Sansa. Of House Stark. [ she curtsies. in truth, she would best prefer a title. but kiryu will suffice. sansa lets her attention fall upon the blue he selects instead. she likes blue. it's a lovely shade. ]
Ah, then I'm speaking to a Lady? I feel under-dressed for the occasion.
[He'll even bow politely and respectfully to her. Her title won't save her from his teasing and sarcasm, but it'll at least save her from a good portion of it.]
[ perhaps she is most accurately titled lady stark, given her family's state. but she does not want to peel that title away from her mother no matter what has happened. ] And -- please -- do tell me if there is some term or...o-or title you would prefer.
[The request is interesting enough that Joshua seriously considers it. He very briefly toys with the idea of telling her "Lord." It's not like it'd be a lie, exactly, but he does come up with a more...amusing title.]
'Maestro' would be the closest to a title I could have here.
Let's not even go there with the whole...attack thing. [Even if he knows it's a very, very strong possibility. Still he just eyes Joshua for a moment, thinking of the best way to approach it.]
Let me ask you something. Can you live without a cell phone? ["Do you even know what a cell phone is?"]
[His eyebrows raise slightly before pulling out an orange cell phone that looks pretty dead.]
In some ways, yes, I could live without it. In other ways, not quite. I'd guess that technology of this sort doesn't work well, if at all, in this world?
[A knowing look.] It does at the Station, sorta. You can't call out to your world but things work there anyway. I've been able to power on my phone and laptop out there. Might be your best bet then if you're looking for places to run to.
[Tracking down Joshua was even harder than usual but eventually when Hiro's messenger finds the Composer there will be a small bag for him. Inside the bag is a copy of the movie "It's a Wonderful Life", a package of instant coffee mostly as a joke, but finally two smaller things. One is a photobook he figured out how to bind together himself (stitched up and everything) that's filled with HD photos of Shibuya that he printed from the Station. The other is a tiny dog keychain that looks strangely like Hachiko.
There's also a letter.
"Figured you'd appreciate the irony of the first two and the sentiment of the last two. A friend of mine told me that the best time to travel is in the spring.
Meet me at the Station in April. You know exactly what day I mean. Meet me there, and I'll make you real coffee. I promise.
[Stuffed in an envelope sealed with runes preventing anyone not Joshua from opening it is a letter. It's written in the boy's native language as well, just as a precaution.]
I was going to start this formally like a real letter. Y'know, like "Dear Joshua" or something…and then I remembered that this letter's for YOU of all people and that maybe the formality would just make you laugh yourself stupid.
Guess that'd be an improvement from everything else though.
It's…stupid. It's stupid that I'm a little scared that this letter's going to come back with a giant "RETURN TO SENDER" notice scrawled across the front and that maybe you were torn apart in the last attack at the Citadel. And don't lie to me and say you weren't there. I know better than that. Just please don't be dead.
Well. MORE dead.
…this would be so much easier if I could actually talk to you but I kinda don't have the necklace anymore. Um. It was taken from me? Not by one of your guys! And not by anybody who's gonna get really mad and turn us in or anything, I trust him. He did it so I wouldn't get busted but I never told him you have the other one. But, uh, just…don't try to use it? Please? That's seriously the last thing that needs to happen.
Whoo. Okay. I don't know how to really…I'm just gonna talk, okay? I'm gonna talk, you're gonna listen and then we're gonna burn this letter and pretend it never happened.
It's been a little over two months since the last time I saw you and the last time I talked to you. Things changed again. A lot of things changed again. The royal audience changed me. People have changed me. I changed me.
I'm not upgradable like a robot. I can't just swap out the parts I don't want and rewrite my own programming. I can't shut things down and disable pieces of myself like I want, but sometimes I wish I could. Sometimes I wish it were that easy because then this wouldn't be so confusing and I wouldn't have so many questions about this world.
Ugh. This is so dumb…
…first thing's first. Surprise! I'm grounded! It's the most basic way I can describe it. I'm benched. Shackled. On house arrest. People are tracking me and people have threatened to turn me into our monarchs if I don't stop. So I have. I haven't left Dorchadas for the last month except for one chaperoned field trip a few days ago. I've barely left the castle since then either. And in a way maybe that's for the best.
…I've thought a lot about what you said to me a while ago. What you said about how even if I'm not on the field I'm still making things that will make me inadvertently responsible for death and how I won't know how to make choices until I'm absolutely forced to face them. And it's true. I won't know. I've…made some mistakes. Wonderful mistakes, but mistakes.
Second thing. I told him. I told him everything and now we're dating, whatever that means. There are several other issues with that and I'm not divulging those to you since I'm PRETTY sure you'll just make fun of me (again) but…it's bad. I don't know how I'm supposed to keep people safe when it's two opposing goals. The natural cycle of rebirth versus saving the worlds.
Is anybody actually right? People say that each side is bad, and other people say that neutrality's the way to go but I don't know what I believe anymore.
But I can't tell anybody that. It's kind of funny, actually, because I've been here for over a year and I still don't really know what to do or how to save the world. Some superhero, huh? Can't even take care of himself.
I think…you may be the only person who really knows how messed up I am everything is. I'm used to fixing everything. I can't fix this. I'm trying but I've broken way too much to fix it easily. I don't know why I'm telling you this. Maybe because I tell you most things anyway. I know you get some kind of amusement out of it.
This isn't as liberating as it usually is. Maybe because we're not drinking tea or maybe because you're not talking back and I just have to keep rereading what I'm writing. Usually when we talk, I can never take back the things I say. If you're reading this…I trust you. It's kind of a big deal. Please don't make me regret that?
I never used to really believe in angels. Or gods. Or anything like that. Tadashi used to tell me that Mom and Dad were still with us and watching us from heaven and I'm not sure when I stopped really believing him. And people say that Tadashi's now watching me, too. I don't know about that either. I don't know if I want him to because this isn't what I would want him to see. But the point is that I'm not really expecting an answer from you. I've talked to empty space and people I can't see before.
Anyway it's in a rune-sealed envelope so nobody else can open it. If it falls into the wrong hands then it should still be safe and even if they break it, good luck reading something not written in Drabbish. Uh. If you got through all of that, sorry if anything's weird. My Japanese is a little rusty and I can't move my hands very well now.
Whatever. This was a stupid idea. You better be alive though or I'm going to be really, really mad.
Maybe I'll see you soon…every six months, right? We'll see.
[Joshua's response is on very feminine parchment and the language is in the more calligraphic version of their native language. Each character is precise and neat, despite the fact that his dominant hand is currently silver halfway up his arm to his shoulder. Thank God for telekinesis.
It must be said. Jason grounding Hiro is perhaps the kindest thing that could have happened. After all, if it had been Joshua? He wouldn't have grounded Hiro. That's being kind about the transgression. He would've made life hell for him.
As is being evidenced in this letter.
Also, when Hiro opens the envelope, the entire inside is full of glitter and will explode on him. The parchment also has a heavy, rosy fragrance to it.]
Dearest, Darlingest Hiro,
I'm as dead as I was on arriving in the Drabwurld. My shard is perfectly intact. Even better, actually, as I recently gained tutelage in activating it. Naturally, the major downside has been the silver sickness currently plaguing our ranks. I myself have not been spared from it, most regrettably.
