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Post by CJ on Jan 22, 2013 0:15:28 GMT -5
This thread is for any establishing posts before the war begins. However, these scenes can continue while the war begins. There is no limit as to what these scenes can be. I expect at least one post of Slythe Arkady trimming his toe nails.
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Deep in the underground, an abstract table was set in dim torchlight. It was an obscure shape, but there was clearly a seat placed separate from the rest. There was only a door of rock leading in and out. For now, it was barred shut.
There sat Stacy Kane at the "head" of the table, tapping her foot against the side of it, shrouded in blue light. Her purple hair curled about her face, creating a shadow over it. Her top hat tipped down over her eyes.
Three figures sat in front of her, all anxiously waiting for her to say or do anything.
"Role call!" she announced.
"Fusao Daichi," a Shadow Witch said in the most monotone voice he could muster. He pushed up his glasses and looked to a shadowy corner of the room.
"Kiyoko Matsumoto," a Fire Witch grunted, flipping her red hair out of her face.
"Beep beep," a large, square figure lit up in the darkness, "Pika Pika 12000 at your service!"
"Hinata Tadaaki," Stacy corrected her with lowered eyelids.
"Pika Pika 12000."
"Hinata."
"Pika."
"Whatever, let's begin," Stacy rolled her eyes. "Now, I asked the last of us to wait a while because I have to prep someone here before they come in."
"No, you don't mean," Kiyoko snarled.
"I do," Stacy grinned.
"You insufferable bitch!" the Fire Witch shouted and slammed her fists on the table. "I told you not to invite Hidane. He would have been perfectly fine on his own stupid ass adventures. Besides, so long as you didn't bring Hidane, you told me not to bring Kurai into this! How the hell is that fair?"
"Kurai is different."
"Like hell he is!"
"He's more human than any of us now. He's got himself a bitch and everything. Forget him."
"Forget him?" Kiyoko shouted again. "He defeated Luan of Ravunya by himself. What more could we ask for? We know he's a powerhouse so what the hell is Hidane doing here for if not Kurai? The brat hasn't accomplished a damn thing in his life!"
The two kept bickering and bickering in a never ending cycle of name calling and foul language. It was clear the two never liked each other and likely never would. Meanwhile, Fusao began a game of "Go Fish" with the Pika Pika 12000. The door, as Stacy suggested, was open to the aforementioned guest anytime he might have wanted to enter.
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Post by Kyubey on Jan 23, 2013 4:16:13 GMT -5
Behind Galatae Castle was an expansive open field, used by the royals for all sorts of training. While times of peace saw this particular area used sparingly, now that war was on the horizon men gathered there, even the aristocrats who wouldn't be fighting in the war, just to be prepared for the worst. When the Gods of War paid their visit to the island, not a single native went unprepared. For this reason, Oskar had to go through quite a bit of trouble to have the whole field cleared for the Princess's lesson. It would simply not do for Princess Elvia to be faced with any distractions while she sparred with her tutor. The two, Elvia and Oskar, fought a mock battle with one another, with wooden sticks as their weapons, as they did for several years. In the past, such lessons were a welcome break from their normal lives, cathartic even. These sessions served far more than one purpose for the both of them. And now, after years of this, Oskar was astounded at how much Elvia had grown. What once were the hasty, novice swings of a child were now deliberate, focused strokes, though with just as much energy behind them. General and veteran he might have been, Oskar now found himself having to be serious in his sparring to keep up with his pupil. Oskar held nothing back in this session, and Elvia did not want or expect him to. The next time they would fight, it would be against an army. Oskar defended against Elvia's playful, mocking strokes, sweating to keep up with her speed, as she dodged every one of his counters. Finally, the princess, having pushed her limits in how far she could tease her instructor, was forced to a point where she could not afford to prolong the fight any longer, and Oskar, having nearly forgotten the circumstances of the mock battle, had found the best chance to go on the offensive. Their sticks swung at one another, heading to clash. Elvia grinned. When the two sticks collided, Oskar's snapped in two, as Elvia's rushed forward, stopping only inches from the General's face. A silence followed, as the end registered with the two combatants.
"This is my win," Elvia sneered. "You lose, Sir Hallstatt."
"Indeed I do, Princess," replied Oskar, dropping the broken end of his stick. "It was a sound victory."
"Of course it was!" she chirped. Even Oskar found it a little disturbing that the Princess only really sounded girlish when she was talking about things related to battle and bloodshed. "I am a princess, and the daughter of Claudia Gudrun von Acis and Reginald the Stalwart."
"True, Elvia. But that Devil Fruit of yours certainly did help you as well. However, you must remember..."
"A warrior's body is a tool, and tools cannot account for everything. I am aware."
"I know not what sort of weapons the outsiders have, but you should not purely rely on your Devil Fruit powers to protect you from them."
"It will be my powers that will tear those weapons asunder. But I understand. Did you not see me easily best you without using my Devil Fruit?"
"I saw you spending twice as much time and effort than what was necessary to defeat me. It is a habit you will need to overcome when fighting to the death."
"Such interesting words to come from one who can not even beat me." She was beginning to adopt some of her mother's mannerisms, as Oskar noted.
"For fifteen years you have failed to defeat me in an even fight. Today was the first exception."
"Ah, so that is what you'll be telling your men when they ask about this. It's good to know."
If Oskar was the sort of man who smiled with any regularity, he would have done so then.
"Regardless, this is a serious matter. I am proud of what you have accomplished today, as I am sure you are as well, but you will need to do things far greater than that once we leave home. You must be aware that you prolonged our match far more than necessary. There were many wasted strokes used when you might have finished me. Things of this sort could end you in a real battle."
"But I know this isn't a real battle. That is why I tried to make it as long as I could."
This was a surprise. "What do you mean by that?"
"I know this will be the last time we shall do this before both of us fight in the war. I wanted you to really see how strong I was, but more than that, I wished to spend more time doing this with you." Her gaze wavered downwards, at the dry grass at her feet. "I'm afraid we'll never have a chance to practice again." Her eyes darted back upwards and she flashed a grin. "And in any case, I shall have plenty of men to slaughter in the war, so I won't have to worry about making the battle last."
Oskar frowned. "War is not a game."
"Ah, but it is such fun!"
"Do not say that until you've been in one, Princess. The men you command will not be thinking of it as fun."
"I understand the position I have been given, Oskar, and I know what I'll be doing, don't ever forget that."
"I know, your highness. And as your instructor, I do have complete faith in your ability to lead."
"That makes me glad." she turned away from Oskar, and faced the forests in the distance. "There are many who think I am not fit to command the front lines."
"Who is it that thinks this? And have they said it to you directly? And why should they think it is their place to make these judgments?" Oskar heard of these doubts first hand, but he didn't know they had reached the princess as well.
"Like I said, many think this. The nobles, servants, commanders. I had a squire whipped after I overheard him calling my position a folly. None of them have been brave enough to say it right to me, but I hear it. I hear them whisper of it in the courts, and I can sense it in how the soldiers talk to me. They think I am an overeager child, who is not ready for war, much less a place in leadership. There are even those that think the Queen is only trusting me with so much because I am her daughter. And even if they don't say it, I can sense if they think it. They think I will lead our armies to the grave."
"Really now?" Oskar had to remember his place as servant to the throne, or else he might have placed a hand on Elvia's shoulder just then. "But those men must be aware that prior the the uprising, women were thought to be inferior in the ways of battle? It was your mother who proved all them wrong, by fighting viciously long after the rest of us had faltered. Those nobles and servants you speak of know nothing. Their word is only worth the strength they put into their armies. In their case, it has no worth. Your mother is the finest warrior in the kingdom, and if she places her confidence in you, then I should say that none could argue with it."
