"That's a fair assessment" Fox said with a nod, satisfied that his question had been answered.

Sun Snake had looked uncomfortable at Shining Peacock's previous discussions on Blue Snake, however by the time Sabre Fox had finished his questions of Shining Peaock, Sun Snake had regained his composure.

"Well, the plan that we loosely had for how to move forwards has changed after the revelations of what occurred with Rain Feather last night. Originally the idea was to communicate with Golden Sparrow again, and see if he managed to make any progress with the Prince. I would hope that with his increased power int he order, he will be willing to make that sacrifice to ask the Prince to step back. Hopefully the man also took on board what advice you yourself Peaock gave him to help. If that has backed off the Prince, then that perhaps shows Summer Wasp that concessions can be given, and at the very least she does not need to enact any plan right this moment. Swift Fox or myself or both of us perhaps have a reason to speak with Summer Wasp too, given Laughing Shark. Moon Shadow perhaps could use my own words to the order to assuage any ill feeling. But that was the plan - with luck and good will from all, perhaps all those in a position for leadership will be able to meet on something like an equal footing, where each has not undercut the other. Note that includes you Peacock. Rather than have reluctant allies bending to your will, I hope you will have peers who will respect your own good faith and you may respect theirs. I still feel that the order needs not just a strong leader, but a strong council around that leader. Something diverse and in harmony to reflect how the order should be. Four disperate Kai focused around a fifth leader, perhaps?"

Sun Snake sighed. "At least, that was the plan. However, this Valador situation changes everything and we need a plan now. Especially of a foe that can be anywhere thanks to his guildstaff instantly, stirring up trouble. Sabre Fox - and thus Golden Sparrow - is compromised. Golden Sparrow will not abandon you, Sabre, I would have no doubt. Peacock, you too are now compromised. I have no doubt you will not sit idly by and allow anything to happen to Rain Feather, but she has been raised from the dead by a dark rite. Any way in which you have steers in to the dark before will now come back to haunt you, and worse Rain Feather. Sun Fox ... Sun Fox has also something she wished to tell the order, and come clean regarding. And that had to do with Valador. If she cannot do that, then probably many of us will be also then tied to Valador and vulnerable. Moon Shadow is under a cloud due to the Blue Snake situation. That leaves Summer Wasp as one of the only ones who may not be influenced or vulnerable to Valador's politicking. I do not know if that is true, and even if so what we can do with that. And I now fear Banedon may be vulnerable if Valador grows this bold. Valador means to destroy the Kai Order and elevate the Brotherhood under himself. We need to stop his plans, now, yet the order is very, very vulnerable. And I do not see how hiding this vulnerability and denying it allows us to lead, when we would give ourselves such a faliable, twisted foundation to hide."

Peacock nodded to Sun Snake, then asked:

"And has Valador said anything about what his plans actually are, that required him to resurrect Rain? Anything he said might be important, if we are to truly understand his future moves to stop them before they take place."

"One of his general goals appears to be to sink the order. His stated goal is to make Sommerlund - of course, through Toran - some sort of shining beacon of good. However, he thinks the war is hopeless, so this beacon is a dying light. His plans in more detail would be to destroy the order and put the Brotherhood as the leadering organisation in Sommerlund. Why he has then reigned in those from the order and the Vakeros to try and create hybrids of Kai is uncertain. I know that previously Valador tried to have me open communications with Master Blue Snake on his behalf, as he felt Moon Shadow and Banedon had a relationship and he needed one similar. Whether he was attempting to play everyone against each other, and said anything to Swift Fox, is another matter. I tried to have Dawn Sword report exactly what she had heard in that regard. How he plans to use Rain, other than as I have guessed, I do not know though."

Sun Snake looked to Sun Fox, Sabre Fox, Rain Feather and Swift Fox to see what further insights they had to add in their won dealings. He also looked across to Water Hornet to see if his fellow Kai had recalled anything differently in the joint meeting with Valador at the temple.

Silver Raven looked interested at Sun Snake's words on Moon Shadow, before turning a questioning glance at Swift Fox, clearly just as curious to see what she had to share.

Swift had spent much of the time in the room watching Peacock, as if studying him closely.  She seemed to sense Silver Raven's look though, as her gaze flickered sideways to him briefly.

