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

[wolfish]

Needed to win a couple of games. I went with others, so as long as any of us came out on top, one of us would get what we were after.

[ They'd done rather well at undermining other competitors, all things considered. ]

Since we were successful, just a matter of waiting for a meeting with the guy currently holding that research. We jumped through his hoops, but I imagine he's a busy man.

[wolfish]

Pleased to hear it. Flat, right?

[ He's caught the name amidst conversation here. ]

[kaientai]

That's a good question.

I've always thought it strange that this place doesn't keep well-documented histories, even though it seems like it would be an advantage.

I know there are areas considered off-limits to anyone who isn't a high-level Meridian, and I can't help but wonder what we'd find there. Maybe some of this mysteriously undocumented information nobody seems to have...?

The Church was also mentioned as a potential source of information, but I'd expect that it requires the same level of faithfulness, and I'd make a poor devotee.

[ Ryouma seems to lean forward to peer at her in a mental sense. Nothing threatening, just curious. ]

You wouldn't be interested in helping out with this effort, would you?

[ex_fend346]

[ First comes a mild puzzlement before Subaru responds: ]

My understanding is that D hunts vampires who are unnecessarily violent. I have no objections to this, so I believe we are okay?

[ That's what she's asking, right...? ]

[appeale]

[ she shies away from his attention, regardless of the lack of hostility – not embarrassed by the scrutiny, but wary like a stray animal. ]

I'd be willing, but... I don't know that I would be much help.

I can be faithful. I was the daughter of Pope Borgia, I know how to behave within a church's ranks. [ even if it does leave a bad taste in her mouth, thinking about going back to that. ] Being Set's priestess might help my case, too.

But I'm not a high-ranking Meri, and I never will be. If they expect me to show commitment to the cause before I can be trusted, it won't happen.

[clockpunk]

I said that he couldn't claim that murdering Cyrus was only a job he was given, but then go and immediately say that there's some huge greater purpose behind all the fallout. That doesn't really line up, to me.

[ chrono's presence flickers for a moment, uncomfortable. ]

Before that, I said a few things I'd heard before, from someone who had a similar mindset from my home. Those seemed to make him reflect a little as well, but only for a moment.

[clockpunk]

Huh... it definitely isn't considered magic back home. There was a guy researching it, usin' a bunch of people to generate a lot of it to use for himself. Everyone has at least the potential to generate a bit of the stuff, but usin' it to manifest anything in reality was like, uh. I only know three other people that could do it.

[ and overusing it killed one of them, so............ ]

They're not monsters, though! They're my friends from Cray.

[clockpunk]

That's great, man. Glad you're back to fully yourself.

[ it's still a little sad, that subaru had to be forced into a choice, but... at least they're on the same side. ]

Mm, well, yeah. It's a lot, but I think it's just gonna be somethin' I'll learn on the fly no matter how much info I try and absorb, y'know?

[kaientai]

[ Ryouma has a good idea of who this might be and he appreciates the support, even if he's distinctly unused to receiving gratitude from anyone, let alone multiple people.

It's encouraging, which is nice after everything lately. ]

[ex_fend346]

That's true, all one can do under the circumstances is adapt, and that is a process...

[ In some ways, Subaru is better equipped to adjust than others. At the same time, he'd always had Kamui with him, so being accustomed to strange new worlds only goes so far.

He can take comfort in not being pitted against people who have only shown him kindness, though. It's something for which he's grateful. ]

With all this talk of Oracles, it seems the others expect something soon, as well.

→ Claude (replying to him, but visible to meris!)

[ex_fend346]

I was in Highstorm, until the manor fell and that... [ He trails off, overtly hesitant. Any Advocate will feel it distinctly. ] Deeply unpleasant man gave that terrible performance.

[ It's the gentlest way Subaru can phrase it, not for any reason save that he is surpassingly polite by nature. ]

Of course, because I was unharmonized, I wasn't particularly trusted, so there isn't much I can offer as insights go. They're angry, as you expect, and I agree that Yima is most likely still alive. I helped search for anyone trapped in the rubble, and there was no sign of her.

Furthermore, I have known someone with a similar ability to be many places. She was known as the Dimensional Witch, though she didn't involve herself in the affairs of any one world in the manner Yima does, so far as I know. Such a person...there must be something to which they are bound, something that tethers them, but I know no more than that.

1/2

[warmare]

I am not everyone’s boss.