"Really?"
"I am a soldier of Galatae. I am sworn to honesty."
Elvia spun around excitedly. "Then of course you should say it! Really, it's good there are some who think ill of me. I shall be that much more satisfied when I win us the war. Oh, the faces they will make!"
"You are fearsome and powerful. As long as you remember what I taught you, any army should be unfortunate to find you in the charge against them, for they would not be met with any hint of mercy."
"I'll burn them all down!"
"Then I shall be able to fight alongside her majesty to the extent of my strength, knowing the soldiers will be under your guidance."
"And I shall charge forth knowing that you are behind me."
"That is good," said Bowdren as he approached them, "It is important to have confidence in your allies during war." His figure, clad in a thick black coat, created an imposing image in the pale light.
"Duke Bowdren!" cried Oskar as he knelt down. "Forgive me! I did not see you!"
"It is no matter. I just got here." His tone was clear and unkind. "Are you about finished with today's lesson?"
"Yes, your grace."
"Very well. Sir Oskar Hallstatt, for the crime of attempting to strike her majesty the queen, you shall now receive your punishment. Come with me."
"I shall obey." Oskar stood, and turned to Elvia. "Your highness, the trip at sea alone will be rough and tiring, to say nothing of the battle itself. Use this time to rest."
Elvia nodded, a troubled expression crossing her face. Oskar's disgrace and unavoidable punishment was a subject both of them knew would arise, but they had deliberately ignored it until that moment. "I will."
"I am glad of that." He went to go follow Bowdren, who was already walking to the castle.
"Oskar!" Elvia shouted at him as he stepped away. He stopped, and turned his head back. Elvia smiled weakly at him. "Show no weakness."
Oskar returned the smile. "Show no weakness."
---
At the edge of the vast Galatae woods, not too far from the Laverna house, was a tiny cottage, big enough for only one person to live with any sort of comfort. Though the cottage was occupied, it was not too lit in the evening darkness, with only a single candle illuminating the space. The candle was placed alongside a bunch of freshly-used plates at a small table, where two people sat. One of whom was Alaric Cassia, and the other was a blond, frail woman, who was facing away from him. The two were very quiet, and extremely uneasy. Any outsider would be able to sense just by walking in that Alaric was unwelcome in this place, yet for some reason he remained. They remained like this for a long while, but not nearly as long as it felt. Two or three conversations were brought up by Alaric, and unfeelingly left to die by the woman. Alaric sighed deeply. His hopes at having an ordinary talk successfully killed, as they always were, he decided to be brave and bring up the thing he went there for in the first place.
"So," said Alaric, "I assume you heard the Queen's speech earlier today?"
"Yes. I did," replied the woman in an emotionless voice.
"And so you know we're at war."
"Of course I know that. Everyone knows it. Even Hubert's heard it."
"I did not get a chance to hear it myself. I was busy at the time."
"Yes, I assume now is a very busy time for the nobles."
"I did not hope for war. In fact, I think it's a mistake. But there's no choice, now that Claudia has declared it. Things will be much different now."
"I am happy we are at war, to tell the truth."
"What? What are you saying?"
"Maybe that witch Claudia will be slain. And her whole family, and all the savages that follow the Acis. I wish them all to die."
"Mairenn, you can't really mean that!"
"I do. You know how much I do."
"I know why you want Acis to fall. But don't you see? This is not an uprising we are faced with. The whole island is faced with this crisis. Now is when the people must unite."
"Again with 'the people must unite.' Every time you say that, Claudia steals a little more of your dignity."
"This is not about crowns or rulers. This is about Galatae. You should at least care for that."
"I don't. The only time this land meant anything was when it was ruled by the Cassias. Now that Galatae will never be ours again, it's worthless to me. I do not care what happens to it."
"I see. It saddens me to hear that you think these things."
"You're going off to fight, aren't you?"
There was a long, difficult pause.
"Yes."
"Of course you are. That's what you do always. You lie yourself down and follow their commands without question, so that the Acis can strip our pride away some more, and our fallen family can keep on being insulted."
"I tried, Mairenn. I tried to get out of fighting. I pleaded with Claudia to get me to stay here, to help guide the land her absence."
"I am sure you tried. It does not at all change that you are still going off to fight in their battles. And it does not change that every day now you do another thing to insult our name. Fighting for Acis is just the same as fighting against your own family, Alaric. Just as you betrayed us before."
"I did that for you. And I will be fighting now for you as well."
"Will you stop saying that was for me?" Mairenn snapped. "If you had meant to do anything for me, you would have fought against the Acis, not helped them. You would have let me die with my family!"
"Please, Mairenn. Please don't say that."
"Did you come to say goodbye to me?"
"Yes. I did."
"Then perhaps you should say it."
"This is the last chance I will have before I go. I wanted to talk more than this."
A painful silence followed.
"Listen. While I am away, I want you to stay with Hubert. We will be at war, and you know what that means to him. He needs someone to take care of him. More often than normal."
"Yes. I will see to it that he's alright. You don't need to tell me that."
"And if we should be invaded..."
"I already spoke to the Laverna. They will protect us. I do not need to rely on the Acis or their savages."
"That is fine. As long as you are safe."
"Is that all then?"
Alaric reluctantly stood. "That is all. Goodbye."
"Alaric. Promise me you will not die."
Alaric stopped and wavered in an instant. "I should think you would be the first to wish me death."
"I do hate you. And I do hope for the day when I can wish you death. But not right now. As much as it makes me hurt, and write with hatred, you are the only man who can carry on the Cassia bloodline. What you did is unforgivable, but I will never allow our line to fade forever. You deserve death. But you cannot die until you father a son. That is all I meant."
"I promise. I won't die."
"If there's any honor in you, you won't." Alaric began to walk away from her, but then stopped at the door.
"I love you, sister."
"You may leave now."
The door creaked open and then shut, leaving Mairenn wonderfully alone in the flickering cottage.
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Post by Shark a' Pult on Jan 23, 2013 13:19:11 GMT -5
"Dammit all, he pushed me down some stairs!"
Roderick hit the table with his good fist, the other arm being in a cast. He also had a neck brace on, so whatever had caused him injury must have been quite serious. The room was not some amazing place, really it was just an old kitchen from the kingdom before, when Myrysaea was still a monarchy. Now it was full of supplies and various equipment, while the walls were haphazardly covered in propaganda posters (many of them the re-purposed NEW LIFE ones), the unused kitchen appliances stacked with still more. On the tables and cutting boards were many maps and documents, likely pertaining to the conflict to come.
"Slythe can't just do as he pleases! I know I'm not a leader here, but I'd like to imagine my word has some pull still. I say we need to prepare, because war has been declared upon us. I'm still seeing about those alliances with Regala and Galatae, but how are things on your ends?"
Lots of people were in and out of the dimly lit room, and it was a fever of activity between people carrying things in and out as well as relaying messages back and forth as the lone working lamp hung from the ceiling overhead. Each and every time someone came though or approached him, Roderick gave the customary salute of bringing his good fist to his chest, and they did the same. But it was clear nevertheless that these other people were transitional, and Roderick was dealing with them as appropriate and as they needed him to before they were on their way again. He himself was instead focused on some other people around the table with him, who were there for a reason and there to stay; the various governing military leaders of the armed forces of Vengeance.
"I mean realistically, where do we stand in terms of a war? I know we just came out of a revolution, but this will be different. A lot different."
~~~ Elsewhere ~~~
She had only read about this place, but it was gloomier even than either books portrayed or she expected. It was hard to imagine that this place had once been a major stopping point before people crossed the Red Line into the new world, but at the very least the place was aptly named.
