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Owner	Pose
Kale Hearthward	Welcome to Spire City, the Gale Empire's capital. Or rather, you're very *not* welcome to Spire City. The warpgate plaza is guarded and cordoned off, via constructions that look like they've been added recently. Plexiglass and plywood walls block nearly every exit from the plaza, with a checkpoint on the only remaining way in or out. People leaving doesn't seem to be an issue, in fact the outgoing lane of the checkpoint doesn't have anyone manning it at and anyone leaving isn't stopped - but unfortunately you're going the other direction. Kale said he'd meet everyone on the other side of the checkpoint, and he's not here. Even with the walls and checkpoint up - Spire City is easy to take in. It's built vertically, taking advantage of the third dimension in its layout in the same way most cities take advantage of two dimensions - as in, while there are streets that go north and south, or east and west, here in Spire City there are streets that go *up and down*. The vertical 'streets' weave between tightly packed skyscrapers, with access via external elevator platforms for foot traffic and open spaces for small airships. There's an owl running the checkpoint at the moment, sitting at a desk with two armed bird guards flanking her. She has a tablet on the desk, and is writing into it with a stylus pen. "Name, world and country of record, occupation, reason for your visit," she says to anyone who approaches, not looking up from her tablet. "And then-" She gets interrupted. There's the sound of a megaphone somewhere in the distance, getting closer - and then farther away. <"... workers only! RO-BOTS? NO-SHOT! Real workers only! RO-BOTS? NO-SHOT! Real workers only! RO-BOTS? NO-SHOT Real workers..."> "- And then thumbprint here, smile for the camera, and then wait until you're called," she finishes once the noise dies back down. There aren't any benches or anywhere comfortable-looking to sit in the plaza.
Ishirou	Ishirou's here on time, with the proper paperwork, and the patience to get through the checkpoint as fast as possible.  He gives his information, provides his documentation, smiles for the camera, and is now waiting to be called so he can go on to meet Kale.  Honestly, he's surprised that Kale didn't call ahead to get them green-lit, but at the same time maybe no procedure lets them go through rapidly.  Oh well! Today, Ishirou is in blue jeans and a green sweater shirt, waiting for his name to be called and looking about curiously at whatever gets his interest.  That includes spreading his senses out to see what's going on with the protest.  The words bring a smile to his face, hopefully, internal pressure can be leveraged to get people to agree to free the people in the robots.   They /should/ be okay in the short term, but heavens knows what it'll be like for them the longer this goes on.  For him, this all hits a little close to home.
Sarracenia	Sarracenia has been curious in not exactly a positive way to see the Gale Empire since everyone she's met who has claimed to be from here has been a jerk of the highest order. True, she's only met three people from here, but that's still a high ratio in her mind.      Hearing that the no robots chant would usually make her wonder if those robots are people, but in this case she is fairly certain that those robots are from the Egg Empire.      Hearing that they will have to have a picture taken draws a frown from the princess. She is still bandaged around her head from having her jaw broken and her head slashed by an axe. The white wrappings of the bandages leave her with only one blue eye gazing at her surroundings. One of her hands is also bandaged quite heavily, with a brace around the wrist especially. Her dress covers whatever other bandages might be present. "Princess Sarracenia Sundew, Crown Princess of the Sundew Kingdom." she says to the owl. She definitely does not smile for the camera, and her picture is hardly flattering at the moment. A thumbprint is also provided.      She looks off toward the sound of the megaphone, then back toward the owl. "What robots are they talking about? Egg Empire?" she asks, wanting to be sure.      Ishirou is in line ahead of her, making the robot question a bit more awkward. At least to Sarra. She has hardly spoken to him since he made it very clear he wanted it that way, and he has spoken to her even less. She sees no reason to break that streak now, especially after the events of the last week or so. She apologized to him long ago for his slap, after all.      No seat is no problem though. She reaches into her satchel and pulls out a simple canvas tailgating chair. She unfolds it, wincing a bit when using her bandaged hand, then takes a seat with a soft sigh of relief.
Aidan Proudpick	A lot of complex feelings go through Aidan as he waits at the checkpoint. Anger. Exhaustion. Resentment. A new resurging defiance. And wonder. He hadn't seen Spire City before. And as he steps up to the checkpoint to look over it, some of the hatred he has had for this place dies away, just to watch a place of wonder. So many airships floating up and down the skies. People moving high into the buildings. But marred by plywood, by plexiglass, by tablets and checkpoints. By guards, by workers. And... by how small he feels. He struggles to push that feeling down, to wrangle it. But he doesn't turn his eyes down from the guards, looking at one, then the other, bold, making no effort to hide the Breath Weapon on his arm. He may shrink down from Lilian, but an old hatred runs deep. "Aidan Proudpick, Quicknest, Knight in Training," dismantle the empire, rip the Emperor from his throne, save people, shout about hearts and justice, "Diplomatic mission." He presses a thumb, smiles toothily for the camera, and moves out to join Ishirou. He smiles and nods at Ishiorou, noticing the look on his face, and where he's looking. It goes back further than that. Deeper. A memory of a one eyed fox woman training him in shieldwork, slamming a him with a black eye inducing blow. Deeper. In the mines, working among men and women, helping keeping the air fresh, the water from drowning others. The cadence. The voices of miners singing in candence as they worked. Cold: The air and wind blowing. Hard: the land we call our home. He nods once over to Ishirou, then over to Sarracenia, smiling. "Thanks for coming, Sarracenia!" He winces at all the bandages, "You did great in the fight. It might not feel like it."
