[Kenoma] Discussion

[lachtara]

( 🟣 - Emet, 🔵 - Ciel )

Good Evening.

There are some within our ranks who we have not had the pleasure of meeting. I am Emet-Selch. Ciel and I serve as tacticians and teachers to the Kenoma.

I function as acting counsel for devising strategies. Additionally, some of you may find yourself in possession of new magical abilities that you did not have before. I am available to assist you with honing your newfound magical skills. To those of you who find yourself injured, I can provide my magic to heal your wounds so that you may be hale and whole once more.

[ He sighs. My, is this a mouthful. ]

My name is Ciel. I am versed in martial arts and am proficient with most types of weaponry. There are various means of developing melee combat prowess across Achamoth, but if you would like personalized instructions at any level, please contact me and we’ll arrange for a schedule. I can also perform magical healing along with Father Paul.

Unfortunately, We do not have much time for pleasantries. The Pleroma will soon be at our doorstep. Their goal is to retrieve their allies who remain captive inside our walls, and our goal is to lure them deep within the Citadel where we may enact our own plans. You will be provided assignments once it is closer to the promised hour. Prepare in your own way meanwhile; The Citadel is host to all manners of weaponry and the army's training grounds.

[ It’s kept a little vague and unspecific. Though they do intend to give adequate information, there is also no question that they have had traitors in their midst as of late. Everything will be doled out with due caution. Although, there will be a silent message sent to each person asking them to respond with some information of their abilities. ]

We are at war, bloodshed is inevitable. We will be attacked soon, and we must defend our keep. Consider this communion address a formal hub for discussion and organization of the battle to come. We will begin with information sharing of the Pleroma: knowing their names, appearances, and capabilities will better prepare us in dealing with them in combat. Aions may develop new abilities at any time, however; intel from the mission in Venera and Godsblood may very well be outdated by now, so do not assume anything we go over in this address as the extent of what they can do. Anything you may have witnessed at the shrines can be helpful, including other newcomers you may have met that did not return to Achamoth..

To the third wave of newly awoken Aions, it is regrettable that we cannot welcome you better, you’ve unfortunately arrived at a tumultuous time on Horos. If this is all too much for any reason, that’s fine. Contact me privately, and we can at least arrange for you to be somewhere safe during this. To those used to wielding great power, please get some practice in and verify your new limits. Becoming an Aion may have weakened you, do not let that catch you off-guard on the battlefield.

To those who are new, introduce yourselves and ask any questions you have. We will answer your questions as best we can, and I encourage our fellow Kenoma to chime in where they may. Do try to keep your questions interesting enough to be worth reading.

Comments

[settingup]

[ He's quiet for a few seconds as he processes all of this, and he can only draw one conclusion here. ]

You're all outta your goddamn minds.

[expiera]

That's the situation at hand. [He's honestly not wrong, so she doesn't refute it. This can and SHOULD sound crazy to any normie, but such is what it means to be a Kenomie on Horos during these times.]

How should I address you, by the way?

[Is she gonna be able to use -kun normally for a change...]

[settingup]

[ At least she's not arguing it, but that weirdly doesn't make him feel better. ]

Atsumu or Miya, whichever you want. Doesn't matter to me.

[ Because he's used to people calling him by his given name anyways, considering he's got a twin and calling them both Miya would get confusing fast. ]

[expiera]

[Huh, another shounen.]

That sounds Japanese. Is Miya-kun okay?

[Alas, knowing basic etiquette means she's very much going for the family name, Misa is the exception tbh and she already refers to Gen as 'Minegishi' to himself and when talking about him in front of others. +1 JP teen...]

[settingup]

Sure. Plenty of people call me that.

[ The ones that don't meet him as a packaged deal at least. ]

[expiera]

[No fussing over honorifics... So far so good (?)!]

Okay. It's nice to meet you despite the circumstances, Miya-kun. I'm Ciel. I'm sorry the adjustment period is difficult, but you'll feel like yourself again and be allowed to look around wherever you want once you get used to this. [The Kenogoop...] Taking everything in will be a lot too, so I'm just trying to do what I can to make the process a little easier for you. Everyone goes through this when they first come here, how hard it is and how long it takes just varies from Aion to Aion.

[She explains, or at least tries to. Did that make sense to him at all...?]

[settingup]

[ It makes logical sense, but it doesn't make him any happier. Ciel's still doing a better job of not getting him AS agitated as most of the others though, so points there? Are those points anyone actually wants...? ]

Yeah, yeah. I get it already! I'm stuck here so I just gotta get used to it, and get used to almost dyin' all the time, and get used to my world being gone, and get used to bein' stuck in some bullshit fantasy world. I get it.

[ He kind of gets it, but he doesn't fully. He wouldn't be able to say that with such flippant annoyance if he really did. ]

1/2

[expiera]

You do not and should not get used to dying.

[That comes out firm, almost harsh, and is followed by a short silence.

...]

2/2

[expiera]

I apologize for that. Please try acclimating to Achamoth the best you can, that's enough for now. You're conscious and your own self, that's... what all of us start with. [Another uneasy pause, but this one doesn't feel as strained as the previous one.]

You said you played volleyball. Maybe you could teach the Citadel's orphans? They're quite active and always eager to interact with Aions, so...

[It must still be mediocre consolation in the face of true war, but that's the best that she can come up with on the spot. If only this conflict WAS but a simple war comprised of soldiers who understand the stakes, then she wouldn't even need to pretend being human ever again. But it's not, it keeps dragging in civilians like Bruno and Atsumu, to whom human understanding is the most supportive thing she could possibly offer them. Upkeeping this duality...]

[settingup]

[ What the fuck... That wasn't expected, especially on someone from team "end all existence".

He's quiet for a second, not sure how to take all of this, though he sounds slightly chastised even as he turns to sulking after. ]

I'm just a player. I ain't a coach.

[ He likes the game, but that doesn't mean he wants to teach others how to play it.

That attitude might change though when he gets desperate and realizes that if he wants to have any volleyball action at all, he has to teach others to play it, even if it's a group of sad orphans. ]

[expiera]

[Don't judge a book by its cover? Not all cats are black? You can be here without wanting to end the world? Just look at all the traitors and the depression gang! ...Wait, that is,]

A coach doesn't come out of nowhere, though. Aren't they often veteran of the sport too? They need to be intimately familiar with how the game is played and its rules to teach someone else, it'd be a good experience to deepen your own understanding of it too. Why don't you give it a try and think of it as practice, just done through a different angle? I'm sure the children here would be happy to learn. I confess I've never played volleyball myself, but I'll be happy to help you however I can. With setting things up for starters, maybe? There are many courtyards in the Citadel, I'm sure we can repurpose one close to the children's wing into a volleyball court.

[The longer she goes on, the easier it becomes. Geez... It's almost like high school again. But those are valid points, aren't they? And if she can convince him to start doing what he loves again here, which is honestly not difficult to achieve, then it'll be worth it. Taking a pointless tiny, comforting step back, to the blissfully ignorant normalcy he used to know.]

[settingup]

[ The hesitancy is obvious over communion like this, but he’s at least listening to her without immediately rejecting the idea. There’s an obvious spike in interest at the mention of the courtyards too. Atsumu really doesn’t have the temperament needed to be a coach, and would rather play with people his own skill level that will challenge him, rather than teach a bunch of brats how to play the game.

But eventually beggars will not be able to be choosers, and sometimes you have to take what you can get. He’s not making any promises right now, but… ]

People ain’t gonna get all bent out of joint if one of those courtyards gets used for volleyball then?

[ This isn’t a yes yet!!! ]