Seriously, though. I'll think it over.

Thanks.