bossily: (clara342)
Clara Oswald ([personal profile] bossily) wrote in [community profile] ximilia2022-03-29 12:45 am

video; un: stargirl

[At first, all that can be seen is an up-close view of a bowtie. It’s being adjusted by slender little fingers, and there’s a mischievous laugh, followed quickly by the Doctor distinctly admonishing, Not in front of company!]

What company? It’s just Alina.

[But she clearly knows exactly what company he’s talking about, and smirks as she pulls back and away. They have important things to discuss, after all.]

Right. So the Doctor and I, we recently met with Entr’i. And we know there’s been plenty of discussion on the upcoming war, but there’s more we felt needed to be addressed. Starting with that amulet.

[ There’s a pause and the video feed seems to shift, though the general colour of the imagery remains a sort of reddish hue reflecting Sedorum’s ever-crimson sky. ]

Hello! Yes! The amulet. [ Bowtie now in perfect order, the Doctor clears his throat and properly flaps Clara away. ] Now there’s cause to believe this amulet is a whole other sort of thing and not the thing we want, but the power Entr’i believes it has … well, it all fits together perfectly.

[ He means, of course, the reason they’re here in the first place: the orbs, the mission. ]

Of course Entr’i herself — she’s rather the determined type. Very much ‘get-things-done’ and never-you-mind all the obstacles that might stand in her way. She really believes she can use the power of this counterpart amulet to — ah, what did she say? ‘Bring the two realms together.’ Yes, I think she means to quite physically bring down the barriers that divide the realms and create a whole new sort of city for all souls, bringing them together.

Quite the ambition, eh?
[ He looks thoughtful. ] Now! Now — what does this mean for the upcoming war bit? Right — well, I don’t plan on doing any warring, not me, not my area of expertise, but. We’ll need to — Clara? Clara, tell everyone what we’ll need to do.


[There’s a moment’s pause, just long enough for Clara to appreciate the fact he’s deferring to her for the important part.]

What we’ll need -

[Another pause, as her mind works quickly to not only remember the conversation they’re referencing, but to create something resembling a plan.]

What we’ll need is people who are able to stay behind with us. In a few days, we’re gonna be the only hope the people here have. It’s up to us to band together to help guide them to safety. And to keep them as secure as possible. Anyone in Taeum or Sedorum that’s able and willing to help, your orders come from -


Oh! [ The Doctor suddenly exclaims, recalling something else in between listening and thinking, and remembering very important conversations. ] Yes, Clara’s right of course. We’ll need to make sure that anyone in Taeum and Sedorum has means of protection in case things go sour, whether that’s a safe place to hide or someone to protect them. I’ll admit there really is only so much one can do with a sonic screwdriver when it comes to souls, but — ah, never mind that.

There was one other thing. Something about notes. What did Entr’i call them? Magic notes?


[ Alina, perched on the edge of the camera's view, snapping back to sudden attention. Her eyes jump from where they've centered onto the wall, looking indignant at Clara's elbow jabbing her in the ribs, before she seems to remember herself.

Right. Sheepishly, she clears her throat. ]


Sorry. Anyway, Entr'i thought she would have to use the amulet to bring Sedorum's army to Giva, but the magic notes the Doctor mentioned will help her transport them. Which means the amulet is free to merge Sedorum and Taeum together.

[ For a moment, she trails off, mouth opening and closing before she finds the words. ]

We can’t stop the war from breaking out in Giva, but Entr’i thinks we can use it to distract and trick Him and the Highest One. She wants to stall long enough for a chosen group of us to go in, get the other amulet from the Highest One, and get out. With all of our limbs intact, hopefully. Another group will need to go in and free the prisoners Taeum has locked up while we have the chance.

If you can fight, you should volunteer for one of the infiltration groups or head to Giva as soon as you can before things can get worse. Remember we’re fighting to stall them. If you’re just looking to destroy something, go beat up a straw puppet.

Entr’i and the rest of us — we’re not looking for more bloodshed. If you can’t trust her on that, I hope you can at least trust me.

That goes for Clara and the Doctor’s group, too. We just want everyone to be kept as safe as they can be.
[ A beat ticks by as she glances at Clara. ] If she starts bossing you around, you should listen to her. Clara knows best. There’s no one I would trust more to protect these people with everything they have than her and the Doctor.

