melodiesoflife | The Fete at the Observatory

Entry tags:

The Fete at the Observatory

Characters: All (hopefully) uncaptured Heroes of Light
Where/When: At the Heroes' Observatory, the evening of February 10th
Summary: Ashelia has called a meeting - under the guise of a party - to discuss the next steps forward for the Heroes following the revelations revealed in the shared dream.
Warnings: N/A
Note: Each part of Ashelia's speech is centred around a different topic. Feel free to indicate what in particular your character is responding to in the headline for your top level! Alternately, if your character is bringing up something on their own, or not in direct reply to something Ashelia has mentioned, feel free to out the subject in the Subject line! There's a lot going on and a lot of ground to cover, so let's keep it organized so things are easy to find later!

"I would like your attention, please." With her experience as an accomplished politician, Ashelia's voice cut through the din of the gathered Heroes. The high ceiling of the meeting room lent itself well to the sorts of echoes that could easily cause headaches, unfortunately. The Queen planned to bring in some fabrics to soften the effects, but there had been little time for decorating, and it seemed there wouldn't be anytime soon.

The Lady Ashelia stood at the head of the incredibly large wooden table that dominated a good chunk of the room. Wooden chairs lined the edges of the tables, straight-backed and unfortunately not cushioned. It was clear that the Queen of Dalmasca didn't want anyone getting too comfortable in this particular room. There were papers in front of her, books and file folders and ledgers, all organized into neat piles. She picked up one of the papers, clearing her throat quietly before continuing. "If as many of you as possible could take a seat, I can call this meeting to order - and yes, I would like to apologize.

"As you may have guessed, this is not a fete. It is important for everyone to know..." Ashelia paused, waiting for the last straggling voices to quiet down before continuing, "that Mognet has been compromised. There is no longer such a thing as private correspondence, if ever there was. Keep this in mind in the coming months. The war has begun."

Ashelia paused for questions and comments before continuing.

"As many of us have realized, and Markus observed earlier over Mognet, the usual appearance of new Heroes of Light at the Crystal of Fire around the fifth of each month did not occur. This disturbance of the established cycle may seem abrupt, but upon further examination, 'tis not so." The Queen took a sip of water. "The cycle has been disturbed previously, though not in such a drastic manner. Last month, crystal statues appeared and disappeared within the hour. Heroes awakened from the crystal stasis were unceremoniously dropped from the sky. So you see, this disturbance has simply progressed. I welcome your thoughts on this."

Ashelia paused for questions and comments before continuing.

"Next on my agenda is the true motivation behind my calling this gathering. The night of February 5th, I had a dream." She stopped, shaking her head. "No, a vision. It did not take me long to realize I was not the only one to experience this. I've written the contents here." Ashelia held up a file folder. "However, if I am correct, many of you need only read it to refresh your memory." She stopped for a moment, putting the folder back on the table. "The ramifications of this new information are clear. The Empire holds four of our number captive, as well as countless other displaced Heroes in crystal stasis. It is my belief we must act on this information. We must save them."

Ashelia paused for questions and comments before continuing.

"The last subject I would like to cover is this." She held up a small, worn notebook. "This is the diary of the Lady Kalki, one of the Empire's Triumvirate. This woman, more than any other, has made clear her intentions are in opposition to us as a group. I encourage everyone to read through this document." Ashelia put the notebook down on the table and held up another file folder. "I have written a transcription myself, as the original is quite delicate." She put the file folder down. "This document provides invaluable insight into whom we can only assume is our enemy. It , unfortunately, poses more questions than it answers, but it does make clear that it is she who holds the answers that we need."

Ashelia took another sip of water, looking around at the gathered Heroes. "I once again open the floor to questions and comments. I believe it will take all of us to rescue our comrades; however, I also believe that if we do work together as one, we shall not fail."

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Kaji's body posture matches hers, and his tense look melts into a smirk. "Well, if I told you my credentials, I wouldn't be a very good information broker, would I?" A little more serious, he nods. "Without going into details, I do. And I know that there are a lot of lives at stake here."

"They'll be curious about your friends, maybe even expect that you're going to come and rescue your friend, if they have her. If that diary's any good, they know who belongs with who, for lack of a better term."

