2035/The Queen

The Queen
Date of Scene:	16 April 2015
Location:	The Corridors of Time
Synopsis:	The Multiversal Group attempt negotiation with the mad Queen Zeal.
Cast of Characters:	66, 168, 369, Riva Banari, Ayako Hasekawa, 679, 691, 733, 747
Tinyplot:	That Zeal Thing

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Schala Zeal (733) has posed:
    As the group passes through the warpgate today, Schala is nowhere to be found. Instead those present are greeted by a full troop of soldiers. Ten men clad in emerald armor stand in perfect formation, their spears all pointed skyward, their line flanked at its extremes by beasts that resemble bipedal ogre-manticore chimeras. Their heads all turn in unison to look upon them as they emerge, but not a step is taken nor a move made -- all they do is watch. Several seconds pass this way in complete, apprehensive silence, but there eventually comes a moment when the two soldiers at the heart of the line part. They turn to face one another, clap their feet together, and knock their halberds to the ground as a man clad in a violet robe and white shawl steps forward, hands locked behind his back.

    The man reveals his name to be Belthasar, and introduces himself as the Guru of Reason. He assures them that Schala is fine, just resting in her room, and that they will be brought to her location forthwith. He keeps his word almost immediately after introductions are made, ushering them onward through the snow. It's a bit of a trudge, but in time the group reaches a small, pulsing dome wrought from enchanted tan and gold bricks. One such stone envelops the form of all who step upon it in a glorious light which beams them skyward, far above the clouds. Next anyone looks, they find themselves perched upon what appears to be the peak of a Ziggurat staked into a garden of immaculate, swaying rye.

    They find themselves, finally, in the Kingdom of Zeal.

    Even from here, one is able to see the azure majesty of the sky. White tufts dot its scape, and some might even meander into the faces of onlookers just to prove, definitively, how close they truly are to the heavens. Far, far, in the distance there are towering cylinders -- the markers of cities that play host to the incredible magitechnology which this empire has wrought. Yes, it seems that vivid color and sheer beauty extend onward and forever with no end, and yet the natives who had greeted them on the surface pay it no mind. They progress as though this were all entirely mundane and, granted, to them it might be, but their apathetic advance is only further proof of how disconnected, how entitled these 'Enlightened Ones' truly are. It would be enough to make a more sensitive sort ill.

    And for those sorts, perhaps it's a good thing that their advance through the rolling hills and artistic environs is swift. They walk clear past what Belthasar calls 'Enhasa', a city where scholars allegedly use magic to research their dreams. Then they descend to the world below again for a spell, only to rise again near a river which cascades infinitely to the world below, serving as their final obstacle before they reach the system of caves which serves as the gateway to the palace proper. On that rise, one might catch a glimpse of that illustrious castle, its mythical spire splitting even the highest reaches of the sky in twain.

    Then they pass through the reception room, a sea of skeptical stares, and a hallway guarded by a pair of rotund, blue creatures -- things the guru refers to as 'Nu'. Every step reveals a freshly fantastic tapestry, or perhaps a gilded painting of one of the royal ancestors, until at last the elites come face-to-face with Her.

    Queen Zeal is here, her countenance contorted into a smug grin, her elbow rested languidly on the arm of her lavish throne. She beckons them closer with her freer left arm, maintaining that look of not at all subtle condescension for every feasible moment. These gestures garner looks from Schala beside her, and then yet more from a blue-haired boy at her feet. He greets the group with a scowl fit for the pompous airs of the kingdom before promptly switching his attentions to the purple cat circling his heels.

Schala Zeal (733) has posed:
    "I bid you welcome to my kingdom," The Queen boldly intones, "but I'll waste not another word on pleasantry. I hear you all have some concerns about the way I have treated some of my subjects. I would like to hear them so that we do not need to play this ridiculous game of cat-and-mouse any longer." Then all eyes in the room turn to the group. The tension in the atmosphere makes quite clear that there are many different ways this could go.

Schala Zeal (733) has posed:
    Several moments later, another familiar face teleports into the room beside the Queen: Dalton. His face is twisted into the most insipid scowl imaginable, and the stub that once held his left arm hangs suspended in adhesives.

    He doesn't say anything, but it's pretty obvious that the disgust is mutual.

Ivraala (679) has posed:
    Staring, tense silence? Ivraala can do that.

    When the towering draenei steps out to meet the troop of soldiers, she doesn't make a move or even seem to acknowledge them much. Her greataxe is at her back, as always, but her armored hood remains drawn over her face, with cold blue eyes seeming to stare at all of them at once. Aside from the slow, steady lashing of her tail back and forth behind her, she seems completely frozen.

    Until Belthasar arrives, at least. Ivraala's eyes narrow faintly at the small man, but she says nothing; his assurance is met with a small, grateful nod, and then she starts walking, each hoofstep tireless and steady, uncaring of the length of the walk or the snow covering it.

    The Kingdom of Zeal, however.../that/ is something worthy of abruptly shocking the Death Knight. When she suddenly finds herself in that sprawling kingdom of light and life, she freezes; even her tail stops, curling loosely around one leg. Emotion finally settles on her normally cold face as she feels overtaken at once by a mixture of nostalgia, longing, and heartache. Her birth was long after Argus was destroyed and abandoned, but still she remembers the architecture of her people: the Exodar, the city of Shattrath in Draenor, wherever the draenei found the strength to settle down and /build/. It was like this, wasn't it, or at least close enough? How long has it been since she was last allowed to see one of those places, the homes of her people, the dwellings of Light?

    Ivraala shivers, but not from the cold.

    It's a few seconds before she's drawn out of her reverie, and she quickly trots ahead to catch up with the rest of the group as they move along. Still, she can't help stealing glances here and there, even as she feels the overwhelming sense that she /does not/ belong here. Soon enough, they enter the throne room, and the towering knight of ice and death lingers closer to the back of the group, silent for the moment to allow her more vocal allies to start them off.

    Dalton, however, gets a long, steady stare from across the room, frigid enough to freeze over the sun itself.

Lucatiel of Mirrah (66) has posed:
The masked knight seems terribly unimpressed by all of this pomp and circumstance, to go by her utterly unperturbed posture. Her expression is hidden by the brazen mask fitted over her face (some may perhaps wonder if she even /has/ a face beneath it; no one in the multiverse has ever seen her remove it), but her posture is at ease, as though unconcerned by the presence of the royal guard, or the potentiality for the scenario to turn hostile.

At the least, she makes no move to carry her weapons; rapier at her hip and cavalry greatsword across her back, burnished steel shield over one shoulder. She wears the finery she had been seen in last time, although this time clean of any bloodstains; hands gloved, stride brisk.

Something in her posture seems slightly disdainful at the presence of snow, though. Snow is an aggravating and unpleasant phenomenon that, if it were left up to her, shouldn't exist. The plumes of her hat bob slightly in time to her pace, which follows the others with relatively little sightseeing; she seems uninterested in the scenery, only here because she had been called to be here.

She stops before the Queen, and one look at that condescending countenance suggests she isn't going to kneel. No; the Knight of Mirrah stands with back straight, head very slightly arched. It's a posture of pride.

Then she slowly eases into a more relaxed posture, folding her arms, as though wholly unconcerned by the fact that she is essentially a hare sitting in the midst of a wolf's den... and the alpha female is standing right in front of her, licking her chops.

Half a glance is cast, briefly, toward Dalton; she makes no move but stares at him a moment, perhaps long enough to get some of the less courageous soldiers whispering about the Masked Demon. And then she looks away from him, slowly, deliberately; face lingering a moment in Schala's direction, brim of her hat tipping just faintly as she inclines her head in greeting. Eventually she turns to face Queen Zeal again with just enough languidness to indicate she doesn't fear the queen.

Lucatiel says nothing, merely waiting in silence, straight-backed and with enough pride to, perhaps, subtly insult the proud Queen. She is a knight, but she is still a Knight of Mirrah; not this cold and insufferable place with its insane rulers and even more insane policies. She will not kneel before this creature; will not even bow before her, nor even incline her head.

Instead, it cants very slightly to one side, as though to say without words, 'well?'

Ayako Hasekawa has posed:
    Ayako blinks her eyes quickly when there is a full troop of soliders on the other side of the warpgate. She looks back at the group with a 'Umm... what do we do now?' look on her face. She just nervously watches the soldiers back.

    Ayako of course, introduces herself in her usual cheerful fashion, and curiously follows along with the group. She blinks her eyes slowly at the pulsing dome and even more so when they are beamed skyward above the clouds.

    So this is the Kingdom of Zeal? What a contrast compared to the world below! Yet despite how beautiful it is, Ayako still sighs softly. She is one of those sensitive enough to see how the natives take something like this for granted. She just follows along with the group quietly.

