2245/As It Turns Out, Teenage Heroes Have Problems

As It Turns Out, Teenage Heroes Have Problems
Date of Scene:	14 May 2015
Location:	Galianda
Synopsis:	The Light Warriors have a heart-to-heart. Soda is involved.
Cast of Characters:	626, 628, 633, 642, 655, 766

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Kamon Lionward (628) has posed:
A WHILE AGO

Kamon proposes that, in light of the Light Warriors' recent, uh, issues, they go for a GROUP ACTIVITY. This is largely an excuse for a bunch of highly-trained hero-types to get away from school and go somewhere far away. Given the Multiverse is a bit too broad to just jump in random warpgates (they'd end up in the Confederate HQ somehow), they've kept it local.

Mostly.

RIGHT ABOUT NOW

The group hikes on a winding path up and around the slopes of Titan. The Sky-Breaking Mountain is majestic and impressive, and they basically picked a direction off the beaten path once they cleared the Span and just /went/. People warned them to be careful, but they're adventurers. They'll be fine.

"...haven't been this way in a few years," Kamon says, walking up the narrow, rough trail. The rock faces are broken up by huge patches of moss, growing vertically in crevices and near the path. It provides color to the landscape. The sky stretches out to the left, clear and bright. "There aren't any dungeons or ruins around here, I don't think, so it's pretty much just us."

Kamon glances over his shoulder. He's got an iron-shod staff for a walking stick, and it taps against the ground while he walks. The path ahead winds around the cliffs at the edge of one. It's a long way down, but it's wide enough to be safe enough. "How's everyone feeling?"

Soan Sagittarius (633) has posed:
A WHILE AGO

     You'd think with someone being able to make elaborate, mechanical traps with wiring, that he would be able to build a display case. It's just some planks, some glass pannels, some nails, some screws. It started simple enough. Put plank B with screw H, twirl with instrument D, hold together then screw plank C and D together with screw I and J. Half an hour later, Soan Sagittarius was in a mess of planks, broken things when ... issues started. In a terrible way, he was glad to see a change of scenery.

     NOW

     Soan was tasked with bringing snaks, a job that he took quite seriously. Over his back is a large backpack, several pouches, bags dangles from it. Being the packrat that he is, he caught the liberty to bring along a tent. If they are going away from civilization and /go/, they'll need a big tent. So he did. Never mind that, if this does not involves some fire and marshmallow, he'll be surprised.

     So Soan came prepared.

     "I haven't been here at all, I don't think." The Thief says, keeping a good hold of all the equipment he bought along, looking around at the group. He's not out of breath, even if he's sweating a bit. It'd be easier to /jump/ to the top, but that's not the point of this. "I'm doing OK. You guys?" He asks, looking around at the group.

Kyra Hyral (626) has posed:
    Sometimes she feels she's got to (bum bum) get away...

    Since meeting up with the others it's become pretty clear that Kyra looks rather shellshocked following the results of the call. Getting out and being around her friends is pretty much exactly what she needs right now, if only to take her mind off what just happened between her and her parents.

    Kyra geared up with snacks, potions, and emergency explosives because this is Titan and Random Encounters Can Happen At Any Time. She's also opted for a more comfortable, less jingly set of boots to hike in since she knew that there'd be lots of that involved. Leather gloves are on her hands with metal fingertips, ideal for grabbing on to rock faces.

    "A bit better, actually." Kyra speaks up, though not nearly approaching her usual mad scientist schoolgirl cheer. "Thanks, Kamon, this was a pretty great idea." As the path nears the cliff edge, Kyra pauses to take a picture of the view with her phone.

    Additionally, unlike prior excusions, this one will not be televised. Kyra's wearable camera is nowhere in sight.

Dominic Masoch (655) has posed:
Dominic is here, albeit dressed much more casually than people usually see him. He's got on a pair of jeans, a t-shirt, and a backpack across his back that has his sword flashed to the side of it, "I'm doing alright," He replies to Kamon in a moderately tired tone. While Fencers had some training and required a lot of fitness, mountain hikes were never not a tiring thing.