The Ashfall Archipelago.
It once had a real name, but whatever it had been was lost when roughly ninety percent of the population were reduced to ash, and their land along with them. Ash that still to this day, fourteen years after the event, trickled down from the clouds to shower the blue sea and collection of islands around. It could almost be mistaken for snow, were it not for the fact that it stained everything black and made it sooty. Even the water around the islands, as a result, was a dark grimy color and coated ships for a time after. Understandably, wearing white was unheard of.
It was strange really, because due to the constant bleak downpour of ash, the sky was gloomy and always overhung with dark clouds. Rare were the days when the sun shone, and overall it seemed like a depressing place. What made it strange though is that the people didn't seem to realize, or maybe they just didn't care. Everyone was busy busy busy, and no one really had the time to stop and chat. It was true, that this place was not what it once was, but still many people came through here to cross over to the New World when going under or across were undesirable or simply not feasible. As such the islands, though largely diminished in importance, were still a nexus of activity and every moment ships could be seen leaving the ports and taking to the air. Stark contrast to the clouds above, the sky was quite alive with countless vessels coming and going. If there had once been a devastating cataclysm that nearly wiped this place and the people from the map, it didn't show and they didn't seem aware of it. Perhaps the strangest thing of all though, was that through and through it all, people were surprisingly friendly. Maybe not polite, but everyone acted like good friends to each other, even outsiders. Sure, everyone was very busy, but they all seemed willing to lend a hand where it was needed, ready to help out a stranger, or ready to make a quick deal with warm handshake and a drink.
Some more than others, it seemed.
"Hey, care to buy a lady a drink?"
"That doesn't make any sense. Are you drunk?"
The architecture around the islands was like that of a typical Caribbean town, affected only by the ashen skies which meant simply to have an abundance of artificial light (a lot of it colored in different ways) to make up for the natural deficiency. One particular establishment, an inn by the name of The Red Line Lookout, was no exception. To let rooms for traveler before their journey over, the downstairs had a small restaurant and bar. With wooden furnishings and a stone fireplace, it was really quite cozy, at least compared to the outside. Colored glass jugs hung from the ceiling in nets, the walls were decorated with various trinkets and oddities from the sea, both blue and the sky above. A lone ceiling fan run by a belt spun pathetically, and great bay windows allowed for the inner warmth to pour out into the dreary streets and invite people inside.
"Yes I'm drunk... ON LIFE. Super serious though, I've got a wicked mad hankering for something drinkable, and who knows? I might even let you share. Probably not though, it's totally gross when two people share a drink. Every time I see two kids sharing a milkshake or something, a terrible rage washes over me, that only meditation and calm control can subside."
"You aren't even a lady, if that were something that my purchasing you a drink depended on. I think you have your stereotypes confused."
"Well I could be a lady. In a game of pretend, I can be whatever you want me to be. Also, meditation and calm control is just a fancy way of saying pizza."
"I apologize, but I am waiting for someone. A Prince, actually."
There at the bar stood Sable Soto, Captain of the Royal Guard of Ibaia. There at Sable's side stood an idiot, hanging on her shoulder. He had on plaid pajama bottoms, bunny slippers and one of those t-shirts that looked like a tuxedo, which even in this place of such diversity made him look like a fool. Or a drunkard. Or both. His frizzy brown hair was quite poofy, looking like it hadn't been washed in days. Unsuccessfully he was trying to get something out of Sable, meanwhile she didn't seem to mind enough or didn't feel it appropriate to just get rid of him. He hadn't caused her any actual trouble or harm, so where she came from there was no reason yet to remove him. That, and she was simply content waiting for the person whom she intended to give the package she was holding. The box was long and thing, and wrapped up, it could contain anything from an umbrella to a large map or at least something that would fit those size specifications.
"A prince you say? We-he-heeeeeeell, a prince I can be! A-he-hem." Straightening up, he adjusted an imaginary tie (ironic given the image of a tie that was part of the faux tuxedo print on his shirt) and held one hand aloft as though he were reciting something. "My name is Prince Mooch and I rule over the Land of the Free.... Loaders, and the Home of the Brace...ing. Indulge me, fair lady in shining armor!"
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Post by Sprite on Jan 23, 2013 13:56:38 GMT -5
Striding into the meeting room of the Coven was a familiar figure. Garbed in a tribal warrior's dress, and his signature woven bandanna over his eyes was Hidane of the Fire Witch Tribe. Old classmate of Connor Kurai and many other notable fire witches of the current generation.
Grinning, he spread his arms wide, the flames of his eyes flaring up to show his exuberance. He opened his mouth wide and expelled a giant fireball into the air, he belched loudly afterwards with no apology.
"To whom do I owe the honor of being invited here today, brethren?!"
Flexing his arm to show off a mildly impressive bicep, he continued his loud exultations.
"Kurai? Luan of Ravunya? Pfffft, don't make me laugh! I've been kicking that Kurai wimp around ever since we were but toddlers! Leave this Luan guy to me, I'll rip him to shreds!"
Throwing his head back he laughed deeply, expelling small fireballs with each chuckle.
"Just give me the word. Unleash me along with my brothers and sisters on the enemy and they'll be nothing but charred cinders!"
Pausing, he puzzled smile came over his face and he scratched at his reddish brown hair with a smile.
"So...why are we at war again?"
---
Snake walked through the thick ash towards the bar. He was dressed for travel, and was grateful to be back in his more traditional garb. He had disposed of the ruined suit with a savage pleasure. He had heard the stories of the Ashfall Cataclysm. It had been heard and seen across the seas, and many refugees had fled to Ravunya. Their burnt and ruined bodies were testament to the horror they had just recently endured.
Maybe I should have asked Illora to come along...
Finally spotting the bar, Snake walked through the black snow fall and into the surprisingly welcome interior of the bar. Looking about briefly, he spotted Sable in her customary suit of armor being harassed by some oddly dressed bum. With a wry smile he walked up behind the man and tapped him on the shoulder.
"Sorry sir, she's with me."
Turning to Sable he offered a dry bemused smile.
"Quite an interesting choice for a meeting spot, Sable of Ibaia. It's good to see you again."
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Post by CJ on Jan 24, 2013 22:08:55 GMT -5
"See, Kiyoko?" Stacy proudly said as Hidane took his seat, her hair blown back from the fireball. "That's the kind of spirit I'm talking about! We need Luan's Snake Whip Zoan scorched to ashes if he even thinks of getting close to us himself. And if Hidane can take out him easily, just think of how easily the rest of the fire brats will deal with the rest of those Carps and Ravioli punks!"
"Carps? Ravioli?" the Pika Pika 12000 asked.
"Sorry, Ravunya... and whatever that other country is," she rolled her eyes.
Stacy stood from her seat and tapped her foot against the ground.
"Shadow shadow shadow shadow shadow," she repeated to herself. Her purple hair shifted to black. Her eyes turned a vivid purple.
"We're not at war. My client, the infamous King Matthias de Regala, is."
With a wave of her hand, Stacy's shadow stretched behind her and shaped into the form of a young boy with head held low on the wall.
Fusao's eyes went wide. He slithered out of his chair and sank into his own shadow. It crawled underneath Hidane's chair and curled into a corner. His eyes bubbled up from the shadow like bubbles in a boiling pot. They shifted back and forth rapidly.
"Yes, you and the Shadow Extractors failed to take his shadow a while back," Stacy smirked at the shadow. "I'm not sure if the rest of you have been paying too much attention but the little scrap ended up roughing up seven of the best Shadow Witches, including our own Fusao. We've taken down bigger, muscular cretins but all it takes is one little fart with a gift and we're stumped. It's been their only failure."