[ At this, the Doctor nods. Far be it from him to argue about that last bit, besides which, Alina is perfectly right.

He claps his hands together. ]


Right. That should do it, then —

[Clara holds up a hand, stopping both the Doctor and Alina from adding on anything more.]

You’re right. I do know best. And since I know best, let me remind all of you that war is coming. Whether we want it to or not. All we can do now is try to prepare and make the best out of the situation. Arguing isn’t gonna change that. So please, do whatever you can now to make yourself ready. We’ll be waiting till we’re called for action. I advise you to do the same.

[There’s a moment where she gives her best stern teacher look, followed by a curt nod of her head. The Doctor looks in her direction and then meets Alina’s glance, proud and absolutely not about to argue with what Clara’s said, before his expression changes and he opens his mouth to start a new story. You see, there was this noodle-vendor in the shopping district, and —

And then the video feed cuts off without anything further to be added.]


[ooc: Red is Clara, Blue is the 11th Doctor, Purple is Alina. These three are coming together to lead the charge for part 2!]
blackfire: (pic#15580382)

[personal profile] blackfire 2022-03-30 01:10 am (UTC)(link)
Adequately.

What of yourself?
blackfire: (pic#15232671)

[personal profile] blackfire 2022-03-30 02:53 am (UTC)(link)
What of the matter would it please you to discuss?
blackfire: (pic#15568855)

[personal profile] blackfire 2022-03-30 03:17 am (UTC)(link)
A curious assertion.
blackfire: (pic#15572269)

[personal profile] blackfire 2022-03-30 01:46 pm (UTC)(link)
I did not 'have to'.
blackfire: (itachi011)

[personal profile] blackfire 2022-04-06 12:24 pm (UTC)(link)
Whether it is or isn't is irrelevant. There is no justification that excuses action in this regard.

sasuke became what itachi made him — an avenger, cruel and angry and proud. he was the one who stamped out his brother's kindness and wide-eyed wonder at the world, who sundered his gentle nature and branded him with the uchiha's longstanding curse of hatred. yet... the longer he is here, the more he sees of other realms, and of people that have never been touched by the nature of a shinobi's life, the more he realizes that of all the things his brother could and should never condone of him, this act of love is one. not the cruelest or greatest sin he has committed by far, but still: unconscionable. the boy he tortured in the uchiha compound, the one he halfly raised, the one who used to hide stray coins and shiny rocks around his room like a treasure hunt and who used to sit on the engawa of their house with an ice cream for him, melting in the late day sun when he returned from missions — that boy would never wish for him to harm others to change his fate.

is it even his right, to want it changed? it is not his life, but sasuke's that matters — since the moment the boy was born, his life was all that mattered. whatever else happens as a consequence of his regret, the man itachi has become will not live to see it. the itachi that will be given a second chance is one who has never raised a hand to his kin, altogether worthier of a chance he himself does not deserve. he will wish that other version of himself the best of the world, because he recognizes now that his younger self deserved kindness he could ill afford then, but he cannot be him.


Even if that were the case, what good would knowing do you?
blackfire: (Default)

[personal profile] blackfire 2022-04-07 02:51 am (UTC)(link)
only someone who knows nothing of him would ever trouble themselves with defending him. for a moment, vivid and inkblot bright, he can think only of cruelty. what it would take to deconstruct her and how viciously it could be done. she has given him so much of herself. hopes, fears, aspirations — he doubts it has ever occurred to her to be guarded in the way that he is guarded. all that, only to be a knife at her throat.

all it would take is tsukuyomi.

he closes his eyes briefly, pressing the heel of one hand into the left. slowly, he walks himself back from that edge. it is easier to be hated, to be monstrous, than to ever be understood. he is — learning.

and he is tired of pressing on fractures until they break.


I do not care what others think. Any defense you could muster would be a waste of your time, and an insult to those I brought to harm.

it is some semblance of soft, from him.

Speak with them, Gwen Stacy and Wei Wuxian. Accept whatever they say as the truth. That is my advice for you.

it is not throwing himself at their mercy — one must expect mercy for that. he is merely ceding them the narrative, to shape in ways that suit them. he will accept whatever they are inclined to speak of.
blackfire: (pic#15367540)

[personal profile] blackfire 2022-04-07 03:31 am (UTC)(link)
something of the ghost of it remains regardless — or perhaps he simply knows what she is like.

Of course.

I will see you in Taeum.