LOCKED TO MERIDIAN

[leicesters]

[Claude's communion prescence has always been like a summer breeze; warm, easygoing, albeit difficult to read before it moves on. Now it has more of a brittle, bitter quality, like a looming dust-cloud he has to hold at a distance. There's no going back from this point when he knows things will only escalate from here, and so now seems like an important time to address his fellow Meri.]

The fight for the next Oracle will be on us soon. The Tribune may have been slain, but he entrusted the future of the worlds to us. Though he won't be able to help us see this through, we can still fight for him, and all the others we've lost along the way. We can fight for Springstar... and we can fight for Quetzalcoatl.

[There's a brief pause on this point. Her death deserves respect and acknowledgement, and she may not be the last to meet such a fate before the fighting is over.]

...We'll fight for your homes, too. After all, our worlds aren't that different, right? They might be flawed in their own ways, and there might even be some of you who would rather stay here when this is done. But every world and the life on it is precious, and it beats whatever phony world Yima and her followers come up with.

Speaking of Yima: I've discussed this with a few people already, but I suspect she's still alive. When the Blight almost destroyed Kenos, somehow she was still around. When I asked her about it, she said she wasn't bound by time like a normal person is. She can exist in different times and different places simultaneously; I don't know how it works, but maybe she even foresaw this attempt on her life before it even happened.

That said, it's just speculation, so we might as well play dumb and behave towards Zenith as if we're convinced she's dead for now. It'll be easier for us that way.

[Others have probably arrived at a similar conclusion, perhaps people among Zenith's ranks too, but it bears saying, particularly for those newly arrived to the conflict.]

Anyway, enough about her -- how about we use this opportunity for a little strategy get-together? We have a few new faces around, so feel free to introduce yourself and your capabilities.

For those of us who have been around longer, feel free to toss in an introduction too. More importantly, share what you know about Zenith and its current capabilities, in combat or otherwise. Any insight into their current thinking would be useful right now, too. What's their morale like? We know by now that some of them really hate our guts, and I wonder how much their desire for revenge is going to play into the next battle...

[He sounds casual, almost flippant, but there's a serious point in there he's sure he doesn't need to overstate: the more loyal Zenites are going to have some serious motivation in the next battle to get back at them, whether they believe Yima is gone or not.]

Let's not let our own judgement be clouded by revenge, even if we've sustained losses. We need to go into this with a clear head, looking toward the future.

Oh-- on that note, Hayame wants to speak with some of you about some further strategising either before or after the Oracle. Sorry that's a little vague, but I'm sure she'll talk to you about it properly when the time comes. For now, let's just focus on one thing at a time.

Comments

[hauntedking]

Agreed on that count. I would not be against working with Matt to figure out these shadows and how we can deal with them. It's a problem for all of us, after all. Not just Meridian.

[hauntedking]

Personally, I would rather there not be a war at all, so... I won't argue in favor of total annihilation unless it's necessary.

Generally we haven't been penalized for dissipating one another... but that doesn't mean it might not happen in the future.

[ Hmmm. ]

There are Zenith I still trust, to an extent. Or even call friends. So I am reluctant to completely divide us - both for personal reasons and because this outside threat may be something we have to come together to defeat.

[hauntedking]

That is the problem, isn't it? We don't know enough about anything to say for certain.

[ex_fend346]

[ If Communion can convey the impression of a very polite bow, then it would, because Subaru is nothing if not a polite little vampire. ]

I've never made a formal introduction before... [ A very strong start, that. ] But my name is Subaru. I'm a vampire, and I was born this way, since that's been a source of confusion.

[ Yes, he's absolutely leading with this. No vampiric self-hatred here. Of note, Flat was excited rather than confused. ]

I'm stronger and more resilient than a human, and much longer-lived. My experience is probably the most useful strength I have, judging by what others have said about themselves... Though I can also sense power, or whether someone is not human.

[ This isn't even half of the weird grab-bag of miscellaneous abilities clampires possess, but it's what he thinks of. ]

I'd prefer not to harm anyone outside of necessity.

[clockpunk]

Yeah. I think I understand much better now, what that block was. Some people really live by their promises.

[ ... ]

And kill by 'em, too. It's not about morals, or anything else except the end goal.

[clockpunk]

It's something you can't really say whether it'll happen or not now, I guess. Heat of the moment, if you're already... like, resigned to it?

