Scene #3592: New Beginnings

Owner	Pose
Duet Fortuna	Some may not have seen the Imperial City before, but for those that have, the amount of progress in rebuilding has been staggering. In front of the palace itself, the devastation has been replaced with a large square. Looks like there are plans for some kind of centerpiece, but /that/ isn't finished yet. The palace is also in poor shape, though at least it's been fixed up enough to be habitable. Likely either as a political move, or an attempt to look good to the Union, the Empire has focused on rebuilding the public centers before the palace itself. Which means, of course, that this little get together is being held outside! One might think that the dead of winter is a bad time to do this, but the entire plaza has been encircled by a shimmering bubble, doubtless the work of multiple sorcerers to work up both a warding system, and a warmer environment to host the social. A temporary, but surprisingly comfortable accomodation... and also one that serves as a reminder that they still have some magical might despite losing many of their best to the recent war. At least that's the official line. The place is large enough that entering doesn't immediately get a greeting, but there are several stands to place coats upon, or booths for changing for those who came in something less nice and want a formal affair on. A large and temporary dias has been set up for the nobility, mostly so the Empress and Emperor milling about there can have their guards with some higher ground in case trouble breaks out. It appears to mostly be nobility here, but there are some definite upper middle class here, looking a little bewildered and only hesitantly trying to get involved. For reference, Duet is here, too, though she's keeping her distance for now. Elites of either faction have a standing invitation to show up if they like, and will be greeted warmly upon showing their identification. Duet is Unaffiliated, though, and likely only here because she had a role in things.
Mir	Getting Mir to dress up is... difficult. It looks like Ayatane, the slender young swordsman and captain of her guard, is with her though. He's probably the one who got her into a dress, though it's a fairly simple one. The pale Reyvateil is scowling, but she's already here and has grabbed something to drink. She looks kind of sulky, like she really doesn't want to be here. Ayatane, however, is speaking animatedly with one of the guards, discussing sword techniques. It looks like he's found another dual wielder to chat with, and it's keeping him pretty occupied for now.
Guest Psyber	Psyber is here, though not dressed how one would normally expect to see him. The half-angel is actually fully decked out in a very nice, black three-piece suit with a red tie for accent. It seems to both make him look much more formal, as well as someone much more scary, to see him out of casual clothing for once. In terms of mood, though, he looks much more at ease than he has at almost any other time he's ever been on Terra Majora. He's relaxed, he's somewhat social, and he seems to be generally more upbeat than most times people have seen him over the past year or so. He's got two drinks in his hand, one appearing to be a whiskey and the other a glass of champagne of some sort. As he hustles past Mir, he compliments her, "Mir, Ayatane. You both look great tonight. Good to see you two out of the tower." He notes without stopping. He's bee-lining over towards Duet, though, trying to deliver the glass of champagne and a small plate of snacks to her (partially because, after Christmas, he suspects she may not take the initiative to do it herself until she's starving).
Nathan Hall	AWKWARD Nathan is here. He's gotten dressed up a bit, which is to say, he still looks like a scholar, but there's a few more nice materials and a few less pockets in the outfit. Like the rest of the people who are out of place, he is looking sort of like he has no idea what to be doing with himself. That whole business with Illuvia has made this sort of thing eternally weird. Psyber is always his social partner, and as usual he is probably sort of milling about near him. "Ah, salutations, Mir. I hope things have been well since we last worked together at the Lord of Famine. As Psyber said, always glad to see you are still well, though I will hardly be the hypocritical one to require that take the form of leaving your home." His voice is way, WAY less exhausted before, and seems more calm than monotonous. Duet was noticed, but Nathan is giving her her space. Not suspiciously or fearfully or anything like that; he is conspicuously avoiding getting between Psyber and Duet, clearly acting on an unspoken intent to sort of let them talk when they want to. It leaves him open a little more to other interactions while they get all that done.
Setsuko Kaminagi	Setsuko has drifted around the edges of the Terra Majoran conflicts for some time now, at times stepping in, but never quite finding a thread of purpose or circumstance to keep her returning. With her usual patrols suspended for the day, however, she's opted to spend her time looking into the gathering to which several of her allies have been invited - and since she technically falls under the invitation list as a Union Elite, why not? However, the fact remains this is a party, and she's somewhat bad at those. It probably doesn't help that she's come in her usual combat outfit; sleeveless black top leaving her arms uncovered, rugged grey cargo pants for ease of movement, sturdy cargo boots, and Zanjintou as ever sheathed at her left side. She stands out amidst the formality, all the moreso with the scars on her arms and face showing, so she ends up moving around the edge of the open plaza. Psyber and Nathan get a brief nod of greeting, but for the time being Setsuko stays on the outskirts, letting her superhuman hearing do most of her work for her. This probably places her near the upper-middle class citizens, looking similarly awkward.
Raine Arland	Raine predictably does not dress up. No, he was mostly just curious as to how the city was coming along, after the last time he'd been here. It was a royal mess. Pun not intended. But the progress made is pretty good. The black clad young man nods in appreciation as he strides in, taking stock of the gathering. "Heh. Not bad, not bad. Managed to clean this place up pretty good, given the god forsaken mess that happened last time." With a glass of wine cradled between his fingers, Raine had a lazy sip, mingling through the crowd and greeting people as they pass. "Hunh. I wonder how those guards made out..." He mumbled to himself, recalling a few notable people he'd seen on the battlefield. That Bloodbane guy, That archer from waaaay back, ...That kid, what was his name? Art! Yeah, Art. He still remembered that kid's speed. Fragarach was here as well. The tailed entity was similarly informally dressed, floating about the buffet and...sampling pretty much everything she could see. Well, at least she had her priorities straight.
Sakura Haruno	Sakura has managed to turn up, and in something of an upset has also managed to dress appropriately fancy for the occasion, one of her more formal and flowery dresses on. At least she looks the part, even if she's still acting somewhat awkwardly, having sought out the food upon her arrival and thus now carrying an array of snacks in her hand as she makes her way through the room. It probably doesn't help her situation that there's varying degrees of awkward history between her and most of the others, as she'll glance over towards where Psyber's darting toward Duet, rubbing at the Scar on her face before lifting a hand up in greeting. "I should have made Kyra do more work today instead of coming out here." She'll mumble to herself, before nibbling on what she's assuming is cheese.
Amalthea	Right so. Formal? Semi-formal? Does that just mean show up in something nice, or? So events like this were never really to Amalthea's taste, liking, nor usual preferred venue. ... She's here anyway. Though the unicorn has traded her armor for a white suit, and she looks just as uncomfortable in is as she simply does being around nobles and general upper middle class bourgeoisie. Some people get muttered half-assed greetings. Other than that she mostly tries to not stick out. Not sticking out is not easy for her.