"It is a lovely area. I don't think I have ever seen cause to come out this way before today." He probably looks less weary than Kyra. His exile was a quieter affair than hers and hit him less emotionally. Trying, yes, but he'd rather people focus more on Kyra's well-being than his own.

"I appreciate you showing it to us, Kamon."

Landon al Cid (642) has posed:
     How *is* everyone feeling?

     Landon al Cid, Prince of Ramuh, is not feeling all that great. The drama of Kyra's family isn't exactly unknown; a declaration like that goes out fast among people with the right channels, and Landon is absolutely one of the people with the right channels. There's very little in the social circles of Ramuh that Landon's family isn't aware of immediately, and very little that Landon doesn't keep aware of. His silence is more telling than, likely, anything else could possibly be - a silence that's stretched through most of the climb. If not for his armor, and him moving to take point because of it, people might have forgotten Landon was even there.

     His Judge Blade has been manifest the entire time. He's barely said anything, aside from when they picked him up, when he smiled politely and said that that was a lovely idea, and that he would be happy to come with them.

Ellard Asha (766) has posed:
Ellard Asha, That Guy From Class, looks kind of like a pack mule. Tall for sixteen, like most Odynari, and pretty compactly ripped, he has electric green highlight in his iron grey hair, today. He wears his customary breastplate/leather jacket combination. He is also wearing a new tower shield, pretty plain, since it came from the group budget, a huge seven foot wooden case, a light camping backpack, and two ice chests.

He makes a lot of noise as he walks, but he just seems pleased to be there.

"I never got much of a chance to explore the mountain much, it'll be nice."

Kamon Lionward (628) has posed:
There's a nod. Nobody expresses distress at the choice of activity. That's good! "It's kind of out of the way, but... well, it's nothing; just enjoy it." Kamon smiles back at the majority of the group. Landon, clad in steel and about as emotive as a slab of it, pretty much won't see it. "There's a good place to take a breather up ahead, I think."

They walk along the cliffside. The wind isn't quite howling, but there's a breeze. Kamon keeps a steady pace, tiring but not grueling. The path narrows and turns to the right, out of sight, until it opens into a wide rock ledge. Things open up again over there.

The ledge itself is carpeted in rich green moss, a soft layer of it from one end to the other. It's like the Titanic equivalent of grass. Further back, a row of three enormous heads are carved out of the mountainside. They're weathered and old, cracked in places, but the shape of them still remains. They aren't completely humanoid. Monsters and other creatures appear to be cut in relief along the curving walls of this little haven, but it's equally weathered. It would be a good ampitheater if it wasn't facing open air and a long, long drop.

"Here we go. Ellard, you can put that stuff down over there." Kamon points off to a side. "Take a breather, grab a bite, and we'll move along in a little bit."

Soan Sagittarius (633) has posed:
"Ahhhhh!" Soan exclaims, setting down some of his bags to take in the sight of the place. This is something you can only see if you go to Titan. Tall, yet grounded, with massive statues dotting an area. "This is a great place, Kamon. Kudos, sir, kudos." He cheerfully adds. He does his best to at least be cheerful, perhaps a bit moreso than usual. Landon worries him, not to mention Kyra and Dominic. He's getting a feeling that the Prince is probably taking it the worse than the two of them are, at all.

     Soan sits down, fishing into his bag, several containers set beside him. "Now, I've got some fruit salad, some sandwiches -- cheese, peanut butter, several meats, at that, some nice crackers and stick, some puddings of the chocolate kind" The Thief goes on, setting down the trail-sized parts on a step. "Go ahead, serve yourself, guys, just don't eat too much. We got a bit to go, still!"

Landon al Cid (642) has posed:
     Landon is probably not taking it worse than Kyra, but he's taking it pretty poorly.

