The decision has been made. LILITH Japan orders the Outsiders to mobilize to pursue the Imugi.
Given that they are in a foreign country, they are largely dependent on LILITH Korea’s resources. In response to the decision, the Korean branch provides some assistance: the Outsiders are given just enough vehicles to help transport them, essential supplies, and only a few operatives to help guide them. This is the most the Korean branch is able to give, as they must focus on relocating people and restoring peace following the attack.
LILITH announces that the Imugi is currently resting near Gangneung on the east coast and they must move quickly. The effects of Rift poisoning will grow stronger as they approach the source; a sign that they are close to a kaiju. Upon reaching the mountains just outside the city, LILITH informs them that they are right on top of its location.
However, there is no Imugi to be found. After searching the area, Outsiders will discover the source of the trace and the poisoning: eggs. They will find about twelve eggs. When they report their findings, Seokdang will curse. In their rush, they had followed the wrong trace. They didn’t track down an injured and resting Imugi—they tracked down the Imugi’s nest. So where is the Imugi?
Not long after, Outsiders will receive an update on their implants: the Imugi reappeared in Seoul. After seeing the corpse of its mate, it went berserk and attacked the city again. While many of the citizens were evacuated to nearby Incheon and remaining shelters, just as many perished, with the death toll at 168,000 and rising. LILITH’s Korean base is destroyed.
The Imugi was last seen flying north, but the Korean government prohibits the Outsiders from pursuing it again through their territory. By choosing to pursue the kaiju, the Outsiders have abandoned humanity and thus will receive no further support. They are ordered to leave the country immediately.
LILITH Japan will order them to collect as many eggs as possible and continue to the abandoned city of Gangneung, where they will arrange pick up and return to base in Tokyo.
▶ AFTERWORD.
Thanks everyone for participating in our first major Event Decision! We hope you had fun discussing what to do both ICly and OOCly.
After failing to capture the second Imugi and also failing to save a large portion of Seoul's population, characters will be shipped back to Japan. The events of the TDM will springboard from there. Feel free to use this post to thread out any aftermath threads if you would like.
All tags on this log are worth 2 points and will count towards August AC.
[ Having been one of those most vocal about giving chase, Set does not look away from the destruction left in the wake. He also has no intention of hiding his face, or slinking around like he feels guilt or wishes he had chosen otherwise.
Even surveying the desolation and estimation of the death toll, the hatred of Seoul's branch towards them — he takes it all on with a cold expression, a carefully-structured antipathy. Set is a god of war, and comprehends that wars come with horrendous consequences one way or another. ]
There was always going to be a cost. We did not abandon humanity, we simply chose the bigger picture. There are those — like Seoul — who will always lay blame on the ones they are dependent on, when things do not go their way.
[ Injured and still recovering, he might make a good target ( which could happen a. either on the way back, or b. once back at the base! ) for anyone's grief, wrath or general negativity they wish to direct at someone who seems so cold, so capricious about the loss of life. The loss of LILITH's Seoul branch.
It's not like he'd NOT invite the conflict, being what he is. ]
And if you are here to claim moral high ground regarding the choice of the majority — spare me. I will not regret my choice.
[ OOC. Room for a vent session and/or debrief? :9c
[ Someone has to be unrepentant among the Outsiders, and why not a god whom has always accepted that one must stand by their choices — to be generous when correct, and atone when wrong. Though touting a record of "undefeated", Set comprehends the weight of losses at this magnitude; the impact it has on the Outsiders' morale, however, is insulting to him. Even some of those who made the choice to pursue the imugi mope and second-guess themselves.
That's not what he wanted for them. They need more help, he thinks; not to be hardened to such consequences, but to be better able to rationalize them, improve and grow stronger. And in that context — he thinks of Ratio, whom he had made the agreement with to pursue information, and aid. Set takes such vows seriously, which leads him on an arduous hunt for the elusive intellectual.
His nose, acute as a bloodhound, roams from the scent of Ratio's most commonly-kept quarters ( ah? is that aventurine's scent there, too? ), across Neo Tokyo for hours, until finally drawing his hunt to a close at the university where the man works. While not the first time they have met in person, it is the first time they have met NOT under false pretense on a game show.
He has no access to the university's locked doors, and summarily clambers through a window to spite this fact. ]
— there you are. Not an easy man to find. One would think you are avoiding me.
[ Ratio had vanished from LILITH's base almost immediately upon landing. He hadn't spoken a word the entire time they were transported from Seoul, to Gangneung, and then back to Neo Tokyo. He'd kept himself hidden, walking in everyone's periphery, hiding in the shadows of the plane that picked them up—anything that would keep him out of the eyes of others.
He had been prepared for the worst, he thought, but he hadn't believed it would actually occur. Probability never dealt in absolutes; there was always a risk, and risk had to be balanced in order to progress. He'd thought the odds were in their favour, given all that they knew. He'd been prepared to be scorned by Seoul for their decision, should it turn unfavourable.
'By choosing to pursue the kaiju, the Outsiders have abandoned humanity.'
No. No! That isn't— that wasn't—the accusation stings deeply; tears a hole into his heart, and the further devastation of Seoul only widened it. He's failed them. He's failed them.
