eachdraidh | 1st Circuit - Text for Both Courts, Video-locked for Unseelie

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1st Circuit - Text for Both Courts, Video-locked for Unseelie

[There's probably a better way to do this, but at least he can put out feelers and see what he's working with. Since the decimation of Caer Scima Hiro's been a little more than bitter toward the Seelie and while he doesn't want to have anything to do with any of them, he realizes that as a scientist he needs to gather as much information as possible.]

It's been a long month, hasn't it? I'm not used to any of this. Monsters? Destroying people's castles? It's weird. I was getting ready for class one day and the next I came here and then the fighting started. I think I'm going to fall really, really behind in my homework. Makes me wonder…what do you miss most about home? I can't be the only one who really misses advanced tech (computers, video games, even the old stuff like VCRs would be okay at this point.) And I know, I know, the Station exists but it's not the same. So, what about you guys?

[If he can figure out what people value? Maybe they can use that to their advantage, too.]

[Unseelie Locked]

[Now comes the hard part. With that out of the way the video function of the locket clicks on and it's obvious that the locket's hanging from something in front of Hiro. He's in a room at the Station, ever-recognizable blue hoodie hanging loosely on his frame but the sleeves pushed up to his elbows. More importantly than that? He looks a little nervous.]

…hi. My name is Hiro Hamada. I don't know most of you, but I hope you're listening anyway.

[He pauses and looks to the side, evidently looking at someone else who's in the room with him. Deep breath, Hiro.]

It's not a secret that we lost this battle pretty bad. That's a fact, but I think there's something we can do about it to help recover. I know there are other people that don't know how to really fight, or there are people who can only fight with weapons. What if we could do something more than that?

[Give him a second and he's holding up his hand. It looks as though he might completely freeze up but after a short moment a small fireball appears in the palm of his hand. He wants to put it out immediately, but he pauses long enough to at least look at the locket again.]

I couldn't do this when I first got here. [And the fireball vanishes.] Think about how much stronger we'd be as a court if everybody could wield a couple of spells. Even if it's not something you want to use for offense even picking up a few for defense is better than nothing. I know there're a lot of magic users here but…well, Lemina and I have been working on something pretty cool.

[He's going to lean forward and pick up what looks like a piece of paper with a class list and a list of elemental spells written on it to show the camera.]

The Guild's designed to not only teach people how to unlock their own magic ability but hone it and build up to becoming a better magician. We have a few ideas how to use it to help our side of this war. We're going to start classes soon for anybody who's even kinda curious. [A pause.] Look, I didn't even really believe in magic before I got here and knowing the little bit I learned saved me back there. It'd be really cool if you guys considered it and you can always ask Lemina or me if you have questions.

[Actually…he looks off screen toward where Lemina's sitting.] Maybe we should do that now?

[ooc: This is actually going to be open to both Seelie and Unseelie because of the mage university being started by Tzilan just outside of Redgate. Lemina's been putting up flyers around the Station and Hiro just doesn't realize it and has a very strong bias against the Seelie. You can check out more about said-Guild in the class link above, and you can sign up your character here. As an aside, Lemina will also be teaching classes at said-university on her own, but will be keeping the Guild as something separate. edit: also Lemina might pop into some threads as well!]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Gracelings. A child's eyes will settle when they're a few weeks or months old, and then their individual Grace, or skill, will announce itself when they're old enough to learn it. But it's always something like cooking or fighting or sight. The strangest it gets are the prescient and mind-reading Graces, but none who can hold fire like that in their hands.

How did you learn it?

Huh. [Nope, never heard of them.] But aren't those things anybody can learn even without a Grace?

Lemina taught me. [He dismisses the flame then.] She can teach all kinds of stuff, and she's teaching me how to teach, too. [Sort of. He's mostly her right-hand man at the moment but he's excited to at least try.] Somebody told me the shards inside us help enhance our magical ability or something like that. It was a lot easier than it sounds.

[Granted he doesn't know anything about activating his shard, but that's a whole other issue.]

Yes, but not so proficiently. The skills of the Graced are far beyond that of the Ungraced, sometimes unnaturally so.

...I wonder if I could learn something like that. Not quite so well as others, maybe, but it could be useful.

