unknownseas | but even if the stars and moon collide [afterparty]

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round 3

but even if the stars and moon collide [afterparty]

[Well, that sucked!

After about an hour, invitations written in colorful ink appear under everyone's doors.]

Understandable if you're not up to it, but we're having a memorial and "don't wanna be alone" hang-out in the restaurant again.

[The restaurant has very much been decorated with the most rainbow fabric she could find in the department store. Jonathan got roped in, mainly so she could make sure he was doing okay, but also because she assumed that he knew how to put a tablecloth on a table. He seemed like the type, anyway.

After consulting with Undertaker, most of the food that's been set out is more traditional Chinese funeral food than Victorian—you can get a whole roast duck in the restaurant—but she tried for a mix of things. There is fruit, the aforementioned roast duck, and several vegetarian dishes along with potatoes for some reason and... cookies? Okay then.

Joy's trying, because that was way less terrible for her than it was for basically anyone else.

Happy ~~Pride~~ Wrath, New Rapture!]

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[ The trial has been indeed quite a time, though Vholran is a stubborn sort to say that he's not exhausted after the day's events. But let's be real, he is in his own way.

At the least, Rossiu is a welcome face. He doesn't think much of most the people here, but he's one of literal one or two individuals that he can truly stand to engage in conversation with. So perhaps that is why he puts aside the book on a table for a moment. ]

Oh? Then, feel free to start us off, Rossiu.

[ An invitation to discussion, for certain. He has his full and undivided attention. ]

[Excellent, he'll take the seat nearby and consider how he wants to begin...]

Thank you for backing down when you did. We really did need to focus and I appreciate that you deescalated the situation.

[Vholran easily could have kept going - given his strength, it's not like most people could have easily stopped him. Maybe fighting several of them would have been more fun than the trial. But Vholran took the high road and let it go, and that's important.]

[ There is a long stretch of silence, as that quiet is a minute indication of surprise on Vholran's end. It seems he hadn't expected the expression of gratitude, for whatever reason.

He can't recall the last time someone has expressed such things, it's a funny feeling. ]

...Much as I would have preferred to put more than several individuals in their place, it wasn't in my best interests. You speaking up when you had was a reminder of that.

[ He did not intend to start a fight from a single question, as inclined as he is into liking to starting them. Though, he unfortunately does like physical confrontations (much more fun than trial), so it probably was no small feat in retrospect to tear himself away. ]

I am glad I was able to help, then.

[There's a brief pause before he speaks again.]

I also... don't think you were entirely wrong to antagonize while trying to find answers. I understand why the others were upset and why they were so quick to get angry with you, but... it's a life or death situation in there. If your methods will get results, then who am I to complain?

[Vholran's words were certainly cutting and many of them weren't exactly in the direction of seeking answers - but that's what it started as, and that's what prompted him to ask that question that set Zinda off. Vholran was participating and trying to get answers, and that is likewise important.]

I think some of them forget that sometimes. That if we fail, we all die.

You are rather helpful.

[ Vholran sounds amused when he says that, but he does mean it.

Though, he does also look a little pleased when Rossiu gives his evaluation of his methods. They're not the greatest, and they are far from refined, but he has no intention of allowing any sort of 'weakness' to influence them. ]

Those in Fontaine's position...look for results, and are not afraid to start over no matter how many times failure will crop up in an "experiment", or rather, the "exercise".

[ Such is the nature of experiments where lives were nothing but fuel for those results. ]

We are like rats to him...nothing more, nothing less. He will not show any mercy. And he will be, at the most, amused should we all die in a trial. Those who forget that are fools.

Edited 2022-07-03 03:08 (UTC)

Yes, that's precisely what I've been thinking.

[Well, maybe not in those exact words. But the sentiment is the same, at the very least!]

I understand that emotion can cause people to react poorly, and there are those who will take their anger out on the nearest target. But he's the one we should be focused on - he's the one who brought us here and is attempting to force us to play along.

