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

un: sharpshooter

[ceruleo]

I'm a little confused, if we're being honest. You seem good at politics.

[ He's not, in case that wasn't apparent. ]

If we do, somehow, get an audience with these people—with the Empress. What are we proposing? What's our angle? I mean, I get we're trying to stop a war! But just saying, 'hey, war sucks, don't do it' isn't gonna get rid of the underlying problem, which is that we've got two Empresses and both of them think they're the one.

[eyedrop]

Mostly I'd like to ensure that she's willing to negotiate with the other empire, despite the attack.

[ceruleo]

Negotiate, like, a treaty?

[eyedrop]

Well, we have a couple of objectives. First, we need to talk with her about the impact of the attack. How it's affected her and her people. We have to make sure we acknowledge her feelings, and the fear that her subjects have suffered.

[ He doesn't want to discount that at all. But, even so ... another sigh. ]

But then we have to come an accord. Explain that retaliation will only lead to retaliation, and that war won't help anyone. So, in other words: we want to encourage peace talks, yes. We already know that the attackers acted of their own accord and without approval from their Empress, so that should help.

[ceruleo]

Okay, okay. Got it. [ A beat. ] Is she gonna believe us? I mean didn't that guy [ this guy ] say he read someone's mind or something...?

[eyedrop]

That's where all the people with charm and charisma come in.

He did say that. Yes.

[ and then jumped to a totally irrational conclusion, but that's neither here nor there. ]

[ceruleo]

[ No comment on Kylo Ren's deduction skills, because, let's be real. Lance can't do better. ]

Charm and charisma, huh? Can I help?

[ Implying he has either of those things. ]

[eyedrop]

Sorry, I should have been more precise. That's where all the women with charm and charisma come in.

[ Well, Lance did talk down those goats. But they're not really part of this society. Less biases. ]

[ceruleo]

[ Oh. Right. ]

Maybe next world.

[ A beat, then: ]

You should get Princess Allura to help you out. She's got all the wining-and-dining diplomacy stuff on lock for sure.

[eyedrop]

[ He'd heard her talking in response to the others, and while he doesn't know much about her, she did sound pretty cultured. ]

I'll look her up. We need everyone we can get.

[ceruleo]

She's the real deal, alright. She does a lot of speeches for the Coalition, plus she's a great actress.

[ I mean, she sustained the 'surly Keith look' for a whole episode. Impressive. ]

[eyedrop]

[ hmm ]

You sound pretty fond.

[ceruleo]

What can I say? If you knew Allura, you'd fall for her, too.

[eyedrop]

[ He has a guess that Allura is also a teenager, so he doubts it. ]

Just stay focused.

[refashioned]

You play the angle that comes with approaching them at a time like this: that you've been through something similar. Our princesses likely have. Offer help, guidance, and support. We can even say our princesses came over to help because they heard of the dire straits.

It goes from there.

[ceruleo]

Man, that's smooth.

How do you just know this stuff?

[refashioned]

[Veronica deliberates for a few seconds of silence—]

My father is a renowned business man. It's difficult not to learn, and then cross apply.