    When introduced to Queen Zeal, Ayako curtsies elegantly in her voluminous robe/coat. "Thank you for having us." Oh. Straight to the point, huh? She wasn't here in person to see the condition of the village herself. Not only that, this is a sensitive diplomatic situation! It's probably best to leave the talking to someone else who has a better idea of what exactly to say. Like Nathan Hall! Nonetheless, she knows enough how to be respectful!

Shizune Nakamura (369) has posed:
    Having graduated from high school means that Shizune has several more hours of free time a day. For someone so accustomed to the hustle and bustle of daily school life - as an important official, no less - filling those hours has been... difficult.

    She plans to begin working full-time in her teacher's dojo, and to inherit it eventually, but before doing that, the young lady has promised herself a month or two, well, to herself. So other than attending her three-times-a-week dojo, she has still had time to herself.

    And adding an extra half-hour to morning taiji practice only goes so far.

    So she's filling her time for the next week or three by getting a little more involved with the Union's diplomatic corps. It's one of the things she's very well suited to; though the kingdom of Zeal might amaze her (and it most certainly does), though the guards might intimidate (and they do, just a little), she is quite capable of mantaining a poker face and a polite demeanor throughout the entire trip, even in the face of Queen Zeal's obvious disdain.

    Indeed, she responds to it only with a polite, formal bow, perfectly befitting the situation. "Shizune Nakamura, your highness. We thank you for your willingness to hear us out. For the moment, as something of a newcomer, I'll leave discussion of the issue to those more familiar."

Nathan Hall (168) has posed:
    Nathan Hall is here. His right-side lens is still fractured.

    He has been polite and compliant throughout the whole tour-like entrance. He sweeps his stoic vision over the incredible vistas and incredible environment and suchlike, and he honestly is probably the model of what Zeal would like out of vistors just short of "being dead". Honestly, his emotionless and unresponsive expression on the way in doesn't really bear much examination, the talking's the most important part, as always. As such, that's what Nathan does. They're brought before the queen! Nathan steps forward to speak up rather than wait around.

    "Salutations. Thank you for the welcome, Your Majesty, and I will similarly avoid wasting any time. The issues we have with your administration are simple. Your government is employing policies that the Union and many other political and individual entities believe to be inhumane, due to mortality, trauma, living conditions, and other similar matters. Thus we are motivated to rectify the perceived inhumane treatment of the relevant subjects." He's intentionally cutting right to the point, conspicuously so, because he believes that Zeal will recognize this as a show of respect for what she wants. It's also a subtle, subconscious prompting for her to make a show of her own power in a contradictory or intimidating state, which will let Nathan operate from a position where Zeal feels more comfortable afterwards.

Schala Zeal (733) has posed:
    The Queen quirks her brow at Lucatiel, allowing her smile to wane just a moment, but as she begins to notice the intent of her casual gestures... she smiles. It's a grimace that warbles eternally between bemusement and irritation which, for the time being, is the best response that she is able to conjure for her. As for Dalton, he would return the looks he's given by deepening his scowl ever further. Eventually this expression becomes so pronounced that his face almost transforms into a snarling lion's -- quite a different reaction than he had when he was on the cusp of defeat. Likewise, if these soldiers are aware of the rumors that have spread about Lucatiel, they do not heed them; they simply continue to stare forward, immovable and stoic as statues. Seems she won't be getting a rise out of these ones as easily.

Schala Zeal (733) has posed:
    Next, the Queen turns to Ayako and Shizune. Before they can even finish their sentences, she interrupts them with a loud, echoing 'Bah!'. "Didn't I already tell you about the pleasantries? Please, you'll curry no favor with me by being rote and insincere. I can see full well the hatred you bear me, and while I'd certainly prefer that you maintain -civility-, you do not need to feign gratefulness. Is that clear?" She swats at the air with the back of her hand. "Any more of that nonsense and you'll make me gag."

Yari Takane (691) has posed:
The magitech in this place is stunning. Beyond anything even the Centurion has seen, Yari does her level best to not stare too much. The pure gaudy decadence in the floating Kingdom does much to help. While her own empire isn't above decoration, it's nothing close to this. As a woman raised around military efficiency and austerity, it sickens her to see such idle works.

Yari, perhaps unsurprisingly, doesn't come along with the main group. Instead, she keeps several paces from behind as the group passes through the reception area. Her clothes today seem to be those of Zeal, the woman having taken quite some time since the last altercation to see, and be seen, in and around the Palace grounds and various other cities as she worked to get a feel for the populace and its rulers.

At least the military members that join them can properly march. Yari makes a mental note to ask Daltan to see if they can fight.

Colorful robes flapping about herself as they enter the throne room proper, Yari keeps a wide berth from the rest of those gathered. When they're addressed, Yari dips into a slight bow before pleasantries are swiftly dashed. Though she's stoic-faced and neutral like a proper soldier, the horned woman inwardly smiles. At least the ruler here is to the point.

Then Daltan appears. She keeps slightly closer to the scowling man just in case things go awry. Again. This hasn't exactly been her best assignment, after all.

But the Unionites are out in force today. Best to not jump before seeing what their game plan is.

"Alright then. I have questions of my own, You Highness, regarding this Kingdom, its people, and certain matters of long-term stability, perhaps other matters of interest from those I represent. I'll let the larger party ask first in the interest of time." She nods to the Unionites. Ball's in their court.

"But I will ask, what is this Kingdom's current stance on the worlds beyond this one and its nations and powers?" Best to get the big one out of the way first.

Riva Banari has posed:
Riva knows there's been some measure of discontentment here. The frigid grounds are something of a shock to her, to understand that people are trying to live within this harsh land of some form while the people of the Zeal Kingdom engage in policies that are functionally magical eugenics and class warfare on a scale Riva's never seen before.

The land is pretty, however. Riva watches the environment and keeps quiet for some time as she proceeds through the long, long trek across the land, through the Kingdom of Zeal, and finally are brought before the Queen.

Being unaware of prior events, Riva engages this situation with a mostly fresh perspective, which she promptly uses to admire the environment. Even if there are evil things going on, there is still beauty and goodness. Surely the same can be said of the people there, right?

Riva gives the Queen a bow, smiling pleasantly. "Greetings, your Majesty! It is a wonderous time to visit your land. I've never seen anything like this before in my times in the Multiverse." She pauses. "But as Mr. Hall has said, we've seen a good deal of suffering too. Could you tell us about your land and how the structure of it works, and how the context of that affects how things are seen to a newcomer?"

Shizune Nakamura (369) has posed:
    There is a brief pause, and then Shizune reaches up to adjust her glasses, just enough to ensure that the light gleams off of them. By the time she's finished, her expression has grown just a bit harder. "I'm afraid that you've misread me twice over, then. I have no emotional investment in this situation as of yet, and nothing in my gratitude is feigned. I'm thankful for any opportunity to resolve a situation, even if it involves playing hardball." Her hands are folded behind her back, almost a parade rest. "Whatever else you might think of me, highness, I'd strongly advise taking me at my word, even my word sounds like a meaningless platitude. I don't say anything I don't mean, and if I brought hate to the table, I wouldn't try to hide it." If dealing with Queen Zeal means being a little more forceful, then sure, why not.

Lucatiel of Mirrah (66) has posed:
The Masked Knight of Mirrah makes no move to shift her posture. She remains proud and straigth-backed, arms still folded over her chest. It could be seen as nonchalant, unthreatened by the presence of royal guardsmen or their weapons; or it could be seen as insolent, teetering on the border of insult in not showing the queen the proper respects.

No doubt it is extremely calculated and deliberate. Lucatiel is a knight herself, who served a king. She knows the ins and outs of courtly intrigue. Or, more possibly, Lucatiel simply feels this reprehensible creature squatting on the throne deserves none of her respect and all of her silent scorn.

So she remains silent, posture proud and straight, and stares directly at the queen. In spite of the mask concealing her features, there's no mistaking from the glint of light behind it that her eyes are fixed on the sovereign -- her head is turned too directly to be looking anywhere else.

Her mask twitches aside to cast half a glance at Ivraala, but she offers no commentary; at least not aloud. Better to let that bespectacled, emotionless Union fellow handle negotiations, as that's what he's here for.

A brief glance is cast toward Yari, too. Ah, the little sneaking creature from earlier. Yes, Lucatiel remembers her.

For now, though, she has no questions of her own, and so she contents herself with staring down the queen -- directly, deliberately, as though to gauge the sovereign's reactions for herself.

Schala Zeal (733) has posed:
    Dalton's scowl abates for just a moment as he looks to Yari. With a more sober, even expression, he pays her a nod -- the closest thing he can manage to an earnest thank you. Even he would dare not interrupt the Queen, though, so with another look in her direction, the general allows her to continue.