Also, are you truly in a position to tell someone else not to do something? (⌒▽⌒)☆ [Yes, he did just doodle that.] Out of the utmost respect and affection I hold for you, I will not contact him.
Yet. ( ´∀｀)ノ～ ♥
If your heart was so easy to program, many things in life would become simpler. Less complex, more orderly, less emotional and more rational. But the heart isn't a thing that can be stopped from feeling so easily. You've had a lot happen to you in a very short time and it's only natural that you feel confusion and some helplessness over your future (even if you brought that on yourself). You're still reeling emotionally and that won't help you in sorting everything out. My suggestion is to do something for yourself that won't harm anyone. Something purely for fun until you can clear the immediate entanglement of emotions so that you can look at everything with a sharper image, a fresh pair of eyes.
Or just stew in your own emotional mire. Whichever you prefer, really. ┐(︶▽︶)┌
In fondest and deeply disappointed regards to your grounding: are you expecting me to be surprised? If you are, then I hope you know that I'm deeply offended and wounded. (￢_￢) However, it keeps you off the field of battle, and as such I should express my utmost joy that you are (somewhat) safe. ☆*:.｡.o(≧▽≦)o.｡.:*☆
Remember that mistakes can be learned from, if you wish to do so. The past is set in stone, but your future can change. Learn from your past or else you'll fall like Rome. Or perhaps Pompeii would be more appropriate. As an aside, please don't get yourself blown up or have a death by suffocation from ash experience, Hiro. It would cause me deep pain and sorrow. 。゜゜(´Ｏ｀)°゜。
Oh thank the STARS you told him by now and my heartfelt congratulations on gaining a partner! ヽ(>∀<☆)ノ As for keeping people safe...that's impossible, frankly. This is war. It means making tough decisions, and those decisions may impact the side the love of your life is fighting for. However, if you talk to him about what you did and he still has it in his heart to forgive you for those terrible things, then I believe your relationship will survive. Just remember to be cautious, Romeo, else fair Juliet will find herself mourning while someone else reaps the rewards of turning you in.
That is the nature of war. To be perfectly frank, there is no right answer, not now. Is neutrality the best option? Is one side or the other the true answer? Or are there other factors at work that we can't comprehend at the moment? Only you, Hiro, can find the answers to these questions, for they'll always change from person to person. Debate each argument, see each side of it, and gain truth from challenging your ideals and beliefs instead of running from someone who challenges them.
Even superheroes are faced with tough questions. It does not make them less heroic, but it does make them more human, more approachable. Someone people can relate to in some way instead of someone to put on a pedestal like some kind of god.
I'm flattered that you think so highly of me that you would lay all your woes on my table without fear of ridicule. (っ˘ω˘ς ) It eases an old soul such as mine.
In all seriousness, if you still trust me after all of this, then know that I do cherish it. After all, it's the driving force in my world, the most important thing to making people better than what they are. Not all problems can be solved by a single person or else we would never need friends and family throughout the rest of our lives. It's only by letting strangers in that we can find new ways to be ourselves.
If you're talking to people you can't see and it wasn't in the Drabwurld, then I would suggest you go find a therapist posthaste. (￣ ￣|||)
To reiterate: yes, I'm still alive and I hope you're still extremely happy for such a thing. ♥＼(￣▽￣)／♥
I do so look forward to our next visit.
With fondest wishes for your continued good health and general well-being, Y.J.K.
PS: Perhaps next time you shouldn't divulge important information two months later, hm? ( ￣ω￣)ノﾞ⌒☆ﾐ(o _ _)o
[He made a very, very grave mistake. Well, he made a few. The first was engaging with Joshua in the first place. The second was opening his letter on his bed in Caer Scima because there's glitter everywhere and he flails, accidentally firing a wind spell to make the whole thing worse.
There's glitter everywhere. Everything sucks. The letter smells like that one store Honey would sometimes drag Tadashi into and Hiro would tease him about.
And then…he reads the letter. Cheeks puffing up indignantly he narrows his eyes and grabs for a pen, furiously scribbling as fast as he can with silver, stiff fingers onto a new page for another letter.]
I cannot believe you. I'm dying. I'm choking on glitter and I'm going to die before my sixteenth birthday and it's going to be your fault. "Hiro Hamada, DOA. Cause of death: glitter asphyxiation."
That's a little bit of good news and bad news. Good you're still "fairy-alive" and bad that this thing's going viral more than I thought. And maybe I'm not, but seriously. You won't like what you find on the other end. TRUST ME.
And where did you even learn to draw these emotes?
Wouldn't simplicity help though? Wouldn't being more rational make everything easier to comprehend? …maybe that's what it is. Maybe I'm just…confused. About everything. I don't LIKE being confused. I never used to be confused but everything's happening too fast. I know, I know, live in the moment, but how can you really live in a moment if that moment flies by before you can blink? I don't really know what I can do for myself from inside the castle. I've been reading a lot and writing a lot…drawing a lot, too. I started filling up that sketchbook you got me. Just the best ones though. Can we even afford to have fun anymore?
Thanks for the kind words of advice. Asshole.
I wouldn't say it's a surprise, no, but you could at least humor me. And…it didn't exactly keep me off the field? But it will now. I'm done, I think. I can't keep doing this, not when I have bigger ideas. They understand I think though.
SERIOUSLY how do you know how to draw so many emotes? This isn't cute, dude.
Suffocation. [There's an arrow drawn up to point at "glitter asphyxiation."] You set me up. Also I don't know if you're serious or not. At least when I can see you I have a better chance of telling if you're being a jerk or not. Anyway…I'm learning from a lot of my mistakes, but there are some I'm willingly walking into because I don't believe they're mistakes. Other people do. Somebody told me not to worry about what people think, but I also kinda like staying alive. Complicated, huh?
…also too soon. No more talking about blowing up, okay? Too soon.
And AGAIN, still not sure if you're serious! But…thanks, I guess. I…haven't talked to him for a month either so I don't really know how much it counts. I haven't told him about what's happening here either. Morla threatened to take my shard because I might have asked what would happen if I was working with a Seelie on a task for Shuck. I'm not gonna die, but…he had briefly mentioned losing his own shard. I don't want that, either. Also he's not the love of my life, don't exaggerate. I just like him a lot. Happy? Maybe I'm worried about what's going to be the final straw before everybody on that side hates me, too. Also thank you for slating me as Romeo, I appreciate NOT being a girl.
Of course there are other factors, Joshua. The pieces just don't line up yet, that's what I don't understand. So what are you saying, start fighting back? That's kinda how I got grounded in the first place. I'm doing what I can to stand my ground but…I can't risk losing my friends either. Even if we don't agree on things. But I'll think about it.
Am I still a superhero here? Does that still count? Can I be a superhero if I'm not saving anybody? Those are the tough questions. I've been here for over a year and I'm still not really sure how I fit into this world. I have a job to do and I'm not getting any traction. I can't fight like everybody else either so does this make me more human or just too fragile? I'm not asking to be on a pedestal, but I don't want to be useless either.