     Landon is well aware of what this means. As someone well-aware of the massive and intricate political network that is Galianda, Landon knows all the little dominos that are going to fall as a result of this. Many of them do come down on him - not the least of which, his own freedoms may be heavily restricted in order to protect the people of Ramuh from certain other individuals. That's the selfish issue, though.

     The other selfish issue is that, now, Landon is in the awkward position of associating with someone who is, quite literally, declared Heretical, and anything he does in that regard is going to be troublesome, because if he uses any influence at all with the Church of Cosma, or encourages his father to do so, it will mean a fair segment of the population imagining that the nobility is corrupt enough to try and overturn the rulings of their deity. The alternative is to spend time with someone who has been declared literally a member of the Enemy, which, both as a Judge and a member of the Royal Family, he simply cannot do.

     So he either loses a friend, loses his honor, damages the Family's honor and position, or...

     Or...

     Well, he hasn't thought of an 'or'. That's part of why he's been taking the climb. Landon sinks down against the wall of the cliff, his eyes sinking shut along with him. There wasn't a solution he could see, but it didn't mean one wouldn't manifest. In the meantime, he just had to...carry on, and make some sacrifices, and...

     ...and he wasn't sure.

     But he'd never been so angry with his friends before.

     He'd...never really had a lot of friends other than Cirra before, either. And Cirra was...different. Important to him in a lot of ways, but different ways. That relationship had always and would always be different, no matter what happened, which made a lot of other things difficult, as well.

     Landon also brought his own food along. It's just standard procedure for him on adventures - not that he doesn't trust them, but there's a certain precision you have to exercise as Prince, a certain paranoia that it bred into you if you wanted to stay alive in a world full of guys like Souji Murasame. It was just...part of the game. Part of the deal.

     So Landon eats, carrying on his silence as he wracks his brain for an answer that he knows probably doesn't exist.

Kyra Hyral (626) has posed:
    "A breather, good." Kyra sighs, "I could use that." Literally, it looks like, by the redness on her face.

    Landon's presence is actually an awkward thing for Kyra and it doesn't help that he's being very quiet today. She's avoided going near him during this hike, sticking closer to (unsurprisingly) Dominic. Every now and then she looks from the ex-Masoch to the Prince to see if anything is exchanged between them. Landon's disapproval, while it stung, was actually a little unexpected-she hadn't been friends with him before the Light Warriors were formed. Dominic, on the other hand...

    She worried.

    However, it's hard to stay worried when physical exertion is being had and for Kyra, it's a pretty significant thing. Yet, she pushes herself to keep up with the others, even managing to match Dominic's long-legged stride.

    She's all too happy to take that breather and plops down on the moss-covered ledge, arms behind her as she leans back. Once she's caught her breath, she'll swipe one of the sandwhiches and take another picture of their surroundings.

Ellard Asha (766) has posed:
Ellard, who has trained by swinging a sword that weighs a hundred pounds while there are boulders strapped to his arms, doesn't seem to be worried much. He sets his burdern down next to some rocks, positioning the coolers first, then setting his pack down. He pops open each cooler for the others. There's water, but there's a lot of fizzy Ramuh sodas. That done, he sets down the pack as well and turns up towards the carved heads. Ellard may not be filming everything, but he at least takes pictures.

This is really weird for Ellard, because he doesn't know everyone that well. So he is here with a lot of pent up tension on everyone's side BUT his.

And his mother is a Mediator. Ellard feels the tense silence. He doesn't like it. So he fills it with talk.

"I've been to Titan before. Travelled a lot. I just didn't get much time to explore, you know? It's a wonderful place to really feel at peace with the world."

Dominic Masoch (655) has posed:
Ellard gets a look from Dominic. Not a hostile one, more one of curiosity. That he was so happily carrying around so much equipment is somewhat baffling. He asks to Ellard partway up, "Would you... like some help?" He inquires, looking up at the large man. Best to be polite, after all.

Landon is given a semi-wide berth, however. Having known the Prince most of their lives, he recognizes when his friend doesn't want to discuss something. He also recognizes when actions are going to probably create tensions or minor rifts. Approaching Landon on this topic now, of all times, was not condusive to the relaxing experience Kamon wanted. Nor would it bode well for the serenity of the events. If he and Landon were to have the discussion (argument), it would be well behind closed doors.