"He knew beforehand," Fusao spoke up as his mouth bubbled up in the formless dark. "I don't know how. He grabbed me from his shadow. Haki can do that, yeah, but he would have had to know I was there. Then, he took Sakura and Suzuki and... It makes me sad thinking about it."
"Fusao feeling anything?" Pika Pika 1200 asked, slamming its large metal fists on the table. "IMPOSSIBLE."
"Yeah, yeah, Fusao," Stacy continued with a smirk. "Don't start feeling anything. Here's the fun part. Normally, we'd all be freaking out. Super Haki freak knows of our existence and knows we tried to ruin his life for the sake of peace. However, I was able to talk him out of it and now, we're working for him."
"Working for him? What's the point of that, why not kill him and be done with it?" Kiyoko spoke up. She scooted her seat away from Hidane. She glared at him for a brief moment then sighed heavily.
"The point is," Stacy grinned, placing her hands on the table, "we finally take part in the history of this world through Matty and his Regala. Tell me you're not excited! This kid's practically our puppet! We "help" him, he helps us, that sort of thing."
The other three were silent, particularly Fusao (as he always was). Again, Kiyoko looked at Hidane. Stacy had a reputation for outlandish, crazy ideas. She wasn't always taken seriously, especially given her impure blood, so she often was dramatic to get attention. It seemed the three were wondering whether to take her seriously or not.
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Post by Kyubey on Jan 25, 2013 1:03:19 GMT -5
"I mean realistically, where do we stand in terms of a war? I know we just came out of a revolution, but this will be different. A lot different."
"You got that right, Roddy. For starters, now you have the best pilot on the seas on your team."
Standing near the doorway to the room was a scruffy older man wearing a t-shirt stained with the remnants of some long forgotten meal, presumably one that involved tomato sauce. A metal hand clumsily held onto a cane, while the other hand, which was that of a normal human's although a bit bonier, held a flask that he raised to his chapped lips.
"Pardon my lateness," he said as he gulped down his drink. The man, Perry Boothe, Air Marshall of Vengeance, shambled to an empty seat at the table, his left leg making a loud and irritating clanging noise with every step. He placed his flask at the table, and nodded carelessly to everyone in the room. "I got the gist of what you were saying. We're at war. Mr. Arkady's the enemy. That's all I need to know, right there. And all I got to say is, I'd like to see those guys, whatever they're called, try to defend themselves from a well-placed assault from above." Perry leaned his cane against the table and took a second to settle into his seat, grunting a little as he did so. "That's what I wanted to say at least. Me and my boys are good enough to send any force scurrying, but skill's not the only thing at hand here. Truth is, maintaining a fleet of sea-planes on a long trip is hard enough when there ain't trained soldiers shootin' at you. And that holds true no matter how good a pilot you are. Without the money and supplies to keep a good plane maintained, I'd reckon we'd be hitting the water before we even get a chance to fire our big pretty guns. I'd say it'd take my boys about three days to get shipped into shape and ready to go. Two if I rush 'em. But that's only if I can be assured that they'll have what they need to take off and land back down without their own machines failin' on them. If I can be, then the skies won't be safe for Arkady or any other loathsome nation of fuckers we're up against."
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Post by Shark a' Pult on Jan 29, 2013 19:29:24 GMT -5
When Snake tapped the fellow on the shoulder, he immediately spun around like someone had just insulted his mother. As though it were second nature, he slapped the Prince's hand away with a wild look. Clearly, he either hadn't expected this, or he just didn't like someone distracting him from his game.
"WHOAH! Don't mess with me man, a bear messed with me once. Once."
Appropriately enough he gestured to one of the corners of the bar, one that was not bordered by the windows. For whatever reason, a full size live bear was seated at the booth. It was in the middle of drinking when it realized that it was being pointed out, and clumsily it lowered the mug to the table and waved a big bear paw at Snake. It may also have been smiling, but it was it hard to tell, what with all that bear in the way.
"Sorry sir, she's with me."
"Then so am I! I take it you're buying then? The lady here is a total stinge, easier to con a drink from a rock I tell you."
The fellow gave Snake a thankful hug and a kiss and promptly hopped up on the a barstool which began to swivel around. At no point did he make an effort to stop himself, and just kept turning.
"Quite an interesting choice for a meeting spot, Sable of Ibaia. It's good to see you again."
"It's all outlined here in this travel brochure, see? I've never been here before so I just did what it said."
Holding up a folding paper guide for tourists, Snake would be able to see the actual inn they were staying at, with some associated reviews. The problem was that none of them were particularly... relevant. Things like 'People like grapes!', 'Your worst nightmare but the complete opposite!', and 'Where even is that kid Kusu anyway?'. Then again the brochure itself wasn't even all that great; it had pictures of happy families not all burned up, and had various slogans in big cheery lettering proclaiming such things as 'Come Visit the Sunny Ashfall Islands!' and 'Wish you were here! Really, we actually wish for you to be here.' so it left much to the imagination.
"I didn't think the location was of dire importance, as I only needed to return this to you."
In response she patted the long box laid across the bar.
"You'll be needing it soon, from what I understand."
"So that's your name, Sable. I had a turkey sandwich named Sable once. And by turkey sandwich, I mean turkey sandwich."
Meanwhile the fellow continued to spin, but also he now seemed to have a pair of kaleidoscopes and was watching the world turn in amazement.
---
"Well that's good to hear Perry. If anything you can probably expect more funding than ever, I'll see to that. These people we're up against, I think the most we can expect are blimps and giant birds so if there's anywhere we can expect to dominate, it's in the air."
Roderick made a mental note of Perry's opinion, as he couldn't physically make one, being in a full-body cast. Based on the simple recon reports and other information sources, the most advanced of their competitors, Arkady Industries had only progressed far enough to make airships. Beyond that, everyone else for the most part was fairly grounded in their militaries. At the very least, nothing that could compete or even come close to actual high-speed motorized aircraft. Vengeance's pride was its navy, that was how it had managed to build such a large influence and its holdings; through trade. Traversing the waves, the country had gone from Myrysaea and a collection of islands, to a vast network reaching to many places across the globe. True, they couldn't call themselves an Empire or the sort, like Arkady Industries as it incorporated everything it could. In terms of actual holdings, Vengeance was probably quite small when compared to the other nations of the war, but adding its influence you would be hard-pressed to find a person whom hadn't at least heard of them. That said though, every other country in the war at least had a navy, but there were some who did not even have an air force. And none, whom could keep up with what Vengeance could put out.
"And why shouldn't we be dominating on the ground? Wars are not won by those magnificent men in their flying machines, they are won by the strength of the people, the struggle of the masses. I don't know much about these other nations, but I do know that their people aren't as willing as we are... To fight? Maybe so. To die?
Not this guy.
"I don't want the people involved in this Korent, this isn't a revolution anymore. We have an army for this."
He had almost forgotten he was here. Like Roderick, the man had no real title or rank in the nation. Everyone knew though, he was the one who drummed up the people's army. The man who shouted the loudest, the man who made the enemy look the worst, the man who made the people care about their country the most. In the revolution, he was the one who always got people to follow Roderick, but no one ever really recognized the truth. Or maybe they did, but simply no one ever brought it up. The truth that really, his job entailed sending the common citizens to their deaths. It was his job to head down to the markets and incite pride in the people there, his job to head down to the parks and stir up animosity in the people there. To direct their pride inwards and their anger outwards. It was always Roderick's intent that once the revolution was over, they would have no need for such people, and they would just join the ranks among the rest of the populace. But some of them, Korent in particular, never really got out of that revolutionary mindset. The drive to make people join them in their hate. Now that war was coming, they saw their chances to serve their country and lead once more, and they were taking it.
