SCRAMBLE 02 :: video :: open to both courts (slightly forward dated to the 23rd)

[foreignflight]

 [ When the video turns on, it's to the conflicted face of a young boy. He's clutching a letter in his hand, not quite focusing on the camera just yet. There seems to be a lot there just from this glimpse alone. He's not a stranger to what's been going on with the network, although he stopped looking some time ago when it was evident there was going to be more things shared. For their privacy he stopped...

But he didn't expect the letter and it's the letter that's troubling him now. There's a balloon of hope in his chest that he's sure will be popped in just a few simple words. He wants to try, though, to understand-- but he has to ask something before he ca let that hope go one way or other. ] 

--Does anyone know how well we can trust the rulers here? They told me they could help me with something, but... I can't trust people who kidnap others for war. I've never met them. They gave me something last month, too, but that was different. This is-- This is something I need to know.

[ A beat. ]

If I do it, I'm going to be away for a while, too.  It's fine because I'm by myself, but if anyone has any tips for traveling I'd be grateful.


...At least it looks like all the memories have slowed down. I hope everyone's okay.

Comments

voice;

[fewerdays]

What's going on?

voice;

[foreignflight]

Mm... in a away they said they could teach me more about Anma.

voice;

[fewerdays]

Anma?

voice;

[foreignflight]

Anma means mother.

voice;

[fewerdays]

So they'll tell you about your mother?

voice;

[foreignflight]

Yeah, and about myself. They said sometimes they can get information from other worlds. I know that's possible, but...

I don't want to trust it if it means leverage for me to hurt someone else.

audio

[caditquaestio]

'Help' you... and are you of help to them?

audio

[foreignflight]

I'm still not going to be one of their soldiers if that's what you mean. I guess I did what they asked, but it wasn't that big of a deal.

Text

[gordianknots]

If you don't feel comfortable with the idea of trusting them, then I would go with your gut.

As for travel: research the routes you want to take, so you have an idea of how many days you'll be out and can budget food etc. accordingly.

[caditquaestio]

No, no. Here is the mathematics: does the help they think to reap of you long exceed the help they offer?

Text

[foreignflight]

I don't really know them. I'm more worried about doing something that would make me work under them because I took a gift.

There's maps around here, right?

[gordianknots]

They do come off as the type to call in favours. The only suggestion I can give on that front is this: if you end up doing something that you object to, or else enables the war, try and find a way to offset or balance out whatever they've got you doing. It might not be much, but it'll help your own peace of mind.

Mm, plenty. And your court's library should have a lot more in depth information for planning purposes.

voice;

[fewerdays]

I guess it depends on whether or not the good will outweigh the bad, right?

video;

[breadmaking]

I don't think we have reason to distrust them... I mean, they did kidnap us all here, but it's not like they haven't treated us well, right?

[Even if he's trying to sound sure of himself, his expression isn't exactly that of a person who feels exactly like he says.]

If they said they'd help you with something, I don't see why they wouldn't. I kind of get the idea that they want to keep us happy so we'll be willing to fight for them.

voice;

[foreignflight]

But what's good or bad here is the part that's worrying.

video;

[foreignflight]

Only after they kidnapped everyone to use as their tools. Treating someone okay doesn't out weight all of the facts.

[ He frowns uncertainly himself. No one has denied they could use it against him and that's the worst part. He doesn't want to be in that position. ]

I'm never going to fight for them. Not in any way that would hurt the people here.

[foreignflight]

Then wouldn't it be better to leave and not do anything else regarding the courts? There's already people deciding to act on their own who's only helping it... If someone doesn't want any part in it, that would be the best answer, right?

I'll have to look at it, then. There's a lot to consider.

Thanks.

[foreignflight]

I don't know. I'm not sure what they'd get from it. It's not like it would help them any more.

[gordianknots]

You're not wrong, although it seems to me that even just being present to witness this conflict is some level of involvement. The matter's intensely complicated no matter where you fall on the fighting-to-not-fighting spectrum.

Don't mention it, I'm always pleased to offer perspective.

voice;

[fewerdays]

What is worrying you, exactly, then?

video;

[knightspirit]

They do seem to keep their word, I'll give them that much, but I don't think the things they offer are an express kindness.

[caditquaestio]

Then that's the thing to learn. If you've reason to think they have use for you and for what you can do, trust in their immediate reward, so long as you can then protect it. It's to their gain that they please you.

voice;

[foreignflight]

...If it's them, I don't want to do anything that puts me in a position to act for them. But there's also... If I do this, I don't know what will happen there.

[foreignflight]

It's part of who I am. They can't really gain anything more from that, right?

[foreignflight]

If I'm there I'll find a way to stop it, though. If someone's getting hurt I'll do it no matter what. But I won't be the cause of someone else's suffering. That's what I plan to do.