He pats Kyra on the back a couple times to try to reassure her and then says, "Oh wow, Soan. All the food sounds delicious." And then he looks to Ellard, "Titan is a gorgeous place. I wish I could travel here more often, though perhaps time can be found after graduation." He remarks, thinking on it while he grabs one of those Ramuhan soda.

Phoenix: A Fiery Surge of Energy it reads across the label as he takes the cap off.

Kamon Lionward (628) has posed:
Kamon could practically feel the tension radiating off most of the group in waves the moment they set out together. It's lessened somewhat; physical exertion with your fellows can help take the edge off. Unfortunately, a dull sword can be even more dangerous than a sharp one, as Kamon well knows. They've got to do /something/ about all this.

Swinging his own pack off and giving Soan a brief nod, Kamon leans his staff and bag against a rock face. He sits down on a jutting chin from one of the enormous stone faces; it's about the right height to make a good seat. He's more or less seated centrally to the whole place, even if it wasn't meant to be a chair at all.

"I did a lot of travelling with my dad when I was younger," Kamon tells Ellard. "I went all over the world before enrolling in the Academy. It taught me a lot." And left a lot of gaps in his education, a nagging voice in his head says. Kamon promptly ignores it. He keeps talking instead. "We spent a lot of time together, you know? Just me and him."

"There was one time -- I don't even remember what he did, but I got it into my head that it was his fault mom wasn't with us. I was so mad at him." Kamon smiles a little and shakes his head. "I couldn't tell him, though. I mean, I couldn't be mad at /him/, I lived with him. So I just ignored it, and let it sit, and said everything was okay. Then, days, weeks later, we're climbing up Titan, and we get to this place full of big faces, and I see one." He taps his heel on the one he's sitting on. "And I don't know what about it does it, but I just... I lose it."

"Must've yelled for what felt like hours. Just us, the stones and the sky listening in. We knew things would get tense, but we were close, so how bad could it be?" He shrugs. "It took that to teach us that we had to let each other in, too, not just share one another's food and company, if we really wanted to handle the whole world together."

Kamon looks to the sky, lapsing into perhaps pointed silence.

Ellard Asha (766) has posed:
Ellard grins at Dominic, "Hey, I'm okay. I'm used to this sort of thing." Ellard is a lower classman, so he does a lot of the grunt work in his various clubs. The offer is clearly appreciated though. He reaches into the cooler and fishes out a Diabolos: Double Dark Sour Grape. He screws the top off with a brief twist. Ellard takes a gulp to mask the grimace of 'what to do after graduation', only to turn towards Kamon. He goes silent again, then uneasily, he responds, "There are things I want to say to my father now. But I can't. I let them stay in too long." He takes another gulp, but this time the grimace is from SUPER SOUR ACTION.

Soan Sagittarius (633) has posed:
     Soan can sense the tension as well. As he finishes setting up the little food gallery, the Thief sits back while picking up a sandwich for himself as well. His eyes flies from person to person, Light Warriors. "Hey, thanks. Particularly since I was a bit on a time limit to get this done."

     And by 'getting this done', he mean 'he got someone to do it for him, faster than he ever could'. Not that they need to know that, mind you. He grabs one of the Phoenix Soda Cans, cracking it open, then lays back.

     Then Kamon starts sharing a story. It's not a story that he heard from him before. He haven't travelled much around the world, despite being someone that actually /could/ go anywhere he damn well wanted. Soan adjust his feet, leaning an arm over a bent knee, looking at his Odinari friend.

     He can't really relate to any of them with the family problem they have. He never really had one. The closest he had was the Dragoon Temple... which, admittedly, is pretty close. But a weighty, crushing family tradition from the past? That's not something he understands, emotionally.

     "It's hard." Soan says, taking in a deep breath, letting Kamon's story sink in. "To open up like that, is it not?"