Oh no, I still fear that. :| [There. There, take your stupid free emote, Joshua.] I've just learned how to ignore most of your ridicule. And…I do. I don't know why, but I do. Maybe because you've made me think about a lot of things. You don't tell me what to do. I don't think most of my friends trust me anymore. I don't think I can blame them. Maybe I'm still trying to figure out how to let people in instead of letting them in and then shoving them back out when I think I can handle things myself. But that's something for me to solve myself, I know.
That's not funny >O The Drabwurld doesn't have therapists anyway.
Yeah, yeah. Just STAY alive, okay? Then we'll talk.
…I hope that's sooner than later.
PS: Lesson learned. I'll update you a lot sooner next time….just NO MORE GLITTER. EVER.
[This letter, at least, comes with a more pleasant and light scent, like orchids. It's still feminine and calligraphic, though.]
At least you died fabulous.
Oh, it's most certainly viral. I've come to the conclusion that it's spread through physical contact, and possibly acts like an STI as well. Do realize that this mysterious person I totally don't know the name of may wish to contact me instead out of curiosity.
At home. (⌒▽⌒)☆ Didn't I mention I lived in Tokyo? 〣( ºΔº )〣 Shame on me if I didn't, but I could've sworn I had a scrapbook full of pictures of Shibuya, a lovely gift from a certain someone. (￣_￣)・・・
There's a balance between simplicity and complexity. Make it too simplistic and it may lose its meaning. Make it too complex and nobody will understand no matter how you try to explain it. You need to take a moment to relax and meditate. Let someone else do whatever it is that needs doing and play hooky for a bit. Having fun, laughing and joking, those are all things that are very important. To lose your ability to do that, to enjoy something purely for the sake of what it is, means that the war truly wins. Even soldiers took time to set their weapons down and have a nice time with a comedian or bard or have some time to joke around with each other. That's what forms camaraderie.
Most likely they all breathe huge sighs of relief that their favorite mechanic is no longer putting himself in danger of being gutted by a disgusting Seelie. ☆⌒(ゝ。∂)
Practice. __φ(．．) I thought that was obvious. ／(=･ x ･=)＼
No matter what decision you make, it will always be judged by someone else, whether they have a right to or not. They will judge your mistakes, your victories, your accomplishments, the people you consider friends, even the way you dress. They already have an opinion of you before you can even say, "Hello." However, these choices are yours to make and you are free to make them as you see fit. Just remember that for every action, there's an equal and opposite reaction. ∑d(ﾟ∀ﾟd)
I'm not even going to bother giving my thoughts on those actions with your High Queen. They've been said and done, and all that's left is to move forward while not making those same mistakes again. I would also remind you that you'll be hated by virtue of being Unseelie. What should matter most is whether those who care for you on this side will still feel that way when all is said and done, regardless of how things end. Lastly, I think it more a compliment to your boyfriend to label him as Juliet. She was the smart one, after all. 。.:☆*:･'(*⌒―⌒*)))
No. You question. You test. You examine. You clash with other people to see how your beliefs and ideals stand up against another person's. Those clashes, those insights into their own thoughts, are what bring about the truth. Just be careful on who you question and how you question them.
Everyone has the capability of being a hero. It doesn't matter if the gesture is small or large. A person saving another's life is considered a hero, yes. However, what about just being a friend to someone who's lonely? Isn't that heroic in its own way? Is it not heroic to have someone you can talk to freely about anything that comes to mind without fearing you'll be judged harshly for whatever it is? The little things can sometimes make the biggest difference.
Goodness, no, I wouldn't at all tell you what to do. I merely give suggestions. Your choices are your own and the consequences are also your own. It's what makes free will simultaneously invigorating and frustrating.
[That's better, at least. The smell's oddly endearing and at least he's not gagging this time.]
Can't I just die normally? I don't want a fabulous death and I don't want a death by this stupid silver thing. Also that's a really gross comparison but it's not entirely wrong, I guess. …do I want to know how YOU contracted it? And I realize it but he's a little busy right now and probably won't contact you.
Point taken. Just. No more. I can't take it anymore. My brain's slowly leaking out of my ears.
I've never been that great at meditating. That was always more Tadashi's department and you know that playing hooky was kinda what got me in trouble in the first place. Disappearing, doing whatever I wanted just for me? Those were Bad Ideas. It's always been like that though whether it was bot-fighting or ghost-hunting. There were things I wanted to do for different reasons and they were things people disapproved of. I get what you're saying, but I'm not even allowed to go back to the Station yet. Besides, most of my friends (friends?) have been too busy with everything else to take time, too. Like I said I got one supervised field trip that was just for fun but only for a day. It was nice though. I'll figure something out, even if it's just getting a good night's sleep for once.
Funny. Most likely they're glad to be able to redirect their attentions to the more important things instead of whether I'm going to get myself killed or not. There's…a lot going on. Big things. Bad things. I found out I was kind of a hinderance to the bigger picture and so I'm stopping that.
I know, I know. I know you're right and I know these are my choices. They just told me I'm not good at making the right choices and that I'm not good at putting my ideas together without risking my neck which maybe that's true. I know that for every action there's an opposite reaction, but this place makes it a lot harder to predict what that reaction's gonna be.
She's not nearly as scary as the High Queen, to be honest. They're both scary, but…there are important things they've both said that make sense. I can't tell you what they are in case this letter falls in the wrong hands, but believe me on that. And I'm moving forward but I'm still making those "mistakes" by continuing this thing with Juliet. Like I said, bad but wonderful mistakes. I don't know what his breaking point is (or yours, for that matter.) That's a great thing to say and I believe that, but that doesn't solve the fact that we don't know what it'll take before the people on that side stop feeling the same way they did before.
Also shut up. …but he IS really smart. And just…really good.
I think I need to go back to the start and revert back to what I was. Scientist first, then a hero. I need to go back to collecting the data and start asking more questions about the world instead of trying to bite into as much as I can. What happens if I question the wrong thing at the wrong time and lose everybody though? What about then, Joshua?
Considering the fact that I'm not entirely good at being a decent friend, I'm not gonna answer that. …a friend of mine wasn't able to help another friend of ours because he was too busy chasing after me when I made a stupid mistake. I've broken the trust in some of my friends. Other friends have disappeared. What's heroic about that? Tell me that. I know what you're saying and I appreciate the thought…but if you're framing it that way? I think you're more heroic than I am right now. You're the only one who really knows any of this. The negative stuff. You're the only one who really knows because I know you're not going to be mad I'm bringing it up.
And it's more like it's what makes LIFE simultaneously invigorating and frustrating. But your suggestions are kind of also appreciated. Really.
Until then, I guess.
PS: it's all over my sheets. And my hair. Never. Again.
Do not read this out loud. Do not share verbally without silencing wards or a way to ensure you won't be overheard. Burn after reading. Or eat it. I don't really care. Don't become a target.
The Cult of the Fox is rumored to be led by Reynard's daughter, Severine. That's who you meant, isn't it? The fiery-haired girl. Half-sylph. Did you know? Now you do. We don't know how many people are part of this Cult. ALWAYS watch your back.
Reynard wanted to raise a third court to defeat both of our own and used all means possible to do so. Killing people, kidnapping people, torturing people, etc. The third court's not possible anymore but that doesn't stop the Cult. They're still going strong and they still probably want to destroy all of us. They're probably the ones instigating so much of the anti-shardbearer sentiments that cropped up last summer. Nobody's safe.
