eachdraidh | 3rd Circuit, Video [UNSEELIE LOCKED]

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3rd Circuit, Video [UNSEELIE LOCKED]

[Loki and Hiro have taken a small room in Diasbaile, mostly barren save for the wooden cabinets that seem to blend into the background. Loki would have done this himself, but there was insistence on Hiro's part of aiding in the delivery of the very, very bad news. The focus is on the two of them, and Loki speaks first.]

Hello.

This is a message of the emergency broadcast system. As you can see, our sirens are down for the moment, but I assure you that the news is none less dire.

[Loki's voice drops to something uncharacteristically serious.]

Ah, yes. So—listen up, Unseelie.

[Hiro's sitting almost a little too close to Loki, face more ashen than anyone in their court has ever seen. It's a reality they have to face and while he'd been hoping Loki would find some more information in his research, they're running out of time.]

Some of you had a vision at the beginning of August. A dream about fire and machines with shards for eyes. I didn't have the vision myself, Loki did…but we can both confirm these are real. These things are being created now and they are coming. Monsters that run on shards and blood. But there are some things you guys don't know yet.

[When Hiro stops, Loki barely glances down before he picks up without missing a beat, as if he's giving him a moment to collect himself. Loki looks perturbed at the recollection of the golems, but not nearly as pale as Hiro.]

Our dear friends the dwarves have crafted mechanical monsters, forged from melted metal and living shards. These mecha-beasts are brought to live with blood magic and runes. Not your basic run-of-the-mill runes, not even my fancy-smancy "stay out of my room" runes, but hundreds of them in intricate designs—sorcery that's very possibly lost to antiquity—all working together to bring them to life.

And if that isn't nightmare material, these large, metal machinations have keen senses when it comes to shardbearers, even those that find means of hiding themselves, if you get my drift.

There are hundreds, even thousands of them, with no exaggeration.

[The longer they stay on camera, the more Hiro finds himself shrinking into his sweater. Loki delivering the brunt of the bad news helps, but dredging up the memories is more than mildly horrifying. There's one key factor though that they've neglected to mention.]

We don't know when they're coming, but judging by the amount of time between the last vision and its turnaround to coming true, it's soon. Really, really soon. We don't know when they're coming and we don't know the full extent of what they can do or why they're being unleashed.

[A pause.] Ideas. We need ideas on how we can combat these things and how to keep everybody safe. Start using your brains and focus on what's really important here.

[The important thing, he thinks, is that this war? It's much, much bigger now than just Seelie vs. Unseelie. It's now about just staying alive.]

I would suggest highly against approaching them… [Loki glances at Hiro.] …As I’m certain we’ll offend them somehow.

[Considering the fact that there are other things…he can agree with that.] …right. Defense ideas then. Lay 'em out. [A beat. And then:] Privately, if you would. Doesn't matter if they're coming for all of us…this is still a war.

[And he sure does know that there are certain devices generated by a certain witch that can see this broadcast. He had agreed that the Seelie should know what's coming. Doesn't mean they should be privy to everything else, too.]

Not exactly how I pictured life in a giant robot series, hm?

[Though that’s meant more for Hiro. They have some questions to answer, and Hiro needs a little bit of a perk up.]

[Hiro at least gives a small grin in response, but says nothing else. Definitely Q&A time.]

[ooc: As a note! Most threads will be answered by Hiro, but he may call on Loki for assistance. Additionally, Hiro is aware Hermione's compasses can see posts on both networks so those with compasses are capable of seeing this post. They just won't be able to see the threads in this post. Have fun guys o/]

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[His opinion on the natives is a little low, if only because he knows of a couple that would be just as willing to rip out shards as the shardhunters are. But Zuko has enough of a point and it also makes him think of Alice and her orphans. It's a blindspot not many of them are considering while they're thinking of how to save themselves.]

