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!]

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Oh. [Well. That's not what he was expecting. He's just going to conveniently bypass that topic because jeeze...] Think he'll ever show up here someday?

[It's a question he's thought about a lot. Someone told him that it's possible for people that are dead to come back to a place like this, but would he want that? It's hard to say.]

I've never really understood why girls are that interested in clothes. If it's just for vanity you could always hang them up like art, right? [Hiro, no.] Gowns though?

I am sorry, perhaps I should not have spoken out of turn. I have many friends who I would consider my family, many who have been most gracious to me and I miss them as well.

[But he does bring up a point, and she has wondered how D'Eon would do in such a place as this. France is even more beloved to him than it is to Lia.]

It is my observation that women are permitted by society to ornament themselves far more than is proper for a man. I wondered once if it was simply because ladies were told to do less and turn to fashion but even having more to do did not hamper my love of a new dress.

[She is smiling now, though, because that idea is so cute and so very like something her brother would say.]

A gown is to be admired on the lady who wears it rather than on a wall because she will make it a work of art. Morning gowns or day gowns or ball gowns...whatever she chooses to wear.

No, no it's not that. I was just surprised. [Which is true. He's also just not that great at actually expressing his words when it comes to those sort of things. He's working on it.] I have friends that're sorta like family now, too, but I don't think I'd want them here either. [Mostly because he has the sneaking suspicion they'd all be Seelie.]

I guess that makes sense. I have one friend who's more interested in how fast she can get from one place to another, but another friend who's just as interested in taking selfies and wearing cute leggings as she is in chemistry. [Once again proving the point that girls are weird.] They're both really smart and have plenty to do but Honey's more interested in looking cute than GoGo is. Maybe there really isn't an answer.

I don't think there's a lot of places ball gowns can be worn here unless we start throwing our own parties. [Hmm...] Unless you made a more functional ball gown. Would it still be a gown if it was short?

I believe it would be rather immodest if the gown happened to be short. I find myself in constant need of stockings as it is.

[Because dresses here do tend to come up a bit higher, even if her rule is nothing above her knees in the least. It has been a task to find clothing she feels is appropriate but still fashionable, and which keeps her mobile. She has been relying upon trousers more and more.]

Honey and GoGo? Those names are quite interesting. Might I ask yours?

[But she's still smiling, still teasing.]

A ballgown is impractical, I agree. But it is what I am most familiar with.

What's more important though, practicality or modesty? [This shouldn't be a real question but considering what time period Hiro's from...] I mean not that being modest is bad, but it's just hard to imagine being able to move in something like that.

[Granted, he's continually running around in cargo shorts and hooded sweaters. Even in the winter. Fashion has no place for the creative mind it seems.] They're nicknames but it's just easier to call them that. [There's a slight hesitation because giving out that kind of information makes him a target but she seems nice enough. That can't be that bad of a choice.] I'm Hiro. You?

I'm familiar with a lot of things but I'm improvising a lot. I think that's what really bugs me about this place.

I can fight as well in a ballgown as I can in trousers. I made certain that I was as dangerous in skirts as I was in a uniform.

[But she does get the point. Running about in a corset with the weight of a small child clinging to your hoops...well it simply isn't practical under most circumstances.]

Lia. A pleasure to meet you, Hiro.

[She tips her head a bit. She can relate to that as well.]

Do you always like to have a plan?

See, now that sounds a little more interesting. So what kind of fighting can you do anyway? [Are you specially trained Lia, tell him your secrets please and thank you.]

It's nice to meet you, too. [At the question he just sort of pauses and shrugs.] I like knowing what I can do but I can make up other plans whenever I need to. [So no. He likes having plans but it's not something he always actively exercises.] What's wrong with having plans?

I am a knight of the King. I have been trained with a sword since a very young age. I can fight in other ways but I am the best at that.

[She smiles. Ducks her head again as though she can peer at him through the locket.]

Nothing is wrong with having plans if you see sometimes they must change. It seems you are a good planner if you account for that.

Shut up. [Uh, cool? Lady knights, why wouldn't there be lady knights?] That's awesome. We don't have knights anymore where I'm from but I don't think there were a lot of girls when we did centuries ago.

Thanks, I think. I think my plans end up changing a lot though. A lot of my plans here ended up changing pretty fast.

I beg your pardon?

[He's telling her to shut up? What does that mean exactly? And he follows it up with another word she doesn't quite know but can at least grasp the meaning of him and she's probably doing some serious side-eyeing as she tries to understand what he means.]

There are not many women where I come from, either. I had hoped it might change in the future.

[It appears it does not.]

What plans do you have?

Oh, I mean don't actually shut up, sorry. [Good job Hiro. Take a minute and remember that not everybody is from your world and isn't caught up on your lingo.] I just mean that's kind of amazing. We don't have knights but we have armies and girls can be part of the military if they want.

For this place, or you mean in general?

I never imagined women would be an accepted part of the military. It was difficult enough to have the right to use a sword but surrounded by men?

[She would probably not be comfortable with that. Too difficult to maintain modesty but it's still a good thing, never the less.]

Tell me both, actually, if you would.