    At this point, her gaze has shifted to Nathan. She contorts her expression faintly as he thanks her, AGAIN, but overlooks that slight to listen to his introduction. 'Inhumane'? 'Trauma'? She slumps in her chair faintly, resting her cheek on the ball of her fist, crossing one leg inelegantly over the other. "Ahhh, I see, I see." Her eyes narrow in disinterest, and her smile gradually lowers into a frown. "... you sound like that fool Melchior with how you preach the value of those people's lives. The way you frame it, they would have to feel as we do -- think. But they do not, and they can not. They do not have what we have, so they can never attain enlightenment. Since they do not have the mental inclination that would make them fit for skilled labor, they become resources. They become the machines that drive our industry."

    "You will not convince me of their humanity," She continues. "At best, you will demonstrate that there is some more useful contribution that they could make to our society. So what could they do instead, hmm? Become test subjects? Fire our kilns? Mend our clothes? Assuming they even have the prerequisite of dexterity that the latter would require."

Schala Zeal (733) has posed:
    Yari draws her attentions next. After a moment to pause and maintain a sidelong, appraising glance, she simply says, "We have no interest in the worlds beyond. The Gurus have already confirmed that no power greater than Lavos' exists in the Multiverse, so there is nothing that would give us cause to leave. And if those worlds come to us? Then they shall see firsthand the power this kingdom has amassed. There is nothing else to say on the matter."

Ivraala (679) has posed:
    To see Dalton's expression steadily crumble away into fury brings no end of satisfaction to Ivraala. Eventually, she allows herself a brief smirk, then finally turns her head toward Yari. /That/ girl isn't unfamiliar, unfortunately. To see her here is hardly a comfort, but the draenei is confident she can handle the situation should it come to blows. Part of her almost wishes it would, just so she can finish off what was started before, but...no. Patience is the way of the draenei.

    And then her cold gaze shifts abruptly to the queen. Oh, what a /loathing/ the queen's words inspire in her, but still, she endures. Her tail lashes at her legs and her fingers curl at her sides, but she waits. Only once her blizzard of fury abates does she speak, lifting one hand to pull her hood from her head and speaking in her loud, clear voice, complete with its odd accent.

    "It is the way of those who are more enlightened," she begins calmly, if frigidly, "to treat those of a lower rank with kindness and understanding. Perhaps you insist that they are not at your level, not /capable/ of reaching it, but...should they not, then, be pitied rather than treated no better than a block of wood in a fireplace?" Her head tilts slightly to one side, glowing eyes flashing briefly. "I'd avoid dismissing the benefits one could find from other worlds so easily. As well as the potential risks. You speak of Lavos; exactly what /is/ Lavos, and what power does it hold?"

Scarlet Everille (747) has posed:
    It's exceptionally rare that Scarlet ever goes anywhere any bigger and fancier than Heliosanctus. The last time had been to Buckingham Palace, and then she was on a tour, not any kind of official busines, nevermind as an actual representitive. This is also her first time having direct audience with any sort of queen; an enormous step up from the elected government officials she'd dealt with before. She has plenty of reason to be excited, almost giddy for it in fact, but if she has ever been taught anything, it is to keep her true emotions completely invisible. As a result, she manages to make the entire walk with an air of detached, casual confidence, circumventing the need to gawk at the castle by viewing remotely through the pair of familiars she has brought along, invisible and intangible in Phase 6.

    This also means that she can keep her perfectly level expression even when she immediately locks onto Queen Zeal with an overwhelming degree of petty disdain. The woman on the throne is exactly the opposite, either completely unable to feign anything, or too arrogant to care about how she appears; the kind of monarch appointed without responsibility, or perhaps one who had suffered some slow breakdown somewhere along the line. She lets the others speak first, attempting to get a measure of the situation and to gauge the queen's psychological profile before having to go in on a first impression.

    Ultimately, she doesn't have to exert herself terribly much to match what she thinks Zeal likes to see. Firing up Ceint Dia Breagach, she alters common perception of herself to enhance certain qualities she affects in her tone and subverbal cues: confident, high-born, used to power and privilege, and possessed of a healthy degree of contempt for those who aren't. She guesses that Zeal might respond best to someone on her level. "For our collective convenience, I'll dispense with the obligatory prelude to meaningful discussion. I can make the reasonable assumption that you refer to the fact that the people below don't have a single magical bone in their bodies. Assuming I'm correct, it's a fair distinction to make. You can't qualify humans with objectively different basic abilities as the same being. I myself come from a world where there is a very firm divide between those who can and can't make use of the arcane arts. Of course, I'm one of the former, so perhaps you would agree my opinion might be at least a little more valid for it."

Schala Zeal (733) has posed:
    Next, Riva. The Queen scrunches her brow, lifting suddenly from her slumped position with an expression that alludes... confusion. "How in the blazes would I know how the machinations of my kingdom are perceived by outside eyes? And beyond that -- why would I care? I shall tell you how my kingdom operates, and then you shall tell -me- how it is to be seen." She clears her throat, uncrossing her legs and setting her arms on the rests of her throne. "In the Kingdom of Zeal, there are two groups: the Earthbound and the Enlightened. I am sure you could have assumed as much, but we of the land above are the latter. This is because we possess magic, the ability to manipulate the radiant energies of Lavos. This makes us superior, and this is the entire reason why humanity has flourished."

    "The Earthbound Ones," She continues, "lack magic, so they have be relegated to tasks of menial labor. Now, some believe that Zeal has already reached its zenith -- that is at the absolute highest point any civilization may hope to achieve. The Gurus and I believe differently, so we direct our people on the only path to further greatness. All research and work done here fuels our effort to commune with Lavos so that we may improve our lives yet further and, ultimately, achieve immortality."

    Her posture rushes back to one of almost childlike boredom as soon as she has finished, her smile finally returning. "So tell me: how do you see us? What despicable names would you call us? Please, delight me with your virtues and your adages. Spout some nonsense I've not yet heard from one of the wretches that inhabit Mount Woe."

Schala Zeal (733) has posed:
    Shizune, for her part, gets a similar smile to the one Lucatiel was given. "You have the most endearing sort of rebellious aura about you. I like that. Much more pleasant to interact with than the typical tremulous fool, or the wizened 'idealists' who so often stalk these halls."

    She looks like she's stifling a laugh.

Yari Takane (691) has posed:
Yari, upon being cast a glance, returns one of her own. It's level, and mostly neutral. Best to not upset the slightly volatile Queen with inter-group discontent.

The nod from Daltan is spied, but smartly not more openly responded to. Her eyes are on the Unionites and especially Zeal. Her tail flicks beneath her robes, the thought of useful lives being so thrown away having dances of a knife and the Queen's throat intermixed. But she keeps calm, the words of her Legatus floating back to her.

Patience. Duty.

Which becomes increasingly hard to maintain at the woman's pure arrogance. Her eyes snap to Ivraala, who speaks quite a bit of her own mind, and her own question.

"...I see." She states lowly, her head tilting slightly, and then straightening.

"Would you be willing to give a demonstration of this power?"

Then she gets back to her point. "Then you have no interest in expansion? In gaining more...resources as you state...from outside this land? Is this power truly so great that you wouldn't consider outside alliances and other pacts to assist your goals? Perhaps they're lower than you, but potential can be found even in situations such as that if one simply looks for it. A Kingdom with such power and strength surely could only be bettered by the exotic and otherworldly and added to your own research."

Nathan Hall (168) has posed:
    Nathan plays off of Ivraala quite well here. He seems to distance himself from her statements, and from her presence here, taking a few steps to one side. "I will not agree with your statements, ma'am, but I will not pretend to have the qualifications necessary to contest it. I will present my arguments with the assumption that what you say is true; the individuals on the surface possess minds that are unlike ours and are not worthy of treatment as humans." He crosses his hands politely over his chest and clasps them together, with an academic sort of posture.

    "You wish to make use of the power of Lavos, as I understand it. That is your end-goal, your core objective. I propose that the course of action you are taking at this time is inappropriate for that particular goal. The Earthbound Ones present a severe risk to you in the following substantial key vectors. First, they draw the attention of and interference from groups such as our own. This interference is prone to escalation. While I have no doubt that your power of Lavos would be capable of overwhelming the interference, I believe there is a risk worth your notice that you will not be able to draw upon and wield it enough by that point."

    "Your second risk factor is the involvement of Earthbound Ones -- individuals who are by nature antithetical to magical understanding -- in the minutiae of your labor. The nature of non-magical influences is something I assume you may lack a critical understanding of, due to the fact that you have not banished their non-magical natures from their bodies. There is a substantial risk worth noting in that you may not be able to banish non-magical influence from the works themselves."

    "Your third risk factor is more generalized. A social stratification of this type lends itself well to abuse by lesser individuals within your own power structure, who may challenge your power by way of the administrative policies established vis a vis the Earthbound, or the undermining of those policies to amass it. As far as political ethics systems go, this type of treatment tends to result in secessions, power struggles, and similar problems that would undermine your ability to acquire the power of Lavos."

