PLEROMA | A HELPFUL PSA

[coerthantorment]

[Estinien's presence will finally surface in the Pleroma's communion space, a few days after the time of his death. There is a sense of deep sullenness and seething anger in the message he imparts, like a storm on the horizon.]

For those concerned, the reports were true. If our Shards are spared, our bodies can be resurrected... just as mine has been.

[There's still a weariness to his spirit after the fact, but his anger is driving him forward regardless. While he had initially planned to leave it at that, a courtesy to those that may wonder, a disturbing conversation with one of the Kenoma has gifted him with some more forceful words to impart.]

As it stands, I can see little virtue in leaving the bodies of the Kenoma unscathed. If they can be defeated, if their Shards can be claimed... you would do well to take the opportunity while you can. They will not show you the same mercy in return, and the fate you face at their hands is far worse than anything we could offer them.

The time for hesitation has passed.

Comments

[youngprodigy]

Good to know your resurrection was successful.

[Though he's glad to hear Estinien's voice, it's the second half of that that catches Cid's attention the most.]

I've no doubt such a situation would lead to something far worse than death.

[By "death" in this case, he means their shards being destroyed, of course.]

It's entirely possible reasonable people were tricked into joining with the Kenoma, but I'm not one to take chances on that. Loath as I am to say such a thing, they are our enemies.

[locumstudentesquire]

[Goddamn dragoon sending him on a goddamn emotional roller coaster over here.

After what he'd witnessed, Ryunosuke is relieved beyond words to hear the Elezen's distinctly gruff voice again. The grim latter half of the message, on the other hand...

You know what, no matter how the last half makes him feel, he's really not in the mood to examine it closely right now!! Estinien is alive, and he just wants to bask in that joy for a moment.]

I can't even begin to tell you how relieved I am to hear your voice again.

[Luckily this mind talking shit has an empathic component, so, you know. He can probably at least FEEL it.]

[dragonmount]

[ someone's quietly jotting down some notes about shards and resurrection, but that isn't something he's here to ask estinien about right now.

slowly, ]

What do you know about what they would do to us?

[ the fate you face at their hands, etc. he's too new here to know more than some dire tales about the first round of aions' imprisonment and the kenoma sludge. ]

[goldendeceiver]

[ Ernesto's a little slow to respond. As useful as shard communication can be, it comes with some major drawbacks, and one is the very faint impression of guilt that comes leaking across their connection, despite his best effort to tamp it down. ]

It's a relief to have you back with us, Ser Estinien.

[ That seems prudent to say before anything else.

And now comes for the even less fun part of the conversation, accompanied by an audible intake of air. ]

I guess we'll have to start brainstorming ideas of what to do with those shards once we get them. If their bodies are going to be rebuilt eventually, we probably need a plan for how to deal with that.

[sageguidance]

[ ... ]

Do you say these words because of what happened to you?

[passio]

[ now that estinien is back, dextera belatedly feels quite guilty for his concern over makoto. estinien had been so kind to him, after all—but he’ll live with that remorse.

at the very least, although he disagrees with estinien’s righteously violent approach, he also doesn’t find it necessary to voice that disagreement. he’s had the philosophical conversation with ryunosuke, but it’s different to up and tell someone that their fury is out of place when they were the first casualty of war. ]

Welcome back.

[ the words come through as small and faint as dextera’s actual voice might. ]

You shouldn’t strain yourself.

[wolof]

[ A thoughtful note, as if thinking it over. ] Our shards serve as something akin to a phylactery, then. It's reassuring, that you weren't wholly defeated, then. Was returning from the dead unpleasant?

[ A Beat. ] I suppose war is war. We were bound to be forced to take their lives sooner, rather than later.

[comelately]

[ he was out of commission for this whole thing, but he heard about it afterwards. Johnny hardly blames Estinien for sounding pissed. He also doesn't blame him for telling them not to hesitate to kill the Kenoma. It's advice he'd probably also give, himself.

Still, he's a bit troubled. This seems entirely out of character when he thinks about the handful of Kenoma he'd spoken to in Venera. Obviously, all of them are their own people, but he can't really imagine any of them initiating an attack. Even Eustace, who he'd seen fully armed, had chosen not to attack Dokja at their first meeting, and had left Johnny alone when he was entirely vulnerable, too. ]

Hey. I saw you at Greentruth before, but I didn't say anything back then... Name's Johnny. Uh, it's good you're... back to life. [ what a wild fucking thing to say. ] You mind talking about it, or...?

[hippocarnival]

You're back! [Yuya is not aware of the details but he did notice Estinien's conspicuous absence.

That's the only thing that comes through for... a while, Yuya's emotions muting as what all he says sinks in. He really had wanted to avoid getting in fights with the Kenoma and make it harder to appeal to them. Even if this is a way to incapacitate them without murder...

But he knows better than to bring it up with Estinien, especially so fresh after he's ressurected.] Um... are you in Greentruth? Do you need anything?

[chronosynthesis]

Glad to hear you're... [Alive? Did he really technically die?] Among us again.

[A pause. He doesn't feel the need to reinforce that the Kenoma--and the Regent--needs to be stopped by any means necessary. But impermanent death adds a complication to it all.] Would it trouble you to talk more about the experience of being just a shard?

action;

[aquaveiled]

When Estinien disappeared into the canopy, she figured that he needed a moment a lone, but once she is tuned into the communion it all makes sense. Himeka doesn't comment on it, instead listening idly to what others are saying while entertaining the little dragons that seem very concerned for their Big Brother, as it were.

The rustling of branches above her gets her attention once again. Waiting patiently usually pays off when it comes to Estinien and she offers him a smile once he comes into view.

"Aymeric would love to see how well you rally the forces."