"That we do, no finer army exists. This may not be a revolution anymore citizen, but it is still a war. Who are we to stop those who wish to fight for their country, their lives?"
It was an oddity because physically the man was not all that remarkable. Only barely average height if that, short brown hair and quite dirty, he wore the attire of a common worker. Really there would be no way to tell him apart from a common crowd of laborers, save for the long stick he carried and at this moment had resting across his shoulders. And yet, as forgettable as he was, he had a way with words and people. That was the main reason why Roderick didn't like Korent all that much; because he was even better at getting people to do what he wanted them to than Roderick himself was. He realized it was a delicate line he walked, and if ever someone like Korent had the inclination or the drive to do so, they could very easily climb to the top. Even in a land where there were no high positions or ranks, they would make one, and so they were a threat. It was just lucky then, that like the rest of the populace, they revered Roderick like some patron hero of the revolution. As vicious or ambitious as they might be, they would never turn on a public figure like that, not so soon after the revolution. Korent was no exception to this.
"...why don't we just leave these sorts of decisions up to the Field Marshal?"
Struggling greatly in his full-body cast, Roderick tried to look to the other commander in the room, the man in charge of the ground forces for Vengeance.
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Post by Sprite on Feb 3, 2013 6:46:41 GMT -5
Pulling his hand back as the bum whirled about in a frenzy, Snake raised an eyebrow in some surprise at the man's mercurial temperament. He laughed off the man's wild claims with an easy laugh and dropped a few beli on the counter so the man might have his drink. He preferred not to draw from the country's funds, and so he still traveled on his own earnings from past bounties and fights.
Taking the brochure from Sable he glanced over it.
"Seems like it was a much nicer place in the past. Shame."
Smiling seeing the long package, Snake nodded and took it off the bar, holding it in his hands comfortably. It was odd that the blade ever left his side, it felt good to hold it once more.
"I hope you found your time together to be enjoyable and...educational." drawled Snake, with a conspiratorial wink and a chuckle.
Sitting down next to Sable he gestured to the bartender for two drinks, dropping the appropriate amount of money on the bar. He of course knew that Sable would find difficulty in drinking it but he would leave it there in a show of courtesy and goodwill. Who knew, maybe she would partake. Glancing out a window and at the ashy clouds above the islands, his mood seemed to become more somber.
"There is a war coming to all of us, Ravunya is no stranger to it. But this is one of the larger conflicts we have seen in a long time."
Snake looked at Sable with honest and resolved eyes.
"If I might ask, what are the plans of your country in this war, Sable?"
---
Hidane made sarcastic kissy lips and faces at his fellow Fire Witch as she directed hostile looks and glares at him. He seemed to bear the animosity with a child-like ease, obviously used to it after so many years. He leaned on his elbows, absent-mindedly taking in everything being said. Burn that, beat that, Superhaki freak yadda yadda.
"So what, we're going to ride on this Matt's coattails and beat down the humans?"
The young fire-witch spoke up eventually, standing up and slapping his palms on the table surface. He shook his head vigorously as a scowl came over his face.
"I'm not sure if I like the sound of that. First, we're 'working' for some brat? I'm not a human hater, but our proud people being some thugs and fires-for-hire to a single human just so we can try and assert dominance over a world that's not really ours to rule."
This was the central philosophy that Hidane had been building and spreading amongst the tribes, the same philosophy and behavior that earned him so much ill will from the older and more close-minded witches.
"Listen. Through my travels I've seen a lot of things. Excuse the joke, but really. Yeah sure, humans aren't nearly as powerful as we are, but they're not all bad. Some are noble, some are mighty, I don't think that we can claim we're the rightful kings or destined rulers of this world. And if you guys want me and my tribe fighting in this war, you'd best explain what we're doing working this Matt and what's going on after."
The flames flared up from behind Hidane's bandanna as his passion rose with his words. But they died down as he shrugged and concluded his statements.
"'Cus, you know. After the wars all done and we've beaten up every nation there is, is this Superhakifreakmatt-guy really gonna just let us take over and rule like kings?"
---
The man that the body-casted Roderick turned to was actually sitting in a large luxurious chair, his back turned to the rest of the assembly. He sat facing a fireplace that burned away on the far wall of the make-shift conference room, and during the course of the meeting he had been rocking back and forth slowly in the large armchair, lifting the furniture off the floor with an easy point of his toe before relaxing to lower himself again briefly.
Turning slightly in his seat as his ears caught Roderick addressing him, the Field Marshall of Vengeance promptly turned back again to the fireplace. A glimpse of well-kept long brown hair flowing slightly past his shoulder.
"If you really want my opinion. We'll be at a slight disadvantage to most of the other nations in this war."
His tone was apathetic and terse, as if the entire meeting were a large annoyance to him and his contemplative observation of the fire. But there seemed to be a genuine resolve behind his words.
"We've got our guns. But the Arkadians have even bigger guns, and worse things that would be difficult to even imagine. The Coryphaens, and the Ravunyans will most likely have methods of simply closing with us and crushing everyone in hand to hand combat. At best, we might simply hold our ground and allow our illustrious navy to single-handedly win us the war."
A slight sneer colored the Field Marshall's last words, it was obvious he had been listening to Perry's confident declarations of victory over the opposing nations. Whether the Field Marshall himself believed it or not was unclear.
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Post by Shark a' Pult on Feb 4, 2013 16:32:47 GMT -5
"If you really want my opinion. We'll be at a slight disadvantage to most of the other nations in this war.""Well... well that's not good at all! What's the point of having an army if everyone else's is better than ours? I mean it's true, the navy is our strong point, but we can't just control only the sea!"