Guest Madeline	Having one of her holding so relatively close to this place makes it an easy choice for Madeline to attend. Her reasons for doing so are not exactly selfless, though. The young-looking Solar is dressed up very nicely, in a flowing dress of blue silk, by all apprearances. Likely, she's using her enchanted clothing to just look like what she wants. The arriving Elites get her attention, when they pass by. General Hall being here isn't a surprise, but if he looks her way, he'll just get a light nod, as if to say 'nothing personal' or the like. Then... she'll go back to chatting. "Timber is less useful than it was before, but still an excellent resource. I'm particularly interested in skilled labor and masonry at the moment, though," Madeline is saying. She's talking to one of the merchant types, and further listening will reveal she's discussing the viability of setting up stable trade relations with her new neighbors. No doubt she either plans to speak to the government too, or already has.
Mordred	It shouldn't surprise anyone that the blonde girl by Duet's side is as ever clad in that heavy silver and red plate mail. Though she is unarmed (unless one counts Bloody Amhar, set to the side somewhere with a cocktail glass full of blood, and a bendy straw) it's probably not much help to make her blend into the party. But then since Duet isn't attempting it, Mordred isn't either. She was never a party person, really. More of a feast person. Give her a giant table with entire roasted animals on it surrounded by knights, then she'll be right at home if you're trying to make her be social. Well, at least she's not frowning or anything like that. Her usual neutral smirk might help alleviate the mood around her just a tad.
Mir	Ayatane gives Nathan a nod, but is already in discussion... which leaves Mir to socialize. Fortunately, Nathan is a little easier for her to talk to than some, despite being human. Mir waves lazily at Psyber as he passes, then crosses her arms so she can talk to Nathan face to face... even if she has to look up a little. "Ayatane insisted we come," she explains. "And I suppose I was involved in all of this more than once. A city full of humans is hardly something I'd call my concern, but..." She shrugs. "Elliana I sort of tolerated more than others. I should see what's become of her home. Have you been well?" She does have a sense of tact, and uses that to not bring up the paranoia she knows about.
Duet Fortuna	Art was not here, but Russel Bloodbane was. He still had the armor of the Heaven Guard on, and he's easy to spot for Mordred and Raine if they're interested. He's hanging around the edges of the dias, keeping an eye on the party for the most part, but he doesn't look too interested in it. It's just his job, you know? Duet sips a glass of wine as well, and is unsurprised at Psyber's approach... or Nathan giving her space. A fluttering wave toward Sakura says hello as well. "Good afternoon, Psyber," the masked girl says lightly. "You're looking well-dressed. A bit of an odd crowd today, isn't it?"
Raine Arland	With Fragarach off doing her own...thing, Raine ambled along until he spotted Mordred. "Aha-" Hadn't seen her like in...well, since the attack on the palace itself. Smirking to himself, he took another sip from his glass and then strode on over, stopping by the knight's side as he faced the proceedings. "Yo, Mordi, sup?" ...Mordi? "How's that whole new Master thing workin' out for you?"
Guest Psyber	Most of the people who Psyber knows are given various greetings. He's definitely, at least, seeming back towards how he was before all sorts of things began to go hectic in his life. Haruno gets a bright smile and a wave, Setsuko gets a salute of two fingers to just above his eyebrow, even Amalthea gets a slap on the back in passing and a greeting of 'Yo-nicorn'. After delivering snacks over towards Duet, Psyber munches on some bites himself, "It's always an odd crowd, for me, so I've stopped noticing as much," He admits as he rocks on his feet, "It's a decent lot of people, though. Nice to see friends all mingling again, feels like a good way to close out a rough year." He looks over to Mordred and says, "Mordred. You look... armored. Aren't you gonna tone down and relax?" He asks her before looking over at Raine and just giving a faint nod. He doesn't know him that well, but best to be polite.
Raine Arland	Psyber gets a nod and a raise of a glass in return. No need to be rude to the guy. Considering neither knew the other that well. They just happened to fight on the same battlefield all of once.
Nathan Hall	Okay, so there's Haruno. And there's Amalthea. And over there's Mordred. Yeesh! Lotta people to give some space. Nathan briefly re-assesses how his life got to that point, but doesn't really dwell on it. Stuff to work out another time. He keeps out of their business for now. Instead, he focuses on Mir! He gives a little bow-like nod to Mir. "Thank you for tolerating her during the time she was forced to share with you. I understand it was emotionally trying for her; I appreciate you making an exception to ease the stress." Weeeeird. He's done with the gratitude for now. "I disagreed with her methods, but not her goals. What influence I had, and yet have, is dedicated to our shared goals. While it may not be your concern, regardless, the care is appreciated." There's a long pause. "The efforts I intend to undertake next in Terra Majora may be better suited to you; I understand you favored the efforts dealing with the godlike beings." He seems to audibly ponder that last question. Has he been well? "...Hmm. I actually do not know how to define the answer to that. I believe you care approximately enough to know that I am, at least, well /now/." He seems much more confident in that last bit.
Mordred	"Yo Raine," Mordred greets, no fuss. She hadn't come to know him all too well, but he seems overall relaxed and chill in all things, and that was always a positive trait. "It's workin'. It's different, too. Can't be too picky when your existence relies on it." A glance at Psyber, and the Servant just grins wider. "My helmet is off, that's relaxed by basically any standard I used to have. Besides, us being here is asking for someone to take the initiative and avenge the emperor. Best to let 'em know it's not the best idea they'll ever have." She glances to the side, then excuses herself. "Be right back, gonna go say hi." And then she-- dematerializes, because it's easier, vanishing in a cloud of tiny blue sparks of light. Which reform by Bloodbane, the Saber now having her arms crossed. "Someone's even better at not enjoying a party than I am, huh? Good view from here, though."
Mir	Mir nods quietly at what Nathan is saying. "She could be ruthless, yet was also one of the more soft-hearted of us. Perhaps it would be a comfort to her that her goals, at least, are on their way to being achieved." She gives a thin smile. "I am not sure how well I am accepted in this world, but if that is your goal... you know how to get in touch, General. The new year is bringing with it many changes in more places than just this one. It will be interesting to see how often we are working together, I think."