During the first world war a lot of women were only nurses and stuff, but by the time the second one started there were a lot more of them fighting in the war. [At least that sounds right. He was still fairly young when they were covering these things in his history classes.] It started being more of a mainstream thing in the 70s though.

[But he's not interested in wars. He's not interested in armies either, but he's pausing because that's a good question, Lia, and he doesn't want to disclose the full answer.]

I mean my plans in general are to eventually go back home and go to class. Basic stuff. [And patrol San Fransokyo at night, but details.] Here I'm just kind of figuring out what's next. The battle sort of left us with a big mess on our hands right? I want to get out there and see what else I can find out about this place. See how it compares to our own worlds.

World...wars?

[Someone hasn't clued her in on that. If they happen in her world and she's hoping very much they do not but history has not been that merciful so far and it seems a fair few people here do come from her world.]

The place of a woman should always be where she wishes it to be.

[She'll digest the rest of the information as she listens to him, nods where appropriate.]

Then you hope to explore and then to return to your home. And your actions will lead you down that path.

We've only had a few of them. [Hiro that's not really helping...] It's a long story and I mean I can tell you about it sometime if you really want but it's sorta boring.

And you wished to be a knight?

[A shrug.] That's a good way of putting it, yeah. I have a feeling I'll end up going down a few other paths though before I get to the one to take me out of here. That's not always a bad thing though.

I knew I wished more than to be a court lady when I was very young. I asked for sword lessons and my parents allowed it. I was better than my brother, actually, because he always had his head in books.

[There is a certain fondness at that memory. She always had been so happy with a sword in her hand.]

To be a knight of the king was my greatest privilege, but I agree that it is not such a bad thing to wander down other paths. Wandering led me to what my true calling was and so I am certain it will do the same for you.

What's wrong with having your head in books? [It's not a defensive question but one formed out of curiosity. He reads enough but it's also not his main or his favorite pastime.] I kinda wish we had sword lessons at home but my aunt wouldn't let me look. [Probably because both Tadashi and Aunt Cass knew better than to trust Hiro swinging around sharp objects.]

Do you think you want to be a knight here, too? [He's purposefully not touching on what he wants to do, or what his true calling is.]

Nothing is wrong with it. Only he was supposed to be the knight and I the lady. It is difficult to improve your skill with a sword when you are reading.

[He had always been too gentle. But Lia smiles again, has the irrational urge to groom his hair with her fingers.]

I do not know what I would like to be here, except that I would wish to be useful.

"Supposed to be." [He thinks it's funny to have such a set idea even if it appears Lia doesn't agree either, which is nice.] I think it's more interesting to have it be the other way around, but how cool would it be if your brother could use a sword and read at the same time?

[What? It would be kinda awesome...]

A lot of people want to be helpful and useful here, but how can we do that if we don't know what they really want from us? [It's the nice way of gauging if Lia knows the Seelie agenda and also carefully avoiding talking about his own court.]

I believe that would make him most happy. He did learn, eventually, but I am still better at it than he is.

[Will always be, more than likely, but that's alright because he's a sweet boy and perhaps he will gain a position that is not combat heavy.]

We can not know what anyone desires from us unless they tell us, I fear, and even then it may not be the complete truth.

[Bad boy, Hiro. She's a diplomat. But is also not used to being questioned by boys.]

I imagine service is expected. To our fellow man and to a common goal, rather than a personal end.

Well if you're a knight, you've gotta be on top of your game.

[He really shouldn't be this interested in talking to her and learning more about her, but…seriously. It's kinda cool.]

You don't think the monarchs are being truthful with us? [That's interesting. He's completely unaware that she may very well be on to what he's doing but he hasn't met a Seelie that actually thinks there might be something amiss.] How can we know what the common goal is if nobody's actually saying anything beyond "fight in the war"?

A knight not at his best is at his worst, or so I was taught.

[And so she tries to practice, even if it is difficult at times.]

I believe that a ruler must often conceal things. Transparency is something to strive for but the head that wears the crown must keep order.

[Even in lies. But she looks a little pained saying that.]

I can not bring myself to fight people who are not my enemies.

Pretty good analogy.

But how can followers believe in a ruler that doesn't disclose the whole truth? How can you have order if people don't know all of the facts?

...who would you consider enemies then?

I have devoted my life to a King who I know does not tell me everything. Some things...they are best left unsaid. But I might agree people do not make fully informed decisions if facts are hidden.

[She's had a million of these revolutionary arguments. It somehow never gets any easier to voice her point without finding flaws in it.]

I do not have enemies in this place. It used to be the enemies of my country were my enemies, but I have no country here.

[He has to wonder if Lia knows the Seelie monarchs probably aren't disclosing everything...and furthermore, he has to wonder if she even cares in that place. Are there Seelie that just don't care about the orders so long as they're fulfilling their duty? It's a scary thought.] Possibly. I guess I just like to know...well, everything.

[It's true. He's aware that he's overly nosy and too curious for his own good and that alone has helped him find his way right into the middle of trouble so many times but it doesn't make him stop. All it really does is push him forward to figure out a better answer.]

Would you consider this a new home, or just a temporary prison?

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