    With that said, he makes a plaintive gesture. "I will not moralize to you that what you are doing is wrong. Whatever I believe is irrelevant. I will state that my perspective gives me the impression that what you are doing risks your chance to reach your goal in as short a timespan as possible."

Schala Zeal (733) has posed:
    "Not those of a lower rank," The Queen chides Ivraala, "but one entirely removed from any hierarchy. Do you consider cattle to be part of a social structure? No." Her eyes narrow yet further. "But ah, I am a mother after all. I -do- know what it's like to have an irrational desire to see those beneath you flourish and learn of their past foolishness. But the simple fact of the matter is, it's impossible for the Earthbound Ones. They were born into this world deficient, plagued, wrong; it's a sad thing, I agree, but not something to lament after the fact. If they're truly so miserable with the lives they lead, perhaps they should stop breeding. That would spare their spawn our so-called 'oppression'." And still she continues to smile. It almost seems like she's -trying- to incite her. Lucatiel, too, for that matter -- she keeps giving the knight the most curious glances here and there.

    But of course, 'What is Lavos'? The Queen widens her grin as if pleased to be given the opportunity to speak on a topic that she finds genuinely interesting. "Lavos is the God of this world. They are the progenitor of all life and knowledge, and most importantly, the source of magic. Our scholars surmise that they arrived here from the heavens long, long ago, and some heretics even attribute responsibility for the current climatic conditions of the surface to them. They are all-powerful, all-knowing, indomitable, and our key to an even more prosperous future. So, in short," She pauses for effect, "Lavos is life itself. Or at the very least, the personification of its meaning to any being with knowledge."

Schala Zeal (733) has posed:
    Scarlet gets a long, long stare. Based on the gentle easing of her facial features, her attempts to adjust the way she is to be perceived seem to have met with some degree of success. When she finally responds, though, it's but a painfully inconclusive 'Hmmm'. "You are correct in your assumptions, yes, and I must say that you seem a fair bit more reasonable than your compatriots. I would applaud you for that... if only they hadn't set the bar so low to begin with." She falls silent for another sequence of seconds so that she may quite literally roll her eyes. "It's good that you understand. The Earthbound and the Enlightened are not ethnicities -- they are species. We have no obligation to care for our fellow man when they are not our fellows at all."

    Finally, though, Zeal seems interested enough herself to pitch a question back. "... but tell me. If you -do- understand our viewpoint in earnest, why do you argue with these poor fools? What compels you? Surely you can see that our time is better spent researching Lavos' power than it is... conversing about such purposeless abstract drivel."

Shizune Nakamura (369) has posed:
    As Nathan finishes, Shizune seems to come to a conclusion on how to respond herself; she tilts her head slightly, pushing past the remark on her rebellious nature, to address the topic at hand. "Even if they can't perceive the world as you can, feel as you feel - don't they, at least, possess basic intelligence? The ability to reason, understand abstract concepts, perform math? If they have these things, then even if they can't match your intellect and understanding of the world, their minds could become as great an asset to you as their bodies." She reaches up to push her glasses up her nose. "Accounting. Civic planning and architecture. Shopkeeping, secretarial work. Cooking, cleaning - if they have basic reasoning skills, they should be well-suited to learning all sorts of menial tasks that don't require magic, leaving you and your people free to pursue higher intellectual goals."

Ayako Hasekawa has posed:
    Ayako of course, stops with the pleasentries and... listens quietly. So in this kingdom, there are two types of people, huh? Ones with magic and ones without. The differences are so different that they practically are seperate species. Wait. Lavos? One gains power from Lavos and the other doesn't. Not only that, the Queen herself seems a bit... unhinged slightly. Best for her to think her words over carefully.

    And so she continues to listen. Lavos is a God of this world, huh?

Schala Zeal (733) has posed:
    Nathan's reply, too, seems to encourage a newfound calmness and reason in her. It seems that she -can- be manipulated, so long as one approaches things from the right direction. As she had said herself, you aren't going to convince her that these people are worth worrying about, but you might find a loophole to demonstrate ways in which the current governmental practices oppose her long-term goals. As such, the Queen's response is actually fairly rational for a change: "... very well spoken. It's clear enough that your level of tact is not the norm where you originate from, but you have nevertheless brought up a number of valid points. With the caveat that third one is irrelevant, of course -- there is no circumstance whatsoever in which an Earthbound uprising would pose any threat to us. They would simply be beaten into submission, or failing that, they would die entirely. They already exist on our retainer."

    "Though," She cups a hand about her chin, "you're absolutely right. Failing the philosophy behind it, interlopers like you will continue to be a nuisance so long as we violate your standards of morality. And while I have the utmost confidence in the power of my nation -individually-," She stresses that final word, "I can see easily enough that you people come from a number of worlds. Without the aid of Lavos, I am not so prideful as to believe that Zeal could best all of you."

    With a final, decisive nod, she concludes, "Yes, I can be satisfied with this. Once the Earthbound Ones have finished their work on the Ocean Palace they will have outdone their usefulness anyway. At that point you may do with them as you will so long as news of them never reaches my ears again."

Ivraala (679) has posed:
    The draenei are known for an unending gentleness and patience in the face of strife, but Ivraala has found herself struggling in that regard. The queen's pride and almost sociopathic dismissal prove to be a real test for her; one which she...manages to endure, for the most part. Still her tail lashes behind her like a serpent looking for a mouse to strike, and frost begins to congeal on the floor around her hooves, but she keeps her expression frigidly even."Actually, yes," she remarks to that question of cattle. "Enough, at least, to treat it with respect until its time for food has arrived. You should see our elekk stables sometime." But she moves on, then, to more important things.

    "Interesting, certainly," she remarks after the queen's explanation of Lavos. "I know of such entities myself. I lived among them, in fact: beings of the purest Light, who allowed our race enough strength to overcome the darkness that threatened to destroy us time and time again. Incomparable, all-powerful, all-knowing, and the key to our prosperity and wisdom as we know it now."

    Her smirk tugs wider until a pair of abnormally long and sharp canines are exposed. "It's interesting what you can find in other worlds, isn't it? Though we never had to sacrifice anything to the naaru, nor did they cause any other races to suffer; it was their own benevolence that graced us, and we have prospered from it for thousands of years. From where I stand, you seem to be drawing /your/ strength from..." She pauses, wavering her hand in the air slightly. "...shall we say, not the purest well you could dip your bucket into. More like a well surrounded by briars and hornets, and for what?"

    It's a simple statement, but one with pointed meaning behind it, considering her earlier discussion on what comes from other worlds. Perhaps she won't immediately convince the queen not to keep searching for Lavos's power, but if she can inspire any measure of thought toward the powers of other worlds, then that will be a success in her mind. Fortunately, it seems Nathan's already improved the situation.

    "Just some idle musings," Ivraala finishes, shrugging her armored shoulders.

Lucatiel of Mirrah (66) has posed:
For her part, the masked knight might as well be hewn of stone. Aside from the hollow sound of her breath behind her mask, or the rise and fall of her chest, Lucatiel remains silent and still. Her arms remain folded across her chest in a posture that is anything but deference to royalty. After all, she owes no obligations to the Kingdom of Zeal, or its queen.

Those slight attempts to rouse her ire wash over her, mostly because she's shut off her mind from the discussion, instead asking herself what her brother might do in a situation like this.

She can picture that rake's-grin Aslatiel had perfected so well it's almost a physical ache in her chest. Little sister, he would tell her with that grin, we are lions of Mirrah, and this woman is just a jackal chewing on her bones. Then he would probably do something drastic, something involving his sword.

No, Lucatiel decides, it's better to stay silent and observe. For the sake of the sorry lot in the village below, if nothing else.

For now, the blonde woman with the imposing mask and magnificent hat simply draws in a deep breath, letting it go in a terribly exasperated, beleaguered-sounding siiiigh and stays right where she is. Half a glance is cast to Ivraala, though, as though in sympathy. She'd like to do something drastic, too, like her brother might if he were here. Diplomacy is so terribly boring.

Scarlet Everille (747) has posed:
    Scarlet barely has to use magic on the smile she gives Zeal in return. It shifts the subtle boundary from intense satsifaction at the fact she had nailed the right social face, to intense satisfaction at the fact that the queen apparently shares a feeling of superiority over the others in the room, only left unsaid out of politeness' sake.

    "Oh, I very much understand, your highness. In my world magic makes someone objectively better in every way. A magus, that is our version of the enlightened, is smarter, better educated, longer lived, and far more powerful than our earthbound. Mages make almost all decisions of leadership in the affairs of the country, they account for almost every major advance in science, are responsible for the production of anything of high value, and wield enough might that not in a million years could non-magical humans hope to overthrow them. I myself am guaranteed a seat in the House of Lords and own more assets than a hundred non-mages put together, simply by virtue of magical talent. Simply put, it has been clearly demonstrated over decades and decades that mages are objectively superior people, and thus power and right of dominion naturally gravitates to their excellence."