Amalthea	"Ruh." By now, Psyber probably knows the intricacies and subtleties Amalthea's personal monosyllabic language and postures. It's a pretty warm reply to the greeting, all things considered, as the unicorn stuffs her hands in her pockets. That lone eye flicks Nathan's way, lingering for a long series of beats before pointedly wandering in a direction elsewhere. Which direction matters little as she just sort of lurks around the people she knows and or knows vaguely, and or isn't inclined to swing a punch at. People like SAKURA. "I could always take a swing at someone." She asides to the ninja and her muttering. "That'd be an easy out, right?"
Duet Fortuna	The Merchant that Madeline is speaking to is at least realizing that he can turn a profit, and that she isn't going to try to smite him for trying to haggle a little. Once things move to talk of business he becomes much more relaxed. Mordred will find that people here are apparently /learning/ a little bit. There's some kind of ward around the Empress. Mordred doesn't have to cross it to get to Bloodbane, but she can tell that trying to get too close would require enough effort that it would be an obvious attack. Of course Illuvia wouldn't go out in public without some protection from assassins. Bloodbane starts in surprise, but then recognizes who he's talking to. "Oh, it's you." He shrugs and looks around at the party. "I'm just worried and nervous. A lot of changes going through, and that makes people restless. I like the new Empress a lot, I don't want anything to ruin this for her. I hear you're with someone else now, though. Hopefully next time we fight, it'll be for a spar."
Raine Arland	Raine nods, watching Mordred vanish. "Heh. Never gets old, that." Sip. And then he glanced aside to the suited man nearby, grinning slightly. "Sooooo, Psyber, right?" Raine started, sizing up the guy casually. "Union bigshot? Heaven or Hell mastermind? Man of a thousand faces? Am I on the money here?"
Sakura Haruno	Flowers will return the semi-greetings that people are giving, but she hadn't really been expecting Amalthea's approach. That'll at least be something of a distraction, even if she almost chokes on her cheese cube while that happens. She'll seem to consider that offer, after Amalthea makes it, probably for longer than she should have. "...Well, you could, but I think that might make more work for me given the injuries that usually happen in a riot. I don't think they'd much appreciate you doing it, anyway." Sakura will state. "And Ariel would probably be disappointed." She'll point out, finally.
Guest Psyber	Psyber tilts his head a bit and says, "Some of that is right. Psyber, owner of Heaven or Hell. It's sort of a private investigation firm and job placement agency for gifted individuals." He smiles a bit, "Hardly a thousand faces, unfortunately. Just the one. This one," He points at his face, "No other faces, unfortunately. Not one of those disguise experts like I hear about. Though I admit I haven't heard much about you," He admits, "Raine Arland, yes? A man with a sword and some rather colorful personality."a
Scarlet Everille	By the looks of things, this is one of the rare instances where Scarlet should feel perfectly happy missing all the action and showing up to the afterparty. Whatever had gone on to destroy this much of the city and that much of the palace is probably something she was best uninvolved in, especially with all the history she's managed to dig up in the Union's and Heaven or Hell's files even with only her basic clearance suggesting that it had been several layers of personally nasty. By and large, a new start with a new empress and a new crowd should be the perfect time to arrive; after all the old, tangled politics have been burnt out and before anything new has grown in their place. Right? The first of January isn't a great time to be outside in most respects, and so Scarlet has initially come bundled up in an expensive winter coat, scarf, sensible gloves and earmuffs, but the springtime warmth of the square obviates the need for those pretty quickly; another reminder of the casual indifference with which so many mages seem to use their power, diplomatic show as it is. She has a very short walk to one of those booths where she doesn't stand out as simply an arriving party, and thus can more easily survey the composition of the crowd, her eyes peeking over the rim of her scarf, cycling through several, gradually more intense shades of red as she checks for mages, wards, magical creatures and items. Picking out the Heaven or Hell crowd is easily from the time she's spent around the office; the others, less so. She remerges pretty quickly, all things considered, dressed on the simple side of formal, in white and black and a good length skirt with a minimum amount of lace or ruffle in order to look 'adult' in a culturally generic, old world sense, rather than 'ostentatious' or 'frilly'. It's the kind of outfit that wouldn't look out of place on a woman ten years older than her, but she pulls it off regardless despite being almost a full foot short of Psyber when she finds her way back to the boss, that damn messenger bag finally exchanged for a handbag. Actually she's pulling it off /really well/. It doesn't /look/ like she's done anything with hair or makeup in the less than ten minutes she had to change, and yet the mildly stunning effect of 'frumpy girl who cleans up gorgeous' is present on a girl who was already very pretty to begin with. It's a political function. She's going to cheat a little alright? "So you must be Duet Fortuna~" she smiles in greeting, smoothly inserting herself into the ongoing conversation, remarkably boldly despite her lack of veteran cred here. "I'd heard you'd joined the office but I haven't had a chance to meet you yet! Scarlet Everille, pleased to meet you~" Followed by a well rehearsed, moderate curtsy. "Are all of these people friends of Psyber and yourself? I've heard of a few of these unfamiliar faces, but it's my first time meeting them as well. I like your Servant~" She rolls her eyes good-naturedly at Psyber responding to Raine. "Whatever you say, 'Mister Holden'."
Raine Arland	"Heh. I'm surprised you even know /that/ much." Cracking a smile, Raine shrugged in a rather cavalier manner. "I try to keep my name and business out of the limelight. Hard to work when you've got the boys on your ass every step of the way, yeah?" Chuckling at his own words, the swordsman rolled his eyes and took another sip. "I guess it's only fair I divulge a bit of info. No harm." Jerking a thumb towards himself, Raine started. "Raine Arland, Fed, sole owner and operator of Arland Tranportations. I say transportations because the bulk of my work is handling cargo deliveries. But I sometimes do mercenary work." Another shrug. "Whatever puts money in the bank account, yeah?" He grinned a little wider at that, gesturing to his own face. "And as you can see, I only got one face too. Maybe." He looked off, spying his partner in crime still raiding the buffet. "...Then there's her." He narrowed his eyes, wondering if he should even bother, but then Scarlet interjected. "Oho, and who's this fine lady? Friend of yours, Psyber?" Raine eyed the girl and offered a lazy, two fingered salute. "Yo. Name's Raine. You?"
Mordred	"Well, for one, I hear the empress doesn't have plans to become an evil tyrant and make enemies of people who depose evil tyrants for a living, so that's probably helpful all-in-all," Mordred replies, before switching the subject back to Bloodbane. "But sure, a spar could be fun. See how far you can push that trick of yours. Haven't ever seen anything quite like it." A glance towards the empress, and then a shrug. "I don't need to get too much closer to tell she's protected though. Pretty sure you've got nothing to worry about today. There's probably a bigger target on Psyber and Hall's backs than her, anyway." Then a glance back at the party. "God, tell me there's going to be food at SOME point. And I mean like. Enough food to choke and die on, not refreshment tables."
