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

[datapoint]

...what?

[What.]

[selfimage]

Do you have a horse in this race?

[ DOES THIS MAKE MORE SENSE? ...MAYBE?? ]

[datapoint]

[Loki the first time she ever even saw a horse was in Hanabira.]

Are you just saying whatever pops into your head?

[selfimage]

I suppose we all can't be up on current cultural references.

[ as if ... they weren't all from different universes. you know. Loki. ]

I'm talking about biases.

[datapoint]

What would I be biased about? I just got here.

[selfimage]

Being new certainly doesn't keep you from them, especially if this is your first jaunt around the multiverse.

If she steps down then what would be your concern in how we get there? Just asking for the sake of asking and all.

[datapoint]

You're asking why I would be concerned if we broker peace by threatening civilians? Is that a real question?

[selfimage]

I'm asking why if no one is hurt—if it prevents the casualties of this escalating to war—why you would be so morally opposed? Sparing the details, of course.

[datapoint]

[Oh, my god. She's incredulous.] Because it's terrorizing innocent people! We'd be letting the other empress take control of a threatened, frightened people -- does that sound like the beginnings of a peaceful coexistence to you?

[selfimage]

It's not if they don't know. Besides, we haven't heard the other Empress' story yet, have we? Let's keep our brains open. Peaceful solutions don't always mean keeping your hands clean.

Either way—no, I didn't suggest that, just for the network record.

[datapoint]

Isn't that the definition of a peaceful solution? Keeping your hands clean?

[selfimage]

[ she thinks of her mother, who dispatched her into making sure that the political climate was ripe for peace. she was the one who did the dirty work, following-up with the loose ends and scheming while her mother wiped her hands of it. ]

Oh—absolutely not. It's always far more complicated than that. If we manage? Bravo for us.

[eyedrop]

[ Aizawa doesn't really know what verbal circle Loki's trying to draw, and he doesn't really care, either. He's a man who prefers to be right to the point. ]

I'm saying that if anyone sees you snooping around, you'll frighten them. You'll worsen the climate. You won't help anybody.

Besides, we already know the mood just from what people have said in this post. The only way to move forward is to talk to the Empress. Anything else is either wasting time, or actively detrimental.

[selfimage]

[ there's a pause and a little hm. ]

Oh, hello again. [ there's a bit of a sigh. ] If you want me to shut up, there are better ways to do it.

[eyedrop]

[ After all this chatter, Aizawa wants pretty much everyone to shut up. ]

You're right. Shut up.

[selfimage]

...

For now.