Kale Hearthward	Any questions directed towards the receptionist get a stonewalled answer. "I don't know what robots," she says, and similar responses. Sarracenia's condition merits a second look from the owl, but not a third. A few minutes pass after signing in, and then first Ishirou and then Sarracenia are called back to the desk. "Here's your paperwork, you must call this number if you're staying in the city for longer than 24 hours. Welcome to the Gale Empire." Aidan takes a little longer, but not by much. And there's a thicker sheaf of paperwork waiting for him, along with a card. "You said Quicknest, right? Quicknest is no longer recognized as a country anymore. All of its citizens have been granted citizenship in the Gale Empire." "Here's your ID." It's got Aidan's picture on it - and it indeed lists him as a citizen of the Empire. "Welcome to the Gale Empire." It's said with a different tone than the others got - more warmly, if only slightly. On the other side of the checkpoint, Kale's waiting. "Sorry," he says. "Couldn't pre-screen anyone except myself. It should be clear sailing from here, though." "We're heading... three north, then three blocks north-up, then two east, and then finally one down. Nearly in the heart of the city." "I want to do more than just... check on the people, but it's been hard even arranging this." Kale's wearing a thick pair of headphones that he hasn't been wearing before. He also has a new habit of turning to look at people slightly before they've actually started talking.
Ishirou	Ishirou comes back up to get his passport stamped and nods at what the owl says.  Strange that it's only such a short pass... Usually these things last longer, but he doesn't plan on being here longer.  He, also, barely acknowledges Sarracenia, who he isn't on friendly terms with due to a lot of issues ranging from old to new.   On the other hand, he does smile, if somewhat forced, at Aidan.  Not because he hates Aidan, but because of probable misunderstandings in the past.  Also, he remembers how hard this probably is for him. While he's listening, he also gets to know that it's two protests.  One protesting the jobs that are being taken away, and the other protesting the humanity of it.  The first gets a slight frown... but he'll take any ammunition he can get, the second gets a deeper smile from him. "It's alright, Kale, glad to be here to help," he says to Kale once on the inside.  He walks with his ally and friend, to where they are going to be meeting to check in the robots.
Sarracenia	As Aidan greets her with that smile...Sarracenia's frown lessens somewhat but does not disappear. She speaks somewhat quietly, intending for only Aidan to hear but not really able to help it if others do as well. "You do not have to pretend for my sake. I failed in both aspects of the duel. Melee and message. And like a fool I actually hoped for some reduction of hostilities if I admitted my past mistakes. Instead...it was like when a shark senses blood in the water. I showed weakness, and they both immediately took advantage of it. I do not know why I expected anything else. One is a self-proclaimed villain, and the other has all but admitted such as well."      She closes her visible eye and sighs heavily. "At this rate, the Sundew Kingdom...is actually in peril. Not to mention myself. I did not think Lilian would let it go that far, much less -push- for it to go that far. We have had many cross words, but...we have never crossed weapons."      The response from the receptionist draws a slight 'hmph' from Sarra. When she is called she stands up carefully, wincing again and gasping a bit. She carefully folds up the chair and slides it back inside her purse, then takes her paperwork and heads into the city. "So, you are a citizen of the Gale Empire, then?" she asides to Aidan as they head toward Kale.      The princess's heavier frown returns upon seeing Kale. At his apology she eyes him a moment then shrugs lightly. "Customs. It is not your fault." she says. She listens to his explanation, but her eyes are on those big headphones. "...can you even hear with those on?" she asks, then takes a breath and lets it out. "How will we check on those that are inside the robots?" she asks, but looks toward Ishirou. He seems like the sort to have some way to do that.
Aidan Proudpick	"I heard a little bit." He levels a look at her. "Talk doesn't help. The more you talk, the more they push you into a corner. If you want to beat Lilian, you need to," he shrugs, "Prove her wrong. Prove Petra wrong. Madeleine told me I was letting them control the narrative. And she's right. And yer doing it too. I know you got a good heart, Sarracenia, okay? And yer a warrior princess for your country." He beams a bright grin at her. It's a good thing that Aidan's been working on his reading, it'll give him something to do on the elevators. He's not much past a 6th grade level, but that's enough to get by, at least. And reading the thesaurus every day like Captain Hook suggested is helping. Aidan stops at the warmer tone, thrown off into a stutter. He's on the back foot now, confused. "Th-thanks." He flips the ID card over in his hands, looking at it. The worry of a trap. Yet, something else. "I wonder... if this will make my mother incredibly angry or not." The card goes away into his cloth armor. He nods towards Sarracenia. "I guess so. I'm not sure what it means. But last time, they did everything they could to plasate me." Again that mix of emotions, anger at Hearthward for the last fight, respect and appreciation that he is devoted to this resolution, sympathy for how hard this might be, and an honest belief he can actually do what he says. The still awkward tension between him and Ishirou doesn't help him. Sincerity. Honesty. Compassion. "Thanks. I know yer doing it for them, not me. But thanks."
Kale Hearthward	Kale nods to Ishirou, clearly glad to have him here. > "At this rate, the Sundew Kingdom...is actually in peril. Not to mention myself. I did not think Lilian would let it go that far, much less -push- for it to go that far. We have had many cross words, but...we have never crossed weapons." "About the situation with the Sundew Kingdom - I'd honestly just fall on your sword on this one. Send Lilian a nice apology letter, with a gift, a matching apology on the radio, and a request to put the matter behind everyone." Wait - wasn't this conversation started while Ishirou and Sarracenia were in the plaza checkpoint? Yet he's acting like he's been hearing it since the start. "Lilian's... social power level, it's higher than yours right now. You can either accept that and start maneuvering around it, or you can keep beating your head against it and keep giving her the advantage." > "...can you even hear with those on?" "No, I cannot." > "Thanks. I know yer doing it for them, not me. But thanks." Kale stares at Aidan for a few moments. "... Yeah. None of this is about you. And it's not about me, or Petra or Lilian, either, so keep that in mind, okay?" Onward. Three blocks north, along the sidewalks, then three north-up via a ramp, then- - Oh, there's the protest. Actually, the group would have heard it a few blocks ago, but at this point they can lay eyes on it. A couple hundred animal people marching back and forth, waving signs. "The Empire's jobs should go to the Empire's citizens!" one of them calls. "Why are we taking handouts from a foreign empire!" calls another. "... I don't really want to cross through this, but the alternate path is... a bit of a walk to get around it," says Kale.