Not magically. Not martially. Not mentally.
The Cult wears the masks made out of shards. Because of our shards we're able to recognize it and know on-sight so long as they're not using it to disguise themselves. Clever assholes. With the masks the Cultists can wear anybody's face and mimic anybody's voice and can shapeshift. SHAPESHIFT.
Here's the scary part. They're trained in ways that we're not. They know how to use ancient shardbearer arts we haven't yet. They can mind control us, erase and warp our memories, and who even knows what. We're all at the risk of being messed with and rendered totally useless and driven completely insane.
NATURAL OR TRAINED RESISTANCE TO THE ABILITIES THEIR SHARDS GIVE THEM DON'T HAVE AN EFFECT. REMEMBER THIS. PLEASE.
We don't know how many crimes the Cult's committed but we know of some. The Oracle's death was originally thought to be our fault (which it's NOT…) but knowing that the Cult can wear our faces it takes it off of us. Those hangings in Daonna, the beheading of natives, and obviously an attack on an Unseelie stronghold after they rescued one of the cultists from Cothromach (dude was posing as one of us. NOT COOL.)
These guys are posing as us. They're posing as shardbearers which doesn't help combat the fact the natives are NOT happy we're here. Some of the Cultists can probably manipulate people into believing they're shardbearers and the idea that they're capable of turning all of us against each other freaks me out. We've known for a while that there's something wrong with the fact that everybody's so focused on the war between the courts. It's the perfect chance for them to strike. Look at what happened to us recently.
We need to get stronger. All of us. We all need to get better and get stronger in other shard magic. THAT SAID, DON'T YOU DARE ACTIVATE YOUR SHARD AROUND A CULTIST. Outside interference from someone can pull both shard-using members out of the mind of someone else. Seriously. Don't do it.
If you can, find a way to identify yourself. Some people are getting tattoos or marking themselves in ways that are unique to them so we're not victims of bodysnatchers. Keep the marks hidden. Don't even know what it is so that others can identify it for you and your mind can't be raked for the info.
On top of Severine who's super dangerous, there's Martin Maskmaker. Shardbearer of a court that no longer exists. Name implies he made the shard masks that they're using against us. We don't have a lot of proof, but think about it.
In the meantime, keep your eyes open. Be suspicious of everything going on, especially anything that's going to point fingers super fast. That's exactly what they want.
Stay sharp.
End of June, post-Hiro's quest, rune-locked letter, written in Josh's native language
[Joshua's letter doesn't come as fast as the last conversation had. He's been tying up his own loose ends.]
Half-sylph I didn't know, but that's interesting.
Some of this I've already received information about. The information I didn't know about has explained a couple of things. These ancient teachings must have been lost to history for a reason, and may well have been skills acquired only through in person lessons, never written down.
We're forced to turn inward, but if we're careful, then we may be able to work within the rules shoved onto us. Perhaps we could even change those rules, given the right information and the right way of handling it. When you stop looking for the enemies outside of the ones you know, that's when you get the knife buried between your shoulder-blades.
Added suggestion to the markings: make it temporary. This way, it's a different mark every time and can change where it's located on your body. Either way, it's not total protection, but it's something we can all do in the meantime.
This requires investigation. It could be possible that there's someone with extraordinary talents using his name and he's actually dead in a ditch somewhere.
Hiro, whatever you do, don't be rash. You must be cautious if you're going to try investigating these people and helping put a stop to them. These people are more dangerous than any of our Monarchs, and I don't want to see you become a victim.
[This is...the first time Joshua's ever said something definitively protective to Hiro. Everything else has always read as off-handed, just like he normally is. This is different, though. The Cult changes things rather drastically.]
End of June, post-Hiro's quest, rune-locked letter, written in Josh's native language
I've known for a while. I didn't know you meant her until recently and then things got bad and then I received some inside info and now here we are. Half-sylph and fully dangerous.
You really don't think they were written somewhere? They have to be. There has to be record somehow but...I mean the Drabkeeper's library burned. Other places and people have been destroyed. Someone's gotta have information stored somewhere else, don't these guys believe in back-ups?
So what exactly are you suggesting, that we work among ourselves but keep an eye out for ways to work around the restrictions? Isn't that what we're already doing? I'm done being blindsided, I'm always going to look out now.
And I don't like the idea of making it temporary, personally. What if it disappears when you need it most? What if your friends don't recognize it either because it changes too much? It's not total protection but it's our best bet for now.
"This requires investigation?" And you're telling ME not to be rash? If I'm not allowed to act on my own, neither are you! Any of you! I'm being perfectly cautious and...look. I'll be fine. You're the one with the crazy angel powers and everything. I think you're more likely to be a target than I am. I'm just...me.
So seriously. Wanna talk about not being rash? You've gotta be more calculative than ever.
A shame our lockets can only text people via dictation. Otherwise, it'd be a simpler matter to get this information circulating through my side as well. Though...I do have connections who may be able to help with that.
Consider it like this, Hiro. Shardbearers once were able to wield great and terrible power, using that power for good or ill or however it suited them best. What if that information was lost on purpose to the world at large? The Drabkeeper would've been the only one who had that information, no matter what, but what if he didn't keep copies of those particular books out for the public to read?
Calm yourself before you let your emotions do the blinding. The Monarchs keeping us from working together is still a major problem. We still need to work within those restrictions they've placed on us, and that's by not openly working with each other.
Except that the more people who know about your mark, the less secure it will be. As it gets fainter, you get a different mark in a different place. The thing with the mark is that it's something not in your memory. You've never seen it before or if you have, then you only have a vague impression of what it might be. A third party looking at the two of you will immediately notice that there's a detailed mark on a visible part of your body, but not on the fake's. The mark is only for the benefit of that select few people you trust, and it can't be a huge circle. Otherwise, you run a higher risk of the copycat knowing about it as well.
You overestimate my power in this world, though I'm flattered by the sentiment. I'm not nearly as powerful in this current form, this Realground version of myself. Powerful yes, but still relatively weak. Also, I've taken care to not show the full extent of my abilities in this world. You've only seen a brief glimpse of what my "crazy angel powers" can do.
You're just you and you willfully would walk into traffic if you saw something you liked on the other side of the road. Regardless, I said nothing about you being allowed to investigate or not. Merely, I asked you to be cautious as you run headlong into the street.
[Joshua's locket will chime but when he looks at the message there isn't a name attached to it (thank you, magic, for being able to tap into the Seelie network and block out names.) He doesn't know if Joshua has a compass, but he knows he has an Ariadne-necklace. That's good enough for him, and he has to make sure this isn't ignored.
The important thing here is the message. There are no words, but instead it's just an attachment of another message. This current message comes from a mystery network and if he tries to follow it back, it'll lead him to an error. Watch and learn, J.]
[There's a soft sound of rustling, like Joshua's making himself comfortable.]
As you probably know by now, activating shards requires some kind of memory or feeling of your home world. Any memory or emotion will do, as long as it's strong. The next level above the activation step requires a more specific memory in order to affect the world around you. The step above this level of shard magic, I don't yet know, but I would imagine it gets more complicated and specific the higher you go.