Roderick looked to the field marshal for good news, but his optimism was almost immediately shattered. More and more it felt like he had joined the losing team, and that everyone else was going to steamroll over them. Why oh why did Matt have to go and lose his cool? The air marshal had the airforce, and he was confident. The field marshal had the army, and he was not. The admiral of the fleet had the navy but he was not here. Korent had the population, and he was ambitious. And then there was Roderick, with his own developments. He strongly hoped that their chances of victory did not depend upon his contributions. "I suppose we could supplement the armed forces with some of the prototype units, but I don't believe they are at all ready. At least not for actual combat. I suppose we will have to rely on our allies quite a bit, and hope that they have their own strengths to make up for our shortcomings." "And how is that coming? These places... Regala, Galatae, I don't place much faith in them. Can we really expect an ashen ruin and a tribal society to come through?""Well I suppose we'll have to wait and see how things go with the envoys."--- When Snake placed the money on the counter, the hobo practically dived on it, holding the miniscule funds aloft like a trophy he had won for being the most useless person alive. This was more than he expected to get, and so it meant he could do more with it than just buy a drink to drown his failures in. "YES! Now I can go back to college and finish my education! I'm sure with that degree in underwater basket weaving, I can find a real job!""Seems like it was a much nicer place in the past. Shame.""This was printed recently. I believe rather, it's just full of lies."Turning the pamphlet around, she showed a little legal spiel written out on the back, which exonerated the travel company from any sort of retributive action that unhappy customers might seek out of being blatantly lied to and sold misinformation. Indeed, the thing was only about a month old, if that. "I hope you found your time together to be enjoyable and...educational." "I ensured that no damage came to it, though frequently I had to remind myself that it was a sword I was protecting, not a set of fine china. Some of the children were interested in it, and tried to make replications, but I prevented any such attempts."At this, Sable... well she didn't really smile, she continued to remain largely emotionless. But she was closer to smiling than she had been before. Memories of home did this to her, one of the main reasons she never liked to leave. She was of course stirred from this when the hobo held his hand out when the bartender slid the drinks down the bar to Snake and Sable. He was quick enough that he was able to lay his head on the bar between the two, so that hers went past and ended up where it should have, but Snake's tipped over and emptied all the contents into the scoundrel's open mouth. Straightening up he raised his hands in victory, the couple of beli clenched in his fists held aloft. All that was left before Snake was an empty glass. "Ahhh! Now, I'm off to go sign up for classes! No more fighting racoons for a place to sleep in the trash for me!"Sable leaned to watch the hobo as he ran for the exit, holding his arms out like superman and vocalizing a "Whoosh" sound as he went. Unfortunately, perhaps because he wasn't paying attention he ran straight into a group of three rather large strangers on his way out, whom promptly began to beat him half to death. No one else in the place seemed to care or even notice, despite that the hobo screamed like a little girl the whole time. Sable looked back to Snake and slowly, carefully slid her drink across the bar with the back of her suited hand, so that it rested in front of the Prince. "No, no! Not the bees! I'm too pretty to die!""There is a war coming to all of us, Ravunya is no stranger to it. But this is one of the larger conflicts we have seen in a long time.""I have no doubt that your nation will fare as well as it ever has. I have read much on Ravunyan history, and yours is a people better suited to face this challenge than any other... well, except for one, perhaps."To Snake it may have been apparent as to what she was referring to, as really there was only one party which was relevant to what they spoke of. Coryphaeus was something to be feared in the world, but she had no idea what Snake was worried about if he was allied with it. Or, would ally with it, if what happened back at the meeting carried true. Even Ravunya alone was a force thus far unmatched, and in unison with that superpower at the end of the world, she could not think of something which could stand in their way. "If I might ask, what are the plans of your country in this war, Sable?""Leoric... the King, is determined to go to war. For what purpose I am not sure, but I know that we cannot fight on our own. Rarely has Ibaia reached beyond its own borders, and we need allies who can make up for our weaknesses, for they are many."Too few were left. Too few able to fight now. Fighting or war was never Ibaia's strong suit, but even recently war was something they all knew. By now though, people had moved on, and the burdens of violence and conflict had been forgotten by the people. Already for this coming war Sable would have to rely on foreign aide just for simple troops to lead, and more than anything else she feared that the effects of the war would not be proportional to her country's involvement. What did the average person of the Metal Vale know or care about the outside world, let alone war? They were a peaceful and reclusive people, it was almost entirely outside of their understanding. And yet, it seemed that the outside world through the war, would fell these people like villainous enemies. All simply because of Sable's involvement, even if she never even fought a single battle. That was the kind of responsibility she was faced with, the kind of position the King had put her in. "Unfortunately, all we have received on the matter is this."At this she handed Snake the letter which had been laying alongside the sword box on the bar. It had been opened already, though he didn't have to take it or read it if he didn't want to. If he did take it though, she waited patiently on him to finish the lengthy speech contained therein. Dear Ibaia,
It has come to my attention that judging from what I know of Ibaia and its culture, it has no military beyond a defense force. The lack of a military in Ibaia's case makes much sense given that you would have no reason to invade other countries during peacetime, but peacetime is over. The world will soon be covered in war and since Ibaia was represented in the meeting in which the war was instigated and declared, it will become the target of those participating in the global battle.
Although Ibaia is perfectly capable of defending itself, the current situation demands that it do more. If Ibaia does not reach outside its borders with an actual, capable military and attack the enemies at their source, then it will forever be subject to assaults by those who would conquer Ibaia in the midst of the war. While Ibaia may be able to withstand such attacks, the living standard in your country will most certainly decrease significantly by the fact that booming cannons and bloodthirsty swordsmen will constantly be at your doors. Thus, Ibaia requires a military force, one that could neutralize the threats to Ibaia's way of life. Arkady Industries will provide such a military if Ibaia allows it. Arkady Industries is a powerful empire with a large army, nearly-unlimited resources, and amazingly destructive technology and weaponry. Arkady Industries will ensure that Ibaia stay the way it is if the country chooses to help the corporation in the war and ally with no enemies of the corporation.
If you ally with any other country, then that nation will simply demand all of your technology and resources during and after the war as payment or compensation. Arkady Industries, as advanced and prosperous as it is, requires no such things and only asks reasonable assistance from Ibaia in the terms of technology during the war and the war only. After the war, Arkady Industries would have no need of you and you would be left alone, never bothered again. Consider these words, acknowledge them as truth, and have a leader of Ibaia report to Arkady Industries as soon as possible.
With all respects,
From Slythe Arkady,
Chairman of Arkady Industries.
"I know that the final decision on whom to ally with invariably falls to me, but I am not sure that I can make such a choice. I know only, that it will not be Regala that Ibaia sides with. Otherwise, I am unsure of how to proceed."--- "Look, I'm only supposed to deliver a message, it's not like I'm trying to kill the queen or anything."Who would have thought it would have been so hard to just hand someone a letter. And yet, it had been like pulling teeth just to get here, and now at the main gates of the castle, she was held up yet again. This time, they didn't seem intent on letting her through, at all. "And what's the deal with the castle anyway? Is it supposed to have that graffiti all over it? It looks like a complete mess."The messenger herself wore canvas pants with a straitjacket and full on confinement mask, so there may have been some question as to how she could deliver anything. Either way though, thus far she had gotten here with legitimate reason. The castle though was clearly too hard to gain entry to, especially for a foreigner. She tried to explain her situation to the guards, but clearly was having a hard time given her attire, and it looked like she would have been gesturing with her hands quite a bit were it not for the straightjacket. One thing was for certain though; this was the last time she'd go to Galatae willingly. She was looking forward to making the delivery, so that she could leave.
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Post by Kyubey on Feb 4, 2013 20:41:24 GMT -5
"Regardless of our chances, if my boys have the funds we need, we'll fight to the bitter end. I can only pray that the rest of you will do the same, and not leave us stranded while we're up in the sky. All the money in the world ain't gonna get me to fight the whole dang war for you."
Perry listened to an accepting indifference as the others spoke their opinions. The others were perfectly right in their assessment that the air and naval forces alone would not be able to stop the likes of Ravunya or Coryphaeus, yet still, he couldn't help but feel a little miffed at his beloved planes and the good men that flew them being dismissed so carelessly. But yet, there was an upside to all this. Roderick seemed to be rather nervous now, and, to Perry, that seemed to be a perfectly good thing. He was alright with letting the man squirm for a bit. It was satisfying.
"So, we just hope that our friends save us? Not sure how much I like that myself. What if they up and leave us once they realize our land forces might not hold up? Can't say I'm able to talk a whole lot about that, though. I've never been to Regala, or Galatae.
"If you want my opinion, we are at a disadvantage in terms of land forces, but maybe that ain't such a bad thing. After all, none of the other nations are expecting too much from us right now. We could catch 'em off guard, surprise them with how tough we can be with our planes and ships. Land forces ain't much good anyhow, if they're stuck on the ground while the sea and sky and snatched right from them. Even then though, that's just hoping. And we certainly can't rely on that forever. But I'm just an Air Marshall. I'm sure you geniuses have the rest planned out already."
He leaned back in his seat, and downed the remainder of his flask.