[ but also partly just to know she could do it. lighting a campfire comes easily enough, and in most cases she'd never need to consider anything else, but after her fight with kaldur and trying to control forest fires and... WELL... she could do a lot more. ]

So it's like being super-enhanced in cooking or fighting or whatever. [The term "superhero" comes to mind but he's not using it yet. He stops to look into Katsa's eyes then.] What's yours?

[He nods.] Absolutely. Anybody can learn if they're willing to try.

Edited 2015-02-28 22:35 (UTC)

My Grace is survival. And I'd be willing to try. I'd never need such a skill anywhere else, but... I don't even know for what kinds of things I'd ever need to be prepared in this place, and it's better to use what I can. However long I'll be here.

So you're...kinda immortal? [Back up. Let's talk about that for a second.] What do you mean it's survival?

That's the problem. We don't know how long we're gonna be here and we don't know what to expect next time. I didn't think our entire castle would be destroyed that fast. How long have you been here?

[ she smiles. bitterblue might tell people she's immortal, but it doesn't quiiite work like that. ]

I tire and hunger and bleed like any other, but I don't suffer as others do. I've never been ill, and I don't feel weak if I go long without food. Cold doesn't bother me as it does others. I rarely feel pain, and I heal quickly when I do, and I always know what time it is and what direction I'm heading. And I can defend myself at most threats to my life. But that's only compared to others. I'm not immortal or without weakness.

I've been here since... [ she hesitates, thinking about it. ] five months ago. The first few months not much happened. It's been different lately.

...so you're kinda like a robot, too. [Hiro no. People are not robots, what is wrong with you.] That's really cool. [He can't help but grin a little. Katsa's like a war machine almost. Perfect candidate to equip with magic, too.]

That's still a long time. [He can't imagine being here that long.] You've never left or anything?

Like a...? [ what now ]

[ she trails off and shrugs, not too bothered. ]

I suppose. I've tried to leave, though I haven't tried everything yet. I know others who've disappeared. But I mind it less now there are people for whom I care here and plenty of things I've yet to see, even if I'll always mind how I came here.

A robot. [He's repeating because he thinks she just didn't hear him, not that she's completely unsure of what that means.]

You were kidnapped by the imps like the rest of us, right? [He feels comfortable asking since the Unseelie lock is on.] What have you done to try to leave?

I don't know what that is. [ waving a hand to brush it off. she has too many disney friends not to be used to saying so.

katsa looks almost sheepish as she continues ]

Traveling and confronting the queen. Only every time I travel I don't get very far before something happens to bring me back where I started, and the lady queen is... disorienting. I'll keep looking for a way, but for now I'm in no hurry. There are things I want to do here.

[Siiigh.] Never mind, it's not that important. [Other than it clearly is, gosh Katsa.]

You've spoken to the queen? What has she said to you? What's she like? [Questions for days, man.] There are things I want to do back home that I can't do here. I can't really picture myself staying here for that long.

She told me something senseless about time and flows and worlds and the choices she gives us and the binding the Seelie perform in return. She was impressive and intimidating, and I don't trust her.

You may not necessarily be here long. Sometimes people vanish—but most seem to stay.

Wait wait wait, back up. The binding. What binding? [He knew there was a reason not to quite trust the monarchs just yet.]

Do we know why people vanish?

I don't know. I plan to ask that when I see her next, if I ever do.

[ katsa props her elbows on her knees and rests her chin in the hand not holding her locket. ]

I don't remember exactly what she said—it was months ago. But I was asking why she would bind us to this world, and she said that we had the freedom to do with our time here as we would, but the Seelie—"with words and deeds they fashion shackles," or whatever it was she said. Like I said, I still don't know if I trust our lady queen who has every reason to convince us to fight for her, but after this month... I'm more inclined to believe it on my own observations.

Not all the people, of course. But the actions of the court itself.

If we get an audience, I don't know if they can answer my questions or not.

[That makes sense. That makes a lot of sense, actually, and he's quiet again as he thinks about what he knows of the Seelie.] They make promises without even knowing it and bound themselves to their queen. A sense of duty they don't know how to turn down. Sounds about right. I don't know many of them yet, but the ones I do know don't seem to get what they're really fighting for.

[ brief shrug of her shoulders ] In truth here's no way for us to know for sure anything they tell us we're fighting for is true, either. But if my actions and decisions happen to align with theirs, then that's how it is. All I know is there are people among them who would wage war on innocents, and I would stop them with everything I have.

What sorts of questions would you ask them?