Guest Psyber	Psyber gives a patient and somewhat playful smile to Scarlet, "Miss Everille, you look quite impeccable tonight," He compliments, keeping his comments more towards a professional and reserved side. A cautious eye and ear is put towards Nathan conversing with Mir, Psyber noting to bug her later since it had been some months since he spoke to her last. But his gaze turns back towards Raine, "It pays to know who various people are," He muses, fishing around in his coat for a pack of cigarettes and putting one in his mouth, "Nice to meet you, Raine Arland. If I ever need something shipped Fed side, I'll be sure to call you. I'm surprised a competing business can even survive with how many people praise Black Dragon Shipping and Ravus' whole operation, so good to see him get some competition." "This is Scarlet Everille. She's a client who is also interning at the office as a sort of negotiator and political advisor for when Nathan is busy. I'll let her handle any further negotiations."
Duet Fortuna	"I expected some of this," Duet admits to Psyber. "I guess they're curious as to how things went. I know /I'm/ curious. The Heaven Guard had a little visit with me earlier, asking some questions." Raine gets an even stare and a slight smile, but she doesn't know him well at all, so that should be enough. He seems more interested in her Servant, anyway. Scarlet's assessment of the crowd will find surprisingly few active mages. The field seems maintained by five at the edges, but other than being somewhat limited in how far they can move, actually maintaining the field doesn't seem to require a ton of concentration. Whether or not the Blooded trigger magesight seems to depend on their power manifestations. Several layers of wards are around the dias and both Illuvia and Merrihart(who is, himself, a mage), as would be expected. Duet glances up - and she /does/ show up as magical in some way - then shrugs. "That would be me, a pleasure to meet you, Miss Everille. I'm afraid I don't know that many of them... I keep out of the limelight, much like Raine here, if I can. My mother was the well-connected one. I got involved in this because I'm something of a native, and Psyber of course. I can point out the interesting ones, if you want." Bloodbane makes a face about the description of the Emperor. "He got more unstable as he aged, for some reason. He used to be a good man, really. It was probably better this way." He jerks a thumb toward the tables. "They're bringing it after the Empress makes a quick speech. I've heard her rehearsing it, it won't drag on or anything."
Guest Psyber	"Did they?" Psyber asks Duet with a bit of concern in his voice. Not that he distrusted Illuvia, but the Heaven's Guard asking questions makes him ill at ease. Particularly about Duet, of all people. He crosses his arms a bit and then exhales a small amount of smoke from his cigarette, "At least they seem to be accepting the new Empress with little... unrest about the matter. I was worried we'd have to spend the first month or two putting out assassination attempts constantly." Of course, hearing the proclamation of Mordred's hunger causes him to look over that way and tilt his head a bit. He really hoped Illuvia prepared enough food to handle a hungry Saber-class. Of course, if they wanted to stop Mordred's appetite in its tracks, they could always have Mir whip her up a snack. "Your mother?" He asks to Duet in a careful curiosity, "You don't talk much about your parents. But I always figured that went hand-in-hand with the mask and mysterious past thing."
Nathan Hall	"I believe it would be a comfort to her, in whatever better place there may be." Nathan says, with an idle sort of calmness. "She was, even in the end... Objective-oriented, to say the least. Everything else was secondary to seeing them achieved. I am certain, given her closeness with much of those who knew her, that she hoped in some way for us to do this." He does a sort of broad gesture, the kind where you turn your palms up and seem like you're meaning something well without ever really clarifying what you're meaning well in the first place. "Acceptance is an irrelevant thing for much of it. The world will resist change; this is why Elliana did what she did." That's weird. Is he not calling her Lady Fairchild anymore? He's swapped back to first-name basis like he does for everyone else. "It is up to us to withstand the difficulties. I would say to withstand them without succumbing to the darkness she did, and you might say to withstand them without going too far in too risky a way, but at the end, you will have some interest. The end goal may offer a chance to resolve injustices committed by humanity against greater beings, after all."
Duet Fortuna	After a suitable time of milling about, Illuvia and Merrihart step forward, with a light blare of trumpets calling attention to their presence. It's very brief, as they have already been introduced... Illuvia just needs to address the crowd. Fortunately, she's been getting some training, so she is keeping the mind-warping effects of her voice to a bare minimum of 'feels nice to listen to,' which makes it easy to just shrug them off. "Greetings, everyone, and welcome. I apologize for the accomodations, but we still have a great amount of rebuilding to do... with hope, avoiding many of the mistakes that lead to this tragic ending." She gestures around the plaza. "This past year, we were taught a harsh lesson. Many of those here either were involved, or associated with those who lead a determined attack on the Empire. This combined force of the Union and the Confederacy humbled what we had thought was an impregnable defense, though at great cost to them. In doing so, they have forced myself and the Council to reassess our strategy for dealing with the Multiverse. My homeland of Taliel is already allied with the Union, and we are discussing loose treaties to extend to the Empire. The Confederacy is also being approached, considering their holdings in several cities that were once Empire territory. In the interests of consolodating our troubles at home, it has been decided to approach any contestation of these territories in a political, rather than military fashion. I am afraid that there will be many changes forthcoming, as we learn from the mistakes of the past. I ask that you treat our guests from other worlds as you would your neighbors... for in the future, we will be treating the rest of the Multiverse as another part of our world, and not as a different one." She isn't done, though. A brief pause to let everyone collect their thoughts, and the young Empress launches into an explanation. "Many of you do not know what brought about this sad event of the Emperor's death. It was, in the end, a result of the growing disenfranchisement of many of our people. A singular priestess threw in her lot with the Shajem, when many of us thought that they were merely a myth. We now know that is not true, for they roam about the world, subdued but no longer imprisoned. This desire was brought about by the terrors that we ourselves inflicted upon her and her family, terrors which have become far too common. It was this woman, Elliana Fairchild, who gathered allies and power with a ruthless hunger, and brought ruin to our once-great Empire. Though she was killed by the Emperor himself, it was only at the cost of his own life, and it is with great regret that I admit that it is our own hubris which caused the creation of this monster among us. Going forward, we must protect against the causes that bring such people into being, and fortify ourselves from those in other lands who may turn their eye toward us. It is for this reason that I am announcing a staged plan to revise our economy and political system toward one more focused on merit." She smiles, and the vague 'vocal imprint' increases, subtly attempting a positive response. She doesn't seem aware she's doing it, though... it's still very minor. "My first act will be the formation of the Tsar of Labor. General Steppenworth has graciously decided to step down from his military position and take this post. He has a long history of loyalty and of putting forward formal dissent of immoral actions, and he is now in charge of assessing the economy of a region, and presenting a plan for the emancipation of any slaves, with minimal impact to the economic situation." She bows her head, "It will be a difficult time for us, but times of adversity are merely training to become stronger. It is my hope that with the help of new allies made, we may be able to be even more prosperous than before within a handful of years." That's probably wishful thinking, but the illusion of progress is a powerful tool.