It's not as if he's never made a mistake resulting in casualties far worse than this—after all, he gets the dubious honour of being the indirect cause of the annihilation of several planets, many of which contained fully fledged civilizations. But the human mind cannot comprehend what it does not see, and he sees Seoul's pain. For the first time, he sees the true consequences of his mistake.
That's why he's at the university—away from all of the distractions on base. Away from the tension, the hurt feelings, the people trying to be friendly and reassure each other with empty platitudes. It wasn't the time for that. He could not afford to treat this planet's crisis so lightly anymore. He has to do what he does best—create miracles from research and hard work.
And yet somehow, he's still found. Of all the people that could have found him, Set is... perhaps someone whose company may prove to be beneficial. ]
I was seeking an environment conductive for focus.
[ Ratio is surrounded by stacks of books and documents, the topics of which ranged from animal biology to geothermal dynamics. For as short as he's been gone from the base, the amount of paper that has been scribbled on is a clear indication of how hard he's been working since. ]
I think you need to get out of the office. Familiarity is a cage, it will stifle you.
[ Far from the scathing drawl he'd adopted on the way back, stiff and capricious in his own support of both choice and outcome, the one he wears here is a little more solmen. It lacks brevity, and supports a severe austerity — something that hints at a steel spine, a long history of consequences and bloodshed, an unyielding ( desperately so ) faith in one's vision.
After coming in through the window, Set is immediately on his ( worst ) cat-like behaviors. His hands immediately dive into Ratio's belongings, sifting through paperwork as if only-slightly interested in what's written, picking up baubles and giving them a toss into the air. In truth, it all fascinates him. He spends hours in the library after all, and prior to pursuing the imugi, had sat with data and maps spread before him to create an overlay of the damaged areas. The death toll. Not that it hadn't needed to be immediately updated, following the female imugi's mass-slaughter. ]
I will not lie, I came to debrief you. You were the one who summarized the extent of our various debates, and I took that to represent your investment in the world. To me, that investment meant you would be one of the hardest-impacted individuals by the consequences of our choice.
[ He's rude, brisk. Doesn't tiptoe around the facts, as he comes to push some of Ratio's books aside to clear a space for him to sit on the desk. ]
An exercise in two questions. That's all I have. "What haunts you the most, about it?" and "What would you like to do next?" Answer both in three words or less.
[ Ratio wants to protest at Set's haphazard rifling through his papers. He almost does, because it's hard to contain his emotions right now, as upset as he is by the outcome of their decision. The only reason he doesn't is because of Set's tone of voice. Different from the excitement when they first met, and the capriciousness on the plane, it's clear that Set is approaching him seriously.
And the man sees so clearly through Ratio. He understood just from that one post that Ratio cared, even if his subsequent words to others were biting and callous on the surface. But it's uncomfortable to be exposed so swiftly by what amounts to a total stranger, for they have only spoken once or twice before this. He averts his gaze, fingers clenching around the pen in his hand.
Two heavy questions, to be answered in three words or less. Six words in total. So little, to summarize all of what Ratio is feeling. It's almost impossible—but he is nothing if not someone who does his best to face every challenge in all his capacity as an erudite.
Ratio is quiet after the questions are posed, deep in thought. What haunts him the most? That he placed too much faith in LILITH, he concludes. If he had been more distrusting of LILITH's capability to track the kaiju, he would have elected to stay in Seoul. His faith in the Outsiders is without question. He's seen for himself what they can do, and he'd thought the kaiju nesting would have meant the beast would be unlikely to flee if under attack. It had been incorrect to assume the kaiju would value its eggs more than its dead mate, just as it'd been incorrect to believe in LILITH's competency.
But what would it mean to voice that? ....no, the truth is, he should have only relied on the other Outsiders in the first place. At least until he fully verified LILITH's knowledge and capabilities himself. ]
'I trusted LILITH.'
[ That is his first answer. As for the second question... well, that's an easy one, isn't it? His vision has always been for the future. He has always strove for the betterment of humanity. This hasn't changed, and never will. ]
[ It doesn’t take long at all for Tezcatlipoca to find Set. He’s one of the first he seeks out, but it’s not because of concern. Quite the opposite, technically. He knows that Set is perhaps one of the only people here to view this situation as he does. They simple see the world differently, and even of the gods that Tezcatlipoca has met… They are not conflict and war.
Where Set waits, Tezcatlipoca comes to join him. He leisurely lounges nearby, then tosses Set a (vegetarian!) ration bar. That gesture is given no weight, the same as how he casually takes his place. ]
Ah… This is the annoying shit, ain’t it? Only 170k? That ain’t bad. Not in our terms.
[ Death tolls were simply different as the sort of gods they were. Set was war, the grinder that fed death endlessly. And Tezcatlipoca was the psychopomp that welcomed souls to Mictlampa. Even that large number… It didn’t mean much to them. It was a simple price of “business”. ]
Makes one thing for sure. No connection to my realm here. Wherever those souls are headin’, it ain’t to me.