However, there are some things that I've come to conclude about shards. They have an intimate connection not only to us, but to the world we come from. They're tied to that world so strongly, that no distance can sever it. However, what if you died? What happens to that connection between your shard and your home world? It's a guess on my part, as I have no sufficient proof, but I believe that the world suffers an incredible amount of damage for losing a shard that's connected to it. If that's true, then it's not so far of a stretch to conclude that when all of the shards connected to that world are lost or in some way have their connection severed, then the world dies and ceases to be.
In that case, our shards are far more precious and powerful than anyone can truly conceive. Rather fascinating, isn't it?
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
action.
Sansa. Of House Stark. [ she curtsies. in truth, she would best prefer a title. but kiryu will suffice. sansa lets her attention fall upon the blue he selects instead. she likes blue. it's a lovely shade. ]
And of the Cothromach as well, of late.
action.
[He'll even bow politely and respectfully to her. Her title won't save her from his teasing and sarcasm, but it'll at least save her from a good portion of it.]
Do you prefer Lady Stark or Lady Sansa?
action.
[ perhaps she is most accurately titled lady stark, given her family's state. but she does not want to peel that title away from her mother no matter what has happened. ] And -- please -- do tell me if there is some term or...o-or title you would prefer.
action.
'Maestro' would be the closest to a title I could have here.
['Maestro Kiryu' does have a nice ring to it.]
action.
[ she queries -- her head tilted -- and surely she must have misheard him? ]
action.
action.
action.
action.
action.
action.
action.
action.
action.
action;
Let's not even go there with the whole...attack thing. [Even if he knows it's a very, very strong possibility. Still he just eyes Joshua for a moment, thinking of the best way to approach it.]
Let me ask you something. Can you live without a cell phone? ["Do you even know what a cell phone is?"]
action;
In some ways, yes, I could live without it. In other ways, not quite. I'd guess that technology of this sort doesn't work well, if at all, in this world?
action;
action;
[But otherwise not very useful for Joshua. Sigh. He pockets his phone.]
A shame it looks like I'll have to get used to carrying around a paperweight. Carrying out my life in the Station doesn't sound terribly appealing.
action;
Besides, you don't look like the type to actually sleep outside.
action;
action;
action;
action;
action;
action;
action;
action;
action;
action;
action;
action;
action;
action;
action;
action;
action;
action;
action;
action;
action;
action;
action;
action;
action;
action;
Sometime around Yule 2701, no reply necessary
There's also a letter.
"Figured you'd appreciate the irony of the first two and the sentiment of the last two. A friend of mine told me that the best time to travel is in the spring.
Meet me at the Station in April. You know exactly what day I mean. Meet me there, and I'll make you real coffee. I promise.
I think we have a lot to talk about..."]
6/10, rune-sealed letter
I was going to start this formally like a real letter. Y'know, like "Dear Joshua" or something…and then I remembered that this letter's for YOU of all people and that maybe the formality would just make you laugh yourself stupid.
Guess that'd be an improvement from everything else though.
It's…stupid. It's stupid that I'm a little scared that this letter's going to come back with a giant "RETURN TO SENDER" notice scrawled across the front and that maybe you were torn apart in the last attack at the Citadel. And don't lie to me and say you weren't there. I know better than that. Just please don't be dead.
Well. MORE dead.
…this would be so much easier if I could actually talk to you but I kinda don't have the necklace anymore. Um. It was taken from me? Not by one of your guys! And not by anybody who's gonna get really mad and turn us in or anything, I trust him. He did it so I wouldn't get busted but I never told him you have the other one. But, uh, just…don't try to use it? Please? That's seriously the last thing that needs to happen.
Whoo. Okay. I don't know how to really…I'm just gonna talk, okay? I'm gonna talk, you're gonna listen and then we're gonna burn this letter and pretend it never happened.
It's been a little over two months since the last time I saw you and the last time I talked to you. Things changed again. A lot of things changed again. The royal audience changed me. People have changed me. I changed me.
I'm not upgradable like a robot. I can't just swap out the parts I don't want and rewrite my own programming. I can't shut things down and disable pieces of myself like I want, but sometimes I wish I could. Sometimes I wish it were that easy because then this wouldn't be so confusing and I wouldn't have so many questions about this world.
Ugh. This is so dumb…
…first thing's first. Surprise! I'm grounded! It's the most basic way I can describe it. I'm benched. Shackled. On house arrest. People are tracking me and people have threatened to turn me into our monarchs if I don't stop. So I have. I haven't left Dorchadas for the last month except for one chaperoned field trip a few days ago. I've barely left the castle since then either. And in a way maybe that's for the best.
…I've thought a lot about what you said to me a while ago. What you said about how even if I'm not on the field I'm still making things that will make me inadvertently responsible for death and how I won't know how to make choices until I'm absolutely forced to face them. And it's true. I won't know. I've…made some mistakes. Wonderful mistakes, but mistakes.
Second thing. I told him. I told him everything and now we're dating, whatever that means. There are several other issues with that and I'm not divulging those to you since I'm PRETTY sure you'll just make fun of me (again) but…it's bad. I don't know how I'm supposed to keep people safe when it's two opposing goals. The natural cycle of rebirth versus saving the worlds.
Is anybody actually right? People say that each side is bad, and other people say that neutrality's the way to go but I don't know what I believe anymore.
But I can't tell anybody that. It's kind of funny, actually, because I've been here for over a year and I still don't really know what to do or how to save the world. Some superhero, huh? Can't even take care of himself.
I think…you may be the only person who really knows how messed up
I ameverything is. I'm used to fixing everything. I can't fix this. I'm trying but I've broken way too much to fix it easily. I don't know why I'm telling you this. Maybe because I tell you most things anyway. I know you get some kind of amusement out of it.This isn't as liberating as it usually is. Maybe because we're not drinking tea or maybe because you're not talking back and I just have to keep rereading what I'm writing. Usually when we talk, I can never take back the things I say. If you're reading this…I trust you. It's kind of a big deal. Please don't make me regret that?
I never used to really believe in angels. Or gods. Or anything like that. Tadashi used to tell me that Mom and Dad were still with us and watching us from heaven and I'm not sure when I stopped really believing him. And people say that Tadashi's now watching me, too. I don't know about that either.
I don't know if I want him to because this isn't what I would want him to see.But the point is that I'm not really expecting an answer from you. I've talked to empty space and people I can't see before.Anyway it's in a rune-sealed envelope so nobody else can open it. If it falls into the wrong hands then it should still be safe and even if they break it, good luck reading something not written in Drabbish. Uh. If you got through all of that, sorry if anything's weird. My Japanese is a little rusty and I can't move my hands very well now.
Whatever. This was a stupid idea. You better be alive though or I'm going to be really, really mad.
Maybe I'll see you soon…every six months, right? We'll see.
-H. H.
6/10, rune-sealed letter
It must be said. Jason grounding Hiro is perhaps the kindest thing that could have happened. After all, if it had been Joshua? He wouldn't have grounded Hiro. That's being kind about the transgression. He would've made life hell for him.
As is being evidenced in this letter.
Also, when Hiro opens the envelope, the entire inside is full of glitter and will explode on him. The parchment also has a heavy, rosy fragrance to it.]