Well no. [And he had considered that, too.] …so what, you're another one who isn't claiming a side and just wants everything to stop?

[Shrug as well.] I want to know why we can't leave, I want to know how they pick who to bring here, I want to know why they're not giving me materials I'm used to, I want to know why we can't choose who to bring here ourselves, I want to know their agenda, I want to know the history of this war, I want to know what I can do to help, I want to know if I can get my own spire to start working on other projects, I want to know what kind of tech I can learn about this world, I want to know if there are other uncharted parts of the world out there…you know. Basic stuff.

[He…just wants to know everything, really.]

No. It's past time to sit back and do nothing. [ she narrows her eyes ] It's true I just want everything to stop, but it doesn't seem likely that will happen without a decisive change in events and leadership. And the way I see it now it is the Seelie who are more corrupt.

[ that's the simplest, quickest explanation. katsa's still struggling with even her own loyalties, and there's far more depth to her thinking, but this at least is clear. ]

Those are good questions, anyway. I'd like to know the answers if you get them.

Since most of them want to kill us and destroy everything good in the worlds? You're not the only one who sees it that way. We can't stop it if we don't win.

[But he's getting the sense that there may be other people that are in the gray area. It's worth further investigation in the future.]

I have a few more, too, but if they couldn't even bother to show up at the feast or anything when we could have really used their help, I don't think they'll answer everything I want to know. I've gotta narrow it down to, like, three unless they take letters instead.

It would be best to strike at the heart of their leadership, but that will take time. I don't believe all those fighting are bad people, but... that's the way they've made this.

[ it makes her angry, knowing she has to fight people who don't deserve it, but she did it before in monsea and she'll do it again. it has to be done to end what's behind it all. ]

I wouldn't expect them to be straightforward. I wonder if they're going to show up to lead their people and look upon them as individuals rather than as subject pawns, as good rulers should.

Do we even know who their leader is? Maybe all of those fighting aren't bad people, but they all sort of believe the same code don't they?[i.e. he agrees. That's the way they've made this. It helps that so far he doesn't have any strong ties to the Seelie to even be bothered.]

I know a few people have spoken to them but it was all battle talk. Ariadne told me that they were still in the castle even while we were preparing for the fight though. Maybe they don't think we need real leaders.

[ she frowns. ]

The king and queen are behind it all and the ones most important and most difficult to confront. I imagine they have a general as well, though I've not paid much attention to the war until lately, so I couldn't say.

Their reasons for fighting... They're important, but not so much as the results of their actions. If they don't see it, then they either have to be made to see it or face what comes. I don't like or want to kill them. But I'll do what needs to be done to put an end to this.

In any case, the one I trust is the Lady Saber. I've never seen a leader the likes of her.

[ there's a strange note of awe in katsa's voice. female leaders and knights are not a thing and never have been a thing in her life. but saber not only is one, she's a good one, and that's made an impression on katsa. ]

Guess the next step is to find their general and see what we have to do to put an end to their reign. Stop the guy leading the army, we stop the war. [Ah, if only it were that simple.

But there's a hint of recognition when Katsa begins to speak of Saber and he sits up a little taller, the tone of her voice practically reflecting on Hiro's face. He was a tad hesitant to trust Saber at first but he'd done some thinking and completed some things for her and now there's a strong enough sense of loyalty. Plus she's a girl-general, that's actually pretty freakin' awesome. And Saber entertained his questions. That's enough.]

Me either. She was one of the first people I met here and she really knows what she's doing. She's a great leader. I just hope we can do whatever she needs from us.

[It's funny how hypocritical Hiro's being without realizing it. First statements of taking out the Seelie general so that people can't follow them anymore, followed by slight admiration of Saber and a willingness to follow her completely. Maybe someday he'll realize it, but today's not that day.]

That's what we hope would happen.

[ It isn't hypocritical to Katsa: it makes sense. If she were Seelie, she'd target Saber as the biggest danger as well. And by doing so it would reduce the need to kill more caught up in admiration of or persuasion by their leader.

She remembers Ashen, stumbling dead in the snow because of her hesitation and weakness. This time, she tells herself, she will be strong enough to shoot first. This is no simple case of a bully king like Randa, who is a bad king but does not deserve death. This will continue until the source is found and overturned. ]

Women aren't fighters in my seven kingdoms, but there are many here who are. I'd not pledge myself to the lady queen or lord king myself, but I admire her still.

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