Ishirou	Ishirou gives Sarracenia a glance but doesn't respond to her first it's Kale who does first before he could even... and before he could even hear what was going on.  He's surprised but doesn't immediately comment on it because he's sure it's some training or something he's doing.  He does tilt his head to him when he reveals he can't hear them.  "Then how are we talking...?" he asks.   To Sarracenia he says nothing because she's coming out at people he considers friends or closer (except for Petra), and right now he is trying his best to not jump on something that people have already handled... or are handling.   Especially when Kale gives perfectly sound advice on the situation.  He takes a breath and lets what's been said be said.  To Aidan, he smiles again, a bit more warmly, and nods.  "What Kale said... remember this is for the people before anything else." With their path blocked, and the route a bit rough in either direction by the least favorite protesting group, he considers his options.  He looks for a path around using his heightened senses and scanning abilities, sharing these with the others.  Specifically, Kale because he knows his way around better, and perhaps with up-to-date information about where people are they could navigate a path through.   "How... volatile do you think this all is?" he asks, Kale, wondering if this is a powder keg waiting to go off or not.
Sarracenia	As Aidan says all of that, Sarracenia ends up a bit speechless. She can't help a small half smile after that, and a bit of a blush. "Thank you." she says. The point about them controlling the narrative has her frowning slightly again, and Kale just reinforces it. She sighs heavily. "Yes...I do not wield enough power, social or otherwise, to do anything against them.      'Send Lilian a nice apology letter, with a gift, a matching apology on the radio, and a request to put the matter behind everyone.'      -THAT- idea, as appropriate and perhaps even helpful as it might be, draws such a sour look from Sarracenia. Not only because of the idea itself, but the source. She peers suspiciously at Kale. "Why? So they can throw it back in my face and other people can foul the attempt?" she says. Though, it is with as much of a confused-sounding voice as an accusatory voice. This Kale seems different from the one they faced in the Shrine. Despite what she says, Sarracenia is obviously contemplating it.      As they reach the protest, Sarracenia considers a moment. "...it is probably better to take the long way. If we are seen heading toward the robots by a mob such as this...it could easily turn to trouble. And I would rather not have to defend against citizens just trying to preserve their livelyhood."
Aidan Proudpick	"Yes...I do not wield enough power, social or otherwise, to do anything against them." A smile again from Aidan, "We're in that boat together." Aidan's mind moves fast, drifting in and out of things, mostly the reason he gets in trouble on the radio. Is this a trap by the Empire. Is he still a bastard. Does Kale wear that top to this sort of thing, doesn't he realize how cunty it is? Is his mother going to move against him more openly now? Where are the people of Quicknest going to go? Can I get away with showing that much fur? Can I liberate Quicknest fast enough? "... Yeah. None of this is about you. And it's not about me, or Petra or Lilian, either, so keep that in mind, okay?" Defend yourself. Strike back. Something petty. Ishirou helps to cool that down, level him out. He smiles at Ishirou in return, then address them both. "Yer right." Soldiers on the battlefield, waiting on an airship squadron to hurl bombs, sitting for hours behind a shelter from the constant wind, hidden. Push to keep the gale from coming Feel the weight of what they stole. A protest. Aidan flinches back. How many times has he talked and ruined it. Failure fills his thoughts. Eggman, Quicknest, your fault, loser. "... I don't really want to cross through this, but the alternate path is... a bit of a walk to get around it," says Kale. His eyebrows lift. Hesitation? From Kale? He flashes his grin at the group. "I got this." His step is quicker up to the line of protesters, tucking the folder under his arm. He tries again to grapple the fear of failure down, pulling at it. He cups his hand around his mouth, using the air to amplify his voice. "We need to get through. I'm Ai- We're elites, here to convince the Empire to stop using the robots."
Kale Hearthward	> "Why? So they can throw it back in my face and other people can foul the attempt?" "Maybe. Throwing yourself on your sword means sometimes you get a scar from the entry wound *and* the exit wound. Is the possibility of that happening equal to what you'd gain from blunting whatever Lilian's going to do to you next? Maybe it's not, to you." > "Then how are we talking...?" "... Oh. I'm psychic now. I can read, uh, the part of your brain that's being used to speak. Like, tuned into that channel. *Just* that, though, I promise." >"How... volatile do you think this all is?" "I... can't say. I remember being the Empire being pretty, uh, not like this. Generally." Aidan makes the decision, and heads on out into the group. "... I'm trusting him to not-" Kale says, under his breath. Then he flinches, as the attention of the group is drawn to Aidan - and from there to the rest of the elites. "Did you hear that? The elites are supporting our cause!" "And there's the East Wind - he got fired by the Empire too, of course he'd support our cause!" "Elites for keeping Galean jobs for Galeans!" "Let's march on the factory and demand to be heard, now that we have the Elites!" There's cheering. "I'm just gonna take the long way-" Kale says quickly, and then taps his jet-boots on and about faces, flying off down one of the streets that's not normally pedestrian accessible. The protest group engulfs Aidan, and starts escorting (pushing) him towards the front of their march - and the protest threatens to incorporate Ishirou and Sarracenia as well!