"Valador did mention something to me in the Temple at the Maakengorge that hinted he knew a thing or two about me, although he didn't really elaborate on it further, and he hasn't approached me again since then."
A hint of a smirk crossed her face.
"Maybe he thinks a loose cannon like me is a lot more difficult to coerce and control than most" she added, looking back to Peacock.


OOC: Nothing significant in her wording at all there... ;)

Peacock looked intrigued, as he asked:

"And you think you could use that against him, somehow?"

Swift shook her head.
"I didn't say that.  I'm only saying that Valador has no power over me.  If he thinks raising some vaguely-worded curiosity about my past will give him a means of controlling me, then he's mistaken.
I've already spent too much of my life dancing to someone else's tune, and it's an experience I intend to never repeat.  If I follow someone, then it'll be because I choose to."

She shrugged and glanced towards Sun Snake.
"I expect he's smart enough to have realised that though, probably why he never communicated with me further.  Better to find an easier target.  I'm content to leave him to Guildmaster Banedon, but if he should try destabilising the Order further, you can count on my help against him."
This message was last edited by the player at 14:08, Tue 19 Mar 2019.

Wait, maybe forgot something that Peaock doens't know.

"Let us not forget that one of the costs for Rain Feather's return was allowing Fall Lobster to be changed back to his previous self. Except that is a lie. He is simply outwardly his previous self, Rain Feather can tell you how disjointed and broken the creature still is internally."

Shining Peacock suddenly stilled, then turned to Sun Snake very slowly.

"What?"

Then, his eyes darted to the small boat that had been Lobster prison, finding it empty, before quickly locating the man himself at the back of the hold, where he'd been standing in a dark corner, partially hidden by the shadows. Even so, he offered a smug grin to Peacock as the Mentora's eyes focused on him, and said smugly:

"Hello there. Did you miss me? Your little flowery friends couldn't have enough of hugging me, so I suppose you must have."

He gestured to the remains of his constraints, but Peacock didn't remove his gaze from him, as if considering the words a mere distraction, before he finally said, apparently adressing nobody in particular:

"Do you not realizes what this means? Anybody?"

"Did you think me callous or flippant regarding your feelings for Rain Feather when I said you needed to deal with the shock and move on immediately? I fear between Rain Feather's return and this, the order may be doomed, unless great sacrifices are made. What do you think is the full import of the actions Valador has done?"

Shining Peacock didn't move his eyes from Lobster as he answered Sun Snake:

"I did not expect what I had to be ready for to be this thing."

Lobster placed an hand on his chest at that and spoke, mockingly:

"Come on, is that the way to adress a fellow Kai? You wound me."

"I will wound you far more permanently in just a moment, abomination, have no worry about that."

"Isn't that a bit excessive?"

"Not at all, as you well know."

Frost Ferret, who had been following the conversation with a frown, finally spoke, sounding annoyed:

"How about you elaborate on what it is you know, as Sun Snake asked you to? I will be the first to verify that this guy is incredibly annoying, but you haven't spoken more than half a minute with him - to already want him dead, you must know something we don't."

Shining Peacock nodded, and said:

"Obviously. He is not healed, as Rain said, but that is just a facet of the matter. When I last saw him, the Right-handed magic on him was like a coat, wrapped around his soul and deforming his body, being used to keep him together and trap the power of the Kai he once was inside. But that is no longer so. I have no ability to use the arts of our enemy, but I have studied them far more deeply and in detail than anybody on our side ever has, as far as I know. That is how I can tell that now, the magic is no longer a coat. It is instead a gate, hidden within him, and he has full control of what comes and goes through it. Is that not right, darkspawn?"

Lobster looked halfway between confused and astonished, and for once, it seemed he didn't have the words for a snapping retort as Peacock's eyes continued to bore into him with clear hatred.

I wonder how much of that did you people managed to follow and understand?

This message was last edited by the player at 00:33, Wed 20 Mar 2019.

"Is it some form of possession?" Fox asked "He is essentially a darkspawn now in human form?"

Fox would then look over at Lobster before speaking

"Does that mean he cannot be saved?"

"He was already a Darkspawn when we first captured him, Sabre Fox. Only, back then he was just a cobbled together experiment. Now, he has become a fully new darkspawn type, one who has full control of itself, perhaps access to more power than we know of, and the ability to make more like himself, eventually. If he somehow manages to leave, it will be only a matter of time before he comes back at the head of a new order of corrupted Kai like himself."