Raine Arland	"Hah. Me? A match for that juggernaut, Black Dragon Shipping?" Raine waved a hand dismissively at that. "I'm not targeting the same niche they are. I handle more...underground stuff. Mundane deliveries are pretty rare for me. They usually go through BDS, unless the client really doesn't know any better or specifically wants me for some reason." Another shrug. "But hey, more money for me. I ain't complaining." He caught Duet's stare, and smirked. "Yo, Duet. Sorry I didn't greet you earlier. But I did now! Mission accomplished." He raised his glass in greeting after, taking a sip from it before turning his attention to Scarlet. "Scarlet Everille, eh? So you're the backup brains, huh? Not bad. There are worse positions to be in, I say." He didn't say what those worse positions could be. Right at that moment, a shimmer of blue particles formed right behind Raine, revealing Fragarach as she materialized. "I'm tired of the finger food. When is the real stuff coming out?" Cue facepalm from Raine.
Setsuko Kaminagi	Even 'feels nice to listen to' is enough to make Setsuko's skin crawl. It naturally bothers the demigod, but it's a known quantity, so she bites back her instinctive discomfort to listen to the address as neutrally as she can. The desire to settle disputes in this world between the Confederacy and Union via political means, rather than battle, is one that she can agree with at least. Though she holds no love for the Confederacy, she would rather see the people of a given world not swept up in their war if it can be helped. Of more interest, however, is the tale of Elliana Fairchild as told by Illuvia. It's an interesting stance to take; painting her as a monster, but one they themselves created. The demigod doesn't miss the hints of defensiveness in it, either. A deliberate political move away from aristocracy and towards meritocracy, though... that's gonna ruffle some feathers. There will be those among the nobility who realize their position is suddenly in peril, and fight desperately to cling to it. And /that/ is something that Setsuko is equipped to handle. Political maneuvering, treaties, she won't navigate those unless she must. But assassinations, acts of terrorism, those are things a blade can settle. Worth keeping an eye on, then. But more important than how she, an outsider, sees things, is how those who know this land best will see them. The demigod turns, looking at some of the more out-of-place citizens still hesitating to join the party much as she is, and then decides to take a few steps over. She can't really halt her presence easily, but hopefully it won't intimidate them too badly. "Excuse me. I'm not from around here. Do you mind if I ask your take on the speech just now?"
Scarlet Everille	"Of course, I always look impeccable." Scarlet play-huffs towards Psyber, folding her arms under her chest before her smile returns. "You look good too though~ No surprise, honestly, but I didn't think I'd see you wearing a suit outside of a lecture hall, board room, or funeral. I'm glad I got to see it~" She then turns to Raine, crimson eyes glancing him up and down, before unsubtly flicking to Fragarach for the briefest of moments. "A pleasure to meet you as well. Most of my work has been between the Union and unaffiliated parties so far, so this is my first time really coming face to face with any real number of Confederates." She tilts her head faintly towards Psyber, silken black hair sliding over her shoulders. "What he didn't mention is that I'm also a magus, rank six, fifth year at Heliosanctus. I help out a lot with investigation and matters of magical nature between negotiation jobs. I'm afraid I don't care much for all of this war business, but it's been interesting so far~ There are a lot of uniquely capable of people around the multiverse that make for great help, and even better studies~ That isn't even mentioning what one can get their hands on from different worlds, especially with such high demand for a skilled portfolio. You being a trader associate, I'm sure you understand that." She seems to re-examine Duet's mask at her admission of distance. "Well with everything I've heard about going on here, I hardly think I could blame you for wanting to stay off the stage, so to speak. Hopefully we'll see those spotlights move on now that the final act is over, yes? Off to find some new, less bloody drama, though I wouldn't mind hearing who the new actors are~ Speaking of the devil..." she turns to Illuvia as if on cue, her speechgiving senses tingling the moment before. Some other senses tingle when the newly crowned empress starts; before the first word finishes, in fact. Scarlet's expression hardens ever so imperceptibly slightly. After all, how could /she/ of all people not recognize it? "Did I feel a little bump under the bus there?" she intones vaguely after the speech has finished. "Though I think she'll be a good driver regardless. I don't know much about the previous emperor, but I can tell when someone has their priorities in order, and how much of their own speeches they write. She has a very pleasant way of saying some unpopular things, so she's already halfway to the top~" She pauses. "Figuratively, of course. Empress already seems like the top of the pyramid in the literal sense. I can appreciate the sense in selecting her."
Mir	Mir tsks, "I can appreciate a goal-oriented woman. With any luck, this new government will be more to what she would have liked. This world has little interest to me, but many people I think of as allies have investment in it. I'd prefer to never Sing here again." It's funny how someone so into wanting to murder humans can come off as egalitarian sometimes. Illuvia's speech calls her attention up there, but she snorts lightly. "I'm sure those in power are going to enjoy that. Well, nothing a few examples won't fix, I'm sure." Nathan had best make sure the Union handles them, because Mir's ideas are not going to be pretty. She looks back at the General, maybe because of using Elliana's first name. "You two were at your best working together. I know you had difficulties, but remember that."
Guest Madeline	Having finished her discussion with the merchant, Madeline is wandering over to where others are talking, taking the opportunity of Illuvia's speech to butt in with Mir and Nathan. "Emancipation is always a difficult hurdle. She has a lot of work ahead of her." She nods her head. "Good afternoon, General. A pleasure to see you in less... difficult moments." The interpretation of Elliana makes her frown, but Madeline hears something that pleases her. "This is good news for me, I suppose," she notes. "I would be willing to support a woman like this... presuming she stops talking to me in person."