Ishirou	"Oh," Ishirou says to Kale.  He runs through what to say, but his mind doesn't match his mouth in speed.  "Neat!" he says, almost immediately regretting just saying 'neat' to such a big reveal.  He takes a breath, and sighs, "I mean... it's cool that you've managed to become psychic!  I can't wait to see what else happens..." Kale reveals he's not sure what's going to happen, with his memories of the empire not like what they are today.  He sighs, so anything can happen... Aidan goes to do something, and he can almost FEEL the bad idea waves wash over him.  "Wa-" he says, provoked into trying to stop him because he can hear what Kale is saying.   The crowd... Ishirou doesn't want to be anywhere near this enveloping crowd and has decided to follow Kale's example.  He summons the RESCUE, and Kale rushes after him to try and duck down the long way and avoid the enveloping crowd of people protesting because of jobs, instead of because people are trapped in permanent stasis.
Sarracenia	'We're in that boat together'      Suddenly, Sarra has a realization. Are she and Aidan...friends? He isn't mad that she lost. He doesn't want to distance himself from her. He is offering encouraging words. She gives him a bit of an odd look as she considers the possibility. Of course, he did try to return the armor and thought she was trying to use him as a pawn (which she was to an extent). Can she afford to entertain the possibility?      Kale reveals he is psychic now! Though apparently only toward thoughts one is actively thinking about saying or something? She looks dubious about this. "...indeed. Neat." she agrees with Ishirou.      As she is pondering things, Aidan goes and does something. Sarracenia blinks in surprise, then again as Kale exits quickly. She isn't exactly keeping it a secret that she is opposed to the Egg Empire and these robots by extension. And she can't back out now, even if she wanted to. Her second declared them allies of the protestors. She giggles and shrugs a bit in resignation as she is soon pushed along, though she lets out such objections as, "Do not push me, please!" and "H-hey! Careful! I am a princess, you know!"      That last one might just spur things on a bit more, though she didn't really intend it that way. She looks toward Kale and Ishirou as they depart. "I suppose we will see you there?" she calls out to them.
Aidan Proudpick	Hope rises up in Aidan. He has a big grin on his face as the mob suddenly drifts around him. Seeing Kale unwilling to march with them even gives him a gleam of satisifaction. They are Imperial citizens, right? They will be heard, right? Nothing bad can happen here. In fact, this is going even better than Aidan could have hoped. He's going to be the her- "Elites for keeping Galean jobs for Galeans!" fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck "Uh, no ROBOT jobs," he tries to course correct everyone, using his air until his throat is hoarse to shout everyone else down. "No ROBOTS taking jobs for people! No ROBOTS taking jobs for people! No ROBOTS taking jobs for people!" He looks at Ishirou and Sarracenia desperately for help, getting none as he is pushed out towards the factory.
Kale Hearthward	SARRACENIA AND AIDAN: "No robots taking jobs for people!" The crowd does, fortunately, pick up on Aidan's slogan. The march goes a few blocks to the factory entrance - gated, and guarded, by two nervous looking birds. "Hey - we've got ELITES on our side now!" says one of the protestors. "Yeah! So you better let us in, or they'll smash the door wide open!" says another. "And then stomp you into the dirt!" "And wreck up the place!" "And use their weird magic to loop time around and make it happen over and over!" Aidan and Sarracenia both get pushed (gently, in Sarracenia's case, but still pushed) up to the front of the crowd, and then the crowd steps back, leaving the two of them standing alone out in front. The two guards look at them, nervously. --- ISHIROU AND KALE: "I wish I was the future-seeing kind of psychic..." complains Kale to Ishirou as they fly together. "Then I could see these kinds of things coming. Left at the next intersection, then down." "... I'm kind of worried that the protests aren't going to just *stay* protests. I also don't actually know what the Empire's got all the Quicknestians working on. Something useful, obviously, but..." "Oh - left again, stay at this altitude, we're going to cross over another street." Below them - there's the *other* protest march, this one focused on the treatment of the people in the robots. It's about half as large as the one about Galean jobs, but this one's more riled up.
Ishirou	"Yeah... yeah..." Ishirou says back to Kale, knowing the reason why he wished he was that kind of psychic was because of what Aidan just did.  He flies with Kale, keeping pace, but also following behind because Kale knew where they were going.  Well, not only that but also the fate of the two protests and if they were going to explode or not would be another good reason to be a precog.   Ishirou doesn't feel guilty about leaving Aidan to his fate.  Aidan asked for it.   "This one looks even less likely to stay peaceful than the first..." he says to Kale.  And then... "You don't?  Mmm..." he says, concerned about what was going on.  They just needed to get where they were going and pray that either protest wouldn't explode in the meantime while they figured out what the Quicknestians were being used for exactly.   "It's... going to be alright Kale.  I just, want you to know that.  I'm with you to make sure it doesn't turn out like Indus..." he says, swallowing a breath.
Aidan Proudpick	Proudpick, it's gonna be your job to keep the people from rioting. "Why do I keep doing this to myself?" Aidan groooooans, sliding his hand over his face, digging his claws into the space just above his eye to keep himself from falling into despair. At least now he knows Kale can't deep read his mind. Blessed breeze, thank you for that. Count your blessings. He steps up to the doorway, holding up his hands. Thank the hearth he didn't say who he was or that he was from Quicknest. His throat is dry as he uses a bit more of his air to magnify it, "This is a DIPLOMATIC mission! These guards are gonna let me in," he looks back at them, glaring, before he turns forward again, "and I'm gonna speak to those inside, and make sure your voices are heard." Pause. "And to make sure this goes well, I'm gonna erect a barrier! So they know I'm serious!" Once Sarracenia is close enough, he lets out a forceful breath, hands spread out, fingers splayed, forming a half circle open top wind wall around the door. "It's fine, I handled it, it's fine," he says to hopefully Sarracenia, or maybe no one in particular, before turning back to the guards. "Open the door already."