Kyra Hyral (626) has posed:
    Although Dominic is trying to be reassuring, their privately-exchanged words do anything but that for Kyra. Still, she says nothing, not trying to bring up the subject out loud.

    Then Kamon plops himself down and tells a story of his past with his old many that is about as subtle to the current situation as a rabid behemoth. She can easily see what he's getting at and were it coming from anyone else but Kamon, she wouldn't take the bait. But Kamon is Kamon. He's not the Law. He's not the Authority. "...it's not fair." Kyra says, her voice wavering, "Just getting disowned would have been fine but they took it too damn far! /Cherem/. My parents are /crazy/! They can hate me all they want but noooo they have to drag everyone else that can listen into their little stupid power trip." Her words become more and more disjointed as she speaks, like a robot gradually breaking down.

    "It wasn't supposed to change how my friends feel about me either." she looks at Landon briefly for this before her shoulders slump. "Urgh. And Dominic, what they did to you wasn't fair either."

Dominic Masoch (655) has posed:
    Dominic draws in a flinching breath as what happens to him is brought up, "Ah, that was supposed to remain quiet, but I suppose gossip was to get out eventually," He gives a dismissive wave, one of the more relaxed gestures he's picked up since joining the Light Warriors, "What happened to me is fair. It was necessary for the Masoch family and the company to survive. I accept this."

    He sips at the soda a bit and looks to Ellard, "Has it been too long?" He asks curiously. He's not sure if Ellard's father is dead, and doesn't want to make that misstep, "If so, it is truly a shame. If not, you will never find a better time. Letting things stay in for too long only hurts more."

    He'll fish around for a bag of Bomb Brand Potato Chips and open it, popping one in his mouth and then going, "Ah. Shoot. Forgot how spicy these are." He comments as he sits down next to Kyra and munches on another.

He looks to Kamon slowly, "Yelling in a place such as this. I can see the appeal of it. So isolated, no one would know. You could simply let the emotions flow."

Landon al Cid (642) has posed:
     At that, at long last, Landon speaks. His eye opens, falling on Kyra and Dominic.

     "It does not matter what it was supposed to do, or what it was meant to do," he says, "It does not matter what your intentions were, or what you sought, or what you desired. You acted on your desires and put them ahead of the consequences. Something as selfish and self-centered as 'unfair'...those are the words of a child."

     The Prince's other eye opens. His eyes are stern, and he bears a greater resemblance to his father than he probably has in a long time. That's likely no coincidence. "Your decision was to pursue happiness, regardless of what your family, your friends, or anyone else thought. That is to be applauded, if it is done with care, with thought, and with an understanding of what will happen. But that isn't what happened, is it?" Landon's voice turns hard.

     "What happened is that you lashed out, with an ill-thought-out rebellion, and are suffering for it. There were a hundred ways to escape Murasame's grasp and remain in the Union, but you chose the one that you either knew, or understood, would anger your family most. And they punished you. Whether it was extreme or not is not my place to judge; the affairs of blood are only mine to determine where it affects the realm or the law."

     Landon shifts positions, draping a gauntleted arm over his knee. "What has happened now is that the Prince is friends with a heretic, that Murasame has an excuse to break your betrothal before anyone is ready to absorb the consequences, and that I must acknowledge that my friends acted without thought for how their actions might affect others around them."

     "And, yes, that is selfish of me. I should not be so angered that my friends are happy, even if it costs me greatly. But as a result of these consequences, I may not be able to remain your friend. I may not be able to remain your ally." Landon closes his eyes. "And I would like very much to avoid that, because despite my frustration, despite that this has inflicted upon me at least one and possibly more deep and binding wounds and chains, I still value your friendship quite highly, even if I currently feel that you are terribly irresponsible."

     "I am trying to think of a solution that can escape the declaration of Cherem. If it builds - and Murasame, or someone else, most assuredly will find a way to afflict the Faith of the Divines with the same odious opinion - then I will not be able to remain part of this club unless you are exiled, and that I will not do."

