eachdraidh | 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

Perhaps if he ever bothers to show up, I'll point you in his direction.

[...Poor Mr. H.]

I've heard the same thing, and I'm willing to bet quite a bit that it's one of the few truths we've gotten.

[Considering he hasn't outright vanished from existence by this point, he thinks there's actual truth in that statement. Not to mention, it's the only reason he agreed to coming to the Drabwurld.]

Are you expecting him to?

[Poor Mr. H, indeed. If Hiro ever finds him here he's going to attach to the man and ask a billion questions.]

You think they're lying about everything else? [He had that suspicion, too, but it'd be interesting to see what the Seelie side had to say. Considering.]

Not exactly, but it's either going to be by his choice with the fairies or he'll be kidnapped by imps.

[...Joshua would seriously laugh if Mr. H got kidnapped by imps. Angel-napped by tiny imps.]

It's hard to say definitively, but I don't take either side's word as absolute truth. I'll respect them, their position, and their power. They just haven't earned my trust, and even then it'll only go so far. They are, after all, the Fair Folk.

Since those are the only two options, I'd think so. What does that really mean though? "The Fair Folk." I don't know a lot about fairies or anything besides a bunch of old bedtime stories. You don't trust anything?

Then if he arrives, it'll be in his own time. I'll just hope for sooner.

It's a euphemism for the term 'fairy.' Just like wee folk or good folk. I would assume they coined the 'fair folk' because of how they usually appeared to be tall and radiant, beautiful and angelic. Though, some were also described as wizened old trolls.

Nope. I especially don't trust that they'll care for us if we lose our shards. They have no reason to, do they? It's because we carry these shards that we were brought here in the first place. Once that's gone, what use are we to them?

From what I've heard they bring new shardbearers once every two months? Maybe you'll be seeing him way sooner than you think. There's a huge difference between fairies and trolls though. Kinda sounds more like somebody messed up big time. I don't doubt that either. [Doesn't mean he likes it though.] We don't really know what happens to us when we lose our shards though, do we? You know, besides dying.

I certainly wouldn't object to it. I've missed his coffee too much. Nobody can brew it like he can.

[And he's missed Mr. H's company, but, again, he's not going to say it. Joshua really doesn't need people trying to work angles on him like that.]

I would assume they'd use something different to refer to the trolls. Regardless, 'fairy' can also be considered a blanket term for elves, dwarves, gnomes, and other such creatures than your traditional fairy.

I don't, but it's possible that someone else who's been here longer does have the answer to that question.

I'm sure he'd be so touched to know you missed him only for his coffee.

[He has some suspicions but...eh. It's Joshua. For all we know he misses Mr. H just because he misses messing with him.]

Sounds like the easiest way to confuse somebody. As for the shards...I'll start asking around. Somebody's gotta have an answer. People have been here for months.

He'd expect it, and then tell me to cough up the yen needed to pay for it. He doesn't believe in actually giving away free coffee.

[Can't it be all of the above?]

I've heard some have been here for years, too. It certainly couldn't hurt to ask around, though I suspect that we'll need to be careful that it's only in-Court inquiries. The natives don't seem particularly fond of us at the moment.

I'm pretty sure I could change his mind. They don't seem fond of us at all, really. But what can we really do about that?

I wish you all the luck in the world and then some. If you succeed, I hope you tell me the secret.

Not much, other than diplomacy and trying not to give them more reason to hate us. Personally, I'd leave the front line fighting in that war to the people with the best skills for it, while the rest of us support them however way we can.

I'd agree with that if I knew who the best people with the best skills WERE. We're pretty clueless when it comes to that. I don't think anybody's really figured out the secret yet. If you figure out THAT secret? I'll trade you.

Generally, if they're good with people or at least PR, then they're the ones with the best chances of success. Unfortunately, no matter what, it's going to be a slow process. The more they believe the lie, the harder it is for them to accept the truth.

And the problem is that too many people want to believe the lie because it makes them feel better. Maybe we're worried about nothing.

[That itself is a lie, and he knows it.]

Perhaps, perhaps not. Not that I can blame them entirely for their way of thinking. Some people brought in have rather terrifying powers and are being encouraged or forced to use them in warfare. These people are simply caught in the middle of it.

That's really not fair to say and you know it. We're just as caught in the middle as they are.

Yes, but look at their side of it. These people don't know how to defend themselves against us, and not all of us are kind to them. We're foreigners in every sense of the word, and typically they'll fear what's different, especially if someone sows those seeds of mistrust with the intent to keep them from being our allies. Not to mention, I've also heard that they aren't just protesting Shardbearers, but the Courts as a whole, too. When armies march across their homes, how else are they going to feel?

[Oh well when you put it that way.]

Right. We probably shouldn't be discussing this right now. [He doesn't trust the network. Not for something like this.]

...to be continued?

[Because he wants answers if you find them, J. Don't hold out on him.]

Fair enough. Perhaps in neutral territory for face-to-face conversations we can speak more freely.

[As long as Hiro doesn't hold out on him, he'll consider it fair trade.]

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

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