---
The soldiers of Acis did not move an inch while the messenger pleaded with them. After war was declared, the whole nation was on edge, and was firmly unwilling to listen to any foreigners. If one wanted to even enter the island, they would have been stopped and interrogated by a band of soldiers at the cliffs surrounding the land. In a matter of days, these soldiers would be instructed to shoot on sight. The messenger was only able to get through at all because Vengeance was on relatively good terms with Galatae, at least compared with most of the other nations. But even during peacetime, one who was not a member of the nobility, the Royal Army, or among those personally invited by the Queen herself could only dream of entering the royal grounds. But because this particular moment was special, the messenger was granted the courtesy of a servant being sent to Claudia asking for special permission for the foreigner to enter, and he ran back as quickly as he could to inform the guards that the Queen said that no messengers from Vengeance were to come anywhere near the castle. Though the woman may have insisted that she had no intention of killing the queen, the guards still acted as though she did.
"You are not to proceed beyond this point," said one stone-faced guard, gripping his broadsword in an attempt to drive his point further. "You will turn back now, or we will take action against you."
"What's all this about?" shouted Alaric, who had just trotted up to the gates on a medium-sized grey horse, having returned from his duties elsewhere in the kingdom.
"Lord Cassia! Welcome back!" exclaimed one guard with a bow. Alaric pulled up beside the messenger, and peered down at her.
"Who is this? Some foreign diplomat?"
"Says she's a messenger, Lord Cassia. From Vengeance." Alaric dismounted, leaving the guard to take the reins of his horse and lead the mare to the stables.
"Ah, I thought you were of Vengeance. I could tell from your manner of dress. I had the honor of meeting your countryman, Roderick, during the meeting earlier. I am Alaric Cassia, humble servant of Her Majesty the Queen. I should apologize on behalf of my nation. We are all a little fearful in these times, as you might imagine. Because of the war, as well as... other things." He gestured to the graffiti on the castle, a disgusted expression crossing his face. What he didn't mention was Claudia's firm dislike of Vengeance, and that the Queen likely saw the possibility of hearing them directly to be a sign of weakness. "That was supposed to have been cleaned off a while ago. Her Majesty was furious when she returned from the meeting to find that it wasn't. You came at a most unfortunate time. I am sorry to say, if it was your intention to have an audience with Her Majesty directly, that will be impossible at this moment. However, I do have a great respect for your nation, and it would be a shame to turn you away without having accomplished what you traveled here for. If you give your message to me instead, I swear upon my honor that the Queen shall receive it. Will that be acceptable?"
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Post by CJ on Feb 5, 2013 21:15:57 GMT -5
Stacy grimaced at Hidane's words. She shook her head and retained her cheeky smile.
"Take over the world?" she asked, leaning back against the wall. "Hidane, you're over-exaggerating things. We're making baby steps here. We fight in this war under the guise of Regala. We'll take it over when everything is said and done and reap the benefits."
Kiyoko glanced at Hidane. The two were bitter enemies but they couldn't ignore the fact that they were both fighting for the same cause.
"Besides, Matty is blind and mute now. If he uses his powers in the wrong way, it messes him up real good. Even if things went to hell, he wouldn't use his abilities now. I kindly reminded him he was cause of his parents death, sounds like something I would make up, but I didn't. It's true. With that and his actions at the meeting, he's not going to be doing anything without my advice for a long time and you can bet I'm going to keep it that way."
The witch hybrid pressed her hand over her mouth.
"For every righteous human, there are nine pieces of scum. We deserve the world but your future descendents will gain it, not us."
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Post by Shark a' Pult on Feb 13, 2013 12:34:48 GMT -5
"Ah, I thought you were of Vengeance. I could tell from your manner of dress. I had the honor of meeting your countryman, Roderick, during the meeting earlier. I am Alaric Cassia, humble servant of Her Majesty the Queen. I should apologize on behalf of my nation. We are all a little fearful in these times, as you might imagine. Because of the war, as well as... other things."
The messenger squirmed when Alaric mentioned her clothes, and though they couldn't see her face, she was frowning. Sometimes she wondered if it was worth keeping the bonds of the past. For someone like Roderick it was easier, all he had were broken shackles, he could still move about freely and was only slightly weighed down at the worst. She couldn't even touch things though, or pick stuff up, and she certainly didn't like being unable to see her own face. Always talking through a mask, it got tiresome. Still though, now was not the time to be considering such things.
"That was supposed to have been cleaned off a while ago. Her Majesty was furious when she returned from the meeting to find that it wasn't. You came at a most unfortunate time. I am sorry to say, if it was your intention to have an audience with Her Majesty directly, that will be impossible at this moment. However, I do have a great respect for your nation, and it would be a shame to turn you away without having accomplished what you traveled here for. If you give your message to me instead, I swear upon my honor that the Queen shall receive it. Will that be acceptable?"
"People were angry back home too, when the same markings showed up all over the place... sure, have the letter. Whatever it takes to get this sorted out, I've got better things to do than play the messenger who never gets past the front gates."
Moving towards Alaric she promptly turned so that her back was facing him. There attached rather crudely with some tape it looked like, was a letter. How else was she supposed to carry the thing, though it may have been apparent that whomever placed it on her did so as a cruel joke and more or less just slapped it on her back. Alaric would have no trouble removing it, though someone would have to as she could not.
"You'd think people offering help in times of crises would be better welcomed... at least, in Vengeance they are. I'm sure we'll look forward to working together, assuming your Queen responds favorably. I was bidden to wait for a response to bring back, whatever the case."
At this point she just hoped they'd hurry up so she could get out of this awful place as soon as possible. If only. Unfortunately she was required to stay however, until she had something to return with, news or another letter. Hopefully they wouldn't have her wait in some sanctioned place, she hated being locked up. Then again, she was doubtful she would be able to find even remotely passable lodgings in this land.
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Post by Sprite on Feb 13, 2013 16:42:54 GMT -5
Snake raised and eyebrow and leaned in as Sable pointed out the fine print, scowling slightly as he turned the brochure over in his hands.
"Full of lies, hell yeah it is."
Dropping the paper on the counter Snake looked to Sable as she spoke of the children of her homeland and their antics regarding the sword. Noticing the slight shift in her mood upon speaking of her homeland, Snake himself couldn't help but break a small grin. Even before reclaiming his birthright, his homeland had always instilled a sense of pride and belonging within him, even if he didn't necessarily always want to be there. A life lived, and survived within the slums was not something one wanted to return to physically.
"With Ibaia's reputation, I'm sure the children are or will be some of the finest craftsmen in the world."
As the hobo once more interrupted their conversation to steal Snake's drink, the Ravunyan Prince frowned slightly but didn't proceed to beat the living daylights out of the hobo. He was an idiot sure, but there was no true malice in him it seemed. He chuckled slightly as the hobo began to comically scream as he was being beaten up. Turning to the letter handed to him however, his face took on a darker cast seeing who it was from.
Reading through it, Snake glanced at Sable before resealing the letter and pushing it back towards her. Taking up the drink she proffered him, he took a gulp and gazed moodily out the door of the establishment at the ever present ash. After a moment's silence he spoke up carefully choosing his words.
"I understand your country's situation, Sable. Arkady Industries can definitely offer you all these things in the letter...but I would have to advise against it."
Draining the rest of his drink in one go, he dropped it on the bar and swiveled in his seat to face the armored Ibaian, his expression serious.
"Arkady Industries stands to throw the world into chaos and persistent war, it's what they feed off of. I can't speak for your country but perhaps at least you would feel some discomfort in allying with a country with such a vision? Speak to your king about allying with Ravunya, Sable. We're strong, and we can offer you aid in this war too, as I'm sure you would be of great assistance to us."
Looking back at the poor helpless hobo, Snake's face hardened as he stood up upon realizing the time. Looking one more time at Sable, this time with a slight smile, he finished.