     Landon heaves a long sigh and flicks his eyes at Kamon, a tired smile spreading across his face. "I trust that satisfies the moral of your story well enough. I could not make my innermost thoughts more clear."

     And just like that, he lapses into silence again.

Ellard Asha (766) has posed:
There's a lot of awkward silence. Ellard sits up straighter and points at his drink, "Boy, you know, this is a lot more sour than they say it is."

Kamon Lionward (628) has posed:
Kamon is neither the Law nor an Authority. He's just Kamon. He is what he is.

"You should think about whether that's really true," Kamon says to Ellard, largely echoing Dominic's sentiment. He smiles a little again. "I wonder if unsaid things to parents is just a common Odynari thing. Iron-wrapped bones, homeland full of monsters, father issues..."

Kamon looks to Soan. Kamon nods. "Yeah. Letting down your guard like that? It's... not really fun. There were times..." He trails off, looking between Dominic and Kyra instead. They've got the bigger issues here; his own problems can wait. He listens to the two of them, mulling it all over.

Landon does the next best thing to exploding. He sounds... well, he sounds like a /prince/. He's coming at this from every angle the rest of them either haven't or don't want to consider, and nothing he's said is outrageous or untrue. Does it satisfy his story? Well...

Kamon breathes a slow breath. He's quiet for a long moment. Ellard comments on a drink's sourocity, and it takes all his considerable willpower to not crack up and ruin the moment even further.

"I don't really know what to say," Kamon finally starts. "I haven't been keeping up with all of you as well as I should have, or been there when I should've. I... lost someone," he says, staring out into the sky, "during the fighting around the new year. We used to be close, but I think she died resenting me."

"I guess I was worried that..." He trails off, and he shakes his head. "I don't know. That maybe one of you would decide you wanted to be there one day, and that I'd lose you, too, and that you'd hate me for it before it was over. It's -- it was stupid. But," Kamon says, standing and taking another breath, "between that, and what you two are going through," he nods at Kyra and Dominic, "and what Landon's dealing with because of /that/..."

Kamon looks at the collected Light Warriors. It isn't all of them; that's fine, though. The others will know, sooner or later. A strong core is where you have to start.

"We're the Light Warriors," the Odynari says. "Whether we've been friends for a long time or a little, we've been in this together, and going forward, we still will be. Right now, it doesn't matter what the rest of the world thinks of us. It doesn't matter if they think we're evil, or if they say we aren't one of them, or if they thumb their noses at the company we keep." He spreads his arms. "We know what we are, and /who/ we are."

"And that's why I wanted you all out here," Kamon says, letting his arms drop. "Because you all need to know that, no matter what happens, I'm with you. I've got your backs. And knowing we're there for each other when the hammer falls... that's important."

Dominic Masoch (655) has posed:
    "Landon," Dominic begins, speaking carefully. He doesn't want to step in against the prince. Or step in against Kyra. The Fencer takes a long few moments to look at the prince and then carefully says, "The al Cid dynasty on Ramuh was founded on an ill-thought-out rebellion that most people probably thought was a terrible idea at the time."

    It's not a defense of Kyra. It's not an admonishment of Landon. It's simply a normative statement of fact that can be taken and reflected on at leisure by both sides. He grips the soda in his hands tightly and then takes a slow breath. He looks to his friend and states, "But, if I may be so bold as to cash in years of our good will to ask you a question..."

    "How much of your anger is truly directed at Kyra?" He squarely stares Landon in the eyes and adds, "Since Galianda has joined the Multiverse," A term he's trying to deliberately use out of discomfort of many people over Extraverse, "You have been under constant pressure from some source or another. Shiva. Inter-Ramuhan politics. Diplomacy within the faction. If it was not this, then who would say what the pressure or leverage may have been. And while I don't belittle your frustration, which you are entitled to, how much of that is simply you finally having a focal point and a person to direct it at?"

    Dominic takes a slow breath, figuring out how to move to his next point.