Swift looked towards Lobster with an odd expression.
"Funny, I got the impression he was more annoying than directly evil.  If not for the trouble we had capturing him, I'd have thought that Valador created him as a rather twisted practical joke on Sun Snake."

She smirked at that, studying Lobster closely.
"Still, if this power is like a gate.  A gate can be closed, sealed, can't it?  Just like Red Dawn, I don't believe he is beyond saving.  Though it will mean that Valador's capture becomes more important.  He has an item I'd need just to attempt it."

Despite her rather casual tone, her smirk had quickly faded to a more serious look as she went on.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:37, Wed 20 Mar 2019.

Shining Peacock suddenly turned to Swift Fox, his anger at Lobster forgotten, and for the first time in the group's memory, he looked genuinely puzzled.

"What are you talking about? Red Dawn does not need any saving, she is perfectly healty. If anything happened to her, I would have known long before any of you did. She is fine."

"...I think we may have a differing idea on 'fine'.  Dawn lives in a room with bars on the window.  She takes great amusement in making as many people around the monastery as uncomfortable as possible, apparently loves to torment Dusk Rat and the animals around the monastery, and if you remember from our training sessions, has an apparent love to play and torment with her targets before trying to finish them off.

Compared to every other person around the monastery who can at least go out and function on their own without being locked in their quarters like a prison and that doesn't watch large venomous snakes eat small mammals and birds for their own amusement while said prey is helplessly bound and experiencing what must be paralyzing fear and terror... which also sounds a lot like her training sessions... well... I'd say that's maybe the exact opposite of fine, wouldn't you say?"

She snorts, looking directly at Peacock.

"Or is it just that she's loyal and controllable and answers to you?  That you're willing to let her be herself, as long as she comes when called and accomplishes what you need her to?"

Shining Peacock turned a perplexed gaze toward Rain Feather, and answered:

"Of course I want her to be herself, but that has nothing to do with her loyalty to me. I just respect her own personhood, much like I do yours, Rain. Dawn is physically incapable of feeling empathy toward other living things, that is true, but I believe she can control it, if given the chance. And I was never on board with keeping her caged, anyway."

He let out a long breath, then went on:

"I will not deny that her quirks can be annoying to deal with, but I do not believe it right to label a fellow Kai as being sick just because that makes them easier to deal with. And I would certainly not compare any problem Dawn has in exercising proper self control with being a darkspawn."

The last point he made while turning his eyes to Swift Fox, clearly still unhappy with the way she had spoken about Dawn's situation.

"I did say that when we were close to the Maakengorge, perhaps I could share a thought regarding Red Dawn's...consition... by showing you something. But that would seem to be after we have decided what we need to do now."

Sun Snake grimaced at the news of the stable Darkspawn. "Colonel Vyctar tried something similar, and in his own way succeeded. He became a Darklord, but his plan was to unite darkspawn and mortal. Both required, in their own way, Lone Wolf..." Sun Snake thought for a moment. "I wonder if they were linked. Or knew of each other's plans, and were at odds." He shook away the thought. "Still, there is at least one hope in the horror you have spoken of. Valador cannot produce this creature as an example of his innocence. This is still a combination of magics. Valador has not burned out his influence, he has arrogantly continued his work, I think? Does that give us an advantage, somehow?"

Peacock looked thoughtful, as he said:

"I suppose it might be worth a shot. If we can get Guildmaster Banedon to examine him, then..."

"That was not the deal."

As more than one pair of eyes turned toward Lobster, he continued, his tone accusing:

"I was promised that I would not be cut up or otherwise studied. Of course, those were just words - I hardly expect a minion of Snake's like Sabre Fox to have any honour or stick to what he said he would - but I still want you all to remember what sort of oathbreakers you all are, to even consider the idea."

Shining Peacock rised an eyebrow at that, and commented:

"Is that so?"

Then he turned to Sun Snake and continued, in the same tone:

"I must admit, if you truly managed to make Sabre Fox into your minion, that would be quite impressive. From what I know of him, not once in his life has Sabre Fox ever done anything but what he most wanted to, regardless of any order or wish others may have had. Bending him to be your servant is truly beyond what I would have ever expected of you. Or anybody, really."

Fox could not help but begin to laugh as he was brought into the conversation once more.

"You were right about the first part" Fox said looking at Lobster "Then again, what is it you said to me almost as a taunt earlier? Something about getting around the letter of a deal but betraying the spirit of it?"