Dearest, Darlingest Hiro,
I'm as dead as I was on arriving in the Drabwurld. My shard is perfectly intact. Even better, actually, as I recently gained tutelage in activating it. Naturally, the major downside has been the silver sickness currently plaguing our ranks. I myself have not been spared from it, most regrettably.
Also, are you truly in a position to tell someone else not to do something? (⌒▽⌒)☆ [Yes, he did just doodle that.] Out of the utmost respect and affection I hold for you, I will not contact him.
Yet. ( ´∀｀)ノ～ ♥
If your heart was so easy to program, many things in life would become simpler. Less complex, more orderly, less emotional and more rational. But the heart isn't a thing that can be stopped from feeling so easily. You've had a lot happen to you in a very short time and it's only natural that you feel confusion and some helplessness over your future (even if you brought that on yourself). You're still reeling emotionally and that won't help you in sorting everything out. My suggestion is to do something for yourself that won't harm anyone. Something purely for fun until you can clear the immediate entanglement of emotions so that you can look at everything with a sharper image, a fresh pair of eyes.
Or just stew in your own emotional mire. Whichever you prefer, really. ┐(︶▽︶)┌
In fondest and deeply disappointed regards to your grounding: are you expecting me to be surprised? If you are, then I hope you know that I'm deeply offended and wounded. (￢_￢) However, it keeps you off the field of battle, and as such I should express my utmost joy that you are (somewhat) safe. ☆*:.｡.o(≧▽≦)o.｡.:*☆
Remember that mistakes can be learned from, if you wish to do so. The past is set in stone, but your future can change. Learn from your past or else you'll fall like Rome. Or perhaps Pompeii would be more appropriate. As an aside, please don't get yourself blown up or have a death by suffocation from ash experience, Hiro. It would cause me deep pain and sorrow. 。゜゜(´Ｏ｀)°゜。
Oh thank the STARS you told him by now and my heartfelt congratulations on gaining a partner! ヽ(>∀<☆)ノ As for keeping people safe...that's impossible, frankly. This is war. It means making tough decisions, and those decisions may impact the side the love of your life is fighting for. However, if you talk to him about what you did and he still has it in his heart to forgive you for those terrible things, then I believe your relationship will survive. Just remember to be cautious, Romeo, else fair Juliet will find herself mourning while someone else reaps the rewards of turning you in.
That is the nature of war. To be perfectly frank, there is no right answer, not now. Is neutrality the best option? Is one side or the other the true answer? Or are there other factors at work that we can't comprehend at the moment? Only you, Hiro, can find the answers to these questions, for they'll always change from person to person. Debate each argument, see each side of it, and gain truth from challenging your ideals and beliefs instead of running from someone who challenges them.
Even superheroes are faced with tough questions. It does not make them less heroic, but it does make them more human, more approachable. Someone people can relate to in some way instead of someone to put on a pedestal like some kind of god.
I'm flattered that you think so highly of me that you would lay all your woes on my table without fear of ridicule. (っ˘ω˘ς ) It eases an old soul such as mine.
In all seriousness, if you still trust me after all of this, then know that I do cherish it. After all, it's the driving force in my world, the most important thing to making people better than what they are. Not all problems can be solved by a single person or else we would never need friends and family throughout the rest of our lives. It's only by letting strangers in that we can find new ways to be ourselves.
If you're talking to people you can't see and it wasn't in the Drabwurld, then I would suggest you go find a therapist posthaste.
(￣ ￣|||)
To reiterate: yes, I'm still alive and I hope you're still extremely happy for such a thing. ♥＼(￣▽￣)／♥
I do so look forward to our next visit.
With fondest wishes for your continued good health and general well-being,
Y.J.K.
PS: Perhaps next time you shouldn't divulge important information two months later, hm? ( ￣ω￣)ノﾞ⌒☆ﾐ(o _ _)o
6/10, rune-sealed letter
There's glitter everywhere. Everything sucks. The letter smells like that one store Honey would sometimes drag Tadashi into and Hiro would tease him about.
And then…he reads the letter. Cheeks puffing up indignantly he narrows his eyes and grabs for a pen, furiously scribbling as fast as he can with silver, stiff fingers onto a new page for another letter.]
I cannot believe you. I'm dying. I'm choking on glitter and I'm going to die before my sixteenth birthday and it's going to be your fault. "Hiro Hamada, DOA. Cause of death: glitter asphyxiation."
That's a little bit of good news and bad news. Good you're still "fairy-alive" and bad that this thing's going viral more than I thought. And maybe I'm not, but seriously. You won't like what you find on the other end. TRUST ME.
And where did you even learn to draw these emotes?
Wouldn't simplicity help though? Wouldn't being more rational make everything easier to comprehend? …maybe that's what it is. Maybe I'm just…confused. About everything. I don't LIKE being confused. I never used to be confused but everything's happening too fast. I know, I know, live in the moment, but how can you really live in a moment if that moment flies by before you can blink? I don't really know what I can do for myself from inside the castle. I've been reading a lot and writing a lot…drawing a lot, too. I started filling up that sketchbook you got me. Just the best ones though. Can we even afford to have fun anymore?
Thanks for the kind words of advice. Asshole.
I wouldn't say it's a surprise, no, but you could at least humor me. And…it didn't exactly keep me off the field? But it will now. I'm done, I think. I can't keep doing this, not when I have bigger ideas. They understand I think though.
SERIOUSLY how do you know how to draw so many emotes? This isn't cute, dude.
Suffocation. [There's an arrow drawn up to point at "glitter asphyxiation."] You set me up. Also I don't know if you're serious or not. At least when I can see you I have a better chance of telling if you're being a jerk or not. Anyway…I'm learning from a lot of my mistakes, but there are some I'm willingly walking into because I don't believe they're mistakes. Other people do. Somebody told me not to worry about what people think, but I also kinda like staying alive. Complicated, huh?
…also too soon. No more talking about blowing up, okay? Too soon.
And AGAIN, still not sure if you're serious! But…thanks, I guess. I…haven't talked to him for a month either so I don't really know how much it counts. I haven't told him about what's happening here either. Morla threatened to take my shard because I might have asked what would happen if I was working with a Seelie on a task for Shuck. I'm not gonna die, but…he had briefly mentioned losing his own shard. I don't want that, either. Also he's not the love of my life, don't exaggerate. I just like him a lot. Happy? Maybe I'm worried about what's going to be the final straw before everybody on that side hates me, too. Also thank you for slating me as Romeo, I appreciate NOT being a girl.
Of course there are other factors, Joshua. The pieces just don't line up yet, that's what I don't understand. So what are you saying, start fighting back? That's kinda how I got grounded in the first place. I'm doing what I can to stand my ground but…I can't risk losing my friends either. Even if we don't agree on things. But I'll think about it.
Am I still a superhero here? Does that still count? Can I be a superhero if I'm not saving anybody? Those are the tough questions. I've been here for over a year and I'm still not really sure how I fit into this world. I have a job to do and I'm not getting any traction. I can't fight like everybody else either so does this make me more human or just too fragile? I'm not asking to be on a pedestal, but I don't want to be useless either.
Oh no, I still fear that. :| [There. There, take your stupid free emote, Joshua.] I've just learned how to ignore most of your ridicule. And…I do. I don't know why, but I do. Maybe because you've made me think about a lot of things. You don't tell me what to do. I don't think most of my friends trust me anymore. I don't think I can blame them. Maybe I'm still trying to figure out how to let people in instead of letting them in and then shoving them back out when I think I can handle things myself. But that's something for me to solve myself, I know.
