hadriel | seven ☠ voice/text

Well... seems like there's a few of you who are ready to sell us out.

[His voice is soft- not really angry, but there's a sinister lilt to it.]

And here I thought we were all growing to be one big, happy family. I can't say I'm fond of the necessity of weeding out spies in our city, but... listen, we're all in a flurry about this. We need to do something, and everyone wants a say in how we're supposed to move forward from here.

[Which has been a headache and a half for all of the gods. Sure, they get along in the grand scheme of things, but there's definitely a little clash of ideals going on, and frankly, Fear is tired of the arguing.]

So what I thought we'd do is to have you vote on who's in charge here. Who takes action and comes up with a game plan on how we're going to suss out what the Null are planning. Obviously, Sorrow wants to be our fearless leader, but his methods are a little... direct. Delight and Rage would probably have a little murder mystery party when they get back, Tranquility and Confusion- I'm not sure if they'd actually do anything at all, come to think of it.

[Christ, this is a mess.]

As far as Love and myself go... I can think of a few people I'd like to personally interrogate.

Anyway, cast your votes or ask your standard slew of questions. Yes, I realize that some of the dissenters will be voting, yeah I know that you all want to be in charge instead- there's probably a few of us who might bend our ears to you, but as we can't put a hundred people in charge, it's gonna be one of us.

[A pause.]

Sorry.

[Happy voting?]

Poll #18652

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 40

View Respondents

Who should lead the investigation?

View Answers

Sorrow and Hope
23 (57.5%)

Rage and Delight
2 (5.0%)

Fear and Love
7 (17.5%)

Confusion and Tranquility
8 (20.0%)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I was planning on winging it, honestly.

So you have no idea what you're doing, is what you're saying.

I can alter reality based on someone's worst fears.

[Pointedly.]

I have some idea.

So, like always, you're just going to fuck with people's heads to get what you want.

Should I not, in this case?

[Hm.]

It's a matter of life and death. Using all the available resources at my disposal seems logical.

No, you shouldn't!

[She's trying to be calm, while firm and assertive on this.]

What you should do is try to appeal to them. Show us that you're not the enemy because, given everything you've done to us, you haven't really done much to earn the sort of loyalty that you are expecting from all us.

If you do believe that whatever the Null offers to us is a worse option, you should fucking prove it.

Some of you are going to believe that we're the enemy, no matter what. It's in your nature to be contrary. Should we spend so much effort appealing to those of you in the middle of the road that we let the chaotic ones take advantage and kill us all?

[He's not getting angry with her- this is a good discussion to have.]

Where is the line drawn? I need fear to keep us all safe. If you have no loyalty to us, it's because we could not safely accommodate your needs in the first place. We have to act based on the matter at hand, not an ideal in which we can all agree on everything.

And it's your very "need" to act based on the matter at hand that might get you, and all of us, killed. Depending on how you deal with this situation, you might very well end up proving the Null right about you.

What do you mean, proving them right about us?

That you are parasites, and coexisting with you will be impossible.

I see.

[At least he takes that alright.]

We were better at coexisting before we had a host population that couldn't willingly give us power.

Well, it's not like any of you tend to ever ask us for help. You just take as you please, and fuck with us as you please, and you don't think that isn't going to piss some people off?

Have been manipulated like that before. It's a little more personal than some. Don't appreciate having to go through that shit again.

And whichever one of you thought it'd be a great damn idea to have our loved ones come back? Fuck them. [Because Rey sure as hell knows Fear had nothing to do with that.]

Edited 2017-08-05 05:54 (UTC)

Not my bag, but I'll pass along the message.

[Not like Fear is remotely innocent either.]

I think at the moment, we've been operating on 'the ends justify the means'. As in, 'we might not die horribly if we do this, but sorry'. Not sure how asking you to be scared all the time is going to give me the energy to move an entire city, but if you have an idea then let me know.

[She scoffs, understanding that there's no use in berating and screaming at Fear over an incident she knows he had nothing to do with, but still irate all the same.]

And are those ends effectively justified when you make enemies out of the source of your powers? The Null might be your problem today, but thinking like that will just give you more problems tomorrow. Case in point -- your current predicament. Some people want to see you dead. Think about why that is.

Am not saying you should try to make nice with every one of us. Just that your actions and how you go about this will determine just how much shittier you guys are compared to the alternatives. Maybe pass that along, too, to whoever ends up being in charge.

Edited 2017-08-05 17:28 (UTC)

I know why that is.

[He says simply.]

How do we win over your people? I've seen plenty of talk about giving you a say in our affairs and offering friendship and alliances to you- and I believe we've been making attempts to do so, which it's still met with resistance. So tell me, exactly, what we should be doing right now.

What should you be doing?

[It comes more incredulous than asking him a mirror of his own question, even if she doesn't sound it.]

[Now, more serious talky time.]

What you should be doing is preparing us for what the hell we're up against. Sorrow said you guys suck at war shit, and your subjects before us were even worse that they were easy targets. But now you have fighters, strategists, intellectuals and more and you're not going to win that many favors if you keep on taking and taking without giving us an idea why or what you need that power for in return.

Maybe if you let us in on what you've planned, some of us can actually help. These things are synthetics? Was tailored to destroy synthetics. Can take them apart and study their parts for weaknesses and what makes them tick. Might be able to do the same with some of their tech.

So what you should be doing is that -- we're not your subjects and we're not your cattle. But we could be your allies.

So, the same things that are said every time.

[He hums.]

We're listening to the strategists and intellectuals. We're taking stock of the fighters. Why do you think we communicate with you every time we try to decide something? If you'd like me to send a dozen of you off to die, I can let you fight them right here and now- but I think we'd both prefer you breathing.

When there is a chance to isolate and study them, you'll be the first I call. How does that sound?

[Huff.]

Fine. Good enough, for now.

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