Sarracenia	"...oh dear..." Sarracenia says as the chanting is not quite what she expected. But, Aidan gets them re-focused. Still, the threats leveled when they reach the factory are not quite what Sarracenia had in mind.      The princess eeps as she is pushed forward, then stares a bit uncertainly at the guards. They look nervous. That's understandable. Sarracenia looks to Aidan. He started this after all.      Sarracenia does indeed step forward when Aidan starts forming that barrier. "...they are unlikely to like that..." she says to him, looking toward the crowd.      Aidan says he has this. Sarracenia shakes her head lightly, then rests a hand on his shoulder a moment before she turns and faces the crowd. "We understand your concerns and we are happy to help as best we can!" she calls out in her best royal broadcasting voice. And with her voice, it should be plenty loud enough to be heard. Depending on how loud an air barrier is. "But! It must be non-violent! We cannot give them a valid reason to call the authorities or it will undermine our efforts! Please, continue your chanting but do not attempt any violent or destructive protesting! Make sure that those inside as well as those passing or watching can see your signs and hear your voices! We will do what we can!"      She turns to the guards after that and shows them her papers. She speaks more softly, so that the crowd is unlikely to hear. "I am Princess Sarracenia Sundew. I hope your bosses are able to see the sense in talking with us. An inter-planetary humanitarian issue would not look good for the company or the empire. I suggest you contact them. A peaceful resolution would be better for all parties involved."
Kale Hearthward	AIDAN AND SARRACENIA: The guards look more nervous as Aidan casts, and only calm down a *little* when it becomes clear it's a defensive spell. "We're - not letting anyone through here," says one of the guards. "We're expecting four people, and - you've got..." "Hundreds," says the other guard. "Listen. We don't want any trouble, but you-" Both guards abruptly stop talking, and put a hand up to the sides of their heads, in classic 'receiving a call through the earpiece' posture. "Are you *sure*, sir. Him coming out here doesn't feel like a good idea." "... He's insisting? Yes sir. We'll secure the area as best we can." The other guard lowers his hand. "He's coming out to meet with you." The gate opens, a few moments later, and a single person steps out - one that triggers a stunned wave of murmuring from the crowd, followed by most of them dropping to one knee. A tall eagle, wearing a wooden mask that covers his face, and elegant robes. "Ah. Princess Sundew. And, Mister Proudpick. A pleasure to meet with you face to face..." ... says Emperor Gale II. ISHIROU AND KALE: "Yeah. We're - not going to let another Indus happen. If nothing else good comes of all that, it's that we aren't going to let that happen again." Across, over, down, under - "Here," says Kale, going to pull off to the side, and then land. "We're going in through the back, but it's not like we're going to run into anyone who's going to give us a problem or-" "Kale? What are you doing here?" The hawk lets out a long sigh. "Yeah, I just had to say that, didn't I," he says to Ishirou. Kale turns around. There, standing at the back entrance to the factory, is a tall eagle in simple robes, one Ishirou would have likely been introduced to a few years prior. "Hello, Zephyr..." ... Kale says to his ex.
Ishirou	Ishirou nods to Kale, landing next to him when he hears the familiar voice of Zephyr.  He pauses, then slowly turns to the voice, to wave gingerly to him.  "Hey, we uh... it's been a minute..." he says, "I was under the impression we were expected, but the demonstrations out there were a little rougher than expected.  Getting through them I mean..." he says, looking between both Zephyr and Kale.   "I was here to do a wellness check on the Quicknestians..." he says, trying to do anything to fill in the gap of the awkwardness between the two of them that was likely forming.  "Uh... right Kale?" he asks, looking back at Kale who had set this whole thing up... and hopefully helped him keep his head in the game instead of falling into the awkward pits. Despite that, Ishirou rests a hand on Kale's back, showing his support in a non-verbal way.
Aidan Proudpick	Aidan grimaces as Sarracenia stops him, but smiles over at her. "Sorry, I uh... should have let you handle that, I guess you got more experience talking to people. Thanks for having my back." Still, he beams at her, then turns back to the guards. He waits patiently outside the door, watching both the guards. Good. He's getting results. Aidan folds his arms, pleased with the job they've done. Then Emperor Gale The Second comes through the door. He whispers out of the side of his mouth towards Sarracenia, "That's Emperor Gale the Second." Anyone else. Anyone else Aidan could have stood up to. Anyone else, Aidan could have handled. Anyone else, Aidan could have stood up to boldly and looked them in the eye and spoke bravely. Any general, any diplomat. Resolve buckles in the face of the Emperor, the man who long plagued his home. The squirrel leans backwards from the presence. The narrative was played a thousand times in his head. Defeat Kale, defeat the generals, march an army of a thousand up to the throne and beat the Emperor in a one on one duel. Except he didn't do any of those things. He built a home of neediness and excuses, blaming everyone else around him. He couldn't even bring himself to duel Kale. But he stays standing. He won't back down. He HAS to show them. "Emperor Gale The Second." It takes everything he has, but he at least offers a knightly bow to keep this civil.
Sarracenia	Sarra's speech isn't even finished when the guards start talking on their earpieces. She blinks in surprise, and holds the papers a bit limply. She smiles at Aidan as he thanks her. "It was rather rash to join the protest like that. And against my advice." She doesn't seem upset, but does still enjoy being right. She looks to the guards again as they speak with someone. "...that worked a bit too w-"      The door opens, and a clearly high class eagle faces them. He even knows their names! Aidan whispers who this is, and Sarracenia's eyes widen. "Oh!" Sarracenia is again surprised until she remembers that Gale said he was able to arrange this. Perhaps this was part of that? "Ah! Greetings, Emperor Gale!" She curtseys politely. Or at least starts to, but winces in pain as bending at the waist is -quite- painful right now. She mmphs as she straightens back up carefully, looking annoyed at her own condition.      Aidan seems to stumble back, and Sarracenia looks at him before back at the emperor. Perhaps sadly, Sarracenia really doesn't know all the history of Quicknest or Aidan's plans or issues with the empire. Still, she rests a hand on Aidan's shoulder again and gives a squeeze. Showing support, much like Ishirou for Kale.      Aidan finds his courage and addresses the Emperor, and Sarracenia offers an amicable smile. "It seems you already know this, but we are here to discuss the robotic worker issue. Should we do so inside or...?"