Raine Arland	Raine nodded towards Scarlet. "Yeah. I get that. Nothing like the trade of good materials to keep the business running. People want prime stuff, I get them that prime stuff one way or another, we're all happy." Finally finished with his glass of wine, Raine set it aside, crossing his arms. "Well, all that aside..." He spread his arms slightly, smirking. "Take a good look. This is a Confederate. Ain't so much different from you and I, I wager. Just idealogies and such, yeah? You'll get used to it if you haven't already." A chuckle followed. "Sounds like a damn busy line of work though. Magus, student, and investigator on the side? You got any hobbies there? 'Cause it sounds like you don't got time for that." Fragarach, who remained silently and boredly floating nearby, simply bonked Raine atop his head for his rudeness, elliciting an 'Ow, damn it!' from the young man.
Guest Psyber	Still smoking, Psyber turns his attention up towards Illuvia as she begins to speak. He listens quietly to most of it, though when the speech turns to the discussion of Elliana and her deeds, one of his hands squeezes tight into a fist, trying to contain some measure of awkwardness and generally showing that the death of Elliana is still something that eats at Psyber deeply, despite his more cheerful attitude of late. Just hearing her name is enough to cause him to go tense again. He exhales slowly as the speech moves on and a new political office is appointed. He nods his head slowly, curious that Steppenworth is deciding to take this new position. Maybe he learned something from when Psyber saved his life. The half-angel takes a slow draw from the cigarette and then looks back over towards Raine, "Ah, underground. Still a good kind of shipper to be. Fed or no, I might need someone like that some day. If you can set aside factional allignments for business, we might need to talk at some point if I ever need your services." To Scarlet, he smiles a bit softer, "She threw herself under the bus with the Emperor, so to speak. Her grand and final plan." His tone is a bit sad at talking about it, "All we can really do is try to finish what she gave us the chance to start. Try to make her world something to honor her sacrifice, I imagine," He lets his free hand fall into his coat pocket as he shifts his footing, "Illuvia'll do fine. And I intend to make sure no one tries to take a run at her. Thanks for the compliment on selecting her, though. The one right decision I've made related to this world, I guess."
Duet Fortuna	"They wanted some details about what happened with Elliana, and I did work with her a little, not to mention being a Binder meant they may have thought I knew her well," Duet points out. "They spoke with Bloodstone too, as I recall. I think they have a very rough idea of what happened, but there's..." Ah there it is, the spin. Duet sighs, "She still has some practice she needs to do, both with speeches and otherwise... but her heart's in the right place, and she has some powerful people backing her. I think she'll be fine." Scarlet gets a little smile. "You felt it, too? There's a reason that she's likely to be a little hard to depose. That's a dangerous power to give anyone... it's a good thing she's a decent person. Even with it, there have been some rumblings already. Her ideas are a little... dangerous to the nobility, there's no doubt. They've been given pause by how badly the first attempt at a coup went. Something about several conspirators arguing in a locked room and all of them killing one another. At least, that's the going theory, unless someone somehow got into a locked and warded room, then back out without any signs of forced entry." The change in topic naturally deflects the topic of her mother for now. How convenient! Setsuko's question ends up addressing a man who looks to be a visiting dignitary. He frowns, "It's good news for me, but she's saying a lot of things that won't go over well with a sizeable part of the nobility, but she's also right, and I think she knows what she's doing." He looks Setsuko over, then smirks when she admits she's not from around here. "I heard she said that any Blooded who couldn't prove themselves better obviously weren't trying. If there's one thing the Blooded of the Empire have, it's pride. She's not as clueless as she seems." Oh hey, food is being brought out! Big tables with roast boar and venison!
Amalthea	Thaknfully, announcements mean two things: Awkward partygoing is briefly put to a halt, and everyone can be distracted for a little bit. Amalthea turns from her laborious task of sipping on some drink or another, lone eye turning to Illuvia, when the trumpets sound off, one floppy ear pricking up. For the record: Amalthea would not call the Emperor's death sad. She had been there and witnessed it first hand, and the man was clearly insane. The unicorn only seems more uncomfortable for a moment longer, shoulders rolling while silvery lips purse, having to mentally shrug off Illuvia's voice at several occasions during the speech with a grunt here and there. "She's sugar coating the way things went a bit. But I guess she's got a better direction going than what was in place before." Muttered vaguely. Ah, there's the food. This is equally important and should be paid just as much attention to.
Setsuko Kaminagi	"She'll have support from the masses, for certain," Setsuko concurs with a faint nod, looking over the crowd. "Giving people even just the dream that some day they might work their way to the top, is a powerful motivator in any world. Especially when it's true." She makes no judgement as to whether it is or not; time will tell that, and at the very least the dignitary seems to /believe/ she's sincere about changes, so that's something. "But the aristocracy are still in the position to cause the most trouble, aren't they? How much havoc could they cause, if one or more of them decided to lash out?" She seems to realize she's being rather negative, perhaps worryingly so, and so she adds, "Apologies if I seem cynical. I've survived as long as I have by expecting trouble. I'd rather all my surprises be pleasant ones."
Duet Fortuna	The man talking to Setsuko shakes his head. "Not cynical, realistic. She has a tough time ahead of her. She's rushing a little, but part of it... I can see what she's doing. There's going to be trouble, so she's changing the game. Making it about the external powers just as much, making allies with people that aren't vulnerable to the normal avenues of attack. It's risky, but it worked out for my kingdom." Maybe that's why this one is so ready to talk to Setsuko. One of the others nearby speaks up though, "That's risky because it just means she'll have influence from the outside, where it's harder to mitigate. I'm not sure this is a good idea. I think she's wonderful, but I worry that there's just too much against it."
Nathan Hall	Nathan remains... Well... Incredibly vulnerable to the mental effect, as was the case before. But hey! This time it doesn't involve SADNESS so he fixates more positively on the speech. He wordlessly turns from Mir for a short while, fixing his view on the speech. His opinion is... unusual. But in a sense, it is fully in support. The details would simply be odd. Well... "The project I seek to pursue will... Undermine efforts of opposition. Such would likely be, for you, an incidental benefit at best. For me, it is all due justification to pursue it." He then does finally turn back to Mir, to match her gaze and speak with her frankly. "You are right. It is why things became so wrong when that changed." His reaction to the newcomer of the conversation is, as always, delayed by several seconds. Hey, didn't Madeline shoot him a while ago?! He doesn't seem the least bit acknowledging of that fact. "Salutations, Madeline. I will not mind if you leave words less minced. I assure you it is a pleasure to be in less of an embarrassing insane episode. You are correct that there will be opposition and a great deal of work. I know of a way to support her which will be in line with the wishes of your late ally and involve very little dealing with the Empress directly. Mir and I were just speaking on the subject."