    She pauses for a moment before continuing. "However, there is something else that enlightened minds have come to realize after all that time. It's a concept we like to call "Noblesse Oblige". The obligation of nobility. In being born superior beings, we are also born with a commeasurate degree of responsibility. By virtue of the fact that we are the only ones able to accomplish certain things, it is our intrinsic duty to perform those tasks. Simply saying you have rights that supercede those of others is in of itself, baseless. Anyone can claim they have rights to anything as a justification for however they want to behave. Even the earthbound can claim they have rights. As nobles however, rights correspond to equal duties, and so performing those duties validates their rights. Ancient man validated his rights of superiority over animals. He wasted nothing of the carcass of his hunts, and thus proved it was his right to hunt them, and he well treated his dogs, thus proving his right to shepherd and rule them. Tell me, if we cannot hold ourselves even to the standards of our cave-dwelling ancestors, what are we?"

    Finally. Philosophy classes have had some application in the real world. Scarlet states every single word as if she truly and wholeheartedly believes it, and furthermore gives the strong, magically augmented impression that she thinks so because it has been demonstrated as objective, undeniable fact in her world some time in the past, perhaps over and over again.

Schala Zeal (733) has posed:
    The Queen delays her response to Shizune for some time, glancing instead between Nathan and Scarlet. She does, however, allow their eyes to meet just long enough for Shizune to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that she was heard. To her credit, though, she does eventually respond: "All of those professions you mentioned will be completely irrelevant once we have drawn more power from Lavos. We will be able to accomplish tasks that would take them lifetimes in the span of seconds. Artistic 'masterpieces' will become as ubiquitous as the flecks of snow on the surface. Magic, you see, renders everything else meaningless; when one has direct control over reality, when one can create new life as a deity might, what use have they for machines to count their numbers? Mold their pottery?" It seems that she's trying to say that anything they could do would be tantamount to a factory floor job -- they could just be ousted by 'machines', so to speak.

    "And as for the value of their thoughts..." She rolls a hand. "Yes, yes, we might miss out on a 'great genius' or two by cutting them out of the equation. But I believe that's a perfectly acceptable loss for making culture more cohesive and growth more efficient."

Nathan Hall (168) has posed:
    "Oh, I did not refer to the Earthbound when I spoke of lesser individuals. From your perspective, I would believe you might think of them as Enlightened who have lost sight of the goal of reaching the power of Lavos. Of course, I lack comprehensive awareness of your administration; it is possible that this is a completely irrelevant threat."

    Nathan gives a polite nod to the Queen after this, though. "However, the compromise you propose seems reasonable and I imagine it is all that may be acquired, at least on my part, in this situation, when it comes to achieving our own goals with discussion. At such time as the work is complete, we will cease operations with the assumption that you will as well. As long as there is no further escalation on your part of the policies that we take issue with, you can assume no severe escalations on our part as well. If the Earthbound Ones are permitted to otherwise remain in their place, this agreement is acceptable. What is the timeframe you estimate for the completion of the Ocean Palace? The other details of the treatment of the Earthbound Ones can be dealt with by lesser Union diplomatic liasons, but your revised stance is acceptable."

    And then he steps back for now. He'll wait for his answer, but he'll let the others make their own efforts. Nathan's accomplished what he came here to do: A solid foundation for dealing with the core of things in a compromise, mostly-acceptable way. Nathan considers his victory "good enough" and will probably only step in here with questions and minor help to the others, or defending what he's achieved here if necessary.

Schala Zeal (733) has posed:
    Then it's back to Ivraala. The Queen is -certainly- not polite enough to allow her the last word on the subject of the Earthbound ones, so she is compelled to add, "Woe be to the fangs that lay into a hand of steel, particularly if that palm is good enough to provide for them where it has no obligation to do so." She only chides her further with that coy smile and those brutally narrow eyes. To the remark on the 'darkness' of her source, she mirrors Ivraala's widening grin; in fact, it may unnerve her in some capacity to see the Queen warping her expression in just the same way such that her own 'fangs' may show. When she finally applies aloud, it's quite simple, and concise:

    "For power."

    In her mind, no justification could be any better.

    Lucatiel seems to have, for good or for ill, finally lost the Queen's interest. Dalton and several of the soldiers seem to be keeping their eyes on her instead, however.

Schala Zeal (733) has posed:
    As Scarlet begins, the Queen's smile steadily widens. Toward the end of her explanation of the affairs of her world, she's actually straightened her posture and begun to slide forward in her seat with rapt attention. It seems that she could begin to applaud at any moment... if only those words weren't interrupted by those that follow. Her back sets itself against the cushion of her throne again as the term 'Noblesse Oblige' rolls off her tongue, and for perhaps the first time since this conversation had begun her countenance appears to wear some measure of sobriety. It seems that Scarlet's patting of the Queen's ego has indeed created a conversational inroad -- she's in a position to listen now because she perceives Scarlet as being on 'her side'.

    So instead of narrowing her eyes at the ensuing explanation, she nods her head. She appears to actively listen. The conclusion at which the girl ultimately arrives does not appear to jar her as much as Scarlet might have hoped, but she isn't mocking her. That's a start! "... you may have a point, but then again, we've nothing to prove. Our way of life is objectively more disciplined, more graceful, more successful. Why seek validation of our position and greatness from things below us when we could look to things above us? If we could accrue a label of superiority from the mouth of God themselves, what relevance do simple, human quandaries have?" She shakes her head. "While I must respect your opinion, I cannot abide it. The Earthbound and our treatment of them cannot be the metric by which we judge ourselves. Not when we have such phenomenal things on our horizon."

    So close! But hey, at least that inroad is probably still open.

Ayako Hasekawa has posed:
    Ayako manages to not sigh with relief out loud. She does it internally instead. Thank goodness she left such to Nathan! She would have bungled it horribly, let alone have any idea what to say. Hmm... the Ocean palace, huh? This Queen is fixated on Lavos to a dangerous degree! Although, she's seen this sort of thing before. People that are fanatical in belief to a god that everything else is secondary.

    But what can she do? Ah. The Earthbound Ones. "Your Majesty, may I ask that we be given permission to improve the living conditions of the Earthbound Ones?" Ayako pauses for a moment to steel herself to say what comes next. "It would be a shame if they all died out before the Ocean Palace was completed, after all."

Schala Zeal (733) has posed:
    The Queen looks back to Nathan after Scarlet, shutting her eyes in contemplation. When they reopen, she says, "... Dalton, the construction of the Ocean Palace is your charge. Tell this man when you expect to be finished." After tearing his eyes away from Lucatiel, he turns to his monarch with a newly stiffened posture. "Ahhh... probably within the next two months. Yes, definitely within the next two months." The Queen nods, her gaze scrolling back over to Nathan. "There you have it, then. If you can wait two months, then they will have 'earned' their freedom. I warn you though: if I hear of any more interaction between your group and theirs before the palace has been completed, then it will be considered an act of war."

    She gives a final, subtle, satisfied smile. Yes, those sound like terms she can live with.

Ivraala (679) has posed:
    A small roll of laughter like the cracking of an iceberg comes from Ivraala at the Queen's words. It's not happy, nor bright, nor amused; Ivraala doesn't really have the capacity for such things anymore. Her rime-edged gaze fixes on the Queen's eyes. "A starving dog will sever its leg to free itself and find food, no matter how much it hurts. That same dog will break its teeth against the armored gauntlet of a knight standing in its way until its mouth is torn and bloody and its jaw is broken and useless, and still it will rip and tear and gnaw, tearing even the smallest cuts and punctures into the knight's bloodstained steel. What would a thousand such dogs do to that knight?"

    The draenei shakes her head, folding her arms over her chest. "You overlook my point. Yes, power, but I have seen many sources of power gained with many efforts, with many effects. Power can be gained from the Scourge, and is bought with misery and torment. Power can be gained from the Burning Legion, and is bought with madness, calamity, and destruction. Power can be gained from the naaru, and is bought with little more than compassion and understanding. Lavos is surely great, from what you say of it, but do the costs match the efforts, especially if you can consider what every other world you now see in front of you may offer an alternative? Is the journey worth the destination?"

    Her smirk has faded, replaced with her usual look of subdued neutrality. "If your answer is yes, then I suppose we have little else to speak of."

Schala Zeal (733) has posed:
    As the Queen had done before with Shizune, she initially pays Ayako no heed; that is, until she realizes that she's not likely to get her goat in the same way she might've Lucatiel's, or Ivraala's. So she does eventually respond, albeit with the deepest of sighs. "... if you absolutely must attend to them before the designated time, then you may... on the condition that you go with a military escort. I will not have you sneaking off with any able-bodied workers in the middle of the night." Ever the brutal skeptic, she is.