[ The ration bar, snatched from the air, is placed down on his knee. He'll eat it in a little while, probably when nobody is around to observe him doing so — there are few things he cannot abide, as being watched in a vulnerable state. Eating, to him, is an uncomfortable sensation. As Tezcatlipoca lounges, the god of war coils his injured leg below himself, tucking it away from predatory eyes as if all he's doing is getting comfortable. ]
I killed millions on my own.
[ Over several generations across hundreds of years, but that's definitely a high number. ]
It's not an issue of quantity. Humans and those who love them always believe in the quality of individualism. I cannot look at them like that — I knew they would claim that we abandoned humanity, though. They always lash out like that, short-sighted and incapable of... seeing the bigger picture.
[ INTERESTING that the souls aren't going anywhere... Set looks at the miasma swirling around his wrist. The souls within are silent, for now. He takes it to mean he's still fulfilling his promise. ]
Me too. Only the once, but still wiped out an entire Sun’s worth of people.
[ He states it casually, but not callously. It’s subtle, but there’s still a note of respect there, because even with his brutal domains, Tezcatlipoca wasn’t an evil god. He hadn’t enjoyed wiping the First Sun clean, but it had been necessary. Merciful, even. But that’s not something he shares, since it’s a detail that he feels only matters to him. ]
Agree with ya, of course. Love ‘em, but people are still a pain in the ass that way. Can’t even say humans, since you seen half the gloomy motherfuckers ‘round here? Sheesh.
[ He says, but there’s a bit of gloom on Tezcatlipoca too, though it’s of a different quality. It’s more pensive than sorrowful, and Set has nailed why with his question. ]
By the rules of where I’m from, yeah. Even if there’s not an underworld waitin’ for ‘em to ease the journey, they’d still head back to the Root. Couldn’t tell you how this world works, exactly, but their situation’s not so dire that it’d mess up that process. Even if the kaiju wipe out every single human, their soul’d end up somewhere.
[ He shrugs ]
Is what it is. Sure we’d still be gettin’ shit for it if that nest hatched.
[ It is a mark of Tezcatlipoca's goodness to have killed all at once, as if sweeping a game board clean — as to have done it year, after year, after year in increments was decided sadistic. Evil, as Set was. His domains are brutal, just like Tezcatlipoca's, and a god cannot simply ignore them — nor collapse under their weight when they are at their most resonant.
Arguably, Tezcatlipoca is the prime deity here. Set considers the battle the Outsiders are engaged in ( at this time ) a conflict, not a war. His domain requires a little more formality and organization between two or more opponents, while the fight before them lacks — formality? In Kenos, he had considered himself the lead deity. And maybe he was wrong, but that was how his mind conceptualized it, having lived under the rule of Osiris, the god supreme of men and divine.
It lets him rest, in an odd way. To not have to be so proactive about the whole thing, on edge and vicious and clawing for every victory. Lets him cross to where Tezcatlipoca has sat, and freely press into the space alongside him, touching shoulder and knee to the other god. ]
How do they know where to go, without us? Without divine intervention and guidance in their lives, do they not get lost?
[ Again, he looks at the band of agony around his wrist. Then, to Tezcatlipoca who knows a time when humans no longer needed them. ]
I worry they... could be intercepted. As I have torn souls from their proper path and denied them the afterlife, it is not as though I am being fanciful in that concern.
[ He does huff a laugh, shaking his head. ]
I do regret the loss of resources Seoul represented. That sucks the most out of all that came in the wake of this choice.
[Makima says, continuing to show little emotion about the whole thing. She agrees with his assessment.]
It's not as if I don't understand their reaction or why they feel the way they do, but these things do happen, regrettable as they are. And not that they would want to hear it, but it could have been worse.
[The death toll and destruction are bad, sure, but hey, they've still got people around to yell at them and ban them from a country. That means it's not quite as bad as it could've been.]
I still believe the destructive power of twelve juvenile kaiju, being that we do not know their rate of maturity, would far exceed a single city.
[ That much, he will not overlook. Twelve! Twelve potential imugi to take to the skies and spread out among the entire world; the impact to the environment alone would be cataclysmic, and he says as much. ]
The acid rain would have taken everything. Thirteen of them in the skies, at worst, would poison all the waters of this world.
Oh, I very much agree on that. One or two was bad enough, the idea of twelve...
[Not a fun thought. Something to be said for back home, as troublesome as some Devils are, it's not like there's offspring to worry about after the job's done. Them respawning eventually sure, but that's not quite the same problem.]
Not as we are. We are a unique fighting force, in that we are all powerful — even though some of us are diminished in many ways. Our independence from one another, and definite lack of leadership, is both a strength and a flaw.
[ No matter how frustrating a gamut of opinionated loudmouths are, Set would take a hundred battles fought with people like the Outsiders than a hundred fought by a uniform regiment of soldiers. For one, the sheer scale of the war is just more satisfying, and for a second, they're far more durable. ]
Still. Knowing the destructive ability of the imugi, I would rather sacrifice Seoul to ensure twelve more do not plague this world. That is an apocalypse, not a battle we could win.
[ idk they're probably hanging out somewhere on base, probably Set's room or the cafeteria, because while the god is cold about the loss of life, Silco is in contrast thrumming with energy. Sure, there's no... true enjoyment about the loss of life per se, but instead, it is the fact that they got what was coming to them, at least in the twisted little mind of a certain reedy man, who was puffing away at a cigar, blowing smoke rings in the air. ]
Do you think they will take this for what it is? A motivation, rather than simply a tragedy that forces them to put their heads further into the sand?