Guest Psyber	It's pretty clear that Psyber is still lingeringly bothered by the account of Elliana's life. Then again, anyone would be upset at hearing their deceased close friend talked about like that. It means that he doesn't really respond to Duet too vocally, though he also has to fight off the inclination to take a step closer to her out of instinct. Instead, he settles for bringing his drink up and tipping it back, draining the glass in one go, "She'll learn how to play politics," His gaze falls on Nathan, watching the Librarian talk to Mir and Madeline, "Nathan and I will make sure she has time to, I imagine. Neither of us is nearly close to done on this world. Still lots of irons in the fire, lots of investigation to be done." He sighs a bit and then looks around, "Aheh, sorry to go serious for a moment there."
Guest Madeline	Madeline lifts an eyebrow. "All right, you have my attention. I'm always interested in that sort of matter." That is, seeing how a good ruler can keep her opposition under control. It's better to experiment with a place that isn't hers, after all, but it would be even better to keep a decent ruler installed. Besides, it'll be good to know the complexities of the political situation when she eventually gets around to conquering this place. She sips her drink, "I'm listening. What did you have in mind?"
Setsuko Kaminagi	"She's making the nobility's footing more unsteady as quickly as she can, so that they have less time to get their feet under them and press some sort of counterattack." Setsuko can understand that level of political strategy, at least, now that it's pointed out to her. Plus, she's fairly sure her own allies will be there to support her efforts, making it more difficult for her political enemies to do anything above-board. Under-the-table dealings, on the other hand... well, that's the kind of thing she carries a sword for. Then a dissenting opinion is sounded. That has worth in and of itself; it gives a more complete picture of what people are thinking to the swordswoman. She decides to take the neutral path for the moment, and says in simple reply, "There's already a great deal of outside influence in this... situation. I suppose I'm proof of that myself. But what would you suggest instead?"
Mir	Oh boy, Nathan has a plan. That means he's going to be DOING stuff. That should be amusing, at least. "I'm still not sure what to think of this place, but I'm curious what you plan to do to keep things steady. My own answer is ruling with an iron fist, but that doesn't seem to be your style."
Nathan Hall	Nathan adjusts his glasses slightly, letting some of the glare from nearby party lights keep his eyes obfuscated somewhat. "Elliana, before she died, confided several secrets. I am uncertain as to how much she revealed to you or how much is best to reveal, so please understand if I keep some of them unspoken. However... Political opposition will be partially founded in a certain series of assumptions taken as fact in the social fabric of this world." Thank goodness for the glare. It lets him glance to ensure there's a healthy distance between him and the the nearest nobility, and the calm monotone getsd just slightly lower in volume. "One of the core assumptions -- a specific assumption of divine right -- is founded in a deception. I have a lead on information. I believe it will thoroughly devastate opposition to the Empress and her merit-focused policy reforms, and fulfill one of the goals Elliana had no chance to see fulfilled before her death."
Scarlet Everille	"Yes, I certainly did." Scarlet says to Duet. "I'd be remiss in not noticing it, with my job description." That's a little bit of a lie. An ordinary magus from Scarlet's world wouldn't be able to tell the difference. Even a fairly exceptional one would have difficulty putting their finger on it. It's almost entirely due to her own, daily propensity for manipulating her personal image in accordance to the perceptions of others that she is able to tell the difference. For obvious reasons, she doesn't habitually ward herself against that kind of obscure thing, but knowing it's being done is enough to let an expert on the subject work backward towards an imagined model of a more rational reaction, at least. After all, she's been the subject of the magic she uses plenty of times in the process of learning it from her family. "Setting aside all that nasty uncertainty about assassins and coups, I'm inclined to agree that she'll do well. I don't envy her though. I know full well how it goes with trying to get those who have too much to give to those who have too little." Oh does she ever. "I don't envy Elliana either." she says in a slightly less serious tone to Psyber. "I don't think I could go through with a final plan that would leave me the villain instead of the martyr. Actually, I doubt I could commit to that kind of self-sacrifice at all. I'm a little spoiled, so I like it best when things go completely my way without giving anything up~" And then she has time for Raine. "While I appreciate the sentiment, let's not get carried away~ Just because we're both people who can hold a civil conversation doesn't mean 'we aren't all that different in the end'. I admit, you don't seem like a bad one, but nobody really buys that 'every soldier is a mother's son' thing these days. I'm sure we'll get along just fine though~ And if we don't, it's not my job description to try and fight you over it." She hides the spirited giggle elicited by Fragarach behind her hand to the minimum that is polite, though her eyes instantly communicate her amusement anyways; better than the sound does, even. "It's a busy lifestyle, I won't deny that, even only needing to sleep half as much. Working for Psyber here is technically a curricular activity though, so I find time~ Besides, I think I'd rather be working twice as much rather than recuperating in the hospital every other day." She still hasn't actually /asked/ about the spirit though. Weird. "Ah, let's see, I've had time to help out Setsuko over there, Mir over there, Nathan up there, one of Amalthea's friends, even if she never says hello. With the kind of things you can get up to on this job, it's basically already a hobby."
Duet Fortuna	"Yes, a lot to do," Duet agrees softly. She rubs her chin, listening to the chatter mostly. "I guess time will tell. It's not a world that gives up the status quo easily, but..." She makes a gesture at the surrounding area. "This is a big step. It makes me wonder what will come next. I think Empress Illuvia is the least of her worries. Her husband is an accomplished Sorcerer, after all, he just doesn't do as well in the spotlight as she does." The man dissenting is from the Empire, and he shakes his head. "I'd just rebuild and refortify. I can appreciate what she's trying to do, but it's not like the Blooded are in charge just because. They're generally just better. It's worked for centuries and it's written in the holy texts... though I wasn't really a believer until I saw an Amethyne myself a few months ago. I hear eliminating slavery is a step to get on the Union's good side, though. That's probably worth doing, if she's courting them instead of the Confederacy."
Raine Arland	Shruuuuug. "You're not gonna find me objecting here. Not saying every Confederate's a saint. God, no. Have you see some of those assholes? ...No, I guess you actually haven't. But whatever! My point still stands." Fragarach is given a sidelong glare, which is met with a smirk, before Raine moves along in the conversation. "Huh, so wait. Working for the man of a thousand faces over there is part of your school gig?" He took a step back in a rather dramatic fashion. "That's....that's....too damn hardcore for me. But then again, you Magus types know how to do all that weird voodoo woodoo to make it work. I'm not about to start raising the questions here." Some things didn't need to be asked though. If Scarlet had nothing to say about the conspicuous floating lady by Raine's side, then it was safe to assume she was familiar with the like. Easier on him, he'd say. Explaining her was a headache. And she didn't help at all. That aside, he looked from Nathan, to Mir, then to Amalthea in sequence before arching a brow and looking back to Scarlet. "Okay, so...runnin' around solving people's problems is what gets you your jollies. Good to know." And like that, Raine just crossed his arms behind his head lazily. "If I got any weird voodoo that needs un-voodooing, I'll hit you up sometime."