Kale Hearthward	AIDAN AND SARRACENIA: "Ah - more polite than I was led to believe. How are you enjoying being a Galean citizen, Mister Proudpick?" "... Yes, let's go inside, shall we?" They go inside. "So..." "Here to see the robot workers, I'm assuming? Amazing, aren't they? They're really going to revolutionize things around here," says the Emperor. "Can I see your shield, by any chance?" The Emperor holds out a hand towards Aidan. "There's something I'm curious about." ISHIROU AND KALE: "Yeah it's been a while... is that gear new?" Zephyr looks the RESCUE gear up and down. "Do you think I could take a look at it later?" "- Are - we run into each other after over a year apart and you're looking at equipment?" says Kale. "Right, uh - hope you've been well? Did Center Stage work out? Did you want to see the upgrades I made to Shell Game?" Kale sighs. "Look," adds Kale. "It's like Ishirou says. We're just here to do the wellness check." "Oh, on the robot workers, sure. Amazing, aren't they? They just work and work, and take care of themselves, and don't complain," says Zephyr, brightly. "They're really going to revolutionize things around here. Here, I'll take you to them." "That's- yeah. Whatever. Let's - just go see them..." says Kale.
Ishirou	"Yeah, it is!" Ishirou says, and then causes RESCUE to be returned to subspace, and back into his civilian clothing.  He takes a moment to look at Zephyr, who is both focused on his new gear, but also talking up the trapped robots.   "Yeah uh... they're also made at the expense of living creatures..." he reminds Zephyr.  "So I am going to take a rain check on checking out RESCUE for now..." he says, clarifying, "That's the name of the gear, RESCUE." He follows along, giving Kale a sympathetic glance.  First time in a while and it's like he's not even there to Zephyr.  "You know we're here to check on the Quicknestians inside the robots right?" He says once more to Zephyr, reminding him, or trying to, that there are living, breathing people trapped in those machines.
Aidan Proudpick	"Ah - more polite than I was led to believe. How are you enjoying being a Galean citizen, Mister Proudpick?" Don't back down. He smiles at Sarracenia again, the hand on his shoulder giving him enough courage. Aidan stands up straight once more, this time with his back straight so he can look DOWN at the Emperor. "I gave my word to Hearthward. And just WHY am I a Galean citizen? And what exactly does that mean?" "Here to see the robot workers, I'm assuming? Amazing, aren't they? They're really going to revolutionize things around here," His teeth grind. Anger quickly replaces fear. It's a only a respect that still runs deep that keeps him from lashing out. "Yes," Aidan bites out, barely holding back his temper as they enter the factory. "It's a shame that there are people inside of them." "Can I see your shield, by any chance?" That puts him off his game again, three beats of hesitation. Then he pulls off his buckler. He breathes out a soft brush of life breath, causing it to expand, but not start charging. "Don't break it. Cole would kill me."
Sarracenia	"Our lack of politeness is...greatly exaggerated." Sarracenia says when it is commented on. It wasn't really aimed at her, but still.      'Here to see the robot workers, I'm assuming? Amazing, aren't they? They're really going to revolutionize things around here.'      Sarracenia's smile fades to a more neutral expression. "I am sure they will, but perhaps not in the best of ways." Aidan reminds them just what the power source for these robots is, and Sarracenia gestures toward him. "I hope you can understand why even an outside kingdom like mine would be worried about the..." She pauses a moment. They aren't here for a hard push against the use of the robots. At least, not according to Gale. Sarracenia mmphs softly in annoyance. "...the health and humanitarian concerns of those people being used as batteries for these robots. From what I have heard they are not even criminals of some kind. I do hope they are being treated quite well." she says.      As Aidan hands over the shield she softly asks Aidan, "...who is Cole?" She also keeps an eye on the Emperor. She isn't sure of the origin of the shield, but she thought she heard it was a royal relic of some kind.
Aidan Proudpick	Aidan covers his mouth with his hand to side talk to Sarracenia. "Breath weapon engineer. He's pretty good at it, makes small ones himself," Aidan looks extremely proud of this, then grows quieter, "And my ex. It's uh... not complicated, I guess, just hard to think about."
Kale Hearthward	ISHIROU AND KALE: "No? Oh well. Maybe later?" The trio heads on in... to a large factory floor type area where the majority of the robots are lined up. "Wellness check, you said? Well, as you can see, they're quite well," says Zephyr. "They're living creatures - but the work they're going to do is going to help everyone out, including themselves eventually. I'm sure we can set them loose in, oh, twenty years or so." "... Right. Okay. Ishirou, you check the exteriors, I'll check the... interiors." Kale heads up to the first one, puts a hand on the robot, and focuses. "Okay... She's fine..." And then to the next one - and Kale recoils. "Oh-" "... I... knew this one. Know this one." AIDAN AND SARRACENIA: The emperor examines the shield. "Mmmhmm - yes, I recognize this shield. I believe my chief engineer worked on it... and it ended up in your hands. How odd. I suppose it's yours now, though." The shield is handed back. "Let's see - isn't the person who put them inside these robots one of your allies, Princess Sundew?" asks the Emperor, his masked face turning to look at her next. "You're in a rush to take them back *out* of the robots, if so, aren't you?"
Aidan Proudpick	From what I have heard they are not even criminals of some kind. A glance at Sarracenia, a grimace. "Mmmhmm - yes, I recognize this shield. I believe my chief engineer worked on it... and it ended up in your hands. How odd. I suppose it's yours now, though." Aidan grabs the shield quickly, letting it fold back into a buckler to strap onto his arm. "Yes, well. Zephyr does good work. A shame it never went to its intended owner." A bit of smugness in his voice, just a hint. He furrows his brow again, remembering something. "Where IS he, anyways?" His voice has the tone of 'what have you done to him?' "He was always a good guy. I was hoping to say I'm sorry for attacking him."