That's not funny >O
The Drabwurld doesn't have therapists anyway.Yeah, yeah. Just STAY alive, okay? Then we'll talk.
…I hope that's sooner than later.
PS: Lesson learned. I'll update you a lot sooner next time….just NO MORE GLITTER. EVER.
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At least you died fabulous.
Oh, it's most certainly viral. I've come to the conclusion that it's spread through physical contact, and possibly acts like an STI as well. Do realize that this mysterious person I totally don't know the name of may wish to contact me instead out of curiosity.
At home. (⌒▽⌒)☆ Didn't I mention I lived in Tokyo? 〣( ºΔº )〣 Shame on me if I didn't, but I could've sworn I had a scrapbook full of pictures of Shibuya, a lovely gift from a certain someone. (￣_￣)・・・
There's a balance between simplicity and complexity. Make it too simplistic and it may lose its meaning. Make it too complex and nobody will understand no matter how you try to explain it. You need to take a moment to relax and meditate. Let someone else do whatever it is that needs doing and play hooky for a bit. Having fun, laughing and joking, those are all things that are very important. To lose your ability to do that, to enjoy something purely for the sake of what it is, means that the war truly wins. Even soldiers took time to set their weapons down and have a nice time with a comedian or bard or have some time to joke around with each other. That's what forms camaraderie.
Most likely they all breathe huge sighs of relief that their favorite mechanic is no longer putting himself in danger of being gutted by a disgusting Seelie. ☆⌒(ゝ。∂)
Practice. __φ(．．) I thought that was obvious. ／(=･ x ･=)＼
No matter what decision you make, it will always be judged by someone else, whether they have a right to or not. They will judge your mistakes, your victories, your accomplishments, the people you consider friends, even the way you dress. They already have an opinion of you before you can even say, "Hello." However, these choices are yours to make and you are free to make them as you see fit. Just remember that for every action, there's an equal and opposite reaction. ∑d(ﾟ∀ﾟd)
I'm not even going to bother giving my thoughts on those actions with your High Queen. They've been said and done, and all that's left is to move forward while not making those same mistakes again. I would also remind you that you'll be hated by virtue of being Unseelie. What should matter most is whether those who care for you on this side will still feel that way when all is said and done, regardless of how things end. Lastly, I think it more a compliment to your boyfriend to label him as Juliet. She was the smart one, after all. 。.:☆*:･'(*⌒―⌒*)))
No. You question. You test. You examine. You clash with other people to see how your beliefs and ideals stand up against another person's. Those clashes, those insights into their own thoughts, are what bring about the truth. Just be careful on who you question and how you question them.
Everyone has the capability of being a hero. It doesn't matter if the gesture is small or large. A person saving another's life is considered a hero, yes. However, what about just being a friend to someone who's lonely? Isn't that heroic in its own way? Is it not heroic to have someone you can talk to freely about anything that comes to mind without fearing you'll be judged harshly for whatever it is? The little things can sometimes make the biggest difference.
Goodness, no, I wouldn't at all tell you what to do. I merely give suggestions. Your choices are your own and the consequences are also your own. It's what makes free will simultaneously invigorating and frustrating.
I suppose I don't really have much room to talk.
Your wish is my command.
PS: What glitter? ┬┴┬┴┤(･_├┬┴┬┴
6/10, rune-sealed letter
Can't I just die normally? I don't want a fabulous death and I don't want a death by this stupid silver thing. Also that's a really gross comparison but it's not entirely wrong, I guess. …do I want to know how YOU contracted it? And I realize it but he's a little busy right now and probably won't contact you.
Point taken. Just. No more. I can't take it anymore. My brain's slowly leaking out of my ears.
I've never been that great at meditating. That was always more Tadashi's department and you know that playing hooky was kinda what got me in trouble in the first place. Disappearing, doing whatever I wanted just for me? Those were Bad Ideas. It's always been like that though whether it was bot-fighting or ghost-hunting. There were things I wanted to do for different reasons and they were things people disapproved of. I get what you're saying, but I'm not even allowed to go back to the Station yet. Besides, most of my friends (friends?) have been too busy with everything else to take time, too. Like I said I got one supervised field trip that was just for fun but only for a day. It was nice though. I'll figure something out, even if it's just getting a good night's sleep for once.
Funny. Most likely they're glad to be able to redirect their attentions to the more important things instead of whether I'm going to get myself killed or not. There's…a lot going on. Big things. Bad things. I found out I was kind of a hinderance to the bigger picture and so I'm stopping that.
I know, I know. I know you're right and I know these are my choices. They just told me I'm not good at making the right choices and that I'm not good at putting my ideas together without risking my neck which maybe that's true. I know that for every action there's an opposite reaction, but this place makes it a lot harder to predict what that reaction's gonna be.
She's not nearly as scary as the High Queen, to be honest. They're both scary, but…there are important things they've both said that make sense. I can't tell you what they are in case this letter falls in the wrong hands, but believe me on that. And I'm moving forward but I'm still making those "mistakes" by continuing this thing with Juliet. Like I said, bad but wonderful mistakes. I don't know what his breaking point is (or yours, for that matter.) That's a great thing to say and I believe that, but that doesn't solve the fact that we don't know what it'll take before the people on that side stop feeling the same way they did before.
Also shut up. …but he IS really smart. And just…really good.
I think I need to go back to the start and revert back to what I was. Scientist first, then a hero. I need to go back to collecting the data and start asking more questions about the world instead of trying to bite into as much as I can. What happens if I question the wrong thing at the wrong time and lose everybody though? What about then, Joshua?
Considering the fact that I'm not entirely good at being a decent friend, I'm not gonna answer that. …a friend of mine wasn't able to help another friend of ours because he was too busy chasing after me when I made a stupid mistake. I've broken the trust in some of my friends. Other friends have disappeared. What's heroic about that? Tell me that. I know what you're saying and I appreciate the thought…but if you're framing it that way? I think you're more heroic than I am right now. You're the only one who really knows any of this. The negative stuff. You're the only one who really knows because I know you're not going to be mad I'm bringing it up.
And it's more like it's what makes LIFE simultaneously invigorating and frustrating. But your suggestions are kind of also appreciated. Really.
Until then, I guess.
PS: it's all over my sheets. And my hair. Never. Again.
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End of June, post-Hiro's quest, rune-locked letter, written in Josh's native language
Do not share verbally without silencing wards or a way to ensure you won't be overheard.
Burn after reading. Or eat it. I don't really care.
Don't become a target.
The Cult of the Fox is rumored to be led by Reynard's daughter, Severine. That's who you meant, isn't it? The fiery-haired girl. Half-sylph. Did you know? Now you do. We don't know how many people are part of this Cult. ALWAYS watch your back.
Reynard wanted to raise a third court to defeat both of our own and used all means possible to do so. Killing people, kidnapping people, torturing people, etc. The third court's not possible anymore but that doesn't stop the Cult. They're still going strong and they still probably want to destroy all of us. They're probably the ones instigating so much of the anti-shardbearer sentiments that cropped up last summer. Nobody's safe.