What I wanna know is how in danger they really are. If the hunters are reacting to the shards, will the natives be safe or are they just going to be fodder anyway to get to us? [He runs a hand through his hair, ignoring the way it sort of sticks up and fluffs out.] I want as few casualties as possible. I've only spoken to a few of them...some of them helped me build some foundations when I first got here but it's nothing big. They could help keep everybody safe if you think they'd be willing to. I've heard some of them aren't totally cool with us in the first place.

[Zuko, please tell him it's not all natives. The word "hybrid" causes a lift of his eyebrows because it's a word he's very familiar with. He'll have to ask about these hybrids later (tell him about the turtleducks, bro) but for now he's listening.]

We should try to get some together to map out new paths and tracks for our guys to move out. [Because that is impressive.] They'd listen to you?

I'm a Necroveil. [ he says it simply, like it's not a title that sets him apart from everyone else. but he says it because it does. ] I live in Azure, a village near Quendi. If the monsters are smart, they'll know some natives house shardbearers. They'll be able to sense me there. [ not them. even if hiro remains distrusting, perhaps even brushing aside any concern for the natives, zuko won't. he can't. he's the fire lord, and he's beginning to realise he just can't do that. ]

When there was a battle a year ago, I went to the homes of the native soldiers who had fallen. I still talk to most of the families. [ his tone and features shift from being diplomatic and into a softer smile. his voice begins to rise, more conversational and belonging to a teenage boy than to a leader of his own nation. ] There's this little lady I always help shovel snow. I think she wants me to help her with her garden, but I always burn things!

[If he's surprised, he doesn't show it. Though there's recognition on his face.] Thrall told me about your village. [It's good to have a face to match...the name he also doesn't have. Whoops.] It's not so much if the monsters are smart, it's like they're just gonna know. They'll sense you and whoever else is there. Any idea how many shardbearers are actually in Azure?

[Listening to Zuko talk and watching his face change causes him to be quiet, if only because it's always interesting to him to see how people handle this war. Who's still kind to natives, who builds reputations for themselves, that kind of thing. Without noticing he's relaxing and he's grinning to himself because...well. Isn't that kind of why he became a hero in the first place? Keep people safe and protect them. Zuko took it a step further and strengthened bonds.] I don't even have that excuse, dude, I just can't grow things. Sounds like they really trust you. [Trust is a better word than respect.] How did you guys prepare for the battle last year?

It's just me. [ he doesn't hesitate when he says it. he does, however, seem a little crestfallen. it'd been him in the beginning, then it'd been littered with others, or simply just sokka, and now it's back to how it had began. ]

We trained. They helped build some fortifications. [ like snow dragons. he likes to think it worked. he still can't believe, years later, that his blue spirit mask actually frightened a spirit away. but he doesn't say it; the blue spirit is a fugitive in his home world, and someone he sometimes thinks of becoming in the drabwurld. ]

[ he doesn't. for some reason, being zuko is just fine. ]

I never asked any of them if they knew magic, if they were the ... mages some people talk about. But I know they'd want to help. They risk their lives talking to me every day. [ zuko shrugs and lifts his hand to brush some hair from his eyes. ] They're the soldiers you never think to recruit. You think they're too weak, but they're the strongest warriors you have.

Oh. [Sorry dude...he knows that's probably a bummer, but he doesn't dwell too long. It's better to focus on keeping the one shardbearer alive than think of the ones who're gone. He's trying to think strategically, get back to the way things were at home and focus in his element again. It's been hit and miss but he can at least pretend.]

Thing is? If anybody would know about the dwarves and if they've ever given any indication this was coming it'd be the natives. Maybe they know things about the history of this world that isn't written in the books and that we don't even know about, and if the magic the dwarves are using for the machines is ancient it makes you wonder what else the people of this world know. If you really think they'd help, would you mind asking them? We could use all the help we could get to keep our guys safe at this point.

And to keep them safe.