Sarracenia	Sarracenia nods lightly at Aidan's explanation, then listens to the Emperor. His questions to her make her wave a hand dismissively. "Dr. Eggman, I believe. Yes, we are both in the Concord. Of course, one of the guiding principles of the Concord is that we are welcome and even encouraged to disagree with each other, and in this case I quite disagree with him. Not to mention the circumstances under which the...power sources were aquired."      Aidan gives her that look, and she looks back at him. "...ah..." She coughs lightly, then looks to the Emperor again. "Anyway, that is why we are here for a wellness check. As a self-professed supervillain, it seems unlikely that the health of those inside the robots is much of a concern for him. After all, if you intend to expand the use of these robots it is possible that anyone could be used in the next batch. Sundew citizens...perhaps even Gale Empire citizens."
Ishirou	"Maybe..." Ishirou says, and starts on checking on the robots themselves.  He checks to see if there is anything implanted, or anything wrong, or... just for anything that shouldn't be there or would impact the host of the robots themselves.  He does this until... 'I'm sure we can set them loose in, oh, twenty years or so.' "So you are going to force them to lose twenty years of their lives for you..?" Ishirou asks, getting back to checking the robots themselves.  He doesn't want to be here anymore, because it's wrenching to hear them speak of these people like... tools.  He stomachs it, because he has to, and continues to make sure that the robots should hold out and try and make sure they'll have no impact on the people trapped inside.   "Would you willingly do this yourself?" he asks, Zephyr.
Kale Hearthward	AIDAN AND SARRACENIA: "Zephyr? He's somewhere on the grounds," says the Emperor. "You can go find him if you'd like." > "Sundew citizens...perhaps even Gale Empire citizens." "We certainly aren't going to put more people in robots, Princess, and I'm a little offended that you'd suggest that." "Not so offended that I still don't want to talk, of course. It occurred to me that you might be in a tight spot. Having the Paladins breathing down your neck. In such a situation, someone would need all the friends they could get." "That goes for the both of you." The emperor turns his attention on Aidan as well. "It feels, at least somewhat, like you're coming into this assuming we are the 'bad guys'. We're not. Can't you stop for a moment and try to see it from our perspective, instead of charging in blindly or dismissing what I have to say out of hand? We all just want what's best for our people. " "And, unfortunately, we've been thrust straight into this uncaring multiverse. Full of the... the Lilian Rooks and the Petra Sorokas and and all of the others. The ones who assume they know better, and want to tell you what you should and should not do, what you should and should not say. That is, to me, not something someone should accept... for someone in the Watch, caring about your people," he says to Aidan. "Or to the Concord, caring about your freedom." "Twenty years. That's all we're going to keep them for. They'll be well cared for afterward, and they'll benefit from the work they're helping to create. And without that work, who's to say there may even be a Gale Empire or a Quicknest in twenty years? The next Eggman that comes through may not stop at the border, or be so merciful as to use reversible means." "... What would it take? To get you to back off of this? To leave the Gale Empire alone? Prestige? The knightship you so seek, or-" He turns to Sarracenia. "A prince? One could be arranged. The things you truly want." "Otherwise, if you're not going to take me seriously - then I suppose we're done here, and coming out here to talk to you was a mistake." KALE AND ISHIROU The robots seem unaltered, and in good condition. They're being taken care of. As long as nobody cracks them open to pull out the people inside, they could easily keep going for that twenty years or longer. > "Would you willingly do this yourself?" he asks, Zephyr. "Yes," says Zephyr. "It's important. It's crucial work. It's just bad luck for them that I'm out here and they're in there. If you-" "Fuck!" interrupts Kale, recoiling from another one. "I- sorry. I... think I hurt this one. When - he was alive, years ago, I mean." He's sweating a bit.
Ishirou	"The difference is that you are making an informed choice," Ishirou says to Zephyr.  "They didn't get that chance, they were forced in there by a madman, and given to you to hurt people who crossed him.  You are taking advantage of these people, do you realize that?  They didn't get a choice, they didn't get a /chance/." Ishirou sighs.  "The casings and the robot parts are fine, they'll easily keep for the twenty years... but..." and then Kale cries out.  He turns to him and sighs.  He looks to Zephyr, who seems unwilling to say or do anything, and instead, he walks to Kale and places a hand on his shoulder.  "I think we got what we were here to get..." He says and turns coldly towards Zephyr.  After a few breaths, he turns away and starts walking towards the exit.
Aidan Proudpick	Aidan grips his hands tightly. His resolve quavers. Every word, every sentence, exactly what he's felt. The edges of the world fade. Just... It wouldn't be too long, right? They would be safe? The urge to huddle in. Pull his arms around his knees. Be done. What was a few months? He would have support. Help. Training. "Twenty years.""Twenty Years."Twenty Years The abyss reels back. Aidan lets out a harsh savage breath, causing the buckler on his arm to suddenly expand once more into the full shape of Aegis. "I want my father back. I want three years of my life trying to get you off our backs back. I want you to think about the people in your kingdom, who will need to be fed and clothed on your expense without jobs!" Aidan's voice is rising into a full shout, hoarse, echoing through the factory. "If you wanted to help me, if you wanted to me to be your storms damned knight, you had years to offer REAL help to anyone!" Aegis lurches like a dog on a chain, eager to serve its purpose. "I want every single person BACK! And I want YOU to stop hurting people ever again!" He stays rooted to the spot, but only by the barest weight of his code, his conviction to that. "I want to be a knight. The Knight of Hearts. With an open heart for everyone! You can't help people without compassion!" He heaves out a breath, his right arm jerking as he fights against Aegis to uphold his vow.