[ Puff, puff, another ring floats into the air. ] Even Pilties take more accountability for their individual misfortunes, and try to prevent it. I have never seen a larger group of ungrateful people in my life. They, after all, did little to prevent their continued existence either, did they?
[ Other than the traps, but if it couldn't put down Tezca, how could it put down one of these creatures? ]
[ they're in his room because that's the funniest option and i hope they're sitting on his bed like mean girls talking shit <3 ]
You know, [ with his injured leg so boldly draped over Silco's lap, Set lounges low in his bed; a slouched figure, with a book folded open and face-down upon his chest, enjoying the acrid scent of Silco's smoking even as he's forced to periodically fan the smoke rings apart before they reach any alarms in the room. ] Some might say that if you were not so bitter in your opinions, you could be a fantastic motivational speaker.
[ Not him, though! ]
I do not think they have much, by way of tactical strength or organization. "Hope and a prayer" is not an effective strategy for dealing with enemies stronger, faster, or more resourceful than oneself. And while I think they should mourn freely, those who are regretting the choice are the ones most disappointing me.
[ Once, the vile old man had practically shoved Set away when he tried to touch his face, but now? Like teen girls gossiping and breaking rules, they were smoking where they shouldn't, and complaining about the people they didn't like. All they needed was some nailpolish and a secret bottle of —
No wait, the bottle of liquor was somewhere nearby too. Silco was often predictable. ]
You and I both know that if I were not so bitter, I would be willing to accept what happens, instead of fight against it. You've met Vander, after all.
[ A puff of the cigar, and Silco leans over to grab the bottle. ]
I think they regret their choices because they have never been so responsible for things going poorly by their own choices — and then there are those who both want to say 'I told you so' and complain about the deaths.
[ Silco just. Genuinely hated most people who voiced an opinion — unless he'd decided it was a worthwhile opinion, of course. ]
Are you going to try and teach them how to improve their strategic thinking, I wonder? And will they listen?
(And here he is: The whimsical menace in the flesh. Let's say he's crashing while Set's at the cafeteria or something. Tsurumaru will sit across from him with just a plain mug filled with warm tea.)
Good.
(That he doesn't regret his choice. He doesn't sound at all bothered as he settles in,)
They have not had the energy to confront me. Their regrets bother me, though. I value conviction, not doubt.
[ Though he frequents the cafeteria, it is more to drink than eat. He doesn't like to eat around others ( doesn't like to eat much at all, except as a utilitarian need ), and it leads him to inhabiting a space he does not connect easily to. To drumming his fingers on the table as he regards Tsurumaru with a relatively steady gaze, a stern brow.
Behind the capriciousness, he's quite dutiful! ]
I kept your umbrella safe, by the way. I only took it by accident — you can have it back any time.
Eh? You brought it all the way from the mainland? (He not only sounds surprised but he looks it too.) Good. We wouldn't want it to become vengeful.
(He says as if this is a totally normal thing. He really meant that story. It's true!
Under Set's eye, Tsurumaru is relaxed. He's unbothered and just enjoying his tea and a pleasant conversation.)
"There are those in this world that must carry a heavy burden." (It sounds recited, like he's quoting someone or something.) Not everyone is ready to bear it.
[ what would a debate be without an aftermath? regardless, of what the results actually bore, callisto could care less. it isn't that the idea of thousands perishing was an easy one to accept, but perhaps to some extent, despite the strife, the battles, and everything else in between— it was difficult to accept this as the harsh reality they were meant to live with... in a world they had nothing to do with. on the front lines, he would have argued it was easier when all the decisions, all the actual actions were laid upon his own shoulders. as a future ruler-to-be, these are facts he's simply come to accept.
callisto didn't consider himself particularly altruistic, but at the same time, he didn't believe every single person deserved to die like dogs. those considerations aside, however, it's true that he can also face the conclusion with a certain level of grace.
this grace being him giving a clear shrug of his shoulders in set's general direction as he wears that same wry quirk on his lips as he usually does. his voice carrying equal parts irony, and maybe even a touch of what could be mistaken as hostility; a certain intensity to his gaze. ] It does make one wonder how you were so confident in changing my mind, Sir Red. Quite the laughable set of circumstances, is it not?
[ From brushing his fingers along his injured knee to test its sensitivity, to sitting back and folding his hands into his lap so that he does not give away any further vulnerability, Set's expression cools between those two moments. An elevation of his chin even as he slouches further into his seating, as if unwilling to allow Callisto any wiggle room to come closer. He'd starfish out, if he could!!
It's petty of him, but he doesn't care. He has every right to be petty! ]
I doubt you really wanted your mind changed, to begin with. You make no sense to me — conceited thing that you are, yet with seemingly little passion behind it. I knew what I was choosing, and the potential direness of the consequences — I was fully prepared for the city to die.