[So today was... pretty frustrating in that respect.]

He is our enemy and our captor. He would rather see us become like the monster we see him as while he continues to get whatever he wants.

[ He sounds a little snide towards the last half of that, revealing just how little of an opinion he holds of the Mayor and it isn't like he is in any place to call him a monster, considering he's no angel either, but eh. ]

You and a select number will likely need to continue to remind them of that fact in the event more fall prey to these...incentives.

I assume you'll be up to the thankless task.

[ At that, he will chuckle. The implication is that Vholran is well aware that he would not be the person for it. ]

Yes, I will be. There isn't much I can do right now aside from that.

[Vholran wouldn't be a good fit for it, but it's more because Vholran would somehow word it in such a way where everyone would get angry at him instead of the Mayor, so it would be rather useless. Still, it's good that Vholran's aware of it.]

While I can't promise I will always succeed, I do believe that most of them will remember that when faced with it. I plan on continuing to fight for as long as I can.

[He's faced worse odds and lived, right? So he can do this.]

[ Rossiu is very much correct that whatever response he'd have regarding the matter would be quite anger inducing to the rest of the populace here. So, he will leave some of the delicate matters to the Supreme Commander.

He will still be himself when it comes down to it, though. So, his natural state of being in a trial will not change...much, if he has something to say. ]

You live up to holding the amount of resolve I anticipated. I look forward to seeing that continue to be the case.

[ There is a minute pause as Vholran seems to consider something, fingers idly tapping on the table in front of them as he takes in the man's appearance. ]

...But, there is always more you can do, or rather be capable of. Are you trained in the art of combat, Rossiu?

[Huh. He wasn't exactly expecting praise from Vholran, but he nods at that. This is what's both expected and required of him, but if that's all it was he would have cracked from the pressure long ago.

It's Vholran's question that gets him to pause, considering.]

The training I have isn't applicable here. I can pilot a gunman and I'm capable of fighting with one, but aside from that, no.

[He dodged a punch once?? Does that count.]

A leader should know some basic combat maneuvers. I can teach you.

[ Vholran keeps it short and simple, without feeling the need to explain why. It is plainly obvious, as far as he's concerned. As for that other term... ]

You can also tell me what this gunman is supposed to be.

[ ...He is not too unfamiliar with advanced machinery, but the term escapes him. ]

[Oh, that seems... really generous of Vholran, actually...]

Thank you. I would appreciate it. I'll do my best to learn quickly.

[It's going to be a bit of a struggle, sorry in advance, Vholran.......

But he can answer that and Rossiu nods.]

Gunmen are... essentially large robots. Like Misfire, though far larger.

[Thank god we have a Transformer in this round to make explaining this easier.]

While I am hardly the best pilot, I was chosen to assist Simon in taking down the Spiral King, using our strongest gunmen, Gurren Lagann. This one is different from the others as it requires two pilots - Simon for Lagann, and I piloted Gurren. They are usually combined together, but can split off and function separately. Most combat involves the use of missiles and other such projectiles [like a pair of giant sunglasses, don't worry about it] but we did have to use Gurren Lagann in close-quarters combat on occasion as well.

[ Maybe it is just a bit...! ]

I expect you will. Every day we will start in the afternoon—which will be at whatever time I find you at. Be prepared.

[ Vholran will place his expectations adequately low for someone just starting out, so it should be fine. He has had soldiers under his command, so overviewing combat ability and such isn't too strange for him at least.

Not that he'll be the most easy-going instructor here, but hey. ]

It sounds like a useful machine. And not comparable to anything I am familiar with. There are ships and whatnot but none of them can 'combine', like this gunmen.

[ Too bad none of those are around here for any of them to use. ]

...I assume this Spiral King was the previous 'tyrant' you fought against.

[Rossiu nods at that. Noted! He will do his best and will try not to horribly disappoint Vholran.]

