imeeji_frontstage | (no subject)

They did. I think they were rather proud.

Well. Good.

...I can never really suss out where I stand with them. Sometimes I feel like they do that intentionally, or something.

[ tilting her head ] ...Which part?

Some of it, I think, is their sense of play, and some a desire to set challenges and see who will rise to them. But you seem genuinely worried.

Mm, just—

I feel like I, and the unit overall, disappoint their principles. And furthermore I think they think I'm annoying for asking about their feelings.

[ a crease between her brows ] ...Hm.

It really has been troubling you. Do you want to find someplace to sit down? I don't know if you'd rather just... focus on the game, but... I care about them, and you, and avante. And principles, while we're at it—though I suppose you already know all that.

I’m really barely playing, so—it’s fine, honestly. There’s a bench over there—

[ straight-faced: ]

...and besides, I could hardly refuse a chance to talk with an enchanting dragon-woman.

[ equally straight-faced: ]

That's true. My time is precious, but your beauty has called me down from Yu-Shan.

[ ...she'll also guide them over to a bench, though. ]

[ it's hard to maintain a straight face when Amaranth pulls out lines like that, so she doesn't, and laughs while letting herself be sat down on the bench. ]

Well. I'll make the most of it, then.

—thanks.

[ Amaranth laughs too, once Shrike does, then takes a seat beside her. As she does, her tail absently curls a bit around Shrike's ankle.

Then her expression sombers. ]

...You were saying that you worry avante is letting down Cardinal's principles.

Well—yes.

I mean, everyone does, to a certain extent, except maybe you, but—I know they stepped back from leadership because they thought their decision-making was bad for avante, and... maybe it was, but it's not as if I don't sympathize with their ideals.

[ She's quiet for a moment. Then, almost neutrally: ]

...It was just me, Cardinal, and Thorn willing to risk everything to send a message, in that game.

I know Kohime couldn't accept that sort of self-sacrificing play.

And Lucifel, but—you're right.

If it had been just me and them, I'd have been willing to try, but—if there's someone on the unit who's not amenable, I can't make that call for them.

...Everyone on LiliS agreed to abstain.
But even with them agreeing...

[ a heavy sigh ]

I don't think Cypress realized just how bad it could be. Or Coriander and Ayumu, for that matter—though I can't imagine Coriander admitting it.

And now we may have sent them the message that we won't protect them. Kohime—speaking of her again... I know she would have felt that way—not least because she told me as much.

...Principles are terribly thorny things.

...they really are.

Hurricane thanked me earlier for... looking out for Nemesis. Since he knows she'll never ask for anything.

I don't want to... merely play for the least harm. But—when it was common for avante to come out the loser from games like that... it was like that, when I first arrived, and it wore on them.

I remember that.
—Or hearing about it, mostly. And Cardinal still blames themselves.

[ a pause. ]

I hate this. [ a faint snarl that she doesn't seem to notice ]
That justice and protecting the innocent should be so at odds with each other. I was proud of LiliS, for the first time in weeks, and look where it got us.

[ ...the snarl's new

she just sort of... puts a hand on Amaranth's head, just lightly. like, she's currently a dragon, but that's dog energy. pat. ]

It's not fair at all. Especially not to LiliS.

...I'm worried that sensitIV is starting to be worn thin by it, too.

[ How dare you, she is a proud and noble—

...actually that feels sort of nice. She startles very briefly, but it's... sort of soothing, along the horns. ]

They chose it, at least, but... you're right that they almost certainly felt like they had to. Going through that in order to guarantee that they'd be healthy at the end of it all.

...How could Cardinal and I not hate it. Nothing will change, unless everyone is willing to take a stand together.

...I know. I mean—obviously I do, too, and I gladly would, it's just...

...so many of them are children. Can we really ask that of them?

Talon and Eclipse are the youngest here, and they do it to themselves whether anyone asks it of them or not. At least in the sense of taking on burdens no one has asked them to.

[ a pause; they both know Eclipse has more than enough baggage about "noble" death already ]

But... I don't know. I just can't accept doing nothing.

[ there's that slight snarl again; when her lip curls, it shows sharpened teeth. ]

Not... nothing, just...

...I suppose Kohime would say this is me dithering. But it’s hard to convince people to do something daring under pressure...

She actually had a rather good suggestion—though she definitely did not think she was suggesting it so much as dismissing it as unrealistic.

But the idea she tossed out and then rejected was having everyone agree to track bad games, and take turns shouldering the hits.

It's a difficult ask, but it would work, if everyone agreed.

...mm. When we have the opportunity to choose targets, at least, but—it's not the worst idea, when we're able to do coordinate.

Though, I think—she might also be used to wrangling Adora on the self-sacrifice front, since the one on future is now is like that, too, which... might be why she's so opposed to it.

Hard to believe she and Adora both have doubles now.

[ a short sigh ] Perhaps that is why she reacted so strongly to it, but I only know a small part of her history, there.

[ she pauses, then, as something else occurs to her ]

....Actually, there's something about Kohime I've been worrying about, separate from all this. I only haven't brought it up sooner because she clearly wants it to be secret, but I think I can conclude my original plan to deal with it won't be working any time soon.

[ she frowns, slightly. ]

What is it?

[ another, longer pause, gathering her words ]

...Do you recall, some seasons ago, when the temporary units were brought in—
Kohime's adoptive "mother" [ a slightly derisive twist to how she says the word ] was among them. The sorceress Shadow Weaver.

[ She watches Shrike's face, as she speaks. ]