[ He huffs a breath, blasting a stray lock of red hair off his cheek from where it's fallen. ]
Want to lord your righteousness over someone, then? Is that why you are here?
though, he doesn't commentate on it for now. especially, when he is attempting to drill some sort of invisible point in towards the man. ... even if he held no actual investment or emotions into the topic itself. or so, he tempers himself to believe, and it seems it's exactly what set seems to pick up on. lack of passion, is it? he watches the way set touches his knee all the way to way he switches positions into the... mess he currently slouches right into.
... childish, or so he seems to think as he drags his gaze elsewhere. as if simply pretending not to notice set's attempts to keep him at a physical distance. ] Righteousness? You mistake my intentions. [ a wave of his hand. ]
I am not here to lord anything over you. I simply wanted to see if you had learned a proper lesson. [ this is him stepping in closer... if just because he knows set doesn't want him to be. ] But, it looks like you haven't.
Is there a reason you are so accustomed to sending so many to their deaths?
[ Sonic is rather surprisingly unharmed (or perhaps not-so-surprisingly, given how small and elusive a target he'd be for something as massive as the imugi) - physically, at least. Emotionally? He's been better. But he's something of an expert in simply enduring those sorts of feelings, and that's what he's doing now, too, using the restless energy to seek out others instead. Set had originally drawn his eye thanks to his injuries. Now, his words are drawing Sonic's ears, too, flicking towards him while they board. The coldness of his observations is familiar enough for him to know that they won't go over well with a lot of people... ]
Yup. The only thing worse than a bad choice is a choice you regret making. [ as he agrees, he wanders over to Set, continuing in a more personal tone. ] ... But go easy on 'em. A lot of people got hurt or worse 'cause of what we did, and that doesn't feel good.
[ he plants his hands on his hips, looking up at the wounded Set. ]
You look like you're not feeling so good, yourself.
[ fun fact, set speaks with crocodiles on the regular and also those crocodiles ( and sometimes frogs ) are high priests to gods, so seeing a talking hedgehog is NOT at all abnormal to him and is in FACT, perfectly fine. ]
They'll recover. Or they will not, and we will have to work around them.
[ He'd LIKE for everyone to recover, to come back stronger and ready to go again. Conviction is something he prides others on, but it only is born of particular circumstances and this type of battle is not a "proper war" that breeds such faith in a cause. It is a little more fluid, allowing for unique personalities and approaches at any given time. That includes little blue hedeghogs chiding him for his injuries. ]
— I will recover faster than most. Divine flesh cannot be killed by anything but divine means, [ not in synflux but hey, that's his experience! ] Though it struck an intricate part of my knee, it is a minor inconvenience compared to suffering the gloom. You had best not be hiding your own injuries under all that.
[ is this dude ANOTHER divine being?? That'd make two after Tezcatlipoca. With two gods on their side, Sonic would think they'd be having an easier time beating these kaiju - then again, he supposes gods aren't exactly infallible, despite their godliness. He's taken down a handful with just his friends and the Chaos Emeralds backing him up. The accusation that he might be hiding injuries, however, distracts him from these thoughts: he holds his hands up placatingly. ]
Nah, I'm running at 100%. I'm a pretty tough target for monsters that big. [ his super speed combined with his tiny size made him practically untouchable during the battle, especially with so many other, more visible combatants drawing the kaiju's attention. ] You got everything you need for your intricate knee? I can grab you some medical supplies.
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synflux2024-08-22 04:03 am
set ( ennead )
Even surveying the desolation and estimation of the death toll, the hatred of Seoul's branch towards them — he takes it all on with a cold expression, a carefully-structured antipathy. Set is a god of war, and comprehends that wars come with horrendous consequences one way or another. ]
There was always going to be a cost. We did not abandon humanity, we simply chose the bigger picture. There are those — like Seoul — who will always lay blame on the ones they are dependent on, when things do not go their way.
[ Injured and still recovering, he might make a good target ( which could happen a. either on the way back, or b. once back at the base! ) for anyone's grief, wrath or general negativity they wish to direct at someone who seems so cold, so capricious about the loss of life. The loss of LILITH's Seoul branch.
It's not like he'd NOT invite the conflict, being what he is. ]
And if you are here to claim moral high ground regarding the choice of the majority — spare me. I will not regret my choice.
[ OOC. Room for a vent session and/or debrief? :9c
I also have a kaiju-focused open log, too! ]
closed ( ratio )
That's not what he wanted for them. They need more help, he thinks; not to be hardened to such consequences, but to be better able to rationalize them, improve and grow stronger. And in that context — he thinks of Ratio, whom he had made the agreement with to pursue information, and aid. Set takes such vows seriously, which leads him on an arduous hunt for the elusive intellectual.
His nose, acute as a bloodhound, roams from the scent of Ratio's most commonly-kept quarters ( ah? is that aventurine's scent there, too? ), across Neo Tokyo for hours, until finally drawing his hunt to a close at the university where the man works. While not the first time they have met in person, it is the first time they have met NOT under false pretense on a game show.
He has no access to the university's locked doors, and summarily clambers through a window to spite this fact. ]
— there you are. Not an easy man to find. One would think you are avoiding me.