If I were, things would be very different right now.

[… Yeah, she said that with her whole chest(s).]

[warmare]

But I have been promoted, of late, within the hierarchy Springstar acknowledges.

So perhaps there is time yet to turn certain tides in our favor.

private

[warmare]

[… This reminds her. Hnn. She feels like some sort of… village wife… but she had said she would relay the message, so- !]

… I ran into Skela at the market this morning.

[Hrid’s second wife, the robust blonde. Also half-allergic to shirts.]

She asked me to tell you her husband wishes to… go drinking.

[…]

I think it may be. A test.

[Or maybe that’s you, Hayame, and he just wants to be friends and do manly bonding???]

Not here but a vibe

[warmare]

[What is that introduction, Shez??? It’s almost less weird to say “lover” than “fan”…]

[warmare]

“Something that vast”?

Good thing for us, then, that the names on this list now are not wonderful, loving, almighty gods whose presences would surely be missed in the future of their worlds.

We’d be doing the inhabitants of that demon and that rat’s world, in particular, a charitable favor.

[Unfortunately, Ryoma about to learn that Hayame doesn’t like her name being dropped in conversations she’s not in. You drop it, you get her.]

[warmare]

I am not inclined to speculate on whether my allies are bothered or not.

[Because she’s wrong half the time.]

If you are, make it clear.

[Whether she will change her behavior or not based on that, though…]

[warmare]

He claims to be from a world where humans live amongst the stars. He called it “space”. Perhaps that is why his affinity for the ability is so expert.

[but ugh, she doesn’t want a science lesson!!!!]

Since not all of us can just “reverse what he’s doing”-

[Hmm, is it weird she doesn’t say the “cancel” part?]

What is that amount of force?

[warmare]

As any does, I imagine.

[She answers curt and simple.]

I cannot say it seemed to take him particularly more than any other spell user I have seen.

[a_noble_flame]

[Ah, alright. Easy enough!]

I'm not. It's a natural part of my duties honestly. Many civilians are suspicious of the military. If you ever wish to question me, you're welcome to. I have nothing to hide.

[Save perhaps for her own emotions but Alice doesn't even hide those intentionally much of the time.]

[sheezit]

[ Oops. If there's a communion "presence" then there has to be a communion emergency exit, right? PSYCHIC SHADOW SLIDE, GO!! ]

[sheezit]

[ He's. He's just going to be mentally staring at her for a bit. ]

... man, your sense of humor is even worse than Byleth's.

[ It was! A joke!! Clearly a failed attempt, but one day he'll get it right!! For now though: ]

But hey-- all joking aside, good job on getting promoted! Not really sure how this hierarchy works, though... Got something to do with the leadership?

[ex_fend346]

In my experience, mages don't have an endless reserve of magic. The more powerful a spell is, the more taxing it should be.

[ Although how helpful that is? Questionable. ]

If one could endure exhausting that energy, that could be one option, but not knowing his limits... Catching him off guard before he can react seems to be the safest option.

[escardos]

So they do manage to escape...

[ that's good. he never had a doubt that humanity would reach the stars one day, but it's comforting to know that the effort bears fruit in the future. there's an overwhelming sense of pride— for humanity as a whole and all of their achievements, past, present, and future.

his love for humanity aside, however, is the question of how much force would it take to kill amos. flat does note the lack of comment, but he doesn't push it. instead, he answers: ]

I can't give you a number right now. It all depends on how much heavier he's making it and what limits he has. Hmm... think about... bags full of sand? [ he hopes that's something she understands. otherwise he's fucked. ] Usually, you'd have no bags of sand between yourself and your target, and your weapon's probably gonna cut through it with no problem, right? But if there's a bunch of bags of sand in front of the target, then your weapon's gonna get stuck on one of the bags.

[ mentally, he shrugs. ]

Gravity can be so light that you float into the sky and out of the planet or so heavy that it pulls you in until your body and everything around you is turned into a spaghetti noodle. It can become even more powerful than light itself. [ ... ] So he's gotta have a limit. Or some sort of weak spot. Even the most OP person has some sort of weakness, it just has to be found.

[dreamflowers]

Uh... huh.

...

My mistake then. [Can she really be blamed for raising concerns when seeing "vampire" so soon after "vampire hunter"?] Admittedly, my knowledge of vampires are lacking at best.

[Ask her about werewolves, though. Or don't. I'm not your boss.]