video; un: lodge (with special guest alucard)

[refashioned]

[Happy Valentine's Day, Club Ophelia! Naturally, this guild is neither a club nor really in a place to pass around cute Valentine's with fantastic puns, but one could consider this a spectacular day to publicly broach a specific issue: marriage.

No, not among the various members of the lovely guild, but the Empresses themselves. Love is in the air, isn't it? Or it could be. In time.

As it is, incoming Veronica and a beautiful vampire man by the name of Alucard. Thankfully, no one will be announcing any murders here, accidental, in self-defense, or otherwise.]

Hello, Guild Ophelia! [That's Veronica. She's as chirpy and confident as ever.] Alucard and I have a proposal to make. Let's just say "proposal" is a fitting way to talk about precisely how we want to approach the rest of this mission. Some of you have already heard what I have to say about this, but I think it's fitting if we hear it from another party.

[Alucard, on the other hand, is calm and keeping his usual regal approach.] In addition, I thought it best to ensure everyone heard what we had to say. Veronica’s idea is a wise one: there will be persistent unrest with all people in both regions. If they are unable to agree to one ruler, there is no reason to not revere both as ruling parties. It would be an ideal resolution.

This could be arranged easily by marriage between both Empresses.

[Veronica is seen nodding in response to this, pleased that this is coming together.]

I know a number of you think a peace treaty might be the answer. I don't disagree, but we're here to ensure that there's a more permanent solution moving forward. The union of these two women is the best way for both of these societies to have their cake and eat it, too. Their combined resources and culture can only make them both better. And we're not left desperately trying to make Doro be the one in charge … or someone like him. We know he just doesn't suit the unique nature of this world. [One that Veronica herself is rather fond of!]

So, let's discuss team.

Comments

[justbeingknife]

That's true. We're actin' like these proposals are somethin' they wouldn't have thought of on their own. But they know their people better than anyone else.

And this is their home. Their decision to make -- not ours. Our job is to support them.

[hackedhistory]

[Zari nods again.]

The best we can do is give them a good option that they can build on. I just hope we wind up choosing the right one.

[There's no glancing ahead to the future to make sure things are lining up properly. Part of her is really missing Gideon and the Waverider right now.]

[justbeingknife]

Yeah. Hey, thanks -- think I needed to talk that through a little.

My name's Majima, by the way. Don't think we've ever run into each other before.

[hackedhistory]

Zari. And probably not. I'm kind of new to this whole Hathaway thing.

[AKA she was not part of ALASTAIR.]

What about you?

[justbeingknife]

Yeah. It's my first mission as an agent. I'm used to workin' with... less people.

[ And also less talking. And way more punching! It was a bit of an adjustment. ]

How's it treatin' you so far?

[hackedhistory]

[She gives a small shrug in return.]

Could have been worse. At least the food doesn't suck.

[Zari clearly has her priorities in order.]

[justbeingknife]

[ That got a brief smile. ]

Yeah, I guess. Goin' back to HQ's gonna be an adjustment, though. Spent the last two years in Sotenbori.

[hackedhistory]

Never heard of it.

[Though she hasn't exactly traveled much.]

Is it on Earth?

[justbeingknife]

Yeah. It's in western Japan, part of Osaka.

The whole area's famous for its food. Matter of fact, they call it 'the nation's kitchen'.

[hackedhistory]

[And just like that it's added to Zari's travel list. All you have to do is promise her good food and she is there.]

Sounds like a great place to be.

[justbeingknife]

Plenty to keep ya busy, too. Just don't try and take a swim in the river.

If you ever end up goin', there's a restaurant with a big moving crab on it -- Kani Douraku. Seafood place. A lotta tourists visit, but the food's great.

[hackedhistory]

[And there's a raised eyebrow, as she considers for a moment, before ... no she's not just going to let that go.]

What's in the river?

[Is it a sea monster or is it just pollution?]

[justbeingknife]

You know. Whatever people toss into it.

[ aka just normal garbage, this wasn't The Host or anything ]

They've been tryin' to clean it up recently, but it still ain't the best idea. All I can say is I'm glad people're finally paying more attention to the issue. Once something like that's gone, it's gone.

[hackedhistory]

[She nods in agreement, because ain't that the truth.]

Water conservation has been a thing on my end of Earth too - but it's not ARGUS's biggest priority.

[justbeingknife]

Ha! Ya ask me, savin' the world's a pretty big priority.

[ SEPARATE YOUR TRASH. DON'T SEND PLASTICS TO THE INCINERATOR. ]

What's ARGUS?

[hackedhistory]

A black ops organization that kind of took over the government.

[She is not a fan.]

And saving the world is their priority, but they're worried about another threat.

[justbeingknife]

Well, that went from 0 to 60 all of a sudden. Heard about that kinda thing happening in other countries, but modern Japan definitely ain't seen anything like that.

[ In fact, now he was left to wonder if that was why she was here... ]

[hackedhistory]

[It's not, actually! Because Hathaway can't change time. So she's going to keep relying on her own resources for that for now, and focus on the Mallus problem in front of her.

Honestly, it's the bigger threat. ARGUS continuing as it is is bad, but Mallus unleashed on all of time would be worse.]

I'm from 2042, so ... I'm the kind of dystopian survivor that people used to write young adult novels about.

[She's joking but ... she's not at the same time.]

[justbeingknife]

Sorry to hear it. Where I'm from, we ain't there yet -- you got about 54 years on me.

[ Yes, he's from the 80s, yes it's even more ridiculous than everyone remembers. ]

Hope you all can turn that around.

[hackedhistory]

You and me both. But for right now, gotta focus on the problem at hand, right?