[ a shrug. ]

Someone's gonna tell me off for being naïve, but I still think it's sad.

[damnpire]

He seems to get lost in a bit of confusion when he doesn't have someone there to give him a goal or a purpose. I don't think he'll be easily swayed. He believes in Zenith's goals and Yima too much now.

[There is a shift sort of like a polite nod.]

It seems that way, yes.

[escardos]

[ ……… ]

His moral compass might be a little different than yours, Chronos. So maybe he also thinks that he’s doing the right thing?

[ex_fend346]

[ It's concern which precedes his response, open and pronounced, because— ]

That does sound troublesome...

[ He turns the dilemma about in his mind. Typically, he and Kamui would simply run. An obstacle too troublesome to be worth their time was best avoided. ]

Does his power require concentration?

[ex_fend346]

[ There's a familiar voice with concerning information, oh dear. ]

Something like that...

[ Guess who got chased right out of Zenith considerations by a certain villain monologue. ]

If I observe anything noteworthy, I'll let you know.

[ex_fend346]

[ He's very new here, but considering what turned him away from Zenith— ]

...Thank you.

[ It's oddly heartfelt. ]

[escardos]

Subaru!!!!! Hi!!!!!!!!

[ flat is so happy. there’s nothing constructive here other than someone happy to see his friend in this mental gossip session. ]

[clockpunk]

I mean, yeah, I get that. He definitely does think that he's doing the right thing, that was pretty clear when we spoke.

[ chrono's tone is frustrated - expressing what he means is difficult. ]

I don't... think there's anything wrong with having reasons like that, actually.

[ex_fend346]

I don't know enough to offer a solution right now, but if you're ever unable to get away, please call for help.

[ His kind can simply sense and avoid threats, much of the time, but shadows... How very strange. ]

[clockpunk]

I get that there's no swayin' him to the Meridian side of thinking. That kinda barrier's pretty near impossible to take down. He seemed kind of confused by some of the stuff I said, which makes it sound even more... stuck? Gives me the creeps.

[wolfish]

[ There it is again, the word. Trust. It always feels so weighted to him, perhaps because it was something his king back home wished to give but couldn't yet.

And he understood that, of course. Yuri wouldn't trust himself either. But here this man does, somehow. Look he doesn't think he's earned it... ]

We all do lack a bit in the coordination department, don't we? Suppose part of that's a lack of active leadership, but we have to make the best of what we've got here. Part of that may be learning how we combine our strengths — Byleth and I have had some success with magic, for instance.

[wolfish]

It's a frustration, to say the least... I might have something to work with soon, but not soon enough.

[ He has to settle up with Coalbrand, and all that. ]

[clockpunk]

[ there's a face he's very pleased to see. ]

Hey, Subaru. You doin' any better?

[ex_fend346]

[ Oh, happy Flat... This is very constructive, so far as Subaru's concerned, though the enthusiasm takes him aback initially. ]

Hello, Flat.

[ Much less energetic, but there's a gentle sort of warmth there for his friend, like the soft touch of the early morning sun. ]

Are you well?

[kaientai]

Ah, well—...

[ He's not used to people thanking him, so he's a little awkward all of a sudden. ]

No need to thank me, honestly! The Zenites believe their worlds are dead and gone, but when Meridian restores what was lost, I want to see every single one of them go home again — or find a new one.

That's all any of us wants, right? There are more worlds out there than we can imagine. I'm sure everyone can find a place where they can be happy.

[ex_fend346]

[ In turn, Subaru's response to that familiar presence is warm, even before the words come. ]

Hello, Chrono. I'm much more myself, thank you.

[ Those last two words encapsulate his gratitude for more than just one thing. Chrono had been kind and understanding all this time. ]

How are you? There's...quite a lot to take in here.

[clockpunk]

[ it's hard to resist the pull of a fellow savant, as much as chrono feels uncomfortable sharing an aspect with a god of war. something set says sticks in his mind. ]

You got... memories? From your life, even though you were already here?

[damnpire]

I agree. A lot is changing.

[damnpire]

[Help me. Silco really did that in front of God and everyone.]

It could be dangerous for everyone here.

Thank you.

[escardos]

That means that you would probably need to find a way to process energy in a different way.

[ flat has to sit and think about this, but without a visual example, it’s difficult to make a plan. ]

Because right now it sounds like you’re trying to run an airplane on car fuel and that really doesn’t work for a long time.