(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

[vapour]

[ hey, there pretty boy, he's very happy you were willing to give him a little of your time.

he listens to makoto with interest. for what it's worth, Childe is even quite polite and is absolutely silent for the commentary on Hayame. Of course, he takes mental notes. Firebrand, didn't want to be with either sect— actively disliked what both sides had to say, but has ended up with the Pleroma. The possibilities just keep adding up, as far as the Harbinger sees. ]

Any thoughts on her mindset beyond stubborn? Dealing with her is good and all, but do you think she's corruptible? This sort of thing is very against what the Pleroma desires, as far as I know, considering it's a display of aggression and destruction of life rather than death from self defense or rescue.

[affal]

( he's the one who asked, so makoto would hope he kept quiet while he was explaining... )

Is it?

Not all of them are bleeding-heart pacifists. ( he's been violently perforated by at least two or three of them. ) It doesn't surprise me at all that some might go to such lengths. We are ostensibly at war, especially after what was said in the Regent's summons, and an example was made of occupying soldiers by those who would benefit greatly to having them removed from Venera entirely.

As for the centaur... ( he's only directly interacted with her twice. he's trying to remember everything he heard her say, finding what inferences he'd made. ) She has a martial spirit. She's willing to throw her life away if her options do not suit her. I don't believe manipulating her is an impossibility, but it... might be presently beyond or ability.

( she had used a name. "matsukaze." so long as he, and whoever the "others" were that she had mentioned, were lost, he's uncertain they would be able to shackle her with despair. his gut instinct is that she would be more likely to throw herself off a cliff (which he had, admittedly, already seen her do once). )

[vapour]

Ah, but, isn't the Pleroma's desire to protect life at all costs, no matter how bad things are? I know they're not all candy-suckers, but since the Kenoma wants to destroy and return everything to the void, my natural conclusion is that the Pleroma doesn't care about being good or righteous, just preserving the life its created in any and all form. I imagine that an aion that was perfectly aligned to the Pleroma would kill only when absolutely necessary. An aion aligned perfectly with the Kenoma, would kill to destroy life for the sake of destroying it.

Nevertheless...I'm sure there are plenty that we haven't seen that fall under what you mention. No one said we all had to align perfectly with our sides, so maybe just absolutely rejecting one makes the other your place regardless. I guess the Kenoma and the Pleroma can't really "choose" or "care" about standards, so long as it ultimately works overall in its favor.

[ as for the centaur, indeed. ] So, she'd rather die than do something that isn't to her liking. Is that all, or does she have other traits, too? Aggressive? Obsessive? Hateful? This display is definitely not enough to label any Pleroma vulnerable, but...

[affal]

Perhaps the Pleroma is.

These men and women are not it, not any more than we perfectly embody the will of the Kenoma. There will be those that align against us simply because it is convenient or their only other option. Clearly, it doesn't make them any less dangerous.

( at least, he hasn't noticed any of their number razing fields indiscriminately and committing wanton murder, but his eyes aren't everywhere.

and regardless. he doesn't believe they're meant to perfectly embody the Kenoma, perhaps not any more than their enemies wish to perfectly embody the Pleroma. at least when it comes to the Kenoma, makoto is of the strict opinion that it's only as useful as it is while controlled by the Regent. )

Hm... Based on what I can recall: prideful, arrogant, vengeful, driven... perhaps to the point of tunnel vision.

I don't believe she can be manipulated with collateral damage. She didn't seem very interested in escaping with an endangered Veneran citizen until she was implored to do so. ( by mr liem, who is once again among them... hello, liem. )

[vapour]

They're definitely dangerous. I guess this just makes things easier for me. No need to ever feel conflict of hesitation when this type of activity is popping up on the other.

[ Childe is quiet after hearing that part about the collateral damage. Seriously? It's hard to believe someone who would rather die than do something she didn't like, and has all these idiosyncrasies as being able to attune with the Pleroma. Clearly, Childe realizes, he's misjudged that sect and its purpose.

... This does make things so much easier. ]

I suppose she'll be hard to lure out... but I think I can meet her halfway for a round. Haven't faced against a good Archer in a long while.

[affal]

Certainly not.

Even if you face one that might be unwilling to fight, there's no telling when another might show up to reinforce them that does not have those same qualms.

( though if childe wants to face her, he can be makoto's guest... having taken one of her arrows through the shoulder and into his wing, he isn't exactly relishing the idea of getting shot again, regardless of how much he wanted some manner of vengeance against her. )

She wields a bow perhaps two meters in height. Don't underestimate her power or her range.

I don't believe she'll be too hard to find, though. When she wants one, it seems she goes looking for a fight. ( based on her little display, it seems to have been one of her primary motivations in venera, yes? she had seemed rather... incited in the Regent's presence. )

[vapour]

I'm hoping to find more of the latter you just mentioned. The more, the merrier in my book.

Thanks for the advice, but don't worry. I'm an archer, too, so I know what I'm doing and I know the range of a bow up to the size of a ballista like the back of my hand. Considering out of all weapons, I'm least skilled with the bow, I'm very used to dealing with superior marksmen.

Want me to send her your regards when I find her?

[affal]

I wish you success, then.

Ah... No, I fear our paths will probably cross on their own accord at some point. Please, I encourage you to blaze your own trail with the centaur woman.

( or do them all a favor and bring her shard back to achamoth. )