"It would be an honor to have you fighting at our side, to preserve the world's current balance. Now if you excuse me, that fellow owes me a little beli and he can't pay it back when he's dead. And I've got another meeting with our allies...send word to Ravunya if your king agrees with my offer."
Stressing the word 'our' slightly, Snake gave Sable a conspiratorial wink as he walked away from the bar. On his way out he stopped before the three large strangers who were wailing on the hobo. Raising a hand, he stopped an incoming fist and interjected himself between the three and hopeless homeless man. Letting his killing intent pour itself through his eyes he glared coldly at the three, almost hissing his next words.
"Stand back, all of you. This man is a loyal servant of Ravunya."
Assuming they complied, Snake wouldn't have to dirty his hands or his coat and would walk out of the bar. Though whether he was serious about the hobo being a servant of Ravunya was ambiguous, and it was entirely up to the confused man to follow his new liege out the door or not.
---
Hidane frowned slightly at Stacey's reply. But seemed satisfied for the moment as he gave a small nod and leaned back in his chair, blowing smoke and fire rings towards the ceiling as it seemed he was ready to check out of the meeting.
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Post by Kyubey on Feb 14, 2013 2:30:40 GMT -5
Alaric was visibly unhappy when it became clear that in order to take the message, he would have to remove it from the messenger's back himself. He reached out to take it, but it did far more slowly than another man might have, being meticulously careful to touch her as little as possible while tearing the letter off.
"I bid you to not let this instance shape your opinion of Galatae, he said once the paper was off her back and safely in his hand. "Her Majesty is not quick to trust people in the best of times, and now that war's coming, all her followers have been most cautious. We by no means intend to shun you or your nation." Alaric hoped that statement would prove true. "If you ask me personally, I as well hope that our two countries might come to an understanding and band together. I can only pray that Her Majesty agrees with us. In the past she has agreed to form alliances when circumstances have called for it, so I know that at least we have a chance." Whether Claudia actually saw this war as one of those circumstances or not, Alaric could not tell. From her behavior, it seemed that she did not think of Arkady or any of the other nations as a serious threat perhaps not even serious enough to consider taking help when it was offered to her, and it was possible that she might not have seen the potential value of bolstering allies early in the stages of war.
"Sadly, I do not think you should expect a swift response. Her Majesty can be fickle, and I suspect it would require a fair amount of convincing for her to even look at this. But I shall give you a response. In the meantime, however, you would have to find a place to stay." He leaned closer to her, and spoke quietly enough for the soldiers in the area to not hear him. "While I have never been there myself, I've heard there is an inn called the Prenzie Guard that many travelers are fond of. I suggest starting there. It's in town, near the docks. You should have no trouble finding it."
Leaving her with that, Alaric took a step back, raised a single arm, and gave a polite, formal bow.
"It was an honor and a pleasure. I hope I will be able to send you favorable news shortly. Now then, farewell."
He turned around, and the castle gates opened before him, allowing the noble to stroll right in.
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"So, this is what that messenger came all this way for?" Claudia held the letter as if it might harm her if she became too attached to it, seeing the paper as a horrid intrusion into her throne room. Alaric knelt before her, and nodded.
"Yes, Your Majesty. From what she said to me, I believe this is a plea for friendship."
"I'm certain it is. Now that war has come, it does not surprise me at all to find at least one nation scrambling to make alliances with as many of the others as possible, aiming to let themselves be protected while putting themselves in minimal danger. I should expect that Arkady himself is holding a letter just like this one right now, sent in the hopes that at least one of us would respond favorably."
"While I have nothing but my instinct to present to you, I do think Vengeance is honest in this case. I see no reason for them to have any love for our enemies."
"And if that is true, what of it? It is as I said before, they who are the first to suggest an alliance are those who have the most to fear. I care not for their motivations. Vengeance has nothing that could interest me."
"But Mother," pleaded Prince Leberecht, who had been standing beside the Queen, "Surely you should read this letter before you dismiss it? There's nothing to be lost from listening!"
"I am aware of this, which is why I shall read this letter. If I were to refuse a simple message sent such a long way, regardless of the peasant nation it came from, I would hardly be a decent ruler at all. However, simply receiving a letter does not obligate me to respond, or even to think of it after it has been read. I expect the messenger is aware of this."
"But if they offer to stand by us in their conflict, they should deserve a..."
"I would not speak yet, Leberecht. Not until I read the contents." She raised her tone to a commanding one, and spoke to Alaric. "Gather Duke Bowdren and Princess Elvia. Inform them that we are to have a discussion shortly."
"Understood." He rose, and left the royals alone in the room, content that he had successfully kept his promise. Claudia watched him leave, and then, with Leberecht practically leaning over the throne and behind her shoulder, she opened the letter.
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Post by Mise™ on Feb 14, 2013 12:51:51 GMT -5
A letter was sent from Coryphaeus to the royal palace of Ravunya. The letter was delivered by a hawk that had quickly dropped it and then it flew back home. It wasn't hard to tell where the letter came from, as there was not one, but two royal seals of the Valdiensk family keeping the letter closed. I heard from a certain idiot that you are interested in doing business with us. Under normal circumstances I would tell you to just go fuck yourselves, however I also heard that you helped my mother when some asshole threw her down a balcony. And that changes things a little. Come to meet me and we'll discuss this. For some reason Vaelaris wants to meet you before I do. So go to his place at first, it's the place where the gate reads 'Cophinus'. - A. Valdiensk Along with the letter there was a eternal pose which was pointing towards Coryphaeus, which would be hard to find otherwise and a map of the island. As the letter said there was an X on the map marking the Cophinus household, it was located in the center of the Coryphaean capital, Lielisks. There was one problem though, the map was of the whole Coryphaeus Island and thus it was impossible to just mark a single building on it and it showed just the general location where the party from Ravunya were supposed to go and they might have to wander around for a moment to find the house they were looking for. --------------- If the Ravunyans were to follow the invitation would their route go through the New World towards the ends of the world where Coryphaeus resides. Once they would get closer to the Coryphaeus island they might see some of the other islands under Coryphaean command. They weren't a very pretty sight; at best the island was turned into a factory, a farm, a golf course or something along those lines, where the locals were forced into slavery to provide goods and services for their Coryphaean overlords. At worst the islands were in ruins with hardly anyone or anything living there. When they were getting closer to the Coryphaeus Island itself the temperature would quickly rise and clouds disappear. The weather forecast for Coryphaeus today was hot and sunny, as usual. Soon afterwards travelers could see the island itself, with all the palm trees and other tropical plants. If they were to follow the map they would head towards the center of the island to the capital Lielisks. Lielisks was a great city, one of the greatest cities in the world, with massive population and it was built very tightly. There was always something happening there, a lot of violence and noise. It was very common to see the locals fighting amongst themselves out in the streets. And they weren't just like your average everyday bar fights, no, they were fighting with weapons, weapons that could kill. Besides the locals slaves could be seen out there, chained and looking miserable, following their masters and doing mundane tasks. Following the map to the center of the city one would find an obvious upper class area with mansions everywhere. The most majestic of them had name plates at their gates stating the name of the owner, such as 'Velnius' or 'Vecs', as well as the one that read 'Cophinus'. If one were to travel a bit further away they would find the royal palace itself. Behind the 'Cophinus' gate lied a beautiful garden and some slaves that were taking care of it. As far as being a slave goes that wasn't such a bad job. In there was also what appeared to be a basketball court, a swimming pool and stuff like that; it would appear like the owner of this mansion was big into sports. There was also of course the house itself, it was massive, there was no better way to describe it. The owner of this mansion, Vaelaris, certainly was someone special.
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