video; un: eraserhead

[eyedrop]

[ Aizawa's lolling against some tree somewhere. Terrible, slumped posture; hair wild about his face. His expression is neutral, bordering on irritable, and his voice is an exhausted monotone. He sits with one leg folded over the other, idly tossing a cat figurine from hand to hand. ]

Hey. Myself and a few others did some looking around. Apparently, both the sea clan and the mountain clan have their allies--but they're not within easy reach. In the case of the sea clan, the empress's brother is married to some far-off queen. The mountain clan's allies aren't too nearby, either.

[ He shifts minutely. His eyes flutter briefly shut, and he sighs. ]

Point being, war between these two would be irrational. The old man we spoke with said no one really wants to start anything, but I don't know how true that is. I haven't tried to approach the nobles.

[ He really doesn't look or act the part, and he knows it. Nor does he have an escort. ]

If you've spoken to any of them, what's the mood? What do they want?

[ He cards a hand through his hair, frowning slightly. ]

They're the key to this, I think. Certainly the key to actually meeting that empress of theirs. So if you've got info, or if you've made any connections, spill it.

Comments

[spiritgun]

Hey, you're awake again.

[ and digging up info yusuke doesn't really know what to do with yet. ]

What's the old man know? If they really want to fight, it's not gonna be rational. That sneak attack wasn't.

audio; un: aloy

[datapoint]

By all accounts, the "sneak attack" wasn't an official action. Don't assume everyone's irrational just because a handful of people took matters into their own hands.

[spiritgun]

That handful did a lot of damage.

[ which had probably been the point of that sneak attack. ]

Maybe no one officially wants to start a fight, but people have gotta be pissed. That's not going away overnight.

[datapoint]

Right. But it's different from an all-out war. We still have time to stop that from happening.

[spiritgun]

Right.

[ The least optimistic "right" ever uttered. ]

You see what that Thrawn guy is saying?

[datapoint]

[Give her a second to re...listen?? To what he's saying. However the magitek works, mysteryghost.png.]

I disagree that stopping a war before it starts is ever wrong.

[spiritgun]

He's right about the other thing. About what happens if no one declares war but the attacks keep happening.

[eyedrop]

Your observation skills are improving.

[ He shrugs. ]

He's probably speaking at least somewhat out of hopeful self-interest. If these two kingdoms go to war, it's the Flowerlands that'll feel the real pain.

Doesn't make it a logical choice for any of'em, though.

[spiritgun]

[ wow his skills are great!! ]

I didn't think about that.

[ but the bigger picture comes into stark focus. ]

I talked to a guy on here who thinks the attacks are still gonna keep going on, even if war isn't happening yet. What if they keep going even if the nobles want peace?

[eyedrop]

Then we'll have to intervene. Keep the peace where we can. Convince them of the rational path.

[ He knows it's all easier said than done. But that's the case for any mission he's ever been on. ]