Sarracenia	Sarracenia looks more than a little caught off guard by what the Emperor says. For some reason she is surprised that the Emperor of a land that would use these robots is like this. "I did not mean to suggest that you yourself or those working for you would place people into these robots. But...would you not agree that using such robots, with people who were forced into them, is tantamount to-"      She doesn't finish speaking before Aidan finally can't take it anymore. She listens, and her expression grows more serious. She does not know everything, but Aidan clearly has some deep seated problems with the Empire. She does not step away from him, and instead looks to the Emperor again while placing a hand on Aidan's arm. This turning violent would be very bad.      "We are taking you seriously. If we were not, we would not be here. And as I was saying, using these robots is tantamount to slavery. Some of the people in those machines may welcome the care at the end of those twenty years, but what of those that do not? And what sort of condition will they be in? And why not simply free them from the robots and offer them jobs and their lives? Would that not be a victory on all fronts? Not to mention you have hundreds of your citizens outside who -want- to work here. Why are they not allowed to build the future? What future are you building that you do not want your citizens helping to build?"      The question of what it would take is asked, and Sarracenia looks down, considering a moment, then looks back at the Emperor. "...I do not seek a prince. Or at least, not specifically a prince. I seek a noble, kindhearted, strong hero. One that could be arranged would be one that would fail at least one of those qualities. And I get the feeling you do care about your empire. Would it not be stronger and more prosperous with your people all contributing to and happy with the future you are building?"
Kale Hearthward	"Not at the scale we need. Not at the price we can afford. Modernizing the country as is nearly bankrupted it, and we've barely recovered." "So that's it, then," says the Emperor once Aidan's finished. "Dismissal out of hand. A refusal to see things from our perspective, even for a minute. A claim to be a knight of compassion, with an open heart for everyone, while bearing one that's closed off." "I had heard what Hearthward had been saying about you. I suppose I was foolish for not believing it all to be true." "The robots are through that door. When you're done with whatever examinations you came here to do, I suggest you leave. Goodbye, Mr. Proudpick. I hope I never have to speak to you again," says the Emperor, as he goes to leave. Through that door, is the lined up robots, Zephyr, Ishirou... ... And Kale. "... I..." "... I can't stop looking. At them. In them." He crumples to the floor, barely managing to get seated instead of falling all the way over. The headphones fall off, clattering to the stone floor. "It's like - a car crash, you can't help but look... You can't look away..." "... And I keep... running into... people whose lives I touched for the worse. As a soldier, as the East Wind, as - as me."
Ishirou	Ishirou sighs, he moves over to pick up the headphones and hands them back to Kale.   He offers a hand up and shakes his head.  He doesn't say anything but instead tries to be a shoulder for Kale to talk to, instead of trying to talk back to him right now.   It's the best he can do for him.
Aidan Proudpick	It might be Sarracenia's hand that stops him. It might be his vow. It might be Sarracenia's arm. Aidan hasn't had so much support. Something that is his own fault. He looks back at Sarracenia, taking in a short breath, letting the Aegis stop rumbling. He looks over at Sarracenia as the Emperor lives. "A claim to be a knight of compassion, with an open heart for everyone, while bearing one that's closed off." He looks over at Sarracenia as he goes through the door, anger replacing with a quivering.. "Is... is he right? Am I still too angry? The way he talks about people." He stops at the doorway, watching Kale. Stay silenting, watching his pain. Anger flows out of him. Another hard rush of emotions. Years spent of hate, respect, even idolization of the strength and prestige. Aidan looks over the robots, finally seeing them in person, then over to Kale. He reaches out a hand as well. "You've rescued people too. And helped people rebuild." The realization that all the pain and solitude and isolation he has felt is nothing compared to what this must be like. All that pent up frustration over the last six months flees. "Come on. You should get back to the East Wind."
Sarracenia	Sarracenia's words apparently fall on deaf ears after Aidan's outburst. She mmphs, and her hands clench into fists as her own temper starts to bubble up. "At least consider what I said!" she calls after the Emperor, but suspects since she was not addressed at all that she has also been dismissed never to be spoken to again.      'Is... is he right? Am I still too angry? The way he talks about people.'      At this, it is Sarra's turn to smile. "No. Guarded perhaps. But, you reached out to me, right? It might be closed off to him, but it sounds like you have plenty of reasons for that." She looks off toward where the Emperor went, then back at Aidan. "You...might have to work on that though, if you want to fully be a knight of compassion." She heads for the doorway.      Just in time to run into Kale, apparently having some problems with history of his own. She frowns lightly, and it is only Kale cordiality today and Aidan's own words that keeps her from salting the wound right now. She is quite spiteful quite often. Still, after watching him for a time and listening to Aidan she does at least seem to soften a bit. She can always needle him another day. So, she just sighs and assists with whatever she can in the inspection.
Kale Hearthward	Kale remains where he is. Hands reach for him, to comfort him. It helps. It doesn't help enough. >>> It's still you. For now. And it's still me! You're just extra-sensitive. But when you're around other people, who are (sadder) more hurt than me, and (more scared) less open, it'll be different. And you might (grow) change. "What..." "... have I been doing..." > Well. The worst thing that can happen is you utterly stop being able to live the way you've lived your whole entire life, because you never realized how badly everyone else is hurting all of the time, and after that every selfishness you ever allow yourself will be colored by a bit of guilt! He stands, shrugging off any help or comfort, and looks out at the assembled ranks of robots - of people trapped in robots. "... All of this -" "How many have I hurt?" "How many *in this room*?" "How much of *all of this* is *my fault*?" > Let me pry you open. I'll peel away those defenses your heart has, and hope you really are strong enough. Kale grabs his swords, steps forward, and-