[ and everyone, but set is a bit self-centered ]
no subject
He had been prepared for the worst, he thought, but he hadn't believed it would actually occur. Probability never dealt in absolutes; there was always a risk, and risk had to be balanced in order to progress. He'd thought the odds were in their favour, given all that they knew. He'd been prepared to be scorned by Seoul for their decision, should it turn unfavourable.
'By choosing to pursue the kaiju, the Outsiders have abandoned humanity.'
No. No! That isn't— that wasn't—the accusation stings deeply; tears a hole into his heart, and the further devastation of Seoul only widened it. He's failed them. He's failed them.
It's not as if he's never made a mistake resulting in casualties far worse than this—after all, he gets the dubious honour of being the indirect cause of the annihilation of several planets, many of which contained fully fledged civilizations. But the human mind cannot comprehend what it does not see, and he sees Seoul's pain. For the first time, he sees the true consequences of his mistake.
That's why he's at the university—away from all of the distractions on base. Away from the tension, the hurt feelings, the people trying to be friendly and reassure each other with empty platitudes. It wasn't the time for that. He could not afford to treat this planet's crisis so lightly anymore. He has to do what he does best—create miracles from research and hard work.
And yet somehow, he's still found. Of all the people that could have found him, Set is... perhaps someone whose company may prove to be beneficial. ]
I was seeking an environment conductive for focus.
[ Ratio is surrounded by stacks of books and documents, the topics of which ranged from animal biology to geothermal dynamics. For as short as he's been gone from the base, the amount of paper that has been scribbled on is a clear indication of how hard he's been working since. ]
To what do I owe you the pleasure?
no subject
[ Far from the scathing drawl he'd adopted on the way back, stiff and capricious in his own support of both choice and outcome, the one he wears here is a little more solmen. It lacks brevity, and supports a severe austerity — something that hints at a steel spine, a long history of consequences and bloodshed, an unyielding ( desperately so ) faith in one's vision.
After coming in through the window, Set is immediately on his ( worst ) cat-like behaviors. His hands immediately dive into Ratio's belongings, sifting through paperwork as if only-slightly interested in what's written, picking up baubles and giving them a toss into the air. In truth, it all fascinates him. He spends hours in the library after all, and prior to pursuing the imugi, had sat with data and maps spread before him to create an overlay of the damaged areas. The death toll. Not that it hadn't needed to be immediately updated, following the female imugi's mass-slaughter. ]
I will not lie, I came to debrief you. You were the one who summarized the extent of our various debates, and I took that to represent your investment in the world. To me, that investment meant you would be one of the hardest-impacted individuals by the consequences of our choice.
[ He's rude, brisk. Doesn't tiptoe around the facts, as he comes to push some of Ratio's books aside to clear a space for him to sit on the desk. ]
An exercise in two questions. That's all I have. "What haunts you the most, about it?" and "What would you like to do next?" Answer both in three words or less.
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And the man sees so clearly through Ratio. He understood just from that one post that Ratio cared, even if his subsequent words to others were biting and callous on the surface. But it's uncomfortable to be exposed so swiftly by what amounts to a total stranger, for they have only spoken once or twice before this. He averts his gaze, fingers clenching around the pen in his hand.
Two heavy questions, to be answered in three words or less. Six words in total. So little, to summarize all of what Ratio is feeling. It's almost impossible—but he is nothing if not someone who does his best to face every challenge in all his capacity as an erudite.
Ratio is quiet after the questions are posed, deep in thought. What haunts him the most? That he placed too much faith in LILITH, he concludes. If he had been more distrusting of LILITH's capability to track the kaiju, he would have elected to stay in Seoul. His faith in the Outsiders is without question. He's seen for himself what they can do, and he'd thought the kaiju nesting would have meant the beast would be unlikely to flee if under attack. It had been incorrect to assume the kaiju would value its eggs more than its dead mate, just as it'd been incorrect to believe in LILITH's competency.
But what would it mean to voice that? ....no, the truth is, he should have only relied on the other Outsiders in the first place. At least until he fully verified LILITH's knowledge and capabilities himself. ]
'I trusted LILITH.'
[ That is his first answer. As for the second question... well, that's an easy one, isn't it? His vision has always been for the future. He has always strove for the betterment of humanity. This hasn't changed, and never will. ]
...but 'Continue to help' is my second answer.
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ratio im sorry
it's okay.... he needs this
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wildcard, more or less
Where Set waits, Tezcatlipoca comes to join him. He leisurely lounges nearby, then tosses Set a (vegetarian!) ration bar. That gesture is given no weight, the same as how he casually takes his place. ]
Ah… This is the annoying shit, ain’t it? Only 170k? That ain’t bad. Not in our terms.
[ Death tolls were simply different as the sort of gods they were. Set was war, the grinder that fed death endlessly. And Tezcatlipoca was the psychopomp that welcomed souls to Mictlampa. Even that large number… It didn’t mean much to them. It was a simple price of “business”. ]
Makes one thing for sure. No connection to my realm here. Wherever those souls are headin’, it ain’t to me.
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I killed millions on my own.
[ Over several generations across hundreds of years, but that's definitely a high number. ]
It's not an issue of quantity. Humans and those who love them always believe in the quality of individualism. I cannot look at them like that — I knew they would claim that we abandoned humanity, though. They always lash out like that, short-sighted and incapable of... seeing the bigger picture.