[ the fire nation had been all for one and none for all. father would be too interested in keeping himself alive, all of his loyal fans and soldiers well and far from the ancient dwarven magic. zuko had once thought himself included in that throng of people, but after being burned and exiled, zuko doubts his father considers his son as one of his own. ]

[ it's difficult to separate himself from the natives, though. zuko doesn't look at them and see their own nations. he'd done so once, believing the water tribe could never be peaceful with the fire nation, but he's since learned otherwise. katara may fling water at him from time to time, but he knows it isn't out of a desire to hurt him she does so. ]

I can ask. [ zuko appears sheepish: ] They don't seem to speak much of it, but then I haven't really asked them anything about the drabwurld.

[ again, sometimes zuko falls prey to the pattern of believing he knows the world as he does his own. he's getting there, but he's still learning about its intricacies. it's interesting, to say the least, but aggravating when they need that knowledge most. ]

But I'll only ask if you make sure to look out for them, too. Refuse to stay with them if they ask you to. Help them get out of harm's way. They're in as much danger as we are. I doubt the machines care. [ he pauses for a moment. ] Do machines even have feelings?

[He just waves a hand.] Yeah, we'll keep them safe, too. Trust me. We're doing what we can. [Selfishly, maybe, he's a little more concerned about the shardbearers than the natives but he's also just unsettled at the idea of anyone dying. Nobody asked for this. The only thing left was making sure they got out of it.

It's clear that Zuko has a stronger connection with them though and if that's what he wants to do, Hiro can't exactly stop him. Maybe they need these kind of people on their side to balance everything.]

It never hurts to ask…and maybe I can ask them some things, too? I mean I'm not entirely sure where Azure is but it can't be too hard, right? If we have an idea of what they know and the right questions to ask maybe we can figure out a better strategy.

[This world's too complicated. Hiro's still learning that he doesn't know everything and it frustrates him to no end, but he's also learning how to ask the right questions for the right situations. It's progress.]

We will. We'll take care of them, too. [It's a big job. But…it's what Tadashi would have done, isn't it? He shakes his head suddenly and at Zuko's last question he narrows his eyes a bit.] Machines definitely are capable of having feelings. I don't know if these ones do though. Didn't get close enough to ask, so we should probably assume not.

Azure's near Quendi. The people there are nice. [ to him, at least. zuko doesn't know how they are to other shardbearers, but everyone who has come to see him has always been met with warmth. he doesn't want to think of it being due to them knowing him. he understands they feel indebted to him for what he'd done, but wearing his blue spirit mask and frightening a spirit away is really the smallest thing someone can do to help a village. ]

[ zuko doesn't understand people who are overly nice to him when he's done nothing to deserve it. but given he believes most of the time he deserves nothing, it's something he'll never be able to accept. ] I can take you there. They won't want to cook you and eat you if they know you're with me.

[ it's a joke, even though zuko doesn't smile nor deliver it with any pep. he's working on that. ]

[ he sighs, unable to help himself, ] I wish Toph was here. She'd be able to stop them. [ if anyone can stop the metal machines, it's toph. it's not the avatar — as much faith as zuko has in aang, toph is the master of metalbending. aang would be good with the natives, if zuko hadn't won them over. sokka would be excellent with brainstorming how to take the machines down. katara would be so hopeful they'd never feel like failures. and zuko would be able to cook for them. he has no doubt toph would be able to assist them; she's toph, for spirit's sake. ]

[There's a look of discomfort at the mention of Quendi, but he doesn't say anything. He knows where Zuko's talking about though and he considers for a moment before he nods.]

Being eaten isn't really on my list of to-dos, so I'd appreciate that. [His own delivery is a little dry, but he's smirking anyway.] That'd be great though. I wouldn't mind checking the place out and getting a better idea of what we're working with.

[He tilts his head.] What would she be able to do that the rest of us haven't though of yet? [It's a curious question that isn't meant to be malicious, but he's never heard of this Toph person.]

Toph's an earthbender. [ he says it in a tone so casual, as though he's simply reminding hiro of a fact that has slipped his mind. it's been years since toph had been in the drabwurld and although zuko misses her each and every day, he never likes to think of her in the past tense. his voice brightens in his praise: ] She's the best earthbender in the world. [ an indisputable fact, even though toph would stone anyone who thought to say otherwise. ]

[ but his voice remains almost proud, like zuko doesn't need to be the best firebender in the world to be proud, but simply to have a hoard of friends capable of so much. ] She was caught and locked in this metal box. She couldn't bend herself out of it at first, because it wasn't made of the earth. But she did. She ended up bending her way out of it because there's something in the metal earthbenders can bend, but Toph's the only one who can really sense this. She became the first ever metalbender the world has ever known.