Scarlet Everille (747) has posed:
    Scarlet didn't expect it'd be quite that easy, which is why it's a good thing she has Nathan to work off of. "For the reasons the General has provided of course. There's no reason you should be beholden to the earthbound. It makes no difference to humans if animals believe they are worthy of their status, after all. Who it matters to is the enlightened of other worlds. Those worlds that you yourself have admitted would prove to be an extreme inconvenience if given reason, especially during the vital period of construction of the Ocean Palace. Noblesse Oblige is a standard that many, many worlds judge by. As long as they see it satisfied, they will have little reason to intervene. This is relevant to you, because as many of us as are here, we can't personally guarantee that every last world out there will keep out of your affairs, as some of them are beyond our control. If, for those two months, you can demonstrate a standard of care and conduct for the earthbound, your position of privilege is unassailable, and then they will shortly become no longer your problem. If you don't, there's a chance that others might intervene and set the construction of the Ocean Palace back years." She shrugs for effect. "Two months. Do you think you can play to the multiversel's tune for that long, for the sake of reaching Lavos?"

Schala Zeal (733) has posed:
    It seems the Queen has passed the point of being 'entertained' by Ivraala, and the reply she gives to her last allegory is as terse as it is poisonous: "The dogs would surround the knight with a pool of their own blood and bones." Whether she's missing the point, doesn't care about the subject, or is actually on the defensive remains unclear.

    She stares at her in silence for some time after her second oration, but The Queen ultimately gives not a word in response. When she finally turns her gaze to the next person, the next curiosity, she allows that quiet to be her answer.

    Yes, she's really that far gone.

Schala Zeal (733) has posed:
    And then back to Scarlet again. The Queen rests her cheek against her fist again, and though her gaze remains critical, it never wanders into the realm of disdain. What might be most jarring to those listening is the simple fact that Scarlet's words seem like common sense to her; immutable fact. Thankfully, though, the depths she stoops to bear fruit: Zeal nods. "As the other man before you, you bring up a good point. If it will cause Zeal to garner less attention from your mess of worlds beyond, I can... I can oblige you. But I will do so without sacrifice of our resources. I will allow that girl," She gestures to Ayako, "and any others who wish to provide aid to go, but they -will- be supervised by my personal guard. This is indisputable."

    Seems like that's as good as this is going to get.

Lucatiel of Mirrah (66) has posed:
For her part, Lucatiel of Mirrah remains stock-still, staring down both Dalton and the Queen of Zeal. It's a good thing the mask hides her face, because otherwise they'd see the way she works her jaw in exasperation and annoyance. Her insolent posture is enough; fortunately, she isn't entirely unskilled in politics, and she knows exactly how much she can get away with before it's considered an actual insult.

So, she is content to straddle that line.

For now, it's also fun to make Dalton sweat in his proverbial seat. He's seen what she can do. For a brief instant she almost regrets the mask, because it means she can't flash a sweet, predatory smile at the man to frighten him even further. Pity.

Lucatiel, therefore, simply waits. She has little else to do. The meeting doesn't seem fated to turn to violence, and so she stays right where she is -- straight-backed, staring directly at the Queen in that not-quite-challenging way.

Ayako Hasekawa has posed:
    Ayako mentally swallows slowly. Whew... She nods her head politely, "Yes, of course, Your Majesty." She steps back after this. That's all she wanted. Some knowledge that they could at least try to help the Earthbound Ones without angering the Kingdom.

Nathan Hall (168) has posed:
    Nathan responds, both to the statements to him, and to the statements to Scarlet. "Thank you, your Majesty. Your arrangements are reasonable compromises, and despite our difficulties, it is good that we can mutually achieve pragmatic progress towards our particular goals. I will follow up by way of diplomatic liasons to determine the details of post-emancipation Earthbound handling, as well as assorted humanitarian aid." He gives a polite bow-like nod. "It has been productive working with you, and we will initiate further diplomatic contact if necessary for mutual benefit."

    He stays retreated. This is as far as he's willing to gamble to get forward, so with this secured, he's going to stop pushing the advance.

Yari Takane (691) has posed:
The answer to Ivraala's question has Yari fully on attention. A /God/. She lets out a small breath, the first real reaction she's had, but otherwise maintains her cool. Inwardly, fear and rage nip at her mind. She reaches into her robes and pulls out a flask to drink from as she considers.

She needs to investigate, to learn more, and continue to curry favor. Really, she can respect what the Unionites are doing. But so too is there opportunity here if she can just somehow get through to the Queen. Or, as she ponders, perhaps through the General that's been silent all this time.

Nathan's speech works, but Yari soon pipes up.

"...Can you be assured that the knowledge that any remaining Earthbound ones might have managed to come by might be misused by others, Your Highness?" Indicating, of course, the Unionites.

"Simply allowing them to leave without making suitable arrangements may entice others willing to seek Lavos' power for themselves. No once you've obtained this power, they'd be defeated, but it would cost more valuable resources, encourage theft, and other such problems." If she can do nothing else to hamper the Union here, then she can at least encourage paranoia.

Riva Banari has posed:
Riva's been quiet ever since the Queen addressed her. She considers the things said so far, and the various revelations, negotiations, and other situations forming up at this point. The Queen challenged her to say something that she hadn't heard already, and Riva smiles brightly. "I would call you people." Riva replies. "I'm not someone who can really judge you. I'm just an artist, your Majesty. I admit I am very interested to hear more about your land and this being you call Lavos, but I know this has been a long discussion already. I wouldn't want to draw it out much longer. Would it be possible to speak with someone here regarding learning more?"

Schala Zeal (733) has posed:
    Then, Yari. The Queen cants her head to one side, curious as to why she would want to argue -against- the prospect of moving the Earthbound ones when she appeared with the Union. But then... oh. She remembers something. She glances to Dalton for a moment, then back to the ninja-in-training. "... are you the one who saved my general's life? If so, then you have my gratitude. It would have been inconvenient to find a new director for the Ocean Palace Project this late into things." The man in question almost visibly sweatdrops after hearing her reasoning, but she continues. "While your worries are not unfounded, you overlook the fact that most of the Earthbound are simply too foolish to know to communicate information that might hinder me. Furthermore, they have no practical reason to. I will simply make keeping anything they might've learned in confidence a part of our agreement and that will be that."

    As far as resources are concerned, "I feel it would consume -more- resources to keep them around. There will be no real need for manual labor after the Palace is completed, and our magical constructs can handle other menial service tasks like shopkeeping. And then there is what the general and Scarlet have said previously -- about interference from other worlds. It simply would not be practical to keep them; even if you offered me some aid powerful enough to resist a concerted strike from the Multiverse, there would be no point to it. It would be a waste, an unnecessary risk, and otherwise asinine." With a wave of her hand, she concludes, "They've always been baggage. I'll be glad to be rid of them in any event."

Schala Zeal (733) has posed:
    The Queen turns to Riva and opens her mouth to give a reply, but she's pre-empted by a raise of Belthasar's hand. She nods him permission to speak, after which he looks to Riva and offers, "I would be glad to enlighten you, my lady. And I daresay I am one of the very best people to do so!"

    Given that he's been called a 'guru' a few times, he probably isn't lying!

Schala Zeal (733) has posed:
    And as Belthasar rises to prevalence in the discourse, the Queen sees a convenient place to take her leave. She finally rises from her throne with a single, rigid, impatient gesture, placing her fists at her hips. In a final address of the group, she says, "That will be all for today. If nothing else, I am glad to have seen that you people are not quite the uncultured rabble that I took you for." She directs a lasting look to Scarlet here before pacing in the direction of the door, followed by Dalton and an entourage of six troops. Four more stay behind, organizing themselves behind the throne and watching over the group.

    Schala steps forward now, followed shortly by the smaller blue boy. The latter has noticeably kept his hand held to the base of his sister's dress this entire time, hinting that he may be quite a lot less brave than his scowling expression would suggest. He says nothing, but miiiight stick out his tongue out Lucatiel and Ivraala. Probably because they look weird.

    As for Schala, she heaves a sigh of relief, looking to all of them with a quiet smile. "Thank you all for your efforts today. I believe things turned out as well as they could have." A hand meanders to the collar of her robe where she, too, begins to clutch its material for comfort. "I can only hope that we can continue to have such success in the future. And if we one day must confront Lavos..." She briefly closes her eyes. "... I hope that you will perform so well then, too."

    She would like to have them believe she's more relaxed now, clearly, but the presence of copious tension is still quite visible in her.

Yari Takane (691) has posed:
"That's correct." She affirms, simply nodding. The Queen doesn't want needless platitudes. Then she listens, face thoughtful. Really, without further information, Yari's hands are tied. She can't disprove the possibility to the Queen. More and more, her hopes seem to be resting on Daltan.

So Yari simply nods slowly. "I see. I believe I am starting to understand your Kingdom, Your Highness. Thank you for the information."