That's correct. Lordgenome ruled over the beastmen and subjugated humanity, forcing us to live underground. We banded together and rose up, killing him and his generals to gain our freedom and reclaim the surface. The gunmen were beastmen weapons that we stole and learned to use so we could fight back.

Hmm...interesting.

[ ...Says the tyrant, thinking mainly of the efforts of Alphen and company. ]

So the oppressor is defeated by those who were once under his rule. An irony to that when his weapons have been used against him.

[ The amused look from earlier comes back just fine. ]

His carelessness was his downfall.

Carelessness... I'm not entirely sure it was that.

[He's been thinking about that a lot since Lordgenome's fall. His dying words have haunted Rossiu's thoughts for seven years and even now that he knows the meaning behind them...]

Arrogance, certainly. I think he did want to see what humanity was capable of, but I don't think he ever truly thought we would pose a challenge.

But in the end he seemed... satisfied.

[Rossiu shakes his head once that's out there.]

Regardless, it hardly matters now.

[i mean it'll matter when nandor gets lordgenome's head in a jar out of the vending machine on sunday but shhhhh]

Hm.

[ Sounds like a situation where it's entirely possible for someone to get a head of themselves, huh. ]

...Because he's dead. And when someone is dead, they can't be much of anything.

[ Which is, perhaps, a very nice statement to make. But Vholran is plenty sure there is no love lost between Rossiu and the one who was once Spiral King. He doesn't quite understand how someone can be satisfied with losing everything, but maybe there was something else to it. ]

Yes, precisely.

[Perhaps it would be too cruel a statement were they speaking about their fellow captives, but they're talking about Lordgenome so it's more than fine.]

At any rate, it seems I got a bit off-topic, my apologies.

[ A chuckle escapes him at that. ]

An apology is not necessary.

I'd argue it was still relevant. Though, it seems that even with so many different events and situations in all of our...different worlds, there is always one constant. Take a guess at what you believe that to be?

[One constant. Hmm. Given what he's heard of other worlds, he can venture a few guesses... but it takes him a moment to decide on the one he thinks fits best.]

There is always a major conflict to overcome in some way, and with it, there will always be those who rise to the challenge and decide to fight. Regardless of the odds, there will always be those who hold onto hope and will refuse to give up.

Something like that, perhaps?

[ "Hope", huh?

It sounds close to what the people he's facing would say. Such a word is unsuitable for him, but the rest...not so much. ]

An interesting way of phrasing it.

[ The rest of those words, however, are a perfect summation of the spirit of how he's persisted despite the fact he has stared down certain death so many times. ]

...But, yes something like that.

How would you put it, then?

[It's not pointed, he's genuinely curious in Vholran's thoughts on it.]

Like what you said.

Conflict arises. To end it, people need to destroy and kill whoever or whatever is in the way of resolving it. They defy their enemy, and spite them by surviving whatever is thrown their way. And at the resolution, those who need to be put in their place should be.

[ ...... that is. Perhaps differently from how Rossiu phrased it. ]

Perhaps my views are overly optimistic.

[Which isn't usually a thing one can say about Rossiu, but he's been through a lot recently, and he'd prefer the optimism right now.]

Still, it is interesting that it remains a constant throughout all our worlds - and this one as well, of course.

So let's endeavor to do just that - we'll put the Mayor in his place the moment we have the opportunity.

[The time for diplomacy has definitely passed, after all!!]

Overly optimistic, but not overly idealistic.

[ That is his way of more or less stating that he finds it acceptable. Mostly because Fontaine absolutely would not, and for all of his optimism, Rossiu doesn't sound so naïve. ]

When that opportunity comes, I will enjoy it, and our victory.

[ He won't exactly ask Rossiu to revel in it, but he's more than certain there would be relief on all parties afterwards. ]

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onemillion - 2022-07-06 16:05 (UTC) - Expand

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