(Kenoma.) after the 6th of Firaseri. (cw: beheadings)

[vapour]

[ in the communion space, the Kenoma will feel Childe's presence along with a really obnoxious slurping sound, the exact kind you get when sipping out of a straw and the drink has reached near empty. A momentary flash of Hayame-chan's Beautiful Achamite Head Trio display is flashed as a memory along with a heavy sense of puzzlement over the effort keeping these heads clean and tidy. ]

Wow. Can any of you tell me more about this Pleroma called 'Hayame?' [ he sounds curious more than anything. In fact he finds this all amusing because it's just so... pointlessly grotesque and yet... there's some strange sense of dedication and care to the display.

He laughs now, deciding he finds it actually really funny and entertaining as the wide scope of their enemies starts to show itself.

He wonders if the other Pleroma tried to persuade Hayame not to do this but weren't successful? Or did they not care ... the latter doesn't sound quite right for a good chunk of the Pleroma at least, especially of the first wave arrivals.

It's be interesting to look into. ]

I'm very interested to hear from you if you can.

Comments

[sterngaze]

[Very little comes through Liem's communion aside from the words he chooses to send, and a subtle, unobtrusive undertone of tension maintained until it becomes exhaustion. Neither the slurping nor the severed heads seems to move him.]

I have spoken with her. Though I didn't know she had made a display like this one.

[vapour]

... [ ah, this is ... Liem, right? Childe makes no waves in the communion space suggesting what he's thinking or feeling suddenly, but thoughts and feelings do indeed exist.

Childe is very friendly despite Liem's lack of ...well, lack of almost everything, really. ]

You did? Can you tell me about her? What she looks like, what kind of person she is?

[sterngaze]

[Normally Liem is better about actually introducing himself to new people he speaks with, but he seems to have a bit of a blind spot when it comes to interactions that take place over communion, or in dreams. The connection just seems to smooth past the need for introductions, at least while he's in the moment.]

I met her during my dreaming, before I first emerged in the Champion's shrine, and then again in Venera, both times I was there.

[He accompanies the words with his own mental image of Hayame: stern-faced, long-haired, looming almost two feet taller than himself, with a longbow as tall as a man in one hand. Notably, her lower body is very clearly that of a lean, long-legged dun horse.]

She is a skilled warrior, and places great importance on her honour. In our second meeting, she said that she felt she owed me a debt, and I believe she intends to repay it despite us being in opposing sects.

[vapour]

...Honour, huh.

[ Liem is extremely helpful, with or without introductions. he could be a brazen pig in his behavior and Childe wouldn't blink an eye considering what he's being offered. ]

She's cute, I'll give her that.

Would you be willing to tell me more about this debt and how she might fulfill it?

[sterngaze]

[Liem does pause for a moment, then. Not because he has objections to Childe dubbing Hayame "cute." That doesn't seem especially relevant right now, but Liem doesn't begrudge him his opinion. No, it's the question about the debt that he has to spend a moment mulling over.

Eventually, he says,] We travelled together in the dream, for a time. She was having difficulty moving forward, and I assisted her.

For that, she has taken it upon herself to see me cleansed of the Kenoma's influence, whether I want to be or not.

[vapour]

[ he can't help but burst out laughing at that. ] That's a lie if I ever heard one, considering she had to be begged to save a Veneran under attack from us.

Not that it wouldn't be an amazing opportunity if can't true.

[sterngaze]

No... I'm certain she was sincere.

[He can't blame Childe for his outright disbelief, considering her overall attitudes, but that doesn't change his own confidence in his assessment.]

This world and its people mean very little to her. But from what I've seen, she values her honour more highly than her own life. Her promise may not be the result of any natural impulse towards kindness, but she won't go back on her word.

[vapour]

So she swore on her honour ?

[sterngaze]

She told me, quite directly, that she intended to see her debt repaid whether I liked it or not. I don't believe it's a promise she made to me so much as one she's made to herself.

[He hesitates before adding this next part, but there's really no point in avoiding it. Regardless of how well-known his actions in Venera are at this point, he knows keeping them a secret isn't possible.]

She still seemed intent on it the most recent time I saw her, a few weeks ago. I'm sure it hurt her pride to have let me be reclaimed by my fellows after that.

[vapour]

....I see. Say, are you able to communion with her...?

[sterngaze]

... I don't know. I haven't ever tried using communion to reach someone outside of the Kenoma.

Why do you ask?

[vapour]

... Would you be willing to lure her out for me?

[sterngaze]

[There is a long pause after Childe floats his question. Liem breaks it only grudgingly.]

She would be wary. And as long as I remain with the Kenoma, she will not trust any message I send her.

Why do you want her lured out?

[vapour]

You're kidding, right? I'm trying to lure her out to fight her and hopefully convert her.

Do you know what Legacy she is, at least?

[sterngaze]

That much was obvious. I meant why do you want her specifically? I doubt it will be any easier to corner her than it would be for any other Pleroma.

I don't know her Legacy. We shared very little, during the times we met. I know that she is capable of using rudimentary glamours, but that magic seems unnatural to her. I know her sense of smell is very keen. And I know she wanted to bring me to a place called Greentruth. But little else.

[vapour]

...Oh, Greentruth. I see.

[ it's a place? So this is the name of a place they're actually hiding in? Thanks for the tip, Liem. ]

As for Hayame ... I want her because she's a warrior and she's asking for a fight. I'm looking for someone that is worthwhile with supposed honor that knows how to fight and lives for it.

[sterngaze]

I will be honest: I don't like the idea of leveraging her honour in order to ambush her under false pretenses. Even if she were to be claimed for our sect, I'm sure she would harbour a grudge over such a deception.

But I agree that I would much rather have her as an ally than as an enemy, so I will still help you confront her.

[vapour]

Bold of you to assume it's an ambush.

I want you tell her I want to fight her one on one.

[sterngaze]

It was the verbiage "lure her out" that gave me that impression.

[It's pretty evocative!]

She will doubtless be making her way here soon enough with the rest of the Pleroma. I expect you'll have a chance to fight her then.

[vapour]

Yeah. We'll see. You said she used glamours, so ...

[sterngaze]

The glamour I saw her use didn't alter her face, or her stature. I'm not sure if this is because she felt it was beneath her to change her features in a more thorough way, or if doing so was simply beyond her, but that may still be the case.

Even if it is not—listen for the sound of hooves. The glamour is only a visual effect, so it doesn't actually change her body, nor hide the sound of her motion.

[vapour]

Got it.

But maybe the best thing to do is just hang around you more since she'll be looking for you, right?

[sterngaze]

[On the one hand, it isn’t as though Liem is planning on broadcasting his location when the Pleroma do finally show up to assault the Citadel. On the other hand, Hayame has done her best to memorize his scent, and there is every possibility she might track him down just by smell once she gets within any decent radius.]

You're probably correct. I'm not intending to make myself an obvious target, but with her sense of smell, she may very well track me down regardless.

[vapour]

Oh...you aren't?

[ there's a chuckle. ] Haha, no problem. I think we can still make it work just fine. [he's not responsible if he ties you to a post out on the field for Hayame to find, Liem, just a friendly heads up. ]

[sterngaze]

[Okay... Why does that simple statement seem so ominous...]

I'll make sure to keep in contact, so we can coordinate when the Pleroma do make their move.