Her head tilts. "I /am/ still curious on a number of topics, but I think they won't necessarily need to be brought up to yourself directly. I'm certain your other subordinates could answer them if you'd prefer, about your kingdom. If you'd allow it, I'd like to continue to learn and visit your Kingdom. Similarly, would it be possible to visit your Ocean Palace? I'm no expert, but I am very curious about the construction itself as well as Lavos." Pause.

"Under guard, of course. Or if necessary, I could act as a bodyguard for Sir Daltan when other matters off world don't require my attention in return for some access to the wealth of arcane knowledge here, and to satisfy my own curiousity about your God. I respect a good military leader, I'd prefer he doesn't come under another ambush." Offers Yari. It's about all she has left until she can get Daltan cornered somewhere alone.

Which is about when the group leaves. One final glance to the Unionites, a strange bow of respect to the group, and she'll attempt to vacate in the direction of Daltan. Failing that, she'll slip back into the reception area and attempt to do much the same after she fades into a crowd like a proper ninja.

Shizune Nakamura (369) has posed:
    The boy clinging to Schala's dress gets a very warm smile from Shizune - and a genuine one, at that. Putting on a brave face, and speaking all their minds besides; she instantly decides she likes him. "Of course," she replies to Schala, with a more warm, friendly sort of bow than the formal greeting she gave to the queen. "Our strength is yours, whether at the negotiating table or on the battlefield. I won't claim that it would be an easy fight, but..."

    She reaches up and adjusts her glasses. "We're the sort of people who have no hesitation in facing down any opponent that stands in front of us. It might make us a little insane, but putting our lives on the line is second nature for most of us."

Schala Zeal (733) has posed:
    Outside of the audience chamber, Dalton requests to take leave of his Queen so that he can continue discussion with Yari. Zeal agrees all too eagerly, waving her hand as if she were glad to be rid of him. She and her troop proceed down the steps as she presumably retreats to her quarters. When the coast is clear, Dalton replies, "Sure, you can check it out sometime. Least I can do since you sorta saved my sorry hide." Wow, he's... a lot less uptight when there aren't any prying eyes, apparently. "And hey, have I ever thanked you for that? Seriously, thanks. It's not often that people bother with me, but I want immortality as much as anyone else in this kingdom. I can't die before the Ocean Palace is finished."

Riva Banari has posed:
Riva claps in pleasure as Balthasar responds to her inquiry. That's even better than getting lectured by the queen! "Thank you, sir! I'd love to speak with you later when we have some time." She bows again, politely.

Knowledge is power, right? And the more they know, the better they can understand what's going on and what they need to do about it. If anything.

Schala Zeal (733) has posed:
    Shizune's proclamation is met with the most ginger widening of Schala's smile and short series of nods. "... so I have seen. I have rarely seen such virtue in my life outside of my novels. It's a great comfort to know people like all of you truly exist." She closes her eyes in something akin to reverie, a hand still held at her chest. When she's had her moment, she replies, "And that is mutual, by the by. If there is anything I can do for you in turn, please do not hesitate to ask. Zeal has access to great magic; if it would be a boon to any of you, I could have Melchior share some spells. Or perhaps you would like to peruse the artifact repositories for something you might find useful?" She does seem fairly eager to help. She probably feels bad that she hasn't been able to return the Union's myriad favors thus far.

    Her expression evens out before she adds, "Regardless, I would like to become a more active participant in the Union's dealings when my circumstances have improved. When it would not be so dangerous for my identity and role to be known more publicly, I want to offer my own hand in help to others. Please believe me when I say I look forward to that day very much."

    Janus, in the meanwhile, seems fairly captivated by Shizune's words himself. He stares at her with glistening eyes for a moment before he catches himself, purses his lips and shifts his gaze elsewhere. Schala notices this, of course, and ruffles his hair. "Would you like that too, Janus? Do you want to see more of the Multiverse one day?" As soon as the rub registers, he very rarely suppresses a spasm, grabbing her hand to keep her from embarrassing him any further. "S-Schala! Not in front of other people!" He glances fervently about the group. His cheeks are scarlet.

    As expected, Schala just giggles.

Nathan Hall (168) has posed:
    Internally, Nathan is breathing intense sighs of relief. Oh christ that could have ended in some beheadings, holy shit. But, it turned out okay, so nobody will likely notice a bead of sweat or two. Can't let them see you sweat! "You are quite welcome, Schala. I doubt I contributed terribly much that the others could not have handled themselves, but it is good that it was done. Much thanks to the rest of you," He gestures to the others here. "And I also hope our group will achieve the same sort of success. Ideally confronting a being like Lavos would never be necessary."

    Shizune gets an eyebrow quirk. "I was honestly doing nothing but hesitating that entire time, I do not know how the rest of you do it." He says, in a flat tone. Deadpan joke? Self-depreciating honesty? Bit of both. Back to Schala. "I am happy to hear your intent, and look forward to the day when your circumstances improve and you can assist us as well. Thank you." Another quick respectful nod there.

Yari Takane (691) has posed:
When all is said and done, Yari's eyes widen just a bit at how...casual the man is. He actually thanks her. That neutral mask crumbles to pieces. She keeps that slightly wary look that she always has, but otherwise seems to relax. Slightly. Despite all that she claims, she certainly holds herself like a soldier, and a paranoid one.

Choosing not to respond at first, Yari fishes through her robes and pulls out a hip flask. One long pull later, the Garlean Moonshine is offered to the man silently.

"Thank you. And it's not a problem. I found who I was looking for in the first place thanks to you, so don't think of debts or anything."

She pauses, leans against the wall, and drinks a bit more if Daltan doesn't take the flask.

"What do you think? About that group, I mean, and Lavos?" Her words are quiet, a whisper to the man in between sips.

"Like I said earlier, I have friends. Ones that might be able to help this research. Sir Daltan, I'm willing to help you. You're no fool, it won't be for free of course. But I'm willing to level with you on certain matters if you'll do the same with me. If nothing else, I can assure you of two things: I'm no friend of the ones who attacked you back in Algetty, and something like 'immortality' doesn't interest me. My life span is enough to see my own goals through, and I want to obtain them with my own power anyway." A shrug.

Schala Zeal (733) has posed:
    To Riva, Belthasar grins, possibly resulting in a slight ruffling of his 'stache. "Oh, I would be more than happy to speak with you now! I relish any opportunity to inform the uninitiated about the wonders of magic. It is one of my greatest joys in life. I understand if you have already been given enough information for one day, however; patience is a virtue! ... if not as valuable a virtue as knowledge, but there is a season for all things."

Ayako Hasekawa has posed:
    Ayako breathes out a huge sigh of relief, nearly at the same time that Schala does. "Fwhaaa... I'd be sick to my stomach right now from nervousness if I had a stomach. Political things are just not the sort of thing I'm good at at all. It's mostly thanks to Nathan!" She smiles softly at Schala. "But I'm glad things turned out well. If things happen, they'll happen. And if we can help, we'll try." Her amber gaze goes down to the boy behind Schala... and she smiles gently at him too.

Shizune Nakamura (369) has posed:
    "That would be greatly appreciated in general," Shizune replies, still smiling happily, "Although I in specific would have to turn it down. I've got great control of my ki, but no real capacity for formalized magic. And any artifacts I took would have to be more along the lines of utility tools than weapons, most likely. I'm so used to relying on my fists that I think I'd actually be slowed down by a weapon."

    She can't help but be amused by Janus, and even opts to crouch down so that she can look him a little more squarely in the eye. "You should take good care of your sister, you know. I'm an only child, I never had a brother to look after me. So it might be a bit embarrassing, but it's worth enduring it for her sake, right~?"

Schala Zeal (733) has posed:
    "Even if what you said to my mother had not been original," Schala says to Nathan, "your delivery would still have been impeccable. You kept your calm and did not give in to any desires you might have had to comment on the reprehensible foundations of her philosophy. That is a challenge for any feeling human being, and I laud you for being capable of it." She flashes a warm, candid smile. At the mention of Lavos, though, her grin dips somewhat. "... yes. Confronting Lavos would be quite a challenge. I hope we can find some other way to circumvent their evil."

Ivraala (679) has posed:
    A few last stares are given to the queen, Dalton, and Yari as they take their leave, all the way until they've at last vanished. However, the boy who's chosen to stick his tongue out at her only draws a brief look from Ivraala. It's gentler than any look she's cast at anyone else today, though; yes, she may be remorseless, even cruel, but she hasn't remained so low as to wish harm on a child. She doesn't smile, but she doesn't leer or glare either. It's probably the best she can manage these days.

    "I wish they could have gone better," the draenei replies to Schala, turning her gaze to the small girl, "but one can only hope for the best, and be grateful for whatever comes. If Lavos comes to be in our path, then rest assured that I will do everything in my power to protect your world, whether it be through blood, cold, or darkness."