Guest Madeline	Madeline frowns. As someone whose right to rule IS divinely mandated - quite literally, in her case, by a personal message from the Unconquered Sun - messing with that is instinctively something she doesn't want to bother with. Yet finding the truth of the matter /is/ interesting. "That would cripple them, but also result in an upheaval if not handled properly," she points out. "I'd be interested in hearing more though."
Setsuko Kaminagi	There's a couple holes in the dissenting man's logic that even Setsuko can see, but she keeps them to herself. Instead, she gives both men a faint nod. "I see... I feel like I have a little bit better of a mental picture here. Thank you both for speaking candidly with me. I can offer little in return, but if my blade can be of help in the future, send word through the Union to Major Kaminagi. It should reach me." Sooner or later, anyway. She rarely visits her own office in Njorun, but they've taken to forwarding the important things to a handheld device she uses in the field to keep in touch. Having given them her gratitude, she shifts away from the wall, turning to head around the edge of the square towards the food. She can at least grab a little before she goes.
Guest Psyber	"You should be careful, then," Psyber cautions to Scarlet, looking over at her with an unusually serious look to his face, "Not as a threat, but rather. Any Elite who spends a significant enough time interacting with the Multiverse in a meaningful fashion is forced to eventually make sacrifices." He warns her. "Sometimes that sacrifice is non-involvement, which you will see from many. Sometimes that sacrifice is a scar that never goes away. Other times it's a piece of your personal life, your own goals, even your own personality," He reaches into his jacket and takes out a flask, refilling his glass as he looks to Scarlet, "People like Nate and I get where we are because of those choices. So be careful." It's not meant to scare Scarlet, or at least he doesn't intend it that way. It seems like a genuine and objective warning to her. He sighs a bit and rubs the back of his head, "So just be careful about that, yeah?" He warns to Scarlet the one final time before inching a bit closer to Duet. "Whatever comes next, I just hope it's less hellish than last year." And then he looks over at Raine, "Stop callin' me that! One face! It's the face you see right here!" He points at his face, "You Feds have the face-changers, last I heard. Creepy assassin girl."
Raine Arland	Raine just grinned at Psyber. "Whatever you say, Man of a-I mean, Psyber." Chuckle. "And what's this about a creepy assassin girl? We got a ton of those, so you're gonna have to be teensy bit more specific. Just a bit." He held up a hand, thumb and index finger parted just slightly yo accentuate his point.
Nathan Hall	"It could result in upheaval if handled properly as well." Nathan says, making a vaguely helpless gesture. "However, the fact is, more and more evidence indicate towards the falseness of that central pillar to their claims. Until we have the information in our hands, we cannot know the full effects of its release, in whole or in part, and in what context. However, our work will have the best interests of the people in mind, just as the Empress does. I am confident that with caution and respect, our pursuit can end well." He readjusts his glasses. It almost seems like the gesture deactivates the strange, awful glow at the lenses, but that would be silly. "I will be seeking to collaborate with the Confederacy, with the old circle established by Elliana, in the future. An effort to strike at the heart of the opposition to both of our interests. Please keep an eye out for my own invitations to the Alloran Falls. There, we can find answers, and you can have the chance to hear more of the plan as it forms."
Scarlet Everille	"The term voodoo is deemed insensitive to mages of Haitian descent or self-identification and is counter to the spirit of global cooperation meant to be fostered by culture non-specific scientific terms of unified magical theory." is Scarlet's outright response to Raine; bland, even-toned, and dead serious for the space of about five seconds, before deliberately cracking up to let him off the hook. "I suppose you'd call it an outreach program? By this year, the board wants you getting work experience and generally putting your name out there. You know, picking nice, high-paying places, getting to know the people who run it, putting in a few hours a week to show them what a great learner you are, network and be talked about, that sort of thing. I'm already at the point where any old bank or business or government office would hire me on name alone though, so I decided I'd, hmm, push it the extra mile and do something interesting instead~ I'm going to be on the first wave of a very small number of people who can claim multiversal experience, after all. All of my accounts just about tripled in followers since I started doing this~" It's a pretty cheeky thing to say, but she still doesn't sound all that serious about it, pointedly neither confirming or denying any claims that she might be an adventurous do-gooder. "As long as it doesn't result in a conflict of interests or would go against my contract with Psyber and the Union, I'd be more than happy to~" Psyber has much more sobering words for her however, some of the partygoing atmosphere smoothly slipping off her face, her eyes pulsing a brighter shade. "As much as I respect you and the General, Psyber, you needn't worry that I might aspire to be like you. I already know I'm not cut out for heroics, and I'm old enough not to kid myself thinking I can do everything you've done without any of the pitfalls or hardships. Even if I admire the idea, I'm not out to save the multiverse. I know when to step back and let someone else handle that." Bizarrely, though those would be the exact words any responsible figure of authority would love to hear, whether that be a boss, teacher, or even parent, they sound alarmingly unconvincing coming from Scarlet; even stranger due to the fact that everything /else/ she says is always so easy to believe. It doesn't /seem/ like her tone slipped or her eyes wandered or any other facet of her expression betrayed any sort of insincerity. It's just sort of... there. A nagging sensation that she might not be speaking as honestly as she thinks she is. "Otherwise, you'll find I don't reach for anything that exceeds my grasp. I'm supremely confident in my own selfishness you know~" Alright, that part she clearly has faith in.
Guest Psyber	"Mn," Psyber makes a vaguely ascenting noise at Scarlet, nodding his head to her as he listens. Inwardly, he doesn't overtly trust her words for whatever reason, but he's not on the ball enough to pick up anything out of the ordinary. Mostly, he just resolves to keep a closer eye on her and help out where he's able, for at least as long as she has him contracted. He drops his spent cigarette to the ground, crushing it under his toe, "Alright. If you say so, I'll just appreciate the compliment, admittedly." He laughs faintly, half-forced and half-genuine, before looking around and then towards Duet, "You about ready to eat?"
Duet Fortuna	"I think food would be a good thing to get, before Mordred tackles the table singlehandedly," Duet chimes in. "I mostly wanted to hear her speech." She puts an arm on Psyber's shoulder, "Though I know it might not have been easy to hear. Sometimes, it's better to tell the legend than the whole truth."