text; un: shinn.asuka [wibbly wobbly timey wimey'd to about two weeks after arrival]

[lostdestiny]

Is there somewhere safe that civilians in the city could go if things got dangerous?

[ Oops, his general support for Dai'a Svar principles ran into his family trauma and overriding goal of keeping normal people safe. Hopefully this is vague enough that it's not really selling #teammagicalliberation out.... ]

Comments

text; UN: Wei Wuxian

[singlelogbridge]

[This is not very subtle. Thankfully, it is vague enough that Wei Wuxian doesn't expect "planned attack" but still, slightly concerning?]

I think that'd depend on what kind of dangerous, but overall, it's not something I would count on. The city is built upwards and everyone lives at the bottom. There'd be very little anyone could do in a fire, but maybe in something like a flood they'd be able to move up.

Not that I expect a flood here.

[lostdestiny]

What about something like the Companions attacking?

[singlelogbridge]

If there's a location impenetrable from that kind of attack, I haven't heard of one. That doesn't mean it doesn't exist though.

What makes you ask?

[lostdestiny]

[ There's a few minutes of delay before the next response.... ]

It's not like people in the plains are thrilled about being kicked into the desert.

[singlelogbridge]

Ah, no, I don't imagine they would be.

[He sighs. He doesn't blame them. It's in his nature to side with a group of people ousted for reasons beyond their control, and if this were two years earlier, he might even feel justified encouraging some sort of rebellion. As things stand now, he knows he's too far removed from this world to be able to make that call.]

depending on if we're able to retrieve the orbs, it might not matter. Who knows if this place was always like this or if the orbs are sucking the life out of it. Maybe if we're successful, there'll be more shelter to go around, or no need for shelter in the first place.

Or maybe not, I just can't help hoping.

[lostdestiny]

[ Again, there's another few minutes before the response. ]

And if something happened before everything gets fixed? If something happened soon?

[singlelogbridge]

[Wei Wuxian sighs and switches this to audio. He's always preferred it and it feels better now for helping to get his tone across.]

In that case, I suspect many people would die. It wouldn't be the first time something like that happened while we were on mission.

Are you planning to tell us what exactly those of us in the city should be expecting? At the very least, the Orbers should know. [The locals, well. That's more complicated, isn't it? Wei Wuxian wouldn't want to make that call.]

[lostdestiny]

[ Shinn will stick to text because saying this out loud while crashing with the Dai'a Svar is probably crazy. ]

I don't know! I don't even know if it'll really be an attack or really be at the city -- just that something'll happen "sooner than later" and that everyone is practicing with weapons and magic

[ Out in the desert, his hands ball into fists with frustration. ]

I still don't disagree with them! Getting sent to the desert just because they can't use magic is crazy! But I don't want normal people to get dragged into it

[singlelogbridge]

[Wei Wuxian sighs quietly and closes his eyes. Couldn't have had an easy one for their last one, could they? He doesn't disagree at all, but seeing the injustice in it doesn't mean he has an answer. There was a time he would have believed it was a simple thing to find that answer. That it was easy to stand on the side of justice and do what was right.

Even before his death he'd come to understand how little he really knew and how naïve he was to think it could be so easily figured out.]

It's wrong. People being punished for something they can't help will always be wrong.

But I don't think there's any stopping this.

At the very least, if our team knows to expect something, we can still be ready to help.

[lostdestiny]

That's all I know

So please -- just keep them safe

[ He's 0-for-1 on making this request, but at least this time he's not asking an enemy ]

[singlelogbridge]

[Wei Wuxian takes a deep breath and switches back to text.]

I'll do what I can, and I'll let others know who can help.

What's your name? We haven't met before.

[lostdestiny]

Shinn. Shinn Asuka.

… thanks.

[singlelogbridge]

That's Japanese, right? [Shinn then, if he remembers correctly. Like his own language, surname first. And as Chuuta had once told him, first names only for friends. The memory of his friend long gone from the Ximilia makes a smile flicker over his face for a moment.]

I'm Wei Wuxian, surname Wei, courtesy name, Wuxian. [But he's been here long enough to offer up a little more explanation.] Call me Wei Wuxian.

Is this your first mission, Shinn?

[lostdestiny]

Sort of. “Shinn” is fine, anyway

[ Just to be delightfully confusing, Asuka is his surname but he’s used to being called by his given name. Orb’s Japanese cultural influences somehow extend to naming Gundams after Japanese mythological figures but exclude family-first naming conventions. ]

I was in Amaryllis, too.

[singlelogbridge]

[He sounds young. It's what peaks Wei Wuxian's interest. Maybe he isn't young or maybe he is, but the clear desire to do right by everyone has struck a chord in Wei Wuxian.]

Ah, not our best was it? [Amaryllis he means. Not their worst either, far from their worst, but they hadn't been able to do much to help the people there had they?]

I'll tell you this, Shinn. With your warning, I know the team will do what it can to keep people safe. That's thanks to you. We might not be in a position to say what's right or wrong for another world, but that doesn't mean we can't do all we can to protect its people.

text; un: skywalker

[facultative]

It's designed like any other city, important people live in the higher and safer areas while everyone else is at the bottom.

[lostdestiny]

So if there was an attack, like when the Companions lost it, where would you put people?

[facultative]

That depends if the clan chiefs are willing to open their doors.

[lostdestiny]

But the clan chiefs are the problem!

[ He's not being subtle at this point but ahhhhh who let the idiot with a history of buying into one-sided narratives that fit his pre-conceived ideas run off to join a liberation group? ]

[facultative]

Then you can challenge them for the position.

[lostdestiny]

I'm out in the plains, idiot.

[facultative]

And you're the idiot thinking there's a way to peacefully invade.

[lostdestiny]

I know there isn't!

[ But this is pretty much precisely the thing to say to crack him. It's a few minutes before the next bit. (A pause for the umptrillionth flashback to Shinn seeing his family blown to bits.) ]

I don't know if they're going to invade. And I don't think they want to hurt people who are just living normal lives! But they're getting ready for something!

So please -- keep the people in the city safe

[facultative]

Intentions don't matter, if they choose to invade they have accepted that the death of citizens is something they can accept.

Now you need to decide whether that is something you can also accept. Pick a side.

[lostdestiny]

I don't have to choose! If I can just protect them all--

[ "Adores Kira" going off the rails here. ]

[facultative]

Begging other people to do it for you isn't protecting anyone.

If it happens and I see you involved, I'm killing you myself.

[lostdestiny]

You won’t get a chance!

[ He’ll figure something out, but he’s given up on this dick. ]

text (un: major.yzak.jule)

[coordination]

How soon and how dangerous are we talking?

[lostdestiny]

[ A few minutes of delay.... ]

Sooner than later.

[coordination]

What did you find out?

PRIVATE!!! and also before the ghost and orb reveals

[lostdestiny]

When I joined, Garam said I'd get to prove my devotion "sooner rather than later." And I think all the training and meetings are ramped up.

I still think they're right! Getting kicked into the desert just because of something they can do -- it's as stupid as being afraid of Coordinators! But if they're going to attack the city....