    "I never stood by Ramuh, it's politics are over-ornate and abusive," Dominic says as he looks to Landon seriously, "But I stood, and will stand, by the al Cids for so long as one of them calls on me. Because I believe in what Cid of Ramuh stood for all that time ago. The belief that, against all odds, all public opinion, and all common sense... that a man could fight for what he truly believed in, follow the path he truly sought, and he would be celebrated for it." He takes a careful pause, "That's why I chose this path for myself, against wisdom and caution."

    He looks around the group, nodding to Kamon slowly, "It took the Light Warriors to show me what I actually wanted. I've accepted whatever consequences will arise from my path."

    He puts down his soda bottle and looks to Landon again, "And if they come for my name again because the quiet severence of my name wasn't enough, I'll be Dominic al Light Warriors or something," He tries to inject a note of brevity, "But this is what I truly want to do, Landon."

Soan Sagittarius (633) has posed:
     Soan listens. He gets a lot of their fear. Landon is worried on a lot, he has quite a lot weighted on his mind. What he didn't know, however, was Kyra being called a Cherem. He looks at her with surprised eyes, his hand laying down on the stone, squeezing it down, scratching with his fingers. Stupid Cosmoa Church fanatics. In what rights did you have to call someone just as worse as the Enemy, where all she's done is... nothing of the sorts. Nothing nearly that bad. She is the last to relate to Chaos.

     Yet, there's nothing he can do it about it. He's just a Dragoon. Dragoons has nothing to say in the Church's affairs. Not just that, but he's still a /young/ Dragoon.

     Then Ellard says something, just as he's drinking out of his soda, to gain some time to formulate something to say, while that everyone is pouring out their hearts'. Unlike Kamon, Soan was completly caught offguard by it, snorting out a laugh from just how out of case things were.

     As well as a good dose of the soda that comes out of his nose.

     "Gaaaah!" Sagittarius grunts out, rubbing his noise with his sleeve to ignore the delicious bubbly pain going through his, admittedly, over developed sense of smell, cringing out in pain with an herculean effort to not too much of a fuss.

     "AND!" The Thief lets out loudly, as loudly is the only thing he can as he wipes his nose with his jacket's sleeve. Bloody hell, and he had to take PHOENIX's soda, "We'll be here for you guys. We may not always make the best decisions. We may not know everything... but that's why we made the Light Warriors. So we can /learn/." Soan says, looking foward Landon.

     "We'll figure it out. You're not alone thinking on this," He muffles over his clothing, still grinding it over. He's REALLY not dignified. "They'll learn about it, no doubts. They probably already have. We can't do much about the Church's offensive statements. What we can do, is be us, then tackle thoses problems. We're not alone, either. Remember."

     Soan snaps, letting out a growl before pulling out his head. "Gaaaaah! Oh Divines, this /sting/!"

Ellard Asha (766) has posed:
Ellard doesn't have enough ground here to make a dramatic speech. His training from his mother says that Landon is doing what he needs to do because Landon is a PRINCE and he's covering his ass. Also, dropping that his father is dead right this second will probably ruin everyone else's moment, so he keeps it under his hat. Instead, he leans back, considering as everyone talks. He considers his own bastard family history, then takes another sugary and sour sip. He gulps it down, turning his head up to the sky.

Ellard looks back and forth at the sky, considering. "You could take a bold stance. You stay within the Light Warriors because it is important, but you allow your compatriots to do as they please. It's not your job to manage their family dealings and they are mature enough to deal with the fall out on their own. You can say outright 'It is not my business. It is theirs, I don't want to get my personal feelings into it.'" Ellard pauses, holding up the drink and one finger, "You can say you told Kyra of your disapproval, so you aren't responsible for the action of others, you aren't her guardian. You informed her she was making the wrong decision, she did it anyways, it's out of your hands."

Ellard then brings his head down, drinks, "Short them anyways."