It would be then Fox's turn to declare a taunt

"Then in that case, there was no deal of any sort as I have no idea what your talking about so you can be cut up as anyone likes" Fox said with a smirk.

A moment later his face then turned back serious

"But no, unlike what transpired I am a man of my word. Since the 'spirit' of the agreement was not honoured at all since you are not cured, so right now I could easily null and void the agreement. However, I will honour what I promised you, which was no harm would come to you, which is why Rain Feather did not allow the Sommerswerd to destroy you. I never said anything about not examining you at all, so don't now try to twist a deal around that was deceptive before it was even enacted. I even made it clear that if you were not cured that most likely you would be studied to have your condition reversed against your will. From what Peacock has said, something entirely new has happened, so that's pretty much out of my hands, short of letting them harm you or cut you up as I did agree"

Swift hadn't responded to the remarks about Red Dawn, pointedly avoiding looking in Shining Peacock's direction.
At the mention of Sabre Fox being a minion of Sun Snake though, she grinned and glanced back at him.

"According to him, I'm one of Sun Snake's minions too actually.  Seems he has a lot of them.  I think the old me would have been quite insulted by that."
She winked playfully at Sun Snake at the last part, then shifted her attention back squarely on Fall Lobster, her expression turning serious again.

"Either way, any deal between you, Valador, and anyone else here doesn't concern me.  I wasn't there when the deal was struck, and as I just said, Valador holds no power over me.  There was a time when I would have just killed you back at the Maakengorge instead of trying to capture you, since it would have been the easier path, just like now...  Not unlike Red Dawn probably, in fact I once saw a lot of myself in her, like some twisted reflection of a possible future."

Her gaze flickered briefly towards Sabre Fox, then to Shining Peacock, before looking back at Lobster.
"But that's not who I am any more.  Take it as lies if you wish, it makes little difference to me.  But you have my word I'll do what I can to save you.  A second chance, just as Kai and Ishir once offered me a second chance."


OOC: Cool heroic speeches aren't normally Swift's style, but thought this one fitted.  Pity it probably won't have much effect on Lobster though.  Villainous minion of Sun Snake and all that ;)
This message was last edited by the player at 12:53, Wed 27 Mar 2019.

Lobster glared at Swift Fox and said, annoyance clear in his voice:

"I don't need any saving, especially not from the likes of you."

Then he glanced at Sabre Fox and added:

"All that I need is to be left alone and not being experimented on or be studied or anything like that, as I was promised."

Then he turned to look at Shining Peacock and continued:

"And why are they believing anything you say, anyway? Don't they know that you're a liar and manipulator who'll say anything to achieve what you need? What did you do, that they'd trust a politician like you?"

He paused, and finally turned his glare over to Sun Snake to finish:

"But then, I suppose in the end I know the answer already - providing these pawns with a reason to cut me up without looking like you had anything to do with it is just up your alley, Sun Snake, isn't it? It must be awesome, to have so many puppets dancing, knowingly or not, to the strings and plans you and your silly-haired ally here have cooked up."

Yeah, Lobsted did just say he thinks Sun Snake and Peacock are allies working together to manipulate everyone. Make of that what you will.

Manipulation is such a dirty work...I prefer to call it 'being like a games master' :p

Don't believe the lies of evil games masters, Sun Snake is your best friend with knives presents for all!


Sun Snake gave good natured if rueful looks to the others as they spoke with Fall Lobster. However, something about Lobster calling Peacock an ally of Sun Snake seemed to get Sun Snake thoughtful.

He started looking around the room, then back to Lobster in a way he never usually regarded the man. "Interesting. All the others are pawns, but Shining Peacock is an ally? One with his own free will in my plans? Why is that I wonder..." Sun Snake continued after a moment. "So, presumably that means he would have a similar but separate agenda. So what if he decides to ruin you, without my efforts? Would that still be my fault? Would you not be to blame for not defending yourself against Peacock?"