[ INTERESTING that the souls aren't going anywhere... Set looks at the miasma swirling around his wrist. The souls within are silent, for now. He takes it to mean he's still fulfilling his promise. ]
Are they going anywhere at all, do you think?
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[ He states it casually, but not callously. It’s subtle, but there’s still a note of respect there, because even with his brutal domains, Tezcatlipoca wasn’t an evil god. He hadn’t enjoyed wiping the First Sun clean, but it had been necessary. Merciful, even. But that’s not something he shares, since it’s a detail that he feels only matters to him. ]
Agree with ya, of course. Love ‘em, but people are still a pain in the ass that way. Can’t even say humans, since you seen half the gloomy motherfuckers ‘round here? Sheesh.
[ He says, but there’s a bit of gloom on Tezcatlipoca too, though it’s of a different quality. It’s more pensive than sorrowful, and Set has nailed why with his question. ]
By the rules of where I’m from, yeah. Even if there’s not an underworld waitin’ for ‘em to ease the journey, they’d still head back to the Root. Couldn’t tell you how this world works, exactly, but their situation’s not so dire that it’d mess up that process. Even if the kaiju wipe out every single human, their soul’d end up somewhere.
[ He shrugs ]
Is what it is. Sure we’d still be gettin’ shit for it if that nest hatched.
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Arguably, Tezcatlipoca is the prime deity here. Set considers the battle the Outsiders are engaged in ( at this time ) a conflict, not a war. His domain requires a little more formality and organization between two or more opponents, while the fight before them lacks — formality? In Kenos, he had considered himself the lead deity. And maybe he was wrong, but that was how his mind conceptualized it, having lived under the rule of Osiris, the god supreme of men and divine.
It lets him rest, in an odd way. To not have to be so proactive about the whole thing, on edge and vicious and clawing for every victory. Lets him cross to where Tezcatlipoca has sat, and freely press into the space alongside him, touching shoulder and knee to the other god. ]
How do they know where to go, without us? Without divine intervention and guidance in their lives, do they not get lost?
[ Again, he looks at the band of agony around his wrist. Then, to Tezcatlipoca who knows a time when humans no longer needed them. ]
I worry they... could be intercepted. As I have torn souls from their proper path and denied them the afterlife, it is not as though I am being fanciful in that concern.
[ He does huff a laugh, shaking his head. ]
I do regret the loss of resources Seoul represented. That sucks the most out of all that came in the wake of this choice.
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on the way back
[Makima says, continuing to show little emotion about the whole thing. She agrees with his assessment.]
It's not as if I don't understand their reaction or why they feel the way they do, but these things do happen, regrettable as they are. And not that they would want to hear it, but it could have been worse.
[The death toll and destruction are bad, sure, but hey, they've still got people around to yell at them and ban them from a country. That means it's not quite as bad as it could've been.]
makima,, blushes
[ That much, he will not overlook. Twelve! Twelve potential imugi to take to the skies and spread out among the entire world; the impact to the environment alone would be cataclysmic, and he says as much. ]
The acid rain would have taken everything. Thirteen of them in the skies, at worst, would poison all the waters of this world.
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[Not a fun thought. Something to be said for back home, as troublesome as some Devils are, it's not like there's offspring to worry about after the job's done. Them respawning eventually sure, but that's not quite the same problem.]
There wouldn't much we could do about that.
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[ No matter how frustrating a gamut of opinionated loudmouths are, Set would take a hundred battles fought with people like the Outsiders than a hundred fought by a uniform regiment of soldiers. For one, the sheer scale of the war is just more satisfying, and for a second, they're far more durable. ]
Still. Knowing the destructive ability of the imugi, I would rather sacrifice Seoul to ensure twelve more do not plague this world. That is an apocalypse, not a battle we could win.
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wildcardish
Do you think they will take this for what it is? A motivation, rather than simply a tragedy that forces them to put their heads further into the sand?
[ Puff, puff, another ring floats into the air. ] Even Pilties take more accountability for their individual misfortunes, and try to prevent it. I have never seen a larger group of ungrateful people in my life. They, after all, did little to prevent their continued existence either, did they?
[ Other than the traps, but if it couldn't put down Tezca, how could it put down one of these creatures? ]
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You know, [ with his injured leg so boldly draped over Silco's lap, Set lounges low in his bed; a slouched figure, with a book folded open and face-down upon his chest, enjoying the acrid scent of Silco's smoking even as he's forced to periodically fan the smoke rings apart before they reach any alarms in the room. ] Some might say that if you were not so bitter in your opinions, you could be a fantastic motivational speaker.
[ Not him, though! ]
I do not think they have much, by way of tactical strength or organization. "Hope and a prayer" is not an effective strategy for dealing with enemies stronger, faster, or more resourceful than oneself. And while I think they should mourn freely, those who are regretting the choice are the ones most disappointing me.
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No wait, the bottle of liquor was somewhere nearby too. Silco was often predictable. ]
You and I both know that if I were not so bitter, I would be willing to accept what happens, instead of fight against it. You've met Vander, after all.