Kyra Hyral (626) has posed:
    Honestly, Kyra had been hoping for /some/ validation. At least someone to tell her that it was going to be alright even though it felt like her plan had backfired-or rather, just worked a little TOO well. It's not what she's hearing-instead, given a demonstration of Landon's political savvy, revealing further problems the fallout has caused that she hadn't yet anticipated.

    Kyra looks distant. "We weren't friends before you joined the Light Warriors, Landon. It's only been some months...it'd be easy for you to go back to before that." She sounds...resigned. Defeated. Fighting with her parents was one thing. Fighting with her friends was something she didn't have the stomach for, especially not now.

    She eventually looks up again when Kamon starts to speak, especially when he notes that he lost someone he knew around Ascending/Descending Odin. She'd have to offer condolences-later. "Kamon..." she says quietly, "I.." she starts to tear up a little, "I'll always be a Light Warrior. All of you are all the family I ever need." Yet still, she feels regret. Would they have had better ideas for evading her arranged marriage? And arranging it so she could continue doing things in the extraverse at large? "And next time I'll come to my real family first." It seems like a spot where she might laugh but Kyra finds no laughter coming out.

    At last, though, Dominic speaks to Landon and Kyra watches on with apprehension. Nothing Landon said previously was directed at Dominic but then again, his punishment wasn't as severe as being declared as an enemy of the Church of Cosma. In a way it seemed to highlight her perceived unfairness of her parent's reaction. The thought, though, of being Landon's scapegoat hadn't really occurred to her but in retrospect, she was not unaware of the various political pressures Landon has been under lately, especially with the Shiva turmoil. But to what Dominic's said, Kyra doesn't chime in with anything to add. In fact, she's grown quiet again.

Landon al Cid (642) has posed:
     Landon remains quiet for a long moment, as the others say their dramatic monologues. Finally, he sighs.

     "Dominic al Light Warriors is the stupidest name I've ever heard," he notes with a smile, "Not that al Cid is much better, but..."

     Landon sighs. "I suppose I have also been a bit selfish. I apologize. I truly, truly am delighted for my friends, and in no way will I ever abandon friends in a time of need."

     "It does not matter that you are being excised by the Church. It does not matter that it will cause strife. Yes, I am frustrated. Yes, I am worried."

     Landon stands and moves over to sit with the rest of the group, a smile on his face. "But you are my friends, and even if I am angry with you, it will pass. We will deal with this as a group - as Kamon, as Soan, say, we will do."

Soan Sagittarius (633) has posed:
     Soan takes a deep breath. The pain's gone, this was a little embarassing, but it's something to remember, anyway. "You know," He begins, quietly, looking up at the group. His hand lie back down on the stone he's squeezed, feeling some of the indentations he left into it. "I do admire you guys for several things. I wouldn't know if it was the right decision or the most optimal one, but... it was a decision. You decided to /do/ something, instead of lamenting, suffering the pressure, the weight that was crushing you."

     He looks at Kyra and Dominic, smiling at them. "I can't really understand the pressure your families put upon you two. That's something you two have on me. The Dragoons were my family for much of what I remember, so... I have an idea of what it must have taken for you two to do what you did."

     He looks upward to the sky, taking in a deep breath. "I can imagine a little the void it must've made... even if they frustrated you to no end."

     Soan stands up, dusting his hands off to look at the group. "We'll have a lot ahead of us. We picked the name 'Light Warrior' originally, partially, to appeal to Doctor King. I think it have another meaning."

     He points at the assembled people, Ellard, Kyra, Kamon, Dominic, Landon. "The Light binds things together. Sometimes things hides behind it as a mask. Sometimes it blinds. But the Light is what brings people together. It guides. Gallianda's new to a grand new whole, it's scared. We're scared, and we suffered through that. We likely will more. We have problems of our own. Further brewing, too, that we might not know."

     The Dragoon lends out an hand to the others. "We may be just a few teenagers in a whole, big ocean of people, problems bigger than us, but we can be together. Let us shine to guide each others, support each others... and be who we are, we will guide who wants to be guided. Let this be what a Light Warrior mean."