    The offer of assistance in return gives the draenei pause. She frowns slightly, and soon releases a slow, steady sigh. "...don't fret too much over what you can do for me. Maybe I'll think of something, but for the moment, I don't really care. Much less so for demanding something from someone like yourself." A brief snort and a fanged smirk come, then, both made in a strangely bitter humor. "I'm just pleased nobody was too ruffled at my presence. Your queen, especially, to the point of actually /listening/ to me. Many in my world would think I were man'ari at first glance, even without the Scourge's taint. I suppose she's getting used to horrible things by now, hm?"

Riva Banari has posed:
Riva grins at the man's moustache. He seems to be quite the character. "I would love to know more about the magic of this land. So it is all based on drawing power from Lavos? What can you tell us about this being? Do they care? What do they want the power used for? Do they even communicate with you?"

Schala Zeal (733) has posed:
    Dalton quirks his brow at Yari. She found someone because of him? Uh, well. "Glad I could help, I guess. Wasn't worried about owing you anything, but all the better if you won't expect any favors from me in the future." Well, that's pretty frank! But at least he's honest. When questioned about the group, he folds his arms (or tries) and offers, "They're a bunch of self-righteous hacks. What right to they have to barge into our world and pretend they understand anything? Our Queen is on the cusp of giving everyone in the kingdom immortality. -Immortality-! We'll -all- ascend to Godhood! What more can they want? You've gotta prioritize, don't you? You have to make sacrifices somewhere, and if it's just those people living in the caves down there then I don't really see the issue."

    And about Lavos? "Ehhhh. I've seen what happens to people who get too obsessed with Lavos. They all go crazy, and most of them end up dying or being locked up on Mount Woe. I feel like our 'God' is really bad juju, but don't go saying that in front of the Queen. She'll really tell you off." At this point he takes the flask, downing a good, long swig. He emits an exaggerated 'Ahhh,' sound once he's finished, wiping his face with a sleeve and handing the flask back over.

    It's probably 3/4 of the way drained now. Aren'tcha so glad you shared?

    When she makes her 'proposition', his look becomes a bit more severe. He emits a long, long 'Hmmmm'. "... guess it couldn't hurt. I don't know if the Queen would take help from anyone else, but well, I'm not exactly the Queen. So I'll give it some thought, 'specially if these 'friends' of yours could help me oust these jerks. They're getting real old real fast. And..." He glances at his stub arm for a moment in silence before adding, meaningfully, "... yeah."

Schala Zeal (733) has posed:
    Shizune gets a quiet nod from Schala. She seems like she might be just slightly disappointed that she isn't able to help somehow right now, but if she is she's fairly careful to mask it. That's another of those petty feelings she endeavors not to burden others with. It's easy enough for her to recover her good spirits by observing her brother, though; as soon as Shizune prods him again, he folds his arms and turns his back to her. "I'll do whatever I want!" Schala's torn between reprimanding him and just mussing his hair again, so she ultimately decides to do neither.

    ... okay, she might actually have to ruffle his hair again. But only a little.

Yari Takane (691) has posed:
Yari can appreciate frankness. It's rare in her line of work.

"I'm glad we understand one another."

One eye closes as she thinks. The Union certianly likes to foist their morality on others. Then again, so does the Garleans. But at least they gain intel first.

"That's likely true. To obtain goals, there's always someone who loses. It's inevitable." She doesn't try to sympathize with the Earthbound ones. There's none to be found in Dalton.

Inwardly, Yari scowls. That was /good/ booze.

"I heard nothing. Still. I suppose I'll just have to continue researching the topic. I know well enough to not get to close to something before knowing what I'm dealing with."

Then there's a final nod.

"Certainly. Here." There's a small device given to Dalton, and a number.

"Contact me on this if you need anything. It's secure." With a nod, she'll then head off with a wave.

Schala Zeal (733) has posed:
    Ivraala turns down Schala's offer of help, too, and the girl can really only calm her expression and emit a small 'mmmm'. One day she'll be able to help someone. She just has to keep hoping for an opportunity until then. At her 'bitter humor', though, she manages a smile, responding with a few curiosities of her own: "Actually, there's a reason why you don't attract as much attention as you might elsewhere. In this kingdom there exists a race of magically-constructed beings called 'fiends'. They are perfectly sapient and quite common in everyday life, and many of them look like... like those you saw with the soldiers before." She's referring to those ogre-manticore hybrid things. "So even if the people here are incredibly 'soft' in some ways, they're a bit desensitized to things that appear monstrous. Usually, anyway."

Shizune Nakamura (369) has posed:
    That just seems to amuse Shizune further, but she stands up properly again to address Schala - and finally shows her hand, so to speak, on her keen eye for reading others. "Don't worry. If there's anything you can be of help with, I won't hesitate to call. My own world doesn't tend to have many troubles, but I have a habit of getting myself involved with things, and I've been spearheading one effort in particular you might be able to offer some aid with. Once we get things rolling there again, I'll be in touch."

Ivraala (679) has posed:
    "Tch. I guess I should have expected that." Ivraala shrugs slightly, armor rustling and clinking together. It seems the frost congealing on the floor around her has faded by now, probably as a result of an improved mood. "Still, I can't say I'm upset that it's not difficult for me to walk here. It...reminds me of home, in some ways. It's been some time since I was able to go there."

    A slight frown threatens to settle on her features, but before it can she pulls her hood over her head again, letting her horns slip through their holes. "...anyway. Yes, as Shizune says, if I find need for your abilities, I will call on you. Perhaps the Scourge will be something you can help with, though...I would hesitate to expose you to that."

    The death knight gives a short sigh, then nods to Shizune. "I think I will take my leave for now. You know how to call on me if I can be of assistance. <Safe journey,> Schala." 'Dioniss aca,' the only term she's spoken in her own language today, though translated by that strange effect. It seems to hold more meaning to her in her native language than simply saying it in English.

    With a brief nod given to the Union members present, Ivraala steps back to find her way out into the frigid wasteland again.

Schala Zeal (733) has posed:
    Belthasar nods to Riva. "Yes, yes -- all magical power is derived from Lavos. Modern research holds that they are so rich in energy that they actually emit a sort of field of the stuff which we're able to tap into and access from the atmosphere. A year or so ago, though, Melchior - that is, the Guru of Life - developed a tool called the 'Mammon Machine' which can 'mine' for magic more directly. It's resulted in a sort of golden age; a veritable renaissance! As you could imagine, people are quite pleased. The Queen's popularity soared... even if she seemed to suddenly become more militant in the wake of that. Hmm. Actually, I'd never quite had time to think about it, but could those things be connected? I wonder. Perhaps this is why Melchior has been so concerned, but... ah! I'm digressing. I'm sorry."

    He strokes his beard a moment. "But ah, what's to be said about Lavos themselves...? We know so little about them that's it's quite embarrassing. Though we have an idea of their rough physical shape due to the magical imprint they project, we don't even know what they look like! As I said, quite embarrassing. But I'm afraid that... no, people do not seem all too concerned with Lavos themselves -- just the energy they emit. Just the ways in which they pertain to our advancement. I've never really minded that perspective, but I must admit, in hindsight, that it seems fairly irresponsible."

    "The Queen and the rest seem to wish to use Lavos' power to achieve immortality. That's all very well, but I worry there are more... erm... interesting things we could do, I suppose? ... ah, but time was, researchers would consult me before moving forward in any of their endeavors. These days most things are ordained by the Queen without any of my input. It's a bit rude, but I don't wish to be decapitated, so I don't complain!" He laughs as though that were a joke.

Schala Zeal (733) has posed:
    Dalton takes the device offered by Yari and the paper, slipping each into a pants pocket concealed by his long, tan cloak. "Hey, thanks! I'll let you know if I think of anything." Shortly after, though, a soldier rushes by to pull him aside for the sharing of 'privileged information'. Dalton says this seems as natural a place to part as any, bids Yari farewell, and meanders off with the soldier shortly after. This leaves Yari to either explore the palace a bit longer or to return to her own world.

Yari Takane (691) has posed:
Yari, for her part, indeed takes the opportunity to explore the castle. Namely, it's magical tomes. She has research of her own to do, after all, and a number of recent techniques to refine. Really, if she were more arrogant, she could almost fit in here. Yari's soon a smoking, drinking cloud of magical learning.

Schala Zeal (733) has posed:
    Schala returns both Shizune's and Ivraala's attempts at humoring her with a warm smile before, at the mention of her powers, an idle hand meanders to her forehead. She explains her tendency to feel ill on occasion due to the overage of magical energy she is often in possession of in brief before requesting to take her leave of them and, assuming she receives it, heading for the door. Janus follows closely at her heels, being absolutely sure to stick out his tongue once more at Shizune before he exits. Just for good measure.

    They're a surprisingly normal pair, considering their circumstances.