She can sense when you're lying, too. She'd be able to sense if the machines are close. [ zuko cards a hand through his hair as he smiles. ] She's really smart. She'd be able to do what we can't do. She'd be able to figure out how to take down the machines.

[ he shrugs, ] She's Toph.

[From the sounds of it? He would like Toph. It's sort of a bummer she's not here because Zuko's right...it sounds like she could really be helpful for what's happening right now. She sounds strong. Amazing, kind of.

And then...there's the real question.]

Since she's not here though...what do you think she'd do? [WWTD, Zuko. Think about this.]

[ zuko thinks for a moment, pursing his lips, fingers against his chin. and then, casually: ] She'd hit me with a boulder.

[ it may not be able to help them with the machines, but it's always assisted them in the other things they've done — she's knocked sense into him that way, made him realise his worth with a rock to the head. she'd done so two years ago. his entire body aches at the memory of it. ]

Toph would tell us to leave the machines to her. She'd be able to destroy it or even control it, maybe. Aang would try and distract it with his airbending, and Katara would probably try and make it slip on water. Sokka would tell it a bad joke, and I'd try and melt it. [ to him, they were the perfect team, able to work in sync. he knows if toph were here, she'd call him dumb for writing himself so short, like his firebending wouldn't be able to dismantle a machine as well as her metalbending could. ]

[ his shoulders fall. ] She'd just know how to pull it apart, like she could figure out its insides and stuff. Toph always knew how to bend really small rocks. Kind of like how I know how to bend fire so it doesn't really burn me, I guess. [ when he'd been in the earth kingdom, he'd been so mad that he'd burst into flames himself. ] She'd figure out how it worked. What made it work. What could possibly stop it. How to break it, like shoving a stone in its joints.

[There's a huff of laughter at that. Knocking sense into people. Sounds about right. As he listens to Zuko detail how the Avatar gang worked together and how they'd operate here it just makes him miss the Big Hero 6 even more. He knows how all of his friends would be able to help if they had working gear and how they'd react to this situation…assuming they'd all be on the same side. This world sucks.]

…sounds like you've got a lot of good friends back there. [He frowns in thought.] There's gotta be somebody else who knows how to do this earthbending thing, or someone who can examine the machines like Toph can. Maybe the natives know something? They've been using magic for centuries. Someone suggested flinging dirt and grit into the machines to slow them down but I don't know how well that's gonna work. We need to brainstorm some more.

But that's a good place to start.

We probably need more than just a handful of dirt. [ what would toph do? she'd throw boulders into their shoulders, into all of their joints. she'd form clumps of dirt and throw them at each and every one of them in a bid to break their bones. zuko presses his finger against his chin as he thinks, perhaps aloud, perhaps out of turn. ] Boulders hurt. But if you can make them big enough, but small enough at the same time, maybe if there's an opening in the metal shoulder, we could maybe stop them from moving.

[ he looks to his locket to clarify, ] Have you ever felt like your leg or arm was stiff and it hurt to move? Maybe we can do that. But the natives may know something better. Or maybe they even have dirt that's magical and could work!

[ because there's such a thing as magical dirt. ]

[Out of everybody in the Drabwurld, magic dirt really isn't that far-fetched. Still, he's trying to picture it and there's a subconscious wince as he imagines the stiff muscles and the feeling of immobility that comes with it. He hates that. He hates that a lot, but he gets exactly what Zuko means.]

This is where I'm hoping maybe somebody knows an enlargement spell or something that we can use or a different kind of earth magic. The natives would know...let's start with them first and see what we can figure out from there. Sound good?

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3rd Circuit, Video [UNSEELIE LOCKED]

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