"This is a huge risk. Not just for us, although we're going in on the front lines. We could put all the Heroes in a lot of danger. Are you going to be able to handle it if things go very wrong before we see any benefits?" Because that's how Kaji is expecting this assignment to go.

There's no hesitation in her voice, nothing there for her to lose with the exception of the safety of her friend now residing in the Empire's hands.

"I've got nothing keeping me here. This won't be the first time I've had to improvise, and if something does come up.. be it a hitch, a bug, a neck sticking out where it doesn't belong, I'm prepared to do what's needed. This isn't going to be a short road, I know. Even when we get our friends back, you're going to need some one else to stay along side, aren't you?"

Kaji glances across the room to where Tifa looked earlier, to Cloud. "That sounded pretty convincing." He's not sure it's true. Kaji ended up going up against her in the forest largely by chance; everyone else in that battle, Cloud, Yuffie, Markus, they had been drawn there because they were, on some level, concerned for Tifa. But if she has herself convinced that it's true, that's the important thing.

"Sounds like we'll have a few other people playing infiltration separately. Miss Terra wants to come along, so if you want to keep me in your sight, another person helping watch out for her is always welcome. We can approach as a group, if you think we can sell it."

Her hair tosses as she nods confidently.

"I've no doubt that we can do it. I just worry about whether or not we'll stand out. This isn't just going to be about personality and being able to spin webs about our circumstances, which I'm more than sure you know. We need people who won't stand out, people who look unassuming and can carry an air of inconspicuousness. Bleh-!" She coughs for a second, her tongue tying up on the word. "Shiva-, say that five times fast."

Rapping a hand at the base of her neck, she clears her throat and continues. "You see what I mean, though? Miss Terra could pass for a local, but there are a few of us who kinda' stand out."

Kaji blinks at Tifa, feigning confusion for a second. "Oh, we're clearly not from around here. You weren't planning on marching in the front door and telling them we're the supposed Heroes, pulled here against our will, but we aren't interested in playing Aqures Ixen's game?" Because that was Kaji's plan. To just freely tell them that one Ryoji Kaji is for sale, who's interested?

"Not like we can hide the crystals, the Job powers. What we can hide are our intentions."

"But wouldn't their knowing that we're heroes be more of a problem? If this dream is anything to go off of, it seems like they're more concerned with what we can do than what we want to do. If there's any way for us to hide who we are, I say we go for it. Better to hide the fact that we are heroes rather than bring suspicion. Unless you can think of a good way to really sell how much we despise things here..?"

Kaji nods solemnly, but his expression stays light. "Oh, I can think of a few reasons why I'd want to turn on the kingdom here." He says it so casually. "It's much easier to hide when you're not hiding some things. I'd suggest you figure out a reason that makes sense for you."

"Make no mistake, there's a very good chance that they'll reject our 'offer' and all we're doing is handing them even more captives that have to be rescued. We have to convince them why they need us. Despite all their other spies and ways in, I think they'd just love to have a few Hero turncoats in their pocket."

"Agreed.." Tifa cannot help but raise an eyebrow at his former comment, wondering what it might be that irritates him about the world they now reside in. She can think of a dozen plus a dozen more reasons, but they are all incidents she'd rather keep to herself.. for now.

"I can think of a few things as well, but better to save them for the time when we'll need them. And see, that's my biggest concern. I know the risk is there and I'm more than willing to take it but-.." she lets out a tired sigh, uncrossing her arms while looking up into the ceiling as she thinks, as if the cease to her worrying might be hanging above her. "I'm more inclined to think that they'll throw us to the steel bars and cold floors than take us in with open arms."

Good that she remains quiet, because Kaji had no intention of explaining his reasons. Not until they get there, and maybe not even then. Instead, he shoots Tifa another smile at her last words. "And that's always the risk you have to balance. I wouldn't be surprised if they arrest us even for a short while until they decide they can use us. This plan might be completely over before it's begun, or it might take a while to even start. Keep on thinking that. If we were planning to betray the Heroes for real, getting arrested and used against them would still be a possibility."

"I survived before by remaining too useful for anyone to put a bullet in my head. But that balance takes time to build up." It actually makes Kaji feel better about bringing Tifa along if she understands the risks, and knows just how horribly this could go.

"Guess we're on the same page then. You're the kind of man who's used to having a pair of cuffs around his wrists, huh?"

She coughs for a moment, realizing that her comment could very well be taken out of context and thus having her cheeks turn a rather bright shade of red. Way to keep your cool composure in front of the suave, brave spy, Tifa.

"I- uh- mean to say, I'm used to this sort of thing as well. Wouldn't be the first time I've been put up for execution, that's for sure. Though, if it isn't too far out of the realm of possibility, drinks are on me when we get back. We'll turn over bottles until our lips are blue, got it?"

And an eyebrow quirks in mixed interest and amusement. Slip, there, but the lady just can't help herself. He lets her backpedal, but an all-too-knowing smile is still on his face, and his tone drops slightly. "Hunh. Sounds good, unless you'd rather replace that offer with one for a pair of cuffs around my wrists? I'm game if you are."

Is he kidding or not? He keeps that smile just a little too long, watching Tifa's reaction, but then he laughs and seems to let Tifa out from under his gaze. "We'll leave when we've got the advantage of our fellow heroes running a distraction for us. Got a few more loose ends to tie up before I leave." Oh, no, Tifa is never going to live that one down.

She clears her throat, clenching a fist and rapping it against her chest to clear out the sudden blockage of awkwardness that had taken her voice. Under normal circumstances she'd have flirted right back, but her composure had been disrupted by the sudden flashes of images she'd rather not reflect upon given the demure and slick attitude of the gentleman across from her.

"The more hands the merrier, if you need them, I mean. Besides, it'll give me time to see whether or not a man like you should be trusted. Unless you've got any objections to having some one tag along with you?"

That was so worth the reaction. He keeps himself from laughing more, to spare her pride, but he is internally relishing that look. Kaji hmms out loud, then looks around, as if to make sure everyone else is at a distance. "Well. I do have one very vitally important covert mission. That I could use some help with. So if you can keep a secret..."

Kaji leans in conspiratorially, and gives Tifa a serious look. "What do you get a ten year-old girl for her birthday?"

It was the last sort of question she expected, but lucky for Kaji that Tifa has had experience with such things. Granted, there wasn't much in the way of lavish gifts or commodities in the Slums, but people got by with hand made gifts and the like.

"A ten-year old? Well, maybe a small bouquet of flowers? Maybe some craft materials for her to paint or make something, or you could give her a pair of mitts and teach her how to defend herself?"

Yup. Raised like a normal girl, Tifa was.

Hmm. Ooh. Kaji likes the idea of paint supplies. Really likes it. "That might work well." He chuckles. "Well, the arts and crafts, maybe not the boxing lessons."

He glances around the Observatory, and subtly nods towards the very obviously youngest person in the room: Ib. "My housemate. And her birthday's coming up, right in the middle of all this mess. But, it's a girl's tenth birthday. Can't a little international war wait one day for that?"

War had robbed many things from people, that much was obvious to every one in the Observatory. To pass up a birthday, especially for one of their own, would be an absolute crime. Tifa had heard much about Ib, but unfortunately she had never spoken to the child herself. For someone who had seemed so mysterious, it was a surprise to hear him so concerned over the matters of a young girl.

"I'd stop the world if I could, if it meant helping some one celebrate one year closer to being back home."

It's been a surprise for him, too, the way that this is hitting him. The way a kid is managing to make it right through that distance that Kaji tries to put up between himself and the rest of the world. He is also resolutely trying to ignore any kind of revelations of how his connection with Ib is reminding him of how one Misato Katsuragi was acting around Shinji. Slowly, he's starting to understand what she was going through, but he's resisting that understanding as hard as he can.

"We'll get her back home. At least I know that much isn't a false promise." The smile fades only for a moment, and then it's back. "Apparently this means I've got some shopping to do. If you want to keep an eye on me until we leave, well, not that I can blame you." And he'll let her take that comment however she wants to. Actually, it might help sell their story if they're suddenly around each other a lot more. Yes. Kaji can work with this.

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The Fete at the Observatory

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