Sun Snake then considered something more. "So you think I can have allies, not just manuipulate people behind the scenes to create all your woes. Interesting. I mean, if you truly believed that, and truly believe that everything I do is for your downfall..." Sun Snake's face begane mocking and unpleasant. "Let us say, hypothetically, that I wanted to ruin someone utterly. A fellow Kai. Imagine ruining that poor wretch's life, having him tortured, torn apart, but then allowing him one last little thread of hope. A new power from his torture, as strange at that would seem. And imagine if an ally of yours, I mean, of that poor wretch's... were to make that power stronger. I imagine that poor wretch would allow anything to happen, smugly thinking they had one small, powerful trick to play. One way to finally turn the tables. That wretch might let themselves be dragged in front of fellow countrymen, fellow Kai. Be shown not just as a worthless wretch, unskilled, but truly reviled by everyone....everyone....as an unwanted abomination. Every. Single. Person." Sun SNake looked deeply at Fall Lobster. "Imagine if, at that painful moment, all of a sudden their saviour...say, for want of a better example, Valador, came out from the shadows.... and stood side by side as an ally with me. I mean, as unlikely as that sounds, given he has only tried to ally himself with me every time we have spoken. But...imagine. Imagine that wretch suddenly realising there was no new power, no trick. Just the sweet, final pain of a false hope dashed. I wonder what that wretch would choose... would they let me win by continuing to live, a testiment to my complete victory? Or do you think they would finally beg to be obliterated by the Sommerswerd, and let me win that way? Hah, or perhaps they would have seem fleeting, final last gasps of desperation. That would be amusing. To be forced to swallow their smugness and pride and beg for Sabre Fox to remember his oath, and then be reminded it was all a smah to play you. Or to beg Swift Fox for the saving they...you... rebuked? And then be met with mockery. One last gasp before you turned to Rain Feather to show mercy and end your suffering, only to have her say no, when you realise it was not mercy that stopped her from destroying you before. It was to keep you alive to know utter dispair. Hypothetically, if I am the monster you think I am, I think I would enjoy that. Giving you false hope and tearing it down once it was too late for you to change anything. Can you imagine that though? I would have to be quite the soulless, dedicated manipulator to do that to you..."

Sun Snake gave a small, pleasant smile.

Poke poke poke...

"You know, Lobster, you remind me a lot of myself, before all of this happened.  Full of things better left unsaid, a mess of emotions and desires and everything.  Yet despite over everything you are currently, -I- still think you can be saved.  I'm not giving up on you because people never gave up on me, no matter what they learned about me.  So just stop trying to stir everybody up for the joy of it and either be quiet or help out where you can.  Because if we don't do anything, whoever gets hold of you next is almost certainly going to want to see how you were put together, so you might just have a stake in this, too."

Rain breaks her silence to add in her views.

"It's true that a lot of us don't trust a lot of the others.  But despite all of that, we have to come together and do what's best for the country- and for the world.  Because like it or not, these are enemies that only Kai can defeat.  We're needed, and despite however a lot of us felt about Lone Wolf, he was a symbol- something the Order could unify behind and follow.

But now, he's gone.  We knew that someday, this day would come, but none of us expected this to happen this soon.  That we'd have to figure out what to do without him.  It's going to come down to us taking charge, because of all the bad blood and mistrust everyone seems to have for everyone else.  Because no matter who we choose of the second generation, someone's going to have their nose tweaked about it and someone will be deathly insulted that their rival was chosen, and things will fragment even more, and eventually the Order will collapse because of stupid in-fighting.

Maybe this could have all been avoided had we just abolished the student/master system.  Maybe I wouldn't have become such a paranoid, half-psychotic shut-in if I'd had a chance to spend time with other Kai who might have encouraged me to reach out and show that I was just a normal Kai despite what people told me.  Maybe we'd all be more well-rounded Kai instead of having who knows how many groups and camps.  It's like they've forgotten one of the most important lessons- one that the lot of us learned through all of this: that strength comes from the people you surround yourself with instead of within only you- that our true loyalty is to the Order, then to ourselves.

So for now, let's stop poking each other like bored children on a wagon ride and figure out how we're going to save the Order, because the longer we keep poking at each other, the less time we're going to have to do it because tempers will have to cool and bruised feelings- and maybe faces and other things- will have to heal, and maybe time isn't the thing we have a whole lot of to do so.  Yes, there are bruised feelings.  Is now the time to air all the grievances we have with each other?  No, far from it.  Now's the time we come together as Kai and solve the problem, because that's why we're on this world- to solve these kinds of problems.

So let's all realize we need a plan to save the Order, and work on that, and lay off the poking each other and accept the fact that we can disagree with others but still come to their aid and all that.   So then, let's get to work: how do we save the Order from itself?"