Not magically. Not martially. Not mentally.
The Cult wears the masks made out of shards. Because of our shards we're able to recognize it and know on-sight so long as they're not using it to disguise themselves. Clever assholes. With the masks the Cultists can wear anybody's face and mimic anybody's voice and can shapeshift. SHAPESHIFT.
Here's the scary part. They're trained in ways that we're not. They know how to use ancient shardbearer arts we haven't yet. They can mind control us, erase and warp our memories, and who even knows what. We're all at the risk of being messed with and rendered totally useless and driven completely insane.
NATURAL OR TRAINED RESISTANCE TO THE ABILITIES THEIR SHARDS GIVE THEM DON'T HAVE AN EFFECT. REMEMBER THIS. PLEASE.
We don't know how many crimes the Cult's committed but we know of some. The Oracle's death was originally thought to be our fault (which it's NOT…) but knowing that the Cult can wear our faces it takes it off of us. Those hangings in Daonna, the beheading of natives, and obviously an attack on an Unseelie stronghold after they rescued one of the cultists from Cothromach (dude was posing as one of us. NOT COOL.)
These guys are posing as us. They're posing as shardbearers which doesn't help combat the fact the natives are NOT happy we're here. Some of the Cultists can probably manipulate people into believing they're shardbearers and the idea that they're capable of turning all of us against each other freaks me out. We've known for a while that there's something wrong with the fact that everybody's so focused on the war between the courts. It's the perfect chance for them to strike. Look at what happened to us recently.
We need to get stronger. All of us. We all need to get better and get stronger in other shard magic. THAT SAID, DON'T YOU DARE ACTIVATE YOUR SHARD AROUND A CULTIST. Outside interference from someone can pull both shard-using members out of the mind of someone else. Seriously. Don't do it.
If you can, find a way to identify yourself. Some people are getting tattoos or marking themselves in ways that are unique to them so we're not victims of bodysnatchers. Keep the marks hidden. Don't even know what it is so that others can identify it for you and your mind can't be raked for the info.
On top of Severine who's super dangerous, there's Martin Maskmaker. Shardbearer of a court that no longer exists. Name implies he made the shard masks that they're using against us. We don't have a lot of proof, but think about it.
In the meantime, keep your eyes open. Be suspicious of everything going on, especially anything that's going to point fingers super fast. That's exactly what they want.
Stay sharp.
End of June, post-Hiro's quest, rune-locked letter, written in Josh's native language
Half-sylph I didn't know, but that's interesting.
Some of this I've already received information about. The information I didn't know about has explained a couple of things. These ancient teachings must have been lost to history for a reason, and may well have been skills acquired only through in person lessons, never written down.
We're forced to turn inward, but if we're careful, then we may be able to work within the rules shoved onto us. Perhaps we could even change those rules, given the right information and the right way of handling it. When you stop looking for the enemies outside of the ones you know, that's when you get the knife buried between your shoulder-blades.
Added suggestion to the markings: make it temporary. This way, it's a different mark every time and can change where it's located on your body. Either way, it's not total protection, but it's something we can all do in the meantime.
This requires investigation. It could be possible that there's someone with extraordinary talents using his name and he's actually dead in a ditch somewhere.
Hiro, whatever you do, don't be rash. You must be cautious if you're going to try investigating these people and helping put a stop to them. These people are more dangerous than any of our Monarchs, and I don't want to see you become a victim.
[This is...the first time Joshua's ever said something definitively protective to Hiro. Everything else has always read as off-handed, just like he normally is. This is different, though. The Cult changes things rather drastically.]
End of June, post-Hiro's quest, rune-locked letter, written in Josh's native language
You really don't think they were written somewhere? They have to be. There has to be record somehow but...I mean the Drabkeeper's library burned. Other places and people have been destroyed. Someone's gotta have information stored somewhere else, don't these guys believe in back-ups?
So what exactly are you suggesting, that we work among ourselves but keep an eye out for ways to work around the restrictions? Isn't that what we're already doing? I'm done being blindsided, I'm always going to look out now.
And I don't like the idea of making it temporary, personally. What if it disappears when you need it most? What if your friends don't recognize it either because it changes too much? It's not total protection but it's our best bet for now.
"This requires investigation?" And you're telling ME not to be rash? If I'm not allowed to act on my own, neither are you! Any of you! I'm being perfectly cautious and...look. I'll be fine. You're the one with the crazy angel powers and everything. I think you're more likely to be a target than I am. I'm just...me.
So seriously. Wanna talk about not being rash? You've gotta be more calculative than ever.
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Consider it like this, Hiro. Shardbearers once were able to wield great and terrible power, using that power for good or ill or however it suited them best. What if that information was lost on purpose to the world at large? The Drabkeeper would've been the only one who had that information, no matter what, but what if he didn't keep copies of those particular books out for the public to read?
Calm yourself before you let your emotions do the blinding. The Monarchs keeping us from working together is still a major problem. We still need to work within those restrictions they've placed on us, and that's by not openly working with each other.
Except that the more people who know about your mark, the less secure it will be. As it gets fainter, you get a different mark in a different place. The thing with the mark is that it's something not in your memory. You've never seen it before or if you have, then you only have a vague impression of what it might be. A third party looking at the two of you will immediately notice that there's a detailed mark on a visible part of your body, but not on the fake's. The mark is only for the benefit of that select few people you trust, and it can't be a huge circle. Otherwise, you run a higher risk of the copycat knowing about it as well.
You overestimate my power in this world, though I'm flattered by the sentiment. I'm not nearly as powerful in this current form, this Realground version of myself. Powerful yes, but still relatively weak. Also, I've taken care to not show the full extent of my abilities in this world. You've only seen a brief glimpse of what my "crazy angel powers" can do.
You're just you and you willfully would walk into traffic if you saw something you liked on the other side of the road. Regardless, I said nothing about you being allowed to investigate or not. Merely, I asked you to be cautious as you run headlong into the street.
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9/4, text, ???-network
The important thing here is the message. There are no words, but instead it's just an attachment of another message. This current message comes from a mystery network and if he tries to follow it back, it'll lead him to an error. Watch and learn, J.]
voice.
voice.
voice.
[ Assuming he even knows anything besides the usual, that is. This was a wild guess. ]
voice.
[There's a soft sound of rustling, like Joshua's making himself comfortable.]
As you probably know by now, activating shards requires some kind of memory or feeling of your home world. Any memory or emotion will do, as long as it's strong. The next level above the activation step requires a more specific memory in order to affect the world around you. The step above this level of shard magic, I don't yet know, but I would imagine it gets more complicated and specific the higher you go.
However, there are some things that I've come to conclude about shards. They have an intimate connection not only to us, but to the world we come from. They're tied to that world so strongly, that no distance can sever it. However, what if you died? What happens to that connection between your shard and your home world? It's a guess on my part, as I have no sufficient proof, but I believe that the world suffers an incredible amount of damage for losing a shard that's connected to it. If that's true, then it's not so far of a stretch to conclude that when all of the shards connected to that world are lost or in some way have their connection severed, then the world dies and ceases to be.
In that case, our shards are far more precious and powerful than anyone can truly conceive. Rather fascinating, isn't it?
voice.
voice.
voice.