[ A puff of the cigar, and Silco leans over to grab the bottle. ]
I think they regret their choices because they have never been so responsible for things going poorly by their own choices — and then there are those who both want to say 'I told you so' and complain about the deaths.
[ Silco just. Genuinely hated most people who voiced an opinion — unless he'd decided it was a worthwhile opinion, of course. ]
Are you going to try and teach them how to improve their strategic thinking, I wonder? And will they listen?
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Good.
(That he doesn't regret his choice. He doesn't sound at all bothered as he settles in,)
Have others bothered you?
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[ Though he frequents the cafeteria, it is more to drink than eat. He doesn't like to eat around others ( doesn't like to eat much at all, except as a utilitarian need ), and it leads him to inhabiting a space he does not connect easily to. To drumming his fingers on the table as he regards Tsurumaru with a relatively steady gaze, a stern brow.
Behind the capriciousness, he's quite dutiful! ]
I kept your umbrella safe, by the way. I only took it by accident — you can have it back any time.
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(He says as if this is a totally normal thing. He really meant that story. It's true!
Under Set's eye, Tsurumaru is relaxed. He's unbothered and just enjoying his tea and a pleasant conversation.)
"There are those in this world that must carry a heavy burden." (It sounds recited, like he's quoting someone or something.) Not everyone is ready to bear it.
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otwb
callisto didn't consider himself particularly altruistic, but at the same time, he didn't believe every single person deserved to die like dogs. those considerations aside, however, it's true that he can also face the conclusion with a certain level of grace.
this grace being him giving a clear shrug of his shoulders in set's general direction as he wears that same wry quirk on his lips as he usually does. his voice carrying equal parts irony, and maybe even a touch of what could be mistaken as hostility; a certain intensity to his gaze. ] It does make one wonder how you were so confident in changing my mind, Sir Red. Quite the laughable set of circumstances, is it not?
[ he is not above pettines... apparently. ]
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[ From brushing his fingers along his injured knee to test its sensitivity, to sitting back and folding his hands into his lap so that he does not give away any further vulnerability, Set's expression cools between those two moments. An elevation of his chin even as he slouches further into his seating, as if unwilling to allow Callisto any wiggle room to come closer. He'd starfish out, if he could!!
It's petty of him, but he doesn't care. He has every right to be petty! ]
I doubt you really wanted your mind changed, to begin with. You make no sense to me — conceited thing that you are, yet with seemingly little passion behind it. I knew what I was choosing, and the potential direness of the consequences — I was fully prepared for the city to die.
[ He huffs a breath, blasting a stray lock of red hair off his cheek from where it's fallen. ]
Want to lord your righteousness over someone, then? Is that why you are here?
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though, he doesn't commentate on it for now. especially, when he is attempting to drill some sort of invisible point in towards the man. ... even if he held no actual investment or emotions into the topic itself. or so, he tempers himself to believe, and it seems it's exactly what set seems to pick up on. lack of passion, is it? he watches the way set touches his knee all the way to way he switches positions into the... mess he currently slouches right into.
... childish, or so he seems to think as he drags his gaze elsewhere. as if simply pretending not to notice set's attempts to keep him at a physical distance. ] Righteousness? You mistake my intentions. [ a wave of his hand. ]
I am not here to lord anything over you. I simply wanted to see if you had learned a proper lesson. [ this is him stepping in closer... if just because he knows set doesn't want him to be. ] But, it looks like you haven't.
Is there a reason you are so accustomed to sending so many to their deaths?
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on the way back!!
Yup. The only thing worse than a bad choice is a choice you regret making. [ as he agrees, he wanders over to Set, continuing in a more personal tone. ] ... But go easy on 'em. A lot of people got hurt or worse 'cause of what we did, and that doesn't feel good.
[ he plants his hands on his hips, looking up at the wounded Set. ]
You look like you're not feeling so good, yourself.
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They'll recover. Or they will not, and we will have to work around them.
[ He'd LIKE for everyone to recover, to come back stronger and ready to go again. Conviction is something he prides others on, but it only is born of particular circumstances and this type of battle is not a "proper war" that breeds such faith in a cause. It is a little more fluid, allowing for unique personalities and approaches at any given time. That includes little blue hedeghogs chiding him for his injuries. ]
— I will recover faster than most. Divine flesh cannot be killed by anything but divine means, [ not in synflux but hey, that's his experience! ] Though it struck an intricate part of my knee, it is a minor inconvenience compared to suffering the gloom. You had best not be hiding your own injuries under all that.
[ the fur/quills...... ]
pax im sorry this is so late!!
[ is this dude ANOTHER divine being?? That'd make two after Tezcatlipoca. With two gods on their side, Sonic would think they'd be having an easier time beating these kaiju - then again, he supposes gods aren't exactly infallible, despite their godliness. He's taken down a handful with just his friends and the Chaos Emeralds backing him up. The accusation that he might be hiding injuries, however, distracts him from these thoughts: he holds his hands up placatingly. ]
Nah, I'm running at 100%. I'm a pretty tough target for monsters that big. [ his super speed combined with his tiny size made him practically untouchable during the battle, especially with so many other, more visible combatants drawing the kaiju's attention. ] You got everything you